Guaiacan Commandoes

Guaiacan is a fairly sparsely populated planet in the Goschvac system. It is a warm and wet world and slightly larger than most inhabited worlds of the Imperium. Vast forests of very dense hardwoods cover most of the surface that isn’t open water. The wood of these trees is sought after throughout the Imperium – both for it’s beauty and it’s strength and durability. Most of the population is involved in the forestry industry in one way or another.

Guaiacan is far from the troubled spots of the Imperium and has known nothing but tranquil peace for millennia. That does not mean they are unaware of their extreme good fortune and the cost of maintaining this undisturbed existence. Though the total population has been maintained in the tens of millions, every generation Guaiacan tithes a regiment of 10,000 of it’s best to the Astra Militarum.

The Guiacan excel at Light Infantry, Reconnaissance and Commando raiding tactics – especially in jungle or forest environments. They are capable of operating at length behind enemy lines for extended periods. Imperial commanders knowledgeable of these assets have used them to great affect in many campaigns on forest or jungle worlds to regions. Guaiacan regiments under command of those who are ignorant of their particular skill and see only their numbers have almost always met with inglorious, tragic ends, fed into the slaughter in pointless wave attacks.

The Regiments are organized into 10 “Commandos” of approximately 1000 soldiers each. #1 Commando is the Headquarters and Support Commando, containing the Regiment’s command and signals, supply, and medical staff. #2-#7 Commando are the “Fighting” Commandoes that do the bulk of the work “at the sharp end”. The “Fighting” Commandos are divided into ten squadrons of approximately 100 soldiers, which are divided into Troops of varying sizes, depending on their combat roles. #8-#10 are Reserve commandos made up of the younger members of the Regiment – those recruited just before the Tithing – which will ultimately supply replacements to the Fighting Commandos as they suffer losses.

The Fighitng Commandos are largely independent units with organiccombat support elements. Within the Commandos, organizations are largely administrative as the Guaiacan are always very adaptable and have a highly flexible command structure and will switch elements about depending on the nature of the operations.

Here is one possible organization of a Guaiacan Commando Squadron.

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)

An entire Guiacan Commando force ready for action. Most of the models (except where otherwise noted) are from Games Workshop. They are © and ™ Games Workshop and painted by myself and posted here entirely without their permission.

Head Quarters Elements

Squadron Command Section:

Company Commander with Bolt Gun

Veteran Guardsman/Commando with Heavy Flamer

Veteran Guardsman/Commando Medic

Veteran Guardsman/Commando Heavy Weapons Team with Mortar

(91 points)

The Guaiacan are deeply religious people and their faith in the Emperor is unwavering. They are often accompanied in battle by  Ministorium Priests. The figures are actually Black Tree Design Dark Age Monks converted  with some gen-u-ine GW Imperial Guard bitz. (The Codex says I can have 3 @ 25… I have four… so 100 points)

Commando Sergeant Anders (as Sly Marbo)

(Actually in the latest Astra Militarum Codex Sly Marbo has been deleted from the force options… but I still have the figure – and the previous Imperial Guard Codex – so I might field him for giggles from time to time. Unfortunately I cannot LOCATE that older Codex at this time, so I’m not entirely sure how ).

I have a number of other Headquarter elements I could add to the force that aren’t pictured here… Commissars, Regimental Advisors (Astropath, Master of Ordinance, Officer of the Fleet), Primaris Psyker, Enginseers, etc… They are usually not Guaiacan (and some of them aren’t painted yet… and as the jungle fighters aren’t the only Imperial Guard I have, those that have been painted are generally painted in a more generic scheme rather than the jungle camouflage)

Troops

Veteran Commando Section –independent squads of some of the more experienced Commandos often given taskings of their own under direct control of the Company Commander.

10 Veteran Guardsmen  plus two grenade Launchers and a Heavy Weapons Team with Lascannon.
(90 points)

This squad is made up of older "Rogue Trader" era Guardsmen I happen to have kicking around for 25+ years... They have all been stripped of their original paint-jobs and repainted in recent years.

Number One (Assault) Troop

Number One (Assault) Troop Command Section

Troop Commander with Power First and Bolt Gun

Guardsman/Commando with Heavy Flamer

Guardsman/Commando with Sniper Rifle

Guardsman/Commando Heavy Weapons Team with Auto Cannon

(78 points)

Number One Commando Section

Commando Sergeant with Bolt Pistol and Chainsword (Close Combat Weapon)

6 Guardsman/Commando with Lasguns

1 Guardsman/Commando with Flamer

1 Guardsman/Commando Heavy Weapons Team with Missile Launcher

(71 points)

Number Two Commando Section

Commando Sergeant with Bolt Pistol and Chainsword (Close Combat Weapon)

6 Guardsman/Commando with Lasguns

1 Guardsman/Commando with Grenade launcher

1 Guardsman/Commando Heavy Weapons Team with Missile Launcher

(71 points)

One of the Guardsman/Commandos in this section is a Copplestone Castings Future War Trooper that’s been converted – There just aren’t enough female Guardsmen out there so I had to make a few of my own…

Number Three (Demolition) Section

3 Guardsman/Commando with Lasguns

3 Guardsman/Commando with Lasguns and Demolition Charges

(90 points)

Number Four (Light Anti-Armour) Section

3 Guardsman/Commando with Lasguns

2 Guardsman/Commando with Plasma Guns

1 Guardsman/Commando with Melta Gun

(70 points)

Number Two (Assault) Troop

Number Two (Assault) Troop Command Section

Troop Commander with Power First and Bolt Gun

Guardsman/Commando with Heavy Flamer

Guardsman/Commando with Sniper Rifle

Guardsman/Commando Heavy Weapons Team with Lascannon

(88 points)

Number One Commando Section

Commando Sergeant with Laspistol and Chainsword (Close Combat Weapon)

6 Guardsman/Commando with Lasguns

1 Guardsman/Commando with Grenade Launcher

1 Guardsman/Commando Heavy Weapons Team with Missile Launcher

(71 points)

Again, one of the Guardsman/Commandos in this section is a Copplestone Castings Future War Trooper that’s been converted.

