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The Leman Russ has the following crew members (From highest rank to lowest of low):

Commander
Gunner
Driver
Loader (Whom also operates the hull-mounted lascannon / heavy bolter)
Sponson Gunners

Unlike popular believe, the sponsons are seperate compartments on the sides of the tank, the gunners are practically sealed inside.

I doubt that the russ would have an autoloader, unless it's from Mars where the crew is hard wired into the tank. Each tank is designed to have human loaders, even the mighty Baneblade and other solid round super heavy tanks.

My source for this is the Imperial Armour series.

'The lasgun is a wonder, isn't it?' Bronski remarks to me, wiping the side of the weapon with a piece of cloth.

'Define wonder.' I state, looking up from the book I managed to liberate from the house we use as barracks.

'I don't kow, but somehow, it feels like this weapon is divine, mystical even.'

I smile at his reply, for him the weapon truely is something of a mystery. All he knows is that the power pack goes in, the weapon is charged and then you can fire it. Almost magical.

The lasgun isn't a miracle to me, it's a basic energy weapon that converts power into something lethal. It's a standard Kanthreal short pattern, with single/semi/auto functions and can fire off a hundred shots with nineteen megathule amp power packs. It's weighs next to nothing loaded and has almost no recoil to speak of, it is the ideal weapon for the Imperial Guard: Easy to create, maintain and repair in the field.

But then again, I know this because I've been told that miracles are fables. Bronski here never enjoyed the upbringing that I had, nor the extensive teachings that my parents could afford.

'Yeah, it's a real miracle.' I reply, grabbing my own weapon, carefully running a hand along the side, my fingers stroking the winged skull emblem on the side. With a deft movement I slap a power pack in, feeling the weapon humm in my grip as it charges up. It lets out a slight beep. The weapon is charged and ready for war.

'Makes me want to kill a skin all over again.' I tell Bronski, grabbing my book again.

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"Recollections of days gone by"

From the journal of Major Brookman

I know what you mean, I'm myself thinking of replacing the three Cadian spotters with Ghosts. Though it would clash with my army as I solely use Cadians with four exceptions. (Scope as sniper, Warrior Woman, Fingers and an old Cadian as infantry squad members.)

i use one tanith guy, and one sniper (catachan, cadian, and tanith) in every squad, the tanith guy represents the squads designated 'scout'. i also give the special weapon guys designated ammo carriers. Where as these actually do nothing special in game, i decided it would add more character to my squads, and army, especially so becuase i use the light infantry doctrine (snipers in every infantry squad ^q^)

I'm interested in making a small Catachan army. I currently have the prevoius Imp. Guard codex and the Catachan codex (the book, not the one online). I'm wondering, seeing as the only thing you need from the Guard dex is the armoury listings, if I can properly field a Catachan army with the codexes that I have? This is really a question of if the Imp. Guard armoury has had enough drastic price changes that the version I possess is made obsolete. Thanks.

Well it depends on what you want to do with your army. If you want to make a catachan army then you are going to need a new codex. However if you want to make a standerd Imp guard army without any ogryns, commisars, power weapons, disiplenes, storm troopers, priests, pyskers or hellhounds then I think you can get by without having a newer codex since from what I remember they didn't change the layouts of the basic platoons and command structure. I think it would be worth your time and effort to buy the new codex since it makes the imperial guard a much more rounded army.

Well, I have the Catachan Codex, however it uses the Imp. Guard Armoury, and what I need to know is if the points costs on all the items have changed so much that I'd need a new dex.

My guard use bolters and stab their foes when they get too close.^^