Blood Angels & IG 1.5k

[ElectricPaladin]

As I wrote earlier, the idea of using the Imperial Guard as objective holders and fire support for my Blood Angels army has been... tickling me. Here's the list that came out of that.

Blood Angels Detachment

HQ
• Librarian w/Jump Pack
• Reclusiarch w/Jump Pack

Troops
• 10 Assault Marines (Jump), Powerfist Sergeant, 2 Meltaguns
• 10 Death Company (Jump) w/Bolt Pistos, 1 Power Fist, 2 Hand Flamers


Imperial Guard Detachment

HQ
• Lord Commissar

Troops
• Infantry Platoon
° Command Squad in a/Chimera
° Infantry Squad w/Mortar, in a Chimera
° Infantry Squad w/Mortar, in a Chimera

Heavy Support
• Ordnance Battery
° Medusa
° Griffon

I only deploy the IG on the table. The Lord Commissar hangs out with the Command Squad. The Infantry Squads start in their chimeras and race towards objectives that are unlikely to be assaulted immediately, then get out, hide behind their transports (portable terrain ftw!) and shoot at anything that gets too close. The ordnance battery hangs out in my backfield and attempts to shoot tanks/crack transports in time for the Blood Angels to drop. The two tanks I've picked for the Ordnance Battery both have large blasts, and the Medusa's is also high Strength, so the battery can do double duty for killing vehicles and infantry.

My Blood Angels force is kept entirely in reserve. They drop, shoot, and kill infantry that lack vehicular protection. Both squads have power fists, so they can potentially crack vehicles if they have to, and the assault squad can drop near vehicles and try to melta them. In general, the Assault Marines are the anvil, because they have a support Librarian to keep them alive, while the Death Company is the hammer, because they just hit that much harder. Wherever the Death Company drops, the Assault Squad drops to screen them. Then one or the other squad jumps over the target so they can be pincered.

Anyway, what are your thoughts? This is my first time list building with IG elements.

[Tynskel]

I think replacing the Death Co. for a vanguard veteran squad would be a better choice. 10 Vanguard Vets with Blade Encarmine + Storm Shield, Powerfist, 4 Melta Bombs, and a power weapon = 10 DC +PF and 2 HF. That'll make a great counter attack unit, not to mention, they can combat squad, potentially allowing you to deep strike and charge two units!

This also means you can drop a character and replace with a sanguinary priest, freeing up even more points, of which you can equip the vanguard vets with even more choppiness.

[ElectricPaladin]

First of all, great idea. I hadn't thought about it, but Vanguard Vets make a great compliment to Assault Marines. In this case, the Vanguard Vets are the anvil, since they can sweep up and catch a target in an assault, while the Assault Marines are the hammer, capable of coming down a moment later to pincer the target. This makes the Librarian's job even easier. I can aim him at Biomancy powers, most of which make his squad hit harder.

I think replacing the Death Co. for a vanguard veteran squad would be a better choice. 10 Vanguard Vets with Blade Encarmine + Storm Shield, Powerfist, 4 Melta Bombs, and a power weapon = 10 DC +PF and 2 HF. That'll make a great counter attack unit, not to mention, they can combat squad, potentially allowing you to deep strike and charge two units!

This also means you can drop a character and replace with a sanguinary priest, freeing up even more points, of which you can equip the vanguard vets with even more choppiness.

I may do it a little differently though. My ideal squad would look like this:

Sergeant w/Lightning Claws (x2)
2 Veterans w/Bolt Pistol & Power Fists
7 Veterans w/Bolt Pistol & Power Weapon

With that loadout, I've got enough points to add a Sanguinary Priest with jump pack and power weapon, who can fall out of the sky alongside my Assault squad and Librarian.

The other thing I like about this idea is how it interacts with the missions. In most missions, Troops can hold objectives, but in some objectives can also be held by Heavy Support and in some they can also be held by Fast Attack. As it stands now, my list can only take special advantage of those missions in which Heavy Support options can hold objectives, but with Vanguard Vets as my heavy hitters, I can deploy to take advantage of either mission.

Man... this idea is great. I'd discounted Vanguard Vets - probably because they're so damned expensive - but now that I can't drop my whole army anymore, their ability to alter the tempo of the game seems much more worth it. I'm totally going to use this version in the straight up Blood Angels version of my list. I just need to buy some bits. Thanks for the idea!