Astra Militarum Orders & 7th

With 7th edition, there are some changes that affect the Imperial Guard orders, most are minor though some are a little bit clearer.  Nothing has been nerfed but there needs to be clear understanding how the orders operate when used to make sure they are being used right.

First off is the split fire order.  The change in the BRB gets rid of the leadership test for split fire to succeed and use it.  So now all you need to do is pass the order test to use it.  How it is used is that the model firing at a different target from the unit must do so first and the unit cannot fire at a target the was forced to disembark from that attack.  You can't melta a transport and then gun down the occupants.

The precision shot order is the next big one.  Precision shot is now an actual special rule.  Since the order states that the unit gets the rule (not the result), the unit has the special rule and will be able to allocate wounds on any 6s to hit.  You do not get to allocate every shot, just the 6s.  It still is a confusing rule itself, but since the order specifically states that the unit gets the special rule (which it now is) and the rule states that models/units with this rule have to roll 6s to hit in order to successfully have a precision shot.  This would all be clearer if they had named the result different from the rule itself.

These are the main ones that have changed.   The pinning order is now better with the current lack of pinning weapons and can give mortars an advantage over wyverns, though not really enough in my opinion.  The pinning order should definitely be considered since a lot of what once was pinning no longer is.  Preventing a unit that is going to charge you from doing so is very important, though make sure not to target fearless units, or MCs, though cavalry and beasts can be pinned if they are not fearless.

Other than that those are the differences, the shoot and move order has no real changes in effectiveness, tank/monster hunters is the same though you may change what you use it on, making sure your AP1 weapons get through to actually get a pen will probably be more important now than on S6/7 weapons, but that depends on targets.  Ignores cover is the same and works just as well.

Though this is not an order, counter attack no longer requires a leadership test as well, this is a nice boost to armies that include colonel straken and means it will always work where before guardsman's low leadership could be an issue to benefiting from that rule reliably.

That's it for now, I want to talk about army creation as there are a lot of changes to how armies are built now and there seems to be a lot of confusion.  Don't think I have all the answers but there are definitely some things that need to be cleared up.  Overall though orders in 7th are better.

It does seem that the AM book was written with 7th in mind as since characters or ICs no longer have precision shot, that commissar bolt pistol now makes a lot more sense.  Also with changes to sniper weapons, it makes sense why the MT sniper order included pinning, seemed redundant at the time, but now in 7th it makes more sense.

GG