Quick Rule Query: Transports

[The Gallant Forty-Twa]

Hi there, just a quick question for you guys.

I'm wanting to make my Guard a heavily mechanised army with as many Chimeras, Russes, Basilisks and Sentinels as possible. For the footsloggers however the idea of them all having a transport is unclear for me.

I have 4 squads of 10 Guardsmen with their 2 Command Squads of 5 men each. I also have the main HQ unit of 5 men. Does this mean that to have everyone in a Chimera I'd need 7?! 1 for each Guardsmen unit (4), 1 for each command squad (3). Or can you put multiple squads in a single Chimera? Does this affect the squad's area of control? For example, do the 2 Guardsmen squads and their relevant Command Squad have to stay close together or do they count as seperate squads who can go their own way?

Sorry, but I'm just pretty confused about all this! I've also found a place that sells Chimeras for £14, Sentinels for £12, Russes for £25 (the new ones, not the old ones) and Basilisks for £22 so it got me thinking about a mech army...

[cpdwane]

Sorryy

One unit per transport.

Anyway, Chimeras look horrible, and footslogging armies invariably look cooler.

Area of control? What is that?

[The Gallant Forty-Twa]

Well I forgot what its called, it isn't called area of control its just the first thing that came into my head. Basically, the distance units can move within their squad so they stick together. Can a Guardsmen squad move independantly from its command squad or are they bound by it?

Meh, Chimeras are fairly cheap in both respects and Guardsmen sitting in the open are just gagging to be killed. Mobility is fun. Either way, I want some. Possible team them up with Grenadiers or Engineers then to act as a Mechanised Stormtrooper or Veteran Squad respectively. What do you think?

Thanks for the reply. That kinda sucks. I'm sure if it was essential people would happily share vehicles. Oh well.

[cpdwane]

Well I forgot what its called, it isn't called area of control its just the first thing that came into my head. Basically, the distance units can move within their squad so they stick together. Can a Guardsmen squad move independantly from its command squad or are they bound by it?

Meh, Chimeras are fairly cheap in both respects and Guardsmen sitting in the open are just gagging to be killed. Mobility is fun. Either way, I want some. Possible team them up with Grenadiers or Engineers then to act as a Mechanised Stormtrooper or Veteran Squad respectively. What do you think?

Thanks for the reply. That kinda sucks. I'm sure if it was essential people would happily share vehicles. Oh well.

Well they can only seat a maximum of 12 in the rules anyway.

By the way, the infantry squads in a platoon are for all intents and purposes seperate units, although distance is a factor if you wantto use orders (which you will.)

[The Gallant Forty-Twa]

Brilliant, that's what I needed help with. I suppose it would be kinda stupid if you had to commit 25 men to stay right beside eachother, not to mention screwing up mobility.

[Vaz]

2" Cohesion?

At the start of a game, a Guard Platoon has two options of deploying - Blobbed together into one near impossible to shift unit of 55+ Guardsmen (in which case they all have to have 2" cohesion), or as individual units (Platoon Command Squad, and 2-5 Infantry Platoon Squads, in which case, only the men in each individual squads have to be in 2"). NB- this is the latest 5th Edition Codex, not IA5 or whatever the latest Krieg is. I can double check if you want.

Currently, there's no tournament legal IG transport with 25 model capacity.

Stay away from Bassies - Although they look awesome, the 36" min range kills their usefulness, and Medusa do far better (S10, AP2 Pie plate).

One thing I like to run against a local daemons and SM Dreadnought DropPod player is an Inquisitor Lord, with 2 Mystics sat in the cover of the board next to Three Medusas. Any Deep strikers within an average 14" is a prime target for of those 3 Pie Plates landing on them. I remember playing against the Alpha Strike SM list, and all of his units ended up deep striking within 4D6" of my Inquisitor, including a very lucky roll including his Vulkan He'Stan and his Tactical Squad dropping in play, only to be just touching the 24" limit, and feeling safe, he handed me the dice. 4 sixes. Placing the Medusa's templates, I killed the entire squad with 2 non scattering Templates, and the third one scattering off, but landing hole on a Land Raider, and proceeded to destroy it completely.

But yeah, if you're looking for Heavy Support, get yourself a couple of hydra's, and a couple of medusa's and a Manticore.

Chimera's are awesome, Armour 12 on the front? Perfect. Ram, then 4x Flame it.

[The Gallant Forty-Twa]

That's the name - Cohesion! Thanks for that. I know that Krieg guys use special IA rules (which I have) but I'm just rolling with standard IG codex rules (which prevents me having Heavy Stubbers etc) so people actually play me, as most find IA rules too unbalanced.

Hmmm. I might take your advice about Basilisks. I do love their model and have wanted one for ages, but I suppose it makes no sense buying something that is less effective than another perfectly viable option. I'll investigate the Manticore. That's the new IG set GW put out isn't it?

As for Chimeras, I've always loved them too. I would prefer a new model as I think the current GW one is too basic and Cadian for my liking. That said, that can be improved via conversions and camo schemes. Believe it or not, even though I have a huge Cadian army, I only ever had one Chimera.

[Vaz]

All I can say about the Manticore/Deathstrike Plastic, is... that it's plastic. If you're willing to spend the money, I would definately be looking towards the Forge World model. It's seems more Kriegy to me. I'm not sure if FW provide you with the complete box for the Chimaera, or just the parts needed if you buy the Manticore kit, and I'm not sure if the new Chimaera fits Forge World, so it's a lose/lose either way.

For a Collossus, I use the Bombard model. That one's a beaut. It's big and heavy, and can easily represent a Medusa for Krieg. Shame about the big outline, though (less cover).

I don't think that Forge World stock the old Chimaera now though, other than for perhaps full sets.

Lastly, the Predator turrets do fit the Chimaera with a bit of work.

[The Gallant Forty-Twa]

Had a look on Forgeworld. Their Manticores are £42 so I think I'd go down the GW route if I ever wanted one...

They do sell Chimera turrets such as Autocannons and Flamers but I think its to fit old Chimeras so I dunno if they work with the new chassis. The Bombard is a nice model though. Huge gun on it too which is always good, and it looks nice.

As much as its been said to take other artillery over a basilisk, look at this Forgeworld Basilisk. It really looks like it would fit in with a Krieg army (I know some people make this themselves, but I totally lack modelling skill):

[cpdwane]

^^^^^^^^^^^
GET IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, don't get quite so worked up with what works well in gameplay terms. Go with what looks nice with your army first and foremost. For example, in my army I have 4 Leman Russes, with varying turret options from forgeworld (because they look nice .) I could have easily got a basilisk or deathstrike or something instead, but since in the fluff of my army I was making an armoured section (Vostroyan veteran squads backed up by tanks) I decided that they simply wouldn't go with the rest of my army. 4 Leman Russes IS overkill, but I don't care, because I don't play to win, I play to have fun, and because I like to pretend that this is a real army I'm commanding, rather then just a hodge podge of units that don't gel together and a designed purely for a quick win.

All I'm saying is, if you like the look of Bassy's, get them. They will be an effective enough choice, but they won't spoil the look and feel of the rest of your army, as I think a deathstrike probably would (a thousand mile range cruise missile shooting at a range of a few hundred yards? They should have stayed in apocalypse...)