=][= Unit(s) of the week: Platoon Commanders =][=

[duz_]

It has come to the Commissariat's attention that some of you have not being keeping up with your regular training requirements. As such we intend to rectify this immediately by commencing an intensive re-education of the command corps. Failure will not be tolerated!

 

This will be a weekly series of threads aimed at discussing the units available to the Astra Miliatrum in 8th edition. This can become a resource for those finding their feet in 8th and our brothers in arms who have joined the fight in the glorious Imperial Guard.

 

This lesson we focus on our brave and daring front line officers Platoon Commanders.

 

A new addition to our formerly light and unusable elite choices. I have to admit when I first heard about these guys going here I was some what skeptical and could not see their purpose.

However having run them several times now they are a great versatile and cheap support unit! Even better they rock a 5++ and are WS/BS 3+ and somewhat durable at 3W! Any Guardsmen that has WS3+ or better in my book is always a winner :)

I like to run these guys as front line officers, usually accompanying a mobile / forward infantry squad, usually accompanied by a Commissar, in case anyone gets any bright ideas that being at the front of the fight is not where a guardsmen belongs. 

I usually kit mine with a power sword (mainly because I that's how my favourite Mordian model is kitted, see avatar ;) ) and a laspistol. Yes an axe or maul is better bang for your buck, but I'm not going to be chopping my metal models for that. 

These guys are good for moving your troops up the field with "move move move" or if they get tangled in a brawl either let them retreat and fire, or stab your opponent an extra time out of sequence. 

 

These guys also allow you to take an extra unit of everyone new favourite hot sauce, Command Squads. 

 

Have you been running these guys? I ran them for mobile disposable orders to begin with, then was more impressed when I realised they had the invul save! So I need to get my second one painted up stat!

[Altasmurf]

I've been using these guys for the past few games. I give them a power fist and hang them around my front line. There they stand ready to heroically intevervene, leaping into combat causing a casualty or 2 and the fall back usually ordering the squad that falls back with him to fire. I found that between the cost of voxes and the fact I often don't need a tonne of orders being fired at the front lines these guys are worth the few points they cost. 

[Halfpint100]

I have one running around with my conscript blob with a plasma pistol (love plasma!) Cheap and still issues those important orders.

Oh and a commissar is there with them

[Withershadow]

I would say the extra wound and second order of a Company Commander is worth the extra 10 points 99.99% of the time.  I would think even if his only job is to follow around a unit of conscripts, with no other eligible units nearby, he can still order himself or the commissar.  You tend to have more free HQ slots than elite slots, especially in situations where number of detachments is limited (like 40k Grand Tournament which limits you to 3).

[Halfpint100]

True, I always forgot the officer can order himself. I prefer having a plasma pistol on the commy and PC over bolt pistol, laspistol and the extra order/wound

[duz_]

Some times I find a useful order for my Commanders is "move move move" !

[NatBrannigan]

I would take the full Commander over the Platoon Commander if I had a choice, but unfortunately just can't bring myself to take more than one Company Commander for my Company!

 

I've been running my Company Commander behind the front lines and a Platoon Commander in amongst my HWT's. The orders are fantastic obviously and I think I'm going to make a couple more Platoon Commanders ready for my next game.

 

The Company Commander has been chopping Traitors up with his power sword nicely so I'll model at least one with a Powerfist and the other with a power sword. If they kill even one Terminator or Marine, it's been well worth it.

[Altasmurf]

10 points is 10 points. The guard has a lot of areas to scrounge a few points up and all of a sudden you have an additional mortar squad. Myself the only elites I really use is commissars, astropath, and platoon commanders. So it's not crowded for me. Personally i often find myself with more orders then eligible squads as well. The PCs give me the ability to distribute orders to more place where I need them as well as place some melee capabilities throughout my front line. The Company commander is obviously a better option but you pay for It and sometimes he's overkill. But everyone has their own style

[Withershadow]

For whatever it's worth, part of me hopes the Guard codex rolls the command squads into their respective commander, rather than having them as separate units.  It will keep them safer, and will allow other uses than just suicide special weapon teams. The banners and medics are quite good this edition, but command squads are too vulnerable to live any length of time.  Having de facto character status due to the commanders would be a great boon.

[HenricusTyranicus]

For whatever it's worth, part of me hopes the Guard codex rolls the command squads into their respective commander, rather than having them as separate units.  It will keep them safer, and will allow other uses than just suicide special weapon teams. The banners and medics are quite good this edition, but command squads are too vulnerable to live any length of time.  Having de facto character status due to the commanders would be a great boon.

