Wh40k 10th Edition Adeptus Mechanicus Index

[TrawlingCleaner]

Beep Boop

Edited June 16, 2023 by TrawlingCleaner

[Craig]

After all the marine indexes being released first, seeing infantry with such low wound stats makes them look super weak.

[Burni]

After glancing through this, I’m super unimpressed. Shooting has been gutted throughout and I’m not seeing much that makes up for it. Number of shots has either stayed the same or actually gone down! But now you hit less often… I thought [heavy] was going to be the saviour of the change to 4+ but its not that common in the index. EDIT: As TC points out, there's the doctorine to help. Still not feeling good about this index though.

 

I liked the elite shooting army theme - that’s one the reasons I collected them. I was thinking of selling them anyway but this has made it an easy decision.

 

I hope others are seeing more value here but the sky is falling for me.

Edited June 14, 2023 by Burni

[TrawlingCleaner]

2 minutes ago, Burni said:

After glancing through this, I’m super unimpressed. Shooting has been gutted throughout and I’m not seeing much that makes up for it. Number of shots has either stayed the same or actually gone down! But now you hit less often… I thought [heavy] was going to be the saviour of the change to 4+ but its not that common in the index.

 

I liked the elite shooting army theme - that’s one the reasons I collected them. I was thinking of selling them anyway but this has made it an easy decision.

 

I hope others are seeing more value here but the sky is falling for me.

 

The whole army gets Heavy through Doctrina:

You can also switch for one unit with a relic

[Bradeh]

13 minutes ago, Craig said:

After all the marine indexes being released first, seeing infantry with such low wound stats makes them look super weak.

 

 

They are never going to be comparable to Marines stat wise. 

[Craig]

4 minutes ago, Bradeh said:

 

 

They are never going to be comparable to Marines stat wise. 

I didn't mean to directly compare them, I just meant that because all the power armoured stuff was released first it seems odd to see 1w troops and 3w characters in the same league as what we've already seen. I'm sure they're great in other ways to compensate but I don't play them so don't have much opinion on that.

[Dried]

Honestly... It feels again like an army I can play without my brain melting.
So I take it.
I only skimmed it but it feels a lot like 8th codex for me.

[Nagashsnee]

While it will all depends on points, i can make this work. Some solid solid choices, MVPs seem to be Breachers (very good anti vehicles and super easy to get full re rolls) Dunestriders (4++ and some solid guns which are heavy for hittings) and electro priests which have built in FNP and 5++ and can be made pretty lethal with some character support. 

 

I can see a core of 2-3vanguards and breachers around belisarius (granting them all stealth to begin with) marching up board while rangers and dunestriders hold fort and the skirmish units nip around. 

[Madao]

If the points are right, the era of Dunercrawlers begins. T10, Sv2+/4++, Laser is (IMO) way better than in 9th.

 

Sticky objectives on Rangers is nice, but unit size set to 10 models is not nice, as I have several 5s built

[Orange Knight]

Something has irked me.

 

I specifically went out of my way to make large 20 man units in 9th edition. I even converted a few extra Skitarii Alphas into regular line troops. Now the units are back to a maximum of 10...

[Nagashsnee]

7 minutes ago, Orange Knight said:

Something has irked me.

 

I specifically went out of my way to make large 20 man units in 9th edition. I even converted a few extra Skitarii Alphas into regular line troops. Now the units are back to a maximum of 10...

 

GW is a cruel and fickle mistress and should never be trusted. 

[Dark Legionnare]

9 minutes ago, Orange Knight said:

Something has irked me.

 

I specifically went out of my way to make large 20 man units in 9th edition. I even converted a few extra Skitarii Alphas into regular line troops. Now the units are back to a maximum of 10...

For my Orks I keep plenty of magnetized bosspoles and klaws floating around. Even though poles are not a thing in the rules anymore; easy way to make/markout "nobz" to adapt to GW's ephemeral design choices of squad size, rules, etc...

Buddy has run into this exact same issue as of this morning with his AdMech and was glad I had told him back in 2021 to paint up and keep a few fancy heads and swords aside as well as magnetize at least one other body per 20 to have changeable head and shoulders.

I was expecting this coming. GW does this CONSTANTLY and I got burned hard on Plague Marines from 8th-9th (as many did) 

[Quantum]

Though I like the concept of each tech-priest type having its own specialty, I cannot get used to the idea of the Dominus being unable to repair vehicles.

 

Is the Dragoon with Radium Jezzail worth it? 4+ hit with a single shot seems a waste on a unit that could otherwise take a Taser Lance.

 

And where are the Canticles of the Omnissiah? Only Cawl has them?

Edited June 14, 2023 by Quantum

[Nagashsnee]

3 minutes ago, Quantum said:

Though I like the concept of each tech-priest type having its own specialty, I cannot get used to the idea of the Dominus being unable to repair vehicles.

