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Hello all,

It's been at least two years since I broke out my Imperial Guard (so long ago that I haven't got used to Astra Millitarium yet), and after seeing a couple of very nice P+M blogs on here I'm inspired to get them back out and get back into it. However, I have no idea as to any particular tactics or formations which are particularly useful. My IG were previously used as an allied formation for CSM and they actually did pretty well despite the overall negative feelings towards CSM's competitiveness.

Here's a good outline of what I have at my disposal.
CCS and various other command squads.
Around 50 Guardsmen
10 Stormtroopers
6x Leman Russes (3x LRBT, 1x Demolisher, 2x Executioner
1x Deathstrike Launcher
1x Hellhound
1x Valkyrie
1x Vulture
1x Baneblade
1x Shadowsword
2x Knights
1x Warhound Titan
1x Reaver Titan

I'm thinking that with several Russes I should be focusing more on heavy armour, although the idea of blob guard seems quite appealing, especially with several ways to buff them through allied units.

Because it's my birthday next week I'll have a bit of extra cash I can spend on getting the Codex and some more squads. I know it's a bit of a no-no to ask for advice without actually owning the Codex but I'm hoping someone would be able to provide some info before I spend anything.

So what formations could I make from what I have? What would be the best way to expand the force further?

If you're looking for competitive, you'll want Wyverns, and multiple. The rest of your list is decent, LRBTs aren't particularly good because of Ordnance and the removal of Lumbering Behemoth, same with Demolishers. Executioners are quite good in my experience.
What's your loadout on the Warhound?

Don't know much about Formations as they are in some of the more recent books fighting the Tau.

Couple of points besides Wyverns being excellent buys for anti-infantry...you do not have enough regular Guardsmen for more than one blob let alone a second blob of conscripts...you seem to have no Chimera to send in Veteran Squads with Melta guns to take out tanks and large targets.

My two cents,

CB

Verviedi wrote:If you're looking for competitive, you'll want Wyverns, and multiple. The rest of your list is decent, LRBTs aren't particularly good because of Ordnance and the removal of Lumbering Behemoth, same with Demolishers. Executioners are quite good in my experience.
What's your loadout on the Warhound?

Warhound loadout is Inferno Gun and Plasma Cannon, Reaver has 2x Laser Blaster and Apoc Launcher.

I'm rather torn on wherever Wyverns are actually worth it. The stuff I see on here puts them as the most overpowered unit ever, yet all you have is 4x S4 Ap6 blasts on a pretty weak platform. Is there something I'm missing about them?

Captain Brown wrote:Don't know much about Formations as they are in some of the more recent books fighting the Tau.

Couple of points besides Wyverns being excellent buys for anti-infantry...you do not have enough regular Guardsmen for more than one blob let alone a second blob of conscripts...you seem to have no Chimera to send in Veteran Squads with Melta guns to take out tanks and large targets.

My two cents,

CB

Well with blob-Guard perhaps 50-man units is a bit much, but is there some viability in 20-25 man units perhaps?

 Valkyrie wrote:

Captain Brown wrote:Don't know much about Formations as they are in some of the more recent books fighting the Tau.

Couple of points besides Wyverns being excellent buys for anti-infantry...you do not have enough regular Guardsmen for more than one blob let alone a second blob of conscripts...you seem to have no Chimera to send in Veteran Squads with Melta guns to take out tanks and large targets.

My two cents,

CB

Well with blob-Guard perhaps 50-man units is a bit much, but is there some viability in 20-25 man units perhaps?

A single blob-Guard unit is pointless as it is the only target your enemy has for infantry killing weapons. If you had only 50 troops I would avoid combining units. While 30 troopers combined is a good sized unit with 40+ for conscripts...having three or more blobs gives you options and forces your opponent to chose one to destroy or better yet, divide his firepower among all of them.

Cheers,

CB

Bring D-weapon titans. Deploy some infantry and stuff around the titan so your opponent can't reach it with anti-tank threats while the titan wipes your opponent's army off the table.

 Peregrine wrote:
Bring D-weapon titans. Deploy some infantry and stuff around the titan so your opponent can't reach it with anti-tank threats while the titan wipes your opponent's army off the table.

That's what I'm thinking, bubblewrap the Titan with Guardsmen, and maybe an Aegis to add another obstacle, but does this tactic simply fall prey to fast-moving/Deep Strike/behind enemy lines forces?

You may find it hard to get games using Titans though.
I'd concentrate on your rank and file forces and leave the Titans for fun games or games where your opponents are prepared for them.

Note. IG are in a funny spot as of now. They have some ok builds but arent amazing. And with 8th rumoured/new codicies it might be worth holding off for a few months to see what comes along.

