Wrath of the Emperor
Weapons and Decorations of the Imperial Guard

By Ross Watson
Squig-at-Large

While I was designing my Imperial Guard army (see BG4 and BG5 for more on that process), I began to look at the various options for equipping my squads and commanders. Looking over the new Codex: Imperial Guard made me realize that there are a great number of choices, and I began to consider how each selection can change the way a unit fights.

As a relatively inexperienced Imperial Guard commander, I was unsure at first how I wanted to equip my forces. I knew from reading through the Codex that the Imperial Guard’s strength primarily lies in the number of heavy and special weapons it can field.

Point for point, the Imperial Guard can field more special and heavy weapons than nearly any other Warhammer 40,000 army. In addition, the Imperial Guard benefits from a wide selection of firepower, ranging from the common (such as the Heavy Bolter) to the unique (like the Mortar). Each weapon has a particular use to which it is best employed. When these weapons are combined with new selections in the IG wargear list, the Guard becomes a deadly foe indeed.

Let’s take a tour of the arsenal that can give your IG army the edge you need. Also, we will explore the battle decorations in the Wargear section of the Codex that can have a large impact on the performance of your Guardsmen.

Special Weapons

Each Infantry Squad can field one special weapon. Special Weapons Squads and Command Squads can field even more of these useful weapons, as can Storm Troopers and Hardened Veterans. Generally, special weapons can add firepower to a squad or tailor it towards a specific purpose. For general purposes, good special weapons include the Grenade Launcher and the Meltagun. However, the best special weapon depends on the specific intended purpose of the squad. If the unit is intended to close with the enemy, choose Flamers. If you prefer to have the unit stand and shoot at range, the Grenade Launcher or the Plasma Gun are your best choices. If you are aiming to destroy tough opponents or vehicles at short range, pick the Meltagun. Remember that for Imperial armies, the more the merrier. Don’t think that one Meltagun or Grenade Launcher will see you through…three, four, or even more are usually required to accomplish the goals you set for your weaponry.

The Flamer
I like the Flamer quite a bit…anything that hits automatically is good in my book. The only disadvantage is that you have to be practically shaking hands with the enemy by the time you can fire it, so the use of the Flamer always seems like more of an art than a science. Ultimately, I decided that the Flamer was a good choice, but not one I had room for in my Penal Legion…yet. At some point I may end up with an infantry Command Squad with nothing but promethium-fueled flaming death ready for any foes careless enough to get in range!

Mobile units that will eventually get very close to the enemy will find the Flamer to be an invaluable tool. The Flamer has many things going for it: it’s cheap, accurate, and hits lots of enemy models. Costing only 6 points, the Flamer is the best option for those wishing to conserve points. Since the Flamer is a template weapon, the Imperial Guard’s average accuracy (BS3) is less of an issue, and the template can hit several models with one blast. However, the Flamer has an extremely short range (around 8”), and has a Strength only slightly higher than that of a Lasgun. While Str 4 AP5 is appreciable, the Flamer is the weakest of the special weapons. Don’t discount the Flamer, however…its template is highly useful in situations where one-shot special weapons are not. Keep in mind that cover saves (such as the protection offered by Eldar and Space Wolf psychic powers and the jungles where the Kroot and Catachans like to hide) are useless against a Flamer! As I said above, multiples of any weapon are good in the Imperial Guard, and a group of three or four Flamers can sometimes wipe out a tightly packed enemy (like most Orks tend to be) in one blast.

The Grenade Launcher
For me, I find the humble Grenade Launcher to be the most attractive of all the special weapons. It fits the background of my army very well, as a prison planet would likely keep several on hand to control riots or blast open locked cell doors. Secondly, it’s highly versatile – for only 8 points I have a weapon that can either blast infantry formations or threaten vehicle armour. What a great value! Lastly, I just like the thought of fielding Grenade Launchers…since no other army gets to carry them, sometimes opponents just don’t know how to respond. I ended up selecting the Grenade Launcher for my army…23 of them, in fact!

To support a squad’s firepower, destroy groups of tightly clumped enemies, wound tough opponents, or destroy light vehicles, the Grenade Launcher is very useful. Like the Flamer, the Grenade Launcher is not very expensive, costing only 8 points. It is a versatile weapon, being able to fire both Krak and Frag grenades. The Grenade Launcher has a good range (24") and, as an assault weapon, can be fired to full effect even when on the move or falling back. The Krak grenades hit hard, striking at S6 and AP4, while the Frag grenades can, on a good day, hit up to three or more models. The Grenade Launcher has one more great advantage over the other special weapons – no other force in the galaxy can field them! Occasionally, you might find a combi-weapon with a Grenade Launcher, but as a stand-alone special weapon, the Imperial Guard is the only army that has the privilege to choose this weapon. The Grenade Launcher’s only downside is that it is not as strong as most of the other special weapons. The Krak grenade is powerful, but does not have the tank-busting capabilities of the Plasma Gun or the Meltagun.