 

Magos? Belisarius Cawl apparently has no idea how tanks work or how to fix them, tho he does claim to have designed a whole bunch. 

[brother_b]

I’ll come back to comment more, maybe in the admech forum.

 

First hot take: Why did they keep two separate yet soooo similar profiles for the Kastelan phosphor blasters? 
 

Second hot take: I’ve got a lot of army revamping to do but happy I have two Neutronagers.

[Marshal Mittens]

Unless points are extremely low, the army as a whole seems pretty weak. Most armies army wide rules buff them, but admech just gives you 50% of your lost stat line back. 

 

There are a few units, that if the points are right, will be pretty decent, but for me, personally, this does not spark joy the way indexes for my other armies did. 

Edited June 14, 2023 by Marshal Mittens

[Magos Takatus]

This sounds fairly miserable. At least Skitarii have learned to sit on each other's laps so that they can fit in the Transvector now?

[MagicHat]

I mean, we have good options for melee, range, AI, AT, mobility and Power of Friendship synergy going for us. I expected worse so this looks kinda ok, some weird decisions aside.

 

For stratagems, Baleful Halo, Lethal Dosage, Aggressor Imperative and Vengeful Fallout all looks useful.

Bullwark targets units that are 6+ or 5+ invul already, but it could be used if a Skitarii unit must survive. Extinction order is unreliable, but if the opponent have bunched up a group of units to hold an objective, it could save the day (with radiation!).

 

All our enhancements have their uses. Omni-steriliser on a Dominus with volkite blaster and you get 24" A6 BS3+ AP0 D2 with devastating wounds that trigger on a 2+ for infantry. Plus the makrostubber or serpenta shots... Or the Manipulus can put it on his transonic cannon.

 

If I am reading the Datasmith ability correctly, if you fail to change the protocol, another datasmith can try to switch? Also, you could have 3 Datasmiths herding 2 Kastelans. Aegis protocol put you above pesky autocannons and Multimeltas on the field.

 

Why are phosphor weapon stats all over the place? And why are the heavy variants usually inferior heavy bolters?

Lets look at their profiles, all of them ignores cover:

Onager Phospor blaster 36" A4 S6 AP1 D2 twinlinked

Heavy phospor blaster, 36" A3 S6 AP1 D1

Kastelan phosphor,       24" A3 S6 AP0 D2

Phosphor blaster,         24" A1 S5 Ap0 D1 RF1.

Phosphor blast carbine 18" Ad6 S6 AP0 D1 blast

Phosphor Serpenta       18" A1 S5 AP1 D2

Phosphor blast pistol   12" Ad3 S4 AP0 D1 pistol

Twin Phospor pistol     12" A2 S4 AP0 D1 pistol twinlinked despite having 2 A.

Phosphor pistol           12" A1 S4 AP0 D1 pistol

Utter anarchy.

 

Not all that impressed by the Kastellans, but fist/blaster might be interesting depending on pts.

 

Ironstriders lost a lot of shots, assault, and BS, but gain+1 T, 5++, fall back and shoot and twinlinked + sustained hits.

 

Kataphron Breachers are INSANE?! Or maybe I am? T7 3+ save 3 W. They have Doctrina Imperatives, and they have heavy arc rifles. Turn 1 conqueror imperative. Hopefully they get into 18" of the enemy and unloads 4 S8 AP3 D3 shots into the enemy with their paltry BS4 re-roll all misses because you brought Vanguards along, why wouldn't you. Anti-vehicle 4+ obviously. Not sure why you would bother with the Torsion cannon, they are meant to be up close, but it is not even a bad weapon. But what about melee you ask? They hit like WS4+ Vanguard veterans (The elite melee combatants of the Imperium with the finest wargear), but even VV doesn't get Anti-vehicle 4+ in melee. Or the breachers can have 2 WS4+ S8 Ap2 D3 attacks instead. Also, they still re-roll all attacks.

 

Destroyers aren't as impressive in comparision. Grav went from 5A AP3 D1 (2 against 3+ saves) into 4A AP1 D2 Anti-Vehicle 2+. Plasma A fixed at 4, but I would argue hazardous is worse then the previous rule for 1 mortal wound for each 1 to hit.

Cognis flamer is apparently just a normal flamer now, and the phospor blaster is underwhelming. They do overwatch on 5+ though.

 

Onager picked up T10 (Good improvement) 2+save 4++ and can somehow waddle its way over terrain less then 4"... At the price of BS4+.

Neutron laser is fixed 2A, S16 AP4 Dd6+1 with blast and heavy, so arguably buffed from old S12 D3 shots Dd3+3.

Phospor blaster lost 1 AP and halved A for twinlinked, so probably not worth it any longer.

