Warhammer 40,000/Tactics/Mechanicum (30k)

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Ave Omnisssiah!

Why Play Mechanicum?

Because for the first time since some stuff in Rogue Trader, the followers of the Machine God can finally take to the field! If you like technology worshiping transhumans with robots and cyborgs, this is the army for you. Most of the units we have are horrifically tough, albeit rather expensive and we get all the fun bling.

Also robots.

Armory of the Omnissiah

Being a heresy era list, we get some funky wargear that's not found in later eras/outside of the hallowed halls of the machine god. Augments may also be a thing.

Ranged Weapons

• Volkite Weapons Ancient ray guns that date back to the Age of Strife, they were in the process of being replaced by the bolter as the preferred weapon of the Space Marines due to difficulties in production and maintenance. Volkite weapons have the 'Deflagrate' special rule, which means each unsaved wound caused inflicts another automatic hit. They come in five flavours, Serpenta (pistol), Charger (Assault 2), Caliver (Heavy 2), Culverin (Heavy 4) and the monster Carronade (S8 with Haywire and a beam effect that lets it hit everything in a straight line in front of it). Strangely, they have 15" range increments, so culverin is 45", but the charger only 15", and only have AP5.
• Conversion Beam Weapons Could be seen as inverse Melta; Longer range, Greater damage. The only two difference between the heavy and regular version is the former has a large blast radius but requires the unit to remain stationary in order to fire.
• Graviton Weapons These possess no strength, but possess both concussion and haywire effects. They also have a curious way of causing wounds by forcing the enemy to roll D6; if the result is above their unit strength they take a wound - a result of 6 always causes a wound. Annoyingly this makes it large ineffective against infantry blobs (seriously guardsmen have a 1 in 2 chance to survive this arcane weapon). However it also creates difficult and dangerous terrain in its blast radius, so it can at least severely impede their movement... because soemhow they got better in the 10,000 years since the heresy?
• (I)Rad Weapons What you get if you rip out a cathode ray tube from an old television and soup them up. They have fleshbane because you kill your foes with Space-Cancer. The larger one gets torrent and AP3.
• Photon Weapons Funky particle ray guns that have strength 6, gets hot, ap2, blind, and LANCE. Comes in a pistol, a gun, and a cannon.

The following are some specific weapons that pop up a lot.

• Rotor Cannon Basically a salvo lasgun.
• Las-Lock 18" assault s4 ap6
• Plasma Fusil Strength 6 salvo plasma. Doesn't get hot. Since most of our dudes get relentless, the salvo isn't really a concern. AP3 Salvo3 makes these terrifyingly efficient marine wood-chippers.
• Maxim Bolter Short range bolter that gets an extra shot.

Cybertheurgy

Like psychic powers. For machines. WHERE IS YOUR WARP HERESY NOW?!

In order to successfully use a power, the cybertheurgist must take a leadership test. Depending on the strength and difficulty of the power, a bonus or penalty may be imposed on the leadership value of the model making the test (note that this is applied always to the characteristic value being tested, not the dice result) If the test is passed, the power takes effect. If the test is failed , the power does not take effect. If the test is failed and a result of a 12 (double 6) is rolled, the power has both failed and gone awry. Roll immediately on the cybertheurgy mishap table.

• Cybertheurgy mishap table
  • 1-3 Signal Corruption: The target battle automata may only fire snap shots and fights with ws 1 in assaults for the next game turn
  • 4-5 Corrosive Paradox: The target battle automata suffers a wound with no armour or cover saves possible
  • 6 Malifica: The machine spirit rebels and gains self awareness! The battle automata is now destroyed for the purposes of VP's and is no longer part of the controlling players force , if part of a unit , it is separated and placed out of coherency with the unit. The battle automata is still used in the previously controlling players turn , will from now on move towards and shoot at the closest unit each turn and then assault that same unit if able, both sides may now target the battle automata if they desire.

• The Powers of Cybertheurgy
  • Rite of Celerity, Ld Modifier +1: Target battle-automata gets +2 Initiative for the duration of the effect.
  • Rite of Eternity, Ld Modifier 0: Target battle-automata gets It Will Not Die for the duration of the effect.
  • Rite of Fury, Ld Modifier -1: Target battle-automata gets +D3 attacks for the duration of the effect.
  • Rite of Destruction, Ld Modifier -2: Target battle-automata may fire its weapons twice against the same target in its shooting phase. Cannot use ranged weapons in the next shooting phase.
  • Rite of Dread Castigation, Ld Modifier -2: Target ENEMY battle-automata. Both sides roll a D6 and add Leadership (Cybertheurgist for the attacker, battle-automata for the defender). Battle-automata suffers a wound with no armor or cover save allowed for each point that the attacker's total exceeds that of the defender.
  • Rite of Immolation, Ld Modifier -3: Target battle-automata (allied only?) self-destructs. Replace model with Large Blast marker. S = Battle-automata's Toughness, AP = Battle-automata's armour save. If a mishap happens while trying to use Rite of Immolation, don't roll on the mishap table, instead the Malifica effect is automatically applied.