The Plasma Gun
I don’t normally hesitate to arm my Space Marines with Plasma Guns, but I have noticed that I tend to roll a lot of 1’s when trying to hit the enemy. With that luck, even thinking about giving Plasma Guns to my Imperial Guardsmen just seems downright cruel! Not only will they miss more, they’ll end up getting barbecued by their own weapon. On the other hand, a Plasma Gun-armed Guardsman is cheaper than a Space Marine, and you can get a lot more Guardsmen as part of the bargain. Still, I eventually decided that the Plasma Gun was too expensive and complicated a piece of equipment for my chain gang troopers. It’s hard for me to imagine anyone who would really trust a prisoner with a plasma weapon!

As a powerful weapon that is good against both troops and light vehicles, the Plasma Gun is a weapon both loved and feared by Imperial Guard commanders. Plasma Guns hit hard (S7 and AP2), slicing through heavily armoured troops and monstrous creatures with ease. As a rapid-fire weapon, the Plasma Gun can add considerable firepower to a static infantry squad and can still be fired up to 12" while on the move. The Plasma Gun is one of the few weapons in the Imperial Guard arsenal that can deal with foes such as Terminators or Necrons.

However, the Plasma Gun has many disadvantages. First, the Plasma Gun is expensive, costing 10 points per weapon. Secondly, the Plasma Gun is the only weapon that has a chance to kill your own men! It is strongly recommended that you keep a Medic in the unit containing a Plasma Gun just in case it overheats. Thirdly, Plasma Gunners do not gain any benefits from the Sharpshooters Doctrine (something to keep in mind if you are using that Doctrine in your army). Still, the Plasma Gun is a valuable weapon as long as you are willing to pay the cost.

The Meltagun
Mmmm, I love the smell of Meltaguns in the morning. Meltaguns are really good for eliciting fear in your opponent. An expensive Chaos Lord, a tooled-up vehicle, or even a rampaging Dreadnought can all be put down with one well timed Meltagun blast. Like the Flamer, the Meltagun is really strong close up but requires a skilled hand to be employed to its fullest. Like the Plasma Gun, the Meltagun represents a certain advanced technology and power that just doesn’t feel right for my convicts. With regret, I decided to pass up the Meltagun as a possibility for my forces. Maybe if I add another Stormtrooper squad down the line…

The mightiest special weapon available to the Imperial Guard is the Meltagun. Weighing in with S8 and AP2, the Meltagun can kill nearly any multiple-Wound model and can destroy vehicles and walkers with one shot. Like the Plasma Gun, the Meltagun is expensive, costing 10 points per weapon, and its short range of 12" makes it a risky prospect against assault-oriented armies. However, if you want your target to stay down, you can’t beat the Meltagun.

Heavy Weapons

Much like the special weapons, each Infantry Squad can field one heavy weapon. Heavy Weapons Squads and the squads attached to the Command Squad (such as Fire Support Squads, Anti-Tank Squads, and Mortar Squads) can all field multiple heavy weapons to give the enemy a taste of the Imperium’s might. As always, the more heavy weapons you can fire at the enemy, the better. Since the average Guardsman has only a BS3, you can never count on getting in a lucky Lascannon shot to take out an enemy tank, for example. However, if you have six Lascannons, the odds quickly grow in your favour. You can tailor your choice of heavy weapon for the role you wish the unit to play, whether it be tank-hunting with Lascannons to taking out waves of enemy troops with the Heavy Bolter. Good general-purpose weapons include the Heavy Bolter, the Autocannon, and the Lascannon. If firing at long range, the Missile Launcher, Lascannon, and Autocannon will serve you well, while the Heavy Bolter and the Autocannon put out the greatest amount of shots (which can mow down groups of infantry).

The Heavy Bolter
At three shots per turn, Heavy Bolters provide the highest rate of fire of all the heavy weapons available to the Imperial Guard. This storm of firepower works extremely well in conjunction with the Sharpshooters doctrine and also helps eliminate groups of infantry. The Heavy Bolter is extremely good against Troops, with a high Strength that will wound nearly any opponent (S5) and chew through most armour (AP4). The Heavy Bolter is also cheap, costing only 10 points for an Infantry Squad and slightly more (up to 15) in a Fire Support or Heavy Weapons Squad. Unfortunately, the Heavy Bolter has a shorter range than most heavy weapons at 36", and cannot damage any but the lightest vehicles.