 Nearly untargetable lascannons, sniper rifles, plasma, etc, sounds way too powerful.

[Withershadow]

Maybe. It's only one lascannon and 2 plasma guns at most per squad. Is that more powerful than an untargetable Guilliman?

[Altasmurf]

It could be because guard could spam them easy and spam units to protect them easily. Also even 4 plasma guns at bs 3+ that can re roll 1s that can't be targets could be considered quite powerful. The cost would habe to go up to be at a point that it woild not seem very guardish. Also trying to match power with Robute would just lead to codex creep. I think the idea has merit just remove the option to upgrade weapons. Only allow medic, vox, and banner upgrade and then you have an excellent support unit that is untargetable. Essentially creating the idea that a commander and his squad are equal to a space marine character.

[NatBrannigan]

I don't get the reason for Command Squads to be able to take 4 special weapons really. Thematically it makes no sense and gameplay wise it makes several Guard units comparatively useless. I'm not actually sure they'll make the codex in their current form. either being rolled back into a character unit with their commander or being restricted in what equipment they can take.

 

I use my Command Squads "properly" by which I mean they're no where near as strong as a 4 weapon command squad! I guess I don't use them properly then... This means I only ever want, at most, two command squads which is why I currently only have my Company Commander and single Platoon Commander. The orders / redundancy are useful enough that I'm going to make a couple more Platoon Commanders though.

[CoffeeGrunt]

Yeah I think that the Squads becoming Characters would be a terrible idea, because it would have a knock-on effect on every other comparable squad. Imagine Crisis Bodyguards or Seer Council being able to hide behind units, for example.

[jaxom]

I love the Platoon Commander. I've yet to use the Command Squad and just keep him near my front line of infantry. Oddly enough, I think being this tiny, normal looking, single dude with a cap, power axe, and plasma pistol, keeps him safer than anything else. He just blends into the rest of the infantry. As Guard, I have enough characters that he's pretty low priority when the opponent actually has snipers.

[Otto von Bludd]

I use Company Commanders as my Platoon Commanders and just pretend my Platoon Commanders can issue two orders. 

[CoffeeGrunt]

Is there a difference in the normal models? I just mash my Commanders together from bitz. The ones in traditional Guard garb are Platoon, the ones with Scion/Pathfinder hybrid armour are Company.

[NatBrannigan]

There's not really an "official" model for either really I don't think? You just put one together from the Command Squad set. My Company Commander has the coat from the Scion Command set on his back to pimp him out a bit. It actually looks fantastic. I just cut away the little knife on the arm that's attached to the coat and replaced it with a Rapier.

 

My Platoon Commanders are really basic looking at the moment but I think I'm going to replace their arms with Scion arms, just to make them look slightly different to say, a Sargent, and more important looking. It's another good thing about movement trays. if you're not on a tray, you're probably a character!

[HenricusTyranicus]

I would say the extra wound and second order of a Company Commander is worth the extra 10 points 99.99% of the time.  I would think even if his only job is to follow around a unit of conscripts, with no other eligible units nearby, he can still order himself or the commissar.  You tend to have more free HQ slots than elite slots, especially in situations where number of detachments is limited (like 40k Grand Tournament which limits you to 3).

Can't order the Commissar, tragically. Doesn't have the right regiment. 

[Withershadow]

Ah I was thinking Krieg who has their own Commissars.

[duz_]

Scion berets are always great to use for conversions!

[jaxom]

I give HQ commanding characters the long coat legs from the Command sprue while elite commanding characters get normal legs. I use the torsos with the gorget necklace, when possible, if the character has a refractor field.

[Stylian_StHugh]

I don't like them overall. Take up a valuable Elite slot and the CC just does their job better. Only use I can see for them is going with an over extended unit (Conscripts on a flank or Vets in a Valkyries)

[duz_]

I don't like them overall. Take up a valuable Elite slot and the CC just does their job better. Only use I can see for them is going with an over extended unit (Conscripts on a flank or Vets in a Valkyries)

What other Elite options do you find more critical?

[TheShredder]

I'd be fine with Platoon Commanders if they were 15pts. At 20pts though, they just seem terrible value compared to Company Commanders.

 

 

I don't get the reason for Command Squads to be able to take 4 special weapons really. Thematically it makes no sense and gameplay wise it makes several Guard units comparatively useless. 

 

Yeah, the single Heavy Weapon makes sense but the ability for every person to take a special weapon . . . not so much.

Then again, it's also not helpful that all the 'adviser' type models (like the MoO and Admiral of the Fleet) have been removed and made into separate characters. 

It's also nonsensical that the Command Squad doesn't have its own sergeant.