Starting Out 4: Onager Dunecrawlers

[Charlo]

Allied Tech marine with some servitors and harness (maybe even on bike!) could help keep the super Onagar squad rolling sure, especially with IWND and the 4+ already!

[Brother Amarel]

Allied Tech marine with some servitors and harness (maybe even on bike!) could help keep the super Onagar squad rolling sure, especially with IWND and the 4+ already!

 

I've been using Iron Hands rules since the new Codex and they fit perfectly with Skitarii (6+ FnP and IWND on Characters along with +1 to Blessing of the Omnissiah rolls on Techmarines / MotF).

 

You could have the following: Iron Hands MotF on a Bike with two basic units of Scouts (made to look suitably low-level Servitor-esque) for 220pts. Or you could use Marines as your troops to plug gaps in the main list, ofc.

[Vel'Cona]

So are we talking Iron Hands from the Raukaan supplement or just from their C:SM Chapter Traits?  I've never bothered to read them but now I'm starting to get interested . . .

[Brother Amarel]

I use Clan Raukaan, but the rules above are base IH Chapter Tactics.

[Charlo]

Allied Tech marine with some servitors and harness (maybe even on bike!) could help keep the super Onagar squad rolling sure, especially with IWND and the 4+ already!

I've been using Iron Hands rules since the new Codex and they fit perfectly with Skitarii (6+ FnP and IWND on Characters along with +1 to Blessing of the Omnissiah rolls on Techmarines / MotF).

You could have the following: Iron Hands MotF on a Bike with two basic units of Scouts (made to look suitably low-level Servitor-esque) for 220pts. Or you could use Marines as your troops to plug gaps in the main list, ofc.

Plus the techmarine on bike could just have treads and be a sweet sweet model in itself!

Add a conversion Beamer to taste

[FashaTheDog]

Allied Tech marine with some servitors and harness (maybe even on bike!) could help keep the super Onagar squad rolling sure, especially with IWND and the 4+ already!

I've been using Iron Hands rules since the new Codex and they fit perfectly with Skitarii (6+ FnP and IWND on Characters along with +1 to Blessing of the Omnissiah rolls on Techmarines / MotF).

You could have the following: Iron Hands MotF on a Bike with two basic units of Scouts (made to look suitably low-level Servitor-esque) for 220pts. Or you could use Marines as your troops to plug gaps in the main list, ofc.

Plus the techmarine on bike could just have treads and be a sweet sweet model in itself!

Add a conversion Beamer to taste

Yeah I tore apart mine to add a conversion beamer and to repaint as a Red Scorpion. Still need to work up an armature to attach the conversion beamer to the backpack, but I have lots of plasticard and the local Hobby Town has a nice selection of textured/cut bits if I get lazy. Nice thing about Techmarines is you have so many spare torsos and shoulder pads after building loads of Marine vehicles.

http://s8.postimg.org/nwt8z9xvp/Techmarine_on_bike_w_conversion_beamer_WIP.jpg

[Vel'Cona]

My quick thoughts on the upgrades:

-Smoke Launchers:  Not a bad choice for the cost, but these should honestly be shooting most of the time and even when they can't, the 4++ from a full squadron will probably be more useful.  Maybe once you start to lose Onagers these could come into play, but honestly I'd leave them behind.

 

-Pintle Cognis Heavy Stubber:  For 5 points, this is a steal.  Onagers in full squadrons are more durable than you'd expect, and the extra 9 S4 attacks from three of these can really stack up over a game, especially given 36" range will synergize well with the majority of Onager main weapons.  Even better, the base BS4 means these are very accurate before taking into account Doctrina Imperatives.  The Cognis rule is kind of pointless here, but it does give you something for anti-air against squishy flyers on non-Icarus builds.

 

-Mindscanner Probe:  It's pricey, and tempting because these will get beaten up in assault.  That said, a dedicated anti-tank unit won't really care much since they only really need to hit once or twice to take your Onagers out, though I suppose a well-timed Doctrina Imperative could make them WS4+ and thus more difficult to hit (though not much).  I'd say that your best defense for Onagers is either staying FAR out of range, or having nearby Sicarians/Dragoons to protect them (or allies).

 

-Cognis Manipulator:  It's pricey as heck, and honestly the power fist attack is really just gravy.  The reason you take this is IWND, as this upgrade will really bolster a full squadron of Onagers in long-term play.  That said, the power fist level cost is prohibitive, and I think you could really get by depending on the 4++ from a full unit.  I think the best use for this is on solo Onagers (say, with Icarus Array) to bolster them since they only get the 6++ without friends.

