OK, I have not played in about 8 years (military time) and am wanting to start an army up. I have the codex, and am making a list before buying an army. I would love to get feedback and a few clarifications on if I'm orginizing my units incorrectly before I purchase an army. Oh, this is a 1500 point list, as the threads make that appear to be the norm.
Doctrines: Vets
Sharpshooters
Iron discipline
Special weapons squads
conscripts
HQ1: Colonel/Commissar gaunt.
HQ2: Senior officer+pwr weap+Bolt pistol+iron discipline.
Troops have CC weap and pistol
+++ go for a heroic senior officer for the extra point of Ld... otherwise you may as well save pts and stick to a plain 'ol junior officer as the senior officer gains nothing over him! (aside from 1W which isn't nearly as important as that +1Ld!)
do something with those grunts! command squads can become small, hard-hitting special weapon teams in their own right! a favourite combination for the HQ squad is a standard bearer + flamer + mortar team. now you can sit out of sight, still lob a template each turn which also pins and you have a flamer for hoard control...+++
2x Fire support squad: 3 autocannons +sharpshooter
1x anti-tank: 3 lascannons + sharpshooter
2x special weapons squads: pistol+c.c weap + demo charge
+++ demo charges need a special deployment option to be usefull... too many opponent's know the damage that little bundle can cause! add to that the fact that a 6-man squad is an easy target...
i'd find some way to work either light infantry or drop troops into your doctrines if you want to keep these guys.
your only real tactic for these guys right now is to hold them back out of sight and use them as a counter-punch...+++
Troop 1: Senior officer + Pwr weapon + bolt pistol + iron discipline
(there is verbage in the infantry platoon section that has me confused, am I allowed a senior officer here or does it have to be junior?? +++ nope, you can only have a junior officer leading a platoon... (note it says, "a junior officer and his attendant staff")
again, have the grunts serving the officer do something... your command squads should fill in the gaps to help better compliment your infantry squads. (ie: a rocket launcher shooting a tank in a 10 man squad wastes 9 guys, but only 4 men in a com squad!)+++
squad 1: vet sarge and flamer
squad 2: Vet sarge and flamer
squad 3: vet sarge
+++ at least give the vets a bolt pistol or a bolter! it's only 1pt!!!
better yet, tack on melta bombs and surprise that poor enemy dreadnought in an assault he thought he'd easily win!+++
squad 4: plain baby, just plain
+Chimera (multilaser, Heavy bolter+smoke launchers+netting)
+++ you can't give a chimera to an infantry squad. if you want the transport, then make this squad into an armoured fist squad.
i'd give them a meltagun in order to hunt down armour or a plasma gun for some meq punch.
also, consider taking 2 heavy bolters on the chimera. that's 6 S5 ap4 shots instead of 3 S6 ap6 + 3 S5 ap4 shots... while it may seem like marines are everywhere, there's still plenty of troops out there with 4+ saves! those heavy bolters simply have alot more punch to them! you could also add on a pintle heavy stubber for an additional 3 S4 ap6 shots as well...+++
Troop 2: 3 squads of conscripts
Here is my 2nd and 3rd question, am I correct in that I do not need a little HQish command squad to head the conscripts?? And also, am I correct in believing that the super-cool colonel gaunt can lead this rabble?? +++ nope, no command squad allowed here! and yes, gaunt can join this unit as he's an independent character!+++
Heavy 1: Lemun Russ Executioner +3 heavy bolters + netting + searchlight
Ok, I lOVE the rules for this tank as I understand them, and plasma is very cool, but can someone tell me if imperial armor rules are allowed in tournament play?? If not I could always make it a demolisher or something. +++ typically 99% of tournaments don't allow forgeworld models/rules... sad i know, but thems the breaks.
just make your turrent remove-able so you can swap out between the regular 'ol battle cannon and the extecutioner turret!+++
Elite 1: 5 vets (lasguns), 1 sarge (storm bolter), 1 autocannon.
Is just a little deterant idea, hopefully can just place them somewhere the opponent wouldn't think infiltrators would pop up, maybe scare a vehicle that thinks an autocannon could bite them in the rear/side.... or just draw fire from others. +++ vets shouldn't have heavy weapons... they need to stay mobile to survive because they're very tempting targets! (most people fear BS4 units in a guard army!)
keep them to special weapons. one idea would be to give the sergeant a plasma pistol and take 3 plasma guns in the squad. makes for a nice mobile little meq killer! also make sure you take at least 8 men as they'll still die quite fast being only T3 w/5+ save!+++
Elite 2: 9 vets, shotguns plus frag grenades
1 sarge, Honorifica, power fist/Bolt pistol
After reading of the "hidden power fist" on other list critiques, I just couldn't avoid using it. Would most people consider the shotguns a better choice for assaulting then pistol/CC?? Also, I took the frag grenades thinking they'd be useful for guys along for the ride with the power fist monster, giving them some use in both assualting heavy weap teams dug in and vehicles/artillary (as they can infiltrate, maybe they could scratch rear armor?? If I am wrong or others have tried this please let me know its a bad idea. +++ yep! nice and tasty he is. i like to take a mix of shotguns & ccw's in my own unit... add on to this 2 meltas & 1 flamer for some heafty offensive punch before an assault. again, melta bombs on the sergeant as well for when that tank tries to mug you!+++
Alrighty, thats it. I've been extremely impressed with the detailed advice on the other lists, is good to see that those in the know really dig through the lists.... the advice I got from those helped shape mine alredy without buying a single model or playing a single round (like hidden pwr fist, sharpshooting heavy weaps ect.). I tried to get enough boots on the ground, while still getting some armor and versatility. Would love to have any glaring army weakness's pointed out before I plunk down the dollars. Thanks for your time!!