Tech-Priest Dominus in War Convocation

[SevenPlagues]

Fellow Tech-Priests of Mars, hail!

I searched and couldn't find a topic about this specific interaction of our units. How do you people run their (obligatory, but seriously why wouldn't you take him) Tech-Priest Dominuses (Dominii?) in a War Convocation?

There are a couple of uses I can think of, but I am curious to see what others might have dreamed up in their fevered Martian dreams!

1) With a unit of Kataphron Destroyers (either with or without an allied Drop Pod). Use him to tank for the squishy Kataphrons, and do what he can with healing to keep them up and firing. This strikes me as very risky, and puts our Warlord in a lot of peril. That said, the ability to tank with a 2+/FNP5+, and 2+ invul via a Stasis Field in utter emergencies, would let the Destroyers have a serious chance of survival into the late game.

 

2) On his own, doing his best to accompany the Knight to keep it in one piece (potentially with an Uncreator Gauntlet). I always feel like the Tech-Priest Dominus has so much potential versatility it seems a bit wasted doing a HP back to the Knight. The Uncreator Gauntlet makes it quite possible even extreme damage can be repaired.

 

3) With a unit of Skitarii Rangers with Transuranic Arqebuses, camping in the backfield and repairing the Onager Dunecrawler(s). I feel like this might be the best way to get maximum utility out him and yet still keep him alive.

I am sure there are even more creative uses out there than what I have come up with. I've played about a half dozen games with my fully tuned War Convocation + Flesh Tearers Strike Force and it is deadly, but I always feel like the Tech-Priest Dominus doesn't fully deliver on my exceedingly high expectations of him.

How does everyone use their Tech-Priest Dominus to best effect in the context of a War Convocation?

 

[SydonianDragoon404]

He's useless in a combat aspect (IMO) so I run him by himself with the stasis field (2+ inv when going to ground), uncreator gauntlet, and the eradication ray. Usually he walks behind the Knight repairing it, and if the enemy shoots at him to get warlord I just go to ground. 

[mmimzie]

I like the guy in combat, and I think he works best in a unit of kataphrons. With look out sirs he can throw wounds around to the kataphron. Even D weapons come up short to the power of the look out sir haha. That said he's neat in combat just getting challenged out sucks butt.

[Tyriks]

Yeah, I never initiate fights with mine, but he ends them pretty frequently.

[SevenPlagues]

Do you find it's risky using him with Kataphrons? I definitely agree he adds a lot to them. I just think it can be risky, and since I prefer to put my Kataphrons in Drop Pods, it means he's also unlikely to be fixing up my Knight.

 

I should have asked as well in the OP: what wargear do people give him? Between the Stasis Field and Conversion Field, I'd lean strongly in favour of the former if he's alone. With the Conversion Field I'd be somewhat worried about putting him with the Kataphrons as they don't like being blinded, but then again, a 4++ might keep a lot of Kataphrons alive and shooting longer.

Also, what Relics? I think the Scryerskull Perspectatus is the best, as the pseudo-Tank Hunter it gives you vs. one enemy vehicle is extremely useful vs Knights and other superheavies. I am tempted by the IWND relic, but that's somewhat less useful if he's with Kataphrons. I also considered the Cognis one, but I'd rather leave my AA duties to the Onagers, where they belong. I also lean towards the Volkite, as I feel 3 S6 shots on a BS5 guy is very helpful in dealing with Venoms (of which there are a million in my meta), Land Speeders, Trukks, and even Rhinos and Razorbacks in a pinch.

[Tyriks]

RAW, the kataphrons would be safe from the CF's blind.  It says it never affects the unit causing the blind, and since the Tech Priest joins their unit, they're immune.

 

I have used mine with a conversion field, but never any other upgrades.  I've only played really small games so far, though.

[Master Avoghai]

Ain't it good to deploy him with the rangers/skitarii to give him "extra W?

 

I've actually included a 5 men rangers squad for that purpose in mine.

[Greyspell]

A play that some may not have considered is playing him at the head of Electropriests. His ability to put out large amounts of anti-infantry hurt means that the unit is much more likely to wipe out the enemy unit - thus conferring the 3++ electropriest save.

[mmimzie]

OK. So the reason I like the dominus in the kataphron unit is not only does the domi make the kataphrons better, but he is made better by the kataphrons.

 

In a unit with kataphrons your majority toughness 5, so the takes the edge of the majority of weapons in the game. Meaning not only do you have a 2+/5++(4++)/FNP but you also have toughness 5.

 

In skitarii or electro priest you nerf your toughness down to 3. This means most things would you on a 2+/3+. So while you get a better save in front you'll have to take more save than if he was by him self.

 

Also, screw baby sitting the knight. If your knight is gonna die healing 1 wound isn't going to do anything. Now take this with a grain of salt as i dont personally like the knight, and the 5 games i've poayed war convocation i was laned on. If your knight is going to die, it will die to D wor atleast be over killed. This will happen in either 1/2 turns or your knight just won't die. Want to protect your knight??? Kill the stuff that can kill your knight.

