I honestly should have done this one sooner, as I have a friend getting into the game and they want to play Guard. But I'd been following the releases so I didn't think to jump ahead. Either way, we're here now! It's time to take a look at The Hammer of the Emperor!
ARMY RULES
Orders have been good since their inception, and simplifying them hasn't taken anything away from their power. Especially with Officers leading units again, you'll be guaranteed to have at least one unit in range, and the survivability of your Officers is greatly increased. And while there are a lot more Orders than many factions have for options in their special rules, they're all useful and those uses are easy to understand. At least from these alone, Guard have some power at their disposal.
Born Soldiers
It's back! You have to Remain Stationary, but LETHAL HITS with the number of shots Guard can put out is brutal. This can be combined with First Rank Fire! Second Rank Fire! for some pretty reliable damage.
ENHANCEMENTS
Got that weird order going on again. Oh well.
Death Mask of Ollanius - 10 pts
When this was first revealed, it looked okay but I wasn't sure how useful it would end up being. At 10 pts though, I can definitely take this. Battle-shock will be a thing, and having an important objective holding unit keeping its OC will help.
Kurov's Aquila - 40 pts
40 pts to Vect a Stratagem? This is a good ability. There are so many stratagems you can deny your opponent with it since CP is so scarce. A lot of people have been saying this is particularly great on the CP re-roll to deny those clutch saves or spikes of damage. Overwatch is another one that comes to mind. But 40 pts is a lot . . .
Drill Commander - 20 pts
By contrast, giving your unit LETHAL HITS on 5s is only 20 pts? You are taking this every game, every time.
Grand Strategist - 15 pts
And an extra order every Command Phase is only 15 pts! I know which three I'm taking. Barring needing to use extra points or budget running tight, 45 pts for 3 good Enhancements sounds like a steal.
STRATAGEMS
We previously had all of these revealed at KC. They're all really good, and CP is going to feel really precious. We already know from KC that you can get 1CP in your turn from Leontus. Hopefully there's a way to grab some during your opponent's turn. I'm pretty sure most units will have a Vox equivalent to at least give you some regen.
DATASHEETS
We've had so many of these revealed previously, but now we get points for them. Let's see what we've got!
Lord Solar Leontus - 125 pts
He's 125 pts and you're going to take him every chance you get. He's surprisingly no slouch in combat, fighting as well as many Space Marine characters with a similar defensive profile. That's actually a good way to look at him. He's a Space Marine Captain, with a couple more wounds, sitting in the middle of your guard army handing out CP, Orders, and letting you redeploy. You will not want to leave this model on the shelf.
Ursula Creed - 55 pts
She's got some surprisingly good AP but is otherwise a very Guard statline. Oh! But wait! Her unit can get two Orders! You can have Take Aim! and First Rank Fire! Second Rank Fire! Auto-include! And she gets the free strat ability! That's just gravy! Guard characters are killing it!
Cadian Castellan - 50 pts
Okay, I don't know if this Officer is over costed or Ursula is a steal. They're still good, with both of those abilities being great on nearly any Guard unit. But Ursula is way more than 5 pts better than them.
Tank Commander - 245 pts
I had to check, and this is 50 pts more than a standard Leman Russ. Also, I feel bad for anyone that modeled these on a Demolisher. So what does our 50 points give us? They give an order to one Squadron, extended range to 12", and Shoot on Death. If there's not many ways to give your Tanks orders (beside Leontus), you might be stuck with at least some of that as a tax.
Platoon Command Squad - 60 pts for 5 models (12 pts per model)
I remember when people used these as a cheap way to get more Heavy Weapons Teams. But at more than 10 pts a model, these don't seem all that cheap. You can still attach them as a Leader, so that helps some. Their Vox is somehow better than a Tank Commanders, they get and grant a 6+ FNP, and increase OC. This is probably going to be part of a big unit you try to use and hold the mid board. Twenty-five guard with two Heavy Weapons Teams, 6+ FNP, and OC 2-3 will take at least some work to shift.