Eradication beamer only gained 1 S (S9), lost 1 AP, but did gain sustained hits d3. I don't think it accomplishes anything the Breachers can't do.

Icarus is weird. Daedalus gained S10 AP2 Dd6+1 with Anti-fly 2+, the autocannon and rocket launcher was combined into 6 S8 AP1 D2 with twinlinked and Anti-fly 4+. It is still decent AI though.

 

Skystalkers (and all elite Skitarii) gained T4 but did lose BS3+. The carbine did get 1 more A that roughly balances it. Can no longer fall back and shoot or leave the battlefield, but they can move shoot move 6", or 12" if they end wholly within 6"of battleline. Pretty funny stuff.

 

Sterylizors lost AP on their flamers and talons, lost A on the charge and can't fall back and charge, but did stay S4 in melee unlike the Stalkers, not that either of them should engage. Forces a hit opponent to lose 2" M and 2" advance/charge rolls on a 4+ roll after shooting for 1 enemy unit, but automatically passes if a battleline within 6" cheers them on. That could stop an enemy unit that is within 12" from charging them I suppose.

 

Raiders kept Devastating wounds, but can't target characters and gained another A, with works out better for the unit. Cavalry sabres apparently does nothing, Somehow, Tactica Obliqua have returned, but now trigger from an enemy moving within 9", and they just move 1d6", unless they can get wholly within 6" of battleline in which case they move 6". Quite a reduction from the normal move of old. 

Also, throughout the AdMech rules, Rangers, Vanguard, Breachers, Destroyers and now Raiders and Sulphurhounds had their unit sizes changed. Could Electropriests be in 20 man units at some point? It feels like they could. Just pick a size and stick to it!

 

Sulphurhounds, every weapon they carry lost 1 AP, and their flamer went down to S3. Rad-saturation is gone, replaced by a mortal wound charge on a 4+, boosted if battleline unit cheers them on 6" from their charge.

 

Now here is where it gets interesting. Servitors, they can join any unit joined by an enginseer. Put them with destroyers, take 2 plasma cannons, maybe the sustained hit enhanchement on the tech-priest. BS6+ base, 5+ with tech-priest and heavy for BS4+, which is what we should expect really. Not important. The enemy needs to go through 4 additional T6 models, and the hazardous tests is decided per unit, and you decides who dies. Plasma cannon servitors can protect your destroyers from overheating. They can also be put into skitarii units for some heavy weapon support, although the Engineseer must be in the same unit.

 

Infiltrators and Ruststalkers are sadly WS4+ and GW just can't make up their mind what Ruststalkers weapons are supposed to do. Obvious choice for the advance and charge stratagem, thanks to their bonus to advance/charge rolls, and the Princeps goes in with 4 WS4+ anti-infantry 3+, devastating wounds with precision hits. With the squad packing either devastating wounds or anti-infantry 3+ they look quite likely to kill a 4 W character.

 

The Skitarii Marshal, alas how the mighty have fallen. Puny weaponry. Can only join battleline skitarii. Can re-use a stratagem, but it is not free. Re-roll to hit for the unit and you can use a stratagem even if they are battleshocked. Could be okay.

Also, will never receive rules for the sword he carries, mark my words.

 

The battlelines looks okay. Both the basic weapons and all the special weapons looks fine. Rangers can sticky objective and scout 6", Vanguards reduce OC of enemies within 3" by 1, but they lost old Rad-saturation and 4+Sv, so they don't want to be close to melee. Can help take objectives if you are willing to lose them though.

 

Disintegrators... Every weapon changed. Arguably better if stationary with heavy.

 

Dunerider... Something is odd. Transvectors have 4 stubbers on the model, yet fires like 3 twinlinked ones with its array. Dunerider also have 4 stubbers, but fires like 3 with no twinlink. They can unload after advancing so looks good for a turn 1 Conqueror, maybe to bring battleline up the field for turn 1-2 shenanigan friendship stuff. 

18 shots in rapidfire with sustained hits and AP1 if shooting at enemy deployment in conqueror, which is decent firepower for a transport.

 

Dragoons have their stealth and 5++ and the sniper is now D3 and anti-infantry 3+ with AP2. There is potential there. But the 2+ Anti-Walker lance is just so funny. Seems roughly the same.

 

Tech priests lost repair and have the same list of units they can join, but only 1 character/unit.

Both electro-priests, both kataphron and both battleline Skitarii.

 

Dominus lost BS, W, repair and slightly worse main weapons. Doesn't matter, because omni-sterilizer is great on him, his Axe got 1 more A, and he messes with vehicles in melee. He also gives out FNP5+ (Sorry DG) which makes Breachers even more obnoxious, and they gives him re-rolls to hit (Do the squad rules carry over to characters?).

