Dynamic, Competitive AdMech?

[Prot]

I pose the subject as a question. I've had enough games of standing in a corner, or slowly plodding out to mid field. It's not a playstyle I personally prefer.

 

I started looking more at dynamic units. Some units do lend themselves to this playstyle. It seems easier to build a list of double shooting Kastelans and Wrath of Mars, but what about being more aggressive?

 

I found an extreme shooty list still has a lot of issues with being tied up,  and although not everyone plays Maelstrom or objective based tournament style games, I do find these types of games extremely difficult for AdMech even if I'm pasting my opponent.

 

I realize Mars is probably the least ambitious in this area, but they have other obvious advantages. So looking past the Dogma's, I'm thinking of going deeper into units like Dragoons, Sicarian Infiltrators, and even Assault Bots moving up with Aegis, and an aura at a pretty good pace.

 

Has anyone really put this to the test?

[Feral_80]

I'm more and more convinced that we should move away from Mars (see my old post: so Mars sucks ) - very attractive for its firepower, but also extremely rigid and overall quite boring.

 

The fact that we only have 1 special character and it's from Mars is a huge drawback of our - already quite limited and poorly designed - codex. It's a real pity.

 

 

Stygies is right now the most attractive alternative for mobility and a still good ability. Until hopefully FW fixes that, there is not much we else can do in any case: as the only faction around with zero transports and zero fliers, AdMech is literally a half-army compared to the others out there.

Edited November 10, 2017 by Feral_80

[Yoda79]

I would really love to see this happening but it's not super wise.

 

The overall toughness and the real strength of this army atm comes from shooting. But I'll contribute to your plan as possible.

 

Let's say we go off to the field and start roaming. We need to talk about a plan. Whats the plan?

 

We don't have a combination for that still.

 

My best bet would be stygies and graia. Of Mars that is. And Plasma Ryza both destroyers and plasma vang. For a mobile plasma force

[Prot]

I would really love to see this happening but it's not super wise.

 

 

 

I've never been accused of doing anything wise... I'm not going to start now!

 

 

Let's say we go off to the field and start roaming. We need to talk about a plan. Whats the plan?

 

We don't have a combination for that still.

 

My best bet would be stygies and graia. Of Mars that is. And Plasma Ryza both destroyers and plasma vang. For a mobile plasma force

 

Okay first thing is I'm stuck with Mars. It's what I play, it's how I have to make this work.

 

The "Plan":

 

- Let's say this is a moving Cawl Wall. Cawl is buffered behind advancing CC Kastelans. Cawl will aim for Shroudpsalm as usual, but rerolling 1's in CC as well.

 

- Additional mid buffer created by spammed Skitarii. Rangers/Vanguard that stop deep striking on deployment but they may have to be anti-spam in those rushing assault armies (orks,daemons,poxwalkers,nids,etc) Or they protect the anti-vehicle element....

 

- Onager Dunecrawlers with Tech Priest for rear guard long ranged anti-tank. (Vanguard may have to be flexible enough to watch this environment, or advance in front of Cawl Wall depending on opponent.)

 

- Flank Speed: Squads of Dragoons. Protect flank, push back infiltrators, grab objectives without involving Cawl wall. Dragoons + Strategem get 3 hits on 4+.

 

- Pushing the enemy zone: Sicarian Infiltrators. Sizable squad? Small Squads? These units always do well for me, but a larger squad can use Wrath of Mars to a great advantage.

 

Just some thoughts. it's been tough getting to objectives, and I'm starting to consider stuff like this.

[Frostglaive]

I can't guarantee this is competitive, but it's certainly aggressive:

- Stygies VIII dogma. Allows for the -1 to hit, plus that sweet, sweet infiltration stratagem.
- A unit of murderbots w/ fists utilizing that sweet, sweet infiltration stratagem. Drop them right into the face of the enemy. Your turn hits, spend a CP and switch over to Conqueror protocol to double attacks. Have your murderbots begin their murder spree. Definite risk of them dying fast, especially with no Datasmith to back them up, plus you can't switch back protocols anymore. This has worked for me some times, failed others. Really just depends who I'm fighting and what the Dice Gods have to say. Still definitely a scary sight for your opponent, so you do get a psychological aspect thrown in as well as a heavy-hitting unit right in their face.