Special Stuff

Augments may go here.

• Cortex Controller Keeps your Cybernetica from attacking their nearest foe. Right now the only cybernetica is Castellax, but there will certainly be more. You'll want a few of these around.
  • Programmed Behavior: unless within 12" of a friendly model with a cortex controller , the following restrictions are place on the units use in the game , thes restrictions do not applt if the battle automata maniple is already locked in an assault :
    • methodical: may not make sweeping advance or run moves
    • target priority: if enemy models are within 12 " and within line of sight during the shooting phase , the battle automata maniple mist fire all its weapons against the closest enemy unit it is able to harm . if this is not the case , they are free to select targets as usual
    • onslaught:if enemy models are within 12" during their assault phase , the battle automata must attempt to charge the closest enemy unit oif able , not that the battle automata may still only charge the same unit it fired at in the shooting phase . if consolidating after combat , they must do so towards the nearest enemy model if one is present within 12

Army of the Machine God

Mechanicum Warlord Traits

A unique Warlord table for the Mechanicum

• 1 - Master of Mechanism - Select one MC unit OR vehicle squadron with at least one AV12 or more side in the same detachement. This unit/squadron gets It Will Not Die.
• 2 - Perfected Targetting - In the Shooting phase, select a Heavy weapon within 6" of the Warlord. The weapon counts as twin-linked for the turn. This can be done every turn.
• 3 - Predictive Augury - The Warlord and the unit he is joined to hit on 5 and 6 for Overwatch.
• 4 - The Death of Flesh - All units in the detachement have Preferred Enemy (Infantry - All Types) while within 3" of an objective.
• 5 - Dread Rites - The Warlord and the unit he is joined cause Fear and are immune to it. They also receive the Adamantium Will special rule.
• 6 - Battlefield Analysis - After deployment but before the game begins, can select a piece of terrain in the opponent's deployment zone and reduce its cover save by -1.

HQ

• Magos Caleb Decima - Tough motherfucker, he is most useful for one-shoting any non-superheavy vehicle with his hywire-spamming one-use gun. Due to he is the only available HQ, you didn't have the choice anyway. But he's a badass who hijacked a Fellblade to shoot at the traitors and survived, so there shouldn't be problems with taking him.

• Magos Dominus - What the average neckbeard has become by the 30th millennium. Can take all sorts of fun stuff, cortex controllers, conversion beamers, etc. Give her holytechiness an abeyant for an extra wound, it will not die, and relentless. They're not terribly good in CC, better at shooting, so this seems to be more a support/shooty HQ than anything else. Can use Cybertheurgy powers (Ld 9, 10 for the Archmagos Dominus)

Elites

• Enginseer Auxillia - 1 Enginseer + 4 Servo-automata for 65 points. Behaves similarly to the IG Enginseer, except you can add 1 extra Enginseer and give the Servo-automata (5 pts each) servo-harnesses (+5 pts each) to improve the repair roll of the unit.

• Mymirdon Secutors - Sturdy SOBs. T5 W2 3+/5++, 120 points for 2 Secutors + 1 Lord without the weapons. Can add 7 Secutors (+35 pts each) and must equip two weapons on each (ranges from +10 pts to +20, doubles don't twin-link). Can fire the two weapons in a single phase at the same target, Relentless but cannot run or make a sweeping advance.

