The Imperial Guard are the basic soldiers of the Imperium. They may not be the best-equipped of forces, and the definately haven't been given the extensive bio-modifications the Space Marines benefit from, but there are a lot of them - they can out-number nearly any army in the game, bar Tyranids and Orks. On top of having large numbers of basic troops, the Imperial Guard have the capacity to field some of the best tanks in the game. This is an army that works best when all the individual elements work cohesively, functioning as one big unit - infantry supporting tanks in an armoured advance, or tanks supporting infantry in a stubborn defence. Having said that, pure infantry forces or heavily mechanised forces can also work, if used correctly.
| HQ |
| Command Sections |
The command section is a vital part of the Imperial Guard army. As well as providing the Command HQ, which is a required part of th army, they also lead Infantry Platoons and Heavy Weapons Platoons. The command section is made up of an Officer and 4 Guardsmen. It is possible to equip every Guardsman in the command section with a special weapon, increasing the firepower of your section, or to put two Guardsmen into a heavy weapons team. The latter option will restrict the manoeuverability of your command section, which can be a bad thing, as they are vital for bolstering the Leadership and close combat potential of your troops.
Any Guardsman not carrying a heavy or special weapon may alo be upgraded to being a Veteran, giving them an extra attack and a higher Ld value. Being a Veteran also allows them to be equipped as a Medic or, in the case of the Command HQ, as a Standard bearer. The Standard can be vital in your Command HQ, as it allows a reroll on your failed Morale checks for any Imperial Guard infantry units within 12". This means that any units within 12" not only benefit from the LD boost from the Officer, they can also reroll their failed Morale checks, giving you a solid center to your line.
The final Leadership-boosting option you can give your command sections is a Vox-Caster, or, in the case of the Command HQ, a Master-Vox. The Vox-Caster allows one unit with a Vox-caster to make a Morale check using the LD value of that Officer. The Master-Vox is even better, as it can be used by multiple units in the same turn, compared to the standard vox-caster, which is limited to one unit per turn. |
| Heroic Senior Officer |
The Heroic Senior Officer is the Officer I tend to choose in games of 1500pts or upwards. He gives the highest base Leadership value (9), combined with a reasonable level of staying power and close combat ability. However, he's still only toughness 3, so plasma weapons and other weaponry of S6 and higher is his bane.
It's tempting to give your HSO a lot of Wargear, but it isn't always necessary. I'd recommend Carapace Armour and a Refractor Field to boost his survivability, and a power weapon to allow him to do some damage, however little, in close combat. A storm bolter is a good weapon to combine with this, to allow him to join in with his command sections shooting. |
| Senior Officer | A saving of 15 points on his superior, the Senior Officer has a reduced Leadership value, as well as one less wound. Personally, I think he is a valuable commander for games smaller than 1500pts, where even a saving of 15 points can be vital.
Equipment-wise, I'd suggest using the same kit as I suggested for the HSO, as it's a good, flexible, yet not too expensive load-out, which is always a useful thing in the smaller games. |
| Junior Officer |
The Junior Officer is the work-horse of the Officer Corps, leading platoons throughout the army. He is not an officer I would choose to lead an Imperial Guard army, due to his low survivability and Leadership value. However, he can provide a useful bubble of Leadership in out-lying elements, especially those without Vox-casters.
One of my favourite uses of Junior Officers is as a counter-charge element. A Junior Officer with the Honorifica Imperialis, a power fist, Carapace Armour and a Refractor field, leading a squad with Hardened Fighters and a Medic, is a unit to worry even Space Marines, especially if you add a Commissar and a Priest. It's an expensive unit, and one that requires a transport to make sure it will get to combat in one piece, but it makes a mess of what it hits.
