The Imperial Guard [tactics]

Such is the size of the Imperial Guard that it takes a long time for the regiments to mobilise. But this month, enemies of the Imperium should be warned: the Imperial Guard is being deployed. Infantry, tanks and artillery are ready to add their considerable weight to the Armies of the Imperium.

The Imperial Guard is the single largest military organisation in the galaxy. It commands countless billions of men and war machines scattered across countless millions of battlefields throughout the Imperium and beyond. Life in the Imperial Guard is one of constant war, shielding mankind from the attacks of aliens, rebels and heretics.

Across a million worlds…

The Imperial Guard make up the largest element of the Armies of the Imperium. You should remember that in Epic 40,000 the Imperial Guard can be fielded with the support of Space Marines and Titans. That said, the Imperial Guard do command a number of powerful detachments in their own right.

Command and control

The Supreme Commanders

The Imperial Guard can be led by any of the Supreme Commanders from the Army of the Imperium, but they also have their own commanders who should not be overlooked in favour of Inquisitor Lords or Space Marine Chapter Masters.

An Imperial Guard Colonel is the cheapest Supreme Commander you can get. Although not terribly hard [very powerful] in close combat, he will make any detachment whose HQ unit is within 30cm Stubborn, and re-rolling Leadership tests can be invaluable. If you don't want to go for the cheap option then you can upgrade your Colonel to an armoured commander by giving him a Leman Russ — a Leman Russ with a 4+ save and doubled Assault value!

The Imperial Guard's other supreme commander is the Commissar General, an iron-willed individual whose unflinching devotion to the Imperial Cult will be useful when [your forces are] faced with the heretical forces of Chaos. The Commissar General has to be my personal favourite for no other reason than he's a characterful addition to your army.

One in millions

The Infantry

Perhaps more than any other army, the Imperial Guard infantry rely upon numbers to defeat the enemy. It is sheer weight of numbers [that] makes the Imperial Guard such a useful weapon in the armoury of the Imperium. While Space Marines may be better equipped and trained and the Titan Legions have the raw firepower and armour to punch through the enemy, the Imperial Guard can sweep aside all opposition with a mass of tanks and men.

[For reference, see Imperial Guard infantry datasheets]

For all their comparative weakness when compared to other infantry, Imperial Guard squads can often face foes worth many more points and come off reasonably well from the exchange. With a point of Firepower for each unit, nine squads of Imperial Guard can kick out 18 firepower (actually, 21 firepower including the command squads needed to field them) and that's without any armoured support or heavy weapons squads.

Although Imperial Guardsmen only have an Armour [value] of 3+, their numbers allow them to absorb quite a few casualties before their effectiveness is significantly reduced. Large detachments of Imperial Guard can weather Blast markers reasonably well — they have sufficient firepower left after deductions and usually have a +1 modifier to Leadership tests for having fifteen or more units. The low Armour [value] of the Imperial Guard can actually be a benefit against some opponents, as it makes them so cheap. Foes with Anti-tank shots actually find it harder to hit Imperial Guard squads than normal. This makes Imperial Guard infantry particularly effective against Eldar war engines with their super heavy Pulsar and Death Ray [weapons].

Imperial Guard do have to watch out for enemy barrages, as their large detachment sizes can sometimes force you to bunch units closer together than you might want to. This is unfortunate because you need to get them pretty tight to maximise their effectiveness in shooting, firefights and close combat — you need to get as many models within range as you can. Luckily most of the most deadly barrage weapons are on your side, with the main exception of Chaos Artillery.

Even though each Imperial Guard unit is pretty poor in close combat, their ability to gang up and lend an enormous weight of supporting fire can even up the odds. Also, with three Command Squads you have the option of including three psykers as well (which is better than Space Marines!). Okay, so they won't stand up to a determined assault by Tyranid monstrosities or Chaos daemons, but against Orks and other troops they can usually hold their own. And this is before considering such support as Demolisher siege tanks and Hellhound flame tanks…

Auxiliaries

The variety of troops available to the Imperial Guard is quite wide. To give your opponents a nasty shock, why not try a large detachment of Rough Riders. They are a swift force which can pack a surprising punch in close combat. They can be used to strike hard and fast down one flank, attacking the rear detachments of the opposing army. This forces the enemy to direct part of their firepower towards the Rough Riders which relieves some of the pressure on your main units.

The diminutive Ratling Snipers are the Imperial Guard's infiltrators. This makes them useful for capturing ground quickly. Even a relatively small force of Ratlings can hold a building or wood for enough time to send in an infantry detachment mounted in Chimeras to relieve them and claim the area for the rest of the battle. Being able to capture good firing positions is vital to winning; your detachment can settle onto Overwatch and hopefully fend off any enemy attack with superior shooting.

Hulking Ogryns are by far the Imperial Guard's best assault troops. They are great in close combats and firefights. Individually they're very hard and when they have ten or more Imperial Guard units to lend them supporting fire they're a match for anyone. They will even give Chaos and Tyranids a close fight.

