Some ideas for Astra Militarum

[Chaotic]

Hey so I took part in the beta

Hitting like 40 hours game time (which isn't much) played with some buds and ai honestly mostly been really great, played a load of necron games (cause op much) some space marines (cause quite op) orks are okay.. but never like astra (mostly cause I am a heretical chaos worshiper) buuut decided to give them a go for a couple games

1. Placement needs to be race specific... like god emporer give me strength I started in a ice zone so of course -10/-20% food tiles everywhere.. first 5 turns.. I finally manage to find like 4 blocks of forest.. to just start something at this point my friends already were getting things done.. and the ai.. which let me know they had around 15 turns later with necrons and spacemarines finding me the weakest link... XD so that was a bit of a meh moment

2. So unlike every other race that has a semi early game... Astra completely and utterly suck early game... because lets face it.. they naturally are just weak corpse god worshiping fools... until they get some tanks.. but I mean a pretty beastly primarch designs the Russ so it should be okay (if you can survive that long)

3. so instead of buffing any of the guard cause they should die in the millions as all good peasants should.. bring some more units in, I actually made a list (I never make lists) but because your game is fun I made one

Remember I am a heretic I just feel sorry for the poor fools.. cause khorne dislikes killing the weak so..

So bullgryns we have but they also have ogryns.. which are basically human space marines without armour... sooo they can defend our worthless guardsmen.. but pretty much die if anything hits them

They got kaskryn so like they better guardsmen...

There are like a zillion better commisars..

They have like those deathguard guys.. which I actually don't think there is a difference except they like not scared or something.. I was gonna say have b@ll$ but children...

Crusaders (I googled that) but something.. and you know that they say.. something is better than nothing

Assassins (like lets face it they have assassins.. people that can kill marines and commanders alike.. like come on give them an eversor or whatever its called.. op op

Weapon specialists (which would be early defense) cause.. those bastions.. are mediocre at best..

Some more tanks cause lets face it.. they will still suck.. so more tanks.. osme chimera's and hellhounds.. and stuff.. some pew pwe

And besides the baneblade they heavy quite a number of massive tanks some lord size stuff

[Andralor]

2. They don't suck early game, sorry.

3. Ogryn/Bullgryn : yeah no, they're tough abhumans but not really like a SM. Even without armor.

Kasrkyns/Militarum tempestus/Storm troops : They're indeed far better and should be added as a tier 6+ infantry because they got a lasgun AP3 (it would be like armour pen 7-8 in gladius)

Lord commissar is more than fine, one of the best support hero in gladius.

Deathguard guy ? I know the deathkorps of Krieg but they're just a reknown regiment, nothing in particular

Crusaders are mostly used by Inquisitors and the Ecclesiarchy. Not really by Astra Militarum.

The Officio Assassinorum only obey to the highest echelons of Imperial command, AM can't really order or command them. Plus, the assassins are supposed to be a highly secretive agency.

Weapon specialists already exists -> Heavy weapon squad

Chimera and Hellhound are two mains tanks missings for AM, one is a transport, the other is a flamethrower.
There are a lot of Leman Russ variants though ~ Could be interesting...Maybe.

Otherwise, they don't need super heavy tanks. Baneblade is more than enough, usually multiplayer games don't last long enough for tier 10 tech.

[LPG]

2. Andralor is right Astra do not suck early they are great.
You can have over 20 units by turn 40.
Grenades and medikits are your friend.

3. Bullgryns cost too much is my only concern. Reduce them to 30/30 and they'd be fine.

[VanuKaos]

Special weapon squads would be cool tho. Doubt we will ever see the day we can chose the weapons but hey ho. Three Plasma Guns, or Meltaguns, or Grenade Launchers or even Sniper Rifles in a squad of 6 would follow the Codex: Astra Militarum datasheet for the unit in 8th edition 40k.

[Chaotic]

I think everyone playing them are.. pro pro's cause yoh.. I donno guard.. getting swamped early game.. suuuuuuucks but maybe it's cause I don't like zerg tactics .. but thanks for the tips..

My issue is.. right with the whole medkit thingy... is that.. it's a 10 turn wait.. 10 whole long beautiful turns... and there grenades are less effective than the sm version of it.. thing is sure.. you can swarm stuff but you got what 12 ? 14 max tiles you can use to hit a target so even if you swarmed out 20 .. you can only use so much assuming you can surround targets in that manner

Like sm apothecary can full heal per turn.. like what ?? vs a 10 turn wait

But yeah special weapon squads

and in regards to assassin squads like we can fit the lore.. or add units.. like winter assault let you use assassins ? lore breaking.. maybe ?? but really awesome

I also didn't say the commissar was bad.. just that there are better lore wise commissars

"Ogryn/Bullgryn : yeah no, they're tough abhumans but not really like a SM. Even without armor. " in regards to this statement.. have you even read a book in the horus heresy.. a full jacked up Brogryn on some chaos.. gave a veteran sm a shot for his money..

Yeah deathkorps.. exactly make them a special non moral losing squad ez life

[MartiusR]

I'm also feeling that more types of infantry could be included in AM.I'm missing some really good distance specialists, like Karskins or Ratling Snipers. Some medics would be nice as well - long time of waiting for medkits for next use and availability only for basic Guardsmen is not making them some really "hot product" comparing to SM apothecary.

