Starting AT - Need some help for Direction

[Aquila Ignis]

Hello,

 

I'm new to the game and currently building up my first models. It's pretty fun TBH and I didn't expect the extremly well designed model kits.  Painting will start next week.

 

Nevertheless ... In the long run I need players to play with and I will try to find someone in my area, but I also want to offer some friends I played TTs with in the past some introduction games. Therefore, I would like to be able to field 2 rather similar introduction lists.

 

My idea was going 750 points with 1 Reaver and 2 Warhounds each. In this game, no Legio rule should be applied for complexity reasons. I still have to decide in which livery the models will march to the game.

 

Therefore I have 2 Questions:

1. What do you think about these 2 Intro lists? Keep in mind, the goal is to offer a diverse view on the game to learn the rules:

 

Demi-Maniple 1 (Venator Light Maniple)

Reaver Battle Titan Princeps Seniores (Swift Killer) (Total: 310)
- Volcano Cannon
- Laser Blaster
- Apocalypse Missile Launcher

Warhound Scout Titan 1 (Total: 220)
- Vulcan Megabolter
- Plasma Blastgun

Warhound Scout Titan 2 (Total: 210)
- Vulcan Megabolter
- Turbo Laser Destructor

Battlegroup Total: 740

 

Demi-Maniple 2 (Venator Light Maniple)

Reaver Battle Titan Princeps Seniores (Swift Killer) (Total: 320)
- Melta Cannon
- Gatling Blaster
- Turbo Laser Destructor


Warhound Scout Titan 1 (Total: 220)
- Vulcan Megabolter
- Plasma Blastgun

Warhound Scout Titan 2 (Total: 210)
- Vulcan Megabolter
- Turbo Laser Destructor

Battlegroup Total: 750

 

To be clear in advance: I never played a game, but read Goonhammer extensivly. Regarding the Weapon choice, I'm limited to those available through the starter. The idea is to use all relevant weapons on the Warhound. The Reaver loadout is in both cases the Goonhammer recommendation. I'm still thinking to swap a weapon for Powerfist/Chain Fist to learn Close Combat? What do you think?

The personal trait is in both cases Swift Killer, so we don't have to be particularly precise in positioning the Reaver to benefit from the Venator Maniple rule.

 

Since we play a Skirmish level game, 2 Stratagem points are available. Can you recommend me some which are useful and good for learning the use of Stratagems? (We never played a GW game in our group. This concept is completly new to us)

 

2. Choosing the Legio ...

It's most likely I do Legio Mortis as a main Legio. Besides the starter, I have 4 extra Warhounds available (2 from the LI starter without any cards) and 1 Warlord incoming. I want to go Ferrox/Axiom, maybe Lupercal with Mortis. The second Legio should be a good opponent for the Death Heads's but I hope the game will stick and then I would like to have the option to expand the second Legio as well.

I do like or dislike the following Legios for the following reasons:

1. Gryphonicus - Nice color scheme, but I somehow dislike "Lust for Glory" Legio Trait. I can't get a grasp how to use this rule in a game without limiting myself awfully. (Ferrox/Close Combat might be the way, but I want to do this with Legio Mortis)
2. Praesagius - Nice color scheme (not 100% convincing) AND rules are good (maybe too powerful compared to Mortis?), but painting white is kinda meh for me. Lore-wise, it doesn't make sense as well since they were butchered at Calth.
3. Tempestus - Nice color scheme and very fluffy, but the rules look underwhelming? I could go with a self built Legio rule, but I don't really like this idea. If so, I would have to do this for Mortis as well.
4. Fureans - Nice color scheme, nice rules. No loyalist Legio, but they were involved with Mortis in the lore and they can fight side-by-side. Painting yellow is doable for me, but I would aim for the same Maniples as I do with Mortis (especially the light ones). TBH, rules-wise Fureans makes much more sense than Mortis IMHO.

 

What do you think? Any recommendation from my list or do you have a different idea?

 

That's it for today. Thanks for reading =)

 

Best Wishes,

Thorsten

Edited September 1 by Aquila Ignis

[Noserenda]

Welcome to the best game! :) 

The forces look alright, not too optimised, variety of weapons to play with :) I wouldnt worry about learning close combat in titanicus, its just shooting with no range! (though melee reavers rock). 

