Hard Data 2: Electropriest Boogaloo

[Xisor]

Greetings, technoclergy. Ave Omnissiah.

 

It's been some time since our last congregation, but is seems sensible to have a long, rambling conclave on matters doctrinal, ecumenical, and pragmatic.

 

Please upload your own data sets for consumption and analysis.

 

Foreword: This initial post does not contain any reflections or remarks on electropriests. Subsequent contributions may.

 

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Today I had my first game of 8th edition, an almost entirely Skitarii force (save for the Tech-Priest Dominus), and as a starting point: I was thoroughly tabled.

 

Diagnosticae Overview

 

I'd note that, principally, my failure comes from a few areas:

1- I forgot about half of the rules, permanently - only noting them late on. (And, as my opponent was a GW Staffer, he was routinely with his mind elsewhere assisting customers!) Rules entirely forgotten were: stratagems, relics, Warlord traits, warlord aura, my own Ad Mech specific objectives, Canticles of the Omnissiah, and Forge World traits. So just a few bits...

 

2- My failure wasn't necessary, as much as it was simple complete - I achieved a lot of the objectives I was dealt (indeed, aside from being wiped out, I think it was tending to a 7-5 victory; but I scored all of my first five objective cards, so I assume the tech-priests in orbit were satisfied with the sacrifices made by the rad-troopers and rechlimators).

 

3- I was much more playing to learn the ropes and get a feel for things.

 

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Preliminary Analysis

 

I did make a couple of observations: most notably that rapid-firing arc rifles weren't too bad at all against vehicles. Get them in close, no trouble!

 

Moreover, I found myself yearning for the Goliath transports I've been eyeing for a while.

 

Thirdly, I'd be very keen to proceed with a Tech-Priest Dominus kit-bash wherein it's modelled much more as a Skitarii Alpha, rather than a Tech-Priest proper.

 

Finally, Trans Uranic Arquebus squads seemed quite effective in this instance in forcing enemies of Knowledge (a minor librarian-commander "Ahriman" or some such) to stick very tightly to impenetrable cover to steer clear of them!

 

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Contextual Parameters

 

We were engaged upon a 4'x4' board with a large degree of mostly scenic/inaccessible terrain pieces. Many were viable, but the bulk were simply big line-of-sight blockers.

 

It made for a beautiful board to play on, but I think I'd prefer to fight with more functional/accessible terrain pieces. I enjoy a good city-fight.

 

Broadly speaking, my list was shy of 1,000pts with as follows:

Van ----------------- x10 - 3 Plasma, Taser Goad, Phosphor Pistol, Omnispex

Van ----------------- x10 - 3 Arc Rifles, Arc Maul, Arc Pistol, Omnispex

Vanguard ------------ x10 - Power Weapon, Rad Pistol, Enhanced Data Tether

Rangers ------------- x05 - 2 TUA, Omnispex

Rangers ------------- x05 - 2 TUA, Omnispex

Dragoon ------------- x01 - Taser Lance

Onager -------------- x01 - Eradication Beamer

Ruststalkers -------- x05 - Chordclaws and Transonic Razors

Tech-priest Dominus - x01 - Eradication Ray, Macrostubber

 

My intent had been to pick forge world trait "Metallica" as I thought it represented the Skitarii's racing advance into the jaws of oblivion itself. They made it, but they had to walk more slowly whilst my cogitators caught up...

 

My opponent's army was:

Ahriman

2* 10+ Rubric Marines

2* 01 "Contemptor 'Hellbrute' Dreadnoughts"

 

I wasn't doing too badly, and the TUA squads were *very* effective at, as mentioned, drawing fire and forcing characters to hide.

 

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Conclusions

 

It was a very fun, very non-serious game, but great for getting to grips with the differences from 7th to 8th edition.

 

My conclusions are twofold:

1- Personally, I'd like some Goliaths/Arvus Lighters to get my skitarii moving a bit more. Being Metallica seems a good way to off-set that somewhat, but I'm getting the feeling that something rickety-yet-ubiquotous would suit my own 'not-quite Skitarii' tech-guard.

2- I really need to remember the rules. I may write myself a cheat-sheet so I can recall my own intentions more quickly. An interface dashboard.

 

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Immediate Actions for Further Investigation

 

I got a strong feeling of third edition from playing the game. I think I'd be very tempted to follow suite on that and try a spot of min-maxing prior to acquisition and field-testing of the above transports.

