What to build with the Skitarii boxes, advice sought!

[Meatcaber]

Hi all,

 

Recently bought 2 Start Collecting Skitarii boxes and the AdMech Codex and not sure what to build everything into. Looking to build a Battalion Detachment as an allied force to my Blood Angels so wanting something to sit in my deployment zone and shoot stuff.

Think I am definitely going to build 2x 5 Rangers with Aquabuses and one Dunecrawler with a Neutron laser and 2x heavy stubber. Not sure what to make with everything else.

 

Have been facing Flyers, last week I faced Eldar with 3 skimmers and yesterday I played against a Stormraven, so now thinking of building the second Crawler with an Icarus Array. If not facing Flyers the Protector Imperative stratagem can be used to give the model BS2+ even when shooting non-flyer units which seems like a good use of a CP. That said, if I gave both Crawlers a Neutron Laser I could use the same stratagem to give it a BS 2+ against Flyers. Both Crawlers will get a Broad Spectrum Data Tether. 

 

Not sure what to make with the other 10 dudes, thought to keep them cheap and use them to shield the Crawlers and HQ's. The rangers have better range but the vanguard have more defensive potential. Plasma Calivers look good but maybe that's just more of an incentive for people to wanna kill them. So, I'm really not sure what to make as my 3rd Troops slot. What would you build and why?

 

Are the Omnispex and Enhanced Data-tethers good to have? 

 

For the HQ's, will build a Enginseer and a Dominus to repair the Crawlers and provide them with re-rolls. Not sure how to equip the Dominus, should I go shooty or kit him for melee as a kind of counter assault unit combined with a unit of Vanguard? Bearing in mind my Warlord will likely be BA, but if it's worthwhile making this guy WL so he can take a certain WL trait/relic, then I would definitely consider it. How do you run yours?

 

Am going to roll with Stygiess VIII for the -1 to hit, since I'm looking at building everything into a purely defensive role this seems like the logical choice. Plus, the red and black colour scheme will match Blood Angels quite nicely. 

 

Just looking for some advice and would really appreciate some! Thank you in advance 8)

 

MC

[Vel'Cona]

If they're just going to camp, you'd might as well go with more Rangers since they're cheaper and have far better reach.  I wouldn't bother with any special weapons in that case, though spreading around Transuranic Arquebus is a good idea (rather than piling them in one smaller unit).

 

The Omnispex is good if you want to get the most from your special weapons.  The Enhanced Data-Tether is a more subtle buff which is most useful on larger units (basically, 10 strong), though remember that it stacks with the "add 1 to hit" Strategem (can't remember the name) for +2 to hit rolls, which is nice for overcoming to-hit debuffs (which are becoming increasingly prevalent).

 

As for your Warlord, since BA don't have their own Relic/Warlord Traits list yet you'd get a lot more flexibility out of making your Dominus the Warlord instead.  I like the Necromechanic WT to get the most from repairs, but Monitor Malevolus is nice for generating an extra CP on occasion.  For equipment, the Dominus is really best as a mid-range fire support model and he should be repairing your units as much as possible; his melee potential isn't bad, but you can tool up BA Characters better for this role so I'd stick with kitting him out for shooting; a Conversion Ray or Phosphoenix can give him some solid ranged potential, depending on what you need him to target the most.

[synthaside]

Welcome unto the glory of the machine god,  I've been lurking here for a while and collecting ad mech myself for about 8 months, so I've done Exactly what you have done with quite a few start collectings.

Im surprised you're lacking in stand back and shoot power as Blood Angels, they are combat focused but still have all the regular toys marines do.
One of my regular opponent's las devastators does a whole lot of damage to me on a regular basis.

For your troops,  from two start collecting sets, i would build the following to get 4 squads of 5  which will help fill out your troop choices.

• 2 X rangers with transuranic Rifles  (  2 special weapons in a  5 man squad and you get 1 of each type in a  start collecting set)
• 2 X Vanguard with plasma calivers.
• 2 X Rangers with  Arc rifles.
• 4 X Squad leaders  with any pistol ( i don't pay for them to have them just give them the galvanic rifle) power weapon I use taser goads for Vanguard, as they get more combat  , power swords  or mauls for my rangers .
• 6 rangers  1 holding  omni  one with tether   ( usually my opponents don't care if the model shows it and not paid for)
• 6 vangard  1 holding Omni one with tether     ( however they can sometimes complain if it has got it and isn't shown)
   

The careful among you have realised you are 2 special weapons short of making 4,  5 man squads ( cheers GW)
but have a bunch of spare pistols  left over from the squad leaders you get 3 choices for each model  I use 1 of the pistols  and  1  of the spare weapon pistols from the  Tech-priest dominus model to make up two duel wielding pistol vanguard  ( it's not a perfect the bionic arm looks a tiny bit  weighty) but its the correct right and left arm and none of my oppoents have ever argued that that guy didnt have a special weapon I like the phosphor serpenta  part from the Dominus.

