Charlo's Ad Mec - [Tournament Reports & Thoughts]

[Reyner]

They look great :D 

[Magos Takatus]

Cheers Moderatii!

 

As I've said around the forum before, it's based on an old image from RT-era, not a perfect reproduction but those stripes just aren't happening 

 

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/warhammer40k/images/3/30/Imperial_Colossus_Class.png/revision/latest?cb=20130812094854

 

For the faceplate I'm thinking a glossy black with some green symbols in.

 

Serious idea: A grid, heart monitor or wave/ graph

Fun idea: give each robot a different text emoji, like: xD D: :3 owo etc

https://youtu.be/WNZCclgFajc?t=156

 

I am quite partial to the heart monitor you've painted on there. Looking good so far. :)

[Charlo]

Need to sponge some lead belcher onto choice parts of the bots then a bit more detail on the Smiths and i'm done...!

 

[ruralguardhipcat]

They look great! Great bold colours.

[Charlo]

No pics, but got some little bits done on Kastellans (mainly weathering with a drybrush of Leadbelcher or dabbing little bits around the rivets) and Datasmiths (some agrax in choice places).

 

Just need to add more detail to the backpacks on the 'smiths.

 

OH and I maanged to pick up 3 Onagers, built and undercoated metal: Two Neutron and one Icarus for a frankly dirt cheap price - meaning my Ad Mech are basically done for now :D

[Charlo]

Obligatory pleasantry my somewhat Bionic Associates.

 

I come to you with a formation for my next engagement. I have been allocated 2000 requisition points with which to use...

 

Currently I have utilized 1966 of these by my cogitations, so have some flexibility.

 

I am also yet to choose exactly who will lead the force (Warlord Trait) and which archeotech will prove advantageous in the field (relic)

 

It has been made with units available to me and leaves me with 9 data-blasts to alter the course of battle:

 

Ad Mech - 2000pts - 9 CP

 

Battalion Alpha

• Belisarius Cawl
• Tech-Priest Dominus: Macro Stubber, Volkite Blaster
• 3 Breachers: Heavy Arc Rifle, Arc Claw
• 3 Breachers: Heavy Arc Rifle, Arc Claw
• 5 Vanguard: Data-Thether
• Datasmith
• Datasmith
• 4 Kastelan Robots: Triple Phosphor

Battalion Omega

• Enginseer
• Enginseer
• 10 Vanguard: 3 Plasma Caliver, Data-Tether
• 10 Vanguard: 3 Arc Rifle, Data-Tether
• 5 Vanguard: Data-Tether
• Onager: Neutron Laser, Cognis Stubber
• Onager: Neutron Laser, Cognis Stubber
• Onager: Icarus Array, Cognis Stubber

[Ammonius]

 

Obligatory pleasantry my somewhat Bionic Associates.

 

I come to you with a formation for my next engagement. I have been allocated 2000 requisition points with which to use...

 

Currently I have utilized 1966 of these by my cogitations, so have some flexibility.

 

I am also yet to choose exactly who will lead the force (Warlord Trait) and which archeotech will prove advantageous in the field (relic)

 

It has been made with units available to me and leaves me with 9 data-blasts to alter the course of battle:

 

Ad Mech - 2000pts - 9 CP

 

Battalion Alpha

• Belisarius Cawl
• Tech-Priest Dominus: Macro Stubber, Volkite Blaster
• 3 Breachers: Heavy Arc Rifle, Arc Claw
• 3 Breachers: Heavy Arc Rifle, Arc Claw
• 5 Vanguard: Data-Thether
• Datasmith
• Datasmith
• 4 Kastelan Robots: Triple Phosphor

Battalion Omega

• Enginseer
• Enginseer
• 10 Vanguard: 3 Plasma Caliver, Data-Tether
• 10 Vanguard: 3 Arc Rifle, Data-Tether
• 5 Vanguard: Data-Tether
• Onager: Neutron Laser, Cognis Stubber
• Onager: Neutron Laser, Cognis Stubber
• Onager: Icarus Array, Cognis Stubber

 

Reciprocal formalized pleasantries fellow associate,

 

Query: will both of your Battalions follow the same Dogma? It seems that you have an opportunity to rearrange your forces to put your "volume of fire" units in with Archmagos Cawl and have the Wrath of Mars available to them. Then, put your longer ranged "Backline" units in Battalion Omega under the leadership of an Enginseer or Dominus from Stygies VIII, to give them the advantage of Shroud Protocols and perhaps take advantage of Clandestine Infiltration for some measure of maneuver warfare opportunities.

 

Query: Why two Datasmiths? Are your Kastellans particularly high-spirited? With recent alterations to requisition values, one of the Datasmiths could be replaced with even more Skitarii to stand between the enemy and your Kastellan Maniple.

