Editing Warhammer 40,000/7th Edition Tactics/Imperial Guard (section)

==Equipment==

===Heirlooms of Conquest===
Note that only an unnamed Company Commander from a Company Command Squad or an unnamed Lord Commissar can buy heirlooms and you are limited to one of each Heirloom per army, and only 1 relic may be taken by a model.

*'''The Emperor's Benediction:''' This Lord Commissar-only MC Bolt Pistol has Precision Shot to make him better at BLAMming certain enemies from range as well as being as strong as a Heavy Bolter. With BS5 on a Lord-Commissar, the master-crafted rule means it is almost guaranteed to hit something. Also, it's a 5 point upgrade. On an aggressive Lord-Commissar this GLORIOUS HEAVY SNIPER PISTOL OF THE EMPEROR is basically an auto-include, but if the squad he's attached to is gonna be mostly sitting back and shooting the higher range and rapid fire of the (free!) boltgun should probably be considered instead (though one could argue that babysitting the shooty units is a job for a junior commissar and a waste of a Lord).
*'''The Tactical Auto-Reliquary of Tyberius:''' CCS only, 25 points. If the bearer issues an order and rolls doubles for the Ld test, ''and succeeds'', he gains Inspired Tactics for that turn. But if it's a double 1, you lose its benefits for the rest of the game (the order you rolled double 1s on still counts as Inspired Tactics). Seeing how broken orders can be, especially with the new Cadian Battlegroup granting 3D6 discard highest result, this is troll-tastic.
*'''Laurels of Command:''' CCS only. Giving friendly units within 6" the ability to choose whether or not they pass a morale test is good. Having those same units make a pinning test if the bearer dies is not. Hide out of sight like a bitch, and you won't ever worry about getting killed. In summary: costs as much as a Priest, has a 6" range, makes everybody panic if the bearer dies.  Hmmm... no.
*'''The Blade of Conquest:''' [[Lord Solar Macharius]]'s personal sword is AP 3, S+1, and master-crafted. It costs as much as a power fist, while not being that much better than a power axe, since you generally won't be hitting first with your I3. Again, costs as much as a Hatred+Fearless, war hymn giving Priest which will fare you 10x better in close combat. You're investing quite a lot into a Lord Commissar/Company Commander who is doubled out by S6 or higher. Keep scrolling.
*'''The Deathmask of [[Ollanius Pius|Ollanius]]:''' It may look creepy as hell, but you will use it anyway because it gives you a 4+ invulnerable save, Fear, and It Will Not Die.  Also, using it is, in-universe and out, keeping the story of [[Ollanius Pius]] alive. However, given the fact that you already have a 5++, and IWND on a T3 character doesn't make much difference, it's not an auto-take.
*'''Kurov's Aquila:''' CCS only. The user and all friendly units within 6" have Preferred Enemy and the bearer can reroll one failed Leadership test per turn. That means Template and blast template overspill. Whoops.
**Just remember you can't give orders while embarked (unless in a Chimera, but the PE isn't emitted while embarked, period.). Also, it's 60 points, the same price as a bare bones CCS. It is the most expensive of the heirlooms, and you should only take it if you're running a Plasma heavy list (it's not like your list isn't point-sinking anyway).
**To get the most out of this item, consider blobbing your squads and making a line with basic guardsmen from the main blob to the edge of the aquila range and concentrating big guns around the CCS: this way you are pretty much extending your preferred enemy field to almost your whole army. Can get hilarious when, say, you have 8 squads with plasmas and 3 squads of 3 punishers with preferred enemy.

===Special Issue Wargear===
Solid choices overall for the Imperial Guard, this is the list Lord Commissars and Company Commanders may take from in addition to the Heirlooms of Conquest.