 

As such, I think multiple (x4) 'bare' Vanguard and Ranger squads, a set of arc^2 breachers to anchor/intimidate people, and then use the remainder for some robots/dragoon/onager action.

 

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Addendum

 

Compared to more recent models I've built (this year as opposed to early last year), I really would be keen to shade-and-highlight the Skitarii coats and helms more than they currently are. Some earthshade/oil on the coats will darken them down a touch, whilst a light touch of something lighter on the raised edges and heads might making them 'pop' a little more nicely.

[Magos_Adephus]

Hello, brother. The flesh is weak, but the machine endures!

 

After reviewing your findings, my cogitators have formulated several data packets you may find useful:

 

1. Same here, I forgot literally everything my first 5 games. A cheat sheet helps immensely. I've been working on one to remind me all the things that go on in a single turn basis, like Infltrators dropping in, Tech-Priest healing, Canticles, Kastellan Protocals, etc. Haven't fully finished updating it to the new Codex yet, too many possible gorram Stratagems.

 

2. List looks alright, but you'll want to consider switching the Onager's weapon to the Neutron Laser, it is so much more powerful than the Beamer. Also Ruststalkers are of dubious usefulness but in the right hands I believe they have great potential.

 

3. Dude. Thousand Sons. :cussing Thousand Sons. Any psykers are the bane of our army, and Thousand Sons is the king of psykers. NEVER feel disheartened about losing to Thousands Sons.

 

4. Sorry, but transports are factionally locked, and currently AdMech has no transports. It's gonna have to be the footslog mate.

[DeStinyFiSh]

Missleading name, but a good idea to start a new Hard Data collection here since now enough people should know how we roll.

 

I myself had 3 games as a beer and pretzl gamer since the codex has been released, in total maybe a little more than 10 games in 8th.

So here my Hard Data for HQ (rest will follow later):

 

HQ

 

Belisarius Cawl (thanks to my phones auto correct called Carl) is still ab beast, but not as he used to be in 7^th. His damage output is amazing, in CC as well as when shooting. The problem: He is to busy buffing your gunline so that he will barely get into range. So he wont be the guy leading your tinmen to the front, but he can hurt a lot when you need to counter a charging enemy.

His Aura is amazing, as everyone might know already: He is especially good in combination with double fireing Robots.

His second ability to „correct“ the result when rolling for Canticles is great as well. If possible try to keep up Shroudpsalm every round.

For me he is an auto include in every single Mars army, which forces you a little bit to field a gunline type of army as soon as you decide to go Mars.

A big change compared to 7^th: He isn't that tough anymore ! He still has got a 2+, 5++, T6, W8 and can repair himself, but he lost his rerollable FnP and thanks to a lot of multi D weapons (Laser, Melter; overcharged Plasma etc) he can more easily be killed in 1 round of shooting before you get the chance to fix him. So do never leave him alone just because his profile looks amazing, keep him behind you lines as long as possible.

 

The Techpriest Dominus is the most common HQ I guess. He costs a good amoint of points, but he is absolutely worth it. His main purpose is not to kill stuff, but to buff your army and keep it functioning. My main loadout is Volkite and Phosphor, so the shooty variant (no idea how good he can get in close quarter fighting when equipted the right way), WLT and Relic depends on the rest of the army.

He is not as good as Carl, but thanks to the rerolls of 1 he makes our shooting way more reliable. In addition he keeps your guys alive thanks to the repair ability. This is especially helpfull for Onagers, Robots, Ironstriders and other Characters, but can also be used to heal a wounded Servitor or even a Sicarian. His shooting wont kill a lot on its own, but it can hurt, and if the opponent gets to close he can stand his ground against a lot of opponents. A lot of WLTs make him an even better support unit, so it is pretty likely that the main force of the army will stay close to this guy.

All in all absolutely worth it, but 2 is the maximum neccessary for most armys since he his kind of expensive.

 

Which brings us to the Techpriest Enginseer. Not the Skitarii HQ I was hoping for, but thank the Omnissiah for moving this guy to the HQ section. Commandpoints are very important for Ad Mech since we have some pretty strong Stratagems, but fielding 3 or more Tech Priest Dominus just to get additional detachments just sucked.

But other than beeing a cheap HQ tax we do not get to much out of this guy. Other than beeing a HQ unit his main job is to stand next to a unit (Onagers most of the time) and keep them alive... thats pretty much it.

The Autocaduceus of Arkhan Land is a pretty good choice for him.