Other than that, equip your Junior Officers cheaply, probably just with Carapace Armour and a Storm Bolter, and use them to add cheap bubbles of Leadership. |
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| Special Weapon Squads | Only available in either a basic Imperial Guard list, or a doctrinal list that's chosen them, Special Weapons squads give you 6 men with 3 special weapons in the unit. Personally, I don't rate them, as I feel you can generally get more effective concentrated firepower from your Command Sections, but they can be useful if your opponent over-looks them. My other problem with them is that they take up a slot in your Command HQ's Support platoon, which I feel is generally better filled with Heavy Weapon squads. |
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| Advisors |
| Sanctioned Psykers |
The Sanctioned Psyker is not a choice I ake very often, if at all, mainly due to the randomness of his powers. While, with no additional equipment, they are a very cheap addition to your command sections, they can not be relied upon to do a great deal. If is possible to tool them up to do damage, with an Honorifica Imperialis and a force weapon, but even then they are an underwhelming close combat opponent. While the Sanctioned Psyker's powers are useful, I do not feel they are reliable enough to merit taking in most armies. |
| Commissars | The Commissar works well in two ways - bolstering your units Leadership and blstering their close combat ability. They are more than capable of looking after themselves in close combat, especially in units with the Hardened Fighters doctrine. On top of this, they boost the Ld of the Officer or Sergeant whose squad they are in by 1, meaning that any units within range to use that bonus gain as well. As Advisors, they are assigned from the top of the command structure downwards, so equip accordingly. The Commissar in my Command HQ will generally not get much equipment - carapace armour and a power weapon, generally, but a Commissar assigned to a counter-charge command section will be equipped for his role, usually with carapace armour, a refractor field and a power fist, for maximum damage. |
| Priests | Priests are a choice that I do not feel fits the role of the advisor, as determined by the rules given for their assignment. While they fit for background purposes, they tend to disrupt how you would normally set up your command sections, reducing the efficiency of rapid fire and heavy weaponry due to their Righteous Fury rule. I feel they would have been better suited to being an Elites choice, in a similar way to Independant Commissars (10 pts extra, 1-3 as Elites), as they would then have been able to be assigned where needed.
Having said that, Priests can be a good choice, especially in your counter-charge command sections - rerolling misses becomes more valuable when you are only hitting on a 4+ against most opponents. While it isn't possible to give a Priest a power fist (unfortunately), a power weapon or eviscerator works well. I presonally prefer the power weapon, as it is cheaper, but the eviscerator is as good a choice. |
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| Elites |
| Hardened Veterans | The Hardened Veterans unit is, to my mind, the poor man's Storm Troopers. And, when you consider the points drop from Storm Troopers to Veterans is a mere 2 points, it has to be asked if it is worth it.
The Hardened Veterans unit gets a lot of flexibility - it can take 3 special weapons, as well as a heavy weapon, giving it a lot of firepower. The squad also has a wide selection of basic weapons, with such options as shotguns ans laspistol/ccw's giving a viable alternative to their basic lasguns. On top of this, they have an enhanced ballistic skill and Leadership, as well as the ability to Infiltrate. The Hardened Veteran Sergeant can also take "Oficer Only" items from the Wargear list, allowing him to take power weapons or trademark items, for example, boosting their flexibility still further.
Having said this, when we look at what Hardened Veterans lose compared to Storm Troopers, I don't think it's a fair trade. Hardened Veterans get no access to melta bombs, they don't carry targeters as basic kit, they aren't wearing carapace armour (and if you use that doctrine, they cost 10pts each - the same as a Storm Trooper), and they don't have the option of carrying hellguns. I feel that Hardened Veterans are much more of a modelling project than a gaming unit, and if you use them, they are more likely to be used to add character to an army. However, I would generally recommend Storm Troopers over Hardened Veterans, if only for the excellent Kasrkin models. |
| Ogryns | Ogryns are probably the best of the Imperial Guard's counter-assault troops, able to tie close combat specialists up in a swamp of tough bodies, while being able to hit very hard themselves, each getting 2 attacks at S6. Surprisingly, they can also lay down a curtain of short range firepower through their Ripper guns, which act like a beefier shotgun - with the rules for 4th Edition coming soon, a unit being able to fire off a burst of fire, then charge in with no loss of attacks, is going to be a problem for most units.
