How to start this game?

[Mandragola]

The only difference is that the newer book includes some fairly minor changes from the FAQ. You still need the FAQ though, so in effect there’s almost no difference.

 

The GME is quite good. It and the newer starter together combine really well, as you’ll have thick card terminals for all your engines. It was never a good starter set - too much money and doesn’t give you a legal army - but if you can use the contents then it’s decent.

[Brother Dallo]

I believe the GME book is hardback and the other is softball, with identical rules content (soft back may include some erratas), but I don’t have both, so don’t quote me on that.

 

I’m sure someone else will confirm/deny this theory.

 

Dallo

[Sword Brother Adelard]

After a year or so, I've essentially ended up with two GM sets from people who bought it but didn't go any further with the game. The main advantage has been the terrain, lots of frames which, if you don't the buildings as the instructions tell you, you can make some decent options.

 

And yes, the GM book is the same content, bar the cover, erratas in the newer one AND, I think the newer book used a Reaver for the example pics, whereas the old book used a Warlord.

[schoon]

No. the rulebooks are not grossly different. The new softback one incorporates much of the errata.

[Wordy]

Thanks all. Another question please, what is/are Errata?

[Sword Brother Adelard]

Errata are updates to the books issued after publication to correct errors and ambiguities in the original document

[General Zodd]

Thanks all. Another question please, what is/are Errata?

If you go to the Warhammer Community page, navigate to the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section, then under Horus Heresy you’ll find the Adeptus Titanicus FAQ which includes the errata for all the books published so far. If you have trouble finding it ask back here.

[Wordy]

Once again, thanks for the responses guys, much appreciated.

[LameBeard]

Hope this isn't necro-posting.

 

Here's my situation: my son has pestered me to start Adeptus Titanicus with him. We have a rulebook and the new maniple boxset on their way.  So please don't tell me this was the wrong choice because things are in motion which cannot be undone.

 

He's bagsied the Warlord. Neither of us want the Warbringer, we will sell it on. That leaves me looking at a Reaver to start I guess, and using the Warhounds to try to balance it out. Since this is quite a lot of cash for us to be splurging in one go, I won't worry about supplements and legio-specific rules just yet.

 

My questions for the forum as an Adeptus noob:

 

1) I guess I need terrain? Will it have to be massive to make any difference to a Warlord?

2) Can I busk it without the special dice and templates?

3) Is one Warlord vs one Reaver and two Warhounds even going to be any fun as a game - or still too unbalanced or too few options for Warlord player?

4) Most importantly, what Legio should I choose?

 

I think of myself as a bit of a heresy-buff but the titan legions is a big blindspot. My son wants to go with Tempestus (but Traitor).  I think this would look sweet on a 'Mars' base and that also fits the fluff I understand? What would be a good legion for me? I have looked online and seen plenty of colour schemes I like, but none I really love. Which are your favourites? Or shall I just paint Tempestus (loyalist) and then we combine our forces to take on the world once lockdown is over?

[schoon]

Welcome, Princeps!

 

1) Yes, terrain is fairly important, but you can make almost unlimited amounts of it with one sheet one "pink board" insulation from your local home improvement store. No need to buy the expensive stuff.

 

2) Going without the dice would be a challenge, as some are very specific to the game, but making the necessary templates out of cardboard would be easy.

 

3) Will it be fun? Yes. You can also pre-damage the Warlord to make a game of Warlord + Warhound vs. Reaver + Warhound. You can balance wit h objectives or other things. If you both like the game, then you can think about "what's next."

 

4) Pick a Legio whose style (colors) and play style you like. Everyone's different, and the recommendation for me wouldn't work as well for others.

[SkimaskMohawk]

Rulebook and precept is a great way to start,but bite the non-bullet and get the starter kit too.

You'll be able to actually have a selection of units and you'll get most of the peripherals, which is important because unfortunately you kind of need the reactor and d10 dice, as well as the templates.

