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Metal Gear

2018-04-14T05:53:13Z

2601:147:4200:6280:D48B:93C9:BE69:B1D5: /* Metal Gear Survive */

[[File: MSG Title.jpeg|thumb|right|Metal Gear Solid title]]
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If you're here on the Internet and have ''not'' heard of Metal Gear or Metal Gear Solid, you're obviously pretty new or just straight up ignorant... But for the sake [[/tg/]] and everyone, we'll help.

Metal Gear and the subsequent games coming after it are action-adventure stealth games starting in 1987. While Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2 on the <strike>EN EE ESS</strike> EM ES EX TWO were well-received and iconic, it was Metal Gear Solid in 1998 on the PEE ESS JUAN that changed not only the franchise but third-person shooters in general and practically being the herald of stealth games. Though each game has a different story, it typically follows the supersoldier agent Solid Snake or Big Boss during the 21st century and the Cold War as he infiltrates something, destroys whatever's inside, and is a badass while doing it. We would explain more of the story here but honestly it gets stupidly complicated with government conspiracies, clones, ghosts, [[meme|sudden but inevitable betrayals]], and many more. While somewhat grounded in reality it has a very obvious sci-fi feel to it, similar to [[BattleTech]], [[Shadowrun]], and in some ways [[Warhammer 40,000|Warhammer 40K]]. Bedsides it's well crafted game play and sometimes uneven plot, Metal Gear is mainly known for it's [[memes]].

==Metal Gear and /tg/==
Like much of the Internet and 4chan, /tg/ has a pretty distinct love for Metal Gear. We've had several quest threads following the Metal Gear universe, most notably [http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Metal%20Gear:%20Rise%20from%20Ashes%20Quest| Rise from Ashes] and [http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Revengeance%20Quest| Revengeance Quest]. While there's not a definitive homebrew for it, there's limitless potential and [http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/38662709/| that certainly hasn't stopped us from trying].

[[Metal Gear Vindicare]] is a pretty obvious /tg/-MSG relation, being inspired by the famous codec used by Solid Snake in the game. Centers around [[Love Can Bloom]] with <s>[[Doomrider]] as a special guest.</s> '''DO COCAAAAIIIINNE!'''

A lot of things about Metal Gear correlate with the interests of fa/tg/uys. Despite what most people think, /tg/ loves their [[tau|giant]] [[Adeptus Evangelion|robots]], which Metal Gear Solid has in spades. There's also a good enough amount of both [[grimdark]] and [[Orks|hilarious stupidity]] to keep a wide variety of neckbeards entertained.

==Characters==
===Solid Snake===
[[File: Solid Snake codec.png|thumb|left|I ''am'' happy]]
The protagonist for most of the games. He starts out his career in Metal Gear as a rookie FOXHOUND agent, uncovering the existence of the Metal Gear and the double-crossing of his superior, Big Boss. He later discovers that he's actually the clone-son of Big Boss, created for reasons that change from game to game. Snake spends the rest of the games fighting Big Bosses' other clones as well as uncovering the grand conspiracy his father had been retconned into fighting, while people talk about how hard the life that he chooses to live is even though it's his own fucking choice. He finally ends his career in Metal Gear Solid 4, his clone-genes rapidly degenerating and near the end of his life (by the time he's in his mid-thirties he's in his late sixties biologically, complete with heart problems and seizures). But he doesn't get to die before finally making amends with his father in a rather hilarious moment where Big Boss is convinced that unless he kills a really old man who was essentially a vegetable the whole series could happen again. In terms of personality there's not much to say, besides him wanting to lead huskies in the Iditarod if he were to ever retire.

===Big Boss===
[[File:Big Boss Salute.jpeg|thumb|right|250px|Good night, sweet prince.]]
Basically [[General Sturnn]]. But with an eye-patch. [[Farsight]] seems to take a lot of inspiration from him too.

While initially portrayed as the villain due to how much he loved war so he could get child soldiers to train into regular soldiers, one could argue whether or not his actions were justified given the later retcon of the Patriots existence (and then they'd remember that whole child soldier bit). Big Boss stars as the protagonist of all the Metal Gear games before Solid begins his career, dating back to the 1960s when he was known as Naked Snake (get it?). Naked Snake discovers the progenitor of Metal Gear in Soviet Russia while also being "betrayed" by his former leader, The Boss. After an arms deal goes wrong, he chooses to kill her to cover up America's involvement, which leaves a lasting impact for the rest of his life and was betrayed by his love interest, EVA, because nobody on the team realized that the agent he was supposed to meet (a man) was actually replaced by EVA (a woman). He decides to abandon the United States (even though patriotism was the theme of the previous game) and create his own military group "Militaires Sans Frontieres," the very mercenary group to have ever existed in the MGS world, later called "Diamond Dogs," while fighting his own shadow war against former comrade Zero who turned evil offscreen and is the founder of the Patriots (also happens offscreen). After fighting a number of early Metal Gear models, Big Boss began building a few Metal Gears of his own to try and even the odds. During a battle against one of the Patriots' splinter groups, Cypher, Big Boss pussies out and decides "Fuck this war, somebody else can deal with this shit" and leaves a body double, Venom Snake, to become the public face of his PMC while he fucked off to who knows where. Originally Big Boss fought Solid Snake in MG1 and died, this was retconned in MG2 where they said he didn't die, just had lots of his body replaced with machinery, and retconned into Venom Snake died instead in MG1, while Big Boss entered into a coma after MG2 until he was revived just after the patriots were defeated (nobody bothered to check to make sure he was dead).
He can also bench press 200 simi odd ton tanks and recharge batteries by eating glowing mushrooms for [[Orks| some reason.]]

===Gray Fox===
Initially just an NPC with some backstory as FOXHOUND's best soldier. In Metal Gear 2 he's retconned as Solid Snake's best friend in Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake.([[Fail| To differentiate it from the load of fail that was Metal Gear 2 on the NES]]) Mid-way into the game in he is revealed as the second in command of Zanzibar Land under Big Boss & the pilot of the first real Metal Gear battle and first of the melee only boss battles, with [[Mekboy | land minds surrounding boss arena]]. Because the AI was shit (and he isn't the player character) he loses to Snake. He also kills his girlfriend accidentally in one of the most heavily foreshadowed scenes of all time.
In Metal Gear Solid he comes back as the first [[Adeptus Mechanicus|Cyborg Ninja]] as a tutorial battle for the game's melee system. [[Railroading| In short telling the player how to beat him.]] His final act is damaging Metal Gear Rex with some kind of [[Skub|laser or plasma weapon]] that he didn't have in previous appearances before being squished by Metal Gear. So Snake can finally defeat Rex with his Stinger Missiles. Also appears in a prequel game of [[C.S. Goto|questionable canon]].
Later on his backstory was expanded a little more, and it was revealed that he was a child soldier fighting in an area well known for their child soldiers, and he was able to amass a large kill-streak because none of his enemies thought that child soldiers existed, [[Fail|in an area full of them.]]
His ability to lower the intelligence of everyone he met impressed the CIA, who decided to make him into the perfect soldier, unfortunately this ability affected the CIA too and they assumed that wiping all of his memories, including the memory of any martial art he knew or fought against, would make him a better fighter.
He also later murdered the parents of Naomi, then chose to adopt her, because why not? Naomi is also the person who turns him into a cyborg and then lets him loose, knowing full well that he'll want another rematch against Snake, and knowing full well that if Snake failed to complete the mission a Nuke could be launched against the US, though luckily assisting in the act of nuclear terrorism only gets you a verbal reprimand, so she gets away just fine.

===Liquid Snake===
[[File:Brother Liquid.png|thumb|right|Liquid quite literally most of the time.]]
The antagonist of Metal Gear Solid and Snake's clone brother. Liquid has a distinctly British accent and blond hair. According to the game's very loose grasp of genetics, Liquid inherited all the recessive genes of Big Boss, while Snake inherited all the dominant genes, and because of this he believed he was made from "inferior genes" and that's the reason he's evil. No seriously, the entire reason he's evil is because he doesn't like how he looks, and thus becomes Doctor Doom. Even as a child, he was a surprisingly competent soldier, giving Venom Snake (who he believed was his father Big Boss) a lot of headaches when he started acting out, he also murdered kids and stole the Metal Gear Venom Snake had before vanishing in a cliffhanger that never got resolved in the main series (you'll have to look to youtube to see what they wanted to do). Liquid would have died from Skull Face's parasite had he not become BFFs with his future comrade, Psycho Mantis who had the ability to do pretty much everything, and was retconned into being possessed by Liquid since Psycho Mantis now gets possessed by non-Psychic people, even though he's wearing his mask which was designed to stop peoples thoughts from entering his head. Liquid has massive Daddy issues (the aforementioned genes) and is incredibly stupid, which lead him to rebel against the US government and seize Metal Gear REX for himself. He also really hates Snake for the same aforementioned gene issue, possessing a really intense inferiority complex and needing to constantly prove himself. Also turned Gray Fox into a blood puddle, because can't aim a [[fail|laser for crap]]. Snake fights him several times, including shooting down his helicopter and Metal Gear Rex, but the bastard JUST. WON'T. DIE. Of course he finally does die from an engineered virus... sort of. "Liquid" takes possession of Ocelot but this was retconned out later so it doesn't matter.

===Ocelot===
A Russian gunslinger and a guy with a LOT of mixed loyalties that make no sense when you think about it. Formerly a member of GRU (the Soviet Military's version of the civilian KGB) and a secret agent for the USA, Ocelot joined with Big Boss (due to wanting to fuck him), helping him in secret despite nominally being a member of the Patriots (and later deciding to destroy them). Ocelot joined Liquid's rebellion, but only to act as the Patriot's inside man and steal the plans for Metal Gear REX, even though as the governing intelligence they would already have had them. He also manages to steal Metal Gear RAY, but at this point he starts acting out his secret plan to destroy the Patriots from within. How does he do this? Well....

# [[What|Pretend to be possessed by the ghost of Liquid]] and steal Metal Gear RAY which was later retconned into him using hypnosis to make himself think he's Liquid, which gives him all of Liquid's personalities and skills, because that's what happens in this universe (it's how Big Boss made his body double too).
# Use one of the Patriots' AI to infiltrate their system and take effective control over their military assets, because AI who know that the new AI will be under Liquid's control will just hand it to him and wait to die.
# When the patriots send Snake after him, put up a convincing show of resistance by attempting to kill him multiple times.
# Steal the railgun off of Metal Gear REX and aim it at the Patriots' main satellite, which is still armed with a live nuke because nobody in the government told their successors about the nuke, because written logs don't exist in this world, everything is passed down through word of mouth, and the patriots forgot that the nuke was there too.
# Hope that Snake is still alive at this point and that he's developed the worm necessary to kill the Patriots AI, which Liquid could have done at any time so he wouldn't have had to worry about all the earlier bullshit.
# Fistfight him bare-chested until you die of exhaustion.
# ???
# Profit!
Yeah... when we talk about how convoluted the story is, it's usually Ocelot's fault. Still, for an elderly old bastard, he's pretty damn badass. Dude can also pull off some [[/co/|Taskmaster]] level shit and bite CQC moves from his opponents. He's also the third canon cyborg via replacing Liquid's Arm with a prosthetic and [[What|dented his own ship with it.]]

Also, he has a [[Slaanesh| torture fetish]] and is a [[Furry|furry old fuck.]]

===Otacon===
The [[weeaboo]] of the series. We're not exaggerating, by the way. He wanted to work on Metal Gear REX specifically because he's obsessed with [[anime]]. Otacon is your typical nerdy support character, giving Snake technical assistance in his fight against the Metal Gears and is the only reason REX was able to be defeated because he intentionally developed it with an exploitable weak spot that would have made it a hindrance against on the battlefield. This carries over to the next several games where he'll design something far inferior to what already existed, only to let you use that better thing later on anyway. He's also a quite literally hopeless romantic, as his two romantic interests ended up dying. Though to be honest, the first was a terrorist who showed no real interest in him, and the second was Naomi, who upon realizing she had cancer that wasn't doing a fucking thing because she stopped it with nanomachines, decided to commit suicide. Also we learn that his dad committed suicide because he had sex with his stepmom. Yeah.

===Huey===
Otacon's dad. Despite having the same general appearance, voice actor, and role as Otacon, Huey deserves special mention for how much of a [[that guy|cock]] he is and how despite all his faults, Otacon is infinitely more tolerable. So, he's a paraplegic engineer who got drafted by the CIA into helping to build Peace Walker, not realizing how insane the project really is (this is a persistent theme for him). After being rescued by Big Boss, Huey works for him and develops Metal Gear ZEKE as a counter to the various AI weapons the CIA had built. He also ended up marrying his design partner, the heavily-implied-to-have-had-a-lesbian-crush-on-The-Boss Dr. Strangelove, with whom they had a son named Hal (aka Otacon). Now, here's where the dark shit settles in: <s> after getting tricked by Cipher into letting them onto Mother Base to destroy it </s> after selling out Big Boss and MSF to Cipher, Huey gets abducted and is forced to work on a new Metal Gear, Sahelanthropus. Because the cockpit can't fit a full-sized human, he tries to get his son Hal to pilot it. Strangelove vehemently opposes this, so he ends up stuffing her inside an AI pod to suffocate. After getting recaptured by Big Boss, he insists that he never betrayed him and that he wasn't willingly working for Cipher. But after Big Boss succeeds in defeating Skull Face, Huey steals the vocal chord parasite and makes it more deadly by making it immune to its original antidote in an attempt to sell it to Cipher for protection, even having the gall to call Big Boss a murderer for mercy-killing the men Huey infected. Naturally, this pisses off Big Boss, so he sends him adrift on a tiny life raft. Huey lives out the rest of his days being a bad parent, eventually drowning himself (and nearly drowning his stepdaughter) when he found out Hal had sex with his new wife. After learning all that, one can only imagine how badly Hal was treated and feel some genuine pity for him.

===Meryl===
Colonel Roy Campbell's daughter (he told everyone she was his niece because he didn't want them to know her mother had an affair with him) and the only FOXHOUND agent to not join Liquid's rebellion. She starts out as a rookie way in over her head, but she helps out Snake by providing him with useful information. Snake also starts to develop a romantic interest in her after all the shit they go through, and then dumps her to go hunt Metal Gears because Snake decided that Metal Gears shouldn't exist, a plan which was doomed to failure since their design was on the internet and literally everyone could download it. In Metal Gear Solid, depending on whether Snake submits to Ocelot's torture, Meryl lives or dies at the end of the game. This is later retconned in Metal Gear Solid 4, where she lives but also learns the truth that she's Roy's daughter, not his niece, which pisses her off. Meryl becomes the commander of her own unit which she names after the group who tried to kill her, and decides that because at this point Snake's turned into a crusty old fart, she's going to marry her perpetually incontinent subordinate stalker (he saw her once and was then pining for her years after the fact), who's also a weeaboo.

===Raiden===
He's introduced as the "true" protagonist of Metal Gear Solid 2, but his original appearance is nowhere near as badass as Snake. He's a [[Fulgrim|white-haired effeminate Bishie]] that tends to rile up most people who loathe anime stereotypes. Raiden starts out as a Child Soldier in Africa (despite being whiter than white-out) before being taken in by the Patriots as their successor to Solid Snake. He's lived nearly his entire life in simulations and being fucked over by AIs. Once he's actually let out into the real world to stop Solidus and his terror cell, he meets Snake, and together they discover the existence of the Patriots.

Raiden gets a significant upgrade after MGS2, where he gets kidnapped by the Patriots and has his entire body below his upper jaw cut off and replaced by a cyborg ninja body (akin to a reverse [[Ferrus Manus]]). Everyone agrees that his version of Raiden is much better, and he ends up starring in the spin-off game Metal Gear Rising, where he uses his sword and ninja athleticism to fight other cyborgs and a regular human who was stronger than him due to having [[Flash Gitz| a better weapon, Power Armor]] and skills. In the Metal Gear verse your top of the line upgrades are [[Games Workshop|barely useful in less than four years]].

===Solidus===
The last of Big Bosses' clones, Solidus was much more under the control of the Patriots, sometimes. He spent some time fighting in Africa, where he picked up an orphaned Raiden and turned him into a pawn of the Patriots. While he was eventually made President, this really didn't count for much as the Patriots still made all the decisions and he was basically a puppet. Solidus decides that he's had enough of this shit and steals the Patriots' new warship, Arsenal Gear, and decides to take the fight directly to them. Of course, this didn't end well for him when Snake and Raiden interfere and the ship crashes into Manhattan. He gets killed by Raiden, sort of-not really as nobody bothered to check the body (falling into a coma instead of dying), but his body ends up being a macguffin because his DNA is an exact match to Big Boss, allowing Ocelot to hack into the Patriots network, because even though the Patriots know what's happening and could stop it they let it happen anyway.

===The Patriots===
Also known as "Cipher", or "La-Li-Lu-Le-Lo" if you're under their direct control since they decided the best way to hide their name is telling everyone that they can't say their name. Financed by the inheritance of the 20th Century's wealthiest men, the Patriots control literally everything. Originally this was a group formed by Big Boss, Zero, Sigint, Para-Medic, Ocelot, and Eva in order to fulfill The Boss' wishes of uniting the world and ending the Cold War since the entire series is based around people wanting to do what The Boss wanted to do, despite most of them having minimal attachment to the boss at best. However, this group split in half over differences on how to fulfill this vision. Zero wanted to control the entire world and all facets of human life through all-knowing AIs, while Big Boss wanted to create "Outer Heaven," a place where soldiers would always belong and not be the puppets of governments (because having people always ready to fight would obviously mean everyone becomes peaceful and happy). When Zero went comatose, the group was taken over for a short time by Skull Face, the guy responsible for cleaning up the mess in MGS3 even though there wasn't anyone like that originally (retcon) and the location should have made it impossible. He wanted to fulfill the Boss' vision by eliminating language itself using a language-based parasite because he believed that a persons personality and way of thinking had everything to do with the language they spoke (he was also retarded). Eventually the Patriots was controlled by Five AIs: JD, GW, TJ, AL, & TR (John Doe, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt respectively) who had no self preservation whatsoever. These AIs decided that the best thing to unite the world was to plunge it into perpetual conflict and proxy wars, bringing together the worst of Zero's and Big Boss' visions and directly working against everything the series said they were working towards. The Patriots AI were killed off when Snake unwittingly uploaded a worm that killed all of them, finally freeing the world from their influence.

==Types of Metal Gears==
If the title of the game didn't hint at it enough, a prominent part of the game(s) are these giant mechs called (you guessed it) Metal Gears. In the beginning they're simply mobile platforms to launch nuclear weapons, but they evolve to fulfill many other roles and become far more dangerous in general.

'''Shagohod''': Technically not a Metal Gear, but created the precedent for mobile nuclear platforms. This crazy contraption was basically a giant armored hovercraft (Move Trough Cover) that would rocket-boost (one-turn Fast Tank) in order to give its nuclear payload an extra boost and was designed to launch nukes from any surface, giving the Soviet Union the edge in the Cold War. Of course the whole point of the Cold War was that both sides were fucked if ANY nukes were launched so it became pointless before it was built. It also had point-defenses up the wazzoo.

'''Metal Gear RAXA''': The first proper Metal Gear ever built. A four-legged Metal Gear that could be launched from a ICBM. If you're asking why in the fuck they have to use a Metal Gear as a middleman nuclear platform when they're already launching it from an ICBM, supposedly it's because the missiles are harder to intercept on the Metal Gear than on the ICBM... but who's to say they can't intercept the ICBM carrying the Metal Gear?

'''Peace Walker''': A four-legged walker that was fully AI controlled. It's described as having a stealth frame, but it wouldn't exactly be hard to spot considering the size of the thing. It could only fire nukes defensively, but could be tricked into launching a premature attack through a plot that understood little to nothing of mutually assured destruction.

'''Metal Gear ZEKE''': Big Boss' first attempt at a Metal Gear, this one was fully bipedal. Originally it was AI controlled too, but was modified to use a human pilot when Cypher attempted to steal it, the modifications being completed in days or minutes depending on when you last checked it, and nobody guarding it thought that it was a good idea to stop the modifications that weren't supposed to happen, and the two people doing them would never have been able to make them in the first place. This metal gear was also customizable and could be sent out on combat missions alongside MSF soldiers.

'''Sahelanthropus''': This one was designed by Otacon's Dad, Huey. While technically more advanced than Metal Gear REX in that it could walk upright, one flaw was that the cockpit was too small for a full-sized human. Cypher got around this by using Pyscho Mantis to control it psychically, because in Phantom Pain Psycho Mantis could do whatever he wanted, which makes you question why they need robots when they already have control over a superhuman. Sahelanthropus is also the absolute proof of why Metal Gears are useless (as if Metal Gear: Rising didn't already do that), despite costing millions to make and countless resources, it's easily defeated by a man on a man-sized robot that would have cost a fraction of the resources to develop, and if it didn't have the ability to create clouds that destroyed metal, it could have been easily defeated by one tank.

'''TX-55''': The Metal Gear that appears in the first game (which is now chronologically not the first one). This model didn't have that many frills, it was simply a robot that could fire nukes. It does nothing while Snake just uses C4 to blow it up and dodges the [[Rage|annoying laser cameras]]. Presumably it's the most durable one because the only way to hurt it is to use a shitload of C4 on its legs in a certain order, because that's how explosives work.

'''Metal Gear D''': The first real Metal Gear the player ever fights in the release order. An upgraded version of TX-55. It only had a machine guns and missiles during it's boss battle. It's sprite makes it look as if could launch [[Anal_circumference|six nukes one after another]].

'''Metal Gear REX''': This dinosaur-looking motherfucker takes the original Metal Gear concept one step further by firing nukes from a [[Tau|railgun]] instead of a ballistic missile, making nukes nearly impossible to track (though it was never designed to do so, it just happened to work out that way). It also had a badass assortment of weaponry, from Gatling Guns to crotch lasers and a crap-ton of missiles. Liquid only uses the anti tank missiles. Even after Snake battled it in MGS1, it was still tough enough to take on RAY in MGS4. After MGS1, hundreds of REX knockoffs started spreading throughout the world thanks to Ocelot's douchebaggery.

'''Metal Gear RAY''': Designed to be the ultimate anti-Metal Gear weapon, RAY failed fucking hard in that regard. It's amphibious by design, and instead of carrying nukes, its weapons include a powerful water cannon that can cut metal. Despite being built specifically to fight Metal Gears, it still loses in a fight against an already damaged Metal Gear REX. For some reason Ocelot never uses the laser or the missile spam attack seen in Metal Gear Solid 2 when he pilots the manned version in MGS4. Still not a cake walk though since you need too spam the fire button instead of holding it down to make this fight easier. Since Metal Gear battles that are not the first boss hardly ever are.
The others seen in MGS2 and Rising are unmanned knockoffs.

'''Metal Gear RAY MOD0''': An upgrade over RAY seen in Metal Gear Rising. With the rise of carbon nano-tube tech; the armor was made lighter and stronger, allowing it to carry more weapons. Upgrades include: 4 limb-mounted twin-linked gatling guns, micro and macro missile launchers, an HF arm blade roughly the size of a small building, and a mouth-mounted plasma cannon. Despite all this, every last one of these guys encountered were destroyed by some Rhodesian weeaboo ninja with a sharp stick and a smart-talking Brazilian samurai with an incomprehensibly powerful sword and fighting technique.

'''Metal Gear EXCELSUS''': Not really a Metal Gear, it was only named so for marketing reasons, but still impractically awesome either way. Seen only in Metal Gear Rising; EXCELSUS was meant as an anti-cyborg gear, because cyborgs were becoming too powerful for conventional warfare. Due to this, people thought the only counter to this was to go back to making giant mechs with impractically large and powerful weapons (under the logic that if you can't outmanuver them; outgun them). EXCELSUS is basically a scorpion-shaped mech roughly as tall and wide a sports stadium and armed with two giant HF blades and twin plasma cannons. Its destroyed by Raiden in the most hilariously over-the-top way possible; he bodyslams it to the ground, rips one of it's arm blades off, and engages it in an arm-wrestling match with one of it's severed arms.

'''Gekko''': Quite possibly the dumbest looking mechs in science fiction, the Gekkos are small Metal Gears made up of a combination of synthetic organic muscle and mechanical technology. They have the head/upper body of a REX, but they have a pair of lizard legs to walk around on. You'd think that those legs would be easy pickings for bullets, but actually they won't buckle for anything less than explosives. They also allow the GEKKO to jump really high, climb on walls, and sweep kick you, so good luck running away from them. They also moo like cows and take shits. Seriously. We're not fucking joking.

==Plot==
===Metal Gear ===
The original NES port of Metal was a load of [[fail]]. Proving that even thirty years ago PC gaming is superior to consoles. Seriously some of the maps are removed and a few of the boss battles have been changed. It also takes out Big Boss's [[Troll|importance to the original plot.]] Reading about Phantom Pain first will be spoilers for this game so be warned.

===Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake===
Subtitle included because the original non-canon Metal Gear 2 NES is a run and gun shooter with a story that [[Spiritual_liege| makes less sense then usual]].

===Metal Gear Solid===
Snake's decided to retire from the spy business after having to kill his father <s>twice</s> once (first one was actually Venom Snake) to live out his dream of training racing huskies in the Alaskan wilderness. But Colonel Campbell comes knocking at his door, telling him that FOXHOUND's turned traitor and have taken a nuclear disposal facility hostage. After getting some weird shots from Dr. Naomi Hunter, he gets his SCUBA on and sneaks into the base. There he quickly discovers that the leader of the rebellion is Liquid Snake, Solid Snake's clone brother with a massive hate-boner for both their father and himself. The other FOXHOUND members include Revolver Ocelot, Decoy Octopus, Vulcan Raven, Sniper Wolf, and Psycho Mantis; the only FOXHOUND agent who didn't join the rebellion was Campbell's niece Meryl. After sneaking around the base trying to rescue the hostages, both Darpa Chief Donald Anderson (Sigint in MGS3) and Armstech President Kenneth Baker die suddenly of a heart attack mid-conversation. Snake later learns that the shot he received earlier was actually the FOXDIE virus, a genome-specific disease that kills specific individuals (and that the Darpa Chief was actually Decoy Octopus, whereas the real one had already died from torture). Furthermore, the nuclear disposal facility is actually a secret testing ground for the newest Metal Gear model, Metal Gear REX.

