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Interested in starting an Imperial Guard list. Thinking of starting with two combat patrol boxes which can make exactly 500pts for a good start army. Please let me know what you think:


++ Patrol Detachment 0CP (Imperium - Astra Militarum) [30 PL, 500pts, 3CP] ++

+ Configuration +

Battle Size [3CP]: 1. Combat Patrol (0-50 Total PL / 0-500 Points)

Detachment Command Cost

Regimental Doctrine: Regiment: Cadian

+ HQ +

Company Commander [2 PL, 40pts]: laspistol, Power sword, Warlord

Company Commander[2 PL, 40pts]: Laspistol, Power sword

+ Troops +

Infantry Squad [3 PL, 55pts]
. 9x Guardsman: 9x Lasgun
. Sergeant: Laspistol

Infantry Squad [3 PL, 55pts]
. 9x Guardsman: 9x Lasgun
. Sergeant: Laspistol

+ Heavy Support +

Leman Russ Battle Tanks [10 PL, 155pts]
. Leman Russ Eradicator: Heavy Bolter

Leman Russ Battle Tanks [10 PL, 155pts]
. Leman Russ Executioner: Heavy Bolter

++ Total: [32 PL, 3CP, 500pts] ++

My strategy for this to have two sets of Commissar + Guardsmen to go for separate objectives, with the 2 tanks holding the back objective and providing long range support to each squad.

At 24 models, it seems a low model count, i imagine a Marines army at this level would have just about half the models, so not great at outnumbering elite armies. Are 2 Leman Russ tanks overkill at this size game? Would this list be better with 1-2 guardsmen squads and maybe some heavy weapons teams?

Not at all. You'll find very quickly that those LRBTs:
- are very imposing, making them seem like a threat
- don't kill very much (unless you go hot)

So they should provide you with a decent 500 point game, even against newer codexes, unless your opponents go all-in with meta units/lists at 500 points. (e.g. lots of 3 wound marines)

The guard squads are pretty much screening units, as they struggle against even T3 bodies. The worst thing is if both your tanks get tagged in melee, so try to keep the tanks a ways apart (like 15"), but within LOS of one another, and the guard squads between your tanks and your opponents (we call this bubble wrapping). That way if/when one tank gets tagged in melee, it can back out of combat and the other can clear whatever tagged the 1st tank.

HWTs and LRBTs are in the same boat, they're kinda expensive, and are lacking output, but the HWTs are also highly vulnerable to every weapon in the game. LRBTs are vulnerable to higher strength+AP weapons, but there are usually less of high-S&AP in smaller games. So if you can protect your tanks (and not over-expose them and properly screen them with the infantry squads) they'll live a little longer.

If your opponents have a lot of regular marines and intercessors (2W models, not 3W gravis), then it's worth trying the HWTs. For 150 points, that's 3 HWTs with heavy bolters, and those can do some work. At higher points levels, opponents have the points and units to deal with both tanks and HWTs, so they're not worth it. But at lower points, HWTs can fill a niche, and are still fluffy and fun to play (though movement is a problem...)

If your opponent(s) are going with meta lists, then there are several things to try (but play the list as-is a few times just to get the feel of it)
- Take the relic Cadian Battle Cannon from War Zone Octarius (it's absolutely unholy) instead of the Eradicator. The Strength 8 and flat 3 damage does wonders.
- drop a company commander (you don't really need 2, but to start it's good practice for orders) and upgrade a LRBT to a Tank Commander.
- drop the 2nd LRBT for a Full Payload manticore. Again, the damage 3 does a lot of work.

You can go with a Demo Cannon on the tanks, but the 5 point cost makes for a weird points total. Since you're exactly 500 points, I'd go with the relic battle cannon for the consistent output.

Just be aware, going to the Tank Commander and Manticore is a full-meta list, and is extremely oppressive at 500 points (and still at 1000). So make sure that if you're going with oppressive units it's because you're playing your army correctly but are still struggling to compete, not because you want to be *that guy*.

This should get you familiar with the army and how it plays while building your confidence, and give everyone a bunch of fun games :-)


p.s. remember the sergeants on those squads can take chainswords for 0 points and get that extra attack

I think the second tank is a bit too much of an investment for a 500 point game. Objectives matter a lot and when (not if, they are very squishy) your Infantry dies, all your opponent will need to do is stand on the objectives and not die to win. It won't matter if they can't kill your tanks.

For me, I'd drop one of the Company Commanders and one of the tanks, upgrading the other tank to a Tank commander. Going with Relic Cadian Battle Cannon is pretty solid, but for 500 point games, I prefer the Executioner Plasma Cannon myself. There's not going to much in the way of mass 3W units in a 500 point game, but you could see a lot of 2W units. Also, in a board that small, things get close, I like having the Heavy Flamer on the front to keep you from getting tagged by a bunch of light infantry. I would go with something like this:

Executioner Tank Commander with 2 Plasma Cannons and 1 Hvy Flamer: 230pts.
Company Commander with Power Sword: 40pts.
x4 Infantry Squads: 220pts.

That leaves you with 10 points to play with for special weapons in your Infantry. I'd go with either a pair of flamers for your frontline squads or a pair of melta-guns if you feel like you want a little extra anti-armour. Alternatively, you could go with one special weapon and give your commander a Power fist for a little extra oomph if they do have to fight something.

It is an interesting point to say 2 Company Commanders would be redundant, my strategy (albeit, having never played with the army before and just flicking through the codex) would be that to make guardsmen useful you'll want them to be able to be given orders. given that I would want 2 separate groups to charge up the field, I would think I would need at least 2 commanders in this case, perhaps I am wrong?

In a revised list with Tank commander, commander, 4 guardsmen squads, I would consider:

1. Having one Squad with a HWT to hold backline objective.

Then run the rest of the board with:

2. Company commander + 1 guardsmen squad and Tank commander + 2 guardsmen squad
3. Swapping Tank commander with commander

there are two strategies to this:

option 2 - Tank commander has a lot of bodies between it and the enemy, while the other infantry squad gets buffed by the commander (but probably die pretty quickly).

option 3 - 2 buffed guardsmen squads to deal a fair amount of more damage, but the tank commander is at risk of being overrun.

Is there a better play than either of these options?

You're not wrong on paper, but in practice, your infantry will get burned through fast, by turn 3, or maybe even turn 2 you'll find you wont need that second commander. Or if you do have enough bodies left, you'll be far enough ahead that you actually won't need him anyway. Keep in mind, your Company Commander can issue two orders per turn, but can only effect each unit once.

Assuming you have decent LoS, your tank commander can hold the back objective just fine. You want to keep him out of melee, and he's got a 36" range on those plasma cannons, which is the whole board in a 500pt game.

I see, i have previously played with tougher armies, so need to come to terms with the fragility of IG Infantry.

I think i’ll go with the list you made and see how it goes, thanks!