Tactica Imperial Guard

[Thornz]

I'm finding that the best unit in the new Codex is the Platoon Command Squad (PCS) in a Chimera.

I run my PCS with 3x Flamers & Melta Gun, or 4x Flamers, all in a Chimera. How do you run yours ?

[Vaktathi]

I run mine with 4x grenade launchers. This way they can fire blasts where their middling BS isn't too much of a liability, and when lucky can stack a rather large number of hits on a unit (my record so far is 36 hits from 4 GL's on an enemy Veteran unit) and they present a threat to infantry even if it isn't a critical threat like plasma guns or flamers, but they can do so while moving and present a threat out to 24" away, and the Krak grenades help with MC's and things like Rhino's and Trukk's. Stick the squad in a chimera with a hull heavy flamer, run it around as a mobile gun platform, and its the most annoying 105pt unit an enemy can face

[AllisterCaine]

AllisterCaine: Probably, yes. The difference between 2D6 and best of 2D6 is massive though. Only slightly better in this case (S9 ordnance vs S9 normal against AV14) is almost twice the chance to penetrate. The Basilisk is expensive and vulnerable though.

Yes, but I see it like this. The fact that you're even using a mainly anti-heavy infantry weapon to kill tanks detracts from the effectiveness from the gun, i.e. what you just shot at a tank can be better used on infantry. It's just IMO when you have a situation like "Damn, that didn't work so now I'll have to compromise with stuff I might need for other targets" it starts to go downhill. The Bassie is indeed extremely vulnerable if you want it to be effective, because a 36" minimum range in a normal-sized game creates a huge gap.

[Seth the Dark]

Stick the squad in a chimera with a hull heavy flamer, run it around as a mobile gun platform, and its the most annoying 105pt unit an enemy can face

I can attest to that!

[Khornies & milk]

I'm finding that the best unit in the new Codex is the Platoon Command Squad (PCS) in a Chimera.

I run my PCS with 3x Flamers & Melta Gun, or 4x Flamers, all in a Chimera. How do you run yours ?

Mine has 3 Meltaguns and a HF in a Chimera. I get good use from them because they outflank with Al'Rahem. If they weren't outflanking I'd use an other set-up like yours.

Love the Tactica! Read through the bits that pertain to me...good to know most of the choices I have in my army are the right ones.

[withershadow]

The section on characters completely fails to cover the biggest flaw of the Priests.

They are independent characters, so they can be singed out. Even with a 4++ save, they are still T3 with 1 wound. If you want their bonus, just take them bare-bones, although I don't think re-rolls are worth 45 extraneous points and an easy kill point, even for GKT. Also, no mention of Sisters? I have found them very very useful. A Cannoness is like a uber Commissar Lord for about the same points.

[Vaktathi]

I can attest to that!

Sorry about that

EDIT: something I just noticed, on page 14 when referring to unit leadership as a reason to take creed and kell, many of the units listed are in fact Ld8 too, not just Ld6 and 7.

[Sir_Lunchalot]

Awesome tactica Cookie. I'm feeling very tempted to try the stracken infantry wave tactic.

[Grimbad]

Awesome tactica, just noticed that it was done. Awilla's bit made me want to get some rough riders. I might.

[Scythe]

Great effort, and good start for a new tread! Very nice work!

[Lord Solar Plexus]

All hail Ollanius Pius! All hail the New Tactica!

I've used the Veterans with Harker, another HB, and three grenade launchers in conjunction with a Primaris, all in a Chimera, and I must say they worked a treat. Having said that, their main targets were Pink Horrors, which are I gather T3, 4++ Sv. I'm thinking of kitting the unit out differently because their utility will go down steeply when fighting Eldar (the pointy ears in this corner of the universe mostly wear Aspect armour) or Orks. Flamers are always nice to have, and with a 12 + 2 + template range from the side should be able to reach something but on Vets? Hmm. Meltas are good to have, too, and could potentially even get rear shots. While this is usually not necessary, it could help against Wave Serpents.

'Tis a difficult decision...what would you think of 2 meltas, 1 HF, democharge? Wound allocation could be a problem but as this unit will often be on its own, trying to grab an undefended objective and only defeat one or two lighter units in its path, I feel that some level of independance would be needed (their ride has a multilaser + HF).