Snake tracks down REX's designer, Otacon, just as he's been cornered by a creepy cyborg ninja. Said ninja is actually Gray Fox, Snake's old BFF who's gone completely mental. (Naomi later reveals that she's not only Gray Fox's sister and wants to kill Snake for what he did to him, but also modified FOXDIE so that he'll be targeted as well at a random time... except wouldn't he already have been a target since he and Liquid have the exact same genome? Kojima just doesn't understand genetics at all.) After fighting him off, Otacon helps out Snake in finding out how to stop the terrorists from using REX's stealth nuke capabilities. Snake also meets up with Meryl, who gives him the PAL card needed to disarm Metal Gear REX. After fighting Psycho Mantis (Who has a memorable boss fight in which he literally blanks the entire screen and forces you to change controllers) and Vulcan Raven, Snake is captured by Sniper Wolf after she shoots Meryl, while Ocelot tortures Snake. Here, if Snake submits to the torture, Meryl dies at the end, otherwise she survives. Anyway, with Otacon's help, Snake is able to escape captivity, destroys Liquid's helicopter, defeats Sniper Wolf, and sneaks into Rex's lair. After defeating Vulcan Raven a second time, Snake finally reaches REX itself, figuring out that the system requires three key cards to disarm even though he only has the one. However, Otacon tells him that [[what|he already has all three key cards]] because its designed to change shape with temperature. So after traipsing around in the lair he disarms REX... [[fail|except that it was all a ruse and he ended up arming it instead]]. Liquid takes control of REX and challenges Snake to a fight. Luckily Gray Fox intervenes and helps to expose REX's cockpit, allowing Snake to shoot at liquid directly. Que a fistfight atop Rex, followed by the sudden reveal that the Secretary of State is going to bomb the whole island to cover the entire incident up, followed by a high-speed chase in which Liquid attempts to kill Snake one last time. Finally Liquid succumbs to FOXDIE while Snake and Otacon or Meryl walk away with him into the rising sun.

Que one final cutscene in which Ocelot is revealed to have survived, and has stolen the plans for Metal Gear REX, under orders of President Solidus Snake.

===Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty===
Hoo boy, this is where the series starts getting weird. After the events of MGS, Snake and Otacon form an NGO that tracks and monitors the proliferation of Metal Gear platforms around the world. When Otacon gets a tip that the US Marine Corps has a new super Metal Gear designed specifically to fight other MGs, Snake sneaks onboard the oil tanker it's hidden in to get proof. A Russian mercenary company also boards the ship, killing the Marines on patrol and making Snake's job just that much harder. Snake incapacitates the mercs' field commander and finds Metal Gear RAY in the deep holds of the ship. He also finds Revolver Ocelot, who declares that he's "taking it back" for the Patriots, kills the Marine commandant, and takes RAY, sinking the ship in the process. Snake is presumed killed in action.

Two years later, a terrorist group called "the Sons of Liberty" take over the Big Shell cleanup rig at the site of the tanker's sinking and take hostages, including the President of the United States. FOXHOUND sends in a covert operative to rescue the hostages and take out the Sons of Liberty, whose leader claims to be Solid Snake. The operative, code named "Raiden," gets jerked around by his handler Colonel Campbell, his data analyst and girlfriend Rosemary, and a SEAL Team 10 survivor named Iroquois Plisken (Solid Snake in a totally unconvincing disguise) as they track down the Sons of Liberty, disarm explosives, and have long, rambling conversations on the nature of free will.

The events of this operation play out suspiciously like the events of the Shadow Moses operation in the previous game, culminating in the reveal that the whole thing was an attempt by the Patriots to replicate the circumstances that led to Solid Snake's transformation into one of the most effective operators in the world, using Raiden as a test subject. Ocelot got an arm transplant with Liquid Snake as the donor, and now Liquid's ghost can possess him. The Sons of Liberty were pawns, despite "Solid Snake" (actually Solidus, the third Snake) thinking he was rebelling against them by doing this. Dead Cell, the US Navy anti-terror unit created by President Sears (again, actually Solidus) to test military security, was used as a stand-in for the rogue FOXHOUND operatives from Shadow Moses, the Patriots liquidating them in order to drive them into Solidus's arms. Dead Cell member Fortune's entire misfortunate history (losing her father, husband, and unborn child) was engineered by the Patriots. The mysterious cyborg that's helping Raiden is Olga Gurlukovich, the Russian merc commander forced to work for the Patriots lest they kill the daughter they stole from her. The President was a willing participant in the entire charade because he wanted the power that being part of the Patriots could offer. The Big Shell is a cover for the construction of Arsenal Gear, an aircraft carrier-sized platform for monitoring and censoring Internet traffic and protected by two dozen RAY drones. The oil spill was created by the Patriots to justify the construction of Big Shell (remember the conspicuous lack of any oil in the tanker).

And then the narrative goes totally off the rails. Otacon's sister Emma, rescued by Raiden and then killed by Dead Cell operative Vamp, delivers a computer worm that Otacon uses to infect Arsenal Gear, then Snake sucker punches Raiden to get him brought into Arsenal. The Colonel starts going berserk, calling Raiden with nonsense and gibberish. Snake finds Raiden's gear, gives it back, and also gives him a high-frequency sword that becomes his signature weapon henceforth. Battling to the core of Arsenal, Raiden fights its entire complement of RAYs with a Stinger missile system. Solidus, the Patriots, and "Liquid" Ocelot all reveal their goals: to hunt down the Patriots, to control global information context, and to find and destroy the Patriots, respectively. Arsenal Gear crashes into the Lower West Side of Manhattan, and Solidus and Raiden fight on the roof of Federal Hall.

With Solidus dead, Raiden and Snake figure out what to do next. Snake and Otacon plan to mine the worm's code for information on the Patriots while Raiden reunites with Rose (who is totally real and not living in Canada), finally remembering why April 30th is so important to her: it was the day they first met.

===Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater===
Chronologically the first game in the series, MGS3 is pretty much a Fix Fic for the [[C.S. Goto|half assed story of MGS2]]. Force Operation X drops one of their operatives, Naked Snake, into Soviet territory to help scientist Nikolai Stepanovich Sokolov defect. Again (Major Zero of FOX had to give him back to the Soviets to end the Cuban Missile Crisis just days after crossing the Berlin Wall). Just as Snake is leaving with Sokolov, they are surrounded by KGB agents. Ocelot, a young major in GRU, arrives, kills the KGB agents with a dazzling display of gunplay, and then gets his ass handed to him by Snake. A sporting chap, Snake offers Ocelot tips on his gun handling before Ocelot passes out. Before they can leave, The Boss arrives in the AO, declaring her own defection to the Soviet Union. This is later revealed to be a ploy, though it should have been obvious to anyone with a brain that it was a ruse since the government told you she was on a nuclear sub and if her defection really was legit then they wouldn't have known where she was. If this was legit, this also means that they would have lost sight of not only the greatest soldier in the world, but her entire unit. She breaks Snake's arm for no reason other than to be an asshole and throws him off a rope bridge. Colonel Volgin of GRU uses an M388 Davey Crockett, given to him by The Boss, to destroy Sokolov's design bureau, thus ending the Cold War, as this is now an American nuke brought into Russia by an American and fired by a defector. Everyone still calls it the Cold War anyway because this plot point is forgotten almost immediately once the intro is over.

In order to stop a full-scale war, America has to prove to Russia that they were not behind the attack on OKB-752, a plan doomed to failure because they obviously were and it's revealed in the end that they definitely were. Major Zero is forced to send Snake back into action with only two weeks to heal, his new mission: rescue Sokolov, kill The Boss (for some reason), her team (the Cobra Unit), and Colonel Volgin, and destroy Volgin's pet project, the Shagohod. In exchange, the Soviets will provide access to a communication satellite and two spies, NSA defectors codenamed ADAM and EVA.

Snake is inserted into the area of operation again, but The Boss finds him and destroys his weapon and insertion vehicle because she's an asshole who likes working directly against her main objective, alerting the Russian ground forces to his presence. Snake meets a woman who claims she's EVA, even though she doesn't provide the counter-phrase "La Li Lu Le Lo" to Snake's question "Who are the Patriots?" Which should have told not only him but everyone involved that she wasn't who she said she was, and nobody read EVA's file which would have told them EVA was a man, either that or the NSA doesn't know if their agents are male or female and also doesn't bother writing their names down or taking their picture. Strangely Snake received a full file on this EVA before he met her (as some of it shows up in the radio menu) however he neglects to read the part where it says she was a Chinese spy, because we need some retarded plot twist at the end of the game for a 'Gotcha!' Moment. The two end up fighting the Ocelot Unit and humiliating Major Ocelot once again, even though Ocelot is ADAM and it's in his best interest to work with Snake (somehow nobody remembered he was a NSA defector the first time you met him) and nobody mentions this to Snake, because once again the government doesn't know who their own agents are. Snake fights Ocelot for the first time face-to-face at a crevice, though the fight ends prematurely when a swarm of hornets descends upon them, causing Snake to fall into the crevice.

This leads to Snake's first encounter with a Cobra Unit operative, The Pain, who is infested with throat parasites that give him the scientific ability to control bees with his mind (it's as stupid as it sounds). The Pain wants to fight him for no narrative reason at all, we just needed a boss fight. After defeating The Pain who explodes with a microbomb at the end of the fight (which is retconned in a later game), Snake infiltrates the Granin Design Bureau, where he learns from Director Granin that Volgin is financing Shagohod's development with the Philosophers' Legacy, a hundred-billion-dollar fund entrusted to his father, Boris Volgin, by a shadowy cabal of the world's elite who called themselves the Philosophers. On leaving the Bureau, Snake encounters The Fear, the Cobra Unit's [[Night Lords|stealth and terror specialist]] who has the same parasites as The Pain, though they provide him with different abilities. Once again Snake fights a guy who has no reason to fight him, and after The Fear explodes via microbomb (retconned out later) he passes through the Sokrovenno forest and probably fights The End, the Cobra Unit's centenarian sniper, and the 'father of sniping'. Apparently nobody tried to be a sharpshooter before him, which is strange because this was when the guard's eyesight wasn't that bad. The End is perhaps the only member of the Cobra unit who has a reason to fight Snake, that being he's dying and wants to be killed before he dies of old age, and dies in several different ways depending on what the player did. They could have found the sniper rifle off the beaten path and shot him before this fight, after which Snake gives a depressed message about how sad he is that his mission is closer to being accomplished (this is also back when Snake was retarded), he might die of old age (Snake gives the same message), or you might fight him, in which he blows up via microbomb. The End has the same throat parasites as the other two, though once again his do different things, and depending on the gender of the person they're attached to they make you either require a ghillie suit, or require you to wear nothing but a bikini. After that Snake climbs a mountain path to rendezvous with EVA.

EVA sets out their escape route and tells him where Volgin is holding Sokolov before she has to return to Volgin as Sokolovs' captive lover Tatyana, throughout this she hits on Snake, who reacts as if she just shot his dog. Traveling through underground tunnels, Snake encounters The Fury, the Cobra Unit's flamethrower operative. Like the others he has throat parasites that give him affinity for fire. His fiery, explosive death where he turns into a flaming skull monster (Snake suspects this to have happened thanks to the microbombs, because he's an idiot who believes that blowing up via microbomb turns you into a skull monster) causes the tunnels to collapse. Pressing on, Snake climbs the tallest ladder in the world while the theme song plays in the background to mask the load time to infiltrate the perimeter of Groznyj Grad, Volgin's fortified research facility where Shagohod and Sokolov reside, and the place Snake could have just dropped in at/immediately went towards from the beginning if Ocelot wasn't working against his own orders.

Inside, Snake takes out Major Raikov/Raiden and dons his uniform, completing the disguise with a Raikov/Raiden mask. He doesn't get very far before Volgin sniffs him out and captures him, thanks to the fact that Raikov/Raiden and Volgin are/were in love (yes, seriously). Volgin tortures him for information, literally shocking the piss out of him thanks to his own ability to shoot lightning, before Ocelot walks in and shoots Snakes' right eye, because even though one of the main themes of the game is Patriotism, Ocelot will continuously work against the country he's supposed to work for. Snake escapes captivity through one of many ways, either a ghost gives him a message, he gets it via radio, he tricks the guard or he gets it from a weeaboo (yes, seriously, a weeaboo who's obsessed with all the men in his family being named Johnny) and ends up diving off a storm drain outflow to evade pursuit as he's chased by the Ocelot unit, because Ocelot's loyalty is to whomever it's least convenient for the plot. During his near-death experience, Snake encounters The Sorrow, the Cobra Unit's deceased psychic ops soldier, who confronts him with a waist-deep river filled with the souls of the men he's killed, though this really amounts to nothing as the 'fight' is literally impossible to lose and The Sorrow really doesn't give a shit one way or another.

After coming to and linking up with EVA (also fucking her), Snake returns to Groznyj Grad, armed with a supply of C3 to destroy Shagohod's liquid fuel reserves. Caught in the act, The Boss makes Snake fight Volgin one-on-one while the detonators tick down toward zero, even though she could have started working with him right then and there, which would result in both of their missions being complete without any of the following bullshit: After defeating Volgin, Snake and EVA escape by motorcycle. Shagohod bursts out of its hangar, Volgin at the controls, because Snake runs away without checking to make sure Volgin will stay down, and so starts one of Snakes' major flaws, forgetting to make sure that his enemies are dealt with. Snake collapses a bridge to drop the Shagohod into a ravine, yet the machine drives up the debris in a way it couldn't to continue the pursuit. Even after pummeling it with RPG rounds, Volgin won't give up and controls the machine entirely through electricity once it becomes inoperable (because running electricity through shit causes it to magically become fixed). Snake goes for a third round, this time on foot, before Shagohod is finally destroyed and Volgin is not killed, since Snake again forgets to check if Volgin died or not. Finally, it looks like the mission's a success when they give their pursuers the slip, but EVA crashes their motorcycle and gets impaled by a tree branch.

Snake has to haul the severely wounded EVA through another stretch of forest, evading the ground pursuit, to reach the WIG that she'd prepared for their exit. Before they arrive, Snake has to tie up one last loose end: The Boss. In a field of white flowers, The Boss tells Snake about the Philosophers in a cutscene that mostly repeats information the player already knows and goes on about twenty fucking minutes too long. The cutscene also includes her role as a secret Mercury Program astronaut, witnessing her country's betrayal in the Bay of Pigs incident, and the loss of her child to the Philosophers after giving birth to him on the shores of Normandy. She calls in an airstrike on their location with a ten minute warning and demands that Snake give her his all, for no real reason.

After beating her in a fight, the Boss lays dying or just sleepy (depending on whether or not you used tranq rounds) in the field. She hands Snake a microfilm containing the Philosophers' Legacy since it was her mission to recover it in the beginning (she didn't complete her mission and fake her death because much like her student, she's an idiot) and asks that he use her gun, the Patriot, to finish her. The white flowers turn blood-red after the shot is fired. Snake boards the WIG, but Ocelot gets on as it's leaving to challenge Snake to a final duel, because his main objective is to ensure the USA gets the philosophers legacy, and he loves trying to prevent his own objective from getting accomplished. He loads one of his two revolvers with a single round, juggles them, and offers the choice to Snake. Depending on which gun you choose and where you choose to shoot it the round is either a blank or an actual bullet. If it's fired at one of them, it's a blank, if it's fired at a wall, the blank magically turns into an actual bullet.

After spending the night in the Alaska safehouse fucking EVA, Snake awakes to find EVA gone and a taped message waiting for him. Her message explains that she was a Chinese spy, not the EVA who was supposed to help Snake during his mission (aka information he should have already known), raised by the Philosophers, taught by The Boss, and that his mission was intended to get the Philosophers' Legacy into the hands of the US government, while her mission was to steal it for the Chinese. When Volgin nuked OKB-752, Snake's mission was changed to include killing The Boss as a scapegoat, because losing the greatest soldier in the world during what could have been the worlds greatest war was deemed 'acceptable'.

Back in the USA, Snake receives the Distinguished Service Cross from President Johnson and the title of Big Boss, ruining the Boss's speech about how there always needing to be one Snake, and one Boss (although the speech didn't make sense anyway as Snake wasn't his only codename). He snubs DCI John McCone on his way out, the man ultimately responsible for the death of The Boss. Snake places the Patriot on The Boss's unmarked grave in Arlington and salutes it, a manly tear rolling down his face.

After the credits, we get the customary Ocelot phone call. He assures the KGB director that Groznyj Grad and the Granin Research Bureau were destroyed, Khrushchev is finished, and the Soviet Union can use the details of the Virtuous Mission and Operation Snake Eater to blackmail America. He then calls the DCI to confirm that EVA's copy of the Philosophers' Legacy is a fake, half of the Legacy has made it to America, the Shagohod is destroyed, and that he'd acquired data on Granin's Metal Gear project that America could find useful. He also reveals that he's the real ADAM, a triple agent working for the KGB, Volgin, and the CIA, which the the DCI already knew but never bothered to mention, because keeping his identity secret was considered more important than insuring the world isn't enveloped in Nuclear War.
MGS4 pretty much confirms that all the surviving FOX unit characters from Snake Eater plus Eva and Ocelot are the founders of the Patriots, this happens off-screen of course even though none of the members are given any hint of being tech-savvy or influential enough to make (and install) world-governing AI's, since any time the series writes itself into a corner, more shit will just happen off-screen.

===Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops===
A game of questionable canon not directed or written by Hideo Kojima. The main antagonist is a bigger Villain Sue than Armstrong and Ocelot put together. Which is saying something because either would whip the floor with him. It was also a considered the worst game until recently (see Survive). Which is what you get when the primary writer is known for making shitty harem novels for morbidly obese otaku and directed by a script writer instead of a real director.

===Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots===

===Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker===
The other direct sequel to Metal Gear Solid 3 on the PSP. A much better game between the two. It should have been released on consoles instead as Big Boss can't move and be in the prone position at the same time. This is where the series starts falling apart. As the real brains behind Metal Gear. Tomokazu Fukushima, left Konami during the early development of MGS4.

===Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance===
Set four years after Guns of the Patriots, Revengeace is a completely different beast from any other Metal Gear game. First off, you play as Raiden for the entire game instead of Snake or Big Boss. Second, since this game was developed by Platinum Games instead of Konami, [[Flesh Tearers|stealth is mostly thrown out the window for glorious carnage]] (you can still try to use stealth when it's applicable to make the game easier, as enemies are vulnerable to insta-kills while you're undetected, but nothing's stopping you from just going in and murderfucking everyone.). And third, the stupid over-the-top tropes Metal Gear Solid was known for are hitched up to eleven. Seriously, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfpeFE4QhU0| look at this shit.] That's the equivalent of tossing around a [[Titan (Warhammer 40,000)| Warhound Scout Titan]] like a rag doll.

Long story short, Raiden receives a far more powerful cyborg body and is sent to eliminate Desperado; an off-shoot faction of the Patriots led by U.S Senator Armstrong, known for the "Nanomachines, son" [[meme]] and the most patriotic villain ever known. Besides that the plot is pretty much nonexistent, with Raiden running around and pretty much being the living avatar of [[rip and tear|RIP N' TEAR]]. The plot though did have some really funny moments where Raiden discovered the villains plan to create an army, kidnap children from third-world countries, put their brains in jars, have them remote control robots/cyborgs, and once they were skilled enough put their brains in those bodies so that they could get killed on the battlefield, not to mention there's a part where Raiden just lets a bunch of children die because he's too busy posing to help them out. Much like most of the series, this plan is doomed to failure before it starts when you realize that there's already a far better alternative in the form of nanomachines that make you invincible, they only stop working when it's plot convenient. It also regresses Raidens' character a bit (because much like every MGS sequel, the theme of the previous games are ignored), but nobody really gave a shit about that because of all the over-the-top ninja bullshit he constantly pulls off.

===Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain===

==== Ground Zeroes ====

The story begins with Ground Zeroes, set one year after the events of Peace Walker. It turns out Paz, a close friend to Big Boss is alive, but she is being held in an American Interrogation camp on the southern tip of Cuba. Big Boss originally wanted to assassinate Paz because of her ties to the mysterious Cipher organization and suspects she might may have leaked critical information about the Militaires Sans Frontières. Miller on the other hand doesn't believe this and orders Big Boss to bring her back alive for questioning. Coincidentally, Mother Base is scheduled for a United Nations nuclear weapon inspection just as Miller doubts Paz's betrayal. After rescuing Paz and a young boy named Chico, they find out that Paz had a bomb surgically planted in her abdomen as a setup. After a very gruesome scene of surgically removing the bomb from Paz's body, Big Boss successfully disposes the bomb as Paz tries to recover. They return to Mother Base only to see that it has come under attack by Cipher's covert strike force XOF, meaning the inspection was only smokescreen for an attack. Big Boss manages to save Miller and an unnamed soldier (we find out his real alias is Mosquito, but he comes back later on). They all escape as Mother Base collapses and cue for Miller's famous meme quote "They played us like a damn fiddle!". Miller realizes Big Boss was right and demands answers from Paz. That is until Paz claims there is another bomb inside of her (heavily implied to be in her vagina, what the fuck Kojima) as she falls out of the helicopter and the second bomb inside her explodes causing the helicopter to lose control and crashes into another helicopter.

==== The Phantom Pain ====

Big Boss manages to survive the crash but falls into a coma for nine years. A pretty cool opening scene of Big Boss waking up to ''The Man Who Sold the World'' in a hospital bed in Cyprus. The doctors show Big Boss after the explosion that not only did he get shrapnel sticking out of his head and the inside of his body, but he also lost his left forearm in the process. The following night an assassin kills the doctors who took care of Big Boss and nearly kills Big Boss himself. That is until another patient stops the assassin and sets her on fire causing her to jump out the window. The patient reveals himself as 'Ishmael' and helps Big Boss escape (This isn't the only reference to the book Moby Dick, Ishmael calls Big Boss 'Ahab' while Big Boss is equipped with a hook hand prosthetic). As they both approach the elevator, they encounter a child wearing a gas mask and a straight jacket floating in the air (we know what you're thinking and yes, that is Psycho Mantis as a little kid) and a man covered in fire. Since gunfire is useless against him his only weakness is water. They both see that XOF units start killing the patients and hospital staff to ensure there are no witnesses. It becomes clear that they were sent in to eliminate Big Boss after finding out he had just woken up. After facing certain death against XOF soldiers and the Man of Fire, Big Boss and Ishmael escape the hospital using an ambulance. Unfortunately, the ambulance gets attacked by XOF forces and crashes. Big Boss survives, but Ishmael has disappeared leaving Big Boss to fend for himself. Just as an XOF helicopter is hovering over Big Boss, Psycho Mantis shows up then suddenly a giant fucking whale covered in fire swallows the helicopter and destroys it. To make things even more ridiculous, the Man of Fire shows up again riding a fucking winged unicorn made of fire. Luckily, a man riding a horse shows up to Big Boss' aid and that man is none other than Revolver Ocelot (now voiced by Troy Baker). After a chase ensues between the Man of Fire and Big Boss and Ocelot, they both manage to escape. Ocelot reminds Big Boss of what has happened before he fell into a coma and wants to help him and Miller rebuild their private army. It turns out Miller was captured by the Soviets and is being held for interrogation in Afghanistan. Big Boss joins up with Ocelot and sets out for Afghanistan. And that's all just the prologue.

Unfortunately, the rest of the story isn't nearly as awesome or cinematic, partly due to Konami's budget cuts forcing the game to be left in an unfinished state. Here's the gist; Big Boss slowly starts rebuilding his army by recruiting (read: kidnapping) Soviet and African soldiers, stealing tanks with balloons, and completing various contracts for money. However, its not long before he runs back into XOF forces, this time using mutant supersoldiers called the "Skulls" who use modified versions of the superpowered parasites used by the Cobra Unit, giving them freaky abilities like mind-controlling nearby soldiers or turning rock-solid. XOF is working on a new Metal Gear in Afghanistan, while working on a brand new superweapon on the Angola-Zaire border to eliminate entire languages through vocal-cord parasites, which are actually related to the Cobra Unit parasites. Actually these parasites have a lot of strange and unexplained abilities, like somehow being able to refine uranium ore or being used in the walking mechanisms for metal gears, or destroying metal. Whatever the case, Big Boss captures and falls in love with XOF sniper Quiet (who he learns is the same assassin who tried to kill him in the hospital), who is in turn won over by him because he's the motherfucking Big Boss. He also accidentally unleashes a parasite outbreak in Angola, which infects his own men, until he gets to the bottom of the infection. Finally after a big showdown in Afghanistan, Big Boss finally corners and kills Skull Face and his Metal Gear.

So, story over, right? HA no. Huey causes a second outbreak to try to bribe his way back into Cypher's hands, Quite is forced to speak to rescue Big Boss (and thus runs away so she doesn't infect anyone, presumably to kill herself to avoid a slow and painful death), and baby Liquid runs away with all the child soldiers and steals the Metal Gear with him. And... that's pretty much it. The entire final battle was cut from the game, which according to plans would have been ''far'' more challenging and climactic than the two previous Metal Gear encounters, but unfortunately it never came to pass and likely never will. The only real ending we got was the reveal that Venom Snake was never Big Boss to begin with, just a brain-washed body double who would distract Cypher while the real Big Boss fucked off to do who-knows-what. We did get a decent epilogue, however, when several years after the game released, an Easter Egg was activated after every player-owned nuclear warhead was successfully deactivated in the PvP section of the game.

