2500 point Ordos Reductor, please advise

[Feor]

So, as with pretty much everywhere, 30K has taken off in a relatively big way in my area since B@C came out. I was right there, I've been slowly putting together an Iron Warriors army, primarily fluff centered. And for fluff reasons I decided I wanted some Mechanicum allies for them. I converted a pair of vehicles I was intending to use as Krios Venators out of a Leman Russes and Knight Errant Thermal Cannons but someone pointed out that they were way too small, and the Krios was closer in size to a Land Raider.

 

Then I got a look at the Tahgmata Army book, and found my solution: Ordos Reductor artillery tanks (specificaly the Dual Melta Cannon tanks). Some reading into the Ordos furthered my interest in them considerably, and now my Iron Warriors are on hold while I dive headlong into the disciples of Mars.

 

Now, I need a proper Forgeworld order to do these guys. For starters I need my own copy of the rulebook for them, and I probably wouldn't be able to convert convincing Thallaxii for less than I could just get the FW models (and they're pretty awesome looking).

 

Thematically I want a totally-not-leviathan army. Take advantage of the Reductor's access to a wide array of Superheavy Tanks, use the Matrix of Ruin FOC, with a centerpiece superheavy (or 2, but we'll get to that) near minimum number of Thallaxii, and a bunch of other vehicles in support. My first real draft of the army in that concept used a Shadowsword in the centerpiece place, but looking at it a bit more closely I found myself dissatisfied with the idea of essentially paying 450 points for a 5" blast template. So I started tweaking, and I ended up with this:

 

(note, if you stop at the Lightning it's exactly 1000 points, and if you stop after the first two Artillery Tank Batteries you get exactly 1500. I didn't plan that it was honestly a surprise to me as I started adding up everything I wanted to see how many points I had to play with, but its nice that it gives me an easy way to mix & match with my Iron Warriors)

========================================================================

HQ:
Archmagos Reductor
-Cyber Familiar, Archaeotech Pistol, Phased Plasma-Fusil
=200 points

Tech Priest Auxillia (Bodyguard)
-Reductor, Graviton Imploder, Cyber Familiar
-2x Heavy Bolter Automata, 2x Multi-Melta Automata
=155 points

Troops:
Thallax Cohort
-Destructor, Photon Thruster
=175 points

Thallax Cohort
+3 Thallax
-Ferrox, 6x Heavy Chainblades
=310

Fast Attack:
Primaris-Lightning Strike Fighter
-TL Missile Launcher
= 160 points

 

Heavy Support:
Artillery Tank Battery
+1 Tank
-Dual Melta Cannons, Siege Plating
=240 Points

Artillery Tank Battery
+1 Tank
-Medusa Cannons
=260 Points

 

Myrmidon Destructors
-2x Volkite Culverins, 1x Conversion Beamer
=220 Points

Artillery Tank Battery
-Mars-Colossus Bombard, Siege Plating, Heavy Bolter, Machine Spirit
=190 points

Lord of War:
Auxillia Stormlord
-Autokrator Control, 2 sets of Sponsons
=610 points

========================================================================

 

The two big hesitation points I've got on this are the Ferrox Thallaxii and that last 1000 points with the Myrmidons & the Bombard. The idea here is to load the Magos, Bodyguard, and Myrmidons into the Stormlord and ride around firing everyone off the troop deck. Photon Thallaxii hang out on an objective in my deployment zone and the Ferrox run up and demolish anything trying to hold a mid-field objective. The Dual-Melta & Medusa artillery tanks rush up for enemy deployment zone control.

 

So question 1: Are the Ferrox Thallaxii worth it? Twenty four S7 Rending attacks on the Charge seems pretty nasty, and the Lightning Guns are good enough that I don't feel like they'd be completely useless on the way in. And with the Thurst Moves they can, functionally, move, shoot, run to close the gap quickly. The main alternative I was looking at was instead giving them Empyrite & irad-cleansers with a Djinn Skein on the Magos Reductor, and letting them deep strike in on something's head and roasty-toasty it with super-flamers.