I am planning to run a list with 3 Knights and support them with a small Batalion Detachment. Thanks to Enginssers it costs only very little points but grands us additional 3 Cps to keep the Ion Shields rotating and 2 repair dudes to keep the big guys running. Make one of them your Warlord with the Necromechanic ability and heal up to 4 wounds per round on the Crusader that is standing next to you thanks to Tech-Adept Stratgem.

 

 

That is my conclusion regarding HQ after going through all my data collected so far.

Edited October 23, 2017 by DeStinyFiSh

[Xisor]

TL;DR 83 PL Adeptus Mechanicus (Metallica) against Ahriman's Thousand Sons. Four Fistbustor robots lost in an effort to take out one Contemptor Hellbrute. Almost unsuccessful. Two simultaneous robot explosions took out my Datasmith. One lost entirely to mortal-wound smite spam. Lack of invulnerable save in close combat was a nuisance.

 

Main issue was a combination of some untimely poor rolling and being hugely forgetful as a player. Useful data gathering though. On small board, my penchant for lots of Vanguard + Metallica format feels ultimately superfluous. May switch to Lucius/Graia/Stygies.

 

Subject: More Zappy, Less Slappy

Electropriests: Five

Magi: Three

Robots: Four/five/dozens [citation needed]

Sorcerers: Five

 

Today I sent my Skitarii Legion (elements of the Pi-9-2 Skitarii Maniple overseen by Magos Technoarchaeologist Tertia Aneli-χ Noether) and Legio Cybernetica (the Attatorium Maniple under Cybercontroller Accavine Pomex), to engage in a probing strike to eliminate an active techno-relic of infamous Prospero, one 'Contemptor Robotics' pattern chassis operating under the domination of Renegade Astartes librarians of some obscure and ultimately forgettable breed.

 

The target relic was identified, neutralised, and sanctified, at the cost of four Kastellans (two of which are entirely recoverable, two of which undertook power-core detonations in an effort to acquire the target) and sundry mechano-organic costs which are viewed to be inconsequential.

 

In the process, the Renegade Astartes displayed no shortage of psychic-endowed operatives. Indeed, the lack of regulation markings or ident-signals clearly indicate that the renegades have not only abandoned Imperial Law, but also eschewed proper battlefield protocols. I am no Dominus, but I have zero doubt that this suggests that Renegade Astartes operations may be dabbling in far fouler ideas than 'mere' bureaucratic radicalism. I have a mind to engage the Adeptus Astra Telepathica at first opportunity (once techno-recovery is completed and obedience rites fully observed) to indicate the depths of the negligence in their oversight of the Imperium's psychically active abhuman population.

 

---

 

Supposition Citation

 

On recovery of the relic, after the "victorious" Renegade Astartes departed the field having surely achieved their own barbaric ends, it was observed that not only was the bulk of infantry armour (including hitherto unheard of configurations of Tactical Dreadnought armour, surely some bastardised "impr*visati*n") absent of the field (indicating the war band incapable of sufficient subsistence levels of resupply), but a similar absence was found inside the recovered chassis - suggesting that the Renegades valued the infantry armour to a far higher degree than the robotic chassis. Moreover, it suggests that they were utilising it for the dubious 'Dreadnought' configuration rather than as its appropriate bio-wetware configuration that such a robotical marvel surely deserves.

 

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Commentary Regarding Performance of House of the Sparking Sigil's Disciples of Onnes - A Corpuscarii Electropriest delegation

 

Whilst their force was minor, it is noted that they attracted attention from the enemy only when no other targets of opportunity presented themselves. I suspect that multiple small congregations may be effective in 'flying low', though with certain strategem doctrines available, one might well make use of a more singular cohesive force.

 

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On Robots

 

The lift-assister configuration seems poorly outfit. Re-alignment with the Lucian Doctrine may serve the expedition better - shipboard teleports, whilst expensive to deploy only (on a planetary scale) infinitesimal distances seem massively preferable to the potential damage that these precious relics can suffer when left to deploy in pedestrian manners. Stygian deployment stratagems may also be preferred to enable high-proximity commencements.

 

Vulnerability to overwhelming (read: Mortal Wounding) force makes them useful as distractions, but fundamentally pushes the Kastellan shell to the extremes of its durability, perhaps indeed to excess, given such esteem relics. Re-outfit with specialised-ammo heavy-stabbers is still considered and rejected as a gross insult to such majestic relics of the Omnissiah.

 

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Magi Dominum

 

It should be noted that enhanced operational doctrines were allowed for two Skitarii Alpha in this operation - one from the ranger sphere and one from the vanguard role. These allowed the overseen Magos to effectively work in triplicate by widening their sphere of influence.