*'''Camo Gear''' +1 to Cover Saves, 6+ Cover in the open. Stacks with Stealth, Shrouded, Going to Ground, intervening models, etcetera.  It's not very expensive at 5 points, so is usually an auto take. The Company Command Squad except for the Commander can take this at like 2 points per model.
*'''Carapace Armor''' - While a step up by granting a 4+, being 5 per model makes it a rather pricey method, so ignore the idea unless you absolutely need a team on the field. Of course, Company Command Squads except for the Company Commander get it at a discount price, so there is indeed that to consider.(15pts for 10 vet's carapace isn't that bad- especially for taking objectives)
*'''Krak Grenades''' - Because Guardsmen aren't Space Marines they have to shovel out an extra points to get these things. A squad of Guardsmen with these can glance AV12 (and have a reasonable chance to penetrate AV10) and below to death in a heartbeat though! Lord Commissars start out with these by default, be mindful of that.
*'''Melta bombs''' - 5 points for a S8 AP1 Armorbane attack on a vehicle or Monstrous Creature. Both Company Commanders, Lord Commissars, and Sergeants/Veteran Sergeants get these. If you're taking a Priest with your blobs, it's recommended you take these to deter any Walkers/MCs your opponent will inevitably throw at you to slow them down. Also makes Knights think twice before they come to stomp on you.

===Armor and Invulnerable===
*'''Flak Armor''' - The basic cardboard armor with an excellent and manly 5+ save.
*'''Carapace Armor''' - See Special Issue Wargear above.
*'''Power Armor''' - The standard MEQ 3+ Armor Save. Only Techpriests have it. Straken also has a 3+ Armor save but his wargear say he has Flak armor, when all he has is an Adamantium bionic right arm...and abs of steel. Yes, that's why his Flak Armor is 3+!
*'''Refractor Field''' - 5+ Invulnerable Save. Company Commanders, Lord Commissars, and Primaris Psykers get these. Colonel "Iron Hand" Straken and Creed also have this by default.
*'''Rosarius''' - 4+ Invulnerable Save. Only the Ministorum Priest gets this.

===Ranged Equipment===
This is the gear Commanders, Commissars, and Veteran/normal sergeants can take from.
*'''Bolt Pistol''' - At 1 point, this is almost universally a better choice than the Laspistol your guys come with. It allows your guy to keep his multiple attacks while getting 1 S4 AP5 shot. Compare that to S3 AP- and you're jumping for this. However since Guard tend to abhor Melee, weigh carefully against its big brother below.  Commissars and Lord Commissars get these by default.
*'''Boltgun''' - Yeah, now we're talking! The primary small-arm of Space Marines is also available to Imperial Guard sergeants, Commissars, Lord Commissars and Platoon/Company Commanders. It costs the same as the pistol variant. So 1 measly point for rapid fire S4 AP5 shots. Not much, but far surpasses the crappy pistol-sized Flashlight your Sarge usually comes with. [Lord] Commissars can swap out their Pistols with this for free. If you don't mind losing the extra attack, adding to a unit's ranged Dakka is never a bad idea.
*'''Plasma Pistol''' - Guaranteed to wreck the shit of a TEQ who gets too close. However, unlike Space Marines, Guardsmen lack the good saves unless you get Carapace Armor, so Gets Hot! is more likely to kill Guardsmen. Also costs as much as 3 normal guardsmen, and the exact same cost as its rifle counterpart. How about no. 
*'''Shotguns''' - Not to be confused with the Space Marine Shotgun (which has bolter Strength), the regular old shotgun is available to Imperial Guard veterans and Company Commanders, and has the Range, Strength, and AP of a laspistol with Assault 2. Basically, your Commander is trading an extra attack for an extra shot, your Vets are trading single shot range for the ability to assault after shooting. Probably too situational in use and too marginal in effect to be worth it, especially compared to the other available weapon options, unless you're planning something very specific.

===Special Weapons===
Often taken alongside lasguns for extra firepower, one can be taken per squad. [[Dakka|Command Squads can take up to 4 of these.]] Veterans and Special Weapon squads can take 3 of these. Both Tempestus Scions and Rough Riders can take 2 of these.

