The Armoured Battle Group army list is a little more complex than other codex army lists. The availability of many troop types in the list is dependant on the other troop types selected. Here is a step-by-step guide to selecting an Armoured Battle Group to help players with these complexities.
The Army
In this example I will select an army to play a 1,500 points battle. I have arranged with my opponent that it will be a Standard Mission from the 40K rulebook. Although I do not know which scenario we will be playing yet, I do know my opponent has an Eldar force.
Step One: Looking at the Standard Missions organisation chart, I need to take 1 HQ choice and 2 Troops choices. I can also take 1 more HQ choice, 3 Elites, 4 more Troops, 3 Fast Attacks and 3 Heavy Support choices.
My first choice will be my compulsory HQ unit. I select my Tank Company Command tank. This will be a Vanquisher with a hull mounted lascannon at 235 pts, which should put the fear of god into any Falcons or Wraithlords. I'll come back to add vehicle upgrades and veteran skills at the end.
Step Two: Is choosing my two compulsory troops choices. I can't take either a Tank or an Armoured Fist squad before I have selected an equivalent command unit from Elites. I decide that I want my two Troop choices to be an Armoured Fist squad and a tank, but first I must go to the Elites and choose the command units.
As an Elites choice I select a Squadron Command tank. This will be a standard Leman Russ with a hull mounted heavy bolter, at 180 pts. Again, I'll come back to vehicle upgrades later.
My second Elites choice is an Armoured Fist platoon command section, a Lieutenant and 4 Guardsmen in a Chimera. The Chimera will have twin-linked heavy bolters in the turret and a heavy bolter in the hull (wounding Aspect Warriors on a 2+ and AP4 is good enough to penetrate their armour). The command section will be equipped with a missile launcher, vox-caster and frag grenades for all. Total cost 155 pts.
Step Three: Now I have my command units, I can select my two compulsory Troops. My first Troops choice will be a tank. I can take up to two tanks for my squadron command unit, but one will be fine for now, I may take the second later. This will be a Leman Russ Executioner, again with a heavy bolter in the hull. It costs 170 pts.
My second choice is an Armoured Fist squad, the first of four I am allowed because of the platoon command section. Ten Guardsmen equipped for a close assault. They carry a flamer, frag grenades and a vox-caster. The Sergeant is upgraded to a Veteran Sergeant, and to give the squad a fighting chance against a vehicle I will give him melta-bombs. I expect these guys to get up close, so their Chimera has a turret mounted heavy flamer and a hull mounted heavy bolter. Total cost of 178 pts.
Step Four: My running total is now 918 points, leaving me with 582 points still to spend. So far I have three tanks and two squads in Chimeras. Time for something different. I'll go for a Heavy Support choice and I'll take my one allowed artillery strike. I already have a Company HQ tank, which allows me to take this and it will have to do the spotting as well. It will be a Mortar Strike at 50 pts. Hopefully, I can pin some Eldar units (preferably any Howling Banshees or Striking Scorpions).
Step Five: My next choice will also be Heavy Support from the Heavy Support section — a Siege tank. My Squadron HQ tank from the Elites allows me to take a Siege tank, and the Armoured Fist platoon command section would allow me to take another, but one will be fine for now. This will be deployed to directly support the Armoured Fist attack. I want a Demolisher, but am worried about the remaining points costs, so I take the cheaper Thunderer option. This costs 140 pts with vehicle upgrades still to come.
Step Six: Down to just 392 pts left. Looking at the overall style of the force I feel it lacks a little speed and mobility. I'll never match the Eldar in this department, but just one fast vehicle to grab an objective late in the game or speed forwards to get a last final shot might be important. My next choice will be from the Fast Attack options, and for speed it comes down to either a Storm Trooper squad in a Valkyrie or a Salamander Scout. In the end, I go with the Salamander Scout to conserve some pts. That is another 100 pts spent.
