Jolly Toys Outing – expanding the Imperial Guard to 2000 points

Ok, ok, I suppose I had better explain the somewhat ridiculous title.  The Jolly Toys Outing is a tournament that is happening in the middle of February this year at the one and only Warhammer World in the UK.  Link to the blog HERE.  It is a 2000 point event and its main attraction is that it uses a slightly modified version of the Nova format.  This, to my knowledge, is a first for a UK event, and certainly one of this size (around 80 participants at last count).  Accordingly, I am pretty excited!

Sadly though, I have not played more than a handful of 2000 point games in my life, none of which were either with Guard, or in the last few years since I ‘got good at the game’.  Therefore it has been something of an adjustment trying to adapt my list, or write a new one, for larger games.  Today I am going to suggest two lists, one of which is a very simple expansion of my tried, tested and quite successful 1750 list, and the other is a bit more radical.   

As ever, these lists are restricted by what I own.  I really, really need to make some more weapon teams at some point. 

The first List – expanding the original

My 1750 list works on a few basic premises which I want to maintain in the transition to a higher points limit. 

• Firstly, it is what I like to call a ‘counter attack’ list.  This means I have two type of unit in the list, mass long range shooting, and large quantities of very short range, very dangerous weapons.  At short range, I will almost always win a fire fight, often in a single round.  At long range, I will win more often than not, or I can at least silence key targets.  If facing a midfield army I will lose badly unless I can soften them up and then close in for the kill on my own terms.  This style of play has its weaknesses, but can be devastating and is a damn sight more exciting for all concerned than a simple wall of hydras and melta vets. 

• Secondly, I like to maintain heavily diffused firepower of both types, across all units.  This isn’t actually conventional wisdom, as a lot of people don’t see the point in autocannons on melta vets, for example, but the way my list plays, it is very important.  With a few exceptions, each unit must be able to contribute at both long and short range. 

So here is what I am thinking for the expanded list.  Original units are in white and additions are in blue. 

HQ

120 - Company Command Squad, Astropath

4 Meltaguns

55 - Chimera (Multilaser, Heavy Bolter)

Elites

90 - Psyker Battle Squad

3 extra Psykers

105 - Stormtroopers 1

5 men, 2 Meltaguns

55 - Chimera (Multilaser, Heavy Bolter)

105 - Stormtroopers 2

5 men, 2 Meltaguns

55 - Chimera (Multilaser, Heavy Bolter)

Troops

140 - Veteran Squad 1

3 Meltaguns, Autocannon, Demolitions

55 - Chimera (Multilaser, Heavy Flamer)

140 - Veteran Squad 2

3 Meltaguns, Autocannon, Demolitions

55 - Chimera (Multilaser, Heavy Flamer)

125 - Veteran Squad 3

3 Plasma Guns, Autocannon

55 - Chimera (Multilaser, Heavy Bolter)

45 - Platoon Command Squad

3 Flamers

55 - Chimera (Multilaser, Heavy Flamer)

60 - Infantry Squad 1

Autocannon

60 - Infantry Squad 2

Autocannon

Fast Attack

135 – Hellhound

Smoke launchers

130 - Vendetta Gunship 1

130 - Vendetta Gunship 2

Heavy Support

75 - Hydra Flak Tank 1

75 - Hydra Flak Tank 2

75 - Hydra Flak Tank 3

So not a whole lot of changes, but they are none-the-less important.  Basically I have fitted in the three units or upgrades I have always missed while playing this list but have never quite managed to fit in.  The Astropath would have prevented outflanking screw-ups on numerous occasions, particularly with the storm troopers.  This 30 point upgrade makes them even more useful than they already are at disruption, and as a reliable threat.  The Psykers are there mainly for weaken resolve, which is useful in almost all games, particularly in a list with lots of small bits of shooting.  Cause only one or two casualties and forget about a unit as it runs away.  A S7 blast isn’t to be sniffed at either.  The hellhound is something of a recent wish and is mainly to do with Necrons and Grey Knights.  With Necrons, the Flame Cannon is utterly devastating to scarabs, who really threaten my army, and is quite capable of wiping out units of warriors as well, now that their armour is only 4+.  With Grey Knights, it is great for getting those annoying 3 man acolyte squads hiding in cover.  Of course it gives headaches to most armies with its ability to wound most things on a 2+ and to tank shock and block over a great distance. 

I do worry that this army is now proportionally light on troops, as the nature of it means that I am often left with little left at the end of a 1750 point game, let alone 2000.  I also worry about other armies at 2000 points being much more efficient at long range shooting, and really screwing me.  Again, this happens very occasionally (usually with other guard) at 1750, and 2000 will be worse, with me not having increased my firepower much. 

The Second List – something a little different

This list is built largely from the ground it, and utilises various different tactics I have seen in the last year.  The first is the blob squad.  Depending on the mission this can be a single unit of 50 or any combination of 10, 20, 30 or 40 that make sense.  Usually it will be either one lot of 50, or three of 30, 10 and 10, with the two cheapest units acting as secondary objective holders and adding fire support.  A stubborn 30 man squad is hard to shift, and a 50 man squad can be near impossible for most armies. 

The other units fit around this core and are a mix of firepower (vendettas, hydras, manticore) and close range support (vets, pcs, ccs).  The Psykers are there for weaken resolve, as a S5 blast is relatively unimpressive. 

I worry that this army is inflexible and prone to being outmanoeuvred.  I also worry that it will suffer to midfield armies as it simply doesn’t have the power to kill them at close range like my other list does.  However, it is much better at long range, and may be able to stop them further away. 

HQ

95 - Company Command Squad

3 plasma guns

55 - Chimera (Multilaser, Heavy Bolter)

Elites

70 - Psyker Battle Squad

1 extra psyker

55 – Chimera (Multilaser, Heavy Flamer)

Troops

130 - Veteran Squad 1

3 Meltaguns, Demolitions

55 - Chimera (Multilaser, Heavy Flamer)

130 - Veteran Squad 2

3 Meltaguns, Demolitions

55 - Chimera (Multilaser, Heavy Flamer)

60 - Platoon Command Squad

3 Meltaguns

55 - Chimera (Multilaser, Heavy Flamer)

125 - Infantry Squad

                Commissar (power weapon, meltabombs), Autocannon, sergeant (power weapon, meltabombs)

70 - Infantry Squad

Autocannon, sergeant (power weapon)

70 - Infantry Squad

Autocannon, sergeant (power weapon)

60 - Infantry Squad 1

Autocannon

60 - Infantry Squad 2

Autocannon

Fast Attack

135 – Hellhound

smoke launchers

130 - Vendetta Gunship 1

130 - Vendetta Gunship 2

Heavy Support

150 - Hydra Flak Tank squadron 1

                2 hydras

150 - Hydra Flak Tank squadron 2

                2 hydras

160 - Manticore multiple rocket launcher

So what does everyone think?  Am I barking up the wrong tree entirely? Am I the greatest list builder of all time and just don’t know it? Have I simply not considered the missions? (answer, no I haven’t, and it will be a proble!) Comments and criticisms most welcome, but be fast, lists are in by this weekend!