Troops

• Tech-Thralls - The cheapest unit available in 30k, heck even in 40k its only outdone by Ork grots by a decimal point! (35pts for 10!) However in many ways it shows. The unit has a measly T3, BS2, WS3, LD7 with a 5+ save. However it also has FNP, S4 and Las-locks; 18" S4 AP6 Assault 1. These would be an excellent horde unit but their squad is fixed to 10. They may exchange their Las-locks for shotguns (free) or Heavy chain blades (20pts for the whole squad). They can also take frag grenades (5pts) and "Rites of Pure thought" - this grants them fearless, but removes overwatch and sweeping advance.
  • This unit is excellent for camping an objective near your deployment zone or an aegis defense line (or similar thing.) due to its extremely low points cost. Don't expect them to hold that point very well if they are attacked; they're only slighty less vulnerable to bolter fire than guardsmen (FNP). Firing back will actually be similarly effective due to BS2 as the 5+ has moved from the "wounding" phase and to the "to hit" phase and vice-versa.].
  • Giving them Heavy Chainblades is a reasonable choice in someways. In melee against LSM these units will most likely be hitting for 4+, and then wounding on a 2+ for a pretty low points cost. Additionally granting them fearless would be a great choice if the Thralls could be taken in squads of 20, but they cannot, thus these units are very poor for tarpitting via numbers.
  • However there low cost combined with their high-damage potential makes them very useful as a sort of "chaff"; have them accompany important units like Castellaxs or Myrmidons (not Thallax; they move to quickly) and throw them at incoming squads; the Thralls are very likely to hurt them if they enter combat, but they will not stay for long.
  • Remember the upgrade for Heavy chainblades replaces the las-lock. The above "tactic" can be done with las-locks as they're an assault weapon.
  • These units -do not- count towards your compulsory choices. So you cannot use these to have more points for elites, but the Mechanicum troops being so great this probably wasn't being considered. However they will take up the other 4, so use them carefully.
    • Now would be a good time to point out, upgrading Thallax with augments causes them to either become fast-attack or heavy support. Thus freeing slots for these loonies but denying them the ability to take objectives.
  • In an army like the Legio-Cybernetica this is a very needed role as your other choices are very expensive; much to expensive to be holding objectives in your deployment zone or manning Aegis lines.
  • Against guardsmen, they may actually lose!
    • Lasguns have longer range, by a whole 6".
    • Lasguns have rapidfire, and can be assisted with rankfiring.
    • Guardsmen have better WS and BS (gee thats not something you hear often.)
    • Access to special weapons.
    • Can be taken in vastly higher numbers due to platoons.
    • Can be taken with better armour saves and shit-tonnes of special weapons due to Veterans.
    • However the higher strength value and FNP of the Thrall could see them come out on top; possibly even instant-deathing characters. Of course this depends on them reaching past the imperial guard gunlines... which is highly unlikely.
• In summary, the purpose of this unit could be considered to either be sitting on their ass doing nothing but skyfiring aircraft or holding objectives in your territory. Or being used as limited-cannon fodder; you will likely have at least 2 of these, but never more than 3!

• Legio Cybernetica Castellax Class Battle-Automata - Monstrous Creature with WS3, BS4, S6, T7, W4, I3, A2, Ld7, 3+/5++ against shooting/6++ CC. Each of these monsters costs 85 and a squad can include up to 5 of them. Due to Cybernetic Resilience, successful Poisoned and Fleshbane wounds must be re-rolled but Haywire attacks deals a wound on a 6 (but can take saves as normal against Haywire wounds). They also get Rage, amongst their many extra rules. In addition to their built in bolters, they come standard with bolt cannons -- 3 shots of S6 Ap3 pinning hatred. Standard attacks melee attacks possess concussive due to shock-chargers.
  • They may also take dual powerblades. At first AP2 rending in melee seems fantastic, but then you remember that this is a monstrous creature; thus it already has AP2 by default via smash. And with S6 its quite likely to be wounding most targets reliably anyway. The main point of this upgrade (which would explain why its relatively cheap) is to give a potential extra D3 of damage to an enemy. But then once again you remember this is a monstrous creature which on the charge will be likely to through out 2 STR smash-attacks with rerolls... in 5 Automata squads.
    • They also grant an additional +1 attack to your unit; 5 attacks on the charge! Hurrah! This is because these are -two- melee weapons, where as shock-chargers are technically a single weapon.
  • Multi-meltas are another AT option replacing the Mauler bolt-gun for no points cost. You're probably better off shoving this onto the Thallax cohorts who are way more likely to be looking at the victims backside... that and these are monstrous creatures so "smash".
  • Darkfire cannon is a strong choice, with its S7, AP2, heavy 2 and 60" range. It also forces units to take blind tests which could really tip the balance of power when it comes to assault them (remember; monstrous creature, you have relentless). Ignore the lance factor as you're still glancing on 5's.
  • Siege wreckers essentially allow your unit to make 4 S10 attacks against enemies instead of 2. However they will omit themselves from the reroll of armour pen. Think carefully before taking this as it is an expensive +20 pts.
  • Enhanced targeting arrays increase this units BS5 and reduces enemy cover saves by 1. The Thallax cohort does have some very strong shooting options but the main point of it is to assault enemy units in melee. Its not a bad option but as this is a 15pts per unit upgrade, it's not the optimal choice.
  • Infra-vision grants these units night-fighting, but also makes them far more vulnerable to blind (they take the test at I1). Its a cheap upgrade (5pts each) but a risky one depending on who you're fighting.
  • Paragon of Metal - Oh boy. This allows a single Automata to be no longer subject to programmed behavior and gain "It will not die" and rampage, this absolutely incredible and can turn the machine into a one-unit wrecking machine. Giving this unit Paragon blades and Darkfire cannon. The Paragon blades combined with rampage cause this unit to gain between 6 to 8 attacks on the charge! (excluding hammer of wrath). The problem with this means is that Cyberthautergy becomes incredibly risky, though more potent; any failure results in Malifica.

