Optimising the Non-optimised...

So I managed to sneak off and spend most of the day at my FLGS.

I watched a few games that were going on while swearing at my Hive Tyrant parts for not fitting together properly while simultaneously gluing both my fingers to the model and my scalpel to the table.

But I digress...

A lot of people still write lists based on what they think is cool or has a nice model or a particularly interesting background, or...well you get the idea. Does this mean that they shouldn't bother to make their army better due to the fact that they're handicapping themselves from the start?

I don't think so. Even the crappiest 'Battleforce' army can be made more efficient with a few minor tweaks.

You don't believe me do you?

I suppose some kind of inventive , insightful, well written article is needed to convince you?

Well that's a shame as I'm just going to randomly think out loud and hope for the best ;-)

I suppose I can give you some kind of example though...Will that do?

Okay here we go.

A gentleman at the aforementioned FLGS had decided he wanted to use certain tanks as an Imperial Guard army and basically made a 1500 point army out of what he had available.

It went something like this,

Editors note : Obviously it wasn't exactly like this as the points total was 1500 exactly, but it's close enough for our needs.

1500 Pts - 'I like these tanks and I'm using them anyway, with some stuff from this pile'

HQ: Lord Commissar (1#, 95 pts)

1 Lord Commissar @ 95 pts (Carapace Armour; Melta Bombs; Power Weapon)

HQ: Lord Commissar (1#, 95 pts)

1 Lord Commissar @ 95 pts (Carapace Armour; Melta Bombs; Power Weapon)

Troops: Veteran Squad (10#, 70 pts)

9 Veteran Squad @ 70 pts

1 Veteran Sergeant

Troops: Veteran Squad (10#, 70 pts)

9 Veteran Squad @ 70 pts

1 Veteran Sergeant

Heavy Support: Leman Russ Squadron (2#, 400 pts)

1 Leman Russ Squadron @ 400 pts

1 Leman Russ Vanquisher (Lascannon; Multi-melta Sponsons x2)

1 Leman Russ Vanquisher (Lascannon; Multi-melta Sponsons x2)

Heavy Support: Leman Russ Squadron (2#, 395 pts)

1 Leman Russ Squadron @ 395 pts

1 Leman Russ Demolisher

1 Leman Russ Executioner (Heavy Flamer; Plasma Cannon Sponsons x2)

Heavy Support: Leman Russ Squadron (2#, 395 pts)

1 Leman Russ Squadron @ 395 pts

1 Leman Russ Demolisher

1 Leman Russ Executioner (Heavy Flamer; Plasma Cannon Sponsons x2)

Total Roster Cost: 1520

It sort of functioned but it didn't manage to pop transports early enough to stop the Marines from strolling up and killing it and the mismatched Tanks made target priority a bit of a nightmare.

So the list is a total loss then?

Not necessarily...Just because a list doesn't use optimal choices doesn't mean that it can't be optimised.

So those are the tanks he wants to use so were stuck with those, everything else is open to change.

First the Tanks.

The squadrons need their target priority to be more optimal so we'll stick the Demolishers and Executioners into their own squadrons rather than mix and match. The Demolishers (having the shortest range) are most likely to be close to the enemy at some point so we'll give them Heavy Flamers. The Multi-Meltas on the Vanquishers require us to get a little bit too close to the enemy than the rest of it's load-out so we'll dump those. As the Executioners Plasma Cannons have a 36" Range we could let them keep their Heavy Bolter...I'd still probably go with the Heavy Flamer though if it was up to me. Being completely honest I'd maybe dump the sponsons as well and use the points for some other upgrades.

Now the Infantry.

20 Guardsmen whether escorted by a Lord Commissar or not are going to die horribly very soon and therefore need some protection. As we all know the best protection 5th. Ed. has to offer is a Transport Vehicle and Chimera's are pretty versatile.

Our revised Tank costs leaves us with 370 points to spend on a HQ and troops. Since our Tanks are doing most of the work some Veterans and a Cheap HQ should be sufficient.

Troops: Veteran Squad (11#, 125 pts)

9 Veteran Squad @ 125 pts

1 Veteran Sergeant

1 Chimera (Heavy Flamer)

Seems ideal as a starting point, we need two though so that's 250 points gone. Nice and mobile now can add to the fire-power if necessary or can hide behind a tank if they feel like it.

Almost forgot the HQ...

HQ: Company Command Squad (6#, 105 pts)

4 Company Command Squad @ 105 pts

1 Company Commander

1 Chimera (Heavy Flamer)

That only leaves us with 15 points spare which can be used for anything that you see fit as nothing is really going to be list changing with those points.

