40k Army List Design: The Imperial Guard

I have a tendency to get bored with things, and while I love my Eldar army sometimes I wish I had something different. This concept of 'design' -- be it wargaming army lists, RPG parties or other -- is something that I consider to have a certain aesthetic beauty.

I have an interest in a new army. These are the design priorities.

1) Cost.
2) Variability.
3) Emphasis on shooting over close combat.

What I've decided is that while I'm painting my Eldar and Everblight I'm going to have a long term plan of converting and painting an Imperial Guard force that can represent either a semi-radical Inquisition force or a recently converted Chaos force. I can intermix a number of "extra chaosy" guard troops to add enough flavour.

This is the core, around 1000 points. The doctrines are Jungle Fighters, Sanctioned Psykers, Special Weapon Squads, Close Order Drill and probably Iron Discipline. Light Infantry is a possibility over Jungle Fighters but we tend to play with forests. I could replace the Mortars with Heavy Bolters (I think the Mortars are fun, and any serious infantry regiment needs artillery) and medics, storm bolters etc are optional in Command Squads.

Command Squad, 'Field Marshal': Heroic Senior Officer, Mortar, Standard
2x Heavy Weapons, 'Anti-armour': 3x Lascannons
2x Special Weapons, 'Auxillary': 1x Demo Charge + 2x Sniper Rifles w/ Jungle Fighters
Optional 1x Heavy, 'Covering Fire': 3x Heavy Bolters w/ Jungle Fighters

5x Sanctioned Psykers

Infantry Platoon Command Squad, 'First Lieutenant': Junior Officer, Mortar
3x Infantry Squad, 'Line Troops': Autocannon, Grenade Launcher

Infantry Platoon Command Squad, 'The Dude aka Charlie Sheen aka John Rambo': Honorifica Imperialis, Heavy Flamer, Flamer, Medic w/ Jungle Fighters, CCW and Frag Grenades
2x Infantry Squad, 'Commandos': Missile Launcher, Plasma Gun w/ Jungle Fighters

1 or 2x Sentinel: Multi Laser or Heavy Flamer w/ Smoke Launchers

Russ: Heavy Bolters (why not?) and defensive upgrades

It comes to about 1000 points. If I buy Cadian and Catachan Battle Forces w/ a box or two of Cadians and maybe a box of Catachans I have more than enough heavy weapons and infantry. After that I have a squad of Grey Knights and I could add whatever Inquistion Troops I wanted. After having collected enough Inquisition I could field a largely Witchhunters force (the Penitent Engines are sweet models). The Chaos Megaforce is a sweet deal money-wise and gives enough models to easily field a sizeable chaos force. I have some random Space Marines to mix and match including bikes and lascannons. I was thinking of buying 1 and only 1 sprue of a variety of Warhammer Fantasy plastic kits to make mutants (Beastmen, Mauraders, Orcs, Skaven etc). I love conversions so it should be fun.

As far as the Guard army is concerned, leadership is an issue. I think the 'Commando' squads will get Vets and the other three will have to make do. It's thematic but it may end that all five infantry squads will get Vets in the end. Vox Casters are a rip altho the Master-Vox could be worth it in a l-a-r-g-e guard army. Which this isn't. I love Iron Discipline. Only reason to ditch the Rambo squad would be to get better use of the ld9 and Iron Discipline. It can always hang back a bit for a turn regardless. Being able to bring a squad back (with both its Heavy and Special weapon) is a god-send. Mortars in the Command Squads make them a low level threat while still giving them something fun to do.