Yes, I'm aware that there's been approximately 40,000 "add Imperial Guard" threads to date, but I had an idea and I tend to have to write them down. So as we all know, IG can't be added to normal gameplay because they can't compare to the other factions ingame currently. I wouldn't expect them to either, but I believe during one of the recent streams (the exact one escapes me) the devs mentioned vehicle maps, which got me thinking. What if IG were a vehicle-only faction? They certainly have a wealth of armour to choose from and it would be far easier to balance than it would be trying balance infantry. Bear in mind here that I'm not saying "add IG as a vehicle faction", more just looking to see if people think it's a valid idea.
As it has been argued many times, the IG aren't on the ticket for inclusion any time soon, but... Imperial Guard Storm troopers have armor and weapons comparable to Eldar Dire Avengers, and Las weaponry capable of punching into Space marine armor. Not to mention units like Catachan jungle fighters and Ogyrns for close range muscle. It's time to put the Imperial guard couldnt compete physically thing to rest.
Not sure what relevance that has. I KNOW IG aren't slated for inclusion any time soon, I just had a thought that I believed sounded interesting. If you're just going to nitpick, why bother commenting?
Haha sorry, that tid bit was to cover for the inevitable black lash this thread will get from the negative Nancy's that live on these forums I didn't intend to dismiss your idea, but you can't really have a faction that cant cap points, maybe it could be a thing if we had a map designed for armored warfare where your presence in a zone counts as capping said zone.
There's too much which would make them useless as a vehicle-only faction. All of the objectives are indoors and all of the maps are riddled with corridors and choke points which strictly limit where vehicles can go.
I think if the armoured vehicle maps had area cap points then it'd work. Vehicle-only faction would of course not work on the current maps, but it's an idea for the future at least.
The Guard simply would not fit into the game EC has become. They would either end up ridiculously more powerful than they are portrayed to be(killing space marines 1v1, winning sword fights with eldar warlocks,etc.) or they would be underpowered because they can't have their numerical advantage or wide array of heavy support smashing the enemy while the troops advance. The Imperial Guard are my favorite faction in 40k, but there is no place for them here. Also, there isn't really any reason to add any more Imperial factions unless the game sees some major overhauling in its size and scope. That is unlikely to happen, to say the least. As for them being an only vehicle faction, as its been said previously that wouldn't really work considering vehicles already barely function as is. Maps are too small and they have very restricted corridors of movement.
As a normal faction, they'd be underpowered (flashlight junkies go!). As a vehicle-only faction, they'd be overpowered (Banehammer go!). But if I got to drive a Sentinel, I wouldn't care.
@MacBeth I'm not trying to be a downer here, but alas none of those arguments are new. Their equipment is comparable to Eldar Dire Avengers, but their skills aren't. A Stormtrooper is not as fast as an Eldar, squishy (compared to everyone else) like an Eldar, and definitely not as experienced as an Eldar. And no member of the Astra Militarum can get a 3+ save, which Eldar can. People seem to forget that Catachans, while being badass rambos from a death world, are not significantly more badass than the other famous Imperial Guard regiments. Let's compare them to Cadians, for example. The average Catachan jungle fighter is raised on a planet with some of the deadliest fauna and flora in the Imperium. It's so dangerous on these planets that one must wonder why the hell the planet was ever settled in the first place. Catachans consider it an achievement to reach the age of 12, and every day they have to contest with the extremely hostile conditions of their world because literally everything is trying to kill them, which includes things like feral Orks and giant tyranid monsters. In comparison, a Cadian shock trooper is literally born in a barracks, and will probably learn how to shoot a lasgun before they learn to walk. They will also probably learn how to disassemble and reassemble a lasgun before they learn to write. By the time they become a teenager, a Cadian joins a Whiteshield platoon and fights, on the battlefield, alongside full fledged shock troopers. When they're not fighting, they're training and fighting mock battles. And every day of their lives they have to be prepared for a siege on their Kasr from the large portion of their planet that's Chaos infested. Every single Imperial Guard regiment that would be considered for being added to this game is equally badass. Vostroyan Firstborn? Urban and winter specialists with a large number of veterans, and each and every one of them sees each other as brothers resulting in unwavering courage and discipline. Elysian Drop Troops? Surgical strike specop paratroopers who drop in like Space Marines deep behind enemy lines to destroy their most important assets. Armageddon Steel Legion? Every squad has their own Chimera, and they're one of the most heavily mechanized regiments out there. Death Korps of Krieg? Death on legs, in every interpretation of the metaphor. All of them are badasses. None of them can match up to a Space Marine. I think Ogryns would be more suited for an Elite role. They have a statline resembling an Ork Warboss.