===Metal Gear Survive===

A portal in the sky transports you to an alternate dimension after Mother Base was destroyed by XOF, where the Wolbachia parasite has mutated everyone into Romero-like [[zombie]]s. As the name implies; your objective is to survive. Its basically every indie survival horror game you see on Steam, except this comes in with a hefty pricetag of 40 USD/EUR.

From the recent trailers that came out; many people are already turned off by it, citing it as a mediocre survival horror game. As the first game ever worked on without Kojima's input. It can easily be called the worst Metal Gear yet and even more inept than he ever was. The story is worse than Snake's Revenge and makes Bethesda era [[Fallout]] look good with sentient nanomachines from the 22nd century via time travel as the main villain. Right out plagiarizing another video game made by Sqaure Enix, Gunslinger Stratos. Just without the alternate universe dopplegangers.
One could also argue that it ripoffs the premise from [[Doctor Who]] two parter "The Empty Child". However, unlike Steven Moffat the people behind Survive have no idea how to make a coherent plot. Proving for a second time that [[C.S._Goto|Gakuto Mikumo]] (who wrote the shitty story of Portable Ops) is a [[Isekai|no talent hack like most light novel writers]]. Blatantly ignoring that the real future of the Metal Gear universe is the much superior Zone of the Enders.(Sahelanthropus looks like a much less advanced Jehuty.)

Most of the game mechanics are a ripoff of Fortnite. The characters are bland and calling you every 30 seconds for who knows what. You are reminded to take food and drink often but it's very difficult to get either. The main character from the single player campaign is a [[Original_character,_do_not_steal|blatant ripoff of Chris Redfeild.]] While the player character is a mute because they couldn't afford to hire real voice actors after blowing their money on Matt Mercer. And do not forget that this piece of crap demands always online compatibility even for the single-player, and asking $10 for an extra save slot.

Yes,10 bucks for an extra save slot...modern games everybody!!!!

They could have let Platinum make another Metal Gear Rising or remade the 8-bit era games. [[/pol/|Don't mention that to the Survive fanboys who call Kojima a hack or haters cucks or they will have an albino chimp out.]] [[derp|Who claim this garbage is the best Metal Gear game since MGS2.]] The game has flopped in both the UK and on Steam. Despite the positive troll reviews, pathetic. Most real fans would rather let the franchise die at this point and Konami just put the final nail in the coffin.

==See Also==
*[[Metal Gear Vindicare]]
*[[BattleTech]]

==Gallery==
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Image: MSG Agent Chart.png|Create your own MSG Agent!
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[[Category: Video_Games]]
[[Category: Under_Development]]
[[Category:Meme]]

Doom

2018-04-13T23:28:08Z

2601:147:4200:6280:D48B:93C9:BE69:B1D5:

"They are rage, brutal, without mercy. But you? You will be '''worse'''. [[Rip and Tear]], until it is '''done'''." 
- A direct order from what is either God's seraphs or [[Khorne]] himself. Seriously, is there really a difference?

The granddaddy of the first person shooter, the original ass-kicking demon-slaying 3d slaughterfest, ''Doom'' is a franchise that demands respect even in the hallowed halls of /tg/.

Minimalistic in plot, Doom is easy to grasp; you are a Space Marine (no, not the 40K guy, a jumped-up soldier who is sent to fight on other planets, so closer to the [[Imperial Guard]]) stationed on Mars. Somehow, demons break through into our reality and slaughter everyone else on the planet. Your job? Fight your way to where, you hope, there's a ride off of this rock, and make bloody mincemeat out of everything standing between you and salvation. Standing in your way are armies of zombified fellow marines and eggheads, fireball-tossing imps, hulking flesh-eating demons, cyborg-demon monstrosities, and various other hell-spawned nasties who want to kill you horribly. Good luck. You'll need it...

Although not the very ''first'' of the FPS genre (even its predecessor, [[Wolfenstein]] 3D, wasn't the first, as the history of the genre goes back all the way into 70's), Doom was definitive to the genre, so much so that "Doom Clone" was the standard nickname for many years afterwards. And, for the time, it was incredibly dark and gory. To put it in perspective, there's still people playing it and hacking around with the source codes for it to make funner games to play - there's even a [[monstergirls]] modhack being churned out, complete with hand-drawn artscenes and a complete revision from "kill the demons" to "fuck the demons into submission". Hell, Final Doom is a compilation of maps made by two out-of-company designers made just because they could in the 90's!

According to the latest iteration of Doom, the Doom Marine has been tearing up demons from not just one, but ''multiple'' realities, becoming a literal boogieman for the forces of Hell. In that case, the [[Chaos Gods]] better hope that Doomguy never finds his way into their reality, or else they'll quickly learn the true meaning of [[Rip and Tear]]. After all, [[Kaldor Draigo|they've got enough of guys like him as it is!]]

Fun fact: that iconic Doom monster, the Cacodemon, was actually inspired by the artwork for an Astral Dreadnought on the cover of the [[Dungeons & Dragons]] 1st edition [[Manual of the Planes]] splatbook.

==Adaptations==
===Vidya===
The original Doom was fast-paced and bloody, but not afraid to take breaks for scares, either; there's some really creepy levels in there. Doom II, meanwhile, was even faster-paced, a circle-strafing explosion-rich gorefest that defined the game and the FPS genre in the eyes of its fandom. Plot was bare-minimum: Demons took over Phobos and ate Deimos, kill them all. Or, in Doom 2's case, Demons are trying to infest Earth in revenge, kill them all AGAIN. But this time, ''it's personal''. (No, seriously, they killed your pet bunny Daisy.) There were some other adaptations, an N64 port that played up the scary and Final Doom for the PS1 which had a bunch of fan maps being the most significant of them.

In the early 2000s, Doom 3 came along, following in the example of Doom 64 (the little-remembered N64 port) as a slower-paced, creepy, almost Survival Horror themed game. The plot tries to be a bit deeper, with this prophecy about an alien weapon capable of killing the denizens of Hell once said denizens break out of a UAC portal. There was an expansion pack/semi-sequel in "Resurrection of Evil" that follows up a bit later with an unethical scientist [[Heresy|trying to get his hands on an unholy artifact]] while the new PC tries to keep it out of Hell's hands. Altogether, Doom 3's not a bad game, but it's not the same action-packed thriller that people were expecting after Doom II, wasn't nearly as mod friendly, and Doom eventually went back into obscurity.

Then the latest Doom came out in May 2016. This rendition can basically be described as "3d Brutal Doom II" only sexier, with features like [[Rip and tear|ripping enemies apart with your bare hands]] and having to stay on the move to avoid being torn to shreds. The plot is also about as bare minimum as the original, kicking the player straight into the action with waking up on Mars, immediately [[Rip and tear|smashing a zombie’s skull]], and basically being told “demonic invasion, go kill everything.” Also, the player this time around is someone the demons call the “Doom Slayer", who has traveled through “Worlds and Time” (hinting that this Doomguy could very well be the original Doomguy from the first two games, having also survived Doom 64 and has been traveling Hell since), and millennia ago [[Awesome|kicked Hell’s ass so hard that the best the demons could do is seal him away so that he wouldn’t destroy Hell]]. Then the UAC decides to deal with an Energy Crisis by quite literally [[Humanity Fuck Yeah|slamming an Oil Derrick on a Hell Portal to siphon off Hell Energy for power]], and just for giggles starts tomb raiding Hell for artifacts and treasures as well, ultimately running off with the Doomguy's sarcophagus. The demons see that the Doomguy’s prison/tomb is empty, and the subsequent invasion is actually a panicked attempt to stop the Doomguy from being woken up. Demonkind collectively shits itself as the [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SealedBadAssInACan Sealed Badass in a Can] is unleashed to [[Rip and Tear]] once more.

No, seriously, you're told to "Rip and Tear until it is done" in the opening narration.

The original was very mod-friendly in its day, and several mods and fan-games are available for the first two titles. One of the most famous is the [http://www.moddb.com/mods/brutal-doom Brutal Doom] mod, that adds lots of dismemberment and gore to the game, but also a number of gameplay tweaks to give weapons useful trade-offs rather than each being a strict upgrade of the last, and "Glory Kills," melee-based finishers (then known as "fatalities" - yes, there is Sub-Zero's "rip skull along with the spine" finishing move). There is also [http://doom.chaosforge.org/ Doom the Roguelike], which somehow does a very good job of merging the notoriously cerebral and complex gameplay of a roguelike with the fast-paced demon-blasting of ''Doom'' into a surprisingly successful experience. Both included elements that were grafted onto the May 2016 Doom.

===Comic===
The only thing you need to know about it is that it's a masterpiece of absurdity and comedy that only the 90's could make. Sure, it's only one issue that was released back in the days of the first games, but each page of it was just that fucking [[Rip and Tear|'''STUPID''']] that you had to see it to believe it!

[http://www.doomworld.com/10years/doomcomic/ No, really. '''READ IT'''.]

===Board Game===
Yes, there is a Board Game - made by [[Fantasy Flight Games]] no less - giving the vague '/tg/ related' qualifications this site uses.
It was released around the time Doom 3 was released, though it wasn't that remarkable and is pretty hard to find nowadays.

One guy plays the baddies, the other 1-4 players play a band of unfortunate marines. The heroes start with 2-3 powerup cards, and the baddies get 5 cards from his own deck and during the game, he gets to draw more (the rate of which is equal to how many marines there are) and if his deck is empty, he gets to insta-kill one of the Marines. His guys are more varied in their movement but they can only shoot once.

The marines have three options: move 8 spaces without shooting, move 4 spaces and shoot once, or shoot twice without movement. They need to explore the board, find computers and other events as the board provides. The baddies, meanwhile, can either upgrade his monsters or bring more to the board.
Either way, his goal is to score 6 kills on the Marines.

A new board game got released shortly after May 2016 Doom, which, to my understanding, is basically just the same shit as before with a new coat of paint.

===Movie===
Also (roughly) around the same time as Doom 3 was a movie starring Karl Urban and former WWE superstar Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. It pretty much replaced the whole Hell plot with some genetic experimentation to give people superpowers that only succeeds in creating hyper-aggressive mutants, and a squad of Marines sent to investigate the mayhem. It wasn't that good, with the only really 'good' scene being this one scene where it's all FPS-style like the original games and has monster killing.

[[Category:Video Games]]

Chapter Master Slamguinius

2018-04-13T20:53:45Z

2601:147:4200:6280:D48B:93C9:BE69:B1D5: correcting Warlord Trait

==The Dark Times==
After countless Aeons of staring forlornly at a our sub-tier lists and drooling with envy every time [[Chapter Master Smashfucker]] or his [[Tau|Ilk]] would [[Eldar|Devastate]] our [[Ultramarines|armies]] a new day dawned for the much maligned Sons of Sanguinius.

the name of our new lord and master?

Chapter Master Slamguinius. Welcome to the Jam, Brothers.

==8th edition and the beauty that followed==

Like every good thing that comes into /TG/'s baleful notice, Slamguinius started out as a just a thought experiment--starting out on the DakkaDakka forums and 4chan boards, where the munchkins and powergamers did what they do best. Try to squeeze ever bit of cheese out of the dick of the new Blood Angels Codex. By the Blood, one of our errant brothers in an effort to maximize points while remaining cost effect as possible built the (un)holy combo: a Blood Angel Captain with Death Visions of Sanguinius, Artisan of War, a SS/TH combo, and most importantly the Angel's Wing relic jump pack. Said brother then shared his build--wistfully naming his creation Slamguinius in the foregone hope that it would somehow stand up to the beasts that came before.

Then the Miracles occurred

Reports of Slamguinius single handedly punching the everloving FUCK out of a greater daemon of Khorne. Slamguinius laying low our [[Roboute Guilliman|Spiritual Liege]] in single fucking combat with one bumfuckingly good charge. The most fabled of foes fell at his feet, as he ass-rammed imperial knight titans that were unable to overwatch this amphetamine fueled bastard. And for the low, low price of 5-7 CPs (holy shit...) he can even pimp-slap Mortarion's pustuled ass back to the warp. Not bad for a 129 point mook.

Hope was rekindled for the Scions of Sanguinius, as a new day dawned as the faintest embers of a thought entered our collective souls

"Hey, hot damn, we might even be competitive again someday at this rate. At least until GW FAQ's it out."

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

2018-04-13T17:42:53Z

2601:147:4200:6280:D48B:93C9:BE69:B1D5: /* Dedicated Transport */ deleting because 8th edition makes cross play impossible

''From the [[Heresy|weakness of the mind]], Omnissiah save us'' 
''From the [[Dark Mechanicum|lies of the Antipath]], Circuit preserve us'' 
''From the [[Men of Iron|rage of the Beast]], [[Pauldrons|Iron]] protect us'' 
''From the [[NSFW|temptations of the Flesh]], Silica cleanse us'' 
''From the [[Horus Heresy|ravages]] of the [[Chaos Gods|Destroyer]], [[Machine Spirit|Anima]] shield us'' 
''From this [[Imperium of Man|rotting cage of biomatter]], [[Omnissiah|Machine God]] set us free''.

Ave Omnissiah!

These are the current rules for the Horus Heresy era Mechanicum, featured in Forgeworld's book called Mechanicum: Taghmata Army List.
If you're looking for tactics with the previous versions of the Mechanicum, found in the Horus Heresy books, you'd find them here: [[Warhammer_40,000/Tactics/Mechanicum_(30k)|Previous Mechanicum Tactics.]]

For the generals on how to play the game and the basics on listbuilding (as well as other tactica rules) you may return to the [[Warhammer_40,000/Tactics|'''index''']]. You may also find the Horus Heresy general thread as "/HHG/" on [[/tg/]]

== Why Play The Mechanicum? ==
[[File:Belicosa_Potentis_Omnissiah.png|400px|thumbnail|right|Start at the top, and requisition your way to the bottom.]]

You've seen the models, right? For the first time since Rogue Trader, the followers of the Machine God can finally take to the field en masse! You can embody the grimdark universe of Warhammer <s>40,000</s> 30,000 with your exotic Martian death-rays, terrifying Battle-automata and horrific Cybernetic monstrosities.

Also? Robots.

At the beginning the force used to be divided between the three ordos of the Mechanicum: the footsloggin MCs of the Legio Cybernetica, the more complete Taghmata (vanilla) and the extremely limited Ordo Reductor. This led to question why would anyone ever use Reductor when the Taghmata list [[Fail|had better siege]] engines. The most recent update, however, fixes this problem by making you pick Taghmata as a base and then you can specialize into Reductor or Cybernetica as if they were Rites of War, with their advantages and limitations.

The list is still fairly small, with limited unit choices, but a large amount of flexibility within many of these units, and each new Horus Heresy source book would seem to be adding new units to choose from. Furthermore, all the Knights are available to use, beside the newest GW ones (just give it time), and the Ordinatus will probably have you shot if you actually use it against anyone. Be warned, this is a slippery slope that may result in the loss of financial security, family, friends and house...

Also, '' '''BIG''' Robots''!

Unusually for Forge World, the Mechanicum is one of the cheapest armies to get in to. It's possible to start an army with a single Magos, and a pair of Castellax or small Thallax Cohorts(Adsecularis if you really want to break the mold!). The army lists, whilst capable of standing alone, are intended to be used as allies for the Legion army list. As a starting point for a new army, this is ideal, as you need even less to get have something you can field. Mechanicum units provide you with some unique possibilities for conversions, too! Take a cursory glance around Coolminiornot or a painting forum and you'll find some damn fine examples. Of course, if this is not your thing, Forge World's own models are more than capable of satisfying any model fanatic.

Gameplay wise, you are universally '''hard as nails'''. There are only 3 models with 1 wound, one of which has a 3+ save, another T5, and the last one is dirt cheap and full of upgrades, all of which have access to FNP. However, with a handful of exceptions your models are somewhat pricey (with one, very notable exception), following the trend of a bare bones high T multiwound unit with 4+ save costing as much as a delicious 2+ save Terminator, and it mostly goes up from there. Tough as you are, this is primarily a crutch for the vast the majority of your army is short ranged and with low In, though you hardly lack in long range if you wanna invest some points here and there. Also, their high Toughness and numerous wounds are very vulnerable to Instant Death and weapons that do not roll against Toughness to wound (such as Rad and Poison), and their majority 4+ save doesn't do much to prevent this, but at least Ld isn't much of a problem with the abundance of Stubborn and Fearless, as robots have no feelings ([[Men of Iron|except hatred for the living]]). Along with the usual slow speed and short range of your models, it will be a pain in the mechadentrite to deal with those skyhunter Jetbikes.

It should also be noted that the Ad Mech got two new army books in 40k: [[Warhammer 40,000/Tactics/Skitarii (7E)|Skitarii]], and [[Warhammer 40,000/Tactics/Cult Mechanicus(7E)|Cult Mechanicus]]

==Special Rules==

===Warlord Traits===
All generic Mechanicum Warlords from all three lists have the option of getting a Warlord trait from one of the charts in the main rulebook, or rolling on their own unique chart:

#'''Master of Mechanisms:''' Select one MC unit or vehicle squadron with at least AV12 or more in the same detachment. This unit/squadron gets It Will Not Die. ''Very useful, it gives the best part of Paragon of Metal to a whole unit and lessens your Battlesmiths' workload''.
#'''Perfected Targeting:''' 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. ''Generally agreeable as any Mechanicum army will have many Heavy weapons''.
#'''Predictive Augury:''' The Warlord and his unit's overwatch hits on a 5+. ''Exceedingly awesome with Myrmidons''.
#'''The Death of Flesh:''' All units in the detachment have Preferred Enemy (Infantry - All Types) while within 3" of an objective. ''Helps a lot when storming enemy points or defending yours, so even Cybernetica (who aren't usually concerned about Objective markers) could make use of this to kill the enemy scoring units''.
#'''Dread Rites:''' The Warlord and his unit have seen and done some serious shit. They both cause Fear and are immune to it, and also gain Adamantium Will. ''Useful for Melee Magi. Wasted on Battle-Automata, who have all those rules by default''.
#'''Battlefield Analysis:''' After deployment but before the game begins, select a piece of terrain in the opponent's deployment zone and reduce its cover save by -1. ''Can stack to ludicrous levels with the myriad of other cover-reducing options your army has''.

===Cybertheurgy===
[[Omnissiah|Psychic powers for machines]]. WHERE IS YOUR WHEEL OF CHEESE 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, nothing happens, but if the test is failed because a double 6 was 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 [[Men_of_Iron|self awareness]]! The battle-automata is now destroyed for the purposes of VPs and is no longer part of the controlling player's 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 player's turn, but 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 0:''' Target battle-automata gets +2 Initiative for the duration of the effect.
***Very situational, Castellax and Thanatars don't need it (as it's very hard to wound them in combat except for Primarchs who will still hit first), but Vorax will be at I6, hitting before commanders (except Emperor's Children commanders),<s> avoiding being krak'ed to death by Marines</s> not anymore thank to FaQ/Errata, in legio cybernetyca Vorax will become I7 hitting even before EC or Custodes.
**'''Rite of Eternity, Ld Modifier 0:''' Target Battle-automata regains 1 wound.
***This isn't that handy: Battlesmith is probably just as likely to go off, but if you really need to heal that Castellax, or don't have a reason to use any other Rite, <s>then there's no reason you cannot use this ''and'' Battlesmith</s>. Email from FW confirms you may only use Battlesmith and Cybertheurgy if you can fire more than two weapons in the shooting phase (i.e, Myrmidon Magos). Paragons of Metal can survive being fire magnets and [[Tarrasque|regain up to 3W per turn]]...if you're willing to risk a Malifica.
****FW emails have no value,everyone can fake it,only FaQ/Errata can decide this,but good common sense and fair play let people choose between battlesmith and Cybertheurgy (only one becouse any infantry model can fire one weapon only. BUT if you are a myrmidax or have a machinator array you can swap the two shooting attacks for BOTH battlesmith and Cybertheurgy (if you are a myrmidax+machinator array you can fire also one other weapon)
**'''Rite of Fury, Ld Modifier -1:''' Target battle-automata gets +2 attacks for the duration of the effect.
***A Castellax on the charge will mathematically produce seven S6 AP2 attacks + HoW (or better, depending on loadout): 1 HoW, 2 normal attacks, 2 from Rage, 2 from Fury and all of that with Concussive, which in anybody's book is incredible.
****Even better,with Retribution come the ARLATAX FMC,that with arc scourge will do 3+1 (assault)+D3 (rampage)+2 from the rite,up to 9 attacks in charge at S7 ap2 Armorbane and concussive! And if it is the SCORIA BFF HOMUNCULEX it can fullfill the 10 attacks stat because of RAGE!
**'''Rite of Destruction, Ld Modifier -1:''' Target battle-automata may fire its weapons twice against the same target in its shooting phase, but cannot use ranged weapons in the next shooting phase.
***Useful at long ranges, like firing 4 Darkfire shots or letting loose [[Touhou|16 rotor gun shots]] at 30" with Voraxes, not to mention planting [[Rape|two Hellex Large Blasts]]. However, it's a ''life saver at '''close range''''' whenever you DON'T want to get stuck in melee: Unit with Meltabombs? Double fire from Mauler cannons gets them Pinned. '''Tarpit too close to your Calix?''' Double TL Mauler again AND double graviton template with -2Ld modifier stops their charge. [[Horus|FUCKING HORUS]] dropping in with [[Rape|12 Justaerin bodyguard]]? Drop that sweet instant-killing plasma on them, and make ''them'' roll for [[FATAL|Anal Circumference]]. Sure, you could have Overwatched, but those are mere snapshots, and there's always [[That_Guy|the guy]] who argues MCs only overwatch with 1 weapon. You don't need +2 attacks if the enemy never gets to melee. If you're planning to be the one charging, then ask your Magos if Fury is better for you.
****Now it explicitly says it can't fire its weapons ''at all'' until the next shooting phase. This would include Overwatch and Interception.
**'''Rite of Dread Castigation, Ld Modifier -2:''' May ONLY 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 armour or cover save allowed for each point that the attacker's total exceeds that of the defender. If a mishap happens, do not roll on the table; instead, the cybertheurgist suffers a 'Corrosive Paradox' and deals no damage to the target, leaving him wounded and within 12" of an MC. Use with caution.
***Pretty useful as Magi (and especially Archmagi) have much higher Leadership than battle-automata, making wounds that ignore the battle-automata's usual advantage: their high Toughness. It can help kill Paragons of Metal or Thanatars very quickly.
**'''Rite of Immolation, Ld Modifier -3:''' Target Battle-automata self-destructs. Replace the model with a 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.
***While this one can be hard to pull off, it's amazing when it does. Use on Thanatars who somehow got stuck into combat (as they're usually going to be stuck there for the entire game) for a blast capable of ID'ing marines at AP2, or Castellax for a S7 AP3 blast that'll wipe out the unit they're up against (well worth it for 105 points, especially if you're up against a 250+ pts Assault squad).

