Who Let The Cogs Out? Mechanicum Project Log 16.10.18

[Subtle Discord]

Yeah, it just needs a 'waist component' to bridge from the half-round globe on the legs to the smaller concave connection on the torso. Not only would it get rid of the wasp-like skinny waist it would give control over how high the upper body would be and it could also bring the torso forward a bit if you wanted a more centaur-like silhouette.

 

Ok GW, please hurry up and release the standalone Armiger kit. The last thing I need is more projects, but I'm succumbing to the temptation to play around with this kit now that I'm getting closer to building the Onagers I'll be using with my AdMech. Moar giant freaking robots! Well played GW, well played.

[Chaeron]

Oh wow, I really like the look, thanks for taking the time. Yeah, it's got a nice Dark Mech look, naturally, exactly what I'd be looking for. I almost want to do all of these kits switched and swapped like this.

Thanks SD, my pleasure! I’ll try a few more things like this, especially if I can swap them round with ease - to help with variety and differentiate them nicely!

 

Your kitbashed designs are impressive and imaginative.

 

 

Cheers Bjorn! I can’t take all the credit as aforementioned - but hopefully I can give them my own spin and style :)

 

Excellent kit bashing - a great example of where some inspiration and hard work can get you :tu:

 

 

Thank you WarriorFish: more to come! Trying to channel that Heretek aesthetic...

 

Really appreciate all the positive comments and thoughts - much obliged!

[sockwithaticket]

Both types of Dunecrawler and Armiger kitbash look really good.

[Chaeron]

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+++UPLOAD COMPLETE+++

 

And we're back! Another bumper update for this thread, mostly extolling what I've been working on, and a report of the recent event I attended!

 

In being lucky enough to get a ticket to attend the recent narrative campaign weekend at Warhammer World, The Invasion Of Lannar IV, I needed to prepare an army. In terms of practicalities, I knew my Mechanicum would take up a smaller amount of space in cases, which would be useful over a weekend of seven games, ranging from 1000pts-4000pts. It was also apt, as Scoria had just been released, and I had a week or so to get him finished... 

 

++Scoria++

 

The initial build:

 

 

A comparison shot with Cawl:

 

 

When sprayed:

 

 

(And the next photos will be on the table!)

 

++Running Repairs++

 

I also wanted to make sure my rank-and-file looked suitable for gracing the gaming tables at Warhammer World, so I went back for additional detailing, mainly in the form of transfers. It was something I'd debated when building this all up, but I think it was the right decision to add these now, given the extra dimension they add. I then weathered suitably, and an example of that work in progress is here:

 

 

(I chose to be consistent where possible, with the cog-skull icon being placed on the left shoulder, and then the right using the identifier for that particular automata. These vary in size, and with some additional transfers, depending on the size of said robot!).

 

++The Invasion Of Lannar IV++

 

The weekend’s games were all themed around this invasion, representing a planetary assault and subsequent struggles for control over key areas of strategic value. It was a fantastic narrative, and packing in so many games against superb opponents made for a wonderful weekend, and great celebration of the hobby.

 

It kicked off with a 4000pts game on the Friday night, where I played against a beautifully Blood Angels army (that went on to win overall Best Army at the event!). I now lament my lack of photos of playing against it, particularly as it had a beautiful Thunderhawk as a centre piece (which I’ve not played against before). Aside from the Thunderhawk, it had three Vindicator Laser Destroyers, a Stormeagle, Whirlwind Scorpius, Command Rhino, and a few large Assault Squads with associated characters, Tactical Squad, Box Dread, and a Leviathan in a Dread Drop Pod (and perhaps other things I’m forgetting!).

 

The Blood Angels were deployed in a corner – I think I may have seized the initiative in this game, and pouring a whole army’s firepower (bar the Vulturax in reserve), destroyed two of the Vindicators and knocked a hull-point or so off the other, and took out the Scorpius and Command Rhino, making for a very successful first turn – and particularly, by removing the Rhino, impacting on the plan for the rest of the Deep Striking units. It meant that as units then came in (sometimes, scattering inopportunely), I was able to concentrate firepower in a useful demonstration of target priority. The Thunderhawk had a rather large impact, in that using the Destroyer weapon killed Scoria outright – but bringing it down was a really cinematic and exciting moment. In the end, I’d wiped everything out in a fantastic game to start the event!

 

The army facing down the Blood Angels:

 

 

Shifting focus across the board:

 

 

Continued:

 

 

The second day started with the second game: this time, it was 2500pts a side, and saw the Mechanicum face off against the Ultramarines. The force included a Malcador Infernus (I think!), three Javelins, a Spartan with Terminators, a Sicaran Venator, two Quad Rapiers, and two squads of Veterans in Rhinos. This mission involved deploying opposite one another (corner to corner), with a few objects to seize and control.