 

Omnissiah smile upon you, and May the Motive Force be with you, Always.

[Charlo]

Theoretical is taken notice of and analysed.

 

Second datasmith was to enforce redundancy and because there are two available to my forces. It seems wiser to bring a single cybernetica operative however.

 

As for requisitioning forces from a second forge world, it seems the logistics of such forbid myself from doing so. Battle experience is limited and the armies colours are one, so it would be taxing to recall all of the relevant data mid-conflict.

 

By removing the datasmith I am afforded two options, based around my current availability resources:

 

1) Exchange a unit of Breachers for Plasma Destroyers and a single extra vanguard. This would unlock the Elimination Volley Protocol.

 

2) Add a powerful Sniper weapon to each of the smaller units of Skitarii, also potentially adding a taser goad to the Alpha.

[Charlo]

With some luck I'll be trying out the 2K against a friends World Eaters on Sunday!

 

He's trying to make a tournament list so I decided to cut my teeth too. If he reaches me it's probably all over... So I'm going to need to really get those fire lanes down!

 

I know he's wanting to bring his Brass Scorpion and then will have some Blood Slaughterers, Khârn, Berzerkers in Rhinos, Cultists and such. He knows what Ad Mech I have too and I won't be tailoring so should be an interesting and bloody battle!

 

What can I do to stop him from cutting me to ribbons?!

[Prot]

Glad to hear this Charlo!

 

I think it will be a great test. The scenario will be important. Table control will be your challenge and this is the kind of opponent that will test you in that area.

 

I think 10 infiltrators with WoM is my favourite unit for making them look in the rear view mirror. Also I love the Dragoons but I think I’m in the minority there. I certainly find the AdMech board control super challenging against aggressive opponents.

[Charlo]

Aye, my list is rather shooty and between a 9" Cawl Aura and double canticles I should be able to weather a fair amount of stuff and dish it out in return. Outside of the Big C himself though (currently a Daemon Prince kill under his belt) I have zero close combat potential in any of my models and while I love Infiltraitors/ Dragoons/ Jazzhands/ Discosticks - I have enough to paint and they cost a bit much for a decent sized unit.

 

I think while he has some big kill-machines, killing his Rhinos/ Zerkers will be the priority as they dish out an ungodly number of Dice and are also his Obj Sec...

 

What do you think of the above list idea? Better to go with 3 Aquebus or change 3 Arc Breachers for 3 Plasma/ Phosphor Destroyers?

[Jolemai]

Watch out for your models being bowled over by his large dice!

[Prot]

I’d love to be able to answer that question without bias. Unfortunately I can never get Arquebus’ to work. Never once have I downed anything of significance.

 

I hear the great stories about them, I just can’t make them work.

[Charlo]

Battle over! It was very bloody, but in the end MARS was the stronger red than the Blood God.

 

He had a knight lancer and some possessed instead of a brass scorpion in the end. I also opted to put Flamers on the Plasma Destroyers for WYSIWYG.

 

The mission was not as complex as expected as my opponent forgot his Maelstrom cards and the link to his tournament pack was misplaced. So it was Kill Points in the end, with Line Breaker + Slay the Warlord too.

 

Deployment was fairly simple, initiate Castle Cawl; slowly deploying units until finally plonking Cawl in the centre to give rerolls to everything except two vanguard squads, one of which was covered by the dominus anyway. The Knight ended up on the opposite side to the Neutrons sadly.

 

 

I had a fair few more drops than him, but I got the first turn with a handy 5 regardless. He failed to seize so it was Ad Mech to shoot first.

 

AD MECH TURN 1

 

Opt for shroud Psalm (even though his shooting doesn't really exist) and roll up reroll morale too.

 

A few units shuffle forward but pretty much all of my Vanguard are out of range. Try to deal some damage to the Knight by overcharging the Plasma Destroyers. I fry two of my own and deal 2W in return... Not quite as planned!

 

The Robots double tap and kill 5 of the 8 Possessed, because of the sheer amount of dice they roll I definitely missed off a lot of shots (still learning!)

 

The Neutron LAZORZ and Icarus Array combine to pop a Rhino containing Khârn and his lads, giving me my first and only KP.

 

 

WORLD EATERS TURN 1

 

Khârn, enraged that his ride has blown up promptly hops into the other one nearby.

 

EVERYTHING advances, except the Knight who moves up, Lance's a few Vanguard with Plasma (who deal a couple overwatch wounds with Arc Rifles!) before charging in and giving me the Happy Feet. Due to some bad dice, a good chunk of the Vanguard survive, meaning he can't consolidate into my Robots!

 

 

AD MECH TURN 2

 

I know that this is the turn that will decide it all really, I need to shoot as much as possible to blunt the charge from his forces.

 

For Canticles I roll up +1S and reroll 1s to shoot.

