- IMPERIAL GUARD - DOW-IMGD (2)

Master the Imperial Guard in Dawn of War! Learn their strengths in ranged combat and overwhelming numbers, and how to mitigate their weaknesses in melee. Your guide to the Emperor's finest.

Alright, let's talk about the Imperial Guard in Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. They're basically the backbone of humanity's fighting force, the everyday soldiers of the Imperium. While they often team up with the Space Marines, on the planet Kronus, things are a bit different. The Blood Ravens have their own agenda, and the 1st Kronus Regiment of the Imperial Guard is solely focused on taking the planet back.

Strengths:

• Ranged Combat: These guys can shoot, and when you get a lot of them shooting together, it's a sight to behold. A single squad of guardsmen might not look like much, but eight squads armed with special weapons, backed up by Leman Russ battle tanks, Hellhounds, Basilisks, and if you've really gone all out, a Baneblade? That's a serious amount of firepower.
• Numbers: You can end up with a massive Imperial Guard army. This sheer volume of troops is fantastic for overwhelming your enemy. You can send your guardsmen in to tie up the enemy while your tanks blast them from afar. Your guardsmen will likely get chewed up, but that's part of the Imperial Guard experience – you're expected to have a certain disregard for your troops, because hey, there are always more where they came from!
• Bases: Imperial Guard bases are pretty sweet. Building barracks and vehicle depots not only increases your population and vehicle caps, but it also means you can build multiple production structures. This is way more efficient than other races. Plus, their bases have these awesome tunnel networks that let any infantry unit move between structures quickly, which is a lifesaver if your base is spread out or you have multiple bases.

Weaknesses:

• Melee Combat: In close-quarters fighting, the Imperial Guard really struggles. They only have one unit that's actually decent in melee, and even then, they're more for support. Your best bet is to keep your distance and let your guns do the talking.
• Toughness: Your standard guardsmen are pretty fragile. Your vehicles, on the other hand, are some of the toughest in the game. But since you'll be fielding so many infantry squads, you need to keep an eye on them. It's easy to get overwhelmed trying to manage all your squads in the heat of battle, so getting good at grouping them is key.