- Sicarian Infiltrators thrown into reserves (we'll say one or two squads of five). Have them drop in for either objective grabbing or adding pressure to a weakened enemy flank.

- Squad of Dragoons flanking and charging as well. They'll be at a -2 to hit a fair amount of the time due to incense cloud and Stygies dogma. So they can soak up enough firepower to survive the charge (or die gloriously as a distraction Carnifex).
- After that, just typical Dunecrawlers and TPD sitting back blasting away at tanks. Your Skitarii running interference, being your human meat/metal shield, and potentially grabbing objectives
- You can also infiltrate some Fulgurite or Corpuscarii priests as well or instead of the murderbots. Copious amounts of mortal wounds or str 5 shots can still cause some mayhem on the enemy. Also, if the Fulgurite end up killing some units, they could possibly hold objectives as well w/ that 3++ invul and 5+ FnP.

I have found that infiltrating these things right into the enemy's face works best against Space Marine armies. From what I've seen, at least in my local meta, they can't put out enough shots to completely deal with murderbots right in their face, at least for turn one. Electropriests, that's more of a hit or miss for me. But the amount of havoc those units can cause, especially turn one, it's helped me win quite a few games now.

 

Edited November 10, 2017 by Frostglaive

[Xisor]

I think there's something to be said for being a mechabrigadier.

 

Troops: 6 small Skitarii squads. Operate them as a big group if you must, but they're principally some boots on the ground.

FA: Straight in with three dragoons or balisterii. Cheap and cheerful. More here if you want to press harder.

HS: Two Onagers (whatever you please), Two Kastellans (basically to put the fear of [Machine] god into your opponent and give them a meaty distraction).

Elites: Any mix of priests/infiltrators.

HQ: Again, as you please.

 

Keeping to cheaper squads but a wealth of Strategems means you have increased flexibility *and* less need to worry about maximising utility of any single strategem use.

 

That should leave bit of redundancy in the list too - with only the Kastellans being necessarily unique.

 

----

 

I haven't tried this, of course, but it's loosely what I'm leaning towards in the longer term for if I need a more solid 2k list.

[Heliomanes]

I found myself facing the same issues. I'll try to spend much more of my points on Stygies Dragoons and infiltrators and see if that makes the games more enjoyable. Going to test this 2000p list soon:

Stygies batallion -
Enginseer - necromechanic, autocaduceus
Enginseer

3x5 rangers

Neutron Onager
Neutron Onager

5 Infiltrators
3 Dragoons
3 Dragoons
2 Dragoons

Superheavy aux detachment:
Acastus Knight Porphyrion

[Prot]

My next list has to be sone variant of what I and others posted. With Astra and Eldar running amok it’s not enough to sit back and plink away with mars bots.

 

I also really want to use a knight as I believe we are the best at it. If I understand, I should be able to repair 2 HP a turn. And on turns with Shroudpsalm I can extend this for a +2.... does that extend to invulns? It’s been so long since I had cover and invulns together

 

If my list is aggressive enough I’m hoping to tie up units and entangle las and indirect fire.

[Yoda79]

6 Dragoons to attack 6 robots to mid control 3 onagers . Abjust where need . Personally I use outrider stygies 2*1 balistarii 1*4 Dragoons.

And I like also staff priests inf. As well. No problem since robots shoot anything down -2 - cover clearing obj. Dragoons are the best and balistarii can rush for more table control same as troops same as onagers. I don't get the problem I won't use a knight.

 

Onagers work extremely superb for me. Cawl as well. Robot are stationary but Cawl 9" is enough to push onager and troops usually leaving robots last unit back field. Dragoons and priests can do all I need with rest of support. 10 ranger won't be effective screen