That gives us,

1500 Pts - 5th Edition Roster - Imperial Guard ver 2.0

HQ: Company Command Squad (6#, 105 pts)

4 Company Command Squad @ 105 pts

1 Company Commander

1 Chimera (Heavy Flamer)

Troops: Veteran Squad (11#, 125 pts)

9 Veteran Squad @ 125 pts

1 Veteran Sergeant

1 Chimera (Heavy Flamer)

Troops: Veteran Squad (11#, 125 pts)

9 Veteran Squad @ 125 pts

1 Veteran Sergeant

1 Chimera (Heavy Flamer)

Heavy Support: Leman Russ Squadron (2#, 340 pts)

1 Leman Russ Squadron @ 340 pts

1 Leman Russ Vanquisher (Lascannon)

1 Leman Russ Vanquisher (Lascannon)

Heavy Support: Leman Russ Squadron (2#, 330 pts)

1 Leman Russ Squadron @ 330 pts

1 Leman Russ Demolisher (Heavy Flamer)

1 Leman Russ Demolisher (Heavy Flamer)

Heavy Support: Leman Russ Squadron (2#, 460 pts)

1 Leman Russ Squadron @ 460 pts

1 Leman Russ Executioner (Heavy Flamer; Plasma Cannon Sponsons x2)

1 Leman Russ Executioner (Heavy Flamer; Plasma Cannon Sponsons x2)

Total Roster Cost: 1485

My opinion of how a Imperial Guard army should be done are somewhat different and I'm sure you can all pick holes with this army and their are many much better ways of doing Imperial Guard.

The point is with a few little tweaks you can get the best out of even a 'I think this stuff is Cool' list with a little thought.

After all we can't all run armies like the following, now can we?

2000 Pts - 5th Edition Roster - Imperial Guard.

HQ: Company Command Squad (7#, 165 pts)

4 Company Command Squad @ 165 pts (Meltagun x3; Astropath)

1 Company Commander

1 Astropath

1 Chimera (Heavy Flamer)

Elite: Psyker Battle Squad (7#, 125 pts)

5 Psyker Battle Squad @ 125 pts

1 Overseer

1 Chimera (Heavy Flamer)

Elite: Psyker Battle Squad (7#, 125 pts)

5 Psyker Battle Squad @ 125 pts

1 Overseer

1 Chimera (Heavy Flamer)

Elite: Psyker Battle Squad (7#, 125 pts)

5 Psyker Battle Squad @ 125 pts

1 Overseer

1 Chimera (Heavy Flamer)

Troops: Veteran Squad (11#, 155 pts)

9 Veteran Squad @ 155 pts (Meltagun x3)

1 Veteran Sergeant

1 Chimera (Heavy Flamer)

Troops: Veteran Squad (11#, 155 pts)

9 Veteran Squad @ 155 pts (Meltagun x3)

1 Veteran Sergeant

1 Chimera (Heavy Flamer)

Troops: Veteran Squad (11#, 155 pts)

9 Veteran Squad @ 155 pts (Meltagun x3)

1 Veteran Sergeant

1 Chimera (Heavy Flamer)

Troops: Veteran Squad (11#, 155 pts)

9 Veteran Squad @ 155 pts (Meltagun x3)

1 Veteran Sergeant

1 Chimera (Heavy Flamer)

Fast Attack: Vendetta Gunship Squadron (1#, 130 pts)

1 Vendetta Gunship Squadron @ 130 pts

1 Vendetta

Fast Attack: Vendetta Gunship Squadron (1#, 130 pts)

1 Vendetta Gunship Squadron @ 130 pts

1 Vendetta

Fast Attack: Vendetta Gunship Squadron (1#, 130 pts)

1 Vendetta Gunship Squadron @ 130 pts

1 Vendetta

Heavy Support: Hydra Flak Tank Battery (2#, 150 pts)

1 Hydra Flak Tank Battery @ 150 pts

1 Hydra Flak Tank (Heavy Flamer)

1 Hydra Flak Tank (Heavy Flamer)

Heavy Support: Hydra Flak Tank Battery (2#, 150 pts)

1 Hydra Flak Tank Battery @ 150 pts

1 Hydra Flak Tank (Heavy Flamer)

1 Hydra Flak Tank (Heavy Flamer)

Heavy Support: Hydra Flak Tank Battery (2#, 150 pts)

1 Hydra Flak Tank Battery @ 150 pts

1 Hydra Flak Tank (Heavy Flamer)

1 Hydra Flak Tank (Heavy Flamer)

Total Roster Cost: 2000