Trying something Potentially Bad.........(for my chance to win of course)

[Da-Rock]

I am a TreadHead by heart followed by Artillery when it comes to Guard. I have to force myself to try other things and I do just about every week. (In fact I don't think I have EVER run the same army twice).

As Guardsmen we all know that Squadrons have a big plus = we field a ton of armor. We also know they have a big negative = they pop on a 4-6 result and hitting one tank can put dice on the other etc.

My theory and build is centered around the "Average" - meaning what people do most of the time. I also base this on what I see at my local shop and not the Tourney scene.

Here's part of my list for this weeks game:

Heavy Support -

Squadron #1
x1 Leman Russ MBT
x1 Leman Russ Executioner

Squadron #2
x1 Leman Russ MBT
x1 Leman Russ Executioner

x1 Manticore

The rest of the army is flushed out with Vets, special weapons teams, infantry platoon, hellhound and some Valks.

The idea is that my Executioners tend to win games for me and at the same time they draw a lot of heat. Haveing two is nice. The Squadron rule allows me to field these 4 tanks and a Manticore.

The Leman Russ MBT will be behind 50% cover which gives the entire squadron Cover. It will still fire at 72" range with a nice weapon. The Executioner can be out in the open with clear line of sight to my targets, (naturally in the squadron it will be withing 4" of the MBT).

When I get targeted I have four things going for me:

A. Even mass fire is usually limited to 3 or 4 shots depending on angles/LOS etc
B. 14 armor up front
C. Cover Save at 4 up
D. I can put 4-6 chart results on the MBT

D = example: 4 shots with Lascannons - lets say 3 hit, (being generous) and out of the 3 that hit, 1 hit crack 14 armor. With that penetration I need to assign it to one of the two vehicles and roll a save. I have a 50% chance to save, but lets say I fail = with that one they roll a 4-6 result on the chart, (normally this is the big suck). I don't like it, but I now only lost one 150pt base MBT and not my nastier and even more expensive Executioner.

The first thing you will say is, "why spend 150 points to provide a bodyguard for another tank?" You are right, but the above scenario will usually result in either no penetration results or a 1-3 on the chart. (it can limit two tanks from firing also).

Its not perfect, but more then 50% of the time you will be laying wood to the opponent as he tries to throw as many heavy weapons at 4 armor 14 vehicles.

[papa thrax]

if i was playing referee and you were doing that, i'd say that the shots are taken on the tank that's not in cover. because it makes sense that they would shoot at something that isnt in cover first.

and if you're taking those two mbt's to die first anyway.. why not use them more aggressively than just sitting there waiting to die. You can move a full 6" and still fire that cannon, so why not have those two tanks run around his lines shooting at anything squishy, or even his HQ (even termies would have trouble getting up after getting hit with 2 of those bad boys). fit them out with some sponsons and pintle weapon and all of a sudden they're scarier than the executioners. and any turn he spends shooting at the mbts is a turn he's not shooting at the executioners.

to steal a line from law abiding citizen - "To win you have to convince the other guy that he's making all the right moves".

[Da-Rock]

Squadron rules state = If 50% of the squad is in cover the entire squad gets a cover save. Its the same reason why if they assault your 1st tank and the other is 4" away they are still attacking both and can blow them up.

[Angelofblades]

Mehm it's ok, if you have the terrain to do it. Remember, you can do the same thing with smoke launchers too, pop smoke from one of the vehicles and both receive the benefits. But if you're just doing it to get perma 4+ cover save, and not fire the second tank, I think it's a big waste of points. In the end it's not going to stop something that DS's near you and doesn't give a dam about cover saves, IE drop pods or DS'ing assault squads with twin meltas or termiide squads.

I played against a Guard player who was attempting to hide a Manticore behind a building, I play BA, well I DS'd my temie filled Land Raider into his flank near the manticore and that was the end of that.

[Nikolai]

The rules for vehicle squadrons states that each vehicle determines cover separately. So the tank in cover gets a save the tank out of cover doesn't.

[Angelofblades]

No, vehicle squadrons determine cover as a squad. Which means that if half the squad gets a cover save, the entire squad gets it

[Todosi]

Yes and half the squad would be one full tank. Not one half of one tank.

[MalkThe2nd]

You forgot the other negative.

When a CC unit hits your line by either transport, ds, infiltrate ect... they get to eat a 350+ pt unit. Yum yum. Honestly, anyone who shoots thier missles and las at your AV 14 prolly already lost. They're going to blow up everything else you have then assualt and/or melta the hell outta those Russes. GL getting cover then.


By fielding an equal amount of guns/power over more units you lose less when you get hit and you can split your fire more efficiently.

[Angelofblades]

Yes and half the squad would be one full tank. Not one half of one tank.

your not understanding , a vehicle will gain a cover save in 50% or more of its body is covered . if there are 2 tanks in a squadron, n 1 of them is 50 percent covered and gains a cover save, then the whole squad gains a cover save, because half the squad gets a cover save

[Nikolai]

I guess I didn't read far enough into the paragraph. My bad.