 Valkyrie wrote:

Verviedi wrote:If you're looking for competitive, you'll want Wyverns, and multiple. The rest of your list is decent, LRBTs aren't particularly good because of Ordnance and the removal of Lumbering Behemoth, same with Demolishers. Executioners are quite good in my experience.
What's your loadout on the Warhound?

Warhound loadout is Inferno Gun and Plasma Cannon, Reaver has 2x Laser Blaster and Apoc Launcher.

I'm rather torn on wherever Wyverns are actually worth it. The stuff I see on here puts them as the most overpowered unit ever, yet all you have is 4x S4 Ap6 blasts on a pretty weak platform. Is there something I'm missing about them?

What people like about the Wyvern is how many wounds it can force against infantry units. AP 6 is nothing, yes. You'd think S4 doesn't mean much, but you're going to get quite a few hits with TL and a number of targets to choose from with 48" range, with or without LoS. Next, you've got Shred. If you land approx 3 hits per shot, that's 12 hits, then you get to reroll to wound. Most infantry are T3 or 4, so that's wounding on 3s or 4s, rerolling. A majority of these are going to wound. You have thus forced the enemy unit to make a whole bunch of saves. Ignores cover makes it nasty against light infantry, as those in ruins, with Stealth, Shrouded, etc. will have to use their worse armor save. Meanwhile, hitting a unit of terminators hurts because if they fail *any* of those saves, they lose an infantry nearly the same cost as the Wyvern, while your Wyvern was halfway across the board behind a building.

I think the only counter to the Wyvern is Necrons, where you can give everything non-vehicle in your codex a second save. Against other armies you can simply not target units with FnP, if you so desire.

 Valkyrie wrote:
Hello all,

It's been at least two years since I broke out my Imperial Guard (so long ago that I haven't got used to Astra Millitarium yet), and after seeing a couple of very nice P+M blogs on here I'm inspired to get them back out and get back into it. However, I have no idea as to any particular tactics or formations which are particularly useful. My IG were previously used as an allied formation for CSM and they actually did pretty well despite the overall negative feelings towards CSM's competitiveness.

Here's a good outline of what I have at my disposal.
CCS and various other command squads.
Around 50 Guardsmen
10 Stormtroopers
6x Leman Russes (3x LRBT, 1x Demolisher, 2x Executioner
1x Deathstrike Launcher
1x Hellhound
1x Valkyrie
1x Vulture
1x Baneblade
1x Shadowsword
2x Knights
1x Warhound Titan
1x Reaver Titan

I'm thinking that with several Russes I should be focusing more on heavy armour, although the idea of blob guard seems quite appealing, especially with several ways to buff them through allied units.

Because it's my birthday next week I'll have a bit of extra cash I can spend on getting the Codex and some more squads. I know it's a bit of a no-no to ask for advice without actually owning the Codex but I'm hoping someone would be able to provide some info before I spend anything.

So what formations could I make from what I have? What would be the best way to expand the force further?

A Wyvern unit and a chimera so you can make the formation in Mont'ka would be highly advisable. I think you also need an Enginseer.

So today I bought myself 15 new Guardsmen and the Codex, this brings me up to around 50 Guardsmen overall, not enough for blob units but I think it's a suitable number for the time being.

I also put together a list based on what I have at the moment.

HQ
Company Commanf Squad
- 3x Plasma Gun
- Medic
- Auto-Reliquary of Tyberius

[u]Troops/[u]
Platoon Command Squad
2x Flamers

Infantry Squad
- Flamer

Infantry Squad
- Flamer

Platoon Command Squad

Infantry Squad
- Flamer

Infantry Squad
- Flamer

Knight Errant
Knight Paladin


I know it's not the most competitive thing out there, it was just a general idea of what I'd like to go for. Ideally I'd like to include a tank or two, possibly the Vulture or Deathstrike. Would dropping a Knight be the most ideal way to go about this, perhaps drop the Paladin and using the points for a couple of LRBTs?

 Jancoran wrote:
A Wyvern unit and a chimera so you can make the formation in Mont'ka would be highly advisable. I think you also need an Enginseer.

Slight thread hijack, but I've been away from guard for ages too, what's the Mont'ka formation(s?)?

Do an image search for "Mont'ka formation".
There are a few, but one is for this.

I don't have the book to look for myself, but found a few that might help.

 Skinnereal wrote:
Do an image search for "Mont'ka formation".
There are a few, but one is for this.

I don't have the book to look for myself, but found a few that might help.

I can only find pictures in German. Sadly I only speak English.

 CREEEEEEEEED wrote:

 Jancoran wrote:
A Wyvern unit and a chimera so you can make the formation in Mont'ka would be highly advisable. I think you also need an Enginseer.

Slight thread hijack, but I've been away from guard for ages too, what's the Mont'ka formation(s?)?

Mont'Ka is a supplement you can buy. It contains Assassins, IG formations and Tau Formations. Quite useful. Worth buying. One of the Formations is an artillry formation that is very impressive.