 

I'd really consider not selling the warbringer. The aesthetics aren't for everyone, but it's very good and also adds variety. It kind of depends on weapons and skill, but a single warlord would get hosed by the reaver+hounds; warlord+reaver vs. Bringer+hounds might work pretty nice.

 

For terrain try and get dropzone commander buildings or battlefield in a box stuff. They suit AT very nicely and don't look like the wrong scale.

 

Tempestus on Mars basing is fluffy, but more fluffy for loyalists actually. Legio kind of just depends on either scheme or fluff or playstyle. You find the best combination of the three.

[Gattopardo]

If you want to be strictly fluff-accurate, Tempestus split. Most of the Legio turned traitor, but the element that was stationed on Mars remained loyal (and was wiped out in the Martian civil war). There's some nice detail on this in the novel Mechanicum. And there'll no doubt be more detail in the Traitor Legios book, whenever we get that.

 

As for which Legio you should go for... that's kinda impossible to answer! It depends a lot on what you like in terms of paint scheme, background and playstyle. Presumably you'd prefer a loyalist Legio to face off against Traitorous Tempestus, but GW have been at pains to point out that even avowedly traitorous Legios such as Mortis had loyalist elements, so you've got free reign really. And you can always come up with your own.

[Mandragola]

 

1) I guess I need terrain? Will it have to be massive to make any difference to a Warlord?

2) Can I busk it without the special dice and templates?

3) Is one Warlord vs one Reaver and two Warhounds even going to be any fun as a game - or still too unbalanced or too few options for Warlord player?

4) Most importantly, what Legio should I choose?

1. Not really. Eventually I guess, but for now you can use whatever random ruins and trees (Which will actually be to scale).

2. Weeell... I know you said you didn't want to be told you'd bought the wrong thing, but if you'd bought the starter set you'd have these. The good news is you can probably get them off ebay for fairly reasonable amounts, from someone who bought the starter set for just the models. Or you could just buy the starter set because it's incredible value. The good news is that the stuff you've bought is excellent value, so you haven't made a mistake exactly. Put what you get for the Warmaster towards a starter set.

3. It's a start. One Warlord vs a Reaver and Warhound is kind of balanced, ish, but not a great game. You'd be a bit better off if you could still add the warmaster to the mix on one side or other.

4. Don't choose yet. There are ~30 Legios and you'll need to know the game a bit to understand their strengths and weaknesses. Or else just pick one for its colour scheme and fluff, because actually they all work fine. AT is a game determined by skill, not by the Legio you chose.

[Sword Brother Adelard]

1. Specialised terrain won't be necessary, but I second the dropZone commander kit. £20-£25 for a table of city buildings in the right scale.

2. You could probably get round not having the dice, but you'll need some charts to convert the options for the reactor and location dice. You could use a spinner for the scatter I suppose? But honestly, the starter box is the boy here. The value is really, really good. (You almost get the rules, most of the Warhounds and the Knights for free compared to the cost of two new Reavers.)

3. The starter kit will sort out 3. But with a good amount of terrain (even cans, just anything to block a bit of LOS) it could be fun to play as two hounds stalk a warlord.

4. Make one up. That's what I did, and it's fun!

 

Anywho, if you're UK based, drop me a PM and you can have a set of dice for the postage. I have three sets thanks to circumstances, and your need is greater than mine,you will probably need some damage counters too I imagine of you don't have the assets frame?

 

Also, thinking about it, I bet you don't even have the arc templates?

Edited April 22, 2021 by Brother Adelard

[Mandragola]

You will probably need some damage counters too I imagine of you don't have the assets frame?

 

Also, thinking about it, I bet you don't even have the arc templates?

Honestly this is why the starter is the starter, and the maniple box should be seen as an expansion for it. The starter has all the stuff you need to play and unfortunately the maniple doesn't.

 

Edit: Since nobody else has said it yet, here is some advice on making your new models.

 

First up, look forward to making probably the best models you'll ever have put together... but also some of the most complicated.

