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Author Topic: Conscripts, 20, 30, or all 50?  (Read 815 times)

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Offline *Nosferatu*

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Conscripts, 20, 30, or all 50?
« on: November 25, 2007, 11:33:32 PM »
I've been retooling my army list constantly lately, and it would seem that if I'm not stopped, I may end up with this list. Anyways, I've bought 2 good packs of Imperial Guardsmen, totaling 40 men.

Now, I only have room for 40 conscripts in the list at this moment, but I'm wondering, what would be more effective, 2 slightly more mobile 20 man platoons, or 1 large 40 man one?

I believe it would make more tactically sense to split them up, and when a tar pit comes around, I can simply chuck both squads in. Well, what are your opinions on this?

Offline Heretek

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Re: Conscripts, 20, 30, or all 50?
« Reply #1 on: November 25, 2007, 11:37:40 PM »
I find twenty tends to be too few to be effective, and fifty to be unwieldy, so I'd go for a unit of thirty, myself. The problem being that their ballistic skill is so shoddy, there needs to be a large amount of them to lay down a good amount of fire. Same goes for weapon skill, they're terrible in combat, so large groups are preferable to last longer.

Offline Catachan Devil Sniper

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Re: Conscripts, 20, 30, or all 50?
« Reply #2 on: November 25, 2007, 11:56:41 PM »
i say 50. you would have to take at least 20 to take any type of LD check. plus 50 is a good number to keep a high points cost enemy unit tied in combat.
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Offline Dr_Ruminahui

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Re: Conscripts, 20, 30, or all 50?
« Reply #3 on: November 26, 2007, 02:05:17 AM »
It depends on how they are led, and their intended purpose.

If they are intended to range about, and they have an independent commissar, make them as large as possible - they will draw fire.  As well, give them as many flamers as you can so that they pose a threat greater than them being the tarpit from hell.

If you want to keep them back and use them as a counter charge unit, keep them small and you probably don't need flamers.

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Offline Andro Ist Keine Schwedischen

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Re: Conscripts, 20, 30, or all 50?
« Reply #4 on: November 26, 2007, 03:34:11 AM »
I've found even 30 man squads to be difficult to manoever with, and much prefer just 20 men to use as a distraction or a speed bump.

It is all about personal preference, though.  Some prefer bigger squads, some prefer smaller.  Go with your gut instinct in this case, I'd say.

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Offline Krass

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Re: Conscripts, 20, 30, or all 50?
« Reply #5 on: November 26, 2007, 04:35:23 AM »
50+flamers+commissar.
 It's good mass, that can good charge, and stop big models of opponent (like demon prince) for all the game.
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Offline The Hobo Hunter

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Re: Conscripts, 20, 30, or all 50?
« Reply #6 on: November 26, 2007, 05:39:08 AM »
In my 1500 point list, I field 2 units of 20. That way I still have a fair few to tarpit/contest objectives, but they're easier to move about. I can tell you from experience, moving 20 models about is bad enough, I don't want to try and work out CC attack range etc with 50 models.

That being said, I use mine as counter-assault, led by Jarran Kell. Kell charges in against a standard enemy trooper, and the conscripts swamp all the other enemies so they can't target Kell.

This way, Kell avoids being powerfisted, and usually only gets attacked by 1 guy a round, and he gets to kill a few baddies each turn with his PF. If the conscripts actually do anything, that's just bonus. 20 conscripts is good enough to swamp the enemy for the whole game, while still being able to maneouvre around the battlefield between units.

Same goes for any IC. And you all thought equipping an independant commissar with anything was a bad idea...
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Offline Andro Ist Keine Schwedischen

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Re: Conscripts, 20, 30, or all 50?
« Reply #7 on: November 26, 2007, 05:59:01 AM »
50+flamers+commissar.
 It's good mass, that can good charge, and stop big models of opponent (like demon prince) for all the game.

And happens to cost twice their points...

I find that 20 men is more then enough to tie up Monsterous Creatures, especially if you have a Commissar hiding at the back, or an Officer with Iron Discipline nearly.

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Offline *Nosferatu*

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Re: Conscripts, 20, 30, or all 50?
« Reply #8 on: November 26, 2007, 10:46:30 PM »
Well, thanks for all the replies, I'm going to stick with 2 slightly more mobile conscript platoons as a bit of counter charge and speed bump unit. If I'm not too satisfied I'll just buy more, it's all about trial and error I guess.

 


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