==Armoury 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===
*'''Archeotech Pistol:''' S6 AP3 Master-crafted pistol. A plasma pistol-lite for the Magos that places safety above all.
*'''Conversion Beam Weapons:''' Could be seen as inverse Melta, inflicting greater damage at longer ranges. The only differences between the Heavy and regular version are that the Heavy has a large blast radius and the '''Firing Calibration''' rule, which means the unit has to remain stationary in order to fire, even if it is Relentless or a Vehicle. ''On the corner of a standard 48" x 72" table it has [[FATAL|60% of the table in a S10 AP2 Large Blast killzone]], but this would only matter if the battlefield is modeled after parking lot, so the S8 AP4 Small Blast profile is the one you'll more commonly use''.
*'''Graviton Weapons:''' Not to be confused with [[Grav-Weaponry|Grav-weapons]]; their wounding mechanism has nothing to do with the enemy's armour save. These Heavy weapons (not Salvo) possess no Strength, but have both Concussion and Haywire effects. They make the enemy take Strength tests; if the result is above their Strength they take a wound - a result of 6 always causes a wound. So they are effectively [[Fail|Strength 3]], wounding GEQs on 4+, and MEQs on 5+, making it ineffective against infantry blobs. That's not why you're taking them though. You take them to dump haywire on the super-tough vehicles of this era. If you have nothing better to shoot at then you can use it bog down infantry because it also creates Difficult and Dangerous terrain in its blast radius, so it can at least severely hinder their movement which is certainly useful e.g. against melee dependent Legions such as World Eaters, Blood Angles etc. Don't expect many kills though because AP4 in the space marine millennium is just... sub optimal (although you will pull some kills back through the broken ankles via failed Dangerous Terrain checks). Stick to hunting vehicles unless you can spam fire against infantry using Myrmidon Secutors.
*'''Graviton Imploders:''' <s>The 40k grav-guns to which you're used to (unless you began playing 30K before the 40K version of grav came out, in which case kudos).</s> No longer do they wound on an armor save of the target, but they require a strength test, same as the aformentioned graviton weapons. So it's a bit of a nerf, but it's not terrible at anti-infantry, but launching a bunch of grav-armed Destructors into a Marine blob is not a total death sentence.
*'''Las-Lock:''' The Minie-Ball muzzle-loaded musket to the Lasgun's AK47. Shorter 18" range and fewer shots at Assault 1, but packs a nasty S4 AP6 punch. Of course, as of current, AP6 is completely useless, but S4 however is not.
*'''Mitra-Lock:''' The Scattergun of the Las Family. It's an [[Derp|8" range]] Las-lock, but it gains Shred.
**'''Induction chargers:''' An optional attachment to ''both'' Las-locks AND Mitra-locks, it upgrades them to Assault 2.
*'''Maxima Bolter:''' Storm bolters with 50% more shots but 50% less range. Too bad it's Assault instead of a Pistol, so it doesn't give you +1 attack or the ability to fire it Gunslinger style, while still having a measly 12" range.
*'''Mauler Bolt cannon:''' Spiced-up Heavy bolter, with S6 AP3 Pinning, but keeping the short-ranged trend at only 24".
*'''Phased Plasma-Fusil:''' S6 AP3 Salvo 2/3 plasma that [[Tau|doesn't get hot]]. Since most of our dudes are Relentless, Salvo isn't really a concern. They are terrifyingly efficient marine wood-chippers.
*'''Phosphex Weapons:''' Lieutenant Colonel Kilgore's [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx5N-4JvVyk| preferred fragrance], this is your [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napalm napalm]/space [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_phosphorus_munitions white phosphorus], as it burns, it's poisonous and stick to surfaces. As if its S5 and AP2 wasn't going to ruin your opponent's day quite horribly enough, it also possesses Poison 3+. The '''Lingering Death''' rule causes the blast radius to remain on the field and become Dangerous terrain and, after scatter, '''Crawling fire''' lets you move the marker up to 2" in any direction so long as it covers more models, making it incredibly effective against units that are about to charge you, and with a lowly 6" range for the bomb version that's basically the extent of their use. Fortunately Medusas & Lightnings are capable of firing Phosphex munitions at a much greater range.
*'''Photon Weapons''' Funky disco-light ray guns that have '''AP2''', Blind and ''LANCE'', but also Gets Hot. Comes in Gauntlet (12" S5 Assault 2, no lance), Thruster (48" S6 Heavy 2) and Darkfire cannon (60" S7 heavy 2) sizes -- ''A glimmer of light upon this Armoured Ceramite'd millennium''.
*'''(I)Rad Weapons:''' Chernobyl guns, these are what you get if you rip out a cathode ray tube from an old television and soup them up. They shoot [[Awesome|''Fleshbane templates'']], and even if the enemy survives he'll die later of space-cancer, represented in crunch by '''Rad-phage''', which means unsaved wounds leave the model with a Toughness and Strength penalty [[FATAL|''for the rest of the battle'']]. They come in Lucifex (pistol), Cleanser (assault) and Engine (Heavy) sizes, and the largest one gets [[Rape|Torrent and AP3]].
**'''Rad grenades:''' Special grenades that reduce the enemy's toughness by one until the end of the assault phase, yours or your enemy's. Note this ''does'' affect Instant Death thresholds.
*'''Rotor Cannon:''' Basically a Salvo Lasgun. Most of the things that can take it are Relentless, so it's a nice way to add volume of fire, but more importantly, at 30" range. They're still S3, so don't get too worked up.
*'''Volkite Weapons:''' The original Martian ray guns®. Dating 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. Additional hits this way cannot cause yet more hits. They come in five flavours: Serpenta (S5 Pistol), Charger (S5 Assault 2), Caliver (S6 Heavy 2), Culverin (S6 Heavy 4) and the monstrous Carronade (S8 with Haywire and a beam effect that lets it hit everything in a straight line in front of it, with '''AP2'''). However, while they have higher Strength, they suffer from a short range and commonly have AP5.

===Melee weapons===

*'''Corposant Stave:''' A stun baton cranked up to 11. Str +1 AP4 Concussive and Two-handed weapon with Haywire. Versatile, can be useful when hunting anything Carapace-armored and even Battle-automata, like enemy Mechanicum. Too bad it's eclipsed by better options.
*'''Heavy Chainblade:''' Different to the main rulebook's Heavy Chainswords, these +2S AP4 Two-handed chainweapons are available for your common troops, which means it's easily massed, and their strength is enough to ID guardsmen and be a threat to vehicles.
*'''Paragon Blade:''' +1S AP2 Specialist melee weapon ''without'' Unwieldy that inflicts Instant Death on a wound roll of 6. Archmagos Prime exclusive, but unless he is a Malagra, he has better things to do rather than being stuck in melee. And even there, his relatively low Initiative & number of attacks and high Toughness means that, unless the enemy has Instant Death, he is better off with a Chainfist. But can be easily be combined with Toughness-decreasing items like Rad grenades and Furnaces to deliver armour-ignoring Instant Death to Space Marine characters before they can power fist you.

===Equipment & Special Rules===

*'''Abeyant:''' A special ride for your Magos, this gives him +1 Wound, Move Through Cover, Very Bulky, IWND and '''Hardened Armor''' (re-rolls failed armour saves from template or blast weapons, but reduces charge, sweep advance and run moves by -1" and counts as Void Hardened in ZM). Damn good value for its price.
*'''Augury Scanner:''' No unit can infiltrate within 18" of the unit. In addition, grants Interceptor to the unit's Rapid fire & Heavy weapons but only against enemies ''within 18" of an Augury scanner'' turning this from an auto-include item to situational, namely, to keep someone from infiltrating with a melta near your tanks' rear AV. ''Keep in mind 18" is the range of Graviton Imploders, and your forces have lots of low AP weapons''.
*'''Battlesmith:''' If a Battlesmith is in base contact with, or embarked upon, one or more damaged vehicles during the Shooting phase, they can attempt to repair on of them instead of firing a weapon. On a D6 roll of 5+ you may do one of the following: 1) Restore a lost Hull Point 2) Repair a Weapon Destroyed result 3) Repair an Immobilized result to the attendant vehicle. If a Weapon Destroyed result is repaired, that weapon can be fired in the following Shooting phase.
*'''Cortex Controller:''' Any unit with a model within 12" of a guy with Cortex Controller no longer suffers from Programmed Behavior. This is phase based, so things like running, consolidating, etc., can take them out of range during a turn.
**If the model has both a Cortex Controller and the Battlesmith rule, they can repair wounds on Battle-automata with the same repair roll. Hand out these to your Magi and Techpriests and watch your Castellax never fucking die.
*'''Cyber familiar:''' +1 to your invuln save, up to 3++, and lets you reroll failed tests other than Ld and Dangerous terrain.
*'''Cyber Occularis:''' Like servo skulls, but they're actually models now. They're Jetpack Infantry, bought as equipment by Magi and must deploy with him, but afterwards they can wander off on their own. They don't take up any transport space, but can only ride vehicles when accompanying their Magos. All models of the same detachment within 3" of them gain full Interceptor (no 18" restriction), and enemies within 12" of them get their cover saves reduced by 1. Nice combo with almost all your units. Unfortunately, they can't join units, but they have a 3+ save and Stealth, so bubble wrap them inside other units. Hilariously, having BS3 and a TL Laspistol they're better at shooting than guardsmen.
*'''Djinn-skein:''' Combos quite nice with Cyber-occularis. You can designate one unit within 6" of your Archmagos or any of his Cyber-occularis to gain +1 BS, including himself, and Barrage weapons can draw line of sight from them. It also prevents the scattering of units that arrive within 6" of him.
*'''Fusillade Attack:''' The model may [[Crisis_battlesuit|fire 2 ranged weapons]] in the shooting phase at the same target.
*'''Infravisor:''' Gain Night Vision, but Blind tests are taken at Initiative 1, but it's not like you had such high Initiative in the first place.
*'''Mechanicum Protectiva:''' Iron Halo for Magi.
*'''Nuncio Vox:''' ''Mixed older pattern of the current Locator Beacon-cum-Vox Caster''. Radio backpack that prevents the scatter of models that Deep strike 6" near the vox user AND allows Barrage weapons to use the carrying model's line of sight (range is still measured from the firing model).
*'''Servo-Arm:''' Models with the Battlesmith special rule may add +1 to their Repair roll result. May also make one additional Str 8 AP 2 Unwieldy attack in melee.
*'''Machinator Array:''' ''Older pattern of [[Dark_Mechanicum|Mechatendrils]]/Servo-harness''. Models with the Battlesmith special rule may add +2 to their Repair roll result. Adds +1 to wielder's Toughness and provides Night Vision. Also comes with Flamer and Inferno pistol, and you can shoot both in the same shooting phase or one of them and one of your other ranged weapons, akin to a Fusillade Attack. May also make two additional Shred Armourbane Power Axe attacks in melee. ''Since it let's you shoot two weapons it allows your Magos Dominus to use Battlesmith and Cybertheurgy in the same shooting phase''. Nice value.
*'''Lorica Thallax:''' Thallax armor, grants them a 4+ save and FnP(6), but prevents them from Sweep Advancing.
*'''Lumbering Advance:''' Models with this rule cant Run or make Sweep Advances.
*'''Rad Furnace:''' -1 Toughness to enemies locked in combat with them (e-mails to FW confirm Scyllax do not make any friendly troops -1T period) as well as granting immunity to Rad grenades and other Rad Furnaces, and makes Poison and Rad-phage only wound [[Mortarion|on a 6]]. Can now be taken by Magos Prime and Magos Reductor as well.
*'''Sunder:''' Attacks re-roll failed Armor Penetration rolls.
*'''Wrecker:''' Attacks re-roll failed Building Penetration and add +1 to the Building Damage chart.
*'''Secutarii Hazard Protocols''': Essentially replacing the Skitarii protocols, this raises their BS by 1, allowing them to make snap shots at BS2, but can't run and they reduce their Initiative and WS by 1.
*'''Titan Guard''': This rule only comes into effect in the really big games, as it gives the Titan Guards a re-roll on Morale and FNP checks when within 12" of a friendly Titan.

===Vehicle and Battle-automata Equipment & Rules===

*'''Anbaric Claw:''' [https://youtu.be/uRNVxHPJ0hM?t=15 Vehicle-mounted bug-zapper] that can be used once per player turn. D6 S5 AP4 Rending hits at I10 makes for a useful <s>car alarm</s> defensive system, but it hits ''all'' units near 1" of the hull (except for transported units), so rub your hands and exclaim "Clear!" each time you use it. It also hits Ramming/ed vehicles.
*'''Atomantic Shielding:''' The same as Legion Contemptors, 5++ save against shooting and explosions, 6++ against melee. If the Battle-automata explodes, add D6" to the radius.
*'''Battle-automata Power Blades:''' AP2 Rending weapons. Being MCs, Battle-automata melee attacks are already AP2, so the main use for them is the extra attack (because they are counted as a weapon) and, with some luck, some armor penetration due to Smash getting worse in 7th Ed.
*'''Blessed Autosimulacra:''' Weaker version of IWND, regaining a HP on a 6.
*'''Enhanced Targeting Array:''' +1 BS, and reduces enemy cover save by 1.
*'''Flare Shield:''' Front facing force field that reduces the strength of incoming frontal shots by -1. Template/Blast weapons get a -2S reduction instead, but melee/Destroyer hits are unaffected - ''Flare shielded vehicles are nigh impossible to destroy in ranged combat, much less if they are constantly being repaired/regenerating. Needless to say, [[Cheese|abuse it]].''
*'''Cybernetica Cortex:''' The Battle-automata's synthetic brain, which takes them from mere battle [[servitor]]s to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminator_(character_concept) T-800] stats. Since "Battle-automata" doesn't exist as a rule, this is what usually identifies them as such. It grants them a whole set of rules: '''Fearless''', '''Adamantium Will''', '''Cybernetic Resilience''', '''Fire Protocols''', '''Machine Creature''' and '''Programmed Behaviour'''.
**'''Fire Protocols:''' Now separate from "Programmed Behaviour", it enables the Battle-automata to shoot up to three weapons each shooting phase. Doesn't say anything about Overwatch or Interceptor, tho.
**'''Cybernetic Resilience:''' Successful wounds scored by Poisoned weapons must be rerolled, but Haywire wounds them on a separate D6 roll of a 6, all kind of saves allowed. They also reroll Fleshbane wounds, but can you get that 1?
**'''Machine Creature:''' This thing never scores. EVER. Still denies as normal.
**'''Programmed Behavior:''' Unless within 12" of a friendly model with a Cortex Controller or already locked in combat, the following restrictions are placed on the units:
***'''Target Priority:''' If an enemy model is within 12" and in line of sight during the shooting phase, the Battle-automata must fire all its weapons against the closest enemy unit it is able to harm. If that's not the case, then they are free to select targets as usual.
***'''Onslaught:''' If an enemy model is within 12" during their assault phase, the Battle-automata must attempt to charge the closest enemy unit. Note 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 there is one within 12". ''The most noticeable "disadvantage" of unnacompanied automata, if tarpits get within 12" range, that's it, you're facing them in CC instead of doing something useful''.
***'''Methodical:''' May not make Sweeping Advances or Run - ''After Onslaught forced you into combat, Methodical prevents you from finishing them. Remember! An unattended Battle-automata can be easily lured away and may not make back its points''.
*'''Paragon of Metal:''' If a Cybernetica Cortex turns machines into T-800s, this turns them into freaking Ultron. Paragons of Metal aren't subject to Programmed Behavior and gain IWND and Rampage, which is nice because they only come in units of 1 and they will become [[DISTRACTION_CARNIFEX|fire magnets]]. However, instead of Cybertheurgy mishaps they go full rampant, becoming [[Iron_Men|Malifica]].
*'''Reactor Blast:''' When killed, Battle-automata explode on a D6 roll of 6 - ''Being a S4 explosion it's more of a "farewell fuck you" to the offending unit rather than a danger to your automata''.
*'''Shock chargers:''' Adds 'Concussive' to all melee attacks, ''including'' Smash and Hammer of Wrath hits, though it doesn't give an additional attack due to not being a melee weapon per se.
*'''Volkite Sentinels:''' Independent pintle-mounted Volkite chargers with their own cogitator, they can be fired in addition to the host vehicle's weapons without penalty and against different targets.

===Relics of the Dark Age of Technology===

So, Conquest gave us couple of new toys! Relics are powerful items product of mankind's golden age. You can buy only one of each per army, and only for a non-unique IC, so no cloaking array for Draykavac or something. As for the January 2016 FAQ relics require your opponent's consent to be used. be careful about building lists that break without them.

In a campaign you're only allowed one character with a relic, which you'll be stuck with for the rest of the campaign, so be sure of your decision. If the relic bearer is killed, the side that killed him can choose to play a Relic Hunt mission, where the winner steals (or recovers) the relic, even if it's a Legion specific one, but a Draw means that relic is effectively lost for everyone. Still, you can always opt to play a 'Relic Hunt' mission at the beginning of every campaign phase to [[Blood_Ravens|acquire]] FREE relics, where your war zone-assigned character must be deployed. That way you can [[Adeptus_Mechanicus|divert lots of resources to hoard up on relics]], even getting duplicates of the non-faction-specific ones, by rolling a D6 on the 'Relic Uncovered' table below. As Mechanicum you should do this [[Fluff|EVERY time]]. Of course, this only matters when playing missions instead of casual gaming, so you could put one of each on your Archmagos and become the avatar of the Omnissiah. Enjoy!

*'''#1 Nanyte Blaster:''' The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_goo| Grey Goo] gun of uncontrolled carnage!!! It's a S5 AP2 Fleshbane weapon, where if it kills anyone you centre a large blast over the dead model on a die roll of 4+, causing a S5 AP2 hit to those underneath it. Unlike Volkite, each model who dies to this can cause ''yet MOAR'' large blasts on further rolls of a 4+. All you need to do is get one casualty and you can wipe out an entire unit! Smashing!
*'''#2 Warp Shunt Field:''' 3++ against shooting, however for every save of a 6+ (against direct fire weapons) the shooting unit suffers D6 S5 hits. ''Feeling envious, Satarael?'' And it only costs 20 pts more than a Cyber familiar, but only works at range. This is the only risk-free defensive relic.
*'''#3 [[Warp_Spiders|Phase Walker]]:''' Each moving phase, instead of moving you may place the bearer ANYWHERE you like, counting as having just deep struck but with no scatter. If you move through a solid object you have to take a Dangerous terrain check for EACH solid object you went through (including all models) so be wary of abusing it in City scenarios. If your dude also has Move through Cover (i.e.: Abeyant or Reductor), then feel free to abuse it. Works well for solo characters since they can't move with their unit.
*'''#4 Combat Augment Array:''' Once per game, at the beginning of any of the controller's player turn, he may count any '''single''' die (only 1) rolled as an automatic 6 (Emails from FW confirm). However, he must also pass Toughness tests for each remaining wound. Yes, your T6 Magos also thinks the flesh is weak. If he fails he suffers a wound with no saves or mitigating FnP rolls of any kind. A Cyber Familiar can mitigate the danger by granting a re-roll and an Abeyant gives you IWND, and you were taking both of them anyway. However, you're paying 35pts for '''one''' guaranteed 6 - better take a Paragon blade with your Archmagos (Malagra or Reductor) and instakill that pesky Thanatar or enemy Archmagos, for none of those have Eternal Warrior.
*'''#5 Cloaking Array:''' Once per game, at the ''beginning'' of ANY game turn you may make yourself invisible for that whole game turn (ie. on the 3rd turn both in your and your opponent's turn, thus starting on your enemy's turn if he goes first). You cannot be shot or charged at unless the enemy unit contains psykers or daemons, in which case the array immediately shuts down (so now ''everyone'' can hit you, not just the previous two). Unfortunately you cannot activate it while attached to a squad or if engaged in close combat already. You also cannot shoot, assault, move or ''do anything at all'' - Can't even perform actions that don't count as shooting, like Bombardment attacks. So your model stands on the same spot invisible but doing nothing during a whole game turn. Note that characteristics remain active and can actually perform actions that don't need to be declared - for example, units still arrive with no scatter near an invisible Djinn-skein user and artillery can still draw LoS from him. By its nature it benefits ranged, lone characters more than melee ones. There are relics easier to use than this one, though - very situational and LOTS of limitations.
*'''#6 [[Void_shields|Void Shield]] Harness:''' The Omnissiah preserves you with a Voidshield for your dude. It's a large blast-sized shield, centered on your dude but protecting anyone that fits inside. Glancing, Penetrating and Destroyer hits will collapse the shield, but it can be restored at the end of your turn on a 5+, and with AV12 you'll be immune to most small arms fire. However, a result of Explodes! will overload the shield, disabling it for the rest of the game and placing a S6 AP4 Pinning Large Blast template centered on the bearer, so ''keep away from meltaguns'' (or deepstrike some of your own to watch some enemy-HQ-flavored fireworks). Being Mechanicum you can slap this on an unkillable magos inside of an unkillable mech raider, assuming you are going for maximum trolling (and really, who isn't?).

====Mechanicum exclusive relics====
*'''Cortica Primus:''' Nice piece of equipment! Counts as Cortex Controller which gives you ability to cast those awesome Cybertheurgy spells on the ENTIRE unit of Battle-automata, but if you roll Mishap, its result is modified by +1 for every additional model in a unit (so a unit of 3 would have a +2 modifier). Only the new (Arch)Magos Dominus can use this properly and that's actually fair, although it has its risks: Imagine the might of a [[Tzeench|double-tapping]]/[[Khorne|angry]]/[[Nurgle|regenerating]]/[[Slaanesh|lightning-fast]] MC SQUAD, the [[Deathstar_Units|Deathstar]] to end all deathstars...[[FATAL|unless they '''ALL''' turn Malifica on him]].
*'''Contagium Mechanica:''' Spoopy Scary sentient computer virus that comes to destroy enemies of the Omnissiah! Well, at least their vehicles. It is a 12" Assault 1, Haywire weapon. If vehicle survives this DEVASTATING hit, then it starts to spread the virus itself. In each of your subsequent Shooting phases, each vehicle within 12" of the survivor (and the survivor itself) takes a hit from the weapon. Every vehicle that survives then become infected, and everything goes round 'n round until there are no more tanks to destroy... Awesome. Keep in mind that if the enemy manages this poorly you could have a robo plague bouncing up and down his line hitting tanks multiple times. . . or bouncing up your own vehicles if he gets an infected machine up in your grill. Use with caution.

==Taghmata Unit Analysis==

The main army that uses pretty much everything but is the baseline for all Mechanicum. Taghmata's advantages lie within the immense power and variety that can be possessed by a Magos Prime, without the compromises that must be met when playing as Cybernetica or Reductor, so unless you tailor your army to a specific theme/Style, you'll basically be using this mostly.

===HQ===
*'''Magos Prime:''' Now with Independent Character and Precision Shots! They [[Forgeworld|MUST BUY]] a Techno-Arcana, so they start as expensive WS3 Consuls…and they get even more expensive, but being Mechanicum lords they make up by having a huge amount of customization options, like a Jetpack to have [[Crisis_Battlesuit|flying heavy weapons]] that keep up with Thallax, or go solo, etc. – so many they have a whole section for that [[Warhammer_40,000/Tactics/Mechanicum:_Taghmata_(30k)#Magos_options|'''here''']]. Besides his wargear and Arcana he can be upgraded to Archmagos, becoming kind of like <s>a Praetor</s> a freaking monster with Relentless (to properly use those Heavy weapons of his without ''needing'' a Jetpack) T5, W3, BS5 and a 2+ save; up to [[Chapter_Master_Smashfucker|'''T6 W4 IWND and 2+/3++''']] with the Machinator Array, Abeyant and Cyber-familiar so many builds use – he’s already expensive, you might as well equip him nicely. The upgrade also unlocks 3 awesome options: the mighty Paragon Blade, the Archimandrite Techno-Arcana and, if he’s the Warlord, a Djinn-skein to greatly help your army. Makes sense you can only have 1 Archmagos in your army. The '''Orders of High Techno-Arcana''' are like space military PhDs that pretty much dictate how you're going to play, and are the following:
**'''Archimandrite:''' Archmagos exclusive, so there can be only one. ALL vehicles in the detachment (so not allies or LoWs) [[Iron_Hands|gain IWND]] (replacing Blessed Autosimulacra) ''by his mere presence'' and, if he is the Warlord, adds +1 to Reserve Rolls. He allows you to field some of the most fearsome Mech(anicum) lists in the game, especially when most of your options are Flare shielded, not to mention it comboes well with deepstriking Thallax, LRs with Explorator Augury Webs and makes your flyers (your army's weakest section) arrive faster and last longer - ''Overall the most supportive arcana. Coupled with a Djinn-skein and multiple Cyber-occularis he becomes the most supportive unnamed character ever.''
**'''Malagra:''' Heretek and MC hunters, they get +1WS and +1 Attack as well as Preferred Enemy (Characters), Monster Hunter and Precision Strikes. If you want your Magos to be a Mech-assassin and get up close and personal, he is your go-to guy. At I4 most CC characters are likely to hit faster than him, but properly equipped (which makes him even more expensive) he should be able to tank the damage and punch some skulls out. Good for one thing only, he kinda ''needs'' Archmagos stats to stand out, otherwise he'll be like the Legion Champion: a discount version of something better, useful for one thing only - ''The best recipient for a Combat Augment Array and Paragon Blade.'' FAQ update: as of the last FAQ, if a unit contains anything you have Preferred Enemy against, all attacks against that unit get the PE rerolls. Given almost every non-vehicle astartes unit contains a Character (the sergeant), a Malagra can give their unit PE against most of an astartes army.
**'''Myrmidax:''' Makes him a Myrmidon Lord...lord, gaining Fusillade attack, Hatred (Everything), Lumbering Advance, Precision shot on a 5+, but most importantly, Relentless, meaning he doesn't need a Jetpack or the Archmagos upgrade in order to move and shoot those sweet heavy weapons (of which ''he can fire 2''), although BS5 does help. Furthermore, Photon thrusters now don't overlap with the best options, and he can take two of them! [[Dakka|Four S6 Lance AP2 shots]] are bound to make some damage. Hatred means he's no slouch in melee, but you'll want him shooting all game long - ''Overall, the shootiest Magos.''
**'''Ordinator:''' Not to be confused with the proper Magos Reductor, their roles don't overlap, but can actually complement each other nicely. All of his attacks have Armourbane and Wrecker, and he also has one Bombardment attack (Ordnance D3, Large blast, Pinning, Armourbane, Wrecker, S8 AP3 One-use) which is one of the few Large blasts you have access to as a regular Taghmata, although it needs LOS. Regarding Armourbane, you already have lots of anti-tank stuff already, although an Armourbane Photon cannon is one of the few thing that can and WILL kill even a Flare shielded Armoured Ceramite Spartan, and if he can kill those he can kill anything with an AV. But maybe you want to have half your army shooting at it for the entire game, it's up to you. You don't want to know what an Ordinator [[Rape|does]] with a [[FATAL|Wrecker Armourbane Conversion Beam at full range]]. A regular Meltagun is also nice for him as Armourbane ignores Armoured Ceramite (and is independent of range unlike the Melta rule), and doesn't need Relentless – ''The Myrmidax shoots more but the Ordinator shoots stronger''.
**'''Lachrimallus:''' The most resilient Magos, his 5+ FNP will make your enemy weep cursed tears of rage each time he fails to kill him. He also makes Tech-thrall units come [[Warhammer_40,000/Tactics/Imperial_Guard/Death_Korps_of_Krieg_Assault_Brigade(7E)|back from the dead and into Ongoing reserves]] on a 5+, and forces you to take at least one unit of them. This guy won't go down quickly, if you're taking an Archimandrite and sizeable numbers of well equipped Thralls, take this guy. The former allows you to field those Thralls quicker, and the latter makes them return into reserves for free, potentially maximizing cost effectiveness. Also notice unlike the Archimandrite, this guy ''does not'' need to be the Warlord to use his bonus - ''Makes your Thrall screens recyclable, but that's not necessarily an instant win button: you'll need several squads to make it count, your enemy DOES receive VPs for killing them and they still have a 2/3 chance of dying for real. Keep them cheap so you can afford other things to do the real damage''.
**'''Macrotek:''' Enginseer lords, they reroll Battlesmith tests and can take Enginseer Tech-Priests Auxilia (Enginseer only) as troops, as well as allowing an extra fortification (unless forbidden by the mission). Given that Battle-automata can't score anymore it makes sense to give them Troop (scoring) Enginseer escorts with Cortex controllers, and/or he himself should be given both a Cortex controller and a Machinator Array to repair Battle-automata on a rerollable 3+. - ''Toppling a Castellum Stronghold isn't just anything, imagine now 2. Bringing 2 Turbo Laser Destructor-armed Primus Redoubts will get you shot, though''.
**These sphincters are ridiculously durable. If you created a Magos character for a Conquest campaign (HH4), the progression and wargear can take him up to '''T7'''. Yes, like a fucking Castellax. Properly built they can tie/beat Smashbubbler(link?)(Link or it didn't happen). http://boards.4chan.org/tg/thread/36435186/horus-heresy-conquest#p36450691. However, '''NO MAGOS HAS ETERNAL WARRIOR''', meaning most builds need the upgrade to T6, and even then a lucky (or Combat Augmented) Paragon Blade can be the end of your 200pts+ model, a very common weakness in this army, get used to it/kill Paragon wielders ASAP (you have Precision shot). You better get that 3++ save.

