Thoughts and Lessons from this Monday's game...

Yesterday, I posted my army list for the first game I played with the new Imperial Guard codex. Nick and I ended up playing a straight forward Annihilation mission, with the Spearhead (table quarters) deployment. Given the number of proxies and unpainted models on the table, we didn't take many pictures. And I was too busy trying to remember all the changes in the new codex to take notes on the game. It went the full seven turns, and was a great, and close, game. At the end of turn 5, we were in a draw. At the end of turn 6, Nick was up by 1 kill point. After turn 7, thanks to Sergeant Domitus and Veteran Squad 5, I was up by two kill points. My apologies for the lack of a thorough battle report, but I did want to talk about some things I learned and changes I plan to make to my army.

• I am very happy with the veteran squads, and the fact that they're troops is even better. Mounted up in Chimeras and coming on from reserve, they were in perfect position to capture objectives, if it had been an objective based mission. As it was, they were instrumental in killing several squads, and accounted for 4 of my 12 total kill points on their own, mostly due to their flamers, shotguns, and the ability to mount back up in the Chimera and go after a new target.
• I'm going to have to adapt how I use my command squads. In the past, my senior officer sat back with a lascannon and master vox, while my junior officer took his special weapon toting troopers and went after vehicles or went on suicide missions while his platoon sat back and shot. Given the new order system, I need to make my Company Commander more mobile, and my Platoon Commanders need to stick closer to their platoons. I'm happy with the weapons I gave to my platoon command squad-- now it's just a matter of adjusting how I use them. The company commander, however, will be changed. I'm planning on dropping the lascannon, and giving the Company Command Squad a Chimera. Not only will that make them more mobile and (hopefully) keep them alive a bit longer, it will give a couple more inches to the range of the orders. Which would have been helpfull last night.
• On a similar note, I need to remember to use the orders. On turn 3, I forgot to issue orders. I don't think it would have made a big difference, but who knows. Later on, Nick's Ork Kommandos outflanked and slaughtered my command squad before I could issue any further orders.  Hence the need for a Chimera mentioned above.
• Once or twice I missed the 24" range of the plasma guns I used under the old codex, but for the most part, I'm quite happy with switch to melta guns. Especially since they don't kill you when you miss. I still might kit out my platoon command squad with the 3 plasma guns and a medic combo. Have to think about that one...
• The Leman Russ "Lumbering Behemoth" rule isn't a game breaker, but it was nice. On a couple occasions, a heavy bolter firing after the battle cannon pushed a squad into a leadership test, or finished them off.
• Now that Hellhounds are fast, they're that much more effective and I might have to find the points to run two of them. However, now you have to be careful not to leave them out there unsupported if they get too far ahead. And for those who are switching to the Banewolf, all I can say is this: Purify the heretic and the xenos not with poison but with flame. Now you all know why I've finished in the middle of the pack at every tournament I've gone to.
• This isn't so much a new codex specific thought, but more a reminder: Don't count on orders, special characters, or anything else except the basic units you bring to the table and what they're capable of without extra help. The orders may make an infantry squad more effective, but they're not going to drastically change the squad, or the game. Don't expect them to. The same goes for the regimental advisors. The Astropath is great, especially for making sure your reserves arrive early, but don't count on getting the board edge you want. Likewise, the Officer of the Fleet is nice, and I'll be using him again, but don't count on him holding up your opponents reserves for long. Plan your moves as if all your orders will fail, and your opponents reserves will all show up on turn 2, and you won't be caught off guard when things don't go according to plan.

As I play more games with the new codex, I'll post more of my thoughts. In the meantime, I'll be scouring the internet for other Guard players' take on the new codex, and looking for all the meltaguns I suddenly need in this army.