Cadian Command Squad - 65 pts for 5 models (13 pts per model)
Huh. Not only does the Cadian version not have a Heavy Weapons Team, its overall weapon options are much more restrictive. In exchange you get the ability to ignore penalties and pay 5 pts more. The ability is better, but I wonder if the tax here is more on the fact you can attach this to Shock Troops. I'll have to see what they do later. I know they were revealed but I'm blanking on them. I remember Krieg gets a buff when damaged, so that makes them a pretty good unit for the other squad to lead. Right now this is nowhere near as good as the classic Command Squad.
'Iron Hand' Straken - 80 pts
Straken comes with a prety good combat profile, a Scout move, grants LETHAL HITS, and gets re-rolls to Hit and Wound on the Charge. With his Invuln, he's almost a Space Marine in combat. I'm not sure he's worth 80 pts, though.
Primaris Psyker - 60 pts
I remember this one a little from the KC reveals. I think this is a steal. Psychic Maelstrom is a nice little blast they can contribute in shooting. But the fact they grant a 4+ Invuln against Shooting until they pop is the real prize. Yeah, it's gonna feel like they die to the first Shooting phase at least half the time. But when you don't roll that 1 it's gonna be great.
Gaunt's Ghosts - 115 pts
Look at all those USRs! Fitting this incredible kit with its fantastic characters, we've got an absolute smorgasbord of tools to play with. They are basically the go-to scout and harassment team.
Regimental Attachés - 40 pts
As an upgrade to a Command Squad, I feel this is a bit pricey. It's three models with three abilities. Still, that exclusion zone is really nice, and you'll probably get some uses out of the Artillery Commander too. Not sure about the Aeronautica Commander, though.
Ogryn Bodyguard - 40 pts
The abhuman version of a Tyrant Guard, this model will greatly increase the survivability of your Command Squad. I'd say this is a far better upgrade than the Attachés.
Nork Deddog - 70 pts
Nork gets to do some mortals in your fight phase but loses the rage ability. He's got better armor, but he also can't take the Brute Shield. I don't think he's worth they extra points.
Infantry Squad - 65 pts for 10 models (6.5 points per model)
Infantry Squads are still 65 points and now their wargear will always be free. And they still have a nice toolbox full of guns they can bring. But now they're harder to shift while holding an objective as they get cover. They're still very good. The only reason you didn't see these a lot in 9th was Cadians were better.
Cadian Shock Troops - 65 pts for 10 models (6.5 points per model)
Oh yeah! They get sticky. That means I still have no idea why their Command Squad is more expensive. Arguably they're now worse than basic Infantry, since they still don't get a Heavy Weapons Team and their wargear options are worse.
Death Korp of Krieg - 65 pts for 10 models (6.5 points per model)
Krieg comes in second with the ability to bring back fallen models. If you want to camp an objective in the midboard and give your opponent a fight trying to take it from you, take the Infantry Squad. If you want to rush out and take objectives, take Krieg.
Catachan Jungle Fighters - 65 pts for 10 models (6.5 points per model)
Don't knock that combat buff these soldiers get. It's a very nice buff if you want to try and field a more melee focused Guard army. But I don't think it replaces all that lost wargear.
Sly Marbo - 75 pts
Sly looks like a lot of fun. He's very evasive, he gets some nice abilities for taking out enemy characters, and he can support your other units. And it looks like his abilities can combo to get him some insane movement if you want.
Kasrkin - 120 pts
Oo! Those are some nice toys to play with . . . And all with double the orders! I think most of the time you're going to just want more Guardsmen, but these look like they'll make some fun forward infantry.
Regimental Preacher - 35 pts
Okay! This might be fun way to build a Catachan force! A brick of 20 Jungle Fighters with this guy leading them could probably put in some good work, and only for 165 pts.
Sergeant Harker - 60 pts
Toting around a heavy bolter and the Space Marine profile to wield it, this is another way to just get a Space Marine in your Guard army. Okay, he doesn't have the armor, but he does have 6+ FNP. And once per game Payback is just going to deal out some hurt to something.
Regimental Enginseer - 45 pts
Oh cool! His version of Omnissiah gives your vehicles a 4+ Invuln! I think that's worth the price of admission right there!
Munitorum Servitors - 35 pts (8.75 pts per model)
If I'm running an armored division, I might take these along to fill points or protect Eninseers. They're not guards most efficient way of getting bodies on the field, but they are cheap.
