Macrocarid Explorator

[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of these mechanicum bad boys but information is pretty sparse on the interwebs (even the mighty 4chan is horribly out of date!)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

[Terminus]

There is only one answer. Irradiation engines and graviton imploder.  Costs as much as a similarly-equipped unit of 3 Myrmidon Destroyers, but can transport other units and can further armor-up into a ceramite flare-shielded AV14. The explorator array and the rig are both useful and thematic, but not necessary.

[Flint13]

Yep, exactly what Terminus said.

 

I'd go so far as to say that the Macrocarid Explorer is even better than the potential Destructor squad it can carry, since you can target one unit with the Irradiation Engines and a second with the Graviton Imploder via the Machine Spirit.

 

Super convenient considering the preferred targets for those weapons are often different. 

[Terminus]

Way better. Irrad-engine destroyers are 85 points each! And we gave Secutors a bad rap for being expensive.

 

I've done a 180 on these two units. Now with triaros, dreadclaws, or land raider, and with an inexpensive myrmidax prime, Secutors are quite handy. 8 graviton blasts means any AV target is pretty much guaranteed gone, and forces a ridiculous amount of difficult terrain checks, and the axes are adequate in melee with -2 T to enemies. Buffed contemptors, Leviathans and that new Mastodon will give them lots of targets

[SydonianDragoon404]

I'm very curious as to what your exact build is for that unit Terminus, something like this?

 

4 Secutors

2x Graviton Guns each

 

Archmagos Prime Myrmidax

Rad Grenades

Rad Furnace 

Weapons

 

All in a Triaros? 

[Terminus]

You don't have to go Archmagos, although it's nice. Myrmidax already gets relentless, so you're not getting as much value out of the upgrade. It also causes the price to skyrocket, and then you kinda don't want to give a BS5 dude blast weapons.

Magos Myrmidax Prime

Cyber Familiar, Rad Grenades, Powerfist/Chainfist

Machinator Array, 2x Graviton Guns

So 215 points, or 425 for a unit with 3 Secutors. At range, that's 8 graviton blasts. In melee, that's 9 S5 AP2 attacks with hatred and rad grenades + 3 powerfist attacks with the same. As for transports, triaros or dreadclaw work well. He does have the weakness of being slightly squishy with only 2 wounds, even with T5 and a 3++, and it could be argued that you could just take two units of secutors, but then you'd need two transports. So maybe not the most competitive option in the world, but it works.

----

And I apologize, I misspoke earlier about the furnace, that's on my other happy fun time Magos who completely breaks the bank.

Archmagos Malaghra Prime - 295 points

Cyber Familiar, Rad Grenades, Rad Furnace, Machinator Array, Chainfist, Master-crafted Paragon Blade, Abeyant

Sure, it's almost 300 points for a model that moves 6" and has no ranged attacks, but think of the possibilities!

In melee, that's four WS5 S5 AP2 at I4 and two more at I1. The enemy is at -2 toughness, so that's insta-killing T4 models. You get one re-roll and against characters re-roll all 1s to hit or wound. Hit rolls of 6 can carve out power fists and apothecaries. Wound rolls of 6 cause insta-death. Against tougher targets, you get four S8 and two S5 armourbane attacks, re-rolling all failed wounds against monstrous creatures and causing instant-death to anything T6 or below. Defensively, it's the T6 W4 2+/3++ IWND monster we're used to. Not quite as survivable as a Lachrymaera, but way scarier offensively. She'll drop Angron over two turns if he doesn't get a lucky murderous strike through her save.