*'''Magos Dominus:''' What the average neckbeard has become by the 30th millennium. Your librarian equivalent, Dominus are your only other vanilla HQ options beside special snowflakes. They come with a Cortex Controller to better direct your Battle-automata, but you're actually bringing them for their sweet Cybertheurgy powers, for Techpriests arguably do a better job at mere robo-herding, and it's not like unsupervised Battle-automata begin to [[Tyranids|rip out each other's bits]]. Having seen lots of changes since their first iteration, their price increased a little and they're still NOT ICs, but gained FnP(5+) and the '''Patris Cybernetica''' rule which allows them to join their Battle-automata pets so they're not in mortal danger all game long. They can't tank hits for their Battle-automata though, because the enemy can ignore them as the closest model when shooting. As for their wargear, they still have wide variety of RANGED options and only three melee options including his default power weapon. For those times he's not using Cybertheurgy or repairing his bots. While taking him naked/with enhanced survivability is also a good decision. An extra Power Fist hit from the Sevro Arm and a +1 to a repair roll is decent. However the Machinator Array is a superior upgrade overall. ''He's a cheap HQ that helps your robots, but that's about it''.

*'''Secutarii Axiarch''': A Secutarii HQ with stats more befitting a Space Marine. Of note besides the rules most Secutarii get are the Refractor Field, Radium Pistol, Arc Maul, and Titanshard Armor, which grants them not only their pimping statline and a 3+ Save, but also IWND. Axiarchs can also grant all Secutarii within the detachment one of four new rules: a 5+ FNP, Move through Cover, +1 to pen vehicles, or PE Infantry. These guys are far cheaper than even the Magos, but they're also a lot more specific in their use and in a force with few Secutarii they're rather wasted.
**The Axiarch is nowhere near as useful in shooting or melee as the Magus and Magos. Nor does he have the full set of options that they do. He's one of two HQs without the option of a Machinator Array. So he won't last very long in a fight. Making the best options for him a Master-Crafted Phonton Gauntlet to re-roll Gets Hot, a Power Fist to make the best use of his three attacks, than spend the cheap cost of taking the Omnispex, Augury scanner and Shattersphere grenades for Rad Poisoning and Pinning. His other options have low AP while Hoplites have little need of extra help to spam Haywire. Kitting him out with all Rad weapons doesn't make him anywhere near as good as Radfucker. Though he will make an good meat shield and assistant for the Archmagos.

====Special Characters====

*'''Archmagos Draykavac:''' The first of the [[Dark Mechanicum]]. This scary bastard comes with a Graviton gun, a Machinator array, can buy up to 4 Cyber-occularis for his Djinn-skein and gives PE (Infantry) to all units while within 3" of an objective when he is the Warlord. He also has a Paragon blade that you might never use because of his special rule '''Liquifractor''', exchanging all his attacks for an autohit iflicting [[Anal_Circumference|2D6 - target's T]] worth of wounds at AP2, or 2D6 - AV/2 Penetrating hits against vehicles. This happens at In1, but having T6 and causing Fear means he has no problem waiting for his turn to attack. His unique arcana gives all Walkers, SH walkers and MCs in his detachment a +1 on their charges and Sweeps so consider bringing some Dominus and Knights. He is also available as HQ for a [[Warhammer_40,000/Tactics/Questoris_Knight_Crusade_(30k)|Knight army]]. Costing less than an equally equipped Archmagos but having lots of unique stuff and an amazing model it almost justifies him not being an IC, so give him an Abeyant to increase his survivability.

*'''Archmagos Inar Satarael:''' This dude died once, ''[[Commissar_Yarrick|came back]]'' and decided he was done with this "dying" thing so he gave himself a Mounstruous Creature-sized body (were he any tougher, he'd be a Castellax) with T6, '''W5''', FnP(5+) and a '''Repulsor shield''' which protects him from S6 shots (ie. the ones that matter) on a roll of 4+, and on a 6 the attack [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ABGIJwiGBc#t=16 bounces back to the offender]. However, it doesn't work against Template or Blast weapons (ie. the ones that matter), so a normal invuln would be better. Sadly he gave his body a mere 3+ save and forgot EW, but he planned for that - roll a D6 when he loses his last W, on a 3+ he teleports home denying any VP for killing him and his body Explodes. ''Even in death, fuck your dudes''. He's not an IC but has '''Patris Cybernetica''' meaning he can, and should join a unit of Battle-automata: 3 S6 AP2 non-unwieldy attacks and HoW means he's more competent in CC than what his WS3 might suggest, and his WT pretty much turns friendly Taghmata 12" around him into Word Bearers, rolling an additional D6 and keeping the lowest two dice when making Morale checks. Because most of your army also is Stubborn this works out very nicely. Having a TL Maxima bolter, a Graviton Imploder and a Servo-arm (which usually are mutually exclusive) he's very cheap for what you get. ''But for a little more I could get me a Knight!'' Yes, but he is both an Archimandrite AND an Archmagos Dominus, having a Djinn-skein (with 4 optional Cyber-occularii), Cybertheurgy and a Cortex Controller - in fact he's the only way of having both in your army.

*'''Magos Reductor [http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/en-CA/Titan-Tech-Priest Calleb Decima]:''' Now with Independent character and Precision Shots! Decima is a very divergent Magos Reductor, exchanging 1WS, BS and the usual 4++ for +1S, W, Ld and a 5++. He has a MC Power axe and a Machinator Array which makes him decent in CC (hits at S6 but fights like a guardsman at WS3, though Master-crafted mitigate this), and with his longest ranged weapon being a MC Bolt pistol he's certainly not a shooty character either. ''Then what's the point?'' He's a Magos Reductor available for Taghmata use, meaning you can bring Battle-automata and non-Thallax troops without restriction while still getting his Reductor buffs: His unit has Move through Cover (ruins, minefields, rubble and treches) and is immune to Pinning from enemy shooting, all his attacks have Sunder and +1 on both Damage tables, which he can confer to a nearby Heavy/Ordnance weapon if he doesn't shoot (which he won't really be doing), not to mention he's the only Taghmata magos with a '''retinue''' of his own (Scyllax or Reductor Techpriests forming a unit with him, doesn't count towards FOC). ''So, no point taking him when playing proper Ordo Reductor, then?'' [[Heresy|Nonsense]]! Sure, he is weaker but he can upgrade to a 4++ save and has access to a <s>Land Raider</s> Macrocarid DT. Freed one Heavy support slot for you, your welcome. But pretty much the sole reason you want him is for his '''Curse of the Omnissiah''' attack. An awesome, if somewhat expensive ''support'' HQ, specially when taken as an allied one as the first book intended to. Not that he isn't good in a primary detachment either. Thallax lose their mobility advantage when he joins them, so put him in a Scyllax unit: now all five of his attacks ID MEQ's since the Marines he'll be up against will be T3!
**'''Curse of the Omnissiah:''' Makes him a death sentence to anything less than a Titan (provided you get a good roll), being able to unleash 2D6 Haywire Sunder shots, which means he can [[Awesome|scream a Spartan to death]] on a single turn. This counts as firing all his weapons - no extra Machinator shots. Unfortunately, it's very difficult to use, being Heavy One Use and having only 18" range. And being ''only'' T5 with a 3+/5++ save and no access to transports with fire points or Relentless means Caleb will face danger to use it ''and after'' using it, [[Derp|because it Gets Hot]]. Feel free to move when targeting a flyer, though. If you want to use it you'll probably need staying power, so take a Cyber familiar for a 4++ invuln and/or his retinue. Fun fact: Being S3 AP3 and hitting so many times, this thing can serve against guardsmen in a pinch.
**'''Optional FOC - Istvaan III Survivor Force (Campaign only):''' A throwback to when the Reductor list was 4 pages long, Calleb's [[Fluff|band of survivors]] has Move through Cover (Rubble, ruins, minefields & trenches), and receives Stealth in the first turn in exchange of being VERY limited in scope (eg. [[Fail|No battle-automata]], ouch). Good in ambush or cityfight scenarios, but not much else.
***'''HQ:''' Calleb (Compulsory) and Magos Reductor only - ''No Technoarcana nor Cybertheurgy for you. Ouch''.
***'''Elites:''' Tech-Priest Auxilia (Enginseer and Reductor only) and Myrmidon Secutors only.
***'''Troops:''' Thallax only.
***'''Fast Attack:''' Avenger Strike Fighter only - ''This also means Thallax will be your only melee''.
***'''Heavy Support:''' Ordo Reductor Artillery Battery, Myrmidon Destructors, Krios, and 0-1 Legiones Astartes Tank Heavy Support. ''Introduce the Sicaran Venator to Decima and love will b(l)oom''.
***'''Lord of War:''' As normal.
**'''Upgrade time! - Decima Invictus:''' And you thought he was the only non-Archmagos special character. This badass survives the crucible of Istvaan III and returns with red hot Hatred (Traitors) and '''Eternal Warrior'''. He now counts as an Archmagos and must be the Warlord (-1 to a piece of cover). Not only that, he gains Relentless to scream machines to death [[Awesome|'''on the move''']], his greatest weaknesses gone! However, he [[Fail|''doesn't'' get Archmagos stats]], and now your entire army must Sweep Advance when able and cannot Go to ground. Now he costs as much as a Land Raider...but he can get his points back with just one attack so it balances out.

*'''[[Anacharis Scoria]]:''' A SCARY MOTHERFUCKER introduced in HH6 for both Taghmata and Cybernetica, this is what happens when FW decides to create a character ''even more dangerous than Sigismund''. Let that sink in. Pioneer of the Dark Mechanicum and lord of the first Hell Forge, Mr. "I whoop Primarch ass for breakfast" comes with an impressive statline (WS/BS/S/T/I of 5, 4W, 3A, 2+/3++), Archamagos Dominus rules along with '''Eternal Warrior''', Relentless and Adamantium Will, two Archaeotech Pistols, Machinator Array (so yeah, ''he is T6'') and his AWESOME CCW - The Vodian Sceptre, which inflicts '''D3 AP 2 auto-wounds''' (or cuts 1 HP from a vehicle) for each successfull hit. Besides ignoring Toughness and armour, these wounds also ignore FnP and don't allow It Will Not Die rolls. As masterful Dominus he has his own Cybertheurgy power - The Rite of the Beast, which is cast with a -2 Ld modifier and affects every Battle-Automata model in targeted unit (''that's right, like the Cortica Primus relic''), granting them [[Rape|+1 to their Initiative, Move and Charge distanses, and re-roll of failed hits in assault]]. The downside is that when the power loses its effect, every model must roll a D6, losing a wound on roll of 1 with no saves allowed.
**If all of that is not enough for you, for 40 points he may purchase his special Xanathite Abeyant, which gives him +1 Wound (yes, '''5 Wounds'''!!!), +1 Attack, Move Through Cover, It Will Not Die, Hardened Armour ''and'' a Photon Thruster, which can be fired in addition to all other shooting attacks, aka ''he has 5 guns, 4 of them are AP3 or better and he can shoot 4 of them per turn (don't forget the Gunslinger rule for his two Pistols.)''. His Warlord trait allows all Cybernetica-Cortex units make Sweeping Advance and Run (essentially ignoring the "Methodical" part of the Cybernetica Cortex), and if they're outside Control range they must move to the closest enemy unit, charge it and try to make Sweeping Advance. He also may take The Homonculex - his own customized Arlatax Battle-automata with basically simply gets Paragon of Metal for free but if Anacharis dies it is removed from play alongside him (and since Scoria can be a '''T6 5W 2+/3++ FnP(5+) IWND Eternal Warrior''' - if you managed to get this guy killed [[Not_as_planned|things have gone tits up anyway]]). Or somebody dropped a Warlord Titan on him (honestly, it's not overkill). While Scoria himself isn't Fearless, his Patris Cybernetica rule allows him to join units of Battle-Automata which are, and so prevent being sweep advanced. That's [[Troll|assuming your opponent can dish out more damage than you]], of course. Emm ... Cool, I guess?
*** Scoria is a beast. Simply put, this guy can kill most of the Primarchs without breaking a sweat. Horus needs to be '''''lucky''''' to kill him as otherwise Scoria will kill him at the cost of 4 of his wounds.
****<s>The only Primarch capable of going toe-to-toe with this motherfucker is Mortarion, and that's only because of Preternatural Resilience rule meaning that Scoria has to get a 6+ to wound him</s> (Mortarion doesn't get wounded by Scoria on a flat roll which would trigger preternatural resilience, he is auto wounded when hit, Scoria doesn't suddenly need a 6 to hit him before auto-wounding him) <s>and his ID scythe can chew through any Scyllax or Homunculex bodyguards Scoria can bring.</s>

===Elites===
*'''Techpriest Auxillia:''' 1 Adept with 4 Servo-automata for 65 points. Plays similar to the IG Enginseer, except the unit can have up to 8 Servitors and 2 Adepts, and can take a Triaros DT. Adepts can be given a vox to act as forward observers, and Cortex controllers to heal Battle-automata (don't give them weapons, they should be busy repairing stuff). One of them can be upgraded to Magos Auxilia, who has Dominus stats but [[Derp|no cybertheurgy or cool toys]]. Because of the price and the Servo-automata's dependence on their Adepts, two of them are better than a single Magos. Speaking of Servo-automata, they can take nice weapons but the lack of Relentless will be felt with the better ones. Still, those guys are hella cheap: Eight T5 dudes with flamers cost 60pts and constitute an effective restriction order for most things - actually fearsome in Zones Mortalis (if you ever play that). Overall, the squad ''would'' feel like a budget Magos for insurance against broken stuff, but they get free Techno-Arcana.
**'''Enginseer:''' Adepts gain a servo-arm ''and'' a +1 to Battlesmith (so they pass on a 3+). Furthermore, each servo-automata with a servo-arm gives yet another +1 to your enginseers. Whatever you assign them to wont die, so stick them inside a custom LR, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up0t2ZDfX7E play the music] and proceed to collect tears.
**'''Lacryaemarta:''' The Adepts grant FnP 5+ to the unit and +1 to Adsecularis FnP within 6". Because resilience is their theme, a T4 Magos could be a nice addition. Great for Thrall hordes (especially with a Lachimallus and Revenants), although their own T5 servo-automata benefit more than the T3 Thralls.
**'''Reductor:''' Everyone gets Tank Hunters and Wrecker, Adepts gain a servo-arm that they can trade for a Conversion beamer or Graviton Imploder. They aren't Myrmidons, and with their BS3 and lack of Relentless you'll notice it. However, a Reductor Magos Auxilia can shoot a Conversion beamer as good as an actual Ordinator Magos, but cheaper. Equate the cost and you get yet another Conversion beamer, not counting your 4 tank hunting servo-wounds. In their hands, those guns make buildings explode on a 4+. Compared to ''3'' Myrmidons Destroyers, that's 85 pts saved at the expense of just 5% decrease in effectiveness. Who’s an insurance squad now?

*'''Myrmidon Secutors:''' Sturdy SOBs. T5 W2 3+/5++, 120 points for 2 Secutors and their Lord, up to 10-strong and come with Power Axes, but their guns are bought separate, of which they MUST buy two and can fire them like a cyber John Woo due to Fusilade Attack (not twin linked) and with BS5, Relentless and Infravisors they're damn good at using them. ''Lumbering Advance'' prevents them from running and sweep advancing, but with so much dakka and I2 you won't give a damn. Most of their weapon options are short ranged however, so they ''need'' a transport. A Triaros is a must if you want them to actually shoot instead of being a [[DISTRACTION_CARNIFEX|distraction]]. Unfortunately the Secutors have a lot of issues, especially when comparing them to other Mechanicum units, starting with their price. They're 50pts each on average, and while they have two Power Axe attacks base (three on the Ld10 Lord) and Stubborn to function as a heavy assault trooper, you'll want them shooting all match long rather than being tied in melee. As their rules are based around the shoulder guns. They're also not very good at their jobs.
**Against infantry, '''Irad cleansers''' would be a strong option; Fleshbane and Rad-phage template is good, however Irad Engines and Lightning cannons are better than any number of cleansers.
**'''Phased-Plasma Fusils''' might seem like a good idea for killing MEQ's/TEQ's, as even though Castellax can already take care of them the Secutors perform better in ranged combat while being worse at melee, so there's a trade-off there. They still don't do it as well as the Thanatars or the Myrmidon Destroyers however, but both of those are in the heavily contested Heavy Support slot, allowing Secutors to fill in for them if you've already got their slots maxed out. The Secutors also have the advantage of being allowed to climb in a transport, but they cost so much that even the cheapest transport the Mechanicum can get will make them a very juicy target. Losing the transport while still being too far away to do shit really sucks, especially for these guys.
**A unit of Secutors equipped with '''Graviton guns''' used to provide superb anti-armour as a squad with Graviton guns can ''reliably'' glance most vehicles and buldings to death, outright ignoring Armoured Ceramite, Armour Values and even Flare Shields. Better yet is that they're Relentless, so the Graviton gun's biggest drawback never affects them. Unfortunately they're beaten at their own game by Hoplites which are not only Troops, but much cheaper Troops at that. Even ignoring them there's many other workarounds, Castellax get Multi-meltas for free, can be pushed into melee and may take flamer(s) for Anti-infantry, Thallax behave in a similar way but are more mobile and can fill the role of Compulsory Scoring Troops, Tech-priests auxilia can bring 8 Tank Hunter Multi-meltas for 205 points and can also boost the rest of your MCs/vehicles and the new Vultarax also has a Haywire gun, but it's mounted on an FCM that will never die alongside other blob-killer weapons.
**For general use however, you'll probably find yourself taking Volkite-Chargers for some good dice-spamming potential (with a strong likelyhood of wounding), backed up by at least one Graviton Gun to help slow down the enemy at such short ranges, alongside causing lovely glancing hits. It's really one of the more lackluster units in the codex.

*'''Domitar Class Battle-Automata Maniple''': Essentially a melee automata geared for punching other Automata. It can also handle vehicles and buildings in equal measure thanks to four attacks at S10 and its WS4 make it so it'll hit all other automata on 3's (and D3 S7 Hammer of Wrath hits per model (roll once and multiply by number of models)). Its shooting is a shitty missile, but the Domitar shines even when getting charged thanks to the Graviton Hammers forcing opponents to make disordered charges, and with Crusader you'll be dictating when your charges happen quite often. Keep them away from tarpitts (Paragon of metal doesn't help out too much here, and getting hacked apart by a large mob of S6 fearless goons whose entire squad costs probably less than half your model is embarrassing). Don't go thinking that it can take on every monster unit either. Charge a few Castellax with Darkfire Cannons (or even go solo near their Bolt-Cannons) and you'll find that's a 175+ point investment down the drain.
**The price of these though is very prohibitive, a unit of Castellax with Siege Wreckers can do essentially the same job for less, and unless you know you're up against MC heavy lists there's very little reason to bring a Domitar. If you bring them anyway, send them after pricey and important targets, smaller terminator units and HQ, but keep them away from Dreadnoughts. Cortus Dreads can very well kick its ass for cheaper.

===Troops===

*'''[[Thallax|Thallax Cohort]]:''' Thallax are Jet pack Ogryn equivalents, being pretty hardy with T5 and 3 wounds. Their special rule '''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMli33ornEU Djinn-sight]''' [[Markerlight|reduces enemy cover]] by 2 (too bad their main guns are AP5) and denies infiltration within 24" of them, so deploy them near your valuable assets. Their Lightning guns are somewhat short ranged (18"), but they're able to pull that [[Battlesuit|jump-shoot-jump]] trick and are effective against vehicles (even AV14 with some luck), but they don't pump out enough dakka to be much of a threat to infantry. Even though they're WS3, being S5|T5 FnP(6) means they're not too shabby in combat either. Good stats, but each one costs more than a multi-wound terminator. Thallax can be upgraded with one augmentation.
**'''Destructor''' (''Tank Hunters'') better allows them to attack AV, meaning they get to reroll Rending against vehicles. A '''Multi-melta''' is also a good choice, as in ~1500 pts games it's not that easy to Melta-proof all your vehicles and AP1 helps against infantry too. After the FAQ, Meltabomb squads aren't what they used to be.
**'''Ferrox''' gives them ''Rage'' and ''Rending'' in melee. Useful, since Thallax are not as numerous as you'd like them to be. Can't replace their Lightning guns but you won't be shooting with the Ferrox upgrade anyway. Synergizing well with Ferrox are '''Heavy Chainblades''', making them a threat to heavy vehicles now that Meltabombs are poof (9 guys shooting and charging averaging [[Spartan_Assault_Tank|5 lost HP]], 3 of them Penetrating). Now there's your melee AND anti-armor option combined. But don't blow up transports, you don't want to lose the Rage bonus, you want to be charging shooty units and using your firepower against choppy things. Avoid tarpits because to make their points back these guys need to be always charging, and ''they can't Sweep Advance''. Too bad Ursarax do it better, but at least Ferrox have stronger guns and can fill the compulsory slot.
**''Against MEQs'' take '''Phased-plasma fusils''', terribly efficient marine-wood chippers that effectively become Assault 3 in the hands of your Relentless minions. And being Djinn-sighted, cover won't save them. ''To kill Terminators'', however, '''Photon thrusters''' are your only option. It's the most expensive option, but 2 S6 Blind shots will make a difference, and even MCs (and Primarchs!) might feel more than a sting, all that from 48" away. They're also Lance, but at S6 no one cares, stick to your default guns for tank killing. ''For dealing with light infantry (T3) blobs and light vehicles (AV 10-11, rhino/fighter/land speeder territory'', '''Multi-lasers''' are a very cheap way of adding much needed firepower, S6 denying FnP and reliably glancing AV 10 on top of having long range. '''Irad-cleansers''' are very useful too, their Fleshbane templates felling scores of poorly armoured enemies, even making tough units take a ton of saves.
**'''Empyrite''' is only useful in Zones Mortalis and those environments where aerial deployment is forbidden, deepstriking by teleportation instead and gaining Void Hardened armour. '''Icarian''' is another useless upgrade, since it gives them Skyfire but only if they don't move, doesn't give them Interceptor, their guns are too short ranged anyway and emplaced weapons either already have Skyfire or are Heavy bolters. Not to mention they become Heavy support. Auto''pass''.

*'''Adsecularis Covenant''': 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 cheapest source of scoring bodies in the codex, they're a tarpit unit with low stats and even worse fighting ability. However, you can turn their measly Ld7 into ''Fearless'' at the cost of Overwatch and Sweep Advance (nearly an auto-include), and can upgrade their FnP6+ with Revenant Alchemistry, gaining ''Hatred'' and FnP5+ at the cost of Slow and Purposeful. Which can be further enhanced by nearby Lacryaemarta Techpriests and issued Carapace armour. So in essence, they can be turned into 20-man drooling cyber-zombie squads, resilient to regular infantry killing methods but still vulnerable to being blown to smithereens. Said Lachrimallus Magi can also bring them back from the dead on a 5+, but if they were upgraded with Revenant Alchemistry the returned squads won't even make it out of your deployment zone. Take this into consideration.
**Though equipped with Laslocks as standard (S4 lasgun with shorter range) they can swap this out for a Mitralock, giving them Shred in exchange for even shorter range... which is nigh unusable in the case of anyone using RoPT.
***It is possible to improve their shooting by buying them Induction Chargers, giving them an extra shot with the lock's, at a flat 15 points, a ten man squad with these costs 50 pts and puts out 20 shots, compared to a 60 points for the same number of shots if the squad doesn't have the Chargers. With a twenty man squad this is even better, 80 pts for 40 shots compared to 130 pts for the same number without Chargers. However, with BS2 you don't really want these guys shooting, especially considering the next option...
**Heavy chainblades augment them fantastically, buffing them to S6(!) and AP4 for some fucking filthy stuff. Against other AdMech or GEQ they are ''disgusting''.
***A 20 man unit of appropriately equipped Heavy-chainblade thralls can work wonders vs just about anything, especially when paired with Lacyraemarta Tech-priest auxilia to give them SV4+ FNP4+. If you wish to rules lawyer and lose all your friends, there is no explicitly mentioned limitation on their bonus. '''But don't do that.'''