====Heavy====
*'''Sniper Rifle:''' Always wounds on 4s and is AP6. It's the cheapest option at 2 points, but with mediocre BS Ratlings can do it much better because they can run after shooting which Guardsmen cannot do. Also, thanks to 7th Edition Sniper Rifles no longer have Rending or pinning. However rolls of 6 to-wound are still AP2, and the weapon is S4 when resolved against vehicles. Not good unfortunately, but with some luck you can find your guardsmen shooting down a terminator and earn 5 times his points back (7-point model kills 35 point model). It's good idea to equip your PCS with these since they are going to sit with their thumbs up their asses behind their platoon anyway, but then again, flamers can at least offer some kind of defense via WoD. Can't be taken by Rough Riders or Tempestus Scions.
====Salvo and Rapid Fire====
*'''Hot-shot Volley Gun:''' Exclusive to Stormtrooper units, the Volley Gun is Salvo 2/4 and AP3 but is S4 so it's good if you're using the Stormtroopers as a defensive fire base or for camping on an objective with them.
*'''Plasma Gun:''' Your primary anti-TEQ gun. However, unlike Space Marines, Guardsmen lack the good saves unless you get Carapace Armor, so Gets Hot! is more likely to kill Guardsmen; on the other hand, you get more guardsmen so the real cost is the loss of the gun. In a vet squad, these are brutal. I've seen a single squad of guardsmen rip apart 2 carnifexes in 2 turns. [[Dakka|THEY have been overrun!]] Just make sure to give your Veterans/Command Squads Carapace Armor.
====Assault====
*'''Flamer:''' Guaranteed to wreck the shit of mass infantry (Orks, I'm looking at you). It doesn't roll to hit so the 1 option a basic infantry squad can use better while veterans usually can take much more effective gear to capitalize on BS4. Also allows for some very painful Overwatch. Minimum of one should be taken in multi-squad blob.
*'''Heavy Flamer:''' Only Platoon/Company Command Squads and Veterans can take them but I'll leave this here. S5 AP4 template weapon which makes Orks and Tyranids cry as their infantry fall like a house of cards in the wind. As with the flamer, superior BS of CCS and Veterans is wasted here unless you have a specific plan for them (like anticipating hordes, and lots of them). The Heavy Flamer takes up one of your 3 special weapons choices nowadays, so it stands as an effective niche choice. However, it is a powerful "surprise barbecue" choice if you kit your PCS with heavy flamer and flamers and drop them from a vendetta among enemy infantry.
*'''Grenade Launcher:''' Basically a smaller, lighter missile launcher, grenade launchers can throw boltgun-ranged pain at both blobs and light armor with either an S3 AP6 blast frag grenade or an S6 AP4 krak grenade. A good all-rounder choice for infantry squads that either need to stay mobile, or if you're just not sure exactly what they're going to be going up against.
*'''Meltagun:''' As with all Imperium Armies, it's your close range anti-tank or anti-TEQ if you don't have plasma. Always remember to check if the vehicle is 6" away so you can use the melta rule (Roll 2D6 for vehicle damage if you're within 1/2 the gun's range, applies to Multi-melta too).
*'''Demolition Charge:''' It's Special Weapons team exclusive or comes with the Demolitions Doctrine. Pricey and powerful; it's an S8 AP2 large blast, and one of the few sources of high-AP blasts that isn't artillery or plasma. Used to soften up tanks with the Demolitions doctrine, since strangely enough it's an Assault weapon, so you can get stuck in with meltabombs afterwards; also, it's not specified as a grenade, even though it does have 'throw' range, meaning if you give a special weapons squad 3 of them they can use them ''all at once''. Hilarious if it scatters back onto the user's squad. Also, it's expensive as shit at 10x the cost of a sniper rifle.

===Heavy Weapons===
Can be taken by Heavy Weapon teams, so 3 in a Heavy Weapon Squad, and 1 per Command/infantry/Veterans squad on the table. You can stick the Heavy Weapons in with normal squads since a HWS is pretty fragile for its points value.