Step Seven: Still 292 pts left to spend, although I'm aware I need to keep 70 or 80 points back for vehicle upgrades and veteran skills at the end. I decide to use my final Heavy Support choice, and take my single allowed Close Support Artillery choice, a Basilisk. My Company HQ tank allows me to take 1 close support artillery choice, if I wanted another I'd need an Armoured Fist Company HQ as well. The Basilisk costs 100 points and will have the indirect fire upgrade, total 125 points.
Step Eight: With only 167 pts left this is a rather awkward total. I'd like a second Tank or Armoured Fist squad from Troops, but can't afford it and the vehicle upgrades I want. I have already filled all three Heavy Support choices I'm allowed, so it'll have to be HQ, Elites or Fast Attack. Scanning the lists I'll take Fast Attack, a Sentinel Reconnaissance squadron of two Sentinels. Both will have heavy flamers and join the Armoured Fist squad. This costs 80 points for both. My running total is now 1413 points.
Step Nine: The last thing to do is fine-tune my tanks for the battle to come. I still have 87 points to spend on vehicle upgrades and wargear. I give my Company Command tank improved comms (mainly for contacting the artillery strike), a pintle-mounted storm-bolter and smoke launchers for an additional 33 points.
The Squadron Command Leman Russ gets a searchlight and smoke launchers for 4 points. The Armoured Fist Platoon Command Sections gets a hunter-killer missile for their Chimera at 10 points.
The Executioner gets a pintle-mounted storm bolter and smoke launchers for 13 points. The Salamander Scout gets the rough terrain modification for 5 points, and the Thunderer is given extra armour and a mine sweeper (dozerblade) for 10 pts.
Finally, I equip the Armoured Fist squad's Chimera with track guards for 10 points. This leaves me just 2 points. I give my Armoured Fist Platoon Lieutenant a Hellpistol to make 1,500 pts exactly.
Step Ten: I'm ready to play. As an interesting aside, when it came to the game we rolled a Patrol scenario. The scenario actually states both sides must deploy one Troops choice as their patrol, with everything else in reserve. For me, this would be either the Leman Russ Executioner or (more likely) my Armoured Fist squad in Chimera. Feeling it would be more in character if my Salamander Scout led the way I asked my opponent if he minded if I used it as my patrol, even though it was a Fast Attack choice. I explained I wasn't seeking an advantage, but just thought it would be cool if my reconnaissance unit was first to encounter the enemy. Sportingly he agreed. Also, using the Sentinel's Scout special rules meant I could deploy them as well, making a small recon force leading the way for my tanks and infantry.
Example Army List: Battlegroup 'Goetz'
1,500 points, standard mission organisation
HQ
Tank Company Command Tank — 268 pts Captain Goetz in Leman Russ Vanquisher with hull-mounted lascannon; improved comms, pintle-mounted storm bolter, smoke launcher.
Elites
Squadron Command Tank — 184 pts Lieutenant Korran in Leman Russ Battle Tank with hull-mounted heavy bolter; searchlight, smoke launcher.
Armoured Fist Platoon Command Section — 167 pts Lieutenant Seros with hellpistol and close combat weapon; 2 Guardsmen with a missile launcher; 1 Guardsman with vox-caster; 1 Guardsman with las gun. All have frag grenades. Chimera with twin-linked heavy bolters and hull-mounted heavy bolter; hunter-killer missile.
Troops
Tank — 183 pts Leman Russ Exterminator with hull-mounted heavy bolter; pintle-mounted storm bolter, smoke launchers.
Armoured Fist squad — 188 pts Veteran Sergeant with las-pistol, close combat weapon, melta-bombs; 1 Guardsman with flamer; 1 Guardsman with vox-caster; 8 Guardsmen with las guns. All have frag grenades. Chimera with heavy flamer and hull-mounted heavy bolter; track guards.
Fast Attack
Salamander Scout — 105 pts Salamander Scout; rough terrain modification.
Sentinel Recon Squadron — 80 pts 2 x Sentinels with heavy flamers.
Heavy Support
Artillery Strike — 50 pts Mortar Strike.
Siege Tank — 150 pts Thunderer; extra armour, mine sweeper (dozerblade).
Close Support Artillery — 125 pts Basilisk with indirect fire upgrade.
TOTAL: 1500 pts