[FashaTheDog]

 

My quick thoughts on the upgrades:

-Smoke Launchers:  Not a bad choice for the cost, but these should honestly be shooting most of the time and even when they can't, the 4++ from a full squadron will probably be more useful.  Maybe once you start to lose Onagers these could come into play, but honestly I'd leave them behind.

 

-Pintle Cognis Heavy Stubber:  For 5 points, this is a steal.  Onagers in full squadrons are more durable than you'd expect, and the extra 9 S4 attacks from three of these can really stack up over a game, especially given 36" range will synergize well with the majority of Onager main weapons.  Even better, the base BS4 means these are very accurate before taking into account Doctrina Imperatives.  The Cognis rule is kind of pointless here, but it does give you something for anti-air against squishy flyers on non-Icarus builds.

 

-Mindscanner Probe:  It's pricey, and tempting because these will get beaten up in assault.  That said, a dedicated anti-tank unit won't really care much since they only really need to hit once or twice to take your Onagers out, though I suppose a well-timed Doctrina Imperative could make them WS4+ and thus more difficult to hit (though not much).  I'd say that your best defense for Onagers is either staying FAR out of range, or having nearby Sicarians/Dragoons to protect them (or allies).

 

-Cognis Manipulator:  It's pricey as heck, and honestly the power fist attack is really just gravy.  The reason you take this is IWND, as this upgrade will really bolster a full squadron of Onagers in long-term play.  That said, the power fist level cost is prohibitive, and I think you could really get by depending on the 4++ from a full unit.  I think the best use for this is on solo Onagers (say, with Icarus Array) to bolster them since they only get the 6++ without friends.

 

The Cognis Heavy Stubber does also fire overwatch at BS2.  So the cognis rule here is a little more valuable, especially if your foe thinks to throw a smaller unit at them.  The neutron laser comes with one, so the pintle mount adds more overwatch to discourage the enemy from committing only a small unit to the charge.  A squadron of three such will have 18 S4 shots hitting on 5+ to deter charges, so probably a dead Marine.  Is it going to change everything, no.  It will however encourage your foe to commit more towards the Dunecrawler on the charge, thereby removing some shooting at other units, to ensure that they do make the charge and with enough to get the job done, especially if you have a mindscanner probe tossed in.

 

I am going to try it out despite the cost, but three with cognis manipulators, cognis heavy stubbers, and a probe could be a useful 100 points spent on your three strong squadron.  In total you get some reasonable overwatch/extra shots, negate the bonus charge attack, have that I2 S10 AP1 assault attack in case you need it for defense (it could certainly deter a lone Dreadnought from charging) or to smack an enemy vehicle (especially if you use the hyperaction protocols that turn), have IWND, and that is on top of whatever weapon was going to be taken plus the 4+ invulnerable.  Together, this may make the 25 points for each manipulator worth it.  Hard to say without playing it, but it does show some potential when you look at everything the lot can do. 

[Charlo]

 

 

My quick thoughts on the upgrades:

-Smoke Launchers:  Not a bad choice for the cost, but these should honestly be shooting most of the time and even when they can't, the 4++ from a full squadron will probably be more useful.  Maybe once you start to lose Onagers these could come into play, but honestly I'd leave them behind.

 

-Pintle Cognis Heavy Stubber:  For 5 points, this is a steal.  Onagers in full squadrons are more durable than you'd expect, and the extra 9 S4 attacks from three of these can really stack up over a game, especially given 36" range will synergize well with the majority of Onager main weapons.  Even better, the base BS4 means these are very accurate before taking into account Doctrina Imperatives.  The Cognis rule is kind of pointless here, but it does give you something for anti-air against squishy flyers on non-Icarus builds.

 

-Mindscanner Probe:  It's pricey, and tempting because these will get beaten up in assault.  That said, a dedicated anti-tank unit won't really care much since they only really need to hit once or twice to take your Onagers out, though I suppose a well-timed Doctrina Imperative could make them WS4+ and thus more difficult to hit (though not much).  I'd say that your best defense for Onagers is either staying FAR out of range, or having nearby Sicarians/Dragoons to protect them (or allies).

 

-Cognis Manipulator:  It's pricey as heck, and honestly the power fist attack is really just gravy.  The reason you take this is IWND, as this upgrade will really bolster a full squadron of Onagers in long-term play.  That said, the power fist level cost is prohibitive, and I think you could really get by depending on the 4++ from a full unit.  I think the best use for this is on solo Onagers (say, with Icarus Array) to bolster them since they only get the 6++ without friends.