Im sure people will give good advice on stratagems ad Legions, though i dont think you need either at first to get started, plus id always say for go a Legio that you like the paint scheme of most of all, like Fuerans, the choice of champions! :P 

[Deschenus Maximus]

Regarding Gryphonicus Lust for Glory, there are 3 ways you can make this rule work:

 

1) Melee, as you already figured

2) Go with fewer but heavier Titans (Extergimus maniple for example), pick smaller Titans as your Lust targets to eliminate them quickly and combine fire on the larger ones.

3) Force your opponent to deal with the same inability to focus down one target at a time by playing a maniple that allows you to share shields (Fortis or Regia) 

 

You can also mix and match these tactics. For example, you could play a Regia maniple but substitute one Walord for a melee Reaver.

[Mandragola]

Welcome to the best game GW makes!

 

If you’re after more warhounds I’d suggest heading to eBay. Loads of people are selling the ones that come with the LI starter. You’ll get a good price and different weapon options. On the other hand you won’t get terminals and cards for them - though these can be downloaded from Warhammer community. 
 

When building your titans you’ll find that you mess up the legs of your first Reaver. I did and everyone does. Parts like the feet and upper legs are right/left handed but don’t look like it, so everyone’s first reaver’s feet are on the wrong sides, for example. And the ankle joint is a trap - if you put any kind of angle in there you’ll find that the pistons keep the leg armour (which is also left/right handed by the way) from fitting on. 

Best thing is to stick it together with blu tac first and post pics. We’ll tell you how you messed it up and then you can glue it. 

[Xenith]

Hail Aquila!

 

Welcome to the forums, and indeed to one of the more fun games GW makes!

 

Your lists are exactly what I'd recommend to new starters - 2 reavers/4 hounds is prety much bang on 1500pts, is 2 venator maniples in a 1500pt game and can be broken into 2x venators for 750pt intro games. If you want, you can also run it as 1x full venator (reaver +4 hounds) and a solo reaver, but more maniples is more princeps seniores. 

 

The weapons you have on the hounds are 'optimal' as in the mkst efficient, however I'd consider switching them up a little bit for variation (make sure you actually magnetise the models, it's actually pretty simple).

 

If you can get the Imperialis warhound kit for the extra weapons, the swarmer missiles are really good, and some of the other options look amazing - I think I ran 

 

Venator Maniple - 750pts

Reaver, swift killer, apoc, laser blaster, volcano

Hound1 laserx2 (tempestus Chad lasers for extra range)

Hound 2 - 2x swarmer

 

Venator 2 - 750pts

Reaver, defiant warrior, apoc, gatling blaster, melta,

Hound - plasma, vulcan

Hound, plasma, vulcan. 

 

One wants to get close, and the other can strip shields and do damage from afar, which is quite fun.

 

I use Legio Tempestus so I can be both loyal and traitor as I like :D I often forget the traits, but they can be quite powerful, apart from the naff stratagem. The trait that allows you to power to locomotors for free on a charge order is great, as you essentially get free movement at the penalty of not being able to turn mid move, but you can still shoot at 100%. The legion trait requires you to be damaged, however the +1S to a weapon is great, and if you can turn something like a vulcan needing 6's to break armour into 5's, that's a 100% improvement ad you'll probably kill the target titan. Shoot on death has also caused me to take down more titans than I can recall, especially if you have an aggressive melta reaver, or plasma hound. 

 

[vadersson]

Hey all, just a small thread jacking.

Now that I have some titans from LI what are the main resources one should have to play AT?  I did buy the AT starter so I have the basic rules.  What other books would be recommended?  I figure the traitor and loyalist books are important, but is am not sure if anything else would be critical to pick up.  I hope get a warbringer and a warlord to add to my reavers and pack or warhounds.

 

thanks,

Duncan

[Deschenus Maximus]

14 minutes ago, vadersson said:

Hey all, just a small thread jacking.

Now that I have some titans from LI what are the main resources one should have to play AT?  I did buy the AT starter so I have the basic rules.  What other books would be recommended?  I figure the traitor and loyalist books are important, but is am not sure if anything else would be critical to pick up.  I hope get a warbringer and a warlord to add to my reavers and pack or warhounds.

 

thanks,

Duncan

 

Loyalist and/or Traitor Legios are essential. Campaign Compendium is nice to have if you want to a) run a custom Legion or b) run a Knight Household force.

 

Matched Play Guide is also a must... but is out of print, currently. A scan of it exists...

[DuskRaider]

7 hours ago, vadersson said:

Hey all, just a small thread jacking.