 

Also as a side note the kataphrons have 2 wounds. So you can heal them with the dominus.

[SevenPlagues]

RAW, the kataphrons would be safe from the CF's blind.  It says it never affects the unit causing the blind, and since the Tech Priest joins their unit, they're immune.

 

I had never played it this way! I'd always been taking Blind tests on my Ruststalkers and Infiltrators, and while they generally passed them thanks to the 4+ rerollable, this is good news!

 

Secondly, I am coming around to your way of thinking mmimzie. I think you're right - babysitting the Knight isn't the best use of his skills. Also, what do you mean by "laned on"? I don't mean to be rude as I'm not sure if this is regional slang or a typo or something I am just unfamiliar with. Getting the Dominus up to T5 makes his 2+ even more valuable, and taking him with a unit of backfield Rangers does the opposite by bringing him down to a T3, which is a terrible, terrible idea. Thanks for pointing that out before I experimented with that! I think When putting him in a Pod with Grav Destroyers, do you think the Volkite weapon is preferable? I feel like the Eradication Beam is very situational as it is, and adding 3 S6 shots to a Grav volley isn't the worst idea in the world.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions chaps! Anything else worth mentioning?

[mmimzie]

Loaned sorry only browse forums on phone x.x and I fat finger like a boss haha

[SevenPlagues]

No worries, thanks for clarifying mmimzie!

Does anyone have any experiences with weapon loadouts for a Tech-Priest Dominus accompanying a unit of our ubiquitous Grav Destroyers? Is the Volkite Blaster to be preferred to the Eradication Ray? I am thinking 3 S6 shots would likely be more helpful with the Grav than a single S6 blast at AP3. The S8AP1 mode definitely better compliments the Grav, but I have no intention of dropping them that close to the enemy! I'd rather stay at that 24"/30" range, and get the most out of the Destroyers.

[mhughes81086]

I've only recently started AdMech, and am in the process of finishing my War Convocation, but have played with both the Eradication Beamer and Volkite Blaster. I swear on the Volkite now. The Volkite always seemed to do more work for me and the ability to score multiple wounds on single models has been it's best asset for me (lots of monstrous creatures in my meta).

[SevenPlagues]

I also agree with the superiority of the Choom Gun! I modeled my TPD with the other weapon and originally played him with it, but now I am finding the Volkite Blaster offers a lot. I shot down a Stormtalon (with Raiment of the Technomartyr, granted) with him alone! I also like its utility at 24" vs MCs - getting within 12" of the enemy invariably spells doom for a TPD, unless he's flanked by 4 Kastelans, in my view.

[MoGuy]

getting within 12" of the enemy invariably spells doom for a TPD

Depends on the enemy. Everything that doesnt ID him or takes away his 2+ save will be slowly grinded to dust by our fragile looking HQ! I once fielded a CC oriented loadout of the Dominus for the lulz. Put him into 10 Vanguard, gave him Arkhan Lands Autocarduceus and the Vanguard Pater Radium. They mowed down light infantery with shooting and obliterated about 10 - 15 Flashgitz in CC (the game ended after that). If you play some beer and pretzels games I would recommend to try this (or a similar) loadout for yourself. If you roll a 6 for the additional attacks from the artefact, the Dominus will have 11(!) attacks on his own (2 base + 1 for charge + 1 for the pistol + 6 from the lucky roll + 1 dataspike attack). If you give him +1/2/3 strenght with the Canticles, he will ID units with T4 with his base attacks (-1T from Vanguard +1 strenght canticle) or T5 (-1T from Vanguard +3 strenght from canticle). That's some pretty hilarious CC capability for a HQ not really meant for CC. ^^

Or you put him into the Kastelan Formation for a Deathstar unit. Alternatively, Destroyers with Flamers or Breachers will work too. Gotta try the formation that lets him deepstrike along with some Breachers. Won't be the be all end all CC Rapetrain but it is so different from our normal shooty approach that it probably will take the enemy by surprise.

[DeStinyFiSh]

 

...Destroyers with Flamers or Breachers will work too. Gotta try the formation that lets him deepstrike along with some Breachers. Won't be the be all end all CC Rapetrain but it is so different from our normal shooty approach that it probably will take the enemy by surprise. 

 

 

I played Breachers many times now, even in the formation (I love it).

They are not meant to be in CC ! 1 attack with WS3 is just a joke. Only usefull against AVs that are easy to hit or when used with Canticles of the Elektromancer.

 

I myself prefere the Volkite as well, but only because I never tried the War Convocation and want to keep him cheap. Very often he is with the Cohort Cybernetica or the Holy Requisitioner. Both formations are already good against tougher targets, Volkite + the 5 shot pistol helps to get rid of hordes if necessary.