*'''Castellax Class Battle-automata:''': After an arguably deserved price increase, losing scoring and can't be compulsory Troops, they're still powerful and useful all-rounder tough Battle Automata with marine-killing Mauler Bolters (S6 AP3 Pinning). Without list-tailoring on the enemy's behalf (like Plasma vets) a Castellax will hold its own against nearly everything thrown at it and can put out a lot of hurt in both the Shooting and Assault phases thanks to their Atomantic shielding, Str6, Rage, Shock chargers and ranged weapon options.
**For melee, Shock Chargers (Concussion on all attacks including HoW) can be exchanged for Dual Powerblades (Rending and +1 attack) which is an upgrade to be considered, but probably should only be taken if you have spare points left over for some reason. Rending hardly matters (they're AP2 by default and if you want to wreck armour, get Siege Wreckers) and you can almost always get more Castellax if you want more attacks. They may also get a single Siege Wrecker (S10 Concussive Wrecker), losing one bolter but essentially gaining four Smash attacks instead of just one, which can be pretty great. Don't forget to buy Frag grenades.
**For ranged combat, Enhanced Targeting arrays will help their Armour-ignoring guns to find their mark, and additionally worsen the foe's chance of surviving since if they're not making an Armour save, they'll be making a Cover save. Never buy Infra-vision. Getting rid of temporary stealth isn't worth always taking Blind at I1, let alone the extra points it'll cost you. As for their weapons, Mauler bolters kill (and Pin) infantry very well, however Multimeltas aren't as great a choice on this unit. If you know you're up against a multi-wound squad, or if your opponent's using a 2+ save model to block the bolters then you can use the Multimelta's to clear them out and finish off the squad with the bolters. In short it's situational, even for its intended role thanks to Armoured Ceramite and Flare Shields, making it more useful on something like Thallax that can get behind the enemy. Darkfire cannons are the other AP2 choice and a better one in general for the Castellax, despite their price. They fare better than Melta's at taking down 2+ armour (such as terminators) and with a long range that helps lay carefully slather pain on enemy Monstrous Creatures or Primarchs with bad/mediocre saves. The Blind rule can also tip the balance of power when melee is on the cards. Ignore the lance factor as at that Strength, you're still glancing on 5's.
**A Castellax is one of the best Battle Automata to turn into the ''Paragon of Metal'', turning this already versatile bot into a one-model wrecking machine. Give it a Darkfire cannon to blind enemy units and hurt vehicles from afar. Dual power blades will help against infantry trying to overwhelm it (+1 attack is nothing to scoff at), but a Siege Wrecker (buffs Strength to 10 in exchange for a bolter) allows it to tackle all manner of targets without resorting to Smash. Remember, a Castellax with dual power blades can get up to SEVEN attacks on the charge! Cybertheurgy can stack to ludicrous levels with them, but beware of [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41kzMU7vbbY Malifica]. Granted, Malifica is extremely unlikely unless it is a Paragon of Metal (any failed Cybertheurgy attempt will result in your death-robots turning against you!).

*'''Scyllax Guardian-Automata Covenant''': Defensive horde-masher tentacle-bots with a radioactive engine powering them. Any unit other than <s> a fellow Scyllax cov has its ''Toughness reduced by 1'' just by being in the same close combat</s> (Updated FW E-mail confirms Scyllax only makes enemy units -1T, and Scyllax are resistant to Rad weaponry and derived rules. Comparing most roles, Scyllax come off a smidge less efficient than Thallax, which are just slightly more expensive with a better statline and far more mobility. But the crunchy defensive melee properties cannot be dismissed. Scyllax can either put out a whirlwind of anti-infantry attacks which effectively deflagrate like Volkite weapons; or they can trade all that for one attack per model that is burly enough to ID TEQ's. These guys have a number of ranged options, replacing their standard Kraken bolters:
**If Defensive Assault is your ideal strategy, then load up on '''Flamers''' (available to all) and '''Rad-cleansers''' (available to only one in four, sadly). Template weapons can help whittle down a lot of blobs real fast (having that much Wall of Death doesn't hurt if you get counter-charged either).
**If you opt for ranged combat, you'll want the '''Rotor Cannons'''. Sure they're weaker in strength than the '''Volkite Chargers''' but they put out more shots the Volkites and your regular Bolters do, Relentless meaning you get to fire 4 shots at full 30" range. And they're the cheapest option! Even if you're up against 4+ saves, the heightened volume of fire means you'll inflict more wounds than Kraken Bolters.
**As for the other "1-in-X can equip Y" items, they're pretty self explanatory. '''Graviton guns''' help with slowing infantry and dealing with vehicles that got too close, '''Plasma guns''' help with taking out 2+ saves from range (handy if a player puts their Artificer Armour Sergeant in front), and '''Melta guns''' are good for leaving at home because your opponent bought Armoured Ceramite and you have better things to deal with vehicles and 2+ saves.
***These are not bulky! You could fit a large mob of 16 and a Magos with Rad-grenades in a Triaros and upset people.

*'''Secutarii Peltast Phalanx''': Old-School Titan Guard [[Skitarii]] with FNP, Relentless, and Galvanic Casters, these guys are the ranged botherers with guns that can either circumvent cover or blast without remorse. They're protected by a 4+ armor and the Kyropatris Field, a special shield that lets them re-roll 1's on a save if there are at least 5 models and reduces the strength of any shots targeting them by 1 if there are at least 10 models. While they all can buy arc mauls, power weapons, arc rifles, or radium carbines, you need at least 5 Casters to benefit from the last rule they have, which gives a one-time use ability that gives an ally within 18" Shrouded for the turn. Titans can even be shielded, but only if multiple Peltasts blow their use of it. The Peltast are your solid go-to ground units. Whereas your Tech-Thralls stand and hold backfield objectives, the Secutarii are particularly adept at besieging a particular area. Battle-automata may be more resilient overall, but it isn't particularly easy for them to footslog across an entire board. An ample tactic is to take a full unit of Peltast equipped with radium carbines (as it should theoretically have a higher damage output than the galvanic casters), stick them in a Triaros, and launch them towards a forward objective and plant themselves down under the cover of the Triaros. Anyone who gets too close will have to deal with 20 3-shot radium carbines at BS5. Are they expensive? Yes. Are they explicitly needed? No. But this is the Horus Heresy! Larger blobs of units gunning each-other down is encouraged. Essentially, the Peltast are an all-around decent choice for the Mechanicum. Not amazing like an Arlatax per say, but they allow you to mix up your play style and not have to rely on high toughness robots for once.
**No reason to take Phalanx anymore take 10+ of em and stick inside a Triaros or better Macrocarid, all equipped with arc rifle(different from 40k version),run into enemy lines disembark and RAPE everything have an AV value with a rain of haywire shots(unfortunately 2 shots at 6 inch,so usually a 10 strong squad will put something like 15-20 hits),better that any legion support squad with graviton weapon or meltagun and cheaper! and they will reach a target for sure because of Omnissiah blessed transports!
***alternative vision,with S6 arc rifle can be also good against other Taghmata MC due to haywire
****for conversion purposes use legion graviton gun,cheaper than take bits from online store, much more faster and will look even better!

*'''Secutarii Hoplite Phalanx''': Where the Peltasts shoot for a living, these guys have Arc Lances and boarding shields with 5+ Invulns. They don't get the bonus guns the other guys get, but their Arc Lances can shoot at S5 AP5 with Haywire and the Kyropatris field, meaning they aren't hopelessly outgunned. If you wanted a more punchy force, you could "buy power weapons or Arc Mauls for them" <- Only the alpha can do this. Put them in an Arvus lighter and WAIT WHAT? YOU JUST GUNNED DOWN A KNIGHT WITH HOW MANY HAYWIRE SHOTS? If it hasn't become clear yet, these guys are your end-all tankbusters. No armored vehicle, save titans, is going to survive a full squad of Hoplites shooting at them.

===Dedicated Transport===
*'''Triaros Armoured Conveyer''': <s>Dune Train</s> Not quite a [[Crassus Armored Assault Transport|CRASSUS]], but close. 14/12/12, 4HP The thing comes standard with a flare shield for all that -1 goodness. It also gets a shock ram giving you AV15 on your front when ramming and does haywire damage. the shock ram also inflicts d6 S6 AP5 hits on any unit it tank shocks in addition to resolving the tank shock and the shock ram doesn't count as a weapon so can never be removed by weapon destroyed results on the damage chart. Carries 20 and re-rolls failed dangerous terrain tests. Give it lesser IWND for 5 points. 135. Awesome. Great for getting things close. The Spice must flow.
**Volkite Sentinels are a subtle, but potent feature. Essentially they are two Volkite chargers than may target independently of the Triaros itself (and presumably the other Volkite weapon); these can be used to take out "Chaff" units.
**You'll generally give this unit the noble task of transporting the Omnissiah's servants. Myrmidons of both kinds are the most obvious use, it's effectively mandatory for Secutors as they all possess short range weapons, and with the most expensive weapon option for Secutors being the one with AP3 you will greatly appreciate the Twin-linked Mauler Boltcannon. Destructors too can benefit from this, the Graviton Imploder and Irrad Engine to be specific. Another possible useage is Tech-priests. Not to bad as almost any configuration of the Tech-priest is cheaper than Myrmidons; 8 Flamer servitors could be considered a very light version of the Irrad-Engine. The description indicates that it is fair game to use the FNP buff while inside the vehicle; take a minimum sized Tech-priest squad, 15 Thralls, load em up and maybe have some fun...? Its a stretch that one.

===Fast Attack===
*'''Ursarax Cohort''': These are Thallax's less agile but stronger and faster siblings(they trade jetpack for jumpack), with twin lightning claws (or Power fists) and Ironman chest lasers. the Volkite Incinerator isn't too great in CC, as four attacks at S10 almost always beats ONE S6 instant death attack (even if the target is T6) but if you get locked in multiple rounds it can be okay enough against T6 models. Having said that, swapping twin lightning claws for powerfists might seem like a good general idea since you're Initiative 2, but if you're fighting against Marines, lightning claws at S5 will put out more wounds than fists at S10.
**Also the twin-powerfists are 10 points each: ideally, if you're taking a large squad, nestle a couple into a squad to provide some tough tin-can opening power.
**A squad of 9 will put out (excluding HoW) 36 attacks. This costs 455 points and can be hillariously powerful against anything that isn't going to launch S10 at you or is packing sizeable numbers of Autocannons. Toss in say 3 Powerfists and you'll be good to against pretty much anything.
***Not a very strong option in the current custodes-medusa Meta but they can ID most of the stuff IF they survive(even in melee theyr low I is uncomfortable).
***They probably have a better life in Zone Mortalis,but price escale quickly,a squad of 3 in ordo reductor with 2 power fist can tell his own.
*'''Vorax Class Battle-Automata''': Got quite a buff; were made cheaper in points, WS4, have 3 attacks due to Power-blades now being pair weapons and the change in the wording of "Programmed behaviour" means its alot easier to use fleet, they can now also be in units of 6 too.
**They are still fragile, but they can seriously upset small units by hacking them apart with volume of attacks and generally can soak up enough wounds (T6, 3 Wounds and 4+ save is relatively durable) to withstand the enemy. Just don't be an idiot and expect to have a good day vs a sizeable tactical marine blob because you will have krak-grenade booted your back end. Though if your playing with Legio-Cybernetica, you may be a bad enough dude to abuse the shit out of native I5. They may also upgrade their rotor-cannons to have bio-corrosive rounds, which makes them poisoned (4+), but reduces their range to 15'. ALWAYS TAKE THEM, Vorax already want to be in close combat anyway, and vanilla rotor cannons don't have enough stopping power to be a threat to marines. Seeing as you already are going to be getting close with your Vorax, there is no reason not to take the Bio-Corrosive rounds.
*'''Arlatax Class Battle-Automata Maniple''': Hoo boy forget about the Domitar now, this thing will rip to shreds anything you set its sights at. Equipped with +2 strength lightning claws at AP2 in addition to its base strength of 7 which effectively makes it '''S9!!!''' And as if that isn't enough, its a '''JUMP PACK MONSTROUS CREATURE.''' Have fun zipping around the battlefield busting open tanks with 5 S9 AP2 attacks on the charge (and since it has frag nades as base, you don't even have to worry about cover). Since it costs the same as a Domitar, you may as well give it Paragon of Metal since IWND will come in handy. Like most of the other Mechanicum's battle-automata, it has automantic shielding which grants you a 5++ to shooting and a 6++ in close combat. It can replace each of its lightning claws with an arc scourge, which is a Strength User AP2 Melee, rampage, armorbane, concussive electric whip-lash for ten points each. Its debatable as to whether this is worth it. If you are getting it, its likely because you want to bust open a land raider, but the base lightning claws can do that just about the same with the added benefit of being S9. On second thought, the Arlatax can serve as a very effective monstrous creature/vehicle hunter (looking at you Leviathan dreads-- but please, then take it in a Legio Cybernetica list for that extra cortex range boost and that delicious Initiative 5). Even more, it has some staying power at range too with its inbuilt cannon (slightly worse mauler cannon as it is only S6 AP4, but you are only using these before you assault anyway) and Plasma Blaster (S7 AP2, gets hot, Assault 2, uh...not overkill at all) One thing is for sure, if you take one of these its going to be heavily focused. It only has a 3+ armor save with T6 which means while it is not fragile, it is not exactly the toughest battle-automata out there. GET BEHIND COVER. You want to get this guy stuck into close combat as soon as possible (preferably with monstrous creatures, because did I mention its is I4 as well?). Overall, it looks like the Arlatax can very well soon become one of the staple units of the Mechanicum as soon as Forgeworld decides to release a model. But hey, whats stopping you from converting a Castellax or Domitar yourself so you can use it now?
*'''[[Avenger Strike Fighter]]''' Your ground attack craft. Coming armed with the Avenger Bolt Cannon (36" S6 AP3 Heavy 7) and a pair of Lascannons standard its ready to take on any target, along with a host of options to suit either infantry or tank hunting, for infantry you're given the options of 6 Tactical Bombs (S6 AP4, Barrage, Blast, one use), 2 Autocannons or 2 Multilasers. For tanks you can mount 2 Kraken Penetrator Missiles (36" S8 AP1 Missile, Armourbane, one use) and pair this with the Battle Servitor control special option which give the Fighter Tank Hunters. For both roles, you can give the Fighter a pair of Missile Launchers (Frag/Krak). Your sole defensive anti-air weapon is a Heavy Stubber which can attack other targets than your ground weapons, also has Skyfire, use this to opportunistically(/desperately) take pot shots at enemy aircraft side or rear armour. Also, it comes with BS3, but as you'll mostly be attacking ground targets this is mitigated by the Strafing Run rule. It's not the most resilient craft though, at 12/10/10 with 2 Hull Points, and while the Chaff Launcher option (4+ invul against Missile type weapons) and the Supersonic special rule help mitigate some threat, prioritise Anti-Air threats first or the Fighter might not last long. (Written pre-Death from the Skies update, update if/when Forge World updates to bring flyers in line with said update.)

*'''[[Lightning Fighter]]''' Multi-role fighter that excels a bit more at dogfighting than the Avenger but can also play the role of ground attack craft if needed. Separating itself from the Avenger, the Lightning has BS4, already more capable an anti-air fighter, taken with just its stock pair of Lascannons its a moderately priced anti-air fighter that will do a pretty good job of keeping the airspace clear, which can be augmented by taking the expensive (But worth it) pair of Kraken Penetrator Missile (36" S8 AP1 Heavy 1, Missile, Armourbane one use) or a pair of Autocannons, virtually assured to wipe opposition out of the sky. If you want to get into ground attack mode, the Ground-Tracking Auguries upgrade will give you Strafing Run and Battle Servitor Control will give you Tank Hunters, you can take upgrades accordingly. For infantry, you get access to the Phosphex Bomb Cluster which is an absolute infantry shredder (Bomb 2, Barrage, Blast, Poison 3+, Crawling Fire, Lingering Death, Deadly Cargo, one use) but dangerous if you get hit before dropping it. (Dangerous Cargo: If you lose a hull point, roll D6, on 6 you explode.) Also available is a pair of Sunfury Heavy Missiles (36" S6 AP3, Heavy 1, Missile, Large Blast, Blind, Gets Hot, one use) for Marine hunting. Along with twin-linked Multi-Lasers, Autocannons and Missile Launchers (Frag/Krak). Vehicle hunting is, along with the aforementioned Lascannons and Kraken Missiles, you've got an Electromagnetic Storm Charge for vehicles or other Mechanicum units with Cybernetica Cortex (S3 AP4, Bomb 1, Haywire, Large Blast, Concussive, one use). Survivability is still an issue with 11/11/10 and 2 hull points, Chaff Launcher (4+ invul against Missile weapons) comes standard, and the Agile rule gives +1 to Jink saves, along with Supersonic to get away from AA, the last trick up your sleeve is the Ramjet Diffraction Grid which trades the cover saves you get from Night Fighting to decrease the strength of incoming shots by -1, which is definitely a good trade off as you'll be Jinking on a 3+ anyway. A lot of the upgrades you'll be sticking on this thing are really expensive, so consider whether you want an AA fighter or choose the Avenger if you want a dedicated ground-attack craft. (Written pre-Death from the Skies update, update if/when Forge World updates to bring flyers in line with said update.)

*'''[[Tarantula]]s''' Hot diggly dangingly, you have some cool toys with these. Everyone who has seen these before (particularly Solar Auxilia players who would appreciate them due to Nuncio-Vox) knows the drill on these already (Deep strike some nifty TL-heavy weapon love). However, being Mechanicus, you have some cool toys. Tech-Priest auxilia and Djinn-Skein Magos (unfortauntely, doesn't extend to Occulari) give you reliable deep-strike abilities. Models with Battlesmith allow them to fire normally.
**Twin-linlked Mauler Boltcannons, which can be savage in Zone-Mortalis from a defensive view point.
**Twin-linked Volkite Culverins can give you some reasonably priced anti-horde abilities, or just put out a healthy amount of S6-Deflagerate.
**Twin-linked Photon thrusters, in case you wanted to fry up some Terminators on the cheap.
**Quad-gun, because you wanna be an Aegis-line apparently (this is the most expensive option).
***With a few of these options, you would do well compare them to Myrmidons of either kind. Generally, they're cheaper, but their likeliness to hit is lower, but if your deep-striking them they're much more mobile, curiously.

*'''Vultarax Strato-Automata:''' A flying Castellax (FMC) with T6 (downgraded in inferno), armed with two Setheno Havoc Launchers which reroll successful cover saves that synergize well with their Enhanced Targetting array to further reduce cover saves chances, for a total of four S5 AP5 small blasts twin-linked @ BS5 no less; ''and'' an Arc Blaster, a three-shot S6 Shredding ''Haywire'' weapon, meaning a full Maniple of three can swoop in and destroy a Spartan in a single shooting phase (even a fucking Knight if you get around the shield), Tau-style. Because the concept of targets surviving more than one turn of shooting is foreign to them. The Arc Blaster may have as much range as a bolter, but remember Swooping FMCs can move up to 24", so add that to their range, and these guys have no trouble at closing in with their T6 (as of Book 7 Inferno) 3+ save protected by a Flare shield (yes, even though they don't have a "front AV"), and can further buy Blessed Autosimulacra, not even mentioning the fact you can only hit them on a 6+ when they are swooping, can Jink and can't suffer Pens like regular aircraft do (but are subject to Grounded Tests) -- Strato-Automata also ignore the 'Methodical' portion of 'Programmed Behavior' and have more freedom when picking shooting targets, enabling them to better operate beyond Cortex Controller range (do note it makes no mention of 'Onslaught', so try to Swoop as much as possible/mind your positioning when Gliding!). And for those who haven't looked at the Flying Monstrous Creature rules in a dog's age, remember they behave like Jump units when Gliding, meaning they can dance those mean 48" range "fuck your cover" Setheno guns a full 12", reliably staying out of range of most infantry that could ever pose a threat to them. For the most part disregard the optional Power Blades: at S4 WS3 you don't want them in melee, and Vector Strike doesn't benefit from either Rending or Smash. These <s>Obama drones</s> devilish automated flyers are good the way they are.
**The Vulturax are not nearly praised enough, and I don't see them in many lists. Seriously, these flying nightmares are borderline broken. Since you will mostly face Space Marine Legions when playing Mechanicum, a way to deal with their heavy armour is a must. A unit of just two can reliably wreck anything <s>below a Spartan in a turn</s>you guy forgot about Cybertheurgy,with Legyio cybernetica it is easyer but for the other is still possible,make double shoot also only one of the 2 vulturax will result in the destruction of any Non-superheavy tank in 1 turn,bye spartn. A unit of three will destroy any vehicle, with maybe an exception to Knights. In either case, a unit of one or two should almost be considered an auto-include, at least if your local meta uses vehicles other than Rhinos.
**Anyone know how fall test work with FMC units?

*''' Arvus Lighter:''' The Arvus is a flittery little thing, holding 12 models, but nothing else at a bone-stock price of 75 points. It does get a rather ''broad'' list of upgrades and weapons, which might give it survivability, but with Rhino stats it's not going to really go that much once it unloads its squad. Best kept mostly cheap and used to Deep strike 12-man secutarii hoplites or peltast with arc rifle in front of enemy tanks working like a flying Rhino/Drop Pod with good options, but the points cost is too high to make it disposable, so use it to place something nasty where your opponent is most vulnerable. If you do take any weapons on this, twin-link them! It's only 5pts more.
**It can be upgraded to carry 1 castellax OR 2 voraxes but nothing else, best for paragon-model, but too expensive between basic cost+ upgrade+ MC inside it, the good thing is that they will survive for sure to the EXplosion! result
**Looking at the weapons, there's not much point getting the multi-laser, due to the low rate of fire and the fact that an autocannon does the job of light vehicle hunting much better. Select from the Auto and Lascannon based on whether you want it targeting light or heavy armour respectively.
**Hilariously, this thing can get a freaking [[What|Flare shield]].

*'''Terrax Pattern Termite Assault Drill:''': The old school Termite from Epic is back, and Mechanicum can use them as well. Full rules can be found on Forgeworlds website. The Termite is a 12 capacity transport (not dedicated transport, and cannot transport models that are bulky or above) with 12/12/10 armor and 3 HP. It comes with two TL Volkite Chargers that can be exchanged for Heavy Flamers for free. You can also buy it Blessed Autosimulacra, Extra Armour and Armoured Ceramite if you wish, but that seems like overkill for what is essentially a reverse Drop Pod. Speaking of Drop Pods, this thing works exacly like a Drop Pod when playing it from reserves, i.e you drill in half of your Termites on turn 1, and then the rest can enter like normal reserves. Instead of dropping from the sky, the Termite digs up from below, and when it does you place a large blast where you want it and scatter just like a drop pod. Vehicles and fortifications that are under the blasts final location take a str 10 hit (no AP) that is resolved on vehicles side armour. Other units take a str 6 AP 4 hit instead. The blast marker becomes permanent difficult terrain after the Termite has fucked the ground up, and then the Termite can be placed on the table where the blast marker was placed, 1" away from any units. It there are still models in the way, the controlling player moves them so they are 1" away from the Termite. If they can't do this, they are crushed and removed from the table, so this could be used to do some fuckery. The following turns the Termite can crawl around as it wishes (but never faster than combat speed, and it can never move flat out).
** For 85 points a pop, the Termite could be an effective way to get some bodies up the table. The first thought is to use this for getting squads of Tech Thralls to objectives while you support them with heavy firepower from your side of the table.
** The Melta Cutters rule allows the Termite to ignore difficult and dangerous terrain. It also adds +2 to its strength when ramming fortifications.
** Another use could be to get a unit of Secutarii Hoplites in range to zap a high priority vehicle to death.

