40k on a Budget: Astra Militarum 

For Guard more than any other army, I always recommend buying third party models where possible. Most people will never encounter a situation where them having non-GW models bars them from playing at all. And third party models, especially third party _plastic kits,_ are just more affordable. So even if you're only filling out part of your army with proxies, with others being GW kits, it's still potentially multiple hundreds of dollars saved compared to MSRP. My eternal gold standard for Guard proxy kits is Wargames Atlantic. As they produce multiple, highly affordable kits that directly stand in for Guard units, including special weapons. (Indeed, most were all but explicitly meant to fill void in canon regiments GW no longer sells, or sells rarely and at huge markup). New kits are added every so often, in multiple "regimental" styles, and covering different units. Presently, Infantry squads, Heavy Weapons Squads, Ogryn (you'll need to source Bullgryn shields elsewhere), Cavalry, and Command elements are all in WA's product range. Moreover, as of this writing, it's still possible to back Wargames Atlantic's Gamefound campaign for their "The Damned" line of kits. Thanks to a successful campaign, The Damned are set to basically double WA's range of "Guard-alike" kits, each covering different aspects of the Imperial Guard unit pool (as well as ones built for the old "The Lost & The Damned" army, like Beastmen and Hounds). Backing the campaign, even right now, can net you tons of extra sprues from their collection. I backed it early, so I'm set to get enough models to get nearly to 2000 pts ("early birds" get even more free sprues). All for less than the current going price for a Combat Patrol from GW, MSRP. For those thinking "but I don't want Traitor Guard!", you can build the kits less Chaos-y. They'll have tons of head options. So they can be build as bedraggled loyalists, or else regiments like the Savlar Chem-Dogs, with the gas mask hoods. They're set to be highly flexible kits. I can't recommend highly enough looking into it, while the campaign is still accepting late pledges.

I am a Guard player and this is really spot on. ty.

Been looking forward to these videos starting again! As someone just wanting to get into 40k and still trying to pick an army after collecting random units across armies, these videos are a total godsend and super well made/informative. Thanks a bunch for the series so far.

such amazing videos ! kinda got me wanting to play Guard now

great take on guard! I really like your lists, those are exactly what I like to play against. My best buddy plays guard and I´ve been on the receiving end of those artillery pieces too many times. Also... since next up are Tyranids (also one of my armies) I urge any aspiring IG collector/player to get a friend and convince them to start collecting the Nids for that iconic Starship Troopers Klendathu vibes! I am doing my part!

these Videos are awesome. I recently got into the hobby again and dont really now which army to start with, this is so helpful Like, Subscribed, Commented. Keep them coming !

As a guard player, this is a great list for new players. I went about my army building in a very regimented way. For every Infantry section, there is 1 Chimera for example. All tanks operate as a troop (3), arty in pairs (2x Basilisk and 2x Manticore) and my scout troop is a pair of Sentinels. That's sort of the core of my list and how I set things up. I don't care for being competitive, I just went with what I see as sensible for an army, which leans hard into armour and arty...the Krieg way.

Good video, I will share to help others

Very cool video! I think the most interesting ones are the ones where the Combat Patrol is kinda...mid. It really feels like you have to stretch a bit to take the lists in interesting directions. The fact that you always build multiple variations is so appreciated! It's hard to not like any of the options given, and if that's the case, it might just be a sign that you won't like Guard. I think they're neat, but probably not worth the investment, especially because I tend to prefer marching troops over rolling tanks and Infantry Guard is a bitch to collect, build, and play.

