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This is something I have been wondering. If the IG were invading a planet, how would they go about it as they don't have much that can get them to the surface quickly, so a hostile planet could mobilise a large force to hit their landing zone before they had sufficient troops or defences in place.

I considered orbital bombardment, but that assumes the Imperium doesn't want to take the world reasonably intact. Would it be possible for the Imperium to carve out a landing zone using orbital bombardment (Imagine having the grand canyon surrounding your landing zone. Would it be practical to do that, what problems would they encounter.

Also, what other methods are available to the Guard as they don't really have anything suitable for mass combat drops.

Who said they don't have anything suitable for mass combat drops? Just because they don't have Drop Pods...

The problem is that on the grand scale of 40k fleet support craft a Thunderhawk is tiny. The bombers and starfighters would be light cruisers and anti-fighter frigates in any other setting, Guard landing craft would make better terrain than they would models. And GW's reluctance to tell us anything about things they don't make models for means we're not likely to see any more information anytime soon.

I expect you'd see the Navy establishing a strong air presence and pinning down defensive positions/reinforcements supported by limited orbital strikes while the Guard got a beachhead in place, but the Guard/Navy are absolutely capable of getting the job done themselves without Space Marines to save their behinds.

As opposed to standard munitions they could always perform an orbital chemical attack on an area to clear it before using their standard bulk landers.

And that's pretty much all they use to get planetside. Some regiments like the Elysians make great use of the Valkyrie and similar craft but those regiments are relatively few and far between.

Yes, they do have landers, as shown by the 5th edition codex below.

Space marines have special tools to drop them deep into enemy territory and start in the heart of the enemy and/or behind enemy lines.

I imagine Imperial Guard that arrive from off-world set up a staging area (possibly bombing a landing zone with Marauder bombers) and then march the troops to the battle zone.

If in doubt, look at Starship Troopers - that's how the guard would do it.

Also planets are very big. If you defend everywhere you will very stretched and thus easily crushed where they want to land.

icn1982 wrote:


Also, what other methods are available to the Guard as they don't really have anything suitable for mass combat drops.

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Devourer_Dropship

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Tetrarch_Heavy_Lander

Well going by the Gaunt's Ghosts novels... most landings seem to take place in somewhat remote areas, to slow enemy counter actions.

Stage #1. The Navy applies orbital bombardment, to either remove resistance or clear basic landing zones (think orbital Daisy Cutters or MOABs)

Stage #2. Light landers with troops, some vehicles and engineering equipment land, troops set up perimeters, while engineering teams start leveling, conditioning and improving the LZ. Likely refueling facilities for Valkries, mess halls, field hospitals, fortifications and vast latrines are also set up at this time.

Stage #3. Valkries can't make it into orbit from the ground, but they can be retrofitted to be "dropped" through the atmosphere - it Valkrie assaults are to occur, it's likely at this stage, once the assault concluded the Valkries will be able to refuel at the original LZ. By this time the LZ will resemble a fortified airbase, and larger landers, like Devourers will be offloading heavier armour, vast amounts of supplies and men. Engineering teams are still working, and are likely starting on concrete landing pads and structures - the largest landers will not be able to land on soil or even some rock without weight issues.

Stage #4. The largest landers come down, unloading entire companies and super heavy assets - the LZ is a heavily fortified base, capable of supporting thousands of men and machines, the plucky engineering teams now start moving heavy equipment, including titan parts about, likely the titans and similar machines are transported in pieces then assembled on arrival so lots of heavy lifting...

During the landing storm troopers, elite units, space marines and navy air support will be launching their own assaults on other parts of the world, keeping the enemy off balance. Likely every major continent will get a similar LZ/base constructed, planets are huge, and even millions of troops and superheavy weapons will take a long time to take them, so it would be essential to build stuff to last, they're going to spend be spending years there...

I thought they just shoved men out the airlock until the pile of bodies reached orbit. Then the troops marched down the slopes and killed everyone with flashlights.

First rule of the Guard: There is no problem that can’t be solved just by throwing more bodies at it.

My understanding from different forgeworld publications and novels like Guants Ghosts is they will use orbital bombers and bombardments to soften things up and they will have troops land in valkyries and smaller landers and establish a beachhead for their larger (i mean able to move several thousand men size) bulk landers to drop off equipment. At that point they pretty much will stand building a semi permanent base including airfields, fortifications, barracks, etc. From there then they start moving things to the front. In the case of Tauros, Agrellan (Mont'ka), and Vraks they built their base 50-100 miles out of the combat zone and would go as far as build train tracks all the way to the front lines to move men and equipment. It seems the key is that they always chose a spot in the middle of nowhere to start that way they can get their work started unimpeded. I also recall the process taking a few weeks since they are essentially building everything they need on the planet surface. Just remember the scale on which the guard work, any given planet is going to be invaded by upwards of millions of guardsman.

 Nevelon wrote:
I thought they just shoved men out the airlock until the pile of bodies reached orbit. Then the troops marched down the slopes and killed everyone with flashlights.

First rule of the Guard: There is no problem that can’t be solved just by throwing more bodies at it.

Or just flood the planet with an unending tide of liquid Guardsmen.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 oldravenman3025 wrote:

Also, cracking avatar.

Innone Cain novel they land using modified cargo shuttles with decks and seats welded inside.

Ie main hold has decks with gear below and several troop bays.

Take a cargo hauler..add decks. And you have a troop drop ship for a friendly or non hostile landing zone.b

A single shuttle makes a stealth landing, out walks Creed, he points at a lamp post and a Titan Legion appears behind it