If you upgrade one of the Ogryn's to a Bone'Ead (their sergeant equivalent), the unit can then be left alone, able to operate independantly of the core of your lines due to their high Leadership (9 when a Bone'Ead is present). This makes them able to operate well outside of the Leadership bubble that your Officers will be providing to the rest of your army. |
| Storm Troopers | Storm Troopers are meant to be the elite of the Imperial Guard, and their basic kit goes some way towards showing this. Not only do they come with carapace armour, giving them a better save than normal, and a targeter, allowing them to measure their range to their target before they fire, they also have frag and krak grenades for free, as well as a more powerful basic weapon, the hellgun. For 4 points more than your average trooper, that's a bargain, really.
My preferred use of Storm Troopers is as a Grenadier unit, allowing me to use up to 3 squads as troops in a doctrinal Imperial Guard army. Equipped generally with a flamer and a grenade launcher, these act as a mobile reinforcement for my lines, bolstering the points where the enemy assault looks like it is about to hit. A smaller unit with two plasma guns is also available, though is used less often, as I'm not a fan of plasma guns in Imperial Guard regiments.
In the same way as most Guard squads, they have the ability to take a vox-caster, which can be very handy, as they can have the ability to Infiltrate, if you buy them that ability - Ld 9 troops operating away from the main bulk of the line can be very effective, especially if armed with assault weapons like meltaguns or grenade launchers.
Personally, I am of the opinion that yu shouldn't buy your Storm Troopers the Deep Strike ability - while it's only 10pts for a full squad to have it, in most cases you won't be playing in a mission with Deep Strike |
| Ratling Snipers |
Possibly my favourite Imperial Guard unit, the Ratling Snipers are possibly the best snipers in the game, point for point. I would, for instace, recommend taking these over a Special Weapon squad equipped with sniper rifles, or instead of using the Light Infantry Doctrine to give your squads access to sniper rifles.
Ratlings are also surprisingly survivable, if placed in the right location. They need an area where reasonable cover is combined with decent lines of sight - bunkers or craters, for instance, or the occasional forest. The natural cover save there, combined with their +1 bonus to cover saves, can give them a save at the level of Storm Troopers or even Space Marines, making them very tough to winkle out of a defended position.
While their Leadership isn't the most brilliant, especially for a unit designed to operate on its own, infiltrating into enemy territory, Ratlings can be quite tough to make run away, due to their option to be pinned rather than take the break test forced on them by shooting. While they will still be unable to do anything for a turn due to being pinned, they will then be available in their old position, ready to re-open fire. |
| Techpriest Enginseer |
The Enginseer is valuable more as a support unit than as a combat unit, mostly due to the Blessing of the Machine God special rule he has, allowing him to repair destroyed weapons on vehicle, and to mobilise an immobilised vehicle, should this be necessary. While this ability starts to work on a meagre 6+, adding four 10pt Technical Servitors allows him to be much more reliable, repairing these damages on a 2+.
The other two flavours of Servitor that the Enginseer has access to allows him to fulfill other roles in your army. When being followed by Gun Servitors, the Enginseer can put out a large amount of firepower. Contrastingly, Combat Servitors allow his unit to be very dangerous in hand-to-hand combat. The fact that the Enginseer turns up in power armour, and equipped with a power weapon and a servo-arm, means he is quite a good combatant for his cost.
There is a problem with equipping the Enginseer for a firepoer or close combat role, however - his wargear allowance is still a mere 50pts, meaning that you could get two Gun Servitors with heavy bolters, or a pair of Combat servitors, and fill his allowance. When this is taken into account, the best use of the Enginseer is to support your armour, either stood behind it if it is static, or advancing behind it if it is mobile. |
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| Troops |
| Infantry Platoon |
Your Infantry Platoon is the backbone of the Imperial Guard army. The Infantry Platoons in your army will provide the bulk of your firepower and manpower, and are what alow you to be able to out-number almost any enemy. While they are selected as one choice on the Force Organisation chart, an Infantry Platoon will comprise of a Command Section led by a Junior Officer, and between 2 and 5 Infantry Squads. In scenarios, while the platoon will be deployed as one choice, they don't have to be deployed in one clump, and each squad from the platoon can be deployed where you need it.
The squads within your Infantry Platoon can be tailored for almost any role, due to their large selection of heavy and special weapons. When it comes to the Infantry squads, there are two rules I try to follow when selecting heavy and special weapons:
1, Multi-shot weapons over single-shot weapons.