 

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Necessity of a Command & Control Dashboard

 

My Dominus protocols are still not fully integrated, so I foresee potential savings in mechano-organic waste in repeats of such an engagement. Marshalling the fullest extent, implication, and scope of all Canticles, Strategems, Unit Signatures, Relics, Specialisms, Warlord Traits etc is still a non-trivial problem.

 

A bespoke dashboard which can be quickly updated based on the specifics of the battlefield situation (e.g. group state gems by what can be used, when) or setting algorithmic reminds for procedure of operations (e.g. roll canticles *then* move, move so healing can be conducted) as well as outlaying specific combinations.

 

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Thought for the day: The glorious magnificence of the Omnissiah shines a burning light on the failings of its devotees and enemies alike.

[synthaside]

+++++++++ Subject 0100100010  +++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++

                  Knowledge is Power,  shared it brings dominence of the heretic     
                      

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Attention Enginseer Xisor 

Please find attached the following datasheet, https://i.redd.it/wg007zw7ac7z.png , Study its truths and include its wisdom in your battle tactics you shall surely better serve the Omnissiah, recommendation combine with weapon statistics of current forces upon double-sided data tablet for reference during combat.

Seek not the advantages of other forge worlds , Metallica's strength does not lie with the Cybernetic construct, but within the emotive force of the Faithful Corpiscari priest, fleet and mobile vanguard,  very few battlefields are so small and with objectives to centrally placed , so surging forward upon the enemy with unrelenting firepower, engaged by both Corpiscari and even the mighty space marine crumbles his tough exterior unable to survive .

Utilise your Skitari especially Sicarans to assault the foul Witch and ensure protection from their foul wounds Mortalas.

Dominus  Synthaside
 

Edited January 18, 2018 by synthaside

[Subtle Discord]

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Cogitator: Online.

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Data Inquery: Self-preservation Subroutines (Read: Moral)

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Display Text: Feedback on the use value of the Omnispex versus the Data-Tether when issued to Vanguard.

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Timeline: Open - Immediate input not required, feedback at leasure appreciated.

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+

[Tyriks]

++

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Cogitator: Online.

++++++++

Data Inquery: Self-preservation Subroutines (Read: Moral)

+++

Display Text: Feedback on the use value of the Omnispex versus the Data-Tether when issued to Vanguard.

++++

Timeline: Open - Immediate input not required, feedback at leasure appreciated.

++++++

+++

+

I'm on my phone so I'm not going to take the hour or so to format this, haha.

 

I find the omnispex to be useful most games. The data tether is very useful every now and then but often makes no difference, especially in msu squads. The data tether also technically can hurt you more, also, but they do improve the doctrina imperative stratagems. I tend to slap a few omnispexes into squads if I have points left over, but I don't prioritize them.

[Xisor]

Ditto re:formatting, today, Explorator Tyriks!

 

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Magos Discord,

 

I specifically mixed in my lone data tether (of three #01010 Vanguard squads and two #00101 Rangers) from my front line all-rad squad over to my three-plasma squad. The rest make do with four omnispices.

 

The omnispices are useful for underlining the irrelevance of cover to your opponent's continued survival, but on 'key' squads that are *likely* to get the Imperative (in my case, only one squad has plasmas, and the TUAs are MSU), the Data Tether is very useful indeed. Or at least: it gets used.

 

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Dominus Synthaside,

 

That is an *excellent* flow chart. I'll reverse engineer it and overhaul it to 8th Edition Codex-aligned with due haste. I figured a good starting layout for my strategem cards too, so as to be easy to conceptualise and narrow my options. If I can incorporate that & tweak it too... We might have a optimal arrangement!

[synthaside]

++++++++++Subject +++++++++
+      flogging a  dead joke,        +

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Apologies the sheet is from Index edition Ad mech, this is what I mockup before each game adding and removing lines / units if im using them for fast reference checks ...  of course, I take my codex and cards but its so much quicker than flipping through the book when your not sure if a weapon is  -ap or -2.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xDY0zi0zasCgwOQY1qf76YwaBou48uaFSKblfYd0xkg/edit?usp=sharing

I print my flowchart a4 then pop the paper back in and print the sheet , i look foward to seeing your optimised version , im sure theres better ones out there but the goal for me was  1 page of A4 , to tuck into the front of my codex ... 
 

Edited January 19, 2018 by synthaside

[Xisor]

It is extraordinarily good. My vision for improvements has faltered a bit, but I'll try to reignite it.