 

Enginseer oddly enough have identical stats for the axe and the servo-arm, making the extra statline pointless. Unfortunately the Omnissiah's blessing is not as incredible in AdMech as it is for the Guard as most of out vehicles already have 4++ or 5++. Disintegrators appreciates it though. Note that any model can be repaired, but the 4++ is limited to vehicles. Otherwise he can bring his servitors along for ablative wounds or heavy weapons on the field, but he doesn't do anything else for the unit. If a vehicle dies he becomes a reasonable melee unit with 7 WS4+ S6 Ap2 D2 attacks.

 

Manipulus hands out lethal hits to all weapons and a once per game 4++ I think I prefer the Dominus bonus.

 

Technoarcheologist randomly swings in with 3 WS4+ S8 Ap2 D2 Anti-vehicle 4+ devastating wounds melee. Keeps reinforcements 12" away and grants +1 OC. Could be good for electro-priests possibly?

[Mechanicus Tech-Support]

Good write up, did miss that if you attach the datasmith those kastelans the robots now count as infantry and get effected by anti-infantry AND anti-vehicle shooting.

 

Breachers probably going to carry us this edition unless they get slapped with a nerf.

 

Still salty but trying to hold off till I see gameplay

Edited June 15, 2023 by Mechanicus Tech-Support

[Nagashsnee]

Bring on the poiiiiints! Sweet Omnissiah on this at least show mercy and actually price the nerfed stuff correctly, i mean i hope they price it all correctly. Also a day 1 faq for the datasmith would be great ! 

[Dr. Clock]

Woah... Goonhammer just lambasted the index something fierce... I understand most of their points, mostly re: Detachment ability just being overall undercooked.

 

Writing some lists, I basically figure that any/all infantry become worthwhile only if you add a character, maybe? So I'm building toward 2 each Marshal, Manipulus and Dominus, and then having each in a 10-man Skitarii of some fashion. So likely 2xManipulus + Rangers, 2x Dominus + Vanguard, and one each Marshal/Ranger, Marshal/Vanguard. Basic idea is throw skitarii forward for first couple turns while Rangers do their thing from deployment, and then bring hammer down and switch to assault if needs be, but otherwise just chill.

 

With calivers, haywire and arquebus' all over, 60 Skitarii for a quarter of points seems pretty decent. I appreciate that it does feel a bit Guard with extra steps... I don't think a 4+ save would have been out of order considering there isn't really a 4+ save imperial army even though Eldar/Drukh and Votann are all in that niche.

 

Ballistarii at 1 shot each at 4+ before buffs feels like a slap in the face to be sure. So it goes...

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[Marshal Mittens]

Honestly my admech are going to stay on the shelf until the codex, at least. I strongly suspect that robots are being released for 30k which will be in the codex for 40k too, and maybe everything was nerfed to help force people to buy them. But almost everything seems very nerfed. Far more so than other codexes. 

[Cactus]

I wouldn't hold out much hope for cross-system releases. The sales strategists calling the shots don't want us using one army in two games, they want to sell us two armies.

[Quantum]

Okay, so, the general opinion is that the AdMech Index is weak and/or a downgrade of the 9th edition codex.

 

Unfortunate, but how can we best use what we do have?

 

In my case I have been collecting and building AdMech, but never played a game with them, something I really want to correct and the arrival of 10th edition I chose as the perfect moment.

 

So Forge World Fermya is going to war, mediocre Index be damned!

 

So anyone has any good ideas how to use AdMech in 10th?

 

My own observation is that all character units seem to have a specific role to boost a particular aspect of the army. I would use the Technoarcheologist in a Vanguard unit to help claim enemy-occupied Objective Markers, while the rangers would focus on getting to empty Objective Markers first, claim them, then set up in firing positions and use the range of their guns to full effect. Here the Manipulus may be a good character to add.

Since Ruststalkers have a slight bonus to their movement while close to battleline units, it may be interesting to have them behind the rangers and vanguard, avoiding damage as much as possible until either a piority target unit is comes within charge distance or a battleline unit needs help in close combat.

Though I am definitely going to use my Dominus (because it is an awesome model), I am not clear where he do the most good. Mine is equipped with Volkite blaster & phosfor serpenta, so for shooting, so its dataspike rule is wasted on him if everything goes right. I guess that Kataphron Destroyers are a good match for a bodyguard unit: this way he can confer FNP5+ on my biggest infantry guns hopefully keep them shooting a bit longer.  

 

 

[brother_b]

I’d think twice about attaching a character to vanguard or rangers. Those units are extremely fragile and you can only take up to 10 models.

 

Kataphron are a natural choice. Maybe priests if you have them.

 

If you really feel like attaching a character to your skitarii I’d lean towards a back line unit of rangers and go with the marshal or techno archaeologist for screening.