The first “must have” on my list of heavy weapons, the Heavy Bolter is almost unrivalled in its ability to dismantle enemy infantry. A Fire Support Squad with Heavy Bolters can darn near hold a section of the battlefield all by themselves. And, as always, the more dice you throw for the Imperial Guard, the better! My completed army list features no less than five Heavy Bolters for anti-personnel firepower.

The Autocannon
A good all-around heavy weapon, the Autocannon provides Imperial Guard squads with the ability to destroy both high-Toughness troops and light to medium vehicles. The Autocannon has a good rate of fire, shooting twice per turn, and has an excellent Strength (S7 AP4). Anyone not in power armour (which includes most of the alien races such as the Orks, Tau, Kroot, Eldar, and Dark Eldar) will certainly have to be cautious in the face of an Autocannon, although the weapon is not powerful enough to threaten the thickest of vehicle armour (AV14). One further advantage to the Autocannon is that it is rarely seen outside of a few vehicles or specialized units in other armies.

While I really like the Heavy Bolter, I feel an even stronger liking for the Autocannon. Just like the Heavy Bolter, Autocannons can tear apart footsloggers but can also rip through most transport vehicles. Being able to blow apart a Rhino or Devilfish is a great advantage! Plus, firing twice a round, Autocannons are almost guaranteed at least one hit, even when fired by the relatively average gunners of the Imperial Guard.

The Missile Launcher
Missile Launchers are very versatile heavy weapons, able to engage both groups of enemy infantry with Frag missiles and can burst open the most heavily armoured tank with Krak missiles. Krak missiles can kill multiple-wound models at S8, and AP3 makes sure that even Necrons don’t usually stand up again once hit. The Krak missile can even threaten AV14 vehicles! Frag missiles use the blast template, meaning that large groups of infantry can be targeted for elimination. Both missiles can be fired out to 48", allowing the Missile Launcher to fire at very long range. However, the Missile Launcher gets only one shot per turn, so the Imperial Guard needs to be lucky in order to get the missiles on target.

At first, the Missile Launcher looked like the perfect heavy weapon for my Penal Legion. It could hit hard with the Krak missile and take on groups of infantry with the Frag missile. I eventually ended up replacing my Missile Launcher choices with Autocannons, but I can recommend that a good place for a Missile Launcher lies in Anti-Tank Squads. The ability to fire both anti-tank and anti-personnel missiles makes a group of three Missile Launchers a very well rounded firebase.

The Lascannon
Lascannons, striking at S9 AP2, are the most powerful heavy weapon available to the Imperial Guard. Even heavily armoured vehicles fear a well placed Lascannon shot, and Lascannons can easily deal with nearly any model in the game. All this power comes with a price – the Lascannon is also the most expensive heavy weapon, costing 25 points. Also, the Lascannon fires only once per turn, which means its effectiveness is highly dependent on your rolling. In my opinion, Lascannons are well worth their cost…although I would caution against placing them all in one spot without any protection, such as in an exposed Anti-Tank Squad. Lascannons can intimidate your opponent, especially one who wants to protect his armour, and so they may draw quite a bit of enemy fire. Nevertheless, the Lascannon remains the king of heavy weapons in terms of raw power.

The new Lascannon heavy weapon teams look fantastic. I knew that I would have to pick up at least a couple for my Imperial Guard army. Looking over the specs on a Lascannon, I saw that they would be ideal for tank-hunting, and with good backup from the Heavy Bolters and Autocannons, my Lascannons should be able to destroy heavy armour in pretty much every Shooting Phase!

The Mortar
Mortars provide Imperial Guard squads with indirect fire capability. No other heavy weapon can fire without a line-of-sight to the enemy, which makes the Mortar ideal for squads that do not want to be exposed to enemy counterattacks. Mortars can fire in barrages, laying down groups of templates that can target entire enemy units in 1 turn. Barrages can also potentially send the enemy scurrying for cover and force the unit to take a pinning test. However, these barrages are not very accurate, requiring a guess and a roll of the scatter die. In addition, Mortar blasts are weak and do not penetrate armour effectively (S4 AP6), making them the weediest of the heavy weapon options available. Also, Mortars are another heavy weapon rarely seen outside of the Imperial Guard – few other forces can field them. Lastly, Mortars really shine in psychological warfare. Few things can put the fear of god into your opponent like templates, and dropping groups of three on him at once will always make him sweat!

Next: Imperial Guard Decorations.