Not the best picture ...  but i had no idea i was going to be telling anyone about it when i took the photo's they were just for me ;-)
Guy in the middle next to the plasma caliver
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1WBoTOE7_p2iZ5uAVxVZn-1U9tmkKZKYmJQ

For the  dominus models i prefer to equip them with the macrostubber and Volkite blaster to keep them as cheap as possible ... plus they often end up shooting into then charging into combat so that pistol is valuable don't forget this guy can do some serious damage on a charge I had one finish of Dante last night ;-)   

For two onagers I would build them swappable . Its actually very easy to do with the model and I'm not suggesting magnets.
Once you dry assemble the onager body  and gun assemble you will see the the neutron laser  and Icaras array don't share too many parts.
Use bluetack to swap over the few parts that are not perminat rather than  magnets as  im still just starting out.

While i was making mine up i realised you can even do this mutli weapon atrocity a neutron array   ;-)

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_d0ceqj3R5VZUhudlBLVm9Cck0/view?usp=sharing

 

Edited October 26, 2017 by synthaside

[Yoda79]

As synthaside said but don't make 6 vang. I haven't made a list of 8th with more than a stock 5 man vang. Rangers are cheap and could be seen as 3*5 stock so might need a magnet there or just make some with the extra heads . I use rangers and all my special weapons got multi head. The analogy explain is the best but make sure you get rangers as possible.

 

And yes I bought more bases for snipers since I need 4 . Might wanna consider that already. And yes you definitely need 3* rangers and 1* vanguard . As I use them.

[Meatcaber]

Thank you for the comments and suggestions :)

 

Maybe just 10 Rangers as a bubble-wrap for the Crawlers is the way to go, maybe a data-tether to keep them around a little longer, even if they pass a single morale test thanks to the re-roll it has made it's points back, and they'll get a Ld boost from the Crawlers they are shielding. Or perhaps 2x 5 'naked' units, one for each Crawler?

 

The two Aquabus units won't be deployed with the clump of HQ's/Crawlers/Rangers, was thinking they would be deployed anywhere up to 18 inches away, preferably in cover, to prevent deep-strikes going after the main 'clump'. Would have to position them carefully so I could create a a large null-space in my deployment zone, forcing my opponent to place his deep-strikers midfield. That's the theory, anyway. He may just shoot them dead then threaten my Skitarii in his next turn.

 

Do have some 'stand and shoot' stuff like Predators etc but my BA are generally get in your enemy's face and shoot stuff, then charge and cave their faces in! Usually have Mephiston as Warlord with the Legendary Fighter trait, this gives him 5 S10 attacks on the charge, usually hitting and wounding on 2's, has been pretty good so far. This won't prevent me from giving the Dominus a relic, Phospheonix looks decent and might combine nicely with one of the other gun options he can take. 

 

Are you saying I won't get 4 Aquabuses in the two boxes, synthaside? Just to be clear ;)

 

If what you say is true, I could safely build the Neutron lasers and the Icarus array and just swap them around as and when needed. Might involve a bit of modelling though I'm sure I could manage that.

 

If simply taking 3x5 man squads just as Troops tax, that means I could build the other 5 with different special weapons, maybe 2 Aquabus, 2 Arc Rifles and a Data-tather, this way I can swap them in and out as needed. Could be a sensible idea :)

 

 

[MagicHat]

Here is an album showing how I magnetizes my Onagers.

 

I would probably go 2 ranger squads of 5 with 1 aquebus each and 1 ranger squad of 5 with 2 Arc Rifles. 

The rest of the 5 either barebones vanguard or vanguard with 2 plasma.

 

I remains skeptical of Alpha upgrades. Keeping them with their rifles is cheaper and importantly gets you more range. Melee arm can be magnetized, but I would generally avoid it. You might intend to go into melee with Vanguards to Rad the enemies for your BA, but the points spent on upgrading an Alpha with melee weapons is probably better spent upgrading a marine instead.

Similarly, for 5 men squads, I don't think either omnispex or Data-tether is worth it.

[MithrilForge]

You've been given a lot of data to process there!, after you sort your troops out and you want to add something else... Get a box of Kastelans and equip them as shooty bots... That's probably going to be your best support firepower unit to assist your blood angels, apart from your Onagers.

Your last idea of 3x5 stock units with various add ons is very sound for a starter army, keep them as bare as possible if all there doing is being shooty speedbumps, you can always get more troops later to expand your units with alpha's and special wpns

 

Cheers, Mithril

Edited October 26, 2017 by mithrilforge

[synthaside]

Apologies for my slightly beer-addled reply, I've just got home from a work "charity" event .

inside 1 start collecting the set , you get  the bits to make 10  Skitatri   total,   1 X Transuranic Arq,  1X plasma  caliver   1 X Arc rifle  ( one of each  special weapon  on  spru )
the  7 other guys are your choice  of a pistol and power weapon to make a squad leader   a longer rifle  to make a ranger  a shorter carbine  makes a vanguard 
typically people use the unhooded heads for vanguard and the hoods for rangers.