2, No weapons with a range of 12" or less.
Bearing these in mind, my preferred heavy weapons are the heavy bolter and autocannon, while I prefer the grenade launcher and plasma gun for special weapons - though I will try to have more grenade launchers than plasma weapons, for personal preference. Some of you, at this point, may well be asking why these rules are used. Well, rule 1 comes about as a reflection of the average Guardsman's ballistic skill - you can only really rely on 50% of your shots hitting, so with a weapon that shoots twice or three times a round, you should get at least one hit. Rule two allows your firepower to be affecting your opponent as early as possible, whereas the shorter-range weapons (flamer and meltagun) will take a couple of turns before they start to become effective, making them more expensive for their efect than their points cost shows.
There are two upgrades available to your Infantry squads to boost their Leadership - the Veteran Sergeant and the Vox-Caster. Of the two, I prefer to take the Vox-Caster over the Veteran Sergeant or, if possible, keep the squad within the Leadership bubble of an Officer to save points altogether.
The final thing to note about Infantry Platoons is the option to take an under-strength squad, once you've taken two full squads. This can serve as a method of filling out your points, or you can use them to annoy your opponent - hide them in table quarters to contest them, or send them on suicide missions with special weapons, for instance. |
| Conscript Infantry Platoon |
The Conscripts are very cheap, at 40pts for 10 men, but the men you get aren't really any good, even at 4pts a head. The Whiteshields, as this unit used to be called (back in Rogue Trader), are partially trained Guard Infantry, who are fielded as a way of completing their training. As they aren't as well trained as their regular infantry counter-parts, the Conscripts have to use their weight of numbers to make up for a lack of individual skill. As the entire Conscript platoon is fielded as one unit, this can amount to fifty men attacking as one.
With the Conscripts, it is advisable to choose heavy and special weapons that minimise the effect their low BS will have on their shooting, should you buy them heavy or special weapons at all. From their limited selection, my personal recommendation would be the heavy bolter and, for once, the flamer. The flamer, of course, doesn't have to roll to hit, and the heavy bolter fires enough shots that even with their low BS, the Conscripts should be able to score a hit.
A final use for the Conscripts is as a tar pit, tying up much more expensive and competant close combat specialists for quite some time. Even the most frenzied Khorne Chaos Lord will take a while to munch his way through 50 conscripts, especially if you have a Commissar in the unit to boost their Leadership.
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| Armoured Fist Squad |
The Armoured Fist squad is just as flexible as the standard infantry squad but, to my mind, fulfills a somewhat different role in the army. The Armoured Fist squad has two distinct roles in the Imperial Guard army. It can operate as a mobile response unit, lending it's firepower, and that of its transport, where needed, and it has the manoeuverability to take table quarters, or a least contest them, in the dying turns of a close game.
The Armoured Fist squad has an identical equipment selection to that of the Infantry squad, but I would follow a somewhat different path when selecting weaponry. For one thing, I'm always wary of buying a heavy weapon for an Armoured Fist unit - they're likely to be moving in their Chimera, so a heavy weapon seems a waste of points. With regards to special weapons, I feel the plasma gun becomes a less mandatory option here, as there is a good chance that the Armoured Fist squad will be closing the range on its opposition. Instead, I would recommend Assault weapons - in this case the grenade launcher and meltagun, as you are likely to be moving, and these weapons will not lose any of their capacity if you do move.
The capability of the Armoured Fist squad's transport vehicle is such that it is possible to use it as a mobile bunker, especially if careful attention is placed to where your armour arcs are facing. With 6 hull lasguns, two heavy wepaons, and the possibility of firing the special weapon out of the top hatch of the vehicle, the squad doesn't really need to go outside it.
As a final note, I wouldn't overlook the possibility of giving Armoured Fist units the Hardened Fighters doctrine. While they are still only S3, the fact that they are as competant at hitting people in close combat as Space Marines can swing a close fight your way. |
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| Transports |
| Chimera | I would argue that the Chimera is the best IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) in the game, and I'm sure many people would agree. It is too heavily armed to be a true transport, and works at it's best when it has infantry inside to make use of its hull lasguns. While it isn't particularily quick or well-armoured, it's weight of armament makes it really useful.