Commissar - 35 pts
Interesting, standard Commissars can only issue Duty and Honour! or Fix Bayonets!. I was right in that these share an ability with their Chaos counterparts. However, if you have another Officer in the unit, the unit gets to re-roll Battle-shock before you start putting bullets in people.
Ogryn Squad - 75 pts for 3 models (25 pts per model)
This feels like a lot for three Ogryn. But those ripper guns do put out a decent number of shots. Not sure here.
Bulgryn Squad - 90 pts for 3 models (30 pts per model)
Oh my god! GW! What are you doing? It's right there! You could have just put that in every datasheet this whole time! Bah!
Bulgryn have been the better half of this deal for some time now, and I think they're still going to be that way. I will happily pay 15 pts for -1 Damage, 4+ Invulns, and some legitimate melee threat.
Ratling Snipers - 70 pts for 5 models (14 pts per model)
Okay. If you're going to use these, you better make good use of that evasion ability. Because at 14 pts a model, you don't want to lose them the first time an enemy unit so much as looks at them.
Attilan Rough Riders - 80 pts for 5 models (16 pts per model)
These look like they'll still hit very hard, though it will still be a bit tough to keep them alive. The fact they have Fall Back and Shoot and Charge will help make sure you can deliver them where you need them most.
Scout Sentinels - 50 pts
These feel like a steal at 50 pts. They get some really good weapon options and they get to mark a target for your artillery. Sentinels have been good in many editions of 40K, and 10th looks like it will be no different.
Armoured Sentinel - 70 pts
Hmm. I'm not sure 20 pts is worth another pip of Toughness and Armour. That is a 2+ Save though, so these might have pretty descent survivability. I just think the Scouts might be more efficient.
Hellhound - 125 pts
Alright! We're here! Guard vehicles!
This looks good. I think I've mostly recovered from my shock at Knights, though I still have the Imperium's version to go through. I think this is probably okay at 125, though it could probably be cheaper.
Rogal Dorn Battle Tank - 285 pts
Hmm . . . 285 for four nice guns on a T12, W18, Sv2+ body. It does get to just ignore an attack once per battle. Again, I think it could be cheaper, but it's not bad at this cost.
Heavy Weapons Squad - 60 pts for 3 models (20 pts per model)
Ah! We have our primary Overwatch target! This is basically 20 points a piece for a nice big gun. You're probably still going to just take Infantry and Command Squads. But I can see having one of these to put next to your big Infantry brick.
Field Ordnance Battery - 100 pts for 2 models (50 pts per model)
How 'bout over double the cost for some really big guns. Don't let those weapon profiles fool you. Guard Indirect does look like it's still going to be a thing. And those are decent chassis to put these big guns on.
Leman Russ Battle Tank - 195 pts
Again, I feel like these could be cheaper. Still, they can probably take some decent damage and help clear some screens and campers so you can move on objectives.
Leman Russ Demolisher - 220 pts
That demolisher cannon is a thing, and I'm pretty sure it's well worth 25 pts, especially since you can fire into combat. Nothing is stopping this from getting all its shots off.
Leman Russ Vanquisher - 190 pts
You might be wondering why this is cheaper when it's got a Vanquisher cannon. But while this variant will occasionally pick off an important target, half the time it's not going to do anything. Still, depending on the vehicles the meta has, you might want to bring one along.
Leman Russ Punisher - 180 pts
Hmm. This might be legitimately worth giving a try now. Normally, my instinct when it comes to anti-infantry with Guard is more troops. But especially if you're going for an armored company, this might be worth bringing.
Leman Russ Executioner - 195 pts
Huh! I think this might legitimately be better at doing what a standard Leman Russ does. Not entirely sure, but it does look like it can blast anything but other tough Vehicles apart.
Leman Russ Exterminator - 200 pts
I think I like this one too. Marking a unit for death with improved AP sound like a potent ability. Might be a good one-two-punch with the Executioner.
Leman Russ Eradicator - 180 pts
Huh! It gets the same rule as the Demolisher and the Vindicator! Honestly, I think this is really good and might also be better at doing the standard Leman Russ's job. It's not as versatile, and will struggle against tougher targets the classic and Executioner might be better for.
