Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I have been playing Guard for awhile now but I never have taken "the plunge" in to the Forgeworld branch of the game. In saying that, I am wondering if the Forgeworld guard are on the same footing as the current Guard codex? In addition, how the formations and the like interact with Forgeworld?

Thank you for your time,

Bakedbeans

There's no notable power advantage in any FW IG army lists over the basic Codex. There's a number of individual units that are better than codex equivalents (though usually because the codex unit is garbage), but a lot of junk too, largely it's a toss up. IG FW lists and units arent really making much of a showing in tournaments if that tells you anything.

The only one that I can say that probably has a clear advantage is the traitor IG lists, which are seeing some success.

 Vaktathi wrote:
There's no notable power advantage in any FW IG army lists over the basic Codex. There's a number of individual units that are better than codex equivalents (though usually because the codex unit is garbage), but a lot of junk too, largely it's a toss up. IG FW lists and units arent really making much of a showing in tournaments if that tells you anything.

The only one that I can say that probably has a clear advantage is the traitor IG lists, which are seeing some success.

Vaktathi has summed it up nicely; there are a few standout units amid many mediocre, or outright horrible, ones. Some notable standouts include:

1. Vulture Gunship - I cannot overstate how amazing this unit is, in terms of both looks and rules (and price!)
2. Manticore Launcher Tank - Better in every way than the codex version. Lower point cost with the ability to equip one of three different missile types.
3. Earthshaker artillery carriages - Totally superior to the Basilisk. Cheaper, tougher, can receive orders with no real drawbacks other than the fact that it can't move (have you ever wanted to move a Basilisk though?)
4. A) Armored Battlegroup Tank Commander (in a vanquisher with beast hunter shells) - Probably the best Leman Russ variant available. It does so much work in every game I run it.
B) Armored Battlegroup Commissar Tank - See above.
C) Armored Battlegroup Vendetta - Also superior to the codex variant thanks to using the old rules and point cost.
5. Rapier Laser Batteries - Excellent anti tank, though at a shorter range than a standard lascannon.

Most of these things can be taken in a standard guard CAD just like picking a unit out of the codex (with the usual restrictions: 3 heavy support choices maximum, for example) though the Armored Battlegroup units are restricted to the ABG army list. To include just about anything you want, try running an IG CAD with ABG allies. Formations however cannot ever pick and choose; all formations are restricted to the units specifically mentioned in the formation description, you can't mix and match.

A lot of the FW lists are doing better than the Codex versions, even if outdated. DkoK, Elysian Drop Troopers, Armoured Battlegroup do it better than the Astra Militarum at the minute.

Vulture is also a fantastic Flyer, would even go as far to say it's better than the Valkyrie and Vendetta.

I think the caveat is that while the FW rules are "better" each set is only better in a narrow way. Each steps away from something normally associated with typical IG play. Elysians not having tanks or DKoK not having Chimeras. So there is a limit to versatility in those lists. Meanwhile some, but not all of those worthwhile units, the others have mentioned, are strictly speaking vailable to someone using the IG codex.