 

Question 2:

That last thousand points with the Myrmidons and the stormlord. I like it, but I don't know about the whole thing. I wrote a few alternate options for that element (replaces Myrmidons, Bombard, and Stormlord) pretty much narrowed it down to one of two:

==================================================

Macroarid Explorator

-Hull Lascannon, Sponson Irradiation Engines, Dozer Blade

=245 Points

 

+1 Artillery Tank w/ Medusa Cannon to that squadron

 

Auxillia Baneblade

-Autokrator Control, 1x Sponson set, PIntle Multi-Melta

=625 points

=================================================

Auxilia Stormlord

-Autokrator Control, Sponsons, Armoured Ceramite

=585 points

 

Macharius Vanquisher

-Autokrator Control, H.Bolter Sponsons, Pintle Heavy Stubber

=415 points

 

OR

 

Legion Malcador

-Autokrator Control, TL Lascannons, Demolisher Cannon, Lascannon Sponsons, Flare Shield, Pintle Heavy Flamer

=415 points

================================================

 

The first moves the Magos & bodyguard into the Explorator, and re-focuses the Superheavy to ship-of-the-line duties. Not having to worry about getting the Magos anywhere particular, instead focusing on eliminating targets, many many targets.

 

The second keeps the Magos in the Stormlord with his bodyguard, and gives over ship-of-the-line duties to the Macharius or Malcador. Fewer eggs in the Stormlord, more versatility than the Bombard. I'd probably go with the Macharius just because I think it looks cooler. More expensive $$$s wise though ,which means I'd have to save up for a bit before I could get it.

 

So, thoughts?

[Caillum]

Truthfully, you've got a pretty good handle on most of the unit choices! :)

 

My suggestions:

- I'd probably go for 2 x 2 Kraken penetrators on the Lightning, along with BSC and GTA. Will eliminate any Tank (and potentially some Super-heavies) in one turn.

- Ferrox Thallax are great. 6 is probably the minimum unit size too. Empyrite is not necessary when they are Jet Pack Infantry, as they can Deep Strike naturally.

- Tech-priest Auxilia are a great unit to babysit a Cybernetica unit, but I don't think they bring much to this list.

- I'd focus your Myrmidon Destructors into a pure anti-Infantry role. Maybe take an irradiation engine instead of a conversion beamer?

- Ordo Reductor Artillery is fantastic, and you've picked good weapons too. d_:)_b

- a Stormlord with an Archmagos inside (with a Djinn-skein) would be BRUTAL with the "All Power To Weapons" special rule. BS5, S6, AP3, Heavy 30? Awesome.

- Malcadors are always going to come second-best to the Solar Auxilia ones. Macharius Vanquisher is ok, but it's AP shells are almost the same on a Leman Russ, and you have enough AP3 in the army to negate the need for Blast Shells. Maybe another Baneblade variant is the way to go? :)

 

Hope this helps!

[Feor]

Truthfully, you've got a pretty good handle on most of the unit choices!

My suggestions:

- I'd probably go for 2 x 2 Kraken penetrators on the Lightning, along with BSC and GTA. Will eliminate any Tank (and potentially some Super-heavies) in one turn.

- Ferrox Thallax are great. 6 is probably the minimum unit size too. Empyrite is not necessary when they are Jet Pack Infantry, as they can Deep Strike naturally.

- Tech-priest Auxilia are a great unit to babysit a Cybernetica unit, but I don't think they bring much to this list.

- I'd focus your Myrmidon Destructors into a pure anti-Infantry role. Maybe take an irradiation engine instead of a conversion beamer?

- Ordo Reductor Artillery is fantastic, and you've picked good weapons too. d__b

- a Stormlord with an Archmagos inside (with a Djinn-skein) would be BRUTAL with the "All Power To Weapons" special rule. BS5, S6, AP3, Heavy 30? Awesome.

- Malcadors are always going to come second-best to the Solar Auxilia ones. Macharius Vanquisher is ok, but it's AP shells are almost the same on a Leman Russ, and you have enough AP3 in the army to negate the need for Blast Shells. Maybe another Baneblade variant is the way to go?

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the advice.

