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A basic Guard force should always have one thing: More troops then the enemy. (Unless it's Nids your facing, that way you can have a nice and dramatic last stand) Sure five heavy bolters can wipe out a single squad, but there's more where that came from! There have been games where players facing Guard armies were going hysterical of the amount of targets presented, they couldn't pick a target!

While Doctrines are a miracle, they are not something for a beginner to pick. (Not saying that beginners are around here of course sweatdrop ) For beginning Guard players Doctrines are like candy. "Ooh! I'll take Hardened Fighters and Die-Hards and Carapace Armour and Cameleoline and Sharpshooters!" Basic cost of a squad without any weapon upgrades: 125 - 135 pts. (Don't have Codex handy). But does the squad perform well? Unless you are Macharius, Yarrick or Gaunt, nope.

Makes me wonder, do you guys use Doctrines, if so custom or one of the Regiments of Reknown listed in the back of the Guard codex?

I'm using the basic Cadian Doctrines along with plenty of grenade launchers and autocannons. (Two excellent weapons, especially the gren. launcher!)

I use a custom Regimental Doctrines, I have Iron Discipline, Hardened Fighters, Die Hards, Sharp Shooters, and Light Infantry.

The Hrdened Fighters and Die Hards make my infantry viable hand to hand troops and Shar Shooters increases the number of hits in shooting. My favored Heavy Weapons are the Autocannon and the Rocket Launchers, with plasma guns and melta guns as my favored special weapons. As you can guess, the Oka don't like tanks.

And just as soon as I can get some time to finish my Regimental banner, I'll have pics up for ya.

But you do know you can't take storm troopers/special weapon squads/heavy weapon squads/priests/psychers and more you don't have alot of unit choices + the basic squad price is about 100 now or something.

Good choice. I keep Hardened fighters for my special command squads since you don't need to actually give them every squad. Then I don't give sharpshooters to my command squad and to my armored fist because those troops don't fire much.
Sure it is horrible for any type of story but you know what? I don't care because those extra points added up and I got some extra good stuff on my Officer.

I'd have to say that is with any race. Luck is a factor in any game. It's the random anomaly the universe provides that gives you that 6. The beauty of the Imperial Guard is the fact that we have a huge determination brave or foolish to take out the threat of the universe with only vest and rifle; and we'll win.

Regardless of any race, situation or circumstance, victory always comes as a treat to those who win it.

I have to say as a fellow Imperial Guard player, I too get the remark of being a cheesy shooter army, but the question is: what am I supposed to be? I sure as hell cannot match the close combat prowess of the Space Marines, I cant field super fast hover vehicles because all we are offered are tanks, and for some of us out there actually play with a matching theme. For example my guard are modeled and themed after the Union of the Civil War, what is my army without loads of "cannons"?!

The word "cheesy" itself is used to define any combination that another player cannot beat. While it is true that there are few exceptions in the gaming world, the term iself is way overused.

Ang give the Guard another reason to look incompetent?

Squads act by theirselves. While Tyranids suffer from the seperations from the hive mind, normal armies function quite well without command. Just because the commander has died and overall command is lost, that does not mean that the troops should question their orders or position.