Mechanicum Army List First Thoughts/Review

[Crablezworth]

So after taking in the new army lists for mechanicum.

 

 

So far some things really stand out over others. I'm a bit frustrated that we didn't see any weapon use some of the unused weapons traits, like power capacitor or siege weapon, or some of the under used one like ripple fire. They also will include something like "twin-linked" in the weapons title only to sometimes be accurate and sometimes not, which is a bit odd. There's a lot of light at which is flexible but can get a bit repetitive. A core problem that' pre existed both lists is there to see in full force and that is mech is paying a lot for resilience that really doesn't add up. Starting for example with the abeyant, its a cool upgrade as it add a wound, a meltagun and +1 caf, same time it almost doubles the cost of the archmagos from 20 to 45. I get gw wanted "more wounds" as the theme for mech but it doesn't really jive all that well with the core games rules. 

 

Tech thralls are interesting, they're basically like fearless or pseudo fearless solar aux lasgunners.  Thallax so far seem strong, they start at just 2 bases per detachment but one can go up to 8 bases for 85pts, each base is rocking 2 8 inch lightning gun shots -1 ap light atand 1 plasma shot -1ap light at, so each base is capable of 3 light AT shots. At 8 bases that's 24 light AT shots for 85pts, and they have jump to help mitigate range deficits a bit or march 21 inches to get into place for the next turn. But I want you to remember that 85pts for 24 shots sorta bench mark. 

 

Myrmidon secutors seem interesting, like the thallax they start at 2 bases per detachment and go up to 8. They have implacable, a very strong caf of +6 and maxima bolters with 2 shots at 8 inches with assault and light. They seem like very good assault infantry, not the cheapest but decent. 

 

Myrmidon destructors seems good as well, they work out to being the same cost as sectutors, you can take 2-8 and their weapon options are decent. The conversion beamers really stand out, they have the same range as lascannons ap -2 and no keywords. They also have implacable and a decent caf of +3. 

 

So infantry, as always, strong. But this is also what makes a lot of the list seems a bit questionable in price or loadout or firepower. 

 

 

 

The arlatax is a jump walker, usual walker save of 4+ and unlike other walkers it has 2 wounds. It has the same +6 caf as the secutors and an invul of 6 like a contemptor dread as well as the armoured special rule. Where I find it a bit underwhelming is the firepower department, it has an autocannon and plasma cannon, but this works out to the same firepower, literally, as a single thallax base, just with more range, 16 and 12 vs 8 and 10. The thallax though don't need a techpriest nearby to march however and arlatax do as they only have advance and chargen normally. So 40pts for a single 2 wound walker when i could spend the same and get almost 4 bases of thallax, you start to see the problem. Not saying to discount them or that they're useless but, other than having them on their own sorta hiding behind terrain hoping you forget they're there seems sorta like their modus operandi as operating in force just seems really expensive. 

 

Domitars are a bit cheaper and basically have marine missile launchers. As those are flexible proven weapons that's a good start, they also have grav hammers that give them ap -2 wrecker but they'll need a priest to charge as they only have advance and march. They have the same 2 wounds and 6+ inv as arlatax, slightly worse caf of +4. And no jumpack so not as maneuverable as arlatax. They still strike be as a bit pricey at 35pts for 1, you can get 5 for 140pts, still seems pricey to me. A bit part of what makes missile marines so good isn't just the launchers but the fact they can shoot out of structures. Something the domitar won't be able to do. 

 

Castellax are as well a bit of a let down. They have a lot of short ranged firepower and same +4 caf of the domitars, but their guns are both only 8 inches and they need a techpriest nearby to charge as they only have advance and march. They share the same 6+ inv save and 2 wounds, but you're paying the same per base as domitars. Models look great though, just a bit unfortunate. 

 

Ursurax again like the other infantry seems decent, jump packs like thallax, even cheaper than thallax, you get 2 bases for 20pts and 8 for 70pts. They're basically the close combat thallax, their weapons are decent but I can still see them charging due to their +3 caf. I was hoping they'd have deep strike or ability to buy it but sadly no, still a great unit. 

 

Vorax are the first battle-automata to really shine for me at least. They have a lot goingfor them for 40pts, they're pretty fast with a movement of 7 and come with forward deployment. Their biggest weakness is they really do need a techpriest babysitter if they plan on shooting as the don't have the advance order without them, just charge and march. Their guns aren't super long range but the amount of firepower is notable, just a single vorax base has 3 ap -1 light, rapid fire shots at 12 inches and 2 ap -1 light AT shots at 8 inches, so can damage both infantry and vehicles and they have rend on top of their +3 caf. They're not the cheapest but like the other battle-automata their detachment size is pretty flexible, in this case 1-4, only downside is def gonna want a priest/cortex nearby. 

