Imperial Guard? Heck No, We’re Imperial Navy!

[Chemosit]

Imperial Guard? Heck no, we’re Imperial Navy!

I’m currently working on a Naval force using Imperial Guard and Necromunda miniatures. The idea is that historically – particularly around the turn of the last century, naval personnel often did very well in land combat. For example, an Osprey publishing book, The Russian Civil War (1) states:

“Naval infantry saw widespread land service, often in the hottest actions, since sailors were renowned for their high morale and loyalty to communist ideals. A high level of technical training made sailors highly sought after for specialist duties, and they were a favorite choice for crews of armored trains, and artillery and machine gun units.”

The idea is that since the Navy is often the first on the scene, a quick reaction force of specially trained naval personnel could stop comparatively minor situations from flaring into major conflagrations while waiting for IG or Space Marine intervention. The Naval Infantry would be a comparatively light force – no heavy tanks -- just lots of Sentinels, Chimeras and maybe Hellhounds. (I did order a Repressor from Forge World.) I’d give them an orbital strike option as per the Daemonhunters codex. After all they are Naval.

(In space they would be specialist boarding troops and used for repelling boarders.)

They would also have exceptionally high morale. I’m not sure exactly what I want to do with that or how.

I’m using the Necromunda enforcer miniatures with shields and shock batons to form a specialist HTH squad, assuming that they would be trained for crowd control. The shields would give them a higher save and count as a 2nd close combat weapon, and I’m making the leap that if you turn the shock batons to a full power setting and maybe use a special power pack they could be used as power weapons. The squad also has a couple of flamer enforcers in case they’re needed.

I would use the Grenadiers Doctrine. The enforcers/Naval Provosts would use the Close Order Drill doctrine.

Provosts would have the following stats:

Provosts Special Troops Doctrine Pts. WS BS S T W I A LD SV
Provost 10 4 3 3 3 1 4 1 8 4+
Provost Sergeant 16 4 3 3 3 1 4 2 8 4+

Suppressor Shield gives a 2+ Armor Save and a 5+ Invulnerable and adds 1 attack. Shock Baton same as Power Weapon. +10 pts for combination.

Is that too over the top or about right? (The website says the Necomunda Enforcer rules are on the Specialist games website, but I couldn’t find them, but even if I had the Naval units are assumed – by me of course – to have a higher standard of training than a high world enforcer unit.

I wouldn’t use Commissars, Priests, Conscripts, Psykers, or as stated previously heavy armor.

Any comments or suggestions?

[H0urg1ass]

You could do a "naval task force" using just the regular IG codex, plus the juicious use of Valkyrie drop ships

I would take the grenadiers doctrine and stormtroopers, paint them appropriately naval colors and call them my task force.

[Viktor]

So a shield would be excactly as effective as a tactical dreadnought armour?
I don't like the thought.

[Chemosit]

Originally posted by H0urg1ass@Jun 10 2004, 12:25
You could do a "naval task force" using just the regular IG codex, plus the juicious use of Valkyrie drop ships

I would take the grenadiers doctrine and stormtroopers, paint them appropriately naval colors and call them my task force.

I'm using the Kasrkin miniatures with their armor painted Ultramarines Blue and the cloth portions Codex Grey.

I'm thinking of doing the Provosts in Shadow Grey.

And yes, they'd use the IG codex with a few twists.

[Chemosit]

Originally posted by Viktor@Jun 10 2004, 12:29
So a shield would be excactly as effective as a tactical dreadnought armour?
I don't like the thought.

I liked it, perhaps too much! I can see where that might be thought... ummm.... what's that word for a tasty dairy product.

But on the other hand they are still humans, strength 3, toughness 3, and the unit as a whole has virtually no ranged attack, except for a flamer and a laspistol weilded by the champion.

How about a straight 2+ save without the invulnerable?

[Brother-Captain Fenix]

saounds great but shoul'dnt ya weaken it up first? as they are the first people at a battlefield then they should be camparitively light but with firepower thats pretty heavy................

plus i dont think many people will be willing to play with ya if your shields give the same amount of armor as a terminator suit would...... as fluff states terminator armor is some of the best armoor in the galaxy...... it would be wierd to have a shield that does the same thing.................. so basically why dont you just up the shield by one? it would basically make them cheap marines kind sisters of battle-ish make the save 3+ normal 6+ invulnerable that way it makes more sense and you can actually see your force played often


and there ya go

[Viktor]

Or maybe just make their save (4+) invulnerable. As they surely are pros with the shields. then it'll be as effective as a storm shield, no wait it'll be better. Then let's just give them inv save in CC, as they probably are not going to block a lascannon shot with a skillfully used shield.

[Chemosit]

Originally posted by Brother-Captain Fenix@Jun 10 2004, 12:57
saounds great but shoul'dnt ya weaken it up first? as they are the first people at a battlefield then they should be camparitively light but with firepower thats pretty heavy................

plus i dont think many people will be willing to play with ya if your shields give the same amount of armor as a terminator suit would...... as fluff states terminator armor is some of the best armoor in the galaxy...... it would be wierd to have a shield that does the same thing.................. so basically why dont you just up the shield by one? it would basically make them cheap marines kind sisters of battle-ish make the save 3+ normal 6+ invulnerable that way it makes more sense and you can actually see your force played often


and there ya go

You're right. I guess I got a little happy with the creative process on the shields.

What spun me off in that direction was invulnerable 4+ save of the suppression shield for the Crusader rules in Witch Hunters.

The Provosts are basically the ship's police as in the "For The Emperor" novel. Just in my scheme they are capable of using lethal force when required.

I'll tone them down.

Aside from the Provosts what would you suggest to weaken it up? I thought I had by elemenating almost all Heavy Support. The only thing I'd take would be heavy weapons squads. The Sentinels are for the extra punch.

[Chemosit]

Originally posted by Viktor@Jun 10 2004, 13:10
Or maybe just make their save (4+) invulnerable. As they surely are pros with the shields. then it'll be as effective as a storm shield, no wait it'll be better. Then let's just give them inv save in CC, as they probably are not going to block a lascannon shot with a skillfully used shield.

If I did that what would you recommend for points cost?

[Viktor]

10 pts, as it's slightly better than a storm shield.