Basilisk - 110 pts
Oh come on! 110 pts? Buy! Buy it now! Man it's going to suck dealing with Guard Indirect this edition.
Hydra - 95 pts
This is completely meta dependent. But if Aircraft become a thing again, 95 pts isn't bad for a good counter to them. It's not bad additional firepower for match ups without them, but I definitely only take it if I expected Aircraft.
Manticore - 105 pts
Gonna flip a table here. There's very little reason not to take three Basilisks and three Manticores.
Wyvern - 90 pts
Man Guard Indirect is going to suck to play against this edition. You will need to bring answer to this and get good at using Reserves.
Deathstrike - 135 pts
With the rest of the Indirect being so cheap, I'm not sure this makes the cut. But it might be worth taking for fun area denial games.
Chimera - 85 pts
I think this is pretty nice for carting around some smaller Guard units. Unfortunately it can't take a full brick for you. The fact you can issue Orders is really nice.
Taurox - 65 pts
Okay, that's a very nice cost for some rapid deployment. I think these will probably be the go-to Dedicated Transport.
Valkyrie - 200 pts
Okay, you're really paying a premium for the mobility here. It's some awesome mobility though. This is basically free Rapid Ingress with no restriction on where you can come in. It'll probably take some skill to use this, but you can potentially get some nice work done.
Aegis Defence Line - 145 pts
That's a lot to pay for that 4+ Invuln. At least you don't have to be wholly within to get it. Still not sure if Fortifications will be a thing this time, since they're usually terrain dependent.
Baneblade - 540 pts
I mean . . . I guess it can technically hide behind ruins now. Though that's never going to happen. I was just kinda hoped they'd price this the same way the big Knights were priced. It's rolling fortress ability is nice though.
Banehammer - 490 pts
Oh wow! You make them test just from selecting them as a target! That is really cool! Even with the price tag being a little high, that might still be fun to play with.
Banesword - 515 pts
Hah! Blow up all the things! That's a really fun ability! Not sure if I prefer this to the classic though. It's honestly a tough call between the two.
Doomhammer - 455 pts
For Doomhammer!
Whoops! Sorry, wrong game! Anyway, do you like melta? I hope you like melta, cause this always has melta when it counts. Also, this is one of the variants with Firing Deck.
Hellhammer - 510 pts
Oh man! This has an ability similar to the Demolisher, but it can't fire its Blast weapons. I would have really liked this one if it could. Oh well.
Shadowsword - 440 pts
If you really need to kill something, 440 isn't too bad for the right to bring a volcano cannon. That's kinda all it gets though.
Stormlord - 460 pts
Basically a mobile fortress, I'm a little surprised it's more expensive than the Doomhammer. It's rule is very nice for getting your units out of dodge though.
Stormsword - 520 pts
I'm sorry, what? What is with that rule? Just give it some mortals on successful wounds. You already did that it in Grey Knights. Weird rule . . .
Militarum Tempestus Command Squad - 80 pts for 5 models (16 pts per model)
Okay that's not too bad a price bump for hot-shots and some serious wargear. And there's no real Keyword shenanigans this time, so you're free to mix and match. And with this unit making Scions Battleline, you can field a full Scion army if you want.
Tempestus Scions - 60 pts for 5 models (12 pts per model)
They're almost twice what standard Guard Infantry costs, but you get Deep Strike in addition to the better shooting. I think running Scions will be fine this edition.
Taurox Prime - 90 pts
And the Taurox Prime gets Fire Support! With the number of guns it has, that's easily worth the extra 25 points. Once again, though, only Scions get to call this their ride.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I spent a lot of this thinking that some of this could be cheaper, but that most things looked fine. Then I got to all the Indirect. I'm not gonna lie, I don't think they've costed those platforms properly in this Index. Until some balance passes occur, you'll need to keep some answers handy. Normally I think a lot of us are guessing when a new Edition hasn't had a lot of play in the wild. But this is a lesson many of us have learned, and we thought GW had too.
On the plus side, I feel like the represented regiments are all well done. You can have fun with any of the core Guard regiments, though I feel Cadians got a bit of the short end this time. They still get Ursula Creed though, and she's awesome in this. There's definitely multiple playstyles to look at in this book.
So please don't play Indirect spam.
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