 

Vulturax I also really like, great looking model but fits the bill as sorta up-gunned skimmer.  My favorite part is they come stock with outflank, really wish more units did.  It had advance and march order so for shooting that's good, will need some help for charges but that's not really its fortay. Movement stat of 9 and skimmer is great, only thing I wish it had was slightly longer range weapons but the ranges aren't bad. It has an arc blaster and havoc launcher, the first gun being 10 inch range with a couple shots and neutron flux, was nice to see something other than light at lol. The havoc launcher is also 2 shots at 15 light at. Again like the other automata, its detachment size is very flexible with 1-4 per detachment. I think one of the real upsides of this is mechanicum will be very flexible for lower point games, where solar aux and legions might be stuck taking perhaps more models in a detachment than they might ideally like, mech will be taking exactly as many as they want largely. 

 

 

 

Thanatars are a bit of a disappointment. I don't think they really nailed the resiliency right here, if any automata was going to have a better than 4+save it really should have been these bois as they're huge and quite robust in 30k. Sadly they have the same resilience as the others, 4+ save, armoured and 2 wounds. Notably one of the two orders they have is advance and first fire, so they'll need help marching/charging from techpriests/cortex. They have a good caf of +4 but without charge not many ways to make use of it unless they themselves are charged. Weapon wise its a mixed bag. The plasma mortar is truly excellent but like with mole mortars for solar aux, its missing the barrage trait. That said its still a great weapon ,18 inch range, ap -3 with demolisher and ignores cover. The downside is, the sprues only allow for 2/4 per sprue to have them, the other 2 must take the heavy lascannon. And that's sadly a bit of a let down, for one, it marks the only place where there is an upgrade cost in the list of +5pts. The weapon is fine, 22 inch range -1 ap and armourbane, the problem is, it really should in my opinion pack more of a punch than a vanquisher cannnon and it doesn't. That and the range being 10 inches less is also a sore point. I really feel like this weapon needed the siege weapon trait, wherein if the model doesn't move it can double the weapons range. The graviton rams not having any ap is a bit of a let down. The mauler cannons are great but their 8 inch range is just too mismatched with what they're meant to do which is fire support. The models are amazing, but the rules are a bit of a let down like the castellax. 

 

 

Karacnos are going to be mvp's. They're just fantastic tanks for the points, and interestingly like automata their detachment starts at just 1 tank, sorta like super heavies or the newer malcadors. Movement speed and save are all fine, 8 and 3+. Its weapon loadout is really strong, for starters you've got the mortar battery, 30 inch range and 2 shots hitting on 4's with -1 ap, barrage and ignores cover. Not quite the basilisks range or ap, but 2 shots and 30 inches is very very good. It gets better, they have lightning locks that also do 2 shots at 12 inches, -1ap and point defence, no other keyword, so these can be quite nasty as they don't really care what the target is. It gets better, they also have shock rams, so like the domitar get ap -2 wrecker. Can't say enough good things about these bad bois, the only criticism is these tanks are huge and only have 1 wound, they're like a malcador's size. 

 

 

Krios Battle tanks are cool, but not as cool as karacnos, For starters you have to buy them in at least 3's, so you're looking at 100pts to start. Same armour and movement stats as karacnos. They have 2 options for their man weapons, lightning cannon or irad scourer, lightning cannon for me seems like the winner, 22 inch range, 2 shots, ap-2, no traits so great at targeting anything. The irad scourer is still quite cool, 16 inch range 2 shots ap -2 light at no cover, seems good for digging stuff out of cover. Their secondary weapons are volite caliver sponsons, sorta meh compared to the karacnos's secondary weapons. 

 

Krios venators seems "ok", what I do like is they differ from the other krios detachment in that you start with 2 instead of 3 for 60pts, so that's nice, not forced to buy as many. Same armour and movement stats. Main weapon is pulsar fusil, pretty short range at 12 inches, 3+ to hit ap -3 anti tank. It's basically a more useable meltagun, but still,  I feel like I'd rather have the normal krios with the shot lightning cannons at 22 inches. It has the same volkite caliver sponsons as the krios as well. I think these might be fun for smaller games on like a 4x4 or 3x3, but they seem a bit meh to me compared to other tank options. 

