The Astra Militarum or Imperial Guard to you and me, is my main force for 40k and while it has undergone some changes in recent years, I think that there are still some changes that need doing.
While I still wish they had kept the platoon structure that made the guard so unique amongst 40k armies, I do understand why they got rid of it. One thing I didn't like however was moving the veterans to the elite slot. This is something I wish they would undo and place veterans back in to the troops options. While this just a minor issue, it would change the guard and give a lot more options for armies.
One other unit I have issue with and have for a while are ogryns and Bullgryns. While I admit that they are nowhere near as bad as they once we're, I still think that they are over costed. If the changes to storm shields apply to terminator storm shields, which I guess they will, then they will effectively have a 1+ save and 4++, when the most that a Bullgryn will get is 4+ and 4++ or just a 2+. Yes they get more attacks and are tougher but against any weapon that you want to be using to take out terminators, that extra toughness makes no difference. Ogryns, while cheaper are in a worse position with only a 5+ save. What I would like to see is a points drop, even just 5 or 10 points a model would do it I think and I would like to see some additional weapon options. I think something like a flamer, heavy of course, or a grenade launcher on the ogryns and a flamer option for the Bullgryns. I just think that their role is far to narrow for them at the moment.
Talking of options, I would love to see some new models for Guardsmen. The ones we have at the moment are pretty old, I mean the Catachan box doesn't even have a grenade launcher in it! Do have some hope for new sculpts with the two recent special characters that came out. Maybe we'll even get some female guards!
The last models that I would like to see updated in 9th are Rough Riders. Now with the recent release of the GSC Atalan Jackels and the AdMech horse things, I still don't understand why the guard still don't have rough riders, when they were such an iconic unit. I really hope that they come back with horses but I will be just as happy with bikes. I don't even mind the current rules, they are a counter punch and mobile unit and the hunting Lance is such a well known weapon, getting rid of them would be rubbish.
In terms of actual rules rather than models and the like, there are really only a couple that I would like to see changed and unfortunately we know that a couple of them aren't getting changed. Some of the units that I wanted to see rules changes for are conscripts and commissars, along side the Wyvern.
Conscripts got seriously nerfed at the beginning of 8th, when they were run in pretty much every tournament list. I understand that they needed a need but I think they went a little to far and now they need to undo so of that. Dropping the points by 1 again would be my fix, putting them down to less that an guardsman but still restricting the orders. This would mean that they have there role, which is still needed but would not make them a direct replacement for guard squads. Linked to this is the commissars. These were nerfed at the same time and also need to be fixed. We have seen the Summary Execution rule and it hasn't changed, a missed opportunity I think. I have always though that the rule should be that if you fail the morale test, a man is executed and you then pass. The whole point of the commissar executing someone is to steel the nerves of the rest. I could easily deal with this be a once per turn thing to counter the effect of almost auto-passing morale bit as it stands, there is still little use in having a commissar on the board, possibly with the new rules, even less need.
The last change I would have liked to have seen is the Wyverns mortar going to ap-1, something I've thought it should have from the beginning. It's supposed to be a heavy vehicle mounted mortar but it's just the same as mortar squads. For the same price you can get 7 and a bit mortar teams, giving 7d6 shots and 14 wounds, yes it T3 with a 5+ save compared to 4d6, 11 wounds t6 and a 3+ save but they are also easier to hide and can be split up to cover a greater area of the board, given the mortars short 48 inch range. The other advantage of the mortar teams is that the new blast rules means that each mortar will get a minimum of 3 shots for a unit of 6-10 models, which is the standard squad size, giving a minimum of 9 shots for each 3 team heavy weapons squads and a minimum for 7 squads of 21 shots, compared to the minimum of 4 for the Wyvern. The maximum is just as bad, being 42 to 24 shots. Even with the rerolls to wound for the Wyvern, it really doesn't make much sense to take the wyvern over the heavy weapons squads. The AP change or even an extra wouldpoint of strength, would give the wyvern a reason to exist over the mortar teams and give both of them a place in an army. With the new points values and smaller games, I suspect that I will be taking mortar teams rather than my Wyverns going forward.
While I realise most of these things will not happen, they won't stop me playing guard at all. I'm happy with where things are and enjoy playing with them. Next up will be the Militarum Tempestus and a whole lot of wish listing!
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