• Mechanicum Thallax Cohort - Shock Troops of the Ordo Reductor, Thallax are Ogryn sized Jet Troops. You can only have a special weapon for every 3 thallax, so keep the units in multiples of 3. Their standard lightning gun (18" S7 AP5, heavy 1, shred, rending) is best used at short range against light vehicles, so a good option is a simple multi-melta and destructor augments. The photon thruster is really the best weapon option - sadly you have to take 2 expensive ablative thallax for each one. Overall pretty damn good but start to cost a lot of points quickly. This isn't a fantastic way of picking up a tonne of high strength weaponry; Legion heavy support is far cheaper, and carries more vanilla weaponry for this purpose. However Legion Heavy support doesn't have Relentless and meltabombs.
  • Phased-Plasma Fusils are an interesting weapon choice, though listed as Salvo 2/3 it needs to be remembered that Thallax possess relentless, thus turning this into a Assault 3, 24" S6 AP3, which is amazing against marines. Of course you may be wondering if this subverts the point of using the Thallax cohort as tank hunters and you would be right it does. However if you're running an all Ordo-Reductor these weapons are extremely potent as they provide a cheap way of taking out chunks of marines without taking out chunks of your self.
  • Irrad-cleansers are also a very interesting weapon; 2+ Fleshbane (not poison!) template pretty much guarantees a large portion of the target will get wounded, at AP5 however it could vary widely as to how effective it is afterwards; Ork, Nids, IG and even Nurgle demons blobs; not a problem. Khorne Berserkers and Space Wolves; better use that 2D6. Tau with their 4+? You're S/T5, A2 striking at the same intiative, you can charge them and crush them like the blue berries they are.
  • Multi-lasers are also an option, unless you really want to throw some really cheap S6 hits at 36" (5pts) don't bother... it is really cheap though.
  • The other augments are also neat, though if you're taking this as an allied choice they are really diminished.
    • Icarian: Would be good if all your weapons weren't in the category of being short ranged or too low in strength to reliably at least glance AV12 (Most fliers tend to be around 10-12). It also requires the unit be stationary that entire turn; which is the problem with all the short ranged weapons or under powered to be reliable. This is where you would want the multi-laser to come into play (heavy 3, S6) but you can only take it once for every 3 models.
      • This causes the unit to become a heavy support choice rather than troops.
    • Ferrox: Rage is nice adding 2 attacks on the charge, so is rending. In a legion list you already have quite a lot of pretty good melee units, many with power weapons and a pretty good strength value. This particular anon is still wondering if its worth also taking heavy chain blades with this upgrade; it would allow you to instant death a huge blob of T3 units and give you the opportunity to score quite a a lot wounds on units with T5-6, which previously would of been difficult... but you already have rending so this upgrade could be somewhat irrelevant in that respect, as a roll of 6 with S5 is as a effect as a S7 now that you have rending.
      • This makes the unit become a fast-attack choice rather than troops.
  • It's somewhat shocking too see that Djinn-sight has been overlooked completely. Djinn-sight prevents units from being infiltrated within 24" of a Thallax model (so you could really abuse some cohesion if you wished.). But most importantly is there ability to reduce cover saves by 2! This combined with their access to pretty high strength weaponry means they can take on horrors such as Nob bikers at range! Go to ground in open terrain is ignored completely as that provides a 6+ save.

Dedicated Transport

- Note; this appears to be entirely for Ordo-Reductor. Legio-Cybernetica will be foot slogging the entire way.