[laudarkul]

Thank you guys for that amazing work and thanky you Lord Cook for assembling all the stuff...And a cookie for the guy with the quotes ideea.

[Alx_152]

A great document.

However, would it be possible for someone to add a commentary for the field artillery pieces from Imperial Armour, like the Quad Launcher and Heavy Mortar?

I've got these, but sofar I've never fielded them. And I would like to know the opinions of others about these artillery pieces with the current edition.

[Vaktathi]

The heavy mortars are fantastic units. They are basically Griffons for 30pts less, however they don't get the reroll and are very easily wrecked by errant bolter fire, they die faster than almost anything else I've ever seen should the enemy draw line of sight to them. Losing 1 crewman is enough to force a morale test, and a single glance on the gun kills it.

That said, a battery of 3 for 135 contains 3 guns that are treated as 3 different units. For 1080 points you can get 9 Heavy Mortars as your Elites and 9 Griffons for your HS, for a total of *18* S6 AP4 Ordnance weapons. 45pts for a unit that can be hidden out of Line of Sight or in cover that gets an indirect fire large blast weapon that can still kill light-medium vehicles like Predators (indirect fire on side armor, 6+2d6 pick highest armor pen) is a bargain, especially as you can take them in Elites slots instead of Heavy Support.

The Thudd Guns are also very useful, especially with 5E blast rules. They are however significantly more expensive than the heavy mortars and must give up a couple turns of fire every game to reload, and are significantly more expensive than the Mortars. However they do have a greater average casualty infliction than Mortars due to a greater number of chances to hit and not whiff totally. However, the Thudd Guns have the same vulnerabilities as the Heavy Mortars as discussed above.

[laudarkul]

I'm finding that the best unit in the new Codex is the Platoon Command Squad (PCS) in a Chimera.
I run my PCS with 3x Flamers & Melta Gun, or 4x Flamers, all in a Chimera. How do you run yours ?

So far I run only one Chimera in my army assigned to the CHQ. Their load-out is 2xPlasma Gun and a Grenade Launcher. They have some punch and in rapid fire they could be quite devastating and whatever MC/troop assault my Chimera must think twice beacuse my guys can disembark and give them some revenge.
I run also 2 PHQ both of them on foot (no Chimera's available yet). One of them has 2 Flamers and it's perfect for cleaning whatever come into my lines (Striking Scorpions/Nids Warriors/CSM), but another Flamer or a GL would be also good as an addition (so today I have to assemble/paint couple of flamers/GL's just to have them not proxy them with ST).
The other PHQ is usually load-out with a ML and/or Sniper/GL. It's task is to stay close to my obejective and provide some cover fire for the squad around it. I'm still looking for this command squad load-out since BS3 it's tricky.

[Lord Cook]

P83 of this document - WHAT ON EARTH 2D6 Penetration? No no no.

EDIT: P106 the gun is AP2.

EDIT: P106 again 3 small blasts is 27/4 pi "^2, more than the Demolisher's 25/4 pi "^2.

The fact that you've only found three mistakes in 50,000 words is, I think, quite acceptable.

Page 83, I'm afraid I meant to write 2d6 pick the highest, and clearly didn't. My apologies there. Page 106, a minor mistake that slipped through the editing net. And the second page 106, a claim based on an approximation, which was clearly a foolish thing to do on Warseer.

I'll fix them all in the next update.

However, I do have a question regarding CCS with all special weapon load-outs. Am I missing something or are these rather stupid? If you're going to use them like that why not use veterans? They can essentially do the same job while being more cost effective. Why not take advantage of the Order system and try to keep your HQs safe, with a modest hitting power and leadership bonus so that they can continue to be effective throughout the game?

As a mechanized player, I for one always have my Command squad carrying a slew of special weapons. They need to be in a transport as well, they have Bs4 and they can carry unlimited specials. It makes sense to give them the means to fight as well as just my Veterans. Seeing as you have to have an HQ anyway you can't just take more Veterans instead. And despite what some people say, orders are a big deal I think, but being able to issue them from within the Chimera means the commander isn't unduly exposed to fire.

Right, but wouldn't you also lose those special weapons much faster? If the transport blows up and the CCS gets wounded, you can only allocate 1 hit on the CO, which means there's a good chance you'll lose 1-2 special weapons right off the bat. After that with their transport gone, if something even looks at their direction they will most likely die.