-insert Starship Troopers main theme here- 😉😁😊

I absolutely love the lists you came up with based on the cool variety but as an Imperial Guard player, I can tell you that you NEED MORE guardsmen in all your lists! Guardsmen are the main reason your tanks are alive by battle round 3; they are there to hold primaries, do secondaries, to screen and die for the emperor while your tanks do the killing. Also, small nitpick, how come you didn't mention getting the Solar Auxilia box set since it comes with the sentinel and a Leman Russ just in the 30K art style but if it's for the sake of only picking 40K box sets then it is understandable. I am gonna go off on a rant for this bit, it is no way of chastizing your lists I think they are amazing as is and definitely playable. Also, feel free and tell me if you think any portion of my rant is unreasonable and I will give you my thoughts on it. This rant is gonna be regarding the infantry portion: Yes, I won't deny that infantry are expensive for what they are but they are necessary in a combined regiment army. This is my personal opinion but I think lists should bring a minimum of 70 guardsmen (3x 20-man squads, 1x 10-man squad for the backfield). Also, Field Ordinance Batteries are surprisingly Lethal and resilient when taken 6 due to our army rule lethal hits and their ability to sustain hits, their AP can be increased with Leman Russ Exterminators and the Fields of Fire strategem. Which is why I recommend getting 3x Combat Patrols to give you all that you need and you can fill the rest from there. Not to mention that I think the huge saving grace of IG is the absolute sheer variety in each box set; a single Leman Russ boc has all 6 variants and can be argued that there are two Leman Russes in each if you get the bottom and spare tracks. Which is why I was surprised that you didn't mention the heavy weapons team box, it has every single heavy weapons option x3. The box alone gets you 3x mortar/rocket teams AND 3x lascannon/bolter/autocannon, you just need 3 more bases and separate the guardsmen. Mortars by themselves are pretty competitive too because of our detachment rule. Regarding the combat patrol, I was pretty bummed out that the value has shrunk from the previous start collecting box that it replaced but looking back it was probably for the best since the tanks are actually relatively cheap (Warhammer-wise) to obtain multiples. Not to mention you can easily proxy the infantry into any battleline unit and the command squad into any officer. The cadian kit comes with every single option there is for the battle line minus the heavy weapons. A man with a rifle is a man with a rifle, they don't necessarily have to look the part. They can be scions painted blue if you want or better yet KASRKIN. The command squads can be built into multiple castellans or even proxied for the forge world marshall. Which is why I would recommend building your battleline as Death Korps proxies since they have the medic wargear that can revive D3 models and build a command squad officer as a Marshall for a 5+ feel no pain on the unit. That's the rant, sorry if I came off strong-winded it is just not often I get to talk about IG experiences.

Saw this title and thumbnail and 100000% thought it was going to be satire. I own 5000pts of guard it's bar none-the most expensive thing I own other than my house lol.

I thought about having the Guard as my first army, but I don't really like Cadians and wanted to make it all Krieg, with heavy infantry. After a short visit to the Games Workshop site, I burried that idea. But I got myself the Kill Team Starter Set, so I have just a handfull of Kriegsmen now.

Although more of a Deathwatch fan, I still wonder what became of Schaeffer's Last Chancers. Now, this came under the heading special characters, but from a painting perspective, challenging. I think 4th Ed got it right with the Chancers disposition in that you could use models from existing guard armies of the time. The prospect of the Chancers propping up some PDF louts to stiffen their resolve was always entertaining.

I managed to find a pair of Acadian Defense Force boxes on eBay. Incredible value compared to the crap boxes GW puts out today

Love the video, Cadia stands!

I like ur vids! When you gonna do necrons Im gonna lose my mind. Money will go brrrr

Very good video, unfortunately your speculation at 12:40 is now incorrect given the latest dataslate. You can only give orders outside of transports, but the way it’s worded is you can give them the phase you disembark in which means you could give order during the movement phase. Very good video otherwise just thought I’d point that out.

I might have missed it but where do those lascannons come for the infantry squads? Ordnance batteries? Or is it some combat patrol thing?

Really wish fob from combat patrol was a chimera instead would make combat patrol great without a significant monitary cost change or if there was just a normal heavy weapons squad instead wich while lower points they are at least good

I don't know why I'm here I'm already $2,000+ deep into a guard army

My 2,000 points list is: 3 boxes of Combat patrol,, 1 box of lord solar leontus, 1 box kill team of karskin, 2 boxes of cadian shock troops, a pair of cadian castellans, 2 boxes of leman Russ battle tanks, 1 box of rogal dorn battle tank. Is a good list (I'm new at the hobby) ?

are those actual prices? Game Workshop for USA maybe? Not dealers? I've just begun in W40K with astra and those are about 50% higher than I've paid in euros (Spain)

Lmao Cadia gone Edit: good video btw

Honestly gaur are easy as hell to kitbash and get toones of extra bodies

40k on a budget: Astra Militarum Step 1- choose a different army.

Damn. I admit, I haven't played Guard this Edition but I would have just suggested "Scour Ebay for 80 old sculpt guardsmen and a command squad, and then just go from there with whatever vehicles you like" Is human wave guard no longer viable?

Can you do Necrons next?

Under 1k might be hard for this one. Let's see. :)

Nice lists. But I am kinda surpriced that you don't take all the Infantry in those boxes. In every combat patrol you have 20 Guardsman so you have 40 in total. Or is it just a writing mistake in the Video