Mech Guard in 6th Edition

Howdy folks,

IG players, Remember in 5th Edition when you could just pack a melta vet squad into a chimera and run around the board laying waste to pretty much everything? Ah glorious times those were. But can we still do that anymore?

With death by glancing over the horizon it would seem the strength six on the multi laser would actually come to good use. Think about it - three S6 shots (not to mention another three from the S5 heavy bolters) could potentially glance rear armour or even rhinos to death. Yet at the same time our poor chimera is also very frail with only slightly better frontal armour. Not only can we now expect chimeras to be glanced to death but the risk of forcing your guys to snap fire from chimeras sort of ruins the old drive by shooting technique. We could of course still use chimeras. Move them flat out and get your contents out of the vehicle onto the capture point and act as a barricade to shelter them from fire if need be. 

Of course if you're planning to take them just to get troops to objectives quickly then maybe you could consider using infantry squads - much cheaper. True vets get three special weapons and three meltas can now kiss a deepstriking monolith goodbye, but then again they take up a lot of valuable points especially in low point games. 

Veterans themselves are still great - slightly expensive but great. The fact that you can still give them three meltas is great but now camo cloaks or stormtrooper amour saves (I think) are key. If like before you intend to sit and hold an objectve the cover save or better four plus armour save is going to increase its survivability. Albeit a chimera melta vetted squad with camo cloaks is going to be taking up so much points that this brings into question its survivability. After all if per chance that chimera decides to go down from either lascannons or just glancing shots - your vets are going to have to walk the remaining distance to that objectice.

Although I still do the melta vet build - I honestly think that unless you're doing competitive guard go ahead. But expect that the chimeras will pop - and expect that you might as well have brought a infantry squad for all the good that the vet squad does for you throughout most games. 

If you do some research you'll find many new lists being formed consisting of infantry squads - maybe a vet or two in a chimera but it sure wont be their focus. IG can rely on their mass shooting for a good effect on target and, perhaps more so than ever, commands are essential to makin these shots succesful. So the best type of IG would be one that combines infantry mass fire and some vehicles to support. If you have the points you could try airborne guard (Vandettas and Valks with troops inside) and grav chute your men onto objectives (praying they dont die in the process). Mech guard can still be used but expect your chimeras to pop and before they do make sure they get to their destination. Use Leman Russes and Medusas to draw fire and attention away from the troops an their transport and once you've gotten where you need to be make sure you prioritise targets. IG may have had small tinkerings but by no means are they weak. 

Let us know what you think about Mech Guard in the comments below? Do you use them? Would you use them?