The Chimera has two heavy weapons mounts, one in the hull and one in the turret. While the turret weapon is compulsory, the hull one isn't so you can save points and not fit one. However, as a heavy bolter is a steal at a mere 5 points in the hull, I feel you'd be cuttig off your nose to spite your face if you didn;t make use of it. In the turret, I'd recommend either the multilaser or heavy bolter over the heavy flamer, due to their much longer range - the Chimera will be effective earlier if equipped with them. I'd also consider adding a pintle-mounted heavy stubber, for even more long range firepower, giving the IFV 9 shots before it's hull lasguns are included.
Ah yes, the hull lasguns. While the humble flashlight is a much maligned weapon, never forget to make use of these when you have troops in the vehicle. In a recent game, I'd fired all he heavy weapons off the Chimera at a unit of Tau Stealth Suits without killing any, but a burst of flashlight fire managed to drop one. While they're not particularly powerful weapons, you are still making your opponent make armour saves, and the more he has to take, the more he will fail.
At a mere 85pts for a Chimera with hull hevay bolter and turret multilaser, or 97pts for one with a pintle-mounted heavy stubber as well, the Chimera is cheap, and still quite survivable with it. Extra upgrades, like extra armour, track guards or searchlights can push this cost up, so it is only worth adding on what you think you'll definately need. |
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| Fast Attack |
| Hellhound | The Hellhound has, with the latest version of the Imperial Guard codex, finally become useful again. No longer is it dogged by a ridiculously short-ranged weapon, combined with special rules that would make it explode in a stiff breeze. These days the Hellhound is more survivable, with a longer range than it's had since 2nd edition. In fact, I'd go so far as to say it is now a potent threat to many armies out there, though power armoured forces should still prove resilient to its flames.
The improved Inferno Cannon mounted on the Hellhound has a habit of annoying the opposition, thanks to it's odd methods of hitting their troopers, and the damage it can wreak when it does hit. The fact that the flame template can be positioned facing any direction the firer wishes (including sideways) is odd enough, but when you consider that a missed to hit roll means that there is still a 50% chance of each enemy under the template being hit, you can see why it has become a much more reliable emthod of incinerating your enemies.
All this does mean that the use of the Hellhound must be rethought. It no longer has to do kamikaze runs into the midst of the enemy lines, hoping to kill more with the explosion when it was inevitably - instead, it can move around the flanks, looking for the best position and angle to hit the enemy with fiery death. |
| Rough Rider squadron | Rough Riders used to be the premiere counter-assault unit the Imperial Guard had, able to charge into any armoured unit, and come out with many heads on the end of their hunting lances. These days, that has changed somewhat - while they are still mobile counter-assault troops, they are not as good as they used to be. The Rough Riders have undergone two main changes in the new codex. They are no longer able to have a Hunting Lance, a laspistol and a close combat weapon - this means that after the initial charge, this unit is down to just one close combat weapon, which ain't a good thing. On the other hand, they have gained the "Fleet of Hoof" rule, allowing them to move further if they don't shoot in the Shooting phase.
While they can't charge with hunting lances, then change to laspistol/close combat weapons as they used to, each Rough Rider does get 2 S5 I5 attacks when they charge, that ignore armour - and that's not to be sneezed at.
Rough Riders are another unit that I would use as a mobile firepower unit, as much as I'd use them to try to renact the Charge of the Light Brigade. Equipped with shotguns, with grenade launchers as their special weapon, Rough Riders can put out a considerable amount of short-range firepower, that suffers no penalty for moving around the battlefield. A full unit can put out 16 shots from its shotguns, as well as firing two grenades, each rough - that's going to at least worry your opponent somewhat, even if the majority of the shots are only S3 AP-.
