Tactics: Company Command Squads (Part 1)

Hey everyone,

So I’ve really enjoyed doing these tactics posts, not only can I state my opinions on the units I run in my guard, but I can also throw a picture of my squad done up as well! This time, I feel that its time to give one of the most common and best units in the Guard the look they deserve: the humble Company Command Squad. Numbering anywhere between 5 and 10 models, this squad can potentially drive your entire army to victory, or send the cause to hell when they take an Earthshaker to the face. For part One, I’m going to focus mainly on the standard Company Command. The next section will be on the Regimental Advisors, and the final on the Special characters. Let us begin:

Company Commander

PROS

• A stellar statline for an Imperial Guardsman, especially at Ld 9 and 3 wounds!
• A Refractor Field provides one of the few Invulnerable saves in the Guard army.
• The ability to take Power Fists and Power Weapons on a WS4 model with 3 attacks doesn’t hurt!
• The ability to perform two Orders in one turn, especially Get Back in the Fight! and Fire on my Target!.

CONS

• You’re still T3, and if you take an assault cannon to the face, he’ll drop in a heartbeat.
• I3 means he’ll be taking a beating by most armies before he gets a chance to hit, and with a Power Fist, its even worse.

Company Command Squad

PROS

• The squad is composed of veterans, and hitting on 3’s is always a good thing in the Guard.
• The ability to take a Medic, Regimental Standard, and a Vox means that you can build a Squad to cater to any style army.
•  The ability to run up to 4 special weapons means the squad can become a mobile armor killer with 4 Plasma Guns or 3 Meltaguns; also, the squad is one of two infantry style squads that can take Heavy Flamers.
• Like most units, sticking them in a Chimera ensures they’ll survive to use orders and shoot for several turns, and the Mobile Command Vehicle rule means they get an extra 3” on their orders range!

CONS

• Unfortunately, the entire squad can’t take Power Weapons, preventing the Close-Combat beast squad from being created.
• Krak Grenades are an upgrade, not a base piece of wargear.
• Veterans are still Ld7, and if the Company Commander is killed, don’t expect the squad to do a lot past that point.

When I run my Company Command Squad, I stick with a tried and tested squad that’s pretty balanced and effective. My Company Commander is armed with a Plasma Pistol. Two guardsmen are armed with a Plasma and a Melta, respectively. A Vox ensures the squad gets its orders out, and a Medic ensures the Commander and the Plasma Gunner don’t cook themselves off. My key trick, which is true for all of my Command Squads, is to stick them inside a Chimera. The 12-10-10 provides a nice little bunker, they can still shoot, as well as issue orders about the board, and the Chimera provides a little more firepower. With the squad in the back to be protected, the Chimera gets off transport-popping shots, while the Command issues orders and the squad shoots at anything unfortunate enough to get too close.

There are two common builds for Company Command Squads these days:

• Company Commander with 4 Plasma Gunners.
• “Colonel Straken” with 3 Meltaguns and a medic.

The Plasma Gunner squad provides up to 8 s7 ap2 shots a turn, which is mean. However, I’m against that build because of the almost guaranteed fact you’re going to cook off a 15+ point Plasma Gunner. Even running 3 Plasma and a Medic would be more effective, and save you points in the long run.

As for the Straken squad, I haven’t covered the Special Characters yet, but the ability to shoot powerful assault weapons on the move and get your bonuses for Furious Charge means the squad will definitely mess something up when coupled with additional units.

Next tactics section will be on the Regimental Advisors, possibly the best 30 points you can spend in the book, and how I use them to their highest potential! I’m also finishing up a Chaos Celestine (I know, weird right?) for a commission, and I’m still waiting on 100 skaven to show up, so as always, expect pictures!

Granesh