 

First things first, the Vanguard fall back from the Knight opening it up to be shot. Cawl then seems the imminent threat of the Lancer and blurts some powerful code towards the Kataphron and Kastellans, for Elimination Volley and Wrath of Mars. The Kataphron does a wound each with its Flamer and Plasma, like a Boss. This time I won't miscount the shots on the Bots either. 72 empty phosphor canisters fall to the floor around the bots and as the white smoke clears, the Lancer is crumpled to the floor, the pilot and it's machine spirit dead!

 

On the other side of the table, the Dominus pops a few Berserkers with his Volkite and Stubber while the Radiation guns from the Skitarii fell some more, their Plasma Overcharging with no self casualties to burn some wounds from the Slaughter Engine. The Onagers fail to do much to it but the Icarus Array does finish off the last of the Berserkers, leaving only the Exalted Chanpion Kharl.

 

A lot of Dead stuff on his side but what is enough to stem the rage of the former War Hounds?

 

 

WORLD EATERS TURN 2

 

CHARRRRGGGGGEEEEEE!

 

Well, almost. His shooting fails to kill off enough Vanguard to charge my robots directly so he is stuck going into chaff. Suffice to say everything comes forward and hits my lines. The only failed charge is the right hand Slaughterer who takes 2 damage from a Rad Carbine on Overwatch.

 

 

On the right his Possessed, Berserkers and Khârn easily smatter some Vanguard and then Consolidate into the robots. Khârn however goes off to kill Skitarii (not before chopping one of his own dudes head off though!) This is a big mistake from him, which he later admitted, as Khârn would've been a can opener on the bots.

 

On the Left, the Slaughterer charges both the Vanguard and Breachers with the Exalted Chanpion also getting stuck in. The Vanguard Squad is wiped but only a single Breacher falls (surprisingly tough, big fan of Breachers).

 

 

AD MECH TURN 3

 

Mostly damage control at this point, trying to limit losses while falling back. I got rerolling 1s on shooting and +1S Canticles again.

 

Breachers fell back and the Onagers annihilate the Slaughterer and the Exalted Champion. Heavy Stubbers are surprisingly cool!

 

Khârn, now stuck in the open gets Icarus Arrayed into nothingness.

 

I turn the bots into double punch protocols, seeing as there is no point falling back (nothing to shoot the models they are engaged with). Bots eventually kill 1 possessed leaving 1 left, while taking heavy damage from a lot of Chainsword/ Axe & Power Fist attacks. The Dark Apostle makes it in too and deals a couple more wounds.

 

Cawl, turning his back on this blood nonsense moments before Khârn eats Dirt:

 

WORLD EATERS TURN 3

 

It's not over until all the blood is spilled!

 

Warp Talons arrive on the far right of my DZ, out of sight. Cultists turn up on his board edge to... Sit there and praise Khorne.

 

The Blood Slaughterer from the right beelines for an Onager, making the charge while the Berserkers and Apostle continue to cut down robots swifter than expected. Luckily, the Daemon engine misses all of its attacks in fury!

 

 

AD MECH TURN 4

 

I forget to do Canticles because it's a very fun game!

 

The Lone Robot falls back from combat, now that I feel I have the resources to deal with the Berserkers. The Datasmith deletes the last possessed with his trusty Gamma Pistol for a kill point (not that they matter now, really).

 

Onager falls back from the Slaughterer and everyone shoots it down to 1 wound. The last wound is taken and my opponent command points the explode roll,getting a 6. For MAXIMUM FUN we decided to use that as it's save so we can see if Cawl charging in with his Arc Scourge will kill it or potentially be a hilarious miscalculation.

 

It isn't and the Slaughterer gets overloaded with PRISTINE MARTIAN CODE into the eye socket. Also electricity. Zap.

 

 

I do a few wounds to the Zerkers with other shooting, but they're still sitting pretty. The Arch Breachers ANNIHILATE the Rhino (Heavy Arc Rifles are amazing!).

 

WORLD EATERS TURN 4

 

In a "what I didn't know you could do that!?", The Berserkers charge CAWL with reckless abandon, seeking revenge for their own legendary lord's death. The Warp Talons zoom over to dice some Vanguard, which they do easily, consolidting into an Onager.

 

Meanwhile,he Cultists use the power of the warp (tide of traitors) to appear behind my left flank and unleash autogun hell into one of my Enginseers. She takes no damage due to superior Martian warplate (also had no idea these dudes were T4. Nice!)

 

After a LOT of Chainsword, axes and a fist pummel Cawl, he isn't looking too good (down to 2 wounds). The Dominus heroically intervened but he only managed to kill one traitor. But that doesn't matter, Cawl lifts up his robe and the hive of Mechadendrites appear, culling a number of traitors easily.