 

In other news:

 

It occurs to me that Fulgurite Electropriests is a silly name for them.

 

They also have deeply disturbing connotations: superhuman vigour from siphoned electrical life force. Why wait for battle? Why not immediately obliterate some devoted techthralls moments before battle to get that glorious 3++ save?

 

As I said, silly name for them.

 

Should be: Ampires.

 

Also room for ohmnivores, more generally.

[synthaside]

Ampires .... Get out :-P     surely its Voltpires,

I've been putting together some priests .and it appears I may have been an idiot and built the significantly worse ones.

In my Imagination, I was thinking ... ooh, tesla shooting and reasonable fighting at just the price of not getting the better invuln ...
then I saw the WS / difference   : - ( .  

Edited February 7, 2018 by synthaside

[Tyriks]

It is extraordinarily good. My vision for improvements has faltered a bit, but I'll try to reignite it.

 

In other news:

 

It occurs to me that Fulgurite Electropriests is a silly name for them.

 

They also have deeply disturbing connotations: superhuman vigour from siphoned electrical life force. Why wait for battle? Why not immediately obliterate some devoted techthralls moments before battle to get that glorious 3++ save?

 

As I said, silly name for them.

 

Should be: Ampires.

 

Also room for ohmnivores, more generally.

I'm actually certain fulgurites and corpuscarii names got swapped accidentally and no one noticed in time.  Fulgurite comes from Latin "fulgur" which is a flash of lightning (would make sense for the guys who shoot lightning from their hands) and corpuscarii looks like it comes from "corpus", Latin for body, which would make sense for the guys that beat stuff to death.  

 

With regards to the voltagheist field, I assume they believe they are eating something's soul to power the machines, so it would probably be heresy to do to a devoted servant of the Omnissiah. Or at least I hope it would!

[Xisor]

Synthaside - I fear I've roughly done the same, I've got two units of 5 corpuscarii and one of 5 ampires, (strictly it's an 8/7 split, but because I mixed in flagellants, it's easy enough to segregate the 'proper' fulgurites from the others) - though I'm reviewing this as perhaps not being quite so bad. Th ampires are the 'real threat', but having lots of the others around might be sufficient to make people panic and ignore the combat ones.

 

Tyriks - I think you're probably right on the switch-up front. It does seems a bit back-to-front. (I recall this being something of a theme for the Ad Mech - that perhaps some of the weapons got switched around too, accidentally. E.g. the taser goad and taser lance look fairly similar to tuning forks, yet the sonic-based weapons (chordclaw and transonic bobs) look much more like 'variant power weapons'.

 

Similarly, the oddness of the 'heavy phosphor blasters' looking a lot like (e.g. identical to) heavy stubbers. I could see the same being the case for the Destroyers' 'phosphor blasters' too.

 

 

 

As for the enemies versus friends - you might plausibly (and suitably grim-darkly) argue the converse: to eat the infidels, but an honoured sacrifice of the faithful.

 

From a narrative sense, it's also a handy means of disposing of otherwise problematic followers/troublemakers.

 

"No, you're not being executed, you're being honoured! You wouldn't disrespect this blessing, would you?"

[Magos Takatus]

Tyriks - I think you're probably right on the switch-up front. It does seems a bit back-to-front. (I recall this being something of a theme for the Ad Mech - that perhaps some of the weapons got switched around too, accidentally. E.g. the taser goad and taser lance look fairly similar to tuning forks, yet the sonic-based weapons (chordclaw and transonic bobs) look much more like 'variant power weapons'.

 

Similarly, the oddness of the 'heavy phosphor blasters' looking a lot like (e.g. identical to) heavy stubbers. I could see the same being the case for the Destroyers' 'phosphor blasters' too.

 

 

I must agree. Something weird happened while the two Mechanicus books were being written. I agree with the tuning fork and phosphor arguments in particular.

[Battybattybats]

"Ohmnivores"

I'm the only one in the house awake right now and stifling the laughter that would wake everyone else was a real challenge.

 

Phosphor weapons look like stubbers because they mechanically are. But firing phosphor ammunition. Tracer rounds turned up to 11.

[Magos Takatus]

It's just a bit strange that the Heavy Phosphor Blasters looks different across the range. The Onager guns look different to the Kastellan ones and the Kastellan guns aren't consistent even on the same model. The shoulder-mounted one looks closer to the smaller Phosphor Blaster on the Kataphrons than the arm-mounted guns. It sometimes seems as if there was going to be more variation in weapons at some point and then they changed their mind and lumped them all into either Phosphor or Stubber territory. It also seems odd that they needed a Phosphor pistol and a Serpenta yet those two weapons look completely different from each other.

