[HH1.0] Mechanicum Tactica

[Terminus]

I stand corrected, I could have sworn I read battle automata.

[Vaz]

Anyone use Scyllax? It's one unit I have a hard time placing on where I would stick them. Just recently picked up my first set of 20 Thrall's to sit on objectives. 

[Caillum]

I really want to use Scyllax, but finding a role for them is hard:

- more expensive than Thralls, but tougher.

- squishier than Castellax, but scoring.

- weaker than Thallax, but can be Fearless with ease.

 

They fill a variety of roles, but don't really excel in any. I'm tempted to get them for my Legio Cybernetica as some scoring units, given the compulsory Castellax won't be doing that.

[fedratsailor]

scyllax can be taken by an Ordo Reductor Magos/Archmagos as a bodyguard unit. ive been playing around with multiple lists seeing how they can be used.

[Terminus]

The Ordo Reductor Magos for some reason pays premium for melee upgrades, so I don't know if he's your best choice for what is essentially a melee unit.  My Ordo Reductor Magos of choice gets a conversion beamer and NOTHING ELSE. Then give him a Reductor Adepts bodyguard with conversion beamers.  285 points for three tank hunting, wrecking conversion beamers with T5 servitors to take wounds (can take up to 8).  Park next to some Tarantula Sentry guns with quad guns or volkite culverins, you got yourself Home Base.

 

Scyllax by themselves are potentially not a terrible drop pod unit if you're willing to pay for it (and boy do you pay for it).  You can either use a FA Arvus Lighter or take a Support Wing of 1-3 Dreadclaws as your LoW choice.

 

Going the Lighter route (no pun intended), you can actually fit 12 of these suckers in there, but let's stick with a more reasonable 8 for either option. That's 305 points with frag grenades and enhanced arrays on 6 of them, plus another 20 or 40 points for flamers  or plasma guns (they get honest to goodness S7 Ap2 rapid fire plasma guns with relentless).  With transport, you're looking at 400 points, but they will make a mess of something when they reach it.  On a charge, that's 30 S4 AP5 attacks that generate an additional one on wound rolls of 6, with rad furnace dropping enemy toughness by 1.

 

I don't know, seems pretty janky.  So far I am thinking mine will be extra cool servitors.

 

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Speaking of drop pods, though, has anyone tried dropping a blinged out Castellax (ETA, siege-wrecker, flamer, multi-melta, paragon) in a modified Arvus? Seems pretty fun.

 

Finally, I just want to issue an apology to Secutors. I've been really hard on them, but with the triple increase on Myrmidon Destructor base price, additional price, and irrad engine price, they are no longer the crappy Myrmidon choice.  Really, Myrmidons with Irradiation Engines serve no purpose anymore. You can get three of those for 255 points, or for 250 points a Macrocarid Explorer with a graviton imploder and 2 irradiation engines.  I know which option I'll always reach for first.  As a further apology, I've placed an order for 3 Secutors, and as soon as they come in, this will be the core of my Myrmidax Cult of HEAVY Metal (get it, cuz it's all grav? badum tsh):

 

HQ

Myrmidax Prime - 215

Cyber Familiar, Machinator Array, Powerfist, Chainfist, two Graviton guns, rad grenades

 

Elites

3x Myrmidon Secutors - 210

double Graviton guns

 

Heavy Support

4x Myrmidon Destructors - 460

3x graviton imploders, 1x photon thruster

Triaros with smoke launchers, blessed autosimulacra

 

4x Myrmidon Destructors - 275

4x volkite culverins

 

Macrocarid Explorator - 295

graviton imploder, 2x irradiation engines, flare shield, armoured ceramite (optional)

 

1435-55 points, so plenty of flex room left. Troops can be filled with Adsecularis, leaving room for a Knight or Cybernetica allies. Or this can be weaved into an Ordo Reductor list, giving me more heavy support and making the tanks scoring.  Alternatively can go heavy on Thallax, because what is more heavy metal than Thallax?

Edited January 11, 2016 by Terminus

[Shaolin_Monkey]

I would have thought as Monstrous Creatures Castellax can't go in any transport sadly. Love to be wrong though.

[Terminus]

Arvus Lighters can be modified for 20 points to carry a single Castellax or a pair of Vorax. So essentially 95 points for a flyer with deep strike. For 15 more points, give it a twin-linked autocannon so it can go after flyers or something afterwards.

[Shaolin_Monkey]

Arvus Lighters can be modified for 20 points to carry a single Castellax or a pair of Vorax. So essentially 95 points for a flyer with deep strike. For 15 more points, give it a twin-linked autocannon so it can go after flyers or something afterwards.

Excellent! Tbh I've never been a fan of the model for the Arvus do skipped the rules. Will go back and have a read now!

[Brofist]

I've looked into airlifting a Castellax, but for the points I think I'd rather outflank Vorax or ally in a siege dreadnought.

[Terminus]

Well, Vorax hunt infantry and other monstrous creatures. S6 even with rend isn't the best unless you're assaulting rhino or chimera chassis.

