IG Squad leaders...
exist only to carry power weapons or storm bolters, or plasma pistols (MC for the win)
exist only to carry power weapons or storm bolters, or plasma pistols (MC for the win)
Arming a Squad Sergeant
I'm just wondering how others arm their normal squad sergeants.
So far I've only ever armed them the same as a trooper (lasgun) and don't really see the point of pistol & CCW because CC is something IG don't want.
Sure, when I am assaulted I'll be doing myself out of 1 attack, but considering the capabilities of a guardsman in hand to hand I don't see this as a big loss.
I suppose you could say that one more lasgun won't do much either.
I'm currently putting together some squads and want the sergeants to look good and be good.
Is there anything I am missing to understanding the effectiveness of each combination?
(comments on the shotgun option are also welcomed)
Thanks for your thoughts.
So far I've only ever armed them the same as a trooper (lasgun) and don't really see the point of pistol & CCW because CC is something IG don't want.
Sure, when I am assaulted I'll be doing myself out of 1 attack, but considering the capabilities of a guardsman in hand to hand I don't see this as a big loss.
I suppose you could say that one more lasgun won't do much either.
I'm currently putting together some squads and want the sergeants to look good and be good.
Is there anything I am missing to understanding the effectiveness of each combination?
(comments on the shotgun option are also welcomed)
Thanks for your thoughts.
1 - 20 of 40 Posts
the individual choice doesn't really matter, this is very true. But when you've got 15 squads, with 15 sgt's with 15 lasguns, that's another 15 lasguns. Not much at all, but it could be helpful. If you opt for a pistol, be reminded that pistols can still fire 2 at 12" just like a lasgun, but don't get the 24" shot. The extra attack in close combat is, to me at least, a better deal then an additional shot, if for no other reason because it's easier to direct extra firepower onto a target, but not always as easy to throw in extra close combat attacks. The shotgun is just retarded as far as I can tell, because all 3 weapons give you 2 at 12", and you won't be assaulting with guardsmen anyway, so who cares?
That having been said, I prefer the sgt's with a pistol because it makes them easier to distinguish amongst the other guardsmen. However, if you want to use a lasgun sgt simply use a slightly different range. For example, if you're using cadians, make your sgt a catachan. This keeps it relatively simple to distinguish them.
Another option to consider is upgrading them to a veteran sgt and giving them access to the armory. I only do this in certain cases, usually to equip close in support squads sgt's with a Storm Bolter and a melta bomb. But these situations are few and far between, because upgrading each sgt to a vet and then giving him some special weapons gets REALLY expensive, REALLY fast, and the Imperial Guard armory is not exactly a prize to get access to unless you are an officer. Now that I think about it, this isn't a bad thing to toss into hardened vet squads, but that's another story.
That having been said, I prefer the sgt's with a pistol because it makes them easier to distinguish amongst the other guardsmen. However, if you want to use a lasgun sgt simply use a slightly different range. For example, if you're using cadians, make your sgt a catachan. This keeps it relatively simple to distinguish them.
Another option to consider is upgrading them to a veteran sgt and giving them access to the armory. I only do this in certain cases, usually to equip close in support squads sgt's with a Storm Bolter and a melta bomb. But these situations are few and far between, because upgrading each sgt to a vet and then giving him some special weapons gets REALLY expensive, REALLY fast, and the Imperial Guard armory is not exactly a prize to get access to unless you are an officer. Now that I think about it, this isn't a bad thing to toss into hardened vet squads, but that's another story.
hmm,.. I'd forgotten about the 2 shot thing.
But if the enemy are at 12inches they'll proabably just assault me, so my 2 laspistol shots will only be fired once at most (usually).
But if the enemy are at 12inches they'll proabably just assault me, so my 2 laspistol shots will only be fired once at most (usually).
Either way it isn't going to make a huge impact, so I just take Laspistol and CC weapons for looks.
I have my sergeants with a laspistol and CCW, except I make them veterans and arm them with a bolter. Just because.
i actually have all vet sgts with bolters, its only 7pts (which isnt that horrible) i think it works out pretty good, i get LD9 and a str 4 shot, which i think is a pretty decent deal.
how many squads of guardsmen do you have? 7 points isn't bad, but 7 points compared to free... if you've got 10 squads that's 70 points right there, but then again if you're running a less bottom heavy army I suppose it's not that big of a deal.
I agree. The extra Ld is good. And so are bolters. I also think that giving guardsmen pistols and ccw's is kind of an oxymoron.CowboyAdam512 said:i actually have all vet sgts with bolters, its only 7pts (which isnt that horrible) i think it works out pretty good, i get LD9 and a str 4 shot, which i think is a pretty decent deal.
Well, if you use a large officer network like me, you don't really need it. I have to 2 squads that pass around LD 10. Placed properly that covers 48 inches along my deplyment zone. And paying 7pts just for one bolter isn't worth it IMO, for another measly 3 I can buy a plasmagun somewhere.
Guardsman Sergeants are really nothing special. I give mine lasguns just like everyone else in the squad, except for on rare occasions where I will give them a Bolter. Usually I have better equipment to include in my army that worrying about what a lowly squad sergeant will be armed with.
Laspistol and CCW are out of the question due to range constraints.