Number Two Commando Section

Commando Sergeant with Bolt Pistol and Chainsword (Close Combat Weapon)

6 Guardsman/Commando with Lasguns

1 Guardsman/Commando with Melta Gun

1 Guardsman/Commando Heavy Weapons Team with Missile Launcher

(75 points)

Number Three (Demolition) Section

3 Guardsman/Commando with Lasguns

3 Guardsman/Commando with Lasguns and Demolition Charges

(90 points)

Number Four (Light Anti-Armour) Section

3 Guardsman/Commando with Lasguns

2 Guardsman/Commando with Plasma Guns

1 Guardsman/Commando with Melta Gun

(70 points)

Number Three (Support) Troop

Number Three (Support) Troop Command Section

Troop Commander with Power First and Laspistol

Guardsman/Commando with Heavy Flamer

Guardsman/Commando with Sniper Rifle

Guardsman/Commando Heavy Weapons Team with Lascannon

(82 points)

Number One Commando Section

Commando Sergeant with lasistol and Chainsword (Close Combat Weapon)

6 Guardsman/Commando with Lasguns

1 Guardsman/Commando with Flamer

1 Guardsman/Commando Heavy Weapons Team with Missile Launcher

(70 points)

Number Two Commando Section

Commando Sergeant with Bolt Pistol and Chainsword (Close Combat Weapon)

6 Guardsman/Commando with Lasguns

1 Guardsman/Commando with Flamer

1 Guardsman/Commando Heavy Weapons Team with Missile Launcher

(71 points)

Number Three (Sniper) Section

3 Guardsman/Commando with Lasguns

3 Guardsman/Commando with Sniper Rifles

(36 points)

Number Four (Heavy Support) Section

3 Commando Heavy Weapon Teams with Heavy Bolters

(75 points)

Number Four (Reserve) Troop

Reserve Troops aren’t part of regular commando forces. The Reserve Commandos are made up of the younger, less experienced members of the Regiment that were likely recruited just before the Tithing. They are generally only fielded as part of a Commando force when the opposition is expected to be light, in order to give the Reserve Commando members some actual combat experience, or when the situation is desperate and all available bodies are needed to be thrown into the fray!

They are generally more lightly armed and often carry a locally produced (on Guaiacan)  older pattern Lasgun.

The figures are mostly old I-Kore Void figures that were among the first of all these “Jungle Fighter” figures I picked up – back when I was using them in a Savage Worlds campaign as Morgan’s Mauraders – a rival mercenary unit that the players force often ended up being hired by their opponents. 

Number Four (Reserve) Troop Command Section

Troop Commander with Power First and Laspistol

2 Guardsman/Commando with Laspistols

Guardsman/Commando Heavy Weapons Team with Mortar

(35 points)

Number One (Reserve) Commando Section

Commando Sergeant with Laspistol and Close Combat Weapon

9 Guardsman/Commando with Lasguns

1 Guardsman/Commando with Flamer

 (55 points)

Number Two (Reserve) Commando Section

Commando Sergeant with Laspistol and Close Combat Weapon

9 Guardsman/Commando with Lasguns

1 Guardsman/Commando with Flamer

 (55 points)

Elites

Elements of Abhuman REgiments are often semi-permanently attached to the Guaiacan Regiments to offer some support and tactical flexibility.

Ogryn Section – an attached squad of abhumans.

Ogryn Bone ‘Ed with 3 Ogryn (170 points)

Ratling Sniper Section – another attached squad of abhumans

5 Ratling Snipers (50 Points)

Fast Attack

Scout Sentinel (and a dismounted Vehicle Crewman)

(35 points)

I have a second Sentinel to build at some point... but that's not going to be any time this year, so I thought I'd go ahead and post pictures of the "Complete Force" without it... 

Extras

These are a few spare/left-over figures I have. If I decided to use vox casters I could add these to the Company or Troop Command section in place of on of the special weapon Guardsmen…?

So it looks like in total I could field up to 1795 points with ALL of the above elements. If I were going for maximum points I could also include a commissar (+25 points), Regimental Advisors (Astropath +25 Points, Master of Ordinance + 20 points, Officer of the Fleet + 20 points), a Primaris Psyker (+50-75 points, depending of level of Mastery), an Enginseer (+40 points). I could also give all of the Missile Teams Flakk Missiles (@10 points each) and give Melta Bombs to most leaders (@5 points each). This could easily tip me over 2000 points... 

The Boy is nearing completion of his Ork Force and the Girl occasionally paints a few Eldar (she recently picked up a troop of Harlequins and will likely get to painting those soon-sih). When they complete their forces I’ll post some pictures of them.

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

The Royal Canadian Regiment