*'''Mortars''' - A S4 AP6 Blast with Barrage so it's good for killing things out of line of sight and it has a solid range. Effective at taking out footslogging infantry like Orks, Tyranids and Daemons. Unfortunately, the Wyvern is literally 5 points more than a full Heavy Weapon Squad of 3 Mortars, and does the same job with Twin-link and Shred. Meaning it is almost three times as effective per point value. At least Mortars don't take up a Heavy Support slot.
*'''Heavy Bolter''' - It's good at anti-infantry in general but against light tanks the Autocannon serves you better (in fact, statistically, the Autocannon is better against everything T5+ (T3 if Instant Death matters) and only 16% less effective against T4. Also it's available on every vehicle you have, and doesn't have particularly good range, which is a problem for fragile HW squads. Decent in infantry blobs, but look elsewhere for Weapons teams.
*'''Autocannon''' - Costs as much as a heavy bolter at the same AP without the extra shot. However, S7 means it's great at wounding infantry and stands a fair chance at penetrating light vehicles. Well rounded and versatile option that often finds a home in Imperial Guard lists; better than a lascannon against AV12 and down, and, as noted above, better than a heavy bolter against T5+ and T3 when Instant Death matters.
*'''Missile Launcher''' - The most versatile of the heavy weapons choices, on the surface at least. Can choose between an S4 AP6 blast or an S8 AP3 single shot. Infantry or vehicles will suffer! A bit 'jack of all trades, master of none' though; S8 will struggle vs heavy vehicles, and S4 AP6 is lousy against anything better than GEQ, meaning you're better off settling for autocannons or lascannons unless you're fighting other guard often.
**'''Flakk Missiles''' - For extra points you can get missiles with the skyfire rule. But don't do it since they're too expensive. Just take more Autocannons or a Hydra. 
*'''Lascannon''' - The Lasgun's big brother. It's your main source of long ranged anti-tank, as it is in the Space Marine Codex. This is probably your go-to heavy weapon, alongside the Autocannon.  48 inches of S9 AP 2.
*'''Multi-Melta:''' Surprisingly can be taken by Forgeworld Drop Sentinels, and by Servitors. It's a 24" melta.
*'''Plasma Cannon:''' Available to Servitors, Sentinels, and as a potentially expensive sponson on the Leman Russ. Costs the same as a Plasma Gun ([[Fail|and Pistol...]]) for an S7 AP2 blast that can get hot. Still useful to take out clumped squads of Space Marines.

===Melee Weapons===
Usually this is not where you want your Guardsmen to be since they're I3, S/T3 and with 1 attack, but being an Imperium army they too get access to Imperium-standard gear. Company/Platoon Commanders, and any types of Sergeants and/or Commissars can take these, except for the hunting lance. They're just here because why not?
*'''Power Weapons''' - Comes in standard Axe, Lance, Sword, and Maul forms.  Honestly, if you're looking here, you should probably grab an Axe. At I3, you're probably striking last already and having S4 and AP2 will probably serve you well. Can be funny taking a bunch in a combined squad.
*'''Power Fists''' - Despite how expensive it is after a price hike, Power Fists are usually the better options since I3 means a majority of armies strike before your guys do. But, weigh carefully against Power Axes. 10 points extra for S6, or slightly cheaper at S4 and have an extra attack? A reasonably important thing to remember is that on guardsmen fists provide much lower utility, as strength 6 has a much harder time punching through vehicles than strength 8 and you don't even get the chance to instant death T4 characters, so think hard about taking them. Be warned, non-Veteran Sergeants can't take these.
*'''Force Weapons''' - Primaris Psyker only. Comes in 3 flavors: Axe, Sword, or Staff. All grant the Psyker the Force power so he can charge it up before hopefully trying to instant-death someone. The Staff is probably the best choice to go with because S+2 makes up for AP4. The Force Axe allows you to strike at S+1 AP2 and you generally won't be hitting first at I3 so unwieldy isn't as much a downside to ignoring all armor. The Force Sword being only S:User in spite of AP3 seems like the worst choice, but if you get Iron Arm or Hammerhand, it becomes oh so much more attractive. At least Primaris Psykers get any one of these for free.
*'''Hunting Lances''' - Rough Riders get these by default, single use EXPLOSION lances which let them strike at S+2, Initiative +2 and AP3 but good luck getting into close combat in the Dakka days of 40k with such a fragile unit. Would be better if you weren't forced to give them to the whole squad, presumably driving up the cost of the bastards in front who are just going to die anyway.

