276 Why I Absolutely Love the Penal Legion

I don't know if any of you lovely readers ever glance at the section of the left sidebar titled 'Cool things my Penal Legionnaires have done...', but this post is about the our felonious little friends and why I love them so very much.
I've fielded them in at least ten games of note, and of those games, the Legion have been absolutely brilliant in all but one of them. Seriosly, check out their record on the left.

All this for 80pts. That for a stubborn objective-claiming troops unit which can scout and has a fun set of randomised special rules!

One of the things I love most about being a Guard player is when things go wrong. I love it when my mortars drop short, and it was fun last week to watch as an over-keen Guardsman lobbed his demo charge in a beautiful arc which propelled it straight over the targeted landraider to obliterate three of his mates from the other platoon. Fielding the Legionnaires is simply an extension of the same thing: will the come on the right table edge? Will they roll the ability that'll really help me against my foe? That (and BS3) is what being a Guard player is all about.

Of course, like all the infantry units in my army, they are utterly expendable: like Marbo, once they've done their thing I expect them to die; it's a pleasant surprise if they don't! Worth it though: compare the bare points values of some of what they've destroyed to their paltry 80pts, and then think about the tactical edge this will so often have afforded me... I'd say they've been game-winners or game-changers about 90% of the time. Most importantly though, they're fun*.

Any thoughts on the little chappies?

- Drax.

* And they're the only unti in my entire sodding army not painted green!

PS: Astute, long-time readers of this blog may have noticed that the pic I've included is in fact their work-in-progress pic (follow the label, below, to see the finished squad) - this is beacuse the composition in this image is far better than the other one, but what;s missing is the barcodes on their left shoulder pads. As it happens, quite a few of these have come off in transit, so I may be painting up some alternatives, to commemorate some of the squad's 'battle honours'. I think I may just have persuaded myself to paint up another squad of them, too! Hmmm...

PPS: If you're bored, sad, or musically-inclined, check out this link for fun with an 80s US interpretation of G&S's classic comedy British Bobby. Crimefighting at its best form 3'00". If you're really bored, I'd like to think this next scene is essentially a theatrical manifestation of my Legionnaires sneaking up on the foe. Look out for a young Kevin Kline as the athletic, comic and verbally dextrous Pirate King. Even better here and especially here.