Editing Warhammer 40,000/9th Edition Tactics/Adeptus Mechanicus (section)

==Unit Analysis==
*Common Keywords:
**Did you guess [[Adeptus_Mechanicus_Forge_World_Creation_Tables|{{W40Kkeyword|IMPERIUM}} and {{W40Kkeyword|ADEPTUS MECHANICUS}}]]? Most units are [[Skitarii_Army_Creation_Table|{{W40Kkeyword|SKITARII}}]] with the actual tech-priests, kastelon robots, and kataphran servitors having {{W40Kkeyword|CULT MECHANICUS}} instead. There's also {{W40Kkeyword|<FORGE WORLD>}}, which determines your Forge World Dogma.
**Attaching a {{W40Kkeyword|Questor Mechanicum}} Superheavy Auxiliary detachment grants the models in that detachment the {{W40Kkeyword|Knight of the Cog}} keyword.

===HQ===
*'''[[Skitarii#Skitarii Marshal|Skitarii Marshal]]:''' So remember how the Secutarii had their own HQ that supported his boys in various ways? Well GW finally decided to get off their asses and provide something like that to the modern-day Mechanicus as well. Totes a radium gun (thankfully assault, not pistol) as well as a weapon equal to a power maul. Very useful in that they allow a nearby {{W40kKeyword|<Forge World> Skitarii}} or a {{W40kKeyword|<Forge World> Skitarii Data-Tether}} unit anywhere on the board to ignore the penalty applied when using a Doctrina. The great weakness is that they have zero repair ability, so you'll need another HQ to cover that niche.
**Also provides a 6" aura of re-rolling 1s to wound for {{W40kKeyword|<Forge World> Skitarii Core}} units, which means for Skitarii, the Marshal is ''radically'' better than a Dominus, although they stack.
**Broadly speaking, has access to the best warlord traits, but sacrifices access to your Forge World specific warlord trait.  Accordingly, if your only WT models are marshals anyway, you have less incentive than usual to stick to a stock Forge World over a custom one.
**Has a particular lack of synergy with Vanguard, in that re-rolling 1s to wound is of no benefit if you auto-wound.  Assuming BS3+ Vanguard (so 1 in 4 of your shots that hit auto-wound), the benefit of a nearby Marshal is reduced from a 7/6 (1.167) multiplier to 9/8 (1.125).  With BS2+ Vanguard (e.g. from the Protector Imperative), the Marshal goes from a 7/6 (1.167) multiplier to 17/15 (1.133).
* '''[[Tech-Priest Dominus]]:''' Your ''cog''-standard non-Cawl HQ for those times you want to play as those other forgeworlds, no longer an "HQ tax" due to Enginseer changes. Akin to a '''Space Marine Captain''' (''aura of re-roll 1s to hit''), '''Techmarine''' (''repairs D3 wounds to any {{W40Kkeyword|AdMech}} model other than itself'') and a bit of '''Apothecary''' (''repair isn't restricted to vehicles, and can be healed by a fellow techie'') all rolled into one. At T4 5W 2+/5++ this very tanky support character will require serious firepower to remove. Just watch out for enemy witches. Its main concern is to boost and heal your firebase, whatever it might be (Vanguard, Onagers, Kastelans, etc.), but 24" guns allow it to be good at midrange since it doesn't give up shooting (BS2+) for repairs. A flexible loadout, it'll be defined by what you want it to do:
**'''Shooty''': Pick the Volkite Blaster and the '''Phosphoenix''' relic for good and reliable volume of fire, its range fitting nicely alongside Vanguard.  The Phosphoenix will help your Vanguard shoot through Dense Cover.
**'''Choppy:''' Go with the Macrostubber and the Volkite Blaster, and give it '''Anzion's Pseudogenetor''' for an additional 3D3 S+2 AP-1 hits on top of your 3 Omnissian Axe attacks and Pistol 5 Macrostubber attacks, the latter of which happen at BS2+.
**'''Repairman''': Give it the '''Necromechanic''' WT so that it restores a flat 3 wounds every time it repairs something. Fun to combine with the '''Tech-adept''' Stratagem to repair the same vehicle twice, repairing ''up to 6 wounds per turn'' that way, bringing an Onager back to full stats or keeping multiple Kastelans from dying.
*'''[[Enginseer|Tech-Priest Enginseer]]:''' The Enginseer is a perfect cost-saving option for an army trying to make a battalion and can be taken in the same slot as a Dominus or Manipulus ''or as an extra HQ option not taking up a slot with the new Brotherhood rule''. With T4 W4 3+/5++ it's basically a squishier Techmarine with lackluster combat ability, but that's ok because its main role is being a cheap repairman and HQ.
**'''Repairman:''' Repairs whatever a Dominus can at the end of Movement, and on top of that, during Command grants a friendly {{W40Kkeyword|vehicle}} model (aside from Kastelans) +1 to hit, which is something not even the Dominus can do. While no longer the same as the IG version, still useful as a budget buffer.  The big downside to the buff is that it happens during Command and wants to target models faster than the Enginseer is, which may give you difficulty in getting your support model to keep up with what they're babysitting.
***If all you care about is the +1 to hit, BS3+ -> 2+ is a 25% increase in output, which means for a 55 point model, it's worth the effort on a 220 point target.  That's more than any target you can field, which means you should never field an Enginseer just for the accuracy buff - make sure it's doing double duty as something else as well.
**Note that the Enginseer has very little synergy with the various Holy Orders - the +1 to hit they can grant won't work on any unit the Holy Orders can buff.  There are units they can ''repair'' that can be buffed with Holy Orders, but that's the extent of it.
**'''Relic Caddy''': They aren't champions like SM Captains are, but since most of their job is to stand around being available, they could just as well be useful by carrying army-boosting relics ''after'' you gave the Dominus/Manipulus theirs.
**'''Buying advice:''' Enginseers are a must-have if you want to fill HQ slots, at only 55pts per model for a small, tough character that can heal vehicles. The only problem is that they cost $30 a pop, unless you go for the $11.50 metal ones from the webstore. An alternate solution to that starts with looking closely at the chaos cultists in the "dark vengeance" kit. The robed ones look remarkably like Enginseers, right? Hell, one has an axe that looks remarkably like a cog. You can buy them for 20 bucks on eBay and kitbash them with the ton of bits leftover by your Skitarii squads, techpriest Dominii and Onagers. A little work and you have your all the Enginseers you need for less than the cost of one. Another option would be the Forge World titan tech priest! A lot cheaper than the Enginseer, and Forge World quality too! Another Option that you DEFINITELY want to consider when trying to reinforce your army is actually buying the Start Collecting: Adeptus Mechanicus Box. Great if you planned on getting Skitarii Vanguard/Rangers and the Dunerider anyways since it effectively saves you about 60 (57) bucks when paying 95 dollars for the box, essentially you're getting the Rangers and half of the Enginseer for free.