For the sake of my wallet I'm converting whatever I can out of GW stuff for this. My "Lion Pattern" Lightning is already built. I could try to squeeze and extra 50 points out somewhere and say that's 3 pairs of Kraken Penetrators (or find 40 points, repaint one of the warheads, and call it 2x Kraken & 1x Sunfury).

The Bodyguard is mostly just an irrational fear of having my Warlord in the game without a readily available meat shield. For the same point cost I could take a base squad of Scyllax, I'm just not a huge fan of the FW models for them. Maybe GW Sicarians? If he's just staying in the Stormlord I guess he doesn't really need a bodyguard, but I'm still nervous without it. Could go for a min size unit of Adsecularis, I suppose. They're easy to convert from Guard & Skitarii.

The Myrmidons would be either them & the Bombard OR the Macharius/Malcador. I kinda took Volkites for them iniitally just because I knew I was getting close and they were the cheapest option. I was also thinking Volkites were S7 for some reason, and they could supplement the anti-tank power on the Stormlord. That case I might just take 3x Conversion Beamers, and drop the H.Bolter & Machine Spirit on the Bombard (If I go with that option).

What am I missing about the Auxillia Malcador that makes them better than the Legion Malcador? Stats seem pretty much the same, Auxillia's got the Explorator Adaptation and Siege Armour, and Legion Malcador has Battle Speed. Maybe it's because I'm coming from 40K white scars, but Battle Speed seems pretty dang powerful. My main incentive leaning towards the Macharius is the fact it has a turret, and while its main gun isn't anything particularly special, it's a lot more versatile than the Bombard and doesn't put another 200 points in the biggest target on the table. As well as actually being big enough to possibly distract some of that attention away from the Stormlord. I considered the Macharius Vulcan for a bit as well, but there's already plenty of infantry killing available,as you point out. The Vanquisher at least has the option.

[Caillum]

No worries man. :)

 

If you have a Lightning painted, it's not going to upset people that it has 6 missiles on it and you only pay for 4 sometimes. 6 is fine if you can afford it, but I often find you won't get to fire them.

 

The Archmagos Reductor is a beast in combat, but you have to spend the points to get him to that level (like all Archmagi). He has extra S and WS over other Archmagi though, so it would be a good payoff. He can join the Myrmidon Destructors for a nice bodyguard, rather than giving them conversion beamers...

 

Archmagos Reductor: Paragon blade; power fist; photon gauntlet; Cyber-familiar; melta bombs; rad grenades; machinator array; Djinn-skein; Abeyant - 300 points.

 

On the charge, that's 4 attacks at I4, S6, AP2, with Murderous Strike. Alternatively, you have 4 Unwieldy attacks with S10 and AP2. Either way, you add 2 Unwieldy attacks with S6, AP2, Shred & Armourbane from the machinator array. Also, you have rad grenades for -1T on your enemy, and have a 2+/3++ save with IWND, Hardened Armour, Move Through Cover, Relentless, and 4 T6 Wounds. That's going to murder anything short of a Primarch, and he'll survive most incoming damage!

 

The Malcador is a Heavy Support choice for SA, as opposed to a LoW choice for everyone else. You can take 2 in one LoW slot at least. The other benefits stack up similarly, I suppose. I suggested the Baneblade variants because they are a solid option that you can get from GW rather than FW, meaning a third party seller might have them cheaper. 2 Baneblades would be a hell of a thing to face, too! :)

[Terminus]

If you're going to be cheap:

 

Archmagos Prime Reductor - conversion beamer - 185 points

Bodyguard: 2x Reductor Adepts with conversion beamers, 4 ablative servitors - 115

 

Boom, 300 points for three relentless, tank hunting, wrecking conversion beamers, with 4 ablative wounds.  If you're bringing fortifications and don't plan on using relentless, you could drop archmagos, although then I'd buy more servitors for bullet-catching.

If you want to get in there and still stay cheap:

Magos Prime Reductor - rad grenades, grav gun, array, cyber-familiar - 190 points

 

Stick with a unit of grav secutors for 7 shots out of the unit (they give him relentless so you can move&fire, and can kill a spartan in a volley), and in melee, you have 5 S6 AP2 attacks from the Magos and another 7 S5 AP2 attacks. With rad grenades in the picture, against Marines he's causing instant death and the rest are wounding on 2s.  He's not as godlike as the above suggestion, but the 110 points you save can go towards a Triaros transport for the unit.