Now that I have some titans from LI what are the main resources one should have to play AT?  I did buy the AT starter so I have the basic rules.  What other books would be recommended?  I figure the traitor and loyalist books are important, but is am not sure if anything else would be critical to pick up.  I hope get a warbringer and a warlord to add to my reavers and pack or warhounds.

 

thanks,

Duncan

Get the Open War cards, they elevate the game to a new level and add so much more immersive gameplay. 
 

Otherwise, Deschenus nailed it. I also agree on the Match Play book if you don’t have all of the expansions. 
 

On the Titans themselves, a Warlord or two would be a great addition. Warbringers are one of the Titans that are weird as far as their place on the board. A lot of their weapons are draining so it puts a lot of stress on their reactor and they have access to some of the Reaver weaponry, but not all of it. I think they could be good in an Arcus Maniple where they’re using the Warhounds’ LoS to make their shots and it could be a nice place to slot in a Dire Wolf, but I struggle to find a place for them when I feel there are other options that do better or are more versatile. At least in my opinion / experience. 

[vadersson]

Thanks for the advice all.  I will see what I can scrounge up on some of the books.  Worst case I can get most of them electronically from GW.  But I want to see if I actually play before dropping a ton.  Hopefully the started set and the stuff from :LI will give me enough to give it a try.

 

I read a lot that Warbringers are odd, but I have always wanted one since listening to the Audio drama Honour to the Dead.  Great titan stuff in there and a Nemesis class titan features in a particular scene.  Of course one of my Warhounds will be Denola too.

 

Thanks!

[LameBeard]

On 10/16/2024 at 1:01 AM, vadersson said:

Thanks for the advice all.  I will see what I can scrounge up on some of the books.  Worst case I can get most of them electronically from GW.  But I want to see if I actually play before dropping a ton.  Hopefully the started set and the stuff from :LI will give me enough to give it a try.

 

I read a lot that Warbringers are odd, but I have always wanted one since listening to the Audio drama Honour to the Dead.  Great titan stuff in there and a Nemesis class titan features in a particular scene.  Of course one of my Warhounds will be Denola too.

 

Thanks!

So which Legio is that you are planning?

[vadersson]

I’ll be honest, no idea.  Not sure if I won’t try and create my own scheme, but once I can look at all the loyalist legions I might pick one.  But I also need someone to fight, so may have to paint up a traitor too.  I have enough warhounds, not sure about the rest of my titans.

 

ok, here is your chance.  Anyone got a good Legios suggestion?  

Edited October 17 by vadersson

[LameBeard]

So you might think me a cheapskate, but if you didn’t want to buy the books just yet, you could start with Tempestus, Gryphonicus or Mortis in the starter book (as updated by pdf still available I believe).

 

If you’ve got a lot of surplus Warhounds then go Audax for the Traitors, why not? 

[DuskRaider]

I’d grab the two books covering the Loyalists and Traitors. I know it’s an investment, but it’s the most up to date rules for them when compared to the various campaign books and they’re pretty comprehensive. 
 

Every Legio plays in a unique way… to a degree. Some are similar in combat specialization but vary due to specific Legio rules. It depends on what you intend to concentrate on, not just Titan chassis’ but also your preferred combat style. Audax, for instance, is only able to field Warhound Titans (Dire Wolves included), and rely on pack tactics and ambush. Vulpa is close combat oriented and excel at ripping enemies to pieces in danger close. 

[Mandragola]

You kind of only need one of the loyalist/traitor books. It's a real shame the matched play book is hard to get, as it's excellent. If you have it you don't need the open war cards as it brings marginally better scenarios than them - or maybe better matched play while the cards do better narrative ones.

 

If you're running Warlords things get a bit expensive, as they need resin weapons more than the other classes. It's a shame that they come packaged with two of the same gun as that's nearly always a bad idea. Also Bellicosas and carapace lasers are both kind of bad, meaning both come with weapons you won't use much, if at all. The two best load-outs are a brawler with sunfury, macro gatling (or possibly volkite) and carapace gatlings (or missiles) and a support engine with roof missiles, quake cannon and bellicosa or maybe a conversion beamer.

 

What with the cost of the titans themselves, you'll find the cost of Warlords feels way higher than the Reavers and Warhounds you can pick up in starter sets. But they're fantastic models and I really like playing them.

[vadersson]

Starting to lean towards making custom legio and custom knight houses so i can use what ever rules I want for the house/legio.  
 

I did get the knight box on pre-order.  Look forward to having more units even if they are smaller.