500pts Escalation Campaign

[Aethyran]

Local club is running an escalation campaign starting with 500pts. Got two lists Im debating to use. 

Cult Mechanicus - Battle Congregation (500) 

- HQ - 
Tech Priest Dominus (105)
Vanilla

- Troops - 

Kataphron Destroyers (175)
3x Grav Cannons & 2 Cognis Flamers 

 

Kataphron Destroyers (165)
3x Plasma Cannons

 

- Fortification - 
Imperial Bunker (55)

So there are some Tau players with Riptides...I know. With the exception of Daemons the meta is very SM heavy. To avoid being tabled first turn, thought the Imperial Bunker would be excellent at ensuring the safety of the force should I not get first turn. 

Grav to deal with vehicles, elites and SMs while the Plasma Cannons counter swarms/hordes. 

Weakness would be mobility at capturing objectives, at least the Dominus can ran. 


Adeptus Mechanicus - Allied Detachement and Skitarii Maniple (497) 
 

- HQ - 

Tech Priest Dominus (105)
Vanilla

- Troops - 

Kataphron Destroyers (175)
3x Grav Cannons & 2 Cognis Flamers 

- Skitarii Maniple - 
Vanguard

10x Vanguard

Rangers
5x Rangers with 2x Arc Rifles 

Less defensive but more flexible, Grav is the same as above for vehicles, elites and SMs. Vangaurd for hordes and anything with a toughness with the Rangers go for vehicles. 

Weakness being easy to kill out and Skits can secure objectives. 

[HackedDuck]

Probally list 2- I am in a similar campaign (only starting at 1000) and I think you would just get smashed in objectives at every game. Whereas list 2 at least has an extra unit and a lot more shots

[Aethyran]

Thanks, and very true. Just not too keen on the Skitarii alone given people have posted their lists with flyrants, riptides, wyverns and loads of bolters. 

Shame I cant just fit in some Dragoons!

I'm such a turtle lol