 

The Cognis Heavy Stubber does also fire overwatch at BS2.  So the cognis rule here is a little more valuable, especially if your foe thinks to throw a smaller unit at them.  The neutron laser comes with one, so the pintle mount adds more overwatch to discourage the enemy from committing only a small unit to the charge.  A squadron of three such will have 18 S4 shots hitting on 5+ to deter charges, so probably a dead Marine.  Is it going to change everything, no.  It will however encourage your foe to commit more towards the Dunecrawler on the charge, thereby removing some shooting at other units, to ensure that they do make the charge and with enough to get the job done, especially if you have a mindscanner probe tossed in.

 

I am going to try it out despite the cost, but three with cognis manipulators, cognis heavy stubbers, and a probe could be a useful 100 points spent on your three strong squadron.  In total you get some reasonable overwatch/extra shots, negate the bonus charge attack, have that I2 S10 AP1 assault attack in case you need it for defense (it could certainly deter a lone Dreadnought from charging) or to smack an enemy vehicle (especially if you use the hyperaction protocols that turn), have IWND, and that is on top of whatever weapon was going to be taken plus the 4+ invulnerable.  Together, this may make the 25 points for each manipulator worth it.  Hard to say without playing it, but it does show some potential when you look at everything the lot can do. 

 

 

I think that load out where one has the Icarus array and the other two are whatever you desire and you have a really good take on all comers unit. Expensive, but it will tank a lot of fire power and when the flyers are gone you can just remove the skyfire Onager first.

[Sawtooth]

I'm curious to see if the Cognis Manipulator will be worth it on a full squad. When I first read it I just assumed it was the perfect option for a lone Icarus Array Onager.

[Vel'Cona]

Good points, Fasha.  I think the Pintle-Mounted Cognis Heavy Stubber is a no-brainer, honestly.  The other upgrades are take or leave, but that one wins the cake.

 

The Cognis Manipulator is going to be something we'll have to see in play more before making a call.  IWND is an amazing rule, but that's a premium cost considering good Onager builds are about 120-130 points, and you honestly want them in max units whenever possible.

[Marshal Ommadon]

I pulled the Cognis Manipulators off my full squad as Vel'Cona got me thinking.  I love the idea of the Manipulators but at 75 extra points for a full 3 man squad that's a tough pill to swallow.  I think that a single Mindscanner Probe can be worth it when you pair it with the extra Cognis Heavy Stubbers.  When confronted with an assault that's a lot of Heavy Stubber shots (18 shots when you take 3 Neutron Lasers) at BS2 plus the charging enemy loses its bonus attacks for charging.

 

I think that that can be helpful when the Dunewalkers are under assault.

[Zembar]

Those 75 points is better spent on some vanguards to stand between your crawlers and whatever might want to charge you.. Or almost two dragoons for that matter.

[Vel'Cona]

Hmm, that's a good point; only one model does need the Mindscanner Probe to get the buff.  At that level, it's actually a bargain on a full 3 strong Onager squadron.  Since my codex is still in the mail (troublesome distributors and all that), can anyone tell me if the Probe causes the enemy to have a Disrupted Charge or if it simply negates the charge bonus attack?  Thanks!

[Zembar]

Negates charge bonus attack, but doesn't work if you're already locked in combat or if you've gone to ground. Affects all units within 6" of the model with the probe.

[Aethernitas]

With the Mindscanner Probe on Onagers plus the Data Lock special rule from the Battle Maniple formation combined with Vanguards in front and Infiltrators ready to countercharge Skitarii have extremely potent gunlines that can profit greatly from the BS buffs in the first 2 rounds and when the opponent reaches their lines they can switch to WS buffs and are still a force to be reckoned with. Even dedicated assault units can't risk to get locked in combat with Vanguards and Sicarians (preferrably Infiltrators) charging in.

[Battybattybats]

Allied Tech marine with some servitors and harness (maybe even on bike!) could help keep the super Onagar squad rolling sure, especially with IWND and the 4+ already!

 

If i can use them with my Taghmata....

My Taghmata Arch-Magos has a 3+ repair roll with a reroll!

And there's debate whether or not the Machinator Array allows two repairs a turn which if so would be seriously nasty.

[Vel'Cona]

Ah that's too bad.  If it was a Disrupted Charge (or whatever GW calls it) opponents would lose other bonuses, like FC, too.  Not a huge problem, but I suppose they factored that into the cost of the item.

[FashaTheDog]

Ah that's too bad. If it was a Disrupted Charge (or whatever GW calls it) opponents would lose other bonuses, like FC, too. Not a huge problem, but I suppose they factored that into the cost of the item.