 

I would love to have been able to watch the decision making behind some of this stuff. I think it would be genuinely interesting.

[Xisor]

"Ohmnivores"

I'm the only one in the house awake right now and stifling the laughter that would wake everyone else was a real challenge.

I'm ever at your service!

 

"Ohmnivores"Phosphor weapons look like stubbers because they mechanically are. But firing phosphor ammunition. Tracer rounds turned up to 11.

Yeah, I agree - I did a bit of "analysis" (daydreaming) on that front - my take is (not especially exciting, but it's a neat line of thinking that I find interesting, but I'll spoiler it to hide it out of the way)

that Galvanic rifles/TUA are actually stub rifles/stub arquebus, albeit with galvanic and TU ammunition. Same goes for non-Kastellan-arm-mounted phosphor blaster - they're likely stabbers or heavy stabbers with phosphor ammo.

 

Similarly, I supposed that radium weapons are actually autoguns (well, auto-carbines, predominately) with radium ammunition modifications.

 

That means, in my esteem, that you'd surely be able to outfit a 'downgraded' Skitarii army where everyone is toting autoguns, stub-rifles, stub-arquebus, autocannons, and so forth. (Similarly 'incendine combustors' can go down to being 'mere' heavy flamers.) You could strip cognis off folk as well.

 

And, by the flip, you could actually up-equip the macrostubbers and stub-carbines of the Dominus & Sicarian Infiltrators to fire phosphor/galvanic/trans-uranic rounds too.

 

In Ad Mech gameplay terms, it'd be a nightmare to balance (I proposed a 'low grade' tech-guard list where they only come by way of access to stratagems, but I've only done a little bit of work on thinking that through.) But conceptually, 'in the background', I think it's pretty compelling.

 

Indeed, an 'alternate build' of Skitarii Vanguard is pretty reasonable, in my esteem, to be 'count as' Militarum Tempestus Scions - 4+ armour & fancy lasguns. Certainly, along that line, I could easily envision doing the reverse, and counting some MT Scion units as 'more' Vanguard units. Its just that their modifications to the lasguns are... slightly different again.

 

 

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I digress.

 

NEW DATA INCOMING

 

I actually had opportunity today to field my endearing 'Electropriest Boogaloo' vanguard formation.

 

It was 2x1000pts (with my peer being Death Guard - 2 bigger squads of DG infantry, teleporting Deathshrouds, a blight drone and, I think, Typhus), versus Ynnari (the trio of Ynnari characters, plus about 15 Reaver Jetbikes, 30 Kabalite Warriors, a wraith lord, some rangers, two raiders, perhaps some other things?)

 

My little force consisted of:

A Battalion of: 1 Dominus, 2x5 Jazzhand Electros, 1x5 Electroleech Steves, 1 Engineseer, 5xVanguard (1 Arc Rifle), 5x Rangers (1 TUA, Omnispex), 3x Breachers (Heavy Arc Rifles, Arc Claws), 1 Dragoon with Lance, 5x Ruststalkers with chord/razors

A Vanguard of: 1x Inquisitor, 3x1 Acolytes (HSLGs), 1x Culexus

 

Discharges from the Ampires - what the transduce?

 

The ampires performed very well indeed. Gave my opponent quite the fright, mid-game. (I suspect they'd be picked off super-early next time.) Electroleech Steves seem absurdly powerful, given that things like 'force staves' are sort of non-entities.

 

The ten jazzhanders were excellent fun too, most notably because the opponent was trying to get up close and personal with the DE Warriors - it meant I could just get into the edge of range with them and blast away. Think I had some good rolls, but a fair volley of cheap S5 shots isn't to be sniffed at. (Indeed, it felt a lot like how rad carbines were last edition. Buckets of dice, I imagine.

 

It also made me feel a little sad that I had them running alongside my 'prime' Tech-Priest Dominus (I have three now - the standard one in mitre, one done up as a Boss Ranger, and one as a Boss Vanguard) - now wish to have one as a Boss Kataphron, and more particular to this discussion: one as a Boss Electroopriest (henceforth: an Electromagnate).

 

I'm not sure of which model(s) I fancy kit bashing it off, but as I await the construction & priming of my Goliaths for my skitarii units, this is now the prime focus of my Adeptus Mechanicus - making a TPD for the electropriests!