===Standards===
Banners/Flags for your army.  Have a parade before you drown your enemy in fire.  Technically considered Special-Issue Wargear by the codex, but can only be taken by specific squads.  Funnily only available to units that don't need them.

*'''Platoon Standard''' - Platoon Command Squad and Militarum Tempestus Command Squad only.  Counts as causing an additional wound in close combat for the purpose of calculating assault results.  Nigh useless, as either Command Squad cannot be reliably equipped for Assault, (Partially true. Normal PCS can have any member grab a Laspistol+Chainsword for 2 attacks/model base, not any better off in CC to be frank) nor will you be reliably winning close combat with a PCS/MTCS, even with the help of a blob Infantry Squad loaded for bear.  Keep your points, spend on bodies and guns.

*'''Regimental Standard''' - Company Command Squad only.  In addition to the Platoon Standard rules, the Regimental Standard also creates a 12" re-rollable Morale/Pinning/Fear test bubble.  Useful for the Morale test re-roll, and could win you a sweeping advance or two with a Straken CCS.  May give you overlapping results with a Lord Commissar, Kurov's Aquila, or the Draconian Disciplinarian Warlord Trait.

===Other===

*'''Vox-Caster'''
**Failed Leadership tests for orders issued to a unit with a vox-caster can be re-rolled, provided the officer’s unit also has a vox-caster. An officer may not use a vox-caster’s ability on his own unit.
*'''Desert Raiders (Forge World)''' - Not so much of an item as an upgrade for command squads and infantry.  It allows you to emulate the [[Tallarn Desert Raiders]] by getting Move Through Cover and re-roll 1s to-hit on shooting, but may never take Carapace.  This is a cool idea if not expensive at 20 per unit, as it allows you to hop around cover like no tomorrow while pissing off anything without Ignores Cover. Take plasma guns and laugh as you'll die of gets hot less often than a space marine.
**Alternate take: Get a 50 man blob, give them all desert raiders, and laugh as your soldiers are almost as good as veterans in shooting and moves through cover, allowing even more FRFSRF!