It sure sticks it to the Rage special rule; take the Khorne.

[munocat]

 

Allied Tech marine with some servitors and harness (maybe even on bike!) could help keep the super Onagar squad rolling sure, especially with IWND and the 4+ already!

 

 

If i can use them with my Taghmata....

My Taghmata Arch-Magos has a 3+ repair roll with a reroll!

And there's debate whether or not the Machinator Array allows two repairs a turn which if so would be seriously nasty.

Iron hands master of the forge with the clan supplement repairs on a 2+, and a tech marine repairs on a 3+.

[Vel'Cona]

Whoa, no kidding.  Maybe I should grab the small form copy of Clan Raukaan.  It's too bad C:SM doesn't have the FA role transports like C:BA and C:SW; I can think of a ton of synergies that Iron Hands would have with Skitarii.

[Aethernitas]

I have a hunch that the fully fleshed out AdMech codex will most likely have something like a Techpriest with 2+ or 3+ repairs anyway. At least that would be perfectly fluffy.

[munocat]

Ok , I picked up 4 dunecrawlers today I am planning on 5 here is what I was think to configure them

 

3x neutron lasers

2x icarus array

[Aethernitas]

I would seriously consider one phosphor blaster for the neutron laser unit for the huge utility it provides. Sure you loose a little punch against heavy vehicles but in return you ease charges and reduce cover which all your units can profit from.

[ronin_cse]

 

 

 

My quick thoughts on the upgrades:

-Smoke Launchers:  Not a bad choice for the cost, but these should honestly be shooting most of the time and even when they can't, the 4++ from a full squadron will probably be more useful.  Maybe once you start to lose Onagers these could come into play, but honestly I'd leave them behind.

 

-Pintle Cognis Heavy Stubber:  For 5 points, this is a steal.  Onagers in full squadrons are more durable than you'd expect, and the extra 9 S4 attacks from three of these can really stack up over a game, especially given 36" range will synergize well with the majority of Onager main weapons.  Even better, the base BS4 means these are very accurate before taking into account Doctrina Imperatives.  The Cognis rule is kind of pointless here, but it does give you something for anti-air against squishy flyers on non-Icarus builds.

 

-Mindscanner Probe:  It's pricey, and tempting because these will get beaten up in assault.  That said, a dedicated anti-tank unit won't really care much since they only really need to hit once or twice to take your Onagers out, though I suppose a well-timed Doctrina Imperative could make them WS4+ and thus more difficult to hit (though not much).  I'd say that your best defense for Onagers is either staying FAR out of range, or having nearby Sicarians/Dragoons to protect them (or allies).

 

-Cognis Manipulator:  It's pricey as heck, and honestly the power fist attack is really just gravy.  The reason you take this is IWND, as this upgrade will really bolster a full squadron of Onagers in long-term play.  That said, the power fist level cost is prohibitive, and I think you could really get by depending on the 4++ from a full unit.  I think the best use for this is on solo Onagers (say, with Icarus Array) to bolster them since they only get the 6++ without friends.

 

The Cognis Heavy Stubber does also fire overwatch at BS2.  So the cognis rule here is a little more valuable, especially if your foe thinks to throw a smaller unit at them.  The neutron laser comes with one, so the pintle mount adds more overwatch to discourage the enemy from committing only a small unit to the charge.  A squadron of three such will have 18 S4 shots hitting on 5+ to deter charges, so probably a dead Marine.  Is it going to change everything, no.  It will however encourage your foe to commit more towards the Dunecrawler on the charge, thereby removing some shooting at other units, to ensure that they do make the charge and with enough to get the job done, especially if you have a mindscanner probe tossed in.

 

I am going to try it out despite the cost, but three with cognis manipulators, cognis heavy stubbers, and a probe could be a useful 100 points spent on your three strong squadron.  In total you get some reasonable overwatch/extra shots, negate the bonus charge attack, have that I2 S10 AP1 assault attack in case you need it for defense (it could certainly deter a lone Dreadnought from charging) or to smack an enemy vehicle (especially if you use the hyperaction protocols that turn), have IWND, and that is on top of whatever weapon was going to be taken plus the 4+ invulnerable.  Together, this may make the 25 points for each manipulator worth it.  Hard to say without playing it, but it does show some potential when you look at everything the lot can do. 

 

 

I think that load out where one has the Icarus array and the other two are whatever you desire and you have a really good take on all comers unit. Expensive, but it will tank a lot of fire power and when the flyers are gone you can just remove the skyfire Onager first.

 

 

If you did that wouldn't you be totally wasting the shooting of the other two when you need to shoot at flyers though?