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How should I survive turn 1 blitz tactics, and how should I avoid making an IG list that is a turn 1 blitz/leafblower?

I've found that a gunline with close support is great if you can go first, it's also great at absorbing alpha strikes, but fails terribly when the enemy goes all in and applies all their firepower at once. An all-out-blitz usually stomps a gunline, unless the gunline shoots first ... so this doesn't feel smart at all, for either player.

The theory is that I should put something up field to stall the blitz, granting my tanks and artillery the opportunity to get more hits and turn the game. I'm trying to figure out what unit would work best for this task.

However, the challenge isn't to come up with a fast, super tough unit to fly up field and tarpit incoming units, that would be easy. The challenge is to find a way to beat the alpha strike or blitz regardless of who goes first, which means I have to be there before turn 1. One of my biggest gripes about 40k, is when your opponent goes first and cripples you. That includes "leafblower" IG lists that go first, but also bike lists, wacky infiltration and other kinds of shock and awe. If you analyze a list that can do that much damage so early in game, it usually hinges on getting to go first - maximum aggression results in minimum retaliation. If they don't win that coin flip, they're dead in the water.

So, firstly I want to protect myself from those kind of turn 1 blitz attacks, and secondly, I want to ensure that my own success as an IG player does not depend on going first.

I need a unit that is out at mid-field before turn 1, can shrug off a lot of firepower, and is also a threat to my opponent.

Harker Squad in Chimera - Probably the best option. I haven't tried this, but I'm about to in my next game. I never liked the "Harker Star" because his squad is doomed to perish, but I didn't realize that maybe that's the point : stall the enemy. AND, throw on some meltas and an LC, the enemy cannot afford to ignore them. Good threat, but probably won't survive turn 1.

Storm Troopers - Decent. I used to use STs all the time as an ambush for incoming transports, hiding behind LOS cover at mid-field. I like nothing better than STs for this task, and I like that they are versatile. They are pretty awful at staying alive though, and they are not cost efficient.

Scout Sentinels with LCs - Decent. I've used them for this exact purpose and won with this strategy. Then I had a guy just ignore them and push everything he had into my deployment zone, and I lost.

Hellhound Squadron - Decent. I've tried them, and they always ruin the game by giving up first blood, and wrecking in my firing lanes ... I'll try again maybe, but I've never won a game where I had Hellhounds.

Penal Legionnaires - Nope.

Allies - Probably lots of great options. Space Wolves drop pod, Dark Angels drop pod ... etc.

What are people's thoughts about this?

I usually run a gun line with artillery support. I have found that if there is not enough terrain to hide troops and artillery when I go second, then reserving a piece of my force is needed. I will reserve my Ccs in a chimera and a lrbt and some troops. This way I am guaranteed that my Ccs with 4 plasma guns and my lrbt will get to shoot.
It is never fun to watch your 150+ point tank die before it even gets to fire. Leaving some ground troops in reserve allows you to have some scoring units later in the game if others have been removed.
This is just one idea. There are others that involve allies.

There are a few units in the IG book that the enemy will avoid like the plague. One of them is the Bane Wolf, perhaps with a multi-melta. If you can get it to hide in a ruin or behind some LOS blocking terrain, it will kill anything not in terminator armour if the enemy drives within 18" of it, so they have to make sure it is dead before they can move past it.

I'm going to try out a unit of 5 Ogryns with a Lord commissar in a chimera in a 1650 points list tomorrow, I'll let you know how it goes.

Unless there is alot of terrain, it is not easy to survive your opponents first round of shooting. What you need to know.

1. outside of lasguns, the IG will almost out range anything your opponent has. Just because you can deploy up to twelve inches from the table edge does not mean you have to. You can pre messure now, take advantage of that.

2. Harker squad with forward sentries is pretty good. A big point sink for ten troopers, but, you can outfit them well enough. Just find some ruins, make sure your opponent agrees to what the save is prior. A 2+ cover save is awesome for IG. They infiltrate, even if you get the chimera with them, you don't have to use it for them, just have that chimera screen and act as cover. You might lose harker squad, but, that is something else that didn't get shot at.

3. Hellhounds and banewolfs are feared by alot of players who know what they are. they are 12/12/10, unlike other chimera chasis vehicles. So dont be afraid of side armor shots.

4. You have great reserve units in the IG codex. If you can get back field and disrupt what is going on, everything on your side of the board gets to do what it wants. Vendetta/Valks being the best from reserve. Storm troopers (i prefer two plasma gun/plasma pistol five man unit), even scout sentinels in groups of three with auto cannon or las cannon are great reserve units. You can mess up alot with those.

Control your deployment space. Placement of bodies can dictate where your opponent is allowed to deploy within your lines, or you can simply deny them that chance, and make sure they have to DS in front of your lines.

Blob guard as a shield and bring the rain from mass artillery and autocannons.

These are great ideas, thanks!