===Heavy Support===
*'''Thanatar Class Siege-Automata Maniple''': 250 a pop, but they're t8,s8 2+. Go look up a picture and see how sexy they are. They get Hellex Plasma Mortars for Instant Death on marines and wiping out Terminator Squads. They're also one of the models in your army that can get the Paragon of Metal upgrade, because you've put so many points into this guy that you might as well make him even more durable. Searchlights are so cheap they might as well be a free upgrade, keep in mind that at T8 they should be able to deal with anything that shoots at them, and the Enhanced Targeting array helps a lot, both with its Mortar and the Twin-Linked Mauler Bolt Cannon (use the cannon second to finish off whatever the Mortar does not). Want to see your enemies cry?
**Got too much time, too much money, and too many Terminators running at you to the point photon weapons just don't cut it? Take a unit of more than 1, take Advanced Targeting, now here's the important part; Cyber-Occulari. You are now BS6, and likely able to use the Occulari LoS, the result is a unit that keep its shots in a very tight grouping. A cortex controller will likely be needed, to stop some pesky quick distraction-chaff from absorbing the plasma-wrath.
***Something to keep in mind is that despite being S8, T8 they assault poorly well, like the Destructors they have 2 attacks base and this cannot be increased like a Castellax, and at WS3 they'll be lucky to kill one model per turn. Any enemy will be interested in tying these things up in combat,as that's 250 pts (if it's only one) that'll be sitting the entire game out.
***Watch the fuck out for Instant Death weaponry, even more so than the rest of your high-point army. While it's rare you do not want any 250 point model (base) to suddenly die because Mortarion teleported right next to him then kicked his ass in assault, or failing that any Dark Angels consul with a jump pack and Terran Greatsword. Another guy who can do this is Alpharius who has an even sneakier way to get close and can charge the turn he is revealed. This is too huge problem to the point that if you know your opponent is using one of these Primarchs, consider not even fielding Thallax. There's other ways to ID it too, like a Praetor with a Combat Augment Array who made their Paragon Blade roll a six and beheaded your Thanatar (somehow, or more likely impaled its cortex, the Mechanicum didn't bother giving them necks). Be really really careful. ''So keep them screened with tech-thralls, even in a Legio Cybernetica list. ''

*'''Thanatar-Calix Class Siege-Automata''': This is the guy who puts the "Siege" in "Siege-Automata". the mortar is replaced with an S10 Lascannon (yes, a single, one-shot-per-turn lascannon, unfortunately) but this Thanatar gets an additional Graviton Ram in return, which can be used in shooting as a moderately effective template weapon with Haywire or in melee as an S10 AP 1 armourbane weapon which gets bumped up to str D against buildings(!) However this guy is a whopping 295 points, so make those potential str D hits happen or you're not getting those points back.
**Never, ever let him be assaulted by infantry (and don't be dumb enough to charge infantry with him). The template weapon forces a strength test instead of rolling to wound - in HH most infantry are S4, so you're going to need 5+ to wound and they can still make 3+ saves. However, against weak tarpit units with low strength, it could work quite well - morale checks caused my this template are taken with a Ld -2 modifier, so you can scare off potential tarpits. a S10 AP1 close combat attack is mostly wasted on infantry, being not at all any more effective than the base S8 AP2 that a normal Thanatar would have.
**This Thanatar is a death sentence against vehicles. If it can get close enough, a single turn can see it firing a S10 AP2 Lascannon and a haywire template, then charging in with 3 S10 AP1 Armourbane hits in melee. (Don't charge transports unless you've got something else to engage the occupants with in CC - it can't be stressed enough how tremendous a waste this guy is in melee with infantry.)
**Where this guy really takes the spotlight is in attacks on Fortifications. against those, it can do the same as to vehicles (minus the haywire) but DEALING STRENGTH D HITS instead of S10. With the monstrous number of hull points fortifications can have (looking at you, Primus Redoubt) this can be a huge help, and really, that strength D hit is where your points are going to, so you'd better make some of those hits.
**This guy is 300 points. He moves 6 inches a turn and cannot run. His target is a building on the other side of the table. If you plan to get this guy in your army at all, he'll have to be the Paragon of Metal. First off, he's going to draw a lot of fire - no, really, a lot. at T8 W4 2+5++, he can tank a good number of hits but you'll want the chance to regenerate because there is a solid chance he may never reach his target otherwise. Secondly, this guy is going to be headed straight for the toughest part of your opposing forces, and while he's tough as nails, most cortex-controlling units don't can't withstand nearly as much. An enemy could easily kill this Thanatar's controller and drink your tears as the Thanatar runs off to charge at infantry. While most automata can function reasonably well without cortex control (either they stay way back and don't get distracted by nearby enemies, or it doesn't matter because you want them to attack whatever's convenient), a focused, controlled beeline to fortifications is what this guy needs to do, and if you lose control of him that's essentially 300 points down the drain.
***Plop a group of equally slow Tech-Thralls in front to screen him from charges. Plop a unit of what ever Tech-Priest Auxilia you feel like (Any other combos will actually do alright) behind it and get ready to make battlesmith rolls.
***Annoyingly this thing suffers a notably less-chronic case of "Secutor Syndrome" in that it has a similarly-priced cousin (once kitted out) that's X times more effective: Knight Errants. Of course those are LoW's and this isn't. The Calix has some edges other it: the fantastic range of its S10 Lascannon and the haywire template will likely knock off Hullpoints; both however will eventually need to make the crunch and the Errant can actually deal with a multitude of issues and moves a shitload faster... though its Meltacannon is subject to Armoured Ceramite. Nor will it be nearly as harmed by Flare-shielding as it has no-blast weapons; there for the Errant will have to rely almost entirely on its melee, where as this doesn't have too. Issue is though most of the time you can "rely on the D", especially when it travels so damned fast.

*'''Thanatar Cynis''': Once upon a time, the Magos of Estaban III were wondering if they could make cheaper Thanatars; they failed and Ryza was really upset. It results in the marginally more expensive Thanatar-Cynis; you ever wanted a giant plasma shotgun? You now have it! You were wondering where that Gets Hot was? It's here! This baby has '''two''' Plasma Ejectors: 18" (It's Mechanicum), S8, Ap2, Heavy 2, 3" blast, Plasma wave (with gets hot)... and a Mauler-Bolt cannon. It's short range may make it awkward to use, but correctly deployed it will ruin whatever squad is unfortunate to stand before it.
**Though expensive, it could be used against cheap-infantry blobs in a pinch by dint of sheer spammyness, though this obviously wastes its power. It's better used against TEQ and MEQs.
***Vulkan has a squad of these to bathe him each morning. Keep them the hell away from him, but against every other Primarch start giggling; especially Angron as he cannot even use his standard save vs the Mauler-bolt cannon!
**The Rite of Destruction is ludicrous when used with this Automata, EIGHT STRENGTH EIGHT AP2 BLASTS! (And 6 Mauler Bolt Cannon shots) But you better have something ready to guard it while it cools down, as it will be unable to shoot for the next turn. So make sure that when you use Rite of Destruction on your nearly 300 point model that it's on something that you absolutely, positively '''must''' destroy.

*'''Krios Battle Tank Squadron''': Farmer Joe's angry Tractor. These sex bots are 13/12/10 3HP with a flare shield. Aww crispy biscuits yeeeaaah!! They're fast and can be taken in squadrons of 3. Start off at 125, and can take a Pulsar Fusil for 25 extra points. (So turn your s7 ap3 large blast marine eating lightning gun into a s9 ap2 ordnance 4 tank killer. Weapons can be mixed in squadrons.) They also have Autosimulacra and access to Anbaric claws and Volkite sentinels. With Mauler Bolt Cannons, Irradiation engines, the 3-shot battlecannon on the paladin, and more anti-MEQ, I would almost always go Venator.
**If you're taking the Venator (as you should), never forget to upgrade your tanks with one or two Volkite sentinels. Just having the Pulsar Fusil leaves them extremely vulnerable to Weapon Destroyed results if you get penetrated. Trust me, having one of these tanks without a weapon is not fun. They just become worthless tractors.
***Alternative view,take em naked and cheaper,take at least 2 estra armor if you make a squadron of em. Volkite sentinel are useless,would have been a cool and cheap TL bolter for 5pts but 15 pts for a volkite gun are too much, on 3 krios are 45-90 pts wasted (conversion is still cool),considering that often thank to the flare shields they will be wreked with glance hits,and rarely a penetrating one,that often have less than the 16% of chance to cause damage destroyed weapon.

*'''Macrocarid Explorator:''' The "Build Your Land Raider" construction kit™. Starting at 195 points you pay for a basic Land Raider chassis, which being Mechanicum comes stock with Blessed Autosimulacra and Extra Armour, Anbaric Claw and placeholder weapons (2 Lascannons and a Mauler Bolt Cannon, none of them twin linked). Then you can choose any of the dozens of options to kit it out, some of the options have been removed with the release of the Taghmata Army list book. You can make any and all type of pre- and post-heresy LR's (except Terminus Ultra, Ares, Achilles or Redeemer) and even some homebrew patterns that [[Heresy|don't exist on any sacred blueprints]] (you filthy Heretek). Explorator's can't be take as Dedicated Transport (for now). So you have to make the choice between [[Dakka|customized firepower]] or the Triaros with ability to tank shock, re-reroll Dangerous Terran tests and 15 points of frontal armor.
**You seriously have a broad range of options, though being limited in capacity you'll gravitate to make your Macrocarid as tough as possible and the Explorator Augury Web takes away yet another precious transport slot. Instead, take Armoured Ceramite and Flare shield base: A neat tactic with the Macrocarid is to use it as a mobile wall for Thallax, pop out, shoot, then use your assault move to dash behind it again and grab popcorn as you watch your enemy try to deal with what effectively is AV15/AV16. As for your weapons, you'll need to decide what kind of enemies you want to target and how specialized or tactical you want your Macrocarid to be (e.g. Multi-melta + <s>Flamestorm</s> able to tackle both Fortifications and their Marine garrisons). You can't take pintle weapons, that's heresy too.
***Irradiation Engines are worthy of special mention here, the Macrocarid being one of only two units in the entire Heresy that can mount them. You can equip the sponsons with these murder-projectors for a cheeky 40 points. Watch entire Marine formations wilt when given a double rad-shower, even when hidden in the heaviest of fortifications. This poses a couple of limitaions to your firepower, no AP2 and short range. You can fix this by mounting an equally exotic Gravition Imploder in place of the bolt cannon, and if used in the fire-support transport role you won't mind the lack of reach.Torrent must remain inside the 45° of the arc of fire(?)if so the irradiation engine are very limited in use. <s> No, the Irradiation Engines are sponson, not hull mounted, see the newly released Age of Darkness rulebook for better clarified fire arc diagrams.</s>new diagrams do not help to explain anything,they are effectively sponson mounted BUT they are not free to move as LR sponson,they have ~ 45degree of freedom more or less,as usual by rules you have to put the start of the template inside the weapon fire arc,but now you can go outside of it with the template withthe restriction that the template body cant be nearer to the Macrocarid than the tip of the template.
***Against ''light infantry blobs'' you can Upgrade the Mauler Bolt Cannon to a Volkite Culverin (Heavy 4|S6|''Deflagrate'') for free. Too bad it's not twin-linked. Phased plasma fusils being TL+AP3 will also deliver. <s>As for sponsons, you can mount [[Land_Raider#Crusader_Pattern|Quad-Heavy Bolters]] or [[Land_Raider#Redeemer_Pattern|Flamestorm cannons]] ''absolutely free'', the former being a little better for being twin-linked, having more range and being able to fire them even at Cruising speed - 12 TL shots having to hit something. This means you'll either park it and shoot or dash it forward and burn stuff, Armored Ceramite making it fear nothing.</s> These are no longer options.
***Against heavy infantry, namely ''Marines'', the best weapons are the TL Phased plasma fusil and sponson TL Mauler Bolt Cannons, all those being AP3 and wounding on 2+. <s>Vs ''Terminators'', grab the Plasma cannons and don't move any faster than Combat speed. None of your hull weapons shoots enough AP2 to be a menace, so aim at something else.</s> Plasma cannons are no longer an option.
***Against ''armoured targets'' your hull weapon will be either the tried-and-true Lascannon (long range S9), Conversion Beamer or fort-killer Multi-melta (forts can't get Armoured Ceramite). As for sponsons, it's TL Lascannons which are valid options at 20 pts.
****Best way to use macrocarid,as gun platform is a bit wasted but can but a great amount of VP3 at short range,best units to put inside are oviously myrmidon of both tipes(love destructors with irradiaton engine),peltast with arch rifle(so you can melt tank with em and then riddle the inside occupants with macrocarid graviton/mauler/laser,can make the same with secutors)

*'''Myrmidon Destructors''': Similar to Myrmidon Secutors, but have Preferred Enemy (Everything!), which is pretty great at BS5, though they can only pick 1 weapon. Also their models are freaking awesome. Their options are all more specialized to targeting a specific type of enemy and as such it's best to give them all one type of weapon rather than picking and choosing between several (with the exception of Irradiation Engines). They also can take a Triaros for delivering RAD-PHAGE. Note that their grav gun has been replaced by a Graviton Imploder (AP2, but without Haywire).
**Give them all '''Volkite Culverins''' to watch Orks and Guard (or any 5+ save unit) cry all day long, on average without cover saves you'll actually kill more models than you shoot.
**For 2+ saves, '''Photon Thruster Cannons''' are good at forcing even Primarchs to take a lot of saves and chip away at Terminator squads thanks to their AP2 and incredible range.
**'''Graviton Imploders''' <s>use 40k grav rules. So five of them regularly will kill a spartan one turn due to stacking hull point loss from immobilized. Just don't ever use them in a friendly list. With preferred enemy and wounding on 2's against 2+ armour, they can remove primarchs in two turns. Also 4 shots per gun. Truly brutal.</s>
*** Graviton Imploders have now changed since the Age of Darkness rulebook from Forgeworld. They no longer wound on the targets armour save, but they are still Salvo 2/4, with Concussive, AP2 and the new Graviton Implosion rule: The target must make a Strength test for each HIT made by the Imploder or take a wound. This means you don't roll to wound anymore with this weapon, and for armour penetration you roll 3D6. This player is not sure if this is good or not, but Photon Thrusters might be the new thing for Destructors.
**'''Irradiation Engines''' are your Marine removers, giving the whole squad these is overkill (remember that Torrent weapons can be placed differently to a standard Flamer and they have PREFERRED ENEMY EVERYTHING,fleshbane rerollable to-wound), and considering how much 2+ armour there is in 30K it's better used alongside the Photon Thruster, either to remove the 2+ Sergeant before nuking the squad, or using it to wipe the squad and exposing the Sergeant before shooting him.
** Lastly '''Conversion Beamers''' are only really the optimal choice if you're up against other Mechanicum where you'll likely be facing a lot of high Toughness monsters and the S6 from the Photon Thrusters doesn't quite cut it, but at that point you're better off with a Thanatar.
***An important question to ask, especially within a Taghmata list is "why isn't an Enginseer squad doing this?" - hence you will often not have a Conversion beamer Destructor squad unless you're absolutely terrified of scatter and want to reroll to wound.
**Something to keep in mind is that despite the Powerfist the Destructors don't do all that great in assault, this is because they're locked at 2 attacks base and not in a way that they can be boosted to 5 like the Castellax, they're not bad, as in they'll hold their own against tactical squads and the like, but dedicated assault units will mulch right through them and dedicated tarpits will render them useless.
***Heavily consider putting your Magos in with this squad; <s>it will grant Preferred Enemy to them and they can help the squad in assault. </s> they have preferred enemy everithing! no need it but it is a good suggestion,reductor fit really well with em and also the various prime mostly becouse is hard to find a good bodyguard unit and eventually he can tank low VP ID hits(2+ 3++ hardened armour paired wih R6 can help against some storm cannon/knight gatling or random phosporex/scorpius against the unit,even medusa and basilisk).
****destructors with culvelin or i-rad are the way to go against the solar auxilia(remember the S.A-first-turn-combo aegis+shrouded invalidate most of the wound/damages inflicted),you can ignore they aegis defence lines with RAD or rape from turn 2 the infantry with the culvelin

*'''Karacnos Assault Tank''' :Basically a Triaros without transport capacity and with some guns slapped on. The Karacnos trades the armament of the Triaros for 2 Lightning-Blaster sentinels and a Karacnos Mortar battery and a larger explosion result if it goes kaboom. The Lightning-Blast sentinels can fire separate from the mortar and snap shot at bs2, their basically short range autocannons with worse ap that are heavy 3 shred rending. Decent vs light Armour. The Mortar is a R60 heavy bolter with barrage,small blast,fleshbane,radphage,Ignores cover, and pinning which seems good on paper but with the majority of targets getting armour saves this mostly equates to a longer range :AM: wyvern, im not sure this tank is good enough for its price tag which is just 25 shy of a stock thanatar,for 100 point less and in squadron it would have been good

===Lords of War===

* [[Imperial Knight]]s
** Knight Errant: Identical to GW rules, minus the ability to mount additional Heavy Stubbers
** Knight Paladin: See above
** '''Knight Lancer''': A good character and monster killer, though its cost is right up there with the Primarchs, it'll take on nearly everything you send it at and come out on top aside from the aforementioned Primarchs (and it can still do very well against them if they're Init 1 or S6-7 since it's Strength D).
** '''Knight Acheron''': Just as excellent at wrecking armour as the Castigator is at wrecking infantry, though in the Taghmata dealing with armour isn't that much of an issue, and you have to close in and assault the enemy to deal with the armour effectively, leaving the Acheron a giant target. It also doesn't benefit from many of the bonuses you can offer, isn't as good at character/monster hunting as the Lancer (thanks to no close combat Invuln save) and the Styrix has better guns to deal with Infantry. It isn't a bad choice on its own but your own units can usually do what it does just as well, if not better.
** '''Questoris Knight Styrix''': The long-ranged Marine remover, it's not such a great idea to take this over the other knights if you want to assault the enemy (admittedly a non-competitive way of playing) but it can be awesome in a gunline. Any Marine squad it hits it'll wreck thanks to Deflagrate and AP3, boost it with a Djinn-skein and mathematically it kills 6.365 Marines with that one gun per turn. It also packs a grav gun for slowing the enemy down when they close in, though the siege claw can be skipped as you have other ways of dealing with Armour and the Rad Cleanser is unlikely to make its points back unless you're up against Tyranids or Orks.
** [https://www.forgeworld.co.uk/resources/PDF/fw_warscrolls/Acastus-Knight-Porpyhrion.pdf '''Acastus Knight Porphyrion''']: The new knight on the block, and a big, beefy, shooty one at that. It weighs in at 495 points and has BS5, 14/13/12, and 8 HP as standard. It also comes with Blessed Autosimulacra in a Taghmata list. It's main weapons are a TL Magna Lascannon (72" S10 AP2 Ordnance 2, Large Blast) on each arm, and an Ironstorm Missile Pod (72" S6 AP4 Ordnance 1, 7" Blast) on its back, which can be swapped with Helios Defense Missiles (60" S8 AP2 Heavy 2, Skyfire, Interceptor) for free. It's secondary weapons are ''not'' a heavy stubber, but ''two'' autocannons, which can be individually upgraded to Irad cleansers or lascannons. Clearly this thing is built around tearing down vehicles or Monstrous Creatures, though it can be used in wiping away infantry one pie plate at a time.

*'''[[Ordinatus|Ordinatus-Minoris Macro Engine]]:''' Comes in two flavours, and If you ever run them against someone, they're probably not your friend. Each Ordinatus comes with three Volkite Culverins, Blessed Autosimulacra, Anabaric Claw, Armored ceremite and a Ordinatus Dispersion shield. Oh and 14/13/13 with 14HP and is a super heavy. But if it explodes anything under will probably die as it utilises it's own destruction chart which every one of the results always has a Destroyer hit. The Dispersion shield is the big thing on this machine. Basically it's a super Flare Shield that loses effectiveness overtime but will always have an affect. Turn one :-3 Strength to shooting attacks and rolls on the D chart, Turn two: -2 Strength to shooting attacks and D Chart and Turn three and subsequent turns -1 Strength to shooting and D charts. Basically don't shoot it with D as you'll never be stripping off those hull points.
**''Ordinatus Sagittar'': Because fuck that model (or that unit), it didn't deserve to be on the table, even at that distance. A 180" Strength D weapon with an Apocalyptic Blast that royally fucks over vehicles might seem OP, but that's because it is, though at its extremely expensive cost it will need some protection, though if you fight Marines often, and combined with its dispersion shield, it can easily make its points back by turn 3 so long as you keep its guns pointed where they belong, at the priciest unit within 180".
**''Ordinatus Ulator'': The one displayed from FW Open day, This big ass sonic projector will have people kicking you in the nuts every time you shoot it. 72" Range Strength X AP2 Pinning Armourbane Instant Death Ignores Cover Ulator Sonic Wave. Place down a Massive blast template(7") at the edge of the hull. Direct it at an enemy (Has to be enemy first and can hit friendlies) and draw a straight line using the Massive blast template. Anything that gets partially touched by it takes a hit from the following Table. (This also includes Flyers. Yes. Even Flyers.)
***The Ulator is one of the few things in the game that is effective against everything that isn't a Primarch (or that has Eternal Warrior). You can effectively use it to fill in any hole your army develops, lost Anti-tank? Strength 8-10 with Armourbane at AP2. Hordes got you down? Strength 5 ID Massive Blast template will thin them out. Air defence gone? Just shoot those fliers down. Your opponent brought their Baneblade(s) (or their variants)? You shoot them with Strength D, and on top of all of this, you literally CANNOT miss a single shot you ever fire. Also note that it is incredibly potent against Gargantuan Creatures, as it removes D3 wound per wound suffered because of Instant Death, surpassing their Feel No Pain as most lack Eternal Warrior. Useful against that prick who thought he could curbstomp with Wraithknights in a 30k game.

*'''[[Warhound Scout Titan]]''': The same Titan as the Ordo Reductor, it has one extra void shield and night vision for the same price as post-heresy one Warhound, Even though 6-th edition nerfed D-strength a lot (no more +1 on damage chart), take a DB TLD for dealing with Terminators and Characters, and a Vulcan Mega-Bolter boosted with a Djinn-skein for the squads as on average against 3+ marines you'll kill 10.416 Marines per use of the Mega-Bolter.

*'''[[Reaver Battle Titan]]''': Again, The same Titan as the Ordo Reductor, it's the Warhounds bigger, tougher, meaner and slower brother. Destroyer blast spam is still the preferable weapon loadout (especially with the points level you'll be likely using this guy at), but in 30K there's nothing wrong with choosing Gatling blaster (because fuck Marines) or a Melta cannon. Curiously it can take a Vortex support missile for a carapace weapon, you lose a lot of your average firepower, so compensate by getting something with more blasts instead of going all Strength, but the missile is capable of one-shoting any other lord of war (besides another Reaver) by removing D3 SP from super-heavies or just insta-killing any other model (yes, even Primarchs) with no saves of any kind allowed, but it is one use only, so use it wisely.

*'''[[Warlord Battle Titan]]:''' 2750 pts for quite possibly the hardest damned motherfucker out there; 30 HP, 15/15/14, 5+ Invuln, haywire immunity, Armoured ceramite and 6 void shields and it pretty much ignores anything in melee besides other titans. It is bristling with Anti-aircraft firepower atop it with its Ardex (Essentially Cognis) Mauler boltcannons and TL Lascannons. Now some notes on the meat of it!
** If you're taking this to spew D weapons, you're in for a disappointment as 2850pts total would "only" fire 8 D blasts; 2 Belicosa volcano's and 2 Reaver Laser blasters, though the former weapon will produce 2 10" reroll 1's on D table. If you wanna spam D, take a Reaver, it will work out cheaper in every single way.
**What this is good for however, is abusing its World Burner rule to turn the battle field into a charnel house where only true Titans, the lucky, and those with Flare shields may live to wretch in the ashen pork world that was left behind. This rule lets you use your Blast based weapons (all bar melee effectively) against whatever the hell you want: Baptise them in fire!
***Of course, you'll need the right tools for the job. Standard are two aforementioned '''Belicosa pattern volcano cannons''', a very good all round choice and in the event you don't have worthy backup against other Titans, stick with these. Other arm mounted weapons include '''Sunfury plasma annhilators''', PW4, Apoc barrage, force rerolls on cover,at S9AP2, remember Apocalyptic Barrage follows all the rules of regular barrage and thus would hit side armour and having two would effectively up you to having a PW8 profile. '''Mori-Quake cannons''' are similar to the regular quake cannons (D to 9 to 6), at AP3 they're kinda lackluster but it makes for it via making units move far slower (Half movement, no running/flatout/charge, all movement is dangerous terrain for next turn), a Direct hit with this will likely heavily delay a Spartan from reaching its destination in time, which could be extremely important. '''Saturnyne lascutters''' are fun, they double as a melee and hellstorm weapon. The Latter is S9, AP2 Instant death, making it perfect for mulching Mechanicum, the former it will possess a D, Machine Destroyer (Reroll 1's on D table) and ID again, which is relevant against Gargantuan creatures (Each D wound scored will inflict D3 wounds.). Next up is the '''Arioch Power Claw''': D Melee, +1 attack Machine destroyer; at least you'll look rad *New upgrade revealed at the 2016 Horus Heresy Weekender: splash out 75 pts and slap on a Vulcan Mega Bolter so you can smash and shoot! This then just leaves the '''Macro-gatling blaster''' looking a bit out in the woods: PW6, 5", Pinning at S10 AP3. It's really for just completely removing Marines from the board.
***Next up are the Assortment of carapace weapons (minimum 24"). These are all taken in a pair (the Ardex weapons cannot be changed). Standard are two Apocalypse Launchers, shrug.... wait a second. The Apocalypse Launchers have uses: the Barrage 4 firepower and AP3 allows you to kill Marines in cover quicker than standard blast weapons and then there is Titan dueling. If you are playing massive Apocalypse games with ranges over 100" these are perfect for smashing down other titans void shields and exposing them to your Belicosa Volcano Cannons: those Laser Blasters are no use if out range and will lose the extreme distance battle to the launcher-equipped Warlord everytime. Then come in the DL-Turbolasers, TL-Vulcan Mega bolters, and Titan Plasma blastguns, for free. The Reaver-greade weapons are all 100 pts: Laser blasters, Meltacannons (which will look real fucking stupid with all this AC around) and Gatling Blasters. Then some uniques come in: 2XVortex missile banks for 150 pts, which essentially let you fling out a total of 4 of these missiles throughout the game (its the "Eh" 40k version). And 75 pts Incinerator missile banks: PW10, No cover, Apoc Barrage, one use each at S6 AP3; for when all the marines must die turn 1.
***You can probably tell now, the resultant purpose of these Titans is destroy any supporting forces as quickly as possible, before destroying other super heavies in a barrage of unrelenting firepower across a number of turns and slugging it out, where as the Reaver is probably just blasting down enemy super heavies. In either case you may wish to sit down, take a look at your bank-statements and wonder how on earth you are going to be reasonably transporting this to the secret Drug-Cartel hideout where they fight each other with Titan Legions.

==Legio Cybernetica Unit Analysis==

The Legio Cybernetica is a Taghmata variant that focuses on robots. Every slot's gotta have robots! Like the Ordo Reductor, Legio Cybernetica draws from the main list of Taghmata units and receives a number of benefits and penalties.
*'''Unique HQ - Archmagos Dominus:''' An exclusive HQ choice for Legio Cybernetica detachments.
*'''Rule of the Dominus:''' Your Compulsory HQ must be a Magos Dominus, Archmagos Dominus, or one of the two special characters: Inar Satarael or Anacharis Scoria. In addition, if your primary detachment is from Legio Cybernetica, your opponent gains +d3 Victory Points if they manage to remove all your Cortex Controllers.
*'''Legion of Steel:''' Your Compulsory Troops MUST be 2-strong Castellax units each (keep in mind these are still [[Derp|not scoring]]). The first Fast Attack and Heavy Support choices MUST have the Cybernetica Cortex rule; once you have a robot in there, you're free to buy whatever else you desire. But what you desire is more robots anyway, right?
*'''Enhanced Cyber-control:''' What truly defines Legio Cybernetica. Your Cortex Controller and Cybertheurgy ranges is increased to 24" from 12". In addition all models with a Cybernetica Cortex in the detachment have +1 Iniative to their profile.
The main advantages of Legio Cybernetica is that their robots can be spread around without fear of losing control and the increased Initiative has the potential to radically alter the outcome of your close combats. Vorax will strike before most marines, Castellax and their ilk will strike at initiative, and in mirror fights they will all strike first. The penalty is that you are forced to buy four Castellax just to make a legal list. Castellax recently got a 20 points increase, making them a very costly affair. And if you lose your Cortex Controllers, the opponent gets free victory points; at lower point levels it's likely that you will only have one in your list...

