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Hi All,

I've just introduced myself in the beginners forum; my names Pete.

I'm new to 40k and having bought the rulebook and read it through, I've decided to pledge my allegiance to the Guard. I've since bought the codex and tried to generate a list for my first army before I start buying miniatures.

My army doesn't need to be super competitive, but I equally don't like the idea of always losing. It needs to be able to play reasonably well against all possible matchups in a friendly environment. It definitely does not need to be tournament worthy.

With that in mind, I've made a 1500 point list (actually 1475 at the moment), which is my desired 'perfect' army so to speak. Once I've perfected this 1500 list I will then use these units to build lists for 500 and 1000 points respectively. I can then start small, buying the required stuff for 500, then later add the bits up to 1000 and eventually complete the 1500 point army. I realise this will compromise the quality of the 500/1000 point sub-lists, but it also means I won't have any redundancy later on and can start playing/learning sooner.

So, assuming you skipped all the drivel, here's my 1500 point list. Please post suggestions and comments.

HQ

Company command squad (300)
    Commander with power fist
    4 x Flamer
    Nork deddog (as bodyguard)
    Astropath
    Master of Ordinance
    Officer of the Fleet
    Regimental Standard

(Tactics - Attempt to cause havoc amongst infantry. First with flamers and then with the power-fist wielding commander. Nork Deddog is used to keep the commander alive longer, allowing him to go a bit crazy attacking)

Infantry

Platoon Command (95)
    Commander with Power weapon 
    Commissar
    4 x Flamer

(Tactics - Keep near infantry so they benefit from commissar leadership bonus. If anyone comes near; flame them)

Infantry Squad A (50)
    Just basic troops

Infantry Squad B (50)
    Just basic troops

Heavy Weapon A (105)
    3 x Lascannons

Heavy Weapon B (75)
    3 x Autocannons

(Tactics - Bunker down in closest cover save terrain and start blasting when stuff comes near. Lascannons for MEQ's and Autocannons for infantry)

Vet Squad (200)
    3 x Plasma
    Harker
    Forward Sentries

(Tactics - Go on the attack against MEQ's, utilising cover where possible)

Elites

Storm Troopers (185)
    plus 5 additional to make 10 total
    2 x melta

(Tactics - Hunt down heavily armoured units and basically attack like crazy)

Marbo (65)

(Tactics - Blow stuff up, look cool, be Rambo)

Fast Attack

Vendetta (130)

(Tactics - Deal with flyers and then attack tanks, possible transport for Storm Troopers)

Heavy Support

Leman Russ Demolisher (220)
    Lascannon on front
    Plasmas on sides

(Tactics - Attack heavily armoured stuff, tanks, Terminators etc.)

Total 1475

Not sure where to use the remaining 25 points. Have considered saving some points elsewhere and investing in Aegis Defence for my troops.

Thanks,
Pete

    

Well to start off go on gw site and check out the FAQ for guard. Leman russ tanks are heavy vehicles now and dont have lumbering behemoth. Basically that means they cant move faster than 6inches and can always fire all seasons as if they stayed stationary. The problem tho is that the demolisher and battle tank have ordnance main guns. That means if you fire the main gun all other guns snap fire. So essentially since you have plasma sponsons they wouldnt be able to fire at the same time as the main gun as blast weapons cant snap fire and your lascannon will fire at bs1. So you have wasted 55pts on the tank. If you run the LRBT or demolisher they are best off with no upgrades.

Also you have a commissar in the pcs. Is it a lord commissar or just a commissar. If its just a commissar he grants no ld bonus if i recall correctly and only The Lord commissar does that. Also commissars even the lords are best used in blobs otherwise a pcs will get chewed up quickly as its only a 5 man squad.

Also as a general idea even if you aren't going a competitive route troops are your main units to score with in games. Heavy weapon teams are very fragile as 1 model dies the rest take leadership test and they are only ld7 and are most likely going to fail. S6 weapons also insta kill them easily. I suggest taking the heavy weapon teams and attaching them to the infantry squads. I also suggest getting more infantry squads.

Also running foot guard i suggest using a regimental banner to allow rerolls for moral on your troops so they dont run easily.

Hope some of this helps out!

I've only had a handful of games in 6th with my guard (I quit during 4th ed), but from experience a regular LRBT is better for general duties - mainly because of its range. Unless you know you're facing T5 or lots of 2+ armour, you're going to have more success with the regular Russ. And while you're at it take a second one. One will get picked off and besides... The more tanks the better! I'd also drop the stormies to a 5 man suicide squad. When you drop them behind a tank, your opponent will wipe them off the board the following turn and another 5 bodies isn't going to stop that. I'd also drop one of the advisors... There's too much invested in that CCS. Mine is around 200 points and *I* feel like I've dropped way too much into them. If you dropped Nork, you could take another 20 basic guys (and they will do a lot more than he will, as cool as he is).

As tankboy said, troops win battles. You need more bodies. 5 of the 6 standard missions are based around capturing objectives, of which only troops can do.

Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated. I've gone back to the drawing board a bit and as such, here is my second attempt. Please let me know your opinions

245 - HQ

95 - Lord Commissar, power fist, camo cloak
90 - CCS, Lascannon, regimental standard, vox
60 - Officer of the Fleet and Astropath

685 - Infantry

55 - PCS 1, lascannon, vox
60 - Infantry 1A, flamer, vox
55 - Infantry 1B, flamer
(Lord Commissar attached to this 20 man unit)

55 - PCS 2, lascannon, vox
60 - Infantry 2A, grenade launcher, vox
55 - Infantry 2B, grenade launcher
35 - Commissar

205 - Vet squad A, Harker, forward Sentries, 3 x plasma, vox
105 - Vet squad B, 3 x melta, vox

65 - Elite

65 - Marbo

100 - Fortifications

100 - Aegis Defence Line + Autocannon
(Lord Commissar controls Autocannon)

130 - Fast Attack

130 - Vendetta
(Vet squad B rides in Vendetta in reserve)

275 - Heavy Support

150 - LRBT, flamer
125 - Basilisk

1500 - Total

Tactics
Static defence line army. Everything behind Aegis except Vendetta with Vet B (in reserve), Vet A (infiltrates) and Marbo (go Rambo, go).
Lord Commissar attaches to 20 man Infantry 1 unit to give them Camo Cloaks and also controls Autocannon from behind.
Vet A with Harker (plasmas) hunts down Terminators etc.
Vendetta with Vet B (meltas) goes after tanks etc.

How does that sound?
I've followed advice online (although a lot of it seems contradictory), but also selected units I like.

Thanks,
Pete

Another tactic you might find good would be attaching heavy weapons to the infantry squads i uour gunna be sitting back