• Mechanicum Land Raider - "Build Your Land Raider" construction kit. As dedicated transport. Starting from 195 points you can make any and all type of pre- and post-heresy LR's, except Terminus Ultra and Ares, and even some homebrew beast that does not exist on any sacred blueprints (disregard the fact, that this is techno-heresy) - like mixing melta-imunity with heavy flamers all around to burn shit and does not afraid anything (cause railguns won't be invented for a few millenia) Also flare shields. Because you can.
  • Interestingly one of the best options might be too just give it a hull mounted Lascannon. This creates a 205pts anti-tank vehicle that is incredibly tough. Of course the problem then is that you still have to pay at least 135 pts for the Thallax cohort (bringing the overall cost to 350).
  • Gravitron cannons are also an option for an anti-armour Land Raider, as they possess haywire. Also semi-useful against Tau Firewarror lines (as the gravitron cannon is AP4.)
  • Twin-linked multi-meltas are probably a non-option in that they possess short range and are relatively cheap (albiet without Twin-linkage) on Thallax Cohorts.
  • Dual Flamestorm cannons with Aromatic Ceramite is a fantastic option for pushing shit out of cover, especially with its AP3 (so its a godsend in 30K).
  • The Explorator Augary Web is an option limited to this vehicle and the Proteus. Its incredibly interesting for its ability to either to reduce enemy reserve rolls by one (invariably screwing with anyone who uses aircraft in abundance, so Necrons in particular) or let you re-roll your own reserves (failed or successful!). Only one Augary web per side may be active at any one time, and with this upgrade costing 50pts you will almost certainly only have one of these. It reduces capacity to 8 models which will somewhat hamper the scout rule it gained from this. Overall its a very useful option that should be strongly considered.
• Rhino - Myrmidons are Techmarine Covenants and thus may take Rhinos! This allows for some Havoc-launcher goodness.
  • You could also use it for snap-firing Gravitron gun shots out of the vehicle, making it (potentially) a pretty nasty anti-armour vehicle; beware of the 18" range of the gun (its not the 36" cannon!)
  • Regular conversion beamers do not possess Firing-Calibration and thus could be used as a platform for your techmarine to fire said weapon. As it is a blast weapon BS1 does not effect it so horribly.
  • Melta-bombs with servo-automata with lascutters make for an incredibly lethal (if vulnerable in the meantime) can-opener. Though with Thallax cohorts jumping around the field like filthy Tau xenos battlesuits this may not be necessary.
    • NOTE; The above Rhino section is based on the Ordo-Reductor ruleset. This will likely be updated around the release of the HH-Massacre.

Fast Attack

• Imperial Avenger Strike Fighter - Ground Attack support plane which looks like the results of a one night stand between an A-10 and a Stuka. It has a tasty Strafing Run rule, an absolutely useless defensive rear-mounted Heavy Stubber, two Lascannons for armour busting, and the AVENGER BOLT CANNON, which is basically half of a VULCAN MEGABOLTER. This means it packs SEVEN Megabolter and two Lascannon shots at BS3/4(+1 with strafing run)for only 150 pts, to ruin the day of anything with less than AV14 or a 2+ armour save (which in the all Marine environment of 30k, is almost everything). Plus it can be upgraded with Battle Servitor Control, giving it the Tank Hunter rule to better kill enemy armour.
• Storm Eagle - An interesting choice, particularly with the transport capacity.
• Lightning - Given the other choices and the fact that we can give our troops skyfire, there's not much reason to take this.
• Sentry Gun - It's a Sentry Gun.

Heavy Support

• Legion Artillery Tank Squadron - See elsewhere.
• Myrmidon Destructors - Similar to Myrmidon Secutors, but have Preferred Enemy (Everything!) and can only pick 1 weapon: Volkite Culverin, Photon Thruster Cannon, Irradiation Engine, Conversion Beamer.

Lords of War

• Warhound Scout Titan - Do you remember this is 30K, where Imperium tech was not a tale of slow degradation? Well, pre-heresy Warhound comes with one extra void shield and night vision for the same price as post-heresy one. Even though 6-th edition nerfed D-strength a lot (no more +1 on damage chart), pair of DB TLD's is still a go-to load-out, but due to all-marine environment choosing megabolter or inferno cannon actually start to make some sense, especially with huge blobs of said marines.
• Reaver Battle Titan - Bigger, tougher, meaner and slower titan. As with Warhound, destroyer blast spam is still preferable weapon loadout, but nothing wrong with choosing gatling blaster or melta cannon. Vortex missile for carapace weapon is an interesting choice, capable of one-shoting any other lord of war with removing D3 SP from super-heavies or just instakilling any other model (yes, even primarch) with no saves of any kind allowed, but it is one use only, so use it wisely.

Allies

Battle Brothers

• Sons of Horus
• Iron Hands They don't really offer us much we don't already have.
• Salamanders
• Iron Warriors Not out yet, but Castellax seem flavourful.
• Raven Guard Not out yet, but Thallax would certainly fit the play style.

Fellow Warriors

• Emperors Children
• Night Lords
• Death Guard
• World Eaters
• Word Bearers
• Generic/Other
• Custodes
• Sisters
• Imperial Army

Tactical Discussion

Seeing as all this is new, let's talk.