===Vehicle Equipment===
On top of the standard dozer blade, smoke launchers, extra armour and pintle mounted weapons, the guard also got some neat new wargear for vehicles.
*'''Smoke Launchers:''' A one use, instant 5+ cover save vehicles can use instead of shooting. Good for Rhinos, but in a Guard army, unless you’re using the Strike and Shroud! order or being targeted by something you can’t shoot back at, you probably won’t use it much. Smoke Launchers are available from the vehicle wargear list, but most Guard vehicles already have them, so unless you want to use them twice, this is only really relevant to the Taurox, Sentinel, and Hellhound.
*'''Augur Array:''' Basically prevents deep striking units from scattering around the vehicle. Considered how little the guard has in the way of deep striking units and the cost of the equipment, this can be a pass. If you do take it, put it on a vehicle that has [[Leman Russ (tank)|good armor]] or [[Hellhound Tank|can move fast]]. Useful if you have a [[Dark Angels|deep strike heavy]] [[Blood Angels|ally detachment]] or you play LOTS of Scions in your list. 
*'''Camo netting:''' Gives the vehicle a +1 to cover saves. Useful on just about everything. Put on a Leman Russ to maximize the survivability of tank. Also note that cover save is no longer restricted to just staying still. Note that it stacks both with Stealth and Shrouded, meaning that Psychic mindfuckery can lead you to 3+ cover on open ground. It also stacks with the 5+ cover save from the smoke launchers, giving you a 50% chance of the shots missing. Must have for all your vehicles, no excuses.
*'''Enclosed Crew Compartment:''' A must for your arty. Makes open-topped vehicles no longer open-topped. Your Basilisk is no longer one hit by a missile launcher! ...Wait why did you have your Basilisk out in the open? Stuff it behind rocks ASAP! 
*'''Fire Barrels:''' This is a neat piece of wargear. Basically gives the vehicle a one time use flamer against charging units. At the low cost of 10 points, the barrels will generally not disappoint, although the lack of Soul Blaze is interesting. Sentinels can't take them. Meh on the longer ranged Leman Russes. Autoinclude on Hellhounds (specifically if you opt for Heavy Flamer) and other Hellhound variants. 
*'''Hunter-Killer Missile:''' This is basically a one shot krak missile with unlimited range at ten points. This is useful since its an alpha-strike option for mech/tank guard that needs some additional long range firepower to take out enemies vehicles. In fifth edition it helped established Imperial guard as king of mechanized armies since it could potentially destroy enemy [[Metal_Boxes|MEHTAL BAWKS]] at turn one. Now it's often overlooked option since it shoots only ONCE at guards mediocre ballistic skill, and the [[Wave_Serpent|thing you would like to target the most]], has a cover save (damn those jink saves) with  AV12, meaning to reliably destroy it you would need around 20 missiles. That said it is still viable option for flanking Sentinels or Chimeras to take out other key transport or MC, and can give short range Russes something to do for turn one. Pask gets better mileage out of it than anyone else, with his BS4, preferred enemy and reroll to pen.
*'''Recovery Gear:''' For 5 points, you get a 1 in 6 chance to make a vehicle no longer immobilized. Take it, do not even argue. Watch your opponent's face when your Demolisher tank he just immobilized comes back into action. Use with tech priest to get a second (if not worse) chance to get the vehicle moving again. With how many vehicles the guard has, a 1 in 6 chance is better then no chance. Be warned that it does not restore a Hull Point. Still useful if you have some points to spare and can't plug in a Techpriest with a couple of Servitors.
*'''Relic Plating:''' 3 points for Adamantium Will, protecting your tanks from annoying Technomancy psychic powers like Subvert Machine, Machine Curse, Fury of Mars, or Machine Flense. Except that only one vehicle DOES receive the rule - but RAW, other vehicles get to benefit from it as well. Still a auto-include on any mechanized unit that you're sinking points into, particularly LR squadrons with Pask or a generic tank commander. If vehicles are used in squadrons, best to give all tanks the upgrade. Having the squadron rely on one vehicle to have Adamantium Will is risky, as that tank will be automatically singled out for attacks.
*'''Pintle Weapons:''' Though not an auto-include, the pintle weapons do need to be noted. For 5 points, most vehicles (meaning everything but sentinels) can take either a storm bolter or a heavy stubber. Avoid getting the storm bolter. Heavy stubbers have an extra attack, longer range, and cost just the same as a storm bolter. Yes, storm bolters have better AP, but is AP5 really worth more over range and number of attack? Also, pintles are only really worth having on Chimeras and Leman Russes. Putting a pintle weapon on a Basilisk or Emperor forbid, a Deathstrike missile launcher is a waste of points. The only reason you would put a pintle on those vehicles is to avoid losing the main weapon to weapon destroyed rolls. If that is the case, just take camo netting instead.
*'''Mine Plough:''' - Dozer Blade on steroids. Not only does it help passing dangerous terrain on any speed, it also allow you to smash a few unlucky soldiers with tank shock. Though, its nowhere near destroyer blades or the (formerly, Defrollas got nerfed in 7th) almighty defrolla, with S2 and only D3+1 hits. Costs different points for different vehicles: 10 points for Chimera; 15 points for Hellhound, Devil Dog, and Bane Wolf; 10 for Leman Russ and variants; 5 for the Hydra, Atlas, and Trojan.