Yesterday I finally finished an article on IG Armoured Artillery, today I give you part 2!
(Click this link to take you to Part 1.)
So, today we'll take a look at the Colossus, Manticore & Griffon.
Enjoy!
The Colossus
Why'd you do that? Because where the Basilisk is a good all-rounder, the collossus specialises in MEQ killing. Simply, because a Colossus ignores cover saves.
You still wound marines on a 2+ (apart from Plague Marines, damn them!), give them absolutely no save at all (well apart from some puny Dark Angel helmets and domes maybe, or silly priests running around... But you have centred your template on their heads, haven't you?), but vehicle-killing is limited. However, you also now have a minimum range of 24", making indirect fire a bit easier to do.
I'd say, if you want to take some, take one (maybe 2... but that's pushing your luck) and use your other points on high strengt pie plates. Maybe combine it with 2 Basilisks, or a Manticore.
In addition, I would always, really always, put this guy out of LoS, and fire indirectly. Kinda like a super-whirlwind.
Score: 6,5/10
Their Job: Killing Long Fangs, Havocs, Tactical Squads, Bikes (no jinks!). A Helldrake pie plate really.
The Griffon
Cheap, Cheap, Cheap and Cheap! 75 Points is a steal for a decent artillery piece like a griffon. S6 AP4, Accurate... Oh and did I tell you it's cheap?
Most competitive guard builds here in tiny Belgium only run griffons. Who needs AP3 anyway when you have loads of S6/7 shots coming at you.
You can play them quite offensively, but I personally would just put them behind a piece of terrain & fire indirectly. You're accurately putting down blasts, and your opponent can't get LoS to punish you with all sorts of autocannons/launchers/psycannons/...
However, I would not base your army around these. They are great little add-ons, but they don't punch hard enough to be game-breaking.
A single griffon would be great for your guard allies, but never take 3 if it's your primary detachment.
Griffons are very useful simply because your opponent often doesn't see them as a priority. Heck, even if both sides have griffons they often get ignored!
2 Griffons and say a Manticore, or a Basilisk, might be a better idea.
Score: 8/10 (If taking the above into account)
Their Job: Taking out guardsmen blobs, necrons, transports,...
The Manticore
When I started playing guard at the dawn of 6th, I first didn't really see what all the fuss was about Manticores. But that's where loads of playtesting helped me, and the more I played it, the more I liked it.
The Manticore has 2 big advantages over the other options, that really make it worth it's 'Russ equivalent price tag:
D3 Strength 10 Hits: The S10 allows the Manticore to act as one of the best anti-vehicle options the Heavy Support slots have to offer. You can easily annihilate multiple high-AV vehicles with one shot.
D3 Large Blasts: With the popularity of Blob Squads and loads of cheap troops behind the ever-popular ADL, the manticore can cripple your opponents Troops with a single shot.
However, the manticore also has an AV of 12/10/10, which makes it incredibly vulnerable to other artillery shots, or any model that get LoS to it's rear. Hide it, secure it, or you may quickly find yourself losing 160points do to a single autocannon shot. To often have I blown away my opponents manticores with a simple griffon (or marbo) to give it an absolute 10/10.
Score: 7,5/10
Their Job: See above
Conclusion
Let's take a look at some decent mixes you can bring to the table for say about... 400 Points?
[x] = Deployment
(1) All - Rounder
- Basilisk [Back of the Board / ADL]
- Basilisk[Back of the Board / ADL]
- 2x Griffon [Hide]
Gives you a nice, all round finish: use the basilisks to maximum efficiency, and let the griffons be those not-really-worth-shooting-but-annoying-as-hell models. Personal favourite.
(2) The Best of Both Worlds (Got that reference... No? Djee, not many Trekkies around here)
- Manticore [Hide]
- Colossus [Hide]
(3) For a wheeny bit more...
- Basilisk
- Basilisk
- Medusa [Reserve]
2 Basilisks give you a very got punch in general, so don't be shy to hand out the pain from turn 1 one on. Target enemy artillery and MEQ with limited/no cover/behind ADL first, then take out transports.
Reserve the medusa, and, using the Comm Relay, deploy him right when the 'enemy is at the gates'. Blow the frak out of those spawn, nurgle marines, paladins and bikes! They're not even half as scary when all they've got is a 5+ to save them from instand death.
Ok, that's it for today guys, expect some more IG tactics & lists soon!
- Raggbur
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