===HQ===

*'''Archmagos Dominus:''' Everyone can field normal Dominus, but only you can bring their boss. You pay for what you get, and that's a lot. However, he does the same thing a normal Dominus does: use Cybertheurgy and Battlesmith instead of shooting all day long, but now at Ld10. His WS4 and I3 makes him mediocre in CC for his huge cost. Don't get us wrong, he can succeed by dint of sheer resilience when kitted up properly - [[Chapter_Master_Smashfucker|T6 W4 IWND FnP(5+) and six S5 AP2 attacks]] (2 of them Shredding Armourbane) is great in anyone's book...but you could have brought 2 Castellax for that. ''Then why use it?'' Because only he can properly use the Cortica Primus relic, making a unit of [[Deathstar_Units|3+ Battle-automata]] (otherwise not worth it) live up to their Monstrous Creature names and unleash the might of the Cybernetica! ''But that's always too costly''. Think again: 5 Voraxes cost less than 10 Termies. Use [[Rage|Rite of Fury]]. Now your enemy is in for [[Anal_Circumference|'''30 S6 AP2 attacks at I5''' + HoW]], not to mention the opening salvo, all delivered by [[Tarpit|15 T6 worth of Fearless wounds]] that don't need a transport and can [[Rip_and_Tear|pry open]] Land Raiders. Yes, you just [[Just_as_planned|both Nope'd a Primarch's retinue AND tarpitted him]]. And the Archmagos [[Troll|doesn't even need to be with them]] because of the 24" Controller range!
*'''Anacharis Scoria:''' Anacharis can be your Warlord in a Legio Cybernetica detachment, and really that's where he shines. [https://1d4chan.org/wiki/Warhammer_40,000/Tactics/Mechanicum:_Taghmata_(30k)#HQ See the Taghmata section].
*'''Inar Satarael:''' Also a Warlord for Legio Cybernetica. [https://1d4chan.org/wiki/Warhammer_40,000/Tactics/Mechanicum:_Taghmata_(30k)#HQ See the Taghmata section].

==Ordo Reductor Unit Analysis==

We've gone from the Mechanicum list with the least options to the one with the most in one book!

The Ordo Reductor's initial list, main troop choice and dedicated transport was in HH1: Betrayal and is a campaign allied detachment list when playing an Isstvan 3 re-enactment. At first there was only a unique HQ unit but then the Magos Dominus from book two became available to the Ordo Reductor (called Magos Reductor) and has been updated since. With the release of the new Red book for Mechanicum we have now the best and most varied tanks of the Mechanicum, alongside some exclusive options, like the <s>new</s> old Minotaur. The new list makes Ordo Reductor list extremely viable, capable of some OP/borderline stupid combinations (12 PHOSPEX MEDUSAS!), becoming like a powered up version of the Legion Rites of War. The Iron Warriors are the best at siege? Pfft! ''Amateurs!'' Mechanicum sees what your legion does and cranks it up to 11!

'''Bonuses:'''
*'''Walkers in Ruin:''' Any unit in this detachment is immune to Pinning by enemy fire and is also immune to Difficult and Dangerous terrain (Rubble, Ruins, Minefields and Trenchworks). No more tanks fucking themselves in terrain - ''You can bring enough Phosphex to cover substancial portions of the battlefield and leave only the 4 previous terrain types unscathed, a reasonable counter against faster armies.''
*'''Engines of Destruction:''' Allows us to take Minotaur ''batteries'', Artillery batteries and (Arch)Magos Reductor - ''Coupled with the Matrix of Ruin you can shove down 12 Phosphex shells a turn to be truly obnoxious.''

'''Restrictions:'''
*'''The Master of the Covenant:''' Compulsory HQ Choice has to be (Arch)Magos Reductor or special character Caleb Decima.
*'''Patterns of Force:''' Must take Thallax Cohorts as the compulsory Troops choice ''unless'' you bring a titan (Warhound and above) when you can bring the titan guard. Furthermore, a Reductor list may not contain more Battle-automata or Siege Automata units than half the total number of units in the detachment regardless of the detachments type (e.g.: if a primary detatchment force made from an Ordo Reductor war covenant comprises a total of six units, up to three of them can be Battle-automata) - ''Thallax are one of your best options, so not much of a downside there.''

===The Matrix of Ruin===

*'''Compulsory:''' 1 HQ, 2 Troops, 2 Heavy Support.
*'''Optional:''' 1 HQ, 3 Troops, 2 Heavy Support, 2 Elites, 2 Fast attack, '''2''' Lords of War.
*'''The Unfetted Wrath of the Machine:''' All Tanks are scoring in the enemy deployment zone in Age of Darknes missions, aka 30k, OR gain Objective Secured in Maelstrom of War missions instead - ''Bring an Archimandrite for sweet IWND on your scoring, dangerous terrain-ignoring tanks''.
*Can't take Fortifications or allies - ''You're a destroyer, not a builder. Thus, Macroteks are less useful for you.''

This OPTIONAL Reductor-exclusive version of the Onslaught FOC can be seen as a RoW within a RoW. A small modification to the FOC but a significant one none the less, it exchanges versatility for sheer firepower, but unless you bring the right units the loss of versatility can become a major problem. Compared to the Onslaught FOC (HH:LACAL p.10), which is available to all 30k, the Matrix of Ruin gains 1 Troop choice and better Tanks without relinquishing the ability of going first, but at the cost of 2 Elite slots and a higher minimum cost. Compared to the normal Age of Darkness FOC [[Fail|you lose 1 HQ, 1 Troop, 2 Elites, 1 FA, Fortifications and Allies]], but [[Derp|gain 1 HS and 1 LoW]]. But it truly shines in 40k - OS Triaros were difficult to deal with, try dealing with [[OP#Overpowered|OS]] Krios Venators.

===HQ===

*'''Magos Reductor:''' ''Who needs Decima?'' Forget about his Book 2 incarnation, the update has improved this guy big time giving him IC (but not Precision Shots) and better stats than the average Magos. He can be upgraded to Archmagos gaining Relentless, the option to choose "-1 to a piece of cover" as his WT instead of rolling for it and getting a 5 in WS, BS, S & T. Even a campaign Archmagos Reductor OC has little room left for stat-improving (so he can get extra rules faster!). ''Ahem'', the new book also tinkered with his wargear adding exclusive options like Phosphex Bombs and Breacher charges, losing the Jetpack and moving around certain options; little modifications that radically change [[Warhammer_40,000/Tactics/Mechanicum:_Taghmata_(30k)#Magos_options|this Magos' builds]]. He can get a '''retinue''' of Reductor Techpriests or Scyllax and all his attacks have Sunder and a +1 on the Vehicle and Building damage tables. Most importantly, he can grant this buff to a nearby Heavy/Ordnance weapon if he doesn't shoot himself and can be combined with Mechanicum WTs, specially Perfected Targeting. Thatatar Calix's single shot S10 not good enough for you? Buff it so it becomes Twin-linked, Sunder, and Explodes them on a 5+. But his best buddy is the Ordinator: an Armourbane + Wrecker + Sunder + extra table damage weapon can kill [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3oGbGlcQh0 pretty much anything], so put them together and buff his bombardment attack.

===Troops===

*'''Scyllax Guardian-Automata Covenant:''' While they can be taken by everyone (and they're no longer compulsory Troops), there's a synergy the Reductor have with the Scyllax that should be given its own entry. A balanced melee-ish squad, having 2 attacks base that generate an extra attack on a To wound roll of 6. In addition, they can exchange all their attacks (even the extra one for charging) for a Dismemberment attack: [[Rape|+3S AP2]] Unwieldy. They also get some decent firepower in the form of Kraken bolters as standard, one of the longest ranged infantry weapons in the whole Mechanicum, AP4 to boot. Nice. WS3 coupled with Relentless, Move through Cover, Night Vision and the usual Mechanicum stats (T5|2W|I3|4+ save) and the possibility to have up to 16 models means the unit is more than just a tarpit unit. [[Rage|Too bad they cost as much as Terminators]]. Also, like the Servitors they are, they become Fearless when they're within 24" of a Magos...but have to test on their Ld7 to move when away from them, so keep Magi nearby [[Tyranid|to herd them around]]. ''Then why take them?'' Because they come equipped with a '''Rad Furnace''', which means anyone in base contact with them suffers -1T, while they themselves are immune to it, as well immune to Rad grenades (''so they're different/[[Anal Circumference|THEIR EFFECTS CAN STACK?!]]'') and Poison & Rad-phage [[Mortarion|only affects them on a 6+]]. ''What does this mean for your Reductor army?'' That you should either stick a Rad grenade, Abeyant-equipped Archmagos with them since they will be able to Instant Death MEQ's with their regular attacks and attack the nearest foe with your Relentless, Move through Cover unit that [[meme|doesn't afraid of anything]] (Fearless). Alternatively put Calleb in one since at S6 he won't even need the Rad Grenades to ID MEQ's (''at last, a good unit for him to hang with!'') Terminators on sight? Pfft, Rad Furnace + Dismemberment will finish them off, even if they have [[Grey_Knights|2 Wounds]]. Just remember your Magos isn't immune to Rad, so keep away from Precision strikes and Challenges and buy a Machinator Array. Like all Mechanicum units, they have numerous weapon options, but keep your eyes on the points price.
**If Assault is your ideal strategy, then load up on '''Flamers''' (available to all) and '''Rad-cleansers''' (available to only one in four, sadly). Template weapons can help whittle down a lot of blobs real fast (having that much Wall of Death doesn't hurt if you get counter-charged either).
**If you opt for ranged combat, you'll want the '''Rotor Cannons'''. Sure they're weaker in strength than the '''Volkite Chargers''' but they put out more shots the Volkites and your regular Bolters do, Relentless meaning you get to fire 4 shots at full 30" range. And they're the cheapest option! Even if you're up against 4+ saves, the heightened volume of fire means you'll inflict more wounds than Kraken Bolters.
**As for the other "1-in-X can equip Y" items, they're pretty self explanatory. '''Graviton guns''' help with slowing infantry and dealing with vehicles that got too close, '''Plasma guns''' help with taking out 2+ saves from range (handy if a player puts their Artificer Armour Sergeant in front), and '''Melta guns''' are good for leaving at home because your opponent bought Armoured Ceramite and you have better things to deal with vehicles and 2+ saves.

===Heavy Support===

*'''Ordo Reductor Artillery Tank Battery''': The main reason for going Reductor, now we can take artillery Batteries from the legions and field them with impunity. 1-3 Artillery Tanks. Cheaper than the Legion variants, they start as a Whirlwinds with Vengeance and Castellan missiles that can be swapped for Hyperios missiles for free, becoming your best source of anti-air. But that would be a waste because they can upgrade their guns and pretty much become any artillery tank you need and then more, which makes the unit incredibly versatile. All models in the unit must have the same equipped primary weapon. In addition to the usual vehicle options, ours can also get a Machine spirit, Blessed Autosimulacra (or IWND with an Archimandrite) and upgrade to AV13 on the front. That's right, the Ordo Reductor can use its artillery tanks ''to assault'', essentially getting cheaper better Vindicators, so [[Commissar_Dan|charge, you pig fuckers!]]. Or you could also extend the life of your Medusas by running away 12" while still firing on the enemy and let your Krios Venators do the assault job. The weapon options are:
**Demolisher Cannon
**Quad Lascannon
**Dual Melta Cannon (a 3" blast Twin-linked Multi-melta)
**Earthshaker Cannon
**Medusa Cannon (with access to both Phosphex and normal shells by default)
**Mars-Colossus Bombard [S7|AP3|Concussive Pinning Massive blast with 12-72" range]

*'''Ordo Reductor Minotaur Battery''': Up to 3 Minotaurs forming a battery. It's not a Superheavy anymore, but a Heavy Tank (so it can score). Much better than the IA Minotaur by having an enclosed cabin, Autosimulacra, Extra armour, BS4, the chance of having 3 as one HS choice and it's 70 pts cheaper. Like the IA version it has AV14 on the rear by virtue of its rear-facing Flare shield, it's hit on its AV12 side on assaults and can't level its Massive Blast Twin-Linked Earthshaker cannon for direct fire, so it has a 24" blind zone that deep strikers will try to exploit. For that it has access to Armoured Ceramite to whithstand melta blasts, a pintle mounted <s>marine woodchipper</s> Phased-plasma fusil and the Anabaric Claw, which zaps those melee attackers at I10.

===Lords of War===

*[[Fellblade#Falchion |Legion Falchion]]

==Allies (This covers all three flavours)==

===Battle Brothers===

*'''Sons of Horus''' Troop Reavers make excellent scoring units (you took Maloghurst, right?). Just keep them backed up with Castellax and Thallax.
*'''Iron Hands''' They don't really offer us much we don't already have. They do, however, soak up bullets very well, so consider them for forward objective capture.
*'''Salamanders''' Resolutely meh for us. Iron Hands and Iron Warriors capture better.
*'''Iron Warriors''' Tough fuckers who don't mind getting shot. Consider a few drop-pod fulls for capturing forward objectives. Or use them as heavy support whilst using thallax and castellax for clearing up dug enemies. Altogether the best legion alongside mechanicum
*'''Raven Guard''' With their ability to infiltrate infantry, they can sneak a vox anywhere on the field to guide in deep striking thallax/ursarax. Consider if that's your play style, otherwise they don't bring us much we don't already have.
*'''Knights''' What's better than two knights palling it it up with your dudes? MORE KNIGHTS! Think this one through though, since we can already take them as lords of war. '''[[Warhammer 40,000/Tactics/Questoris Knight Crusade (30k)|Knights]]'''

===Fellow Warriors===
*'''Alpha Legion''' 20 strong Tac Squads that infiltrate on point? Yes please! This said, unless you're looking to take some armor as well, Raven Guard does it better, since they can call in deep strikers. Really it all comes down to how badly you want to field that Sicaran/have a Dreadnought Talon broing it up with your Castellax.
*'''Emperors Children'''
*'''Night Lords'''
*'''Death Guard'''
*'''World Eaters'''
*'''Word Bearers'''
*'''Custodes'''
*'''Sisters'''
*'''Imperial Army''' May act as objective-bench warmers; possibly bring ordnance onto the field?
**Though with the increased squad size of Tech-thralls, this may not be such an issue now.
***[[Warhammer_40,000/Tactics/Solar_Auxilia_(30k)|Solar Auxilia]] If you're taking these, you'll probably drop Tech-Thralls immiedatly; 100pts (Lasrifle section) for 20 man squad, BS4, Rapid Fire 30" or Heavy 2 36", overwatching on BS2, likely to get WS4 and 4+ save is pretty good in anyone's books. Though it has LD8/7, being able to always regroup is pleasant. Also, Lasrifle Sections come stock with a nuncio-vox, which can help your Thanatars and deep-striking Thallax/Ursarax a lot, freeing up your cyber-occulari to focus on their other forms of mischief, or saving you the trouble of getting the djinn skein altogether, if that's what you were planning to use those for. Alternatively Veletaris offers you some pretty nice potent short range fire power, but any variation of Mechanicum is hardly lacking in that. What you want from an allied choice is most likely cheaper barrage/template options than the Thanatar. The Rapier battery can see this pretty well, with the Quad mortar option filling this best: 60pts for small template spamming with pinning, uniquely possessing a shorter ranged direct fire option which rerolls armour penetration. This takes an elite slot, but you would not be missing anything else in this, probably. The Artillery battery, though durable, is pricey compared to Vanilla guardsmen options (presuming Imperial-Army vanilla will use Chimera based Artillery).
***Alternatively you may consider the Malcador. Yes a Superheavy as a heavy support option, and a fast super-heavy at that! It costs 5 points less than the Thanatar, you get 13/13/12 HP6 and 3 autocannons (Multi-laster and Hv.Flamer is free) alongside a Leman-Russ cannon, so you could leave it at that. If you feel like dropping 30 points you could get a Demolisher cannon and a Battlecannon firing at the same time (though, you would have to convert either Lascannons to a battlecannon or a hull gun to a demolisher if you're not performing a complete scratch build). If you wanted to fork out 10 more points you could the drop the fast property and ram your self up to front 14, you could then ram Flare shield and Armoured Ceramite, totaling up to 320 pts for vehicle that will take ALOT of shit forward facing and at 6 Hull points you'll be taking that for a while.
***[[Warhammer 40,000/Tactics/Imperial Militia and Cults (30k)|Imperial Milita and Cults]] have a dizzying array of options for you to take. You can make Pesudo-Skitarii with a combination of ''Survivors of the Dark Age'' and ''Cyber Augmented'', or even get some cultist support if you're playing Dark Mechanicum. Generally they seem to be similar to the Imperial Guard from 40K, in that they have a large number of expendable soldiers backed by tanks, so take them if you want more bodies on the ground. Seriously consider which Provenances of War you give them, generally you will be wanting them to stay in place and camp objectives, so Abhuman Helots with Discipline Collars will work wonders, and if they have Cyber-Augmetics then they count as Sworn Brothers!

==Tactical Discussion==

'''As Allies:'''
Real talk. Legion troops cost a lot. Tactical Squad? 10 bolter marines for 150 points. Buy them a rhino or max them with an apothecary? 200-350 for 1 troop choice with only bolters. When you start looking at non-compulsory options like terminators or tactical support squads they break the bank even worse.

Enter Mechanicum (from book 2). The best way of getting cheap fearless troops into a legion army:

*'''1: Cheap scoring units''' –The cheapest ally option. A naked Magos Dominus and two units of fearless Tech-Thralls runs around 165 points. That’s two fearless objective campers and a guy who can repair tanks. Now with Taghmata, even cheaper and more blobby!

*'''2: Troop Deathstar''' –A Magos Dominus, some upgrades, and two scoring Castellax runs around 275 points. That’s ten majority toughness 7 wounds. If you take lance weapons, you have up to 6 48-60” S7, AP2, heavy 2 lance shots (which you can fire TWICE if you don’t roll like a 13 year old with a superiority complex on xbox live). Make them melee oriented and you have an all-around MC hunter or tarpit unit. Or just march it alongside your tactical blob- blow up tanks with your lances and then fury of the legion the assholes inside. If it’s still alive, charge in your MCs.

*'''3: Skimmer + Objective Hunter''' – Thallax Cohorts are fast and their best feature is reducing cover saves by 2 points. 200 gets you a cohort and a Magos Dominus kitted into a support role. Use the Thallax to uproot objective campers in cover or hunt all those pesky jetbikes, skimmers, and light vehicles. Jink saves against the 2 S7 AP5 and 3 S6 AP3 shots? Bitch please.

Here's something to try:
Make a Myrmidon Destructor squadron, four-strong. Pack two with Conversion Beamers and two with Irradiation Engines. Have them joined by the ArchMagos, pray you get the "Free Twin-Linked for a unit within 6"" trait, park in a tower and snipe to your heart's content. Everything comes at you gets cancer, everything that stays away gets Beamed. Be sure to reinforce with Castellax to toss head first at the enemy lines to give them something to keep shooting at.

As for Mechanicum allies; Ally LC with Taghmata, or vice versa. This is primarily to get the Archmagos for the Castellaxs and the Magos-Prime for the Thralls and the IC.

== Magos options ==
There are so many different setups for Magos of any kind it deserves it own section - if only to avoid cluttering the normal entries for Magos and Tactics.
*'''Magos Prime'''
**'''Photonman'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkLvpt9Z3fA]: The core of this build is a Myrmidax with two Photon Thrusters; with no other upgrades, that comes to 180 points. You'll be spewing out, at 48", 4 AP2 Blind shots - woe betide any Terminator that dares to enter your line of sight.
***Even with all that firepower, you've still got your hands free - you could keep him cheap, with the default power weapon and serpenta, or kit him out for melee as well if you're shitting points.
***Of course you've got the full range of Magos-buffers to make him invincible: the Machinator Array, Abeyant, and Cyber-familiar.
***The biggest benefit to going Arch- is probably the point of BS, but the boosts to the rest of your stat-line certainly don't hurt.
***Just don't look at how many Photon-Thrusting Destructors you could buy for the same points, or all of this will start to look like a really dumb idea.
**<s>If you just want to piss your opponent off, give your Magos/Archmagos the following: Nanyte Blaster, Phase Walker, Contagium Mechanica, Void Shield Harness, and a jetpack plus whatever else you might feel like taking, like an abeyant or cyber-familiar. every turn, simply pop up exactly at 12" from vehicle or infantry blobs and have at it with the appropriate relic fuckery, then jet out of charge range in order to continue fucking around next turn. as long as you don't get into close combat, you could completely decimate the entire enemy army with this one douchebag. Also could be useful for taking whatever objective you need in Maelstrom games, but that's mainly just the Phase Walker. </s> They're relics, you're not taking more than one.
**Archmagos Radfucker: Do you want to win at melee combat? Well for a small payment of '''285+ points''' you can do that all of the time! First take the standard abeyant, cyber familiar and machinator array combo to give him T6 W4 IWND and 2+/3++ and Hardened Armour as well as providing extra weapons. Make him Malagra of course for that extra WS and attack as well as prefered enemy (characters). As for your main weapons take a master crafted chainfist and a power fist to get the two specialist weapons bonus attack. Now he hits 4 times at S8 AP2, with a re-roll for master crafted and two more at S5 AP2 and all these attacks re-roll ones to hit on characters. But we're not done yet,give him rad grenades and a rad furnace for the radioactive cherry on top, that will give enemies -2 toughness on the charge and -1 toughness if they survive any longer. Since you've taken a rad furnace, there's no reason not to give him a Scyllax Automata bodyguard unit since they wont fuck up each other's toughness anymore. Congratulations, you now have a warlord that can tango with [[Chapter_Master_Smashfucker|'''Smashfucker''']] and has nothing but instant death weapons to fear.
**<s>Alternative opinion: the red Taghmata book only allows ‘one option’ under Rad Furnace and Machinator Array - you can only take one but not both. Also Rad Grenades are Reductor-exclusive.</s> A regular Magos Prime can take Rad Grenades (listed alongside misc. wargear such as Cyber Familiar) and only Magos Reductor is forced to choose between a Machinator Array and Rad Furnace, a regular Magos Prime has the Rad Furnace listed alongside ranged weapons such as Photon Thrusters.
*'''Magos Reductor'''
**'''Support (i.e. Naked)''': Because not everyone can be a Chapter Master and Ordo Reductor [[Derp|lacks Techpriests]]. The cheapest build, focusing instead in bringing more siege engines and herding your Thanatars around, which are too valuable to have them melee at stuff. Don't even think about getting him guns - his shooting phase will be spent repairing shit, and if he isn't, you're [[DISTRACTION_CARNIFEX|not trying hard enough]]. Too frail? Give him an Aurugy scanner to deny infiltration and stick him in a Thallax bodyguard instead of an Abeyant, maybe give him a Machinator for good measure (+1T, +1 Battlesmith). This means not only he gets some dudes to take hits for him, but you can also bring ''yet another'' Macrocarid DT, kited with Lascannons so it can function as another siege engine. ''A LR on the front, two Thanatar at each side, Thallax at the back and the Magos in the middle. [[Get_shit_done|That's your Ordo Reductor list right there]]''. And if you have models in Reserve, you can give the LR an Explorator Web. Doesn't look that cheap, but take into account that you were already going to bring LRs and Thanatars, so ~95 pts total.
**'''Melee:''' Fortunately, you can make your Archmagos a 4W T6 2+/3++ monster. Model-wise, this is the most expensive loadout, but it's a good way of using the Reductor's exclusive Rad grenades, Phosphex and Breacher charges (10 pts a piece, ouch). Make him an Archmagos with the obligatory Machinator array so you don't have to worry about the breacher charge either scattering or insta-killing you. ''Only 125 pts so far, suck on that Caleb!'' Add invuln for that AP2 weaponry. Maybe also an Abeyant for +1 Wound and sweet IWND. And don't forget the Rad grenades. No guns here, the Machinator's meltagun and flamer are more than enough. However, you can fire the meltagun and another weapon, so throw a Phosphex bomb. Or a Rad-cleanser. <s>And a Breacher charge to treat challengers with non-Unwieldy S8 AP2</s> better option, if more exensive, take a Paragon blade and Powerfist for those 4 attacks on the charge. Being able to ID T6 and below with the fist and wounding almost everything on a 3+ with a (effectively S7) paragon blade is very entertaining. Look again, your model now costs ''~265 pts'', not to mention he still needs a retinue, which cost as much as Terminators (but Ferrox Thallax hit hard and Scyllax are customizable and outright scary). ''Srsly, why are you meleeing in a siege list?'' Because Archmagos Reductors are the only Archmagos to end up with WS&S5. Plus it's fucking fun.
**'''Ranged:''' A normal Reductor with a Photon Thruster/Conversion beamer and Augury Scanner is an interesting tactic and definitely one to consider for your Thanatar-Calix shepherd. It's cheap, makes you durable, and can help bring much needed high Strength/low AP firepower to the field, protect your side from deepstrikers and heal your Thanatar when it needs it, without being unreasonably expensive. You could put this guy in a unit of scyllax when rounding up your Thanatar because he will make them fearless and then their bolters can then fire at deepstrikers as well as the Magos's heavy weapon. ''Just ~100 pts there.''

[[Category:Warhammer Tactics/30k]]