427 - 'After the Storm' - One Last Outing for Codex: Imperial Guard

Situation:

Opposing forces have been widely scattered after violent atmospheric disturbances in the last twelve hours, with infantry digging-in deep, naval forces grounded and armoured units being secured within impromptu laagers. Now though, as the rad-storms and electron blizzards begin to subside, the ground elements have started to reorganise and get back to the job at hand.

Drax's force before the mission...

In this sector, both sides are keen to locate an unidentified object which disappeared suddenly from scanners after plummeting from high orbit towards a post-industrial wasteland deep in no-man’s-land.

I've taken my cue here from the parallel post from Col. Gravis [link], who has been kind enough to agree to play me in one final 'hurrah' for the Imperial Guard in its current incarnation.
 
As I'm so out of practice, and as - quite frankly - I feel massively intimidated by the huge amount of rules and units I just don't understand in 6th Edition, I penned a wee scenario specifically for a roughly equal clash of two similar but individual forces. More particularly, I wanted something which would work visually too, and that required a good 'ol clash of Guard no-frills infantry.
 
The scenario calls for flyers and artillery to be left at home, and for the army to be broken into two core elements: the main infantry force of 1500pts, and a more rapidly moving cavalry group of 1000pts, which will arrive from scattered reserve as the game goes on.
 
You can see in the good Colonel's parallel post [link] his force's composition, so here is mine (with some explanatroy notes afterwards for newer readers):

Main Force - comprising core elements of B Coy, 2/24th Cadian Light Infantry:

HQ:
(70pts) Coy Commander (basic) with 4 veteran snipers

TP:
(440pts) 1 Platoon
- HQ w. 3 gren, 1 flamer
- 1 Sect w. plasma
- 2 Sect w. melta
- 3 Sect w. gren
- SWS w. 2 melta, 1 demo charge
- HWS w. 3 autocannon
- Mortar Squad w. 3 mortars

(430pts) 2 Platoon
- HQ w. 3 gren, 1 flamer
- 1 Sect w. plasma
- 2 Sect w. melta
- 3 Sect w. gren
- SWS w. 2 gren, 1 flamer
- HWS w. 3 missile launchers
- Mortar Squad w. 3 mortars

(415pts) 3 Platoon
- HQ w. 3 gren, 1 flamer
- 1 Sect w. plasma
- 2 Sect w. melta
- 3 Sect w. gren
- SWS w. 2 gren, 1 flamer
- HWS w. 3 autocannon
- Mortar Squad w. 3 mortars

(150pts) Hardened Veterans w. G/Sgt Harker, gren, flamer, sniper, h/bolter team

= 1505pts.

Cavalry Force - Comprising Atts & Dets from 1/24th and IVth Cadian Armoured Regt:

(No FOC Requirement)

(35pts) "Stephenson's Horse" - Scout Sentinel w. multilaser 

(145pts) Hellhound, "Cerberus" w. inferno cannon, h/bolter, h/stubber and smoke

(145pts) Hellhound, "Helios" w. inferno cannon, h/bolter, h/stubber and smoke

(140pts) Devil Dog, "Gelert" w. melta cannon, m/melta and smoke

(185pts) Leman Russ MBT w. battle cannon, hull lascannon and h/bolter sponsons

(165pts) Leman Russ Annihilator w. T-L lascannon and hull lascannon

(180pts) Leman Russ Exterminator w. exterminator cannon, 3 h/bolters and h/stubber.

= 995pts.

(sorry about the garish light blue, but there's a thematic reason!)

The three platoons recive their briefings and blessings before kick-off...

A brief explanation:
(NB: Should anyone want links to older posts detailing these points, just ask. I don't anticipate a rush!)

Inf Company: this is my core army, and I've gone for it in its absolute standard configuration - I've not changed a thing.

HQ - in his 'marching order' - not how he poses for pics. For the last two years I've run my CO with four snipers...almost always disastrously. His team is comically ineffectual, but I've grown rather fond of them.

The three platoons: I know some of the weapons load-outs seem weird, but they're designed with an element of low-level tactical self-sufficiency, and this is how they've played for years. It's not usual for me to take the demo charge SWS (1 pl) but this game isn't about sound, fighty list choices, is it?!

Veterans: I've taken Harker, because I love the slight awkwardness of his rules and I haven't fielded his model in an age, and eveything else from that squad is there simply because I like the figures!

NO MARBO. Nope. I LOVE Marbo and his cheeky wee antics, but I decided that this scenario doesn't really suit my Marbo figure, and as I made this list before rumours of his imminent departure spread, I've left him at home. I'll miss him though...

Stephenson's Horse: Only my most dedicated readers will know about this fella (presented herein his vanilla guise) --> [link]

The Hellhounds: I love my hellhounds. Love 'em. And there'll be a few targets for them to toast too, methinks.

The Devil Dog: Yes, I do KNOW that it's the worst anti-tank unit in the Imperium, but I just love the way it haplessly bimbles around the tabletop missing everything with high-powered weapon!

The Leman Russes: I thought I'd pick the three models (as in, types) of Russ that I like best. So there.

Overall, it's more of a whimsical list than a fight-y one, and - as usual - I haven't nearly enough serious anti-tank...but then, this is a game about wholesale slaughter really, not of anything too sensible!

Right then.
Until tomorrow night...

- Drax.