Parts wise they all use the same torso and leg bits  so your choice per start collecting is to ether make 1 squad of 10 knowing you will have a mixture of special weapons

or follow my instructions earlier to make two squads with the spare bits from the dominus as a seconf special weapon guy .

In your two start collecting sets you will get the bits to make two snipers...  and as our codex states per  squad of 5 rangers or vangard you may take 2 special weapons  and   
1+  extra if you take a  ten man sqaud , many people find they want to run 5 man squads  2 specials a sqauad leader and 3 basic dudes.

If t you want to maximise your usable unites i'd make them as i suggested in my first post it doesn't matter if they are rangers  ( longer range)  or vanguard  ( shorter range)  
 i think as a blood angles player you will have better short-range guys but whatever you do  I strongly suggest putting rangers with the sniper rifles as snipers cannot move and fire and   the rest of the squad needs that longer range.

I personally prefer vangard carrying my  plasma guns as they are assult weapons  and ideally suited for my vangards mad dash towards the enemy
Arc rifles are a bit of an all rounder, master of non but are nice and cheap on the points .

[Meatcaber]

Apologies for my slightly beer-addled reply, I've just got home from a work "charity" event .

 

 

Quite alright, I've read worse :D

 

 

Thanks again for the help and suggestion everyone, much appreciated! Special thanks to you, synthaside   

 

So I collected my boxes after work this afternoon (with the %20 off RRP we get, of course :D) and will probably start building them over the weekend. Haven't had a proper look at them yet but have had a gander through the Codex and written up an army list to start with. Hopefully I'll get to try it out at my local games club over the next couple of weeks, still struggling to find people to play though, am lucky if I get one game a week. The club is just a generic games club where we play everything, 40k players seem to be in the minority there. But I digress....

 

So, I'm going to build the following:

 

2 dudes with Arc Rifles

2 dudes with Aquabuses

11 dudes with mostly Galvanic Rifles - will sprinkle in a few carbines in case I want to use Vanguard.

3 dudes with Plasma Calivers (will bosh a 3rd one together) 

1 dude each with a data tether and omnispex (don't have to actually include them in my army, but nice to have just in case) and probably carbines as well. 

 

Gaming group is very relaxed so they won't mind if one or two models aren't equipped with what they should be. 

 

I'm kinda liking the idea of taking a squad of 10 dudes with 3 plasma calivers and using the infiltrate stratagem to get them into a good position, they'll be great in a support role for the BA elements and also useful for seeking out objectives and so on. But to start I'll be using 2x5 Rangers with an Aquabus each and 5 Rangers with 2 Arc Rifles. 

 

Both Onagers will get Neutron Lasers (can still use that +2 to hit stratagem if facing Flyers) as anti-tank, and 2 heavy stubbers each for extra dakka. And I'll still assemble an Icarus array and maybe one of the other gun options as well though I doubt I'll use it much, if at all. Neutron and Icarus will be most useful in my meta as almost everyone brings vehicles of one description or another. 

 

Kastellans will definitely be on the list of things to get (right at the top) and I saw a box in the store when I was there.

 

Can post my army list or pics of my building/painting progress if people would be interested in that. 

[synthaside]

People  love to follow along with a growing army,  For the kastalans  i've got two  legit GW ones but as you mention your group is very relaxed you could try  Riot Earps Mock Kastalens  I'm going to build two  myself for a really cocheap alternativeive,, its a few posts below here on the forums. I think they work out about 7.99 each and you will have the spares you need from the Onager's unused guns.

[Meatcaber]

They look really cool :)

 

Are they much bigger than the official GW ones? They look like they are but it's hard to tell. 

 

Considering I've just had to spend £2000+ on my bathroom I am definitely on a budget for the next while, these could be perfect when I get round to boosting my AdMech (gonna stick with what I have for a while, though).

 

Posted up a potential tournament list in the BA army list section as my club is talking about doing one soon - they tend to run tournaments for various games on Saturdays, the last 40k one was maybe 6 months ago. Didn't attend as I am new to the area but I am really keen on attending the next one!  

 

Thanks again for all your help guys, you've been wonderful ;)

[Riot Earp]

Finaly got an size comparison up.

The other robot is also from gundam 3€ a piece from taiwan and has more the size of the original kastelans. But they are very monopose.

 

Size https://imgur.com/gallery/YXaQU

[Riot Earp]

Seller is called ispielzeug and he is from singapure.