1850 Optimized Mechanized Infantry - well its debatable

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**kaiservonhugal**

1850 Pts - Imperial Guard Roster

Command Platoon
      1 Junior Officer
         Iron Discipline
      4 Guardsmen
         Lasgun (x3); Flamer (x1);
         1 Chimera
            Multi-laser; Hull Heavy Bolter

Infantry Platoon
      1 Junior Officer
         Iron Discipline
      4 Guardsmen
         Lasgun (x2); Meltagun (x2); Mount in Chimera
         1 Chimera
            Multi-laser; Hull Heavy Bolter
   Infantry Squad, Veteran Sergeant
         Close Order Drill; Lasgun (x8); Flamer; Heavy Bolter;
      Chimera
            Pintle Heavy Stubber; Multi-laser; Hull Heavy Bolter

   Infantry Squad, Veteran Sergeant
         Close Order Drill; Lasgun (x8); Flamer; Heavy Bolter;
      Chimera
            Pintle Heavy Stubber; Multi-laser; Hull Heavy Bolter

   Armoured Fist Squad , Veteran Sergeant
         Close Order Drill; Lasgun (x8); Flamer; Heavy Bolter;
      Chimera
            Pintle Heavy Stubber; Multi-laser; Hull Heavy Bolter

Hellhound
Inferno Cannon; Hull Heavy Bolter

Basilisk
Improved Comms; Earthshaker Cannon; Hull Heavy Bolter; Indirect Fire Capability

Hardened Veteran Squad
   7 Hardened Veterans
      Lasgun (x7); Lascannon
   1 Veteran Sergeant
      1 Chimera
         Multi-laser; Hull Heavy Bolter

Total Roster Cost: 1850
64 bodies
12 vehicles
32 heavy weapons - an exact 1:2 ratio to bodies though not planned.
5 units can punch armour 14 targets - 3 at BS4.
12 scoring units - yuck
zero hand to hand - priceless.

I could drop the veterans and go with 3 more mounted infantry squads at BS3 with only 3 lascannons. Id trade the BS4 for 6 more bodies.
I didnt add the standard as I expect most units to be moving after turn 3 in order to ensure local fire superiority or to satisfy mission requirements. I did add Veteran Sergeants and
Close Order Drill - each unit will be testing on LD9 after disembarking from the chimera. I know the list doesnt look like it has MEQ punch - but I trust in volumes of fire and the occassional template. As for the parking lot sindrome - thats a problem. Escalation will alleviate this a bit as well as the bassie parking somewhere and the hellhounds moving out and drawing fire. I tried to make the non-scoring units as lethal as possible, though would have liked field 3 more heavy stubbers. To maintain the body count and vehicle count I compromised on lascannons. Only 3 but they can shoot and I do have a command section with meltaguns. The infantry squads have Heavy Bolters to compliment their chimera transport while outside of it and torches for when they disembark.

Ive seen alot of talk about maxing out on the Leman Russ tank in a mech list. Dont get me wrong - I love that tank and fully realize its effectiveness. I find it to be a handicap points wise though in a mech list, plus I like the uniformity of all AV12.

**mughi3**

use steel legion and paint them up like a WWII panzer grenadier plattoon and it would be an awsome themed army. thought about doing something similar myself with a few FW turret mods to the chimera's, but i went tau instead

**Flagg07**

1) You are breaking one of the tenets of Mech IG right off the bat by your selections of HB/Flamer for your INF sqds. It's become almost gospel that the Chimera is AP and the sqd is AT. Simply changing those flamers out for Plasma increases your anti-MEQ capabilities.

2) You have also gone well over the accepted standard of the vet sqd. (x5 vets/3 specials- 75 pts) Remember, they are just as vulnerable as your line sqds, but they are all of your AT and have a better BS. You are missing out on their ability to use 3 specials also. Personally, I'd rather have 3 plasma guns shooting at side/ rear armor then 1 LC

3) Dropping those Vet sgts from your line sqds gives you 2 more stubbers.

Sorry if this makes no sense, I'm a bit tired ATM. I'll post more when I freshen up.

**kaiservonhugal**

It comes to exactly 1850 - I think the advantage of mech is its mobilty - I can use this to obtain local fire superiority and satisfy mission requirements. With that said - I have configured the squads weapons to take advantage of the movement. I think I have the right AT with the current state of 4th ed. I dont believe I have limited the anti MEQ capabilities so much that I need to include plasma guns - there's a lot of dakka in this list. Not that Im not open to suggestions of course - Im just explaining why I havent gone with gospel. Because I didnt take the standard - I feel vet sargeants are key. This army moves and doesnt play like a gun line army does - it needs strong squad leaders as they will be moving. I do understand the vet sqd comment but this list will have plenty of high strength punch on side armour (multi-lasers) without giving them plasma guns and sending them down range. I use vet squads simply because I have so few lascannons - when I need them - I need them to hit. Think of them as just another squad that humts armour. I wanted to include FW turrets because I have them and they looks awesome on the chimerae- but points prevents it. By the way, the tanks are all kitted out to look like they are on campaign and the joes are cadians painted for city fight.

**yakface**

I don't like it. That isn't enough AT, even in the percieved 4th edition drought of armor. The only thing there is less of in 4th edition are Rhinos and Wave Serpents. To make up for that fact, many people take multiple heavy vehicles (Hammerheads, Russes, Predators) because they can fire all their defensive weapons now.

The simple fact is that 3 Lascannons in an 1,850 pt list is *not* going to cut it at all. The smaller vet units mean that if you deploy the unit out of the Chimera, the enemy will have an even easier time getting rid of the Lascannon. If the unit is kept inside the Chimera to fire, guess which Chimeras are going to be targeted and eliminated first (and inflicting a turn of entanglement upon the Lascannon too)?

Also, failing to have a Russ means that the enemy is going to have an absolute field day on your army. If they are playing a horde or infantry-based army those Hellhounds will be eliminated quickly. If they are playing a vehicle heavy force the Chimeras with your Lascannon units will be toasted immediately.

Even a single Russ will help your cause--don't listen to HBMC on this. You don't *have* to take two Russes (although it isn't a bad idea). A single Russ stands a decent chance of surviving any game, but more important is the fact that any shots directed at the Russ aren't being fired at your Chimeras/Hellhounds and have a much smaller chance of destroying the Russ than they do your Chimeras/Hellhounds.

I just got back from Adepticon where we played with mech guard and I can safely say these two things:

1) Tournament players are still packing a whole lot of Lascannons (meaning you need a Russ to draw some fire).
2) 3 Lascannons ain't gonna cut it. We had an average of six in our combined 2,000 pt forces and that was just barely enough to get by, IMO. We never faced another mechanized army (although there were plenty at the tournament) or I think we really would have been sunk.

**CaptKaruthors**

Yak makes a great point and I agree with him. 3 LC in your list isn't going to cut it. What happens when you are playing against mech tau? I also agree that 1 leman russ can make a difference in a mech IG list. The opponent still has to respect the damage potential that a russ can do. Having it take the pressure off of your hellhounds is key. Capt K

**kaiservonhugal**

I put alot of weight into the recommendations from tournament play. Thanks for the feedback. I do agree - the achilles heel is facing off against another mech list. I think this list loves going against horde infantry armies. Im thinking of replacing the heavy bolters with autocannons. These will help against Mech Tau. I will retool the list to include 2 Russes - may end up dropping a hellhound to do it though