Hence why I give them the cheaper flamers, and have the Veteran squads carrying the meltas and plasmas.

Wouldn't it be more preferable for them to order disembarked mechanized veteran units to fulfill jobs such as the one you described above?

They do that as well, but you need all the firepower you can get.

Having said that however, there really doesn't appear to be much logic here. First of all, when shooting vehicles, Ap2-6 are meaningless- only Ap1 or Ap- makes a difference. S9 Ordnance is only slightly better against AV14 than a lascannon, in which case the most reliable method of dealing with are melta-based weapons (or even the Vanq). Shooting Basilisks at vehicles seems to be a last resort sort of thing, like shooting battle cannons at tanks. I would hardly call it "anti-tank" by any stretch of the imagination.

I agree. But you'll notice from the section of the Tactica that has been quoted I never called the Basilisk anti-tank. I called it a generalist which is outclassed by its competition. In short, it can do anti-infantry to a decent standard, and worse comes to the worst it can also attempt some anti-tank. I didn't say it was amazing, but that's the idea of a generalist, something that can at least try. And a lascannon with 2d6 pick the highest penentration can at least give it a go.

Yes, but I see it like this. The fact that you're even using a mainly anti-heavy infantry weapon to kill tanks detracts from the effectiveness from the gun, i.e. what you just shot at a tank can be better used on infantry.

Which is exactly why I do no like generalist units, and prefer to use specialists.

Also, no mention of Sisters? I have found them very very useful. A Cannoness is like a uber Commissar Lord for about the same points.

It was enough work for one codex. Including allies would have expanded it to three codex's. We'll put that on the "to-do" list shall we?

And a cookie for the guy with the quotes ideea.

I'm afraid that would be me.

However, would it be possible for someone to add a commentary for the field artillery pieces from Imperial Armour, like the Quad Launcher and Heavy Mortar?

Entirely possible. We just need someone to volunteer to write an article for them...

[Sircyn]

While I'd not go so far as to associate the word potent with anything the Basilisk does, I slag the thing off so much in my article a slightly more positive perspective adds a little balance. I'd agree with LC's definition of the focus of the generalists but I consider it a friendly nod to help people get the best use out of the Basilisk models they find themselves lumbered with.

Considering my contribution was one of the last to go in and was nearly 5000 words on its own I think we can compliment Lord Cook on doing such a great job of making it readable with so few mistakes slipping through in such a short time.

[Khornies & milk]

I would like to ask if Colonel Jacka could add a Chapter on Tank Squadrons, specifically focussing on what varients work best together (synergy).

If he already has done so in the Tactica and I missed it feel free to give me an uppercut.

[Captain Micha]

I run my CCS always or damned close to it with some kind of special weapons. usually I run them with Sniper Rifles. No I don't run Mech in that sense of the word, but I've found that frankly, you've already got the CCS.. you might as well put it to use besides being an Order Platform *sorry Orders aren't worth 50 points all on their own*.

If I was running a Veterans Mechanized list or heaven forbid loads of normal guardsmen in chimeras all command squads would be outfitted with weaponry. This is because such a list gets even less use of orders *since we can order OUT of a chimera and not... IN for whatever reason... stupid GW*.


Lord Solar Plexus, actually I run a similar kit outfit on a Veterans squad for Planet Strike when I'm the attacker. I've got them demolitions, 3 melta guns. They are kind of like all Suicide Vets. I use em for cheap throwaway building Killers. Or as more expensive Marbos. For bonus gravy I gave them all shotguns. *so when I DS... hoooobooy *

Loading the vets in a Valkyrie would accomplish much the same goals *or better yet if you are particularly evil load them in a Vendetta.... shoot the target coming in, Ds the Vets, Demo Charge and Melta shots... and you have one seriously dead target.*

[Khornies & milk]

If I was running a Veterans Mechanized list or heaven forbid loads of normal guardsmen in chimeras all command squads would be outfitted with weaponry. This is because such a list gets even less use of orders *since we can order OUT of a chimera and not... IN for whatever reason... stupid GW*.

Just wondering why the dislike of normal Guardsmen in Chimeras?
I have 3 Inf/Squads in Chimeras that tag along with a PCS with Al"rahem and they work just fine.