Crushing fist

The Armour

[For reference, see Imperial Guard vehicle datasheets]

The Imperial Guard command a great variety of tanks and armoured vehicles, many are specially designed for specific environments or specific roles. Getting the right tank in the right place and the right time is the mark of a good tank commander.

Alongside the mass of Guardsmen, the Imperial Guard also fights with columns of tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles. These provide a number of different options from the close support of Demolisher siege tanks and Hellhound flame tanks to the concentrated firepower Leman Russ battle tanks or the quad anti-aircraft guns of a Hydra. Each of these can be incorporated into your army in two ways; support for infantry or as separate detachments.

Chimeras are excellent troop carriers. They can be used to make a mobile strike force of relatively cheap troops and their additional range compared to the infantry can also help out in long range shooting duels. As mentioned earlier, a mounted infantry detachment can capture pieces of territory and deny them to your enemy. They should use their additional speed to the utmost, assaulting or mybe even marching in the earliest part of the battle. Infantry in Chimeras also make a good detachment to hold back until they are needed. They are ready to speed forward to plug any gaps in your battle line and exploit breakthroughs the rest of your army makes. A well timed assault move could stem a tide of Tyranids crashing through your ranks while a speedy march can snatch an objective as your artillery creates an opening.

Hellhound flame tanks provide fast close support for your infantry and tank detachments. Move them up just behind the main lines and they can provide additional punch to infantry, while they give a degree of protection to your tank columns should they be attacked in close combat. Close support vehicles are most useful against Chaos or Tyanid armies, who have a number of very specialised close combat troops who would otherwise tear your Imperial Guard to little bits (extremely little bits).

Big guns never tire

The artillery

[For reference, see Imperial Guard vehicle datasheets.]

Arguably the most dangerous weapon in the game, Imperial Guard artillery strikes fear in all enemies. With its long ranged and devastating firepower it rules the battlefield.

Artillery has an immense range, which means it can lend its vital fire support to almost anywhere on the battlefield. Use it to target the enemy detachments which pose the most threat at the time, not necessarily just the one that's the most closely packed. Just because a particular detachment might make a more inviting target, this does not mean it is the best one to fire at. Always keep your overall plans in mind and use artillery barrages to destroy and suppress the enemy where they are putting up a tough resistance or threatening to break through your line. Alternatively, you can send a thundering salvo of shells onto enemy detachments which have already been drastically weakened by the rest of the army, dealing a final killing blow.

It is probably best to mix Siege Artillery and Heavy Artillery in the same detachment (that's Basilisks and Bombards), so that you can keep up a rolling barrage of fire even when the Siege Artillery is reloading. As mentioned earlier, a bodyguard of tanks or infantry is probably a good idea too, to prevent fast moving foes (including those carried in Mycetic Spores or by a transport flyer) from destroying your powerful, and expensive, artillery detachment. Not only that, standard Imperial Guard infanrty has a Range [value] of 30cm, which is cunningly the minimum range of Siege Artillery so that if an enemy manages to survive those big guns, there's a chance they'll be cut down by lasgun fire instead.

Preparatory barrages should not be underestimated as a tactic to pin an enemy detachment in place before it gets a chance to move. You will lose the benefit of rerolls for being on overwatch but the advantage of stopping an enemy from escaping your assault or preventing a fast moving enemy, such as Eldar jetbikes, from getting into range will sometimes outweigh the advantages of the extra damage caused by rerolls. This is especially true against very mobile enemies who would otherwise escape your grasp or be able to move into range of their weapons and start blowing your troops apart, building up Blast markers on your detachments and generally making life miserable. You'll have to let the battlefield situation dictate your decision on this one, but all good bombardiers should bear it in mind.

Super-heavy tanks

In contrast to the massed ranks of Imperial Guard Infantry and tanks, super-heavy tanks are moving arsenals of concentrated power. Their use depends upon the particular variety of super-heavy tank. Baneblades, with their awesome heavy weapon battery, are very flexible and can usually make some impact in whatever situation they find themselves in. They are particularly useful against numerous foes and a squadron of three Baneblades has the same firepower as a Reaver Titan! You will find them especially useful during firefights , should the enemy reach your lines. The super-heavy tank will not be forced to withdraw if you lose an assault, because it is a war engine. This will mean the enemy will end up in a firefight and forcing them to withdraw. Holding up the enemy like this will give your broken troops time to rally and start firing again.

The Shadowsword with its Death Ray is a different proposition altogether. These tanks are war engine killers: their death rays are the most effective weapon against war engines going, causing automatic criticals if they hit. Enemy Titans will learn to fear Shadowswords. They have a long range and a good chance to hit (2+ — it doesn't get any better). The problem they will have is in downing a Titan's void shields; they lack the firepower to get the multiple hits needed. This is where your other ground troops, vehicles and large firepower units come in. These units can all blast away first, stripping the enemy Titan of its void shield defences, leaving the Shadowswords to apply the killing blow after the void shields are down.