Monday, November 15, 2010

Summing up the IG Codex


The most realistic way to analyze IG from a competitive standpoint:

  • Cheap CCS with options to take Plasmas, Meltas
  • Colonel Straken with his ridiculous 12" bubble of Furious Charge and Counter-attack
  • Astropath for +1 reserves and re-rolls to outflank
  • Officer of the Fleet for -1 opponent reserves and re-roll his outflank
  • BS4 Veterans as troops with Plasmas, Meltas or Demo Packs (S8 AP2 large blast)
  • Dirt cheap HWTs and Guardsman that can be spammed
  • Dirt cheap Chimeras for AV12 everywhere for everything
  • Vendetta Gunships for 3 TLLC shots, fast, scouting, skimmer with transport options
  • Valkyrie does the same thing but has missiles
  • Psyker Battle Squad, full squad, 10 dudes, auto-rape morale
  • Marbo surprise rape with a demo pack, anywhere you want
  • Tanks, tanks and more tanks.  Tanks in squads too.
  • S8 AP3 large blast everywhere.  Eat shit marines.
  • Hydra Flaks for DE, Deathstrike for Rhinos and Basilisk for anything else.
  • All the competitive options are questionably priced (by that, I mean underpriced).
  • Everything else not mentioned is shit and need not apply.

Really makes you wonder what Robin Cruddace was smoking when he wrote the Tyranids codex.  He gave IG players everything they ever wanted to be competitive for years to come.  Good job, now everyone else has to catch up.

Also note that I'm not saying that IG are unstoppable or that they're overpowered.  They're just.. really good.. and this list is to show people why.

5 comments:

  1. Straken's bubble is Furious Charge and Counter Attack, not Fearless.

    Demo Charge is AP2.

    PBS certainly does have to take psychic tests.

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  2. I have found the best strategy to keep 40k enjoyable is to pretend imperial guard does not exist. This way it is possible to make balanced armies that don't have to worry about some sweaty fat man dumping dice all over me and calling it a game.

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  3. Thanks for the edits onsoftaurus. Wrote this out last night without my book ^^

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  4. "I have found the best strategy to keep 40k enjoyable is to pretend imperial guard does not exist. This way it is possible to make balanced armies that don't have to worry about some sweaty fat man dumping dice all over me and calling it a game."

    Gotta say that that is a pretty biased opinion. There are a heck of a lot of armies that can be played unimaginatively, not just the guard.

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  5. Al-Rahem outflanking a platoon full of Chimeras and Meltas/flamers is also a good option in many lists.

    Otherwise, it's true that the codex is pretty competitive. Still, I think lots of Guard armies auto-lose to most Blood Angels players (at least, the ones who make use of FNP and fast vehicles).

    /shrug. It's an annoying army to play against, no doubt. But when you curb-stomp someone playing a WAAC Guard list, it makes you feel better about yourself as a person :) For this reason alone I'm glad they exist.

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