Imperial Guard: Shitstorm
CCS w/ 2x Melta, Astropath, Chimera 155
CCS w/ 2x Melta, Chimera 125
5x Stormtroopers w/ 2x Melta, Chimera 160
5x Stormtroopers w/ 2x Melta, Chimera 160
Infantry Platoon 410
PCS w/ 3x Melta, Chimera
Infantry Squad w/ Melta, Chimera
Infantry Squad w/ Melta, Chimera
SWS w/ 3x Melta
Infantry Platoon 410
PCS w/ 3x Melta, Chimera
Infantry Squad w/ Melta, Chimera
Infantry Squad w/ Melta, Chimera
SWS w/ 3x Melta
Veterans w/ 3x Melta, Shotguns, Chimera 155
Veterans w/ 3x Melta, Shotguns, Chimera 155
Armoured Sentinel w/ Autocannon 60
Armoured Sentinel w/ Autocannon 60
Hydra Flak Cannon w/ Heavy Bolter 75
Hydra Flak Cannon w/ Heavy Bolter 75
Total: 2000
Why 'Shitstorm'? Because when you look at this pile of garbage units (which actually are not really that bad) your first impression is that it is a pile of shit, but I can assure you that I will force you to weather their storm. Also: Jim Lahey's Shit Talk
Basic Analysis
What this list does is take advantage of three potent strategies that force-multiply the list:
- Load up on AV12 Hulls: These are much harder to deal with than Space Marine Transports, leaving most armies without a ready answer for 16 vehicles.
- Maximize the use of Orders: People ignore this mechanic a lot, but there is no downside whatsoever, and as such you should be using this at all times to maximize your effectiveness.
- Functional Redundancy: Kill one thing in my army, of your choice, and this thing is still nearly as effective as before you took it. Can Landraiders say that?
There would be very few cases where I do not deploy everything on the table, as it is extremely robust. Very simply though, the Hydras each deploy in a corner and the tanks group up to provide mutual cover as much as possible, leaving the more important units in the rear (CCS, Veterans). Generally, the Stormtroopers will use their Deep Strike mission and their chimera will become available for the SWS to get in.
The large number of units actually allow me some additional flexibility. Sure, I can castle up in the centre six-wide, but against an opponent with a heavy outflank component I can simply deploy six to each side, and within two turns cover the entire side edges (instantly destroying any units that must enter).
Tactics
The Chimera blocks group up in sixes and simply move up. As things get destroyed, I can swap more important units into a transport that's still functional. When I lose a transport, that is a good time to drop an Infantry Squad back to sit on a rear objective. Other units can keep up with the Chimeras using the Run! Run! Run! order. The Get Back In The Fight! order ensures you must destroy the squads completely to stop their game effects. So long as I am using six orders per turn, things will go well.
Discussion
What do you think of the list? Can you envision how it plays? Can you see how strong an army like this would be in a competitive setting? Is this thing an abject failure from a fluff point of view? Comment away!
Maybe I'm just a crazy old bastard, but I think it would work a bit better by dropping a unit and picking up more special weapons to make each of the command squads more dangerous.
ReplyDeleteWell, the big change I am considering is dropping the Astropath to put in two Regimental Standards with the CCS, and using that to power up the whole army on auras. 2x BS4 is still pretty reliable and dangerous; just look at any Marine army out there.
ReplyDeleteI have a foot-slogging IG supported by a couple tanks and heavy weapons squads. In any event, I feel like you don't have any real tank support when you don't have any Leman Russes. It usually unnerves me with no "big guns" in the army.
ReplyDeleteA good Chimera tactic (If you want to use it) is to have a Vet squad packed with flamers, a vox, and demolitions. You get in the enemy's face, disembark, and let the weapons rock. The demo charge takes care of at least half a Space Marine squad, another quarter by flamers (and if you're close enough for orders, then rapid fire or assault because the last 2 space marines can't do much.
The regimental standards work, they saved my objectives in a few games when my guardsmen weren't feeling good at moral.
You're right that I don't really have tank support, I just have tanks; which is kind of strong in its own right.
ReplyDeleteWhy not just shoot your three flamers and toss the demo charge out of the top of the Chimera? That's also a good Chimera tactic.
It's a good tactic but then the Space Marines usually turn my chimera into an opened can because I (stupidly, of course) go for the squad totting the power fist sergent so it doesn't hurt my Russes.
ReplyDeleteI'm a little confused why you think a Str 8 Powerfist with three attacks on the charge is something a vehicle that moved should worry about.
ReplyDeleteSorry but my friends dice have always given him a free couple of sixes for penetration and I know the dice arn't loaded because we've switched dice before.
ReplyDeleteI would be really worried about simply not having any long-range firepower in a list like this. You've got two Hydras, two Sentinels, and a crapload of Chimeras to overwhelm the opponent, but you have zero AP2/3 ranged shooting and nothing higher than S7 for the same. Punching through BA is going to be a metric bitch because you don't ignore armor or FNP on them; similarly, Tyranids you will have to engage from point-blank range, which is a really risky strategy. Eldar... will basically just laugh at your guns, although realistically they don't have the firepower to kill you, either.
ReplyDeleteIn short, you have saturation of targets, but I think it's gonna be nigh-impossible to bring a lot of your firepower to bear against most armies.
Why do I need to engage things at long range? Advancing on them with all of my Meltaguns has the double advantage of letting me take a significant portion of the table.
ReplyDelete