 

Last but not least triaros. The short and sweet of it is they're well worth 15pts. 8 inch move, 3+ armour and large transport 4 lets them carry 4 bases of infantry. They pack a lot of firepower for 15pts, also sorta highlighting why castellax feel so meh. They have volkite for 1 shot at 12 inches with accurate light deflagrate. Seemingly they get accurate on account of being twin linked but this is where it gets weird. They also have twin linked mauler bolt cannon, 3 shots ap -1 light at, but no accurate. Small quibble but they're the ones going to the hassle of naming it as such, it should be consistent. Points wise 15 for these really highlights how much LI tends to over value resilience, to compare, the solar aux dracosans are like 37-42pts, for largely the same vehicle with less firepower but a 2+ save.

 

A core problem the game has is, it doesn't realize costing resilience as it does work against activation count, so the design basically screws quality shooting, elite armies with resilience and low detachment/model count and screams "take a bunch of :cuss: with firepower and have as many activations as you can. This is also why infantry are so broken and mech are no different, the infantry are largely better than the automata. The whole two wounds thing feels more like a gimmick than something practical. Also a gimmick they largely forgot about when it comes to vehicles being all 1 wound, A big disappointment for me a lack of both flyer options and AA. This is also where gw marketing really works against common sense list inclusions and I'll give 2 solid examples. The first being the avenger strike fighter. Yes its box art/branding etc won't mention mechanicum,  but it'd be the easiest inclusion ever in he list, especially seeing as one can just buy a box of 4 of them. Second example, tarantulas. Now obviously less likely as they're both paired with marine or aux on sprue, but functionally they'd fit the role as AA and can still be painted to match any mech scheme. Just seems like a missed opportunity, there's already the precedent tha they're like the one unit shared by legion and aux. 

 

 

[DuskRaider]

The army seems like it will be interesting to play if not a bit incomplete. As I’ve said before and we’ve discussed, I think they lack of any AA or Air Support of any kind within the faction is a massive swing and miss, but from what it seems, the Automata are kinda meh for the most part, so skipping out on that in favor of an allied Astartes or Solar Aux formation with aircraft isn’t a bad idea. 
 

No thoughts on the Dark Mechanicum-specific units?

[Crablezworth]

1 hour ago, DuskRaider said:

No thoughts on the Dark Mechanicum-specific units?

 

Interesting, when factored in that you can run them with most of the stronger elements of the taghmata stuff, like you basically can't run automata without it being allied but that's not really a hit when u factor they can take all the infantry and  tanks they want. Serpos seem good if they can live to shoot. Archer seem good as well. When u factor in you can supplement with very strong infantry it gets interesting. Its the infantry from all armies im worried about, as usual. The other stalkers seem interesting, I just really hate that hey can be locked down by rhinos and arvuses. One reason to really like serpos is that scale 3.  

Edited October 30 by Crablezworth

[SkimaskMohawk]

I can't get over the bots going into triaros, which is so next level idk how to describe it 

 

Not that there was any doubt by this point, but it's definitely not 6mm, battalion sized 30k. The majority of units don't have the same feeling as their full sized equivalent, with a bunch of silly interactions like arvus charging and now, running far faster than your guns shoot, and now, giant robot clown cars. 

[Deschenus Maximus]

The sad thing is if there wasn’t a good reason to put Thanatar in Triatoses, it would be a mildly comical “oh GeeDubs lol” moment… but given that the mortar are pretty short ranged, I foresee a lot of skateboarding rowbits in the future

[Crablezworth]

8 hours ago, SkimaskMohawk said:

I can't get over the bots going into triaros, which is so next level idk how to describe it 

 

Not that there was any doubt by this point, but it's definitely not 6mm, battalion sized 30k. The majority of units don't have the same feeling as their full sized equivalent, with a bunch of silly interactions like arvus charging and now, running far faster than your guns shoot, and now, giant robot clown cars. 

 

There's also jank to be done with domitars in triaros, because although they can't charge out of the triaros, having wrecker lets them advance up to a structures. It's also crazy how cheap the triaros are given the transport capacity and firepower. 

7 hours ago, Deschenus Maximus said:

The sad thing is if there wasn’t a good reason to put Thanatar in Triatoses, it would be a mildly comical “oh GeeDubs lol” moment… but given that the mortar are pretty short ranged, I foresee a lot of skateboarding rowbits in the future

 

They also made the thanatars extra slow at 4 inch move for no real reason. They also really feel off having the same save as all the others. Especially being so expensive comparatively.