 

But yeah, it honestly is more of a rule of cool thing than anything. After all is said and done, you're less than 50 points off from taking a pair of Krios Venators, and those 8 ordnance shots will probably deal with most of those vehicles just fine.

Edited January 11, 2016 by Terminus

[Shaolin_Monkey]

Rule of cool is the best reason to do anything!

It's the reason I want an army of big stompy robots in the first place!

[Noserenda]

Hiya guys, ive been considering converting a few old land raiders into a squadron of these mechanicum bad boys but information is pretty sparse on the interwebs (even the mighty 4chan is horribly out of date!) based on the stats in the Red book what are peoples thoughts on loadouts or experiences using them?

For context ill be using them in a reductor army possibly backing up (Or visa versa) Iron warriors in 30k and generally with the matrix of ruin to be scoring :)
 

[Charlo]

I hear Irad engines are pretty amazing.

[captainblow]

I'd say go big or go home. Irad engines, graviton imploder, explorator web, ceramite and flareshield.

 

Does get somewhat expensive. Especially if you have some myrmidons in there :)

[Noserenda]

Thats my theory too, im thinking of sticking some Lacyraemarta inside to do basic repairs and support 40 Heavy Chainsword wielding Adsecularis swarming around it, should be enough to ruin anything and anyone :D

Maybe one with Lascannon Sponsons and a conversion beamer sat back for fire support? But i suspect artillery would be a better choice for that slot.

[depthcharge12]

Has anyone experimented with conversion Beamer Myrmidons?

[Terminus]

It doesn't seem bad for the points, but I am not a huge fan of the option in theory, since it kind of wastes their preferred enemy and BS5.  It's also worth mentioning that against flare shielded AV14, you only glance on a 6.  So this unit would basically go against regular tanks, and multi-wound T5 or general high T targets.

 

That's 240 points for three Myrmidons. For 135 points you can get two reductor adepts with conversion beamers and 4 ablative servitors. You do lose relentless, but gain tank hunter and wrecker, and only use elite slots. They can also take a cortex controller.  These can make a great bodyguards for a Ordinatus Magos, who now has a two-shot S6 AP2 armourbane lance weapon with tank hunter (and tank-hunter on his bombardment).  If you have the points to make him an Archmagos, you get a decent bullet catcher and relentless for the adepts.

 

Alternatively, for 300 points you can get a pair of Krios Venators. All in all, not a terrible option, but it's just highly competitive in the heavy support slot, and Volkites/Graviton Imploders are more unique options not available elsewhere in such quality or quantity.

[GogglesDown]

Anyone use Vorax in Zone Mortalis? I am considering picking some up so I can eventually add an Avenger Strike Fighter to my Cybernetica but would like to get some use out of them at a lower points level.

[Commander Dawnstar]

So with the apparent arrival of a model for the Domitar at the Weekender I'm wondering how if anyone has any suggestions for when it's actually worth using one, much less a several, instead of Castellax?

[Terminus]

No, not at all, unless they errata it to be a jump monstrous creature.

 

Compare a naked Domitar to a Paragon Castellax with ETA, siege wrecker, and multi-melta.

 

Compare a Paragon Domitar to two naked Castellax.

 

Just terrible.

[Shaolin_Monkey]

Given that the model has more of the look and aesthetics of the Thallax than the rest of the mechanicum range it may well be changed to jump MC. We can hope anyway.

[Slips]

GOD I HOPE HE GETS JUMP.

 

Ive tried really hard to make him work for a list but 6" movement on a CC MC is damn worthless for his points.

[depthcharge12]

GOD I HOPE HE GETS JUMP.

 

Ive tried really hard to make him work for a list but 6" movement on a CC MC is damn worthless for his points.

Either a jet pack or run and shoot like Eldar then I'd be happy.

 

Honestly, for the points cost, they need to give him something. I'd see if I can house rule it.

[Hesh Kadesh]

Changes I'd make; no removals

 

drop points by 35

+1 BS

Unit Type; Jet pack

Scout

Rage

Flak Missiles included for free, upgrade 5pts to Heatseekers (reroll misses), counts as being equipped with Frag Grenades if Ignis missile hits model/models charged, ignis frag gains AP5

Brutal Charge; ignores Defensive Grenades, Hammer of Wrath also gains the Blind and Concussive Special Rules

Second Ranged weapon, like a Poisoned Heavy Stubber, and the ability to target a different unit to the missile launcher

+1 Cover Save to units behind it.

 

So, it's not an autotake, but at 140pts, it gives you a 2 shot AA weapon if nothing better to do. It can fire Poisoned Heavy Stubber at unit, and it brings down flying transports, only to slam into them

Scout forward, with Jetpacks and Crusader letting it strip way ahead of friendly troops, providing a better cover save as they step in front of big guns.

 

A Magos Dominus gives its AA interceptor via Augury Scanner if that's what you want, as well as +2 Init by Rite of Celerity, or Rite of Destruction to blat something out of the sky, before split firing into the 

 

It's not an autotake, by any means, but it's a lot better, and buffs an army if you can play to advantages better. 

[Terminus]

I would take two of those, at the current 175 points a pop, if given those rules!