I admit that I'm also feeling a bit uncomfortable with the fact that so many weapons which I've used many times in other games including AM are here absent. Arming guardsmen with grenade launchers or plasma guns? Nope. Arming Leman Russ with different kind of main weapon? Nope.

I know, I know that there is generally tendency in Gladius, that every unit has its fixed set of weapons, but while I feel that it's working well for Necrons or SM, it's not the same thing for AM.

[Chaotic]

Agreed.. like one suite doesn't fit all like granted in lore AM win by sheer number and tanks.. like I get that aspect but won't hurt to give them a little love

[Andralor]

"Ogryn/Bullgryn : yeah no, they're tough abhumans but not really like a SM. Even without armor. " in regards to this statement.. have you even read a book in the horus heresy.. a full jacked up Brogryn on some chaos.. gave a veteran sm a shot for his money..

Yes, the three first book. Or maybe two.

You're not making a point. It's a novel, some badass are supposed to be badass otherwise they wouldn't be. They do some crazy shit, sometimes it's just because they are the heroes, other time it's just to make them look like a very strong character.

Take the Gaunt's Ghost, oh yeah they're super strong. They're imperial guard, just standard guards. It's not because they are fucking heroes in the stories that on tabletop or on gladius or DoW imperial guard are super strong.

Well ogryn and bullgryn aren't like a SM.

I also didn't say the commissar was bad.. just that there are better lore wise commissars

Yeah but the game isn't about bringing awesome characters on the battlefield. The lord commissar is depicted as a brilliant general leading his troops (that explains his buff skills) and you have to use your commissar that way. One squad of guardsmen with +3 accuracy and "bring it down" lvl 3 can tear tactical SM with grenades. Basilisk can almost kill entire squad with one shot. Same goes for Leman Russ.
The commissar is an investment but a freaking worth one, not like necron's heroes. The commissar changes guardsmen into heroes.

exactly make them a special non moral losing squad ez life

Meh. Moral is already a wobbly mechanic. Your troops are broken ? It's ok. If you can kill one ennemy squad, your men will recover almost all their moral. Ez.

[VanuKaos]

I'm also feeling that more types of infantry could be included in AM.I'm missing some really good distance specialists, like Karskins or Ratling Snipers. Some medics would be nice as well - long time of waiting for medkits for next use and availability only for basic Guardsmen is not making them some really "hot product" comparing to SM apothecary.

I admit that I'm also feeling a bit uncomfortable with the fact that so many weapons which I've used many times in other games including AM are here absent. Arming guardsmen with grenade launchers or plasma guns? Nope. Arming Leman Russ with different kind of main weapon? Nope.

I know, I know that there is generally tendency in Gladius, that every unit has its fixed set of weapons, but while I feel that it's working well for Necrons or SM, it's not the same thing for AM.

Yup. This I would love to see implemented into Gladius for the AM. Special Weapon squads with a bit of variety and Heavy Weapon Squads with Heavy Bolters, Auto-cannons or Las-Cannons. Leman Russ variants (Demolisher, Exterminater et al) would be joyous to see and play with.

[Rasdel]

Kasrkins/Storm troops
I honestly love the idea. If they are NOT planning to add more units to the game, maybe making it so that when lvling Guard they could become Kasrkins if they reach the last lvl. Eventually you would get this bad ass Kasrkins Squads that have been fighting with you for so long they earned massive experince in battle to become elite. They shouldn't be hard to implement it's basically the basic Guard model with full helm & armor texture, better weapon and a backpack. Could be pretty sick.

Vindicare Temple Assassin
Even though lore wise it would make no sense... I fell in love with this guys in the DoW I game. They look so good and I use to snipe Leaders with them... it felt epic. Are they needed in this game? I personally rather have Kasrkins if I had to choose. But I wouldn't be against Vindicare Temple Assassins if they where added... they are probably in my top 10 favorite unit in WH40k universe.

Anyway, just my 2 cents.

Cheers.

[Kabookie]

1) no you need to change your build depending on the terrain. aka go mech first and expand rather than going troops then mech as an example.
2) untrue, AM just requires you understand terrain and how the neutrals operate in the first 20-30 turns. Learn how to use 'bring it down' effectively.
3) bulgryns are a little under powered imo, really they just need a slight discount or a armour buff move so they can be the front line they need to be.

[Galdred]

Turns 30-40 are not early game. AM are worthless for the first 10 turns, because their starting units are badly underpowered.
They cannot handle anything until they have a commissar out, while SM or necrons can clear some neutral with their starting barrack units (+ 1 or two reinforcement).
This results in a much slower start for AM, as it snowballs (less resource nodes means crappier economy, and so on).
Giving them one extra unit, or turning one of the guardsmen into a Tempestus Scion or heavy weapon squad might do the trick.

[ErissN6]

AM are worthless for the first 10 turns, because their starting units are badly underpowered.
They cannot handle anything until they have a commissar out,
This results in a much slower start for AM, as it snowballs

Worst, as now infantry can't so hide, they can't eat nothing, but too they are so easily eaten. AM is now the worst faction.
If you have necron as neighbourg, you're soon dead.