 

AD MECH TURN 5

 

Cawl heals 3 wounds bringing him up to 5 (my opponent yells BASTARD) and now the game is over, really. I kill most of the Cultists to force the rest of run away.

 

With the red fury of Mars in whatever they have for eyes, Cawl and the Enginseer cut down a final Heretic each, ending the battle in a total annihilation of the forces of Chaos.

 

 

GAME END.

 

Closing thoughts:

 

It was a fun game, but I don't think the list was tested that much. I was lucky the Knight didn't kill the Vanguard it needed to and also that I got first turn. The mission also helped out as I didn't have to run around grabbing objectives.

 

My opponent also made a key mistake in not starting the Warp Talons on the board, maybe even the cultists too. He needed the added pressure.

 

The double Batallion was great and I had a lot of CP, but in truth a lot were wasted on random CP rolls that didn't make much difference. If I had the models I'd like a close combat contingent or some Dragoons and could sacrifice for less CP and a tighter list. Wrath of Mars and Elimination Volley is BRUTAL though. 4CP to essentially delete what you want.

 

Will add more if I think of it!

[Charlo]

A further thought...

 

I'm almost tempted to maximize the robot unit to 6 of the bubbly dudes, all with triple Phosphor.

 

The sheer value you get from Wrath of Mars and Elimination Protocol on them is enough to ravage anything in the game right now.

 

36" range means you can comfortably be in range of something that is threatening from the word go and pop those 4CP for one or two very dead big things. Nothing stopping you splitting up the firepower if you can make the judgement call of how many robots shooting each target needs to deal with it.

[Ammonius]

Congratulations on a great game!

One question: when you talk about "Elimination Protocol" do you mean the "Elimination Volley" stratagem? If so, please double-check my reading of the card, because I think you can't use "Elimination Volley" on a team of Kastellans and Breachers, only Kastellans and Destroyers.

[Vel'Cona]

Nice batrep!  The only concern I'd have with going 100% Phosphor on the Kastelans is that it leaves you vulnerable to a Deep Strike charge or some of the faster monsters in the game.  Without at least a PF or two, you can't really fend off opponents in melee as effectively and Falling Back with the Robots wastes their shooting phase (especially given you could swap Protocols and lay down some serious hurting with the PFs).

 

As an aside, are you playing 40k in a pub or something? 

[Charlo]

Congratulations on a great game!

One question: when you talk about "Elimination Protocol" do you mean the "Elimination Volley" stratagem? If so, please double-check my reading of the card, because I think you can't use "Elimination Volley" on a team of Kastellans and Breachers, only Kastellans and Destroyers.

 

Aye I do, and it was Destroyers I used it with :)

 

Nice batrep!  The only concern I'd have with going 100% Phosphor on the Kastelans is that it leaves you vulnerable to a Deep Strike charge or some of the faster monsters in the game.  Without at least a PF or two, you can't really fend off opponents in melee as effectively and Falling Back with the Robots wastes their shooting phase (especially given you could swap Protocols and lay down some serious hurting with the PFs).

 

As an aside, are you playing 40k in a pub or something? 

 

True shout, maybe adding in two fist guys to the unit (but with Phosphor on the back) would work. It certainly would have helped me murder the Possessed and Berzerkers a little more, rather than sit there slowly losing guys to multiple failed saves!

 

Aha, it is indeed a pub in London. Our gaming group basically overtake the lower level on Wednesday and Sundays!

[anarchistscourge]

Charlo, I would love to know what pub as I work in London and would be great to come down and see some games every now and then!

[Charlo]

Sure - we are Hackney Area Tabletop Enthusiasts (ironically the HATE club!)

 

£5 a go if you want to play games (all tabletop welcome, space is first come first serve) highly suggest you join the facebook group if you'd like to come down and find an opponent or see when some 40k is happening :)

[Ammonius]

Aha! I didn't see where you had both Breachers and Destroyers!

 

After seeing your report though, I really do wish the strategem was for both types of Kataphron, since Breachers have the better save.

[Charlo]

I was impressed with the Breachers. Really cool for fighting something like Dreadnoughts. Just one arc rifle getting through has the same power as a Lascanon!

[CombatVet]

Excellent thread and I love the battle reports. The pictures really add to the narrative.

 

As an old Empire fantasy player I am a big fan of you Robots paint scheme. Well painted also.

[Charlo]

Cheers dude! It was easier than I expected!

 

If I do more robots (a fist and flame squad for example) I'll choose a different rogue trader era scheme :D

[Charlo]

Very tiny update, but I decided to suck it up and get the forge fanes into production.

 

Everything bar 10 Skitarii isn't really painted and I need it all to a tabletop standard for the end of March Mega Apocalyse I'll be taking part in.

 

...Plus I want to paint my new Custodes too!

 

Just the red & blue down on a base of Leadbelcher and the first nuln wash started on a few.