 

Here’s a quick photo of the general set-up as we started getting into the game:

 

 

Invariably, with limited scoring choices (and especially so at the lower points level), Veterans jumped onto the objectives in the last turn, but the Mechanicum had exacted a very heavy toll on the Ultramarine forces.

 

The next two games were 1000pts with our Recon forces, which were part of the theme of the event, as they scouted ahead of the main army to establish a beachhead. The first of these saw the Mechanicum face off against Custodes, in a force featuring Jetbikes, two squads and their commander. Once again, whilst objective based – the Thallax and Thralls proved to be slightly squishy compared to even the moderate AP of their opponents’ weapons, and the trade-off for scoring was perhaps not wholly successful! Here’s a quick snap of the face-off and courageous advancing of the lobotomised warriors:

 

 

(Due to a random event, as the attacker, I lost quite a number of the Thralls in the left bottom hand corner – which didn’t help things!).

 

The next game, however – against the Space Wolves, was somewhat more successful – and would be one for the sagas!  Three objectives to take and hold, with bonuses scored for successive turns holding them (until they are removed from play). The terrain worked really well for this sort of game, and was suitably cinematic with two roof-top duels – and the Thallax did really well in their advanced role! The Thralls also performed admirably, tying up the Seekers and characters for long enough, whilst everything else worked through the Recon Marines or Tactical equivalents. A couple of photos of the deployment and the action:

 

 

 

Ultimately, I was able to wipe out all of the Wolves, and hold all of the objectives, which I think suggested the potential of this force. It was a great game that went back and forth, and those Thralls again worked so effectively.

 

The fifth game saw the Mechanicum face off against Custodes at 2500pts this time: featuring Valdor himself, a couple of large squads, Terminators, a Dreadnought and Jetbikes. With objectives in play again, particularly those to defend, it meant I needed to play more tactically than normal – and this did involve a lot of inviting the Custodes on to the massed firepower of the Cybernetica Cohort! It worked effectively to help keep them at bay, and to secure the necessary objectives for the victory. Some photos of the deployment and game:

 

 

 

The third day then started with another Recon mission, and I got to play my previous Custodes opponent at this points level from the day before. In a game centred around securing a mysterious objective, an opportune seize (I think!) meant I could jump forward and grab this, and try and retreat. We then fought a glorious war of attrition, that eventually just left the Magos standing, unable to obtain the objective at the last. Another brilliant game, that came down to the very last, with the enjoyment of so many Thralls thwarting progress once again!

 

 

The ‘meatgrinder’:

 

 

To round off the weekend, the seventh game was another at the 4000pts level. It all hung in the balance: if all the Traitors could win, we might snatch victory… Safe to say, I did my part in (yet another) wonderful game, against the Imperial Fists. It was the first time I’d played against a Mastodon, and the army featuring Quad Heavy Bolters, a ten strong Lascannon Squad and a ten strong Heavy Bolter squad, lots of Land Raiders, and then Breachers, Vets, and Terminators, in the variety of transport options – lead by Sigismund himself.

 

Photos of our deployment:

 

 

 

And, another seize I believe, which meant I was able to really use target priority to my best advantage. Taking out the Lascannon squad early, and starting to whittle things down on one side of the board (away from the Mastodon!) worked effectively. One Castellax maniple nobly advanced on that side of the board to draw that initial attention, and so I could work to remove the other threats before dealing with that and the contents in an epic showdown. Mindful again of the spread objectives, I tried to manoeuvre round to give as much time firing as possible, which worked well:

 

 

Sigismund, with the remains of his retinue (indeed, the last of the force), was all set to charge Scoria and his automata – but failed the charge, and died to Overwatch. A fitting end…! Another great game, pitting these two huge forces against one another, truly emblematic of the Heresy – and a brilliant way to end the weekend!

 

Afterwards, we rolled the hypothetical duel between Sigismund and Scoria… and Scoria killed Sigismund in that single round of combat (suffering no damage). (As well as Sigismund’s ‘fleet’ re-roll, which was also failed – so clearly wasn’t Sigismund’s day!)

 

In summary, it was a superb event with a great narrative and camaraderie throughout, and was a real pleasure to take part in. I’m very much looking forward to the next Heresy event now!

 

++And on...++

 

During the weekend, I picked up some Vorax to supplement the scout force in future - and I've also got a Thanatar Calix to do in the usual scheme. I think some of the next steps in this project will generally be Mechanicus based (conscious there are a few things on my to-do list for that army!), but there'll also be some interesting new things that are equally Heretical in a slightly different scale coming in the near future...

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Your combat servitors are well done.