The third role I can see Rough Riders performing well in is as an anti-tank unit. Giving the unit two meltaguns and then equipping it with meltabombs allows it to blow tanks up at close range or, if need be, in close combat. Two small units, with 2 meltaguns in each, can be effective used in this way, sent around the flanks to try to strike tanks from the sides or rear. 5 Rough Riders with melta bombs and 2 meltaguns work out at a mere 80pts - less than a Chimera. |
| Sentinel Squadron | I'm a fan of the Sentinel models, but I only ever seem to use one or two - I tend to find I have more important things to spend my points on. However, the Sentinel squadrons can fulfill valuable roles on the battlefield, and shouldn't be overlooked. Mypreferred use of the Sentinel is as a hunter of transports - using either the Mars (multilaser) or Cadian (autocannon) patter of weapons, the Sentinel is able to move into position to hit the side of transports and tanks, and then fire concentraded salvos of fire at them, hopefully eliminating the threat.
The second advantage the Sentinel has is that you know they are going to show up in a game with the Reserves rule, thanks to their Scout special rule. This, combined with their free move that the rule grants them, allows you to get your Sentinels to get into position early, while your opponent is waiting for his army to show up. Giving a Sentinel (or more than one) the Improved Comms upgrade allows your reserves to get to the board quicker, which can be vital as the engagement escalates.
The Sentinel is also very useful as a method of tying up S3or S4 close combat units, especially if they lack power fists. With an AV of 10, the Sentinel is immune to S3 attacks, and is only able to suffer glancing hits against S4 troopers. If given the Hardened Fighters doctrine, the Sentinel will be fighting with 2 attacks at WS4 with S5, which most opponents will be wary of. |
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| Heavy Support |
| Heavy Weapons Platoon | The Heavy Weapons Platoon is a good way of getting concentrated heavy weapons fire into an Imperial Guard army. Made up of a command section and up to three support squads, the platoon is capable of fielding no less than ten heavy weapons. While this heavy weaponry is expensive, it can also be devastating for the enemy, with his infantry ripped away by hails of heavy bolter shells, his tanks destroyed by criss-crossing lascannon beams and mortat shells dropping onto units that thought themselves safely out of sight.
With the advent of leadership-based targetting in 4th edition, the support squads will become more vulnerable to incoming heavy weapons fire - no longer will you be able to screen them with a wall of conscripts. However, as they are becoming more vulnerable, they will also be becoming more dangerous - if equipped with a vox-caster and linked with a Command HQ with a Master-Vox, they'll be able to target units at Ld9, which should make them reliably able to pick apart the units you want them to. |
| Fire Support squad | The Fire Support squad is designed to be used in an anti-infantry support role, applying their firepower to stopping hordes of Orks or swarms of Tyranids. The two heavy weapons options, heavy bolters and autocannons are both well-suited to this role. Personally, if I know I'm facing Orks, Eldar, Tau or Tyranids, I would probably take heavy bolters over autocannons - the rate of fire is better, it penetrates armour better and will out-range the enemies basic guns, even if the range isn't as good as that of the autocannon.
The Autocannon, I feel, has its place more when facing Space Marines or Chaos Space Marines, as a transport stopper rather than as an infantry killer. 6 S7 shots is going to make any Rhino have a bad day, and one of the keys to defeating these armies is to knock their transports out early. I'd also consider taking autocannons agains Tyranids and Orks - against 'Nids it's useful to take out the bigger bugs, like Warriors and Ravenors, while the autocannon will rip the light vehicles that Orks tend to favour to shreds. |
| Anti-tank Support squad |
Anti-tank support squads are used to eliminate enemy armour, through a combination of missile launchers and lascannon. The purist view of this unit is that it should be armed with lascannon, and solely target vehicles. This will give the best chance of a squad knocking out, or at least holding up, a vehicle a turn. The alternative is a squad with three missile launchers, which is slightly worse at penetrating armour, but which is more flexible once all the armour has been destroyed. Turning 3 lascannon on a squad of infantry rates as overkill in anyone's books, but firing 3 frag missiles into a unit is likely to be more damaging.