Laspistol and CCW are out of the question due to range constraints.
In general I go for arming them the same as the squad, this is only to replicate today’s standards (I try and keep my force as realistic as possible). I only arm senior squad leaders with laspistol and close combat weapon, and the squad they lead with assault type weapons.
I sometimes (illegally) arm VSgts with the same weapon as the squad. I do this because my army is quite vast and I personally think it looks shoddy if you replicate the same squad leader model (and I have little time to convert models etc).
I sometimes (illegally) arm VSgts with the same weapon as the squad. I do this because my army is quite vast and I personally think it looks shoddy if you replicate the same squad leader model (and I have little time to convert models etc).
In the grand scheme of things (numbers game for IG) it won't matter whether a single sergeant has a lasgun or laspistol. But over a whole army, if all sergeants have lasguns then that might make a difference. But how many squads are we talking about here? I'm just new to 40K and IG and have been playing 1000pts. Is this talk of 10 squads something that is 'normal' for IG armies.
In my armies so far I've been using the minimum [JO+2 squads]x2 for my two troops choices. I want to know what i'm in for with my puchases here. And surely there are problems fitting lots of squads on the table, as I am learning the importance of spreading units apart so they don't just get mauled one after another when combat meets me.
In my armies so far I've been using the minimum [JO+2 squads]x2 for my two troops choices. I want to know what i'm in for with my puchases here. And surely there are problems fitting lots of squads on the table, as I am learning the importance of spreading units apart so they don't just get mauled one after another when combat meets me.
How many squads you take depends on both the army size and the amount of vehicle support that you wish to include. I personally use six total squads of Guardsmen in my tournament 1850 list.
In my 2000 Elysian Drop Troop list I only have 4 squads because I wanted to include Stormtroopers and high point costs aircraft.
In the end, equipping a Sergeant with a laspistol and CCW is really not efficient, merely for the fact that a Laspistol has a limited range and also because a CCW is not going to drastically change the outcome of an assault. It is better to add as much long range shooting in as possible, even if it is just a Lasgun.
Worlds Collide
In my 2000 Elysian Drop Troop list I only have 4 squads because I wanted to include Stormtroopers and high point costs aircraft.
In the end, equipping a Sergeant with a laspistol and CCW is really not efficient, merely for the fact that a Laspistol has a limited range and also because a CCW is not going to drastically change the outcome of an assault. It is better to add as much long range shooting in as possible, even if it is just a Lasgun.
Worlds Collide
I give mine shotguns which probably is the worst alternative of the three, seing as you not only lose the extra shot at 12", but you also lose an extra attack in close combat... however as far as looks go, the shotgun is excellent.
Besides, I love strapping on extra bitz to my sergeants, so if I ever wanted to field them with a laspistol and a close combat weapon they've got a chainsword and a las- or autopistol holster by their belt.
Besides, I love strapping on extra bitz to my sergeants, so if I ever wanted to field them with a laspistol and a close combat weapon they've got a chainsword and a las- or autopistol holster by their belt.
I have 6 inf squads usually so thats only 42 pts, but the whole deal with depending on your officer LD is that with the new rules a savy opponent will blast away at the general, I chose to have my JO's there for just the added benefit of Iron Disc, but without them my inf still fare pretty well. Plus you'd be suprised how often the bolter "out-kills" the nade launcher, plus as a vet sgt u get an extra attack normaly so it doesnt matter about the ccw deal....
Which is why I always hide my officers outside of line of sight but still within 12" of my squads, the officers are only there to make sure that my other squad don't run and perhaps fire away with a mortar if I've got extra points for one or two of them.CowboyAdam512 said:I have 6 inf squads usually so thats only 42 pts, but the whole deal with depending on your officer LD is that with the new rules a savy opponent will blast away at the general,
true, but then your army is limited by terrain, and thats not always the most sound strategy.
Not true, because then I just hide them behind one of my many many tanks. :>CowboyAdam512 said:true, but then your army is limited by terrain, and thats not always the most sound strategy.
I agree with most of what's been said.
If you have a good officer Ld network (master-vox; good platoon command Ld coverage; or some other organizing trick), then there's no reason to upgrade to Vet Sgts. Basically, you spend the points you would spend on a Vet on the squad vox. In this case, a lasgun is the most efficient equipment you can give the Sgt.
If you're going for more autonomous units, then you want Vets for the Ld. If you're already spending the points on the Vet upgrade, the bolter is too good a deal to pass up.
Of course, specialized units require exceptions to be made. If I have a suicide grenadier/ST squad, I'll usually spring for a Vet with meltabombs as a fallback option.
If you have a good officer Ld network (master-vox; good platoon command Ld coverage; or some other organizing trick), then there's no reason to upgrade to Vet Sgts. Basically, you spend the points you would spend on a Vet on the squad vox. In this case, a lasgun is the most efficient equipment you can give the Sgt.
If you're going for more autonomous units, then you want Vets for the Ld. If you're already spending the points on the Vet upgrade, the bolter is too good a deal to pass up.
Of course, specialized units require exceptions to be made. If I have a suicide grenadier/ST squad, I'll usually spring for a Vet with meltabombs as a fallback option.
1 - 20 of 40 Posts
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