 

Right now, order yourself some 5x1mm round N52 magnets (N52 is important because these are the strong ones). They've not at all expensive and you're going to need a bunch of them. It's essential that you do not glue the guns that come with your Warlord onto it, because they are good only for having it overheat and blow itself to bits. It's far too expensive a kit to use as a paperweight because it has an awful weapon set up. At some point in future you'll want to order some resin guns for it, but the priority now is not wrecking it.

 

The legs are the tricky bit. An awful lot of people have messed up their first Reaver titan, unfortunately. Pay really close attention to the instructions because there are a lot of bits that look interchangeable but which are not. For example there is a right and left foot, the thighs are different and so is the armour that goes on the shins.

 

Also, don't be fooled by the ball joint at the Reaver's foot. Stick the foot straight to the end of the leg, or later on when you come to attach the armour you'll find it doesn't fit. There's no spare space for the pistons and their armour to move around in. Reavers can be posed by tilting the feet relative to the ground but never by bending the ankle joint at all.

 

Here are a couple of examples of what you can do by filling under the feet and bending the toes, while keeping the feet straight on the end of the leg.

 

 

[

 

The Warlord and Warhounds are much less of a problem. Don't go crazy with the warlord's ankle either, but you get a lot more freedom than the Reaver gives you. Hounds are no bother at all. The Warbringer is designed with tabs in its joints that will give you a safe (arguably boring) pose. Keep the tabs in the ankle joint and then do what you like with the knee and hip joints.

Edited April 22, 2021 by Mandragola

[LameBeard]

Can I just say thanks to everyone for the above posts. There is so much great stuff here and I will reply individually later if I can get on the desktop. Thanks most for the welcome.

[Xenith]

 

... there are a lot of bits that look interchangeable but which are not. For example...the armour that goes on the shins.

 

My gods, thank you, I hadn't realised this was the issue with my Reaver and thought it had slipped after glueing or something, I had both 'wide arch' shins on the right leg and low arch on the left, just prised them off and reglued for a perfect fit. 

[Sword Brother Adelard]

You can use that mismatch to your advantage in some poses.

[Mandragola]

 

... there are a lot of bits that look interchangeable but which are not. For example...the armour that goes on the shins.

My gods, thank you, I hadn't realised this was the issue with my Reaver and thought it had slipped after glueing or something, I had both 'wide arch' shins on the right leg and low arch on the left, just prised them off and reglued for a perfect fit.

Great. Glad to help.

Edited April 23, 2021 by Mandragola

[Gederas]

... there are a lot of bits that look interchangeable but which are not. For example...the armour that goes on the shins.

My gods, thank you, I hadn't realised this was the issue with my Reaver and thought it had slipped after glueing or something, I had both 'wide arch' shins on the right leg and low arch on the left, just prised them off and reglued for a perfect fit.

Great. Glad to help.

Branching off from this, the Warlord and Reaver's legs have a habit of being able to be glued on backwards. Pay attention to the instructions. I cannot stress that enough, don't be like me an nearly ruin a 60 or 110 USD model because you didn't RTFM properly :lol:

[Mandragola]

It sounds like this forum could do with a pinned post about building titans.

[Sword Brother Adelard]

I'm currently pushing the limits of the Warmaster's legs. You can actually push the ankle joint a LONG way and the toe piston plates will still work.

The three shin plates can also be glued together as a single piece and will pop on and off without breaking. This is very useful for dry fitting the toe piston plates, and will be ideal when I paint the camo pattern on later. It's much easier to carry a pattern across plates if they are glued together.

So far my only stupid error was confusing the toes, thankfully I spotted it before the glue was too dry.

[Mandragola]

That’s good to know about the shin plates. I’m planning to paint fire around mine, so it’s handy I can do it all in one go.

[SkimaskMohawk]

I'm in the same boat as mandragola, so that's great to know.

[Sword Brother Adelard]

The posability once you remove the tabs is insane. I tried my best with blue tac, but with separately articulated toes, toe pistons, toe piston plates, ankle joint, sliding and rotating rear toe piston, rotating knee and a ball hip joint I just didn't have enough arms!