Due to the models I currently have available, I prefer to field a squad of three missile launchers (I'm a big fan of the Tallarn missile launcher models), as I prefer my troops to have at least some flexibility. Krak missiles can damage any vehiclein the game, even if they're not as good at it as lascannon shots. |
| Mortar Support squad | The Mortar is a much-maligned weapon, and I feel this is a shame - I'm a big fan of it. While I'll admit that this unit is not very effective against power armoured lunatics, Anyone else has to tread carefully - a barrage of three blast templates, causing pinning, is not something Orks, Tyranids, Eldar or other Imperial Guard armies can be complacent about. I feel this unit should be fielded more often, and it's one I try to field in every game. |
| Leman Russ Battle Tank | The Leman Russ is the main battle tank of the Imperial Guard. It is a well armed and even better armoured behemoth, capable of wiping out entire squads in a single shot of its battlecannon. While it may have frontal armour of 14, the Leman Russ isn't invincible, and benefits from operating in pairs - if there's only one Leman Russ around, your opponent can concentrate his fire at it, probably destroying it quickly. With two, he will either have to destroy one, while ignoring the other, or split his fire between them with a lesser effect on either. Three Leman Russ is even better, but most people choose to field something different as their third Heavy Support choice.
Some thought needs to go into how the hull mount on the Leman Russ will be used, and if the sponson mounts will be used at all. Personally, I think there are two effective fits for this, on a standard Russ. The first is to just mount a hull lascannon on the Russ, with no sponsons. This, for me, is the weapons fit to use if you think you may want to redeploy your tank, as it allows you to take a pot shot at enemy armour as you move.
The second effective weapons fit, to my mind, is a hull heavy bolter, combined with a pair of sponson heavy bolters. This gives you a very effective anti-infantry vehicle, should the main gun get destroyed, capable of firing 9 S5 AP4 shots a turn. With either of these fits, the Russ will cost you a mere 155pts, which is cheap when you consider the destruction it is capable of.
I would strongly discourage the use of sponson heavy flamers - if the enemy is close enough to your tank that you can get them with a flamer, then something has gone wrong. With regards to vehicle upgrades, I'd recommend extra armour and possibly a searchlight, on the off-chance you are playing a Night Fight. |
| Leman Russ Demolisher | The Demolisher is the Leman Russ' big brother. It isn't a standard battle tank, instead being designed to operate in sieges, prowling inside ruined cityscapes or other broken terrain. It's even more survivable than the standard Russ, with enhanced side, rear and (in Cityfight games) top armour. It's main gun is even more destructive than that of the Leman Russ, though at a shorter range, and it has a much more effective range of sponson weapons.
My preferred weapons fit for the Demolisher is a hull lascannon and sponson plasma cannon. My reasoning for this is simple - the Demolisher becomes deadly at three range brackets. At 48", it is a threat to other vehicles, with a lascannon firing. At 36", it is dangerous to tanks, transports and heavily armour (read: power armoured) infantry. At 24", if anything is daft enough to get that close, it opens fire with its main gun, and everything has a bad day. It operates well in this fashion, and can deny large areas of the battlefield to your opponent - who really wants to get in range of it's main gun, when all's said and done?
Again, I would argue that sponson heavy flamers are a waste on this vehicle, as are the sponson multi-meltas - while not a bad weapon, I prefer the plasma cannon, as it is fully effective against multiple targets as soon as it comes into range. The multimelta, on the other hand, needs to be at 12" range to be fully effective which, to my mind, is a little bit too close. |
| Basilisk | While the Basilisk is a very powerful unit, I must admit to my confusion as to why it is on the battlefield, from a "realism" perspective. It is a long range artillery piece, designed to fire shells over 5km at distant walls and fortifications. Yet it's in the Codex, amongst the grunts. Personally speakin, I feel this tank should have been removed when the codex was rewritten, and the Griffon left in - an infantry support heavy mortar makes a lot more sense than this. This is a vehicle I'll never use.
The Earthshaker is one of the most powerful guns in the game, and it's 120" direct fire range is ridiculous. Add the Indirect Fire upgrade, and it becomes even more ridiculous, with a maximum range of twenty feet. With this upgrade enabled, it also has a minimum range of 36" which, in most games will render it useless - the opposition will be nside that in turn 1 or 2, at which point the Basilisk needs to be moved out of it's shelter and into somewhere it can see the enemy. |
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