any advice how to play imperial guard?

[Turtle]

realy wanna learn them.

[Todd the Punk]

To start use you builder to build the infantry command, pump out 2-3 squads of infantry to capture points and defend your base, get a second builder and build generators, when SP is captured build the listening posts and the upgrade building. If your base becomes heavy under attack fall your troops back inside the buildings so they can still shoot and stay alive for longer, upgrade command to next level, build 2 heavy weapons squads and set them up for additional defence, build more squads for support, upgrade listening posts to level 2 so they can shoot, when you push enemy back use the squads to capture points and build the mechanised command and get the upgrade for the aircraft (few units can do major damage unless big group), build some heavy bolter turrets and get a psyker or two. Upgrade base to level 3 and get the heavy armour upgrade from MC and upgrade the heavy weapons to anti-infantry or anti-vehicle, build some Leman Russ tanks and some basilisks (use earth shaker when you have to as these costs Req points and power) after that just build an army. It can be a slow process but the sheer numbers of the IG can overwhelm anything. Priests + Ogryns can be a very useful idea as they have a hard punch and a harder one with the priests ability activated.

This is how I play hope it helps

[tehboom33]

To succeed in Soulstorm, you really need to be aggressive and mobile. In a fight, never leave in there until it gets totally wiped out. Always retreat low units out of the fight and replenish them and then put them back in the fight. If a units' morale breaks, instantly retreat them. Broken units do significantly less damage. If you decide to turtle, you're not breaking out until you have full tier 3 and unlocked the Baneblade and Leman Russ tanks.

In non-stronghold missions, you basically want to build up your economy and forces to defend against the first attack. Once that attack comes, immediately take your whole army and run to the enemy base and take the fight to them. Harass as much as possible, ideally taking out troop production facilities and de-capping strategic points. Often, if you have a strong enough starting army, you can just win right there. If they start to fight back, retreat to your base and repeat.

Always have a spare unit of guardsmen running around capturing other strategic points. Even when you're facing two bases, the enemy rarely contests every strategic point.

For base defense; Build your turrets!
Figure out where the enemy is likely to attack from and build all 6 of your turrets there with 3-4 heavy weapon crews behind them. This will basically hold off

IG infantry is kinda "meh." Its only saving grace is it is fast to replenish. Make sure every army has a commisar attached and use their "Blam!" ability as often as possible. It gives a huge boost to morale and rate of fire for all surrounding guard infantry.

For winning every fight;
2x Leman Russ tanks + 2x basilisk artillery + 1x baneblade = win, pretty much.
Support the machines with your tech priests for repair, keep a few infantry around for support and capping, it's pretty straight forward.

Have fun for the emprah!

[Mr.Kill]

If you want to use infantry be aware that they're anti-tank options are fairly bad outside of the heavy weapons team deploying and being upgraded with lascannon. The IG infantry are very good against enemy infantry but you'll have to micro them whenever they enter melee (moving units out of melee to prevent damage is known as dancing IIRC).

https://warhammer-guide.ru/wiki/Guardsmen_Squad.html

Guardsmen do a lot of damage when upgraded with grenade launchers (similar DPS to plasma gun to all targets except hi-heavy infantry which is basically terminators). Keep up with infantry research and weapon specialization will make the grenade launcher hit as hard as a heavy bolter (generally speaking though, if you're up against ranged go grenade launcher, if melee then use plasma as the setup time for grenade launcher can be a problem but plasma requires tier 2). Be aware that execution buffs regular lasgun damage but does not buff special weapon damage (it also boosts morale and doubles lasgun\hellgun DPS vs commander type enemies). If you want buffed special weapon damage then attach a priest who buffs all damage on any squad he is attached to.

If you need to kill heroes early game then you'll probably want to build command squad, load it with Psykers and cast strip soul and lightning arc on the offending hero often to kill them quick (this combo does like 800 dmg per time you pull it off and you can pull it off as many times as you have Psykers though do strive to have at least one priest so the lowered health on the command squad Psyker doesn't screw you over). Later on you can just build Psykers without using command squad who come with more health and the ability to attach to a squad if needed to add detection ability to that squad (do remember that the HQ of the IG can do a scan to detect any stealth units).

If you are finding that your guardsmen are getting shredded by a light vehicle rush your best bet is to get your vehicle factory out and get out a sentinel(s) as they are the best anti-tank you can get for most of the game as IG the only thing better is heavy weapon team with lascannon. Do be aware that the chimera isn't bad at DPS for general targets (including vehicles) so if you need general fire support early game a chimera is cheap and takes up little pop.

Late-game there's several things to be aware of. The hellhound gets the let it burn ability which does 600 damage to all models in small AOE where you deploy it (600 regardless of unit type and per model meaning infantry squads will be wiped out. Though I could have swore it did thousands in dark crusade maybe it was nerfed?). This makes auto-spamming hellhounds very deadly if you have the APM to keep casting the let it burn ability (just be careful of friendly fire).

Heavy weapon team gets access to the autocannon which is good against all targets but weaker than the lascannon at taking out vehicles (shreds infantry wayyy better though).

Kasrkins do more damage with grenade launchers to most targets than they do with plasma guns (plasma is better vs heavier infantry targets). Again the tradeoff is setup time vs better overall damage.