[Feor]

The Krakens look good, but one question: They and the Sunfury both have "missile" rule that I can't find anywhere. Is that supposed to be "Missile Lock" from the BRB, or is it just meant to identify it as a "missile-type" weapon for aynthing that might depend on that?

 

AS to kitting out my Magos, see, I have bad experiences with hero-hammering up my HQs. Again, probably stigma left over from 40K games (my most regular opponents play Tau, and I've had many a 200point CC HQ die to overwatch). I was looking at the Djinn-Skein/Stormlord idea you suggested and does that work? Djinn-Skein says he has to pick something within 6" of him, but doesn't say it can be the vehicle he's riding in, which normally means he has to be dismounted to use the ability, doesn't it?

 

so I could do:

 

Archmagos with Machinator Array. And then techpriest Auxillia +1 Adept, 3 Multimeltas.

 

That gives me Blessed Autosimulacra on the Stormlord, 3+ Battlesmith on the Archmagos, 4+ on the Adepts. So potentially recovering 4 Hull ponts a turn. And if the Stormlord's going to be staying still most of the time to shoot, then the multi-melta servitors are fine, getting tank hunter from being reductor. Not the greatest range, but still effective at driving off anything that comes too close. And that gives me enough points for 2x Krakens & 1x Sunfury on the Lightning.

 

If I went with a more stabby Magos I can't quite do what you've listed. THe Magos reductor has no access to Paragon Blades.

 

I'd definitely take a Scyllax bodyguard with him, with no upgrades. Give him Machinator Array, Cyber-Familiar, Corposant Stave, Rad Grenades, Photon Gauntlet, and Abeyant. Not quite as devastating as your suggestion, but the 5 of them charging out of the Stormlord would probably be terrifying to face. It'd cost me the Siege Shields on the Melta-tanks, and Destructor on the Photon Thallaxii, but those don't really seem like lynch pin elements. I wonder how hard it would be to put the GW Magos Dominus on a Destroyer body... or Aun'va's space-pope-mobile? What's the base size of the Abeyant? 60mm?

 

For the Superheavies. Yeah, I could probably squeeze a Baneblade in with the Stormlord. Take the barebones Magos with Machinator Array with no bodyguard leaves me with a 1130point budget for superheavies. 560 for a Stormlord with 1 set of sponsons. Lose the Siege Plating and the Destructor again, that gets me enough for an Auxillia Baneblade with 1 set of Sponsons & 10 points of upgrade for somewhere. (or if I really wanted to be a dick just lose the Siege Shields on the Melta tanks, and get a Stormhammer with Autokrator Control, Armoured Ceramite, and 2 Lascannon Sponsons :p)

 

But then I've got 2 Baneblades. Even a Stormlord and a Malcador I feel like I'd be skirting the line of become "that guy".

 

One Idea I had: The Malcador isn't particularly wider than the Leman Russ I don't think, just longer. So I'm wondering if I might be able to rig together a suitable Malcador proxy by somehow mating an Empire Steam Tank to the front of a Leman Russ hull. it'd even have a kinda Mechanicum aesthetic to it with the big ship like prow from the Triaros and the pictures we've sen of the FW Explorator. If I can get the two hulls together it seems like the rest should be easy. There's a convenient hole at the front of the steamtank prow for the Malcador's Demolisher Cannon. Put the Leman Russ turret on top of the Steamtank part and something atop the Leman Russ part to restrict the movement of the turret to a traverse arc, rather than a turret arc (maybe half the steamtank's steam tank, or possibly the cab of a sentinel, give it that Krios-like external driver). Then just normal Leman Russ sponsons. Alternately I could save myself most of the hassle with trying to limit the turret arc and such and just make it a Valdor instead.

[Terminus]

You would have to really knock it out of the park with me to accept a kitbash Lemon Russ as a Malcador.

 

And Reductor Magi DO have paragon blades.

 

The multimelta BS3 (or even BS4 with skein) servitors are a colossal, ineffectual waste.