Ven wrote:just like any other commander, it really depends what you're up against. 90% of your unit and upgrade choices should be raction based. so for example, your oponent got a setup team? purchase a spotter/catachan squad etc.
the LG wargear is mostly about the buffs.
you can read up on the different wargear and abilities for the LG here:
http://www.dawnofwar.info/index.php?pag ... rd_generalonce you read some of what the abilites do then it might be a bit clearer as to when you get them, what they counter etc.
other than that, i dont know what else to say. your question was a bit basic and like i said, almost all purchases are reaction based unless you're taking the initiative.
I am afraid that I have to humbly disagree with this, as I find the Lord General is unlike many other commanders in the game because almost all his wargear abilities are buffs, and none of his wargear purchases really change his role. Thus, you can't really make purchases to hard counter situations.
For instance, giving the K-nob his knife will drastically change his role in engagements, while giving the LG any of his guns is not going to mean that the LG will stop standing right next to his GMs. Giving the LC Aura of Discipline or Stubbornness will have huge effects on how he will be used, while giving the CS different armors hugely changes what he does.
Given that most of his abilities grant some kind of buffs to units around him as opposed to causing actual effects, the LG doesn't really hard counter anything at all, which means that nothing really needs to be purchased to counter anything. Instead, I'm going to take a leap and say that it doesn't really matter what wargear you get for the LG, so long as you use the abilities granted to you effectively, as the LG is more of an enabler than an actor.
For example, giving Ogryns the GL and Carapace armor buffs will make them super fast + suppression immune. This can counter many things, including suppression teams. These buffs can also allow guardsmen to get out of a particularly bad situation. That said, depending on the composition of your army, GL+carapace armor might not be the most ideal way for you to counter a suppression team, for example. If you have double plasma GMs and an assault kit stormtrooper, for example, the sniper rifle's buff will allow you to outrange suppression teams and force it off that way.
All of the LG's wargears are more dependent on what the player wants to do, in the sense that they should be purchased in accordance with how you intend to play. Is the melta gun a good purchase if you see melee walkers around? Sure, but it's also not exactly an optimal vehicle counter. Unless your opponent is asleep at the wheel or you have something else up your sleeve(like double melta stormtroopers buffed by the LG melta buff), that walker is not going to die to the LG's melta guns alone.
Is "Incoming!" from the Flak Jacket a good ability? Sure is, especially if you're dealing with double assault marines. But is it really a super necessary purchase in the sense that there is no good way for IG to deal with that situation other than Flak Jacket? No, you don't
need flak jacket in a case like that. Unlike how, for instance, nobs or other heavy melee troops might force a Robes of Torment purchase by the CS.
On top of all this, in an ideal world, you would have all three retinue members, but generally speaking, the triage would be med sergeant, commissar, and then vox caster. Vox caster is ultimately redundant with a Chimera, so many people choose not to buy him at all.
Anyway, that's my opinion as a fairly novice player - someone more experienced should feel free to correct anything I've said.
TL;DR Version: Buy what works for you/your army comp. as LG; he doesn't hard counter by himself anything so no point in buying wargears to counter things.