I'm curious to know how the Ogryn work out, because I'm considering them myself. Russ tanks, Sentinels and Hellhound vehicles are great, BUT, they only take 1 pen to disable, potentially. Anti vehicle weapons are built to succeed (melta, melta bombs, klaws, etc), they rarely fail, so the enemy isn't wasting any time taking out a Russ tank or a Hellhound. But Ogryns soak up a lot of hits, and can hit back in assault. Also, Veterans in Chimeras are great because it takes at least 2 separate attacks to fully kill them, usually more. I'd like to see how the Ogryn play.

Thats not to say that vehicles aren't viable, I use Russ tanks and Sentinels often, but they don't do well in a "tanking" role, even the AV14 Russ isn't very survivable. The do better when they are applying threat or throwing down damage.

Thanks again for the great feedback.

I use 8-10 small squads of guardsmen with flamers to survive a blitz. I also take a bastion and 'bunker up' but the guards men prevent deep strikers and fast assault units getting near my tanks and artillery who do all the damage. The only time this doesn't work is in kill points games where your forced to blob them up....

Ginormous blobs seem to be the thing that's performed similarly to what you describe, in my games against IG. An allied rune priest in a 50-man blob makes them fearfully good. I would suggest a 50 and maybe 2 30-man blobs. Those can hold objectives, and otherwise be fairly flexible. Since you got the rune priest, it makes sense to get a grey hunter squad or two drop podded into the enemy, to help you deal with their backfield and otherwise make a bloody mess of the battlefield.

If you want pure IG, hellhounds/banewolfs are pretty neat, like others have said. I've been a fan of LRBT's, since they're so durable with that av14. There's also the option to put autocannons on fething everything.

 CaptObvious wrote:
These are great ideas, thanks!

I'm curious to know how the Ogryn work out, because I'm considering them myself. Russ tanks, Sentinels and Hellhound vehicles are great, BUT, they only take 1 pen to disable, potentially. Anti vehicle weapons are built to succeed (melta, melta bombs, klaws, etc), they rarely fail, so the enemy isn't wasting any time taking out a Russ tank or a Hellhound. But Ogryns soak up a lot of hits, and can hit back in assault. Also, Veterans in Chimeras are great because it takes at least 2 separate attacks to fully kill them, usually more. I'd like to see how the Ogryn play.

Thats not to say that vehicles aren't viable, I use Russ tanks and Sentinels often, but they don't do well in a "tanking" role, even the AV14 Russ isn't very survivable. The do better when they are applying threat or throwing down damage.

Thanks again for the great feedback.

Russes dont do the tanking roll?what? well? look at how you are using them and look at the fluff of the guard. Fluff of the guard...everything is expendable...how do you think you should play guard....everything expendable! lol

AV14 actually is pretty hard for some opponents to really deal with. lance is usually the only way my russes die from a range otherwise most firepower really effects russes. lascannons when they hit need a 6 just to pen the tank and then need a 5 to blow it up. If you really watch your games often as I pay watch over mine usually my russes die when my opponent closes the gap and can get in melta range and get that bonus d6 or they can assault. I rarly lose a tank from a ranged shot as its usually assault.

Look at what russes you are using the standard good old LRBT isnt amazing and its kinda bad but s8 ap large blast ordnance when it hits is nasty. But its just some cheap av14 armor with ONE big gun. So what you want are russes that can dish out pain and a lot of it. Look to two variants: the vanquisher and the punisher. some pretty minor tanks but when kitted right can be expensive yet dish out some pain! My sugestions for the vanquisher go with lascannon hull and plasma sponsons or if you want more anti tank MM sponsons. I mention the PC sponsons because I believe they are better. The vanq cannon and lascannon pop big vehicle threats and transports at a range and effectively. Once those transports are dead and the guys are foot slogging at you, you now need something to stop them in their tracks. this is where the PC sponsons come in handy if you run a Vanq with just a hull lascannon you are only putting out 2 shots a turn but the PC's now add more ap2 to hurt light armor, more wounds towards monstrous crreatures, adds more wounds on Meq and Teq so if termies drop in fron of you they better spread out and if your playing horde or geq armies the PC blasts can help by putting more wounds on them rather than 2 shots with a vanq cannon and a lascannon. I personally run pask in a vanq with LC/PC's as it increasing the killling power.

The Punisher is also nasty and Ive run it with LC/MM's. This allows it to put out a good amount of shots and dish out some ap1-2 to deal with those pesky 2+ save units.

Those I believe are the best all round russes that actually do a great job, I have tested both variants and the Vanq I listed above is probably my new favorite. Other variants can work but are more specialized like bolter boat punisher, mainly for horde and putting mass wounds on units. I actually really like the eradicator with bolters on the sides as it allows the tank to hunt infantry and anything with a 4+save or worse and can put wounds on other units. Executioner is nice and with LC/PC is a power house but is expenisve.

So in your games look at how you are using your russes. Try to stick to terrain that will give them cover. Make sure infantry are surrounding it so the enemy cant melta or assault the tank, or keep chimeras with vets close by to spring forward and intercept anything that gets close. Keep your IG army close together, not to close that blast weapons put huge holes in your army but close so that your opponent can pick small chunks off and eventaully deliver a killing blow.

Any questions on russes feel free to ask