Warhammer 40,000/10th Edition Tactics/Imperial Guard
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This is the current 10th Edition's Imperial Guard tactics. 9th Edition Tactics are here.
Why Play Imperial Guard
Faction Rules
- Voice of Command: Every Command phase, your Officer units can issue out a number of orders as noted on their datacards to units within 6" of them. Each unit can only be affected by one order every turn and the orders wear off if the unit is battle-shocked.
- Move! Move! Move!: The ordered unit adds +3M.
- Fix Bayonets!: The ordered unit improves the WS of its melee weapons by +1.
- Take Aim!: The ordered unit improves the BS of its guns by +1.
- First Rank Fire! Second Rank Fire!: The ordered unit adds +1 additional attack to any Rapid Fire attacks it has. Because Rapid Fire now adds attacks instead of multiplying, order doesn't matter: an A1 RF 1 weapon goes from 2/1 shots to 3/2, depending on range, while an A2 RF 2 weapon goes from 4/2 to 5/3. Note that going from 4 shots to 5 shots is usually worse than +1 to hit because most of your army is BS4+, but if you're BS3+ they break even and BS2+ or better going to 5 shots is better, and that's after special rules like Sustained Hits, which work like additive improvements to BS/WS for interactions like these.
- Take Cover!: The ordered unit improves its armor save by +1 to a maximum of a 3+ save.
- Duty and Honour!: The ordered unit improves its Leadership and OC by +1.
Detachments
Combined Regiment
Special Rules
Stratagems
- Reinforcements! (2 CP): Whenever a unit dies, you can immediately throw an identical unit back into reserves so you can throw them on the next turn (attached characters not included). Chenkov's wisdom has managed to reach every commander's handbook.
Equipment
- Vox-Caster: Lets a squad roll 1d6 whenever you use a stratagem on them, with any Officer units within 6" of them adding +1 to the roll. On a 6+, 1 CP is refunded.
Unit Analysis
Characters
- Platoon Command Squad: Shockingly able to attach to regular platoons (though Cadians seem too stubborn to let non-Cadian command squads join) so you can make a giant bubblewrap of warm bodies, especially when joined by another character. As expected, this squad can carry an alarming variety of guns, so many that you need a separate armoury card just to see all the stats - this is a necessity if you're planning on taking a heavy weapons team. They also have a 6" bubble that lets them issue orders to battle-shocked units so they can still be of use in sacrificing themselves to the enemy.
- Master Vox lets the squad double the range of their orders, which is very handy if you're keeping them away from the front lines. The medi-pack gives a basic 6+ FNP and the Regimental Standard allows for the squad to improve their OC by 1, though it's uncertain if this boost is also shared to any attached units.
- Primaris Psyker: While the shared 4+ FNP against psychic weapons is constant, the shared 4++ against shooting is something that can backfire if you roll a 1 on a d6, somewhat emulating the old psychic tests down to that 1 dealing d3 MWs. The only other power they pack is Psychic Maelstrom, a pretty potent bombardment weapon with Blast and Devastating Wounds, though using the Focused profile adds Hazardous for a few extra attacks.
- As a reminder, the invuln only triggers during the shooting phase. As such, do NOT let them stand near the front where they can get run through like the mere men they are.
Epic Heroes
- Lord Solar Leontus: As expected of the Lord Solar, this guy has plenty of tricks as your mandatory warlord. On top of being able to issue three orders, he can throw three units into reserves after everyone deploys (having learned some tricks of Tactical genius from an old legend) and gives an extra CP every turn where he's alive. While he join the Rough Riders as you'd expect, he can surprisingly join any squad of infantry despite going much faster than them.
Battleline
- Cadian Shock Troops: Cadia's finest remain a mobile variant to the basic guardsmen, unable to carry heavy weapons but capable of carrying two special weapons (plus the drum-fed autogun you'll always put on the sergeant), but you can't pick the same one twice without doubling up on the unit's size.
- Regardless of size, the Cadians remain valuable bodyguards, being able to accompany two leaders (regardless of size), provided that only one of them is a Command Squad unit.
- Shock Troops make the Cadians valuable, as they can cap any objective they touch and keep it capped until an enemy threatens it. With how much more emphasis there is on claiming objectives, you'll be needing that bit of security as you press on the offense.
- Death Korps of Krieg: Troopers that lack heavy weapons aside from the Sniper Rifle. Uniquely, these guys are a bit masochistic, getting +1 to hit if they lose any models and +1 to wound if they're below half-strength. Fortunately, they can buy a medi-pack so they can resurrect d3 models each turn and keep your troops alive.
Infantry
- Heavy Weapons Squad: Don't seem to have improved any durability-wise compared to 9th and their Lasguns got nerfed to Las Small Arms (Lascarbines?). While their BS remains questionable for the guns they have, that 5+ S is the same they'll be firing for overwatch (4+ if they're on an objective) and the Heavy keyword lets them fire on the move while sitting still lets them hit on a 4+.
- Ratling Snipers: Nimble little pests with S4 AP-2 D2 Precision sniper rifles. Thanks to Infiltrators, they can set up wherever you need them to shoot and Stealth offers a bit of protection wherever they go. While Heavy only gives benefit if they don't move, they do have a special ability that lets them move after shooting, letting them scurry away from any potential retribution after popping the heads of any attached heroes.
Vehicles
- Wyvern:
- Basilkisk:
- Baneblade: The big boss clearly benefited from the edition change, as it's now at a monstrous T13 W24. Hell, now it's big enough that it can count as cover for any models hiding behind it.
Walker
- Scout Sentinels:
Dedicated Transports
- Chimera: Any Officer units inside this unit are still able to issue orders. Useful if you're running an infantry-heavy force since you'll be able to keep them at their best.
- Taurox: Carries 12 Infantry models with heavy weapons teams taking 2 models and Ogryns counting as 3. Lets its passengers disembark after having advanced, giving the squad an extra bit of mobility - while this makes the unit count as if they moved and unable to charge, this won't matter much since Guardsmen aren't usually keen on actually fighting up close.
- Has only two weapons to consider: The Storm Bolter if you want more shots with Rapid Fire 2 or the high-powered Twin Autocannons with Twin-Linked.
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