*'''[[Tech-Priest Manipulus]]''': In the command phase, boosts 1 unit's arc/radium/galvanic rifles with +6" range and gives them an additional -1AP. Ridiculous on a squad of 20 vanguard, very impressive on 20 rangers!
**The problem with this guy is his cost relative to what he does: even under absolutely optimal conditions where he's buffing a 20-dude Vanguard unit with nothing but Radium Carbines in it, he raises the cost of the whole shebang from 160 points to 230, which means it's only worth it against Sv2+ - against e.g. MEQ, you're gaining 33.33% damage output for a 43.75% increase in cost.  The benefit he provides to Galvanic and Arc rifles is ''less''.  At best he should be your third pick behind a Marshal and a Dominus.
*'''[[Technoarchaeologist]]:''' The generic version of Daedalosus from the Blackstone Fortress game, acting as a support HQ to a Dominus or Manipulus. His weaponry is unique for an HQ but nothing special; he carries a Servo-Arc Claw and the pistol version of the Eradication Beamer.  Instead, his real benefit comes from his special rules. He emits a 12" aura that shuts off enemy deep strikes. On top of this, he can pick a friendly {{W40kKeyword|<Forge World> Core}} or {{W40kKeyword|Servitors}} unit within 6" during the command phase, letting Kataphrons perform objective actions and allowing the chosen unit to perform objective actions as well as shoot.

===Troops===

===={{W40Kkeyword|Skitarii}}====
In 9th edition, objective control is paramount to victory, more than it ever was now with non-scattering deepstrikes and double-fights to pile in multiple units. Enter reliable and spammable Skitarii, who are now back in force. Literally, as the new Codex allows each standard Ranger or Vanguard squad to have up to 20 dudes at 9 points a pop. Unlike your regular Imperial GEQ, their 4+/5++ give these T3 dudes a chance of survival, and they're cheap enough that they can be used to control the field while your other units, like the much heavier and damaging Cult Mechanicus troops, clean up said field. Despite their status as light mortal infantry, they carry enough BS3+ firepower that it matters. 

Unfortunately, 9th edition nerfed the number/type of special weapons they can take per squad. If the squad has 9 models or less, you only get one special weapon of your choice. For every 10 models in the squad, you can have one of each. Frankly speaking, if you're looking to take a squad for these weapons (like the Transuranic Arquebus), you're better just running MSU squads to keep it cost-effective, especially if you plan on using transports to putter them about the field.
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<tab name="Skitarii Rangers">
*'''[[Skitarii]] Rangers:'''  Their 30" Galvanic Rifles have enough range to contribute to fights and the S4 needed to be a bother, which makes this squad great at garrisoning backfield objectives and ruins.  Note that their guns are worse than Rad Carbines in most ways, but the exact differences depend on many factors; for example, Galvanic Rifles scale with BS better than Rad Carbines do.  Against MEQ, a base Galvanic Rifle deals 12/36 of a wound, and with +1 to hit goes to 15/36.  Radium Carbines against the same target do 12/36 and 14/36, respectively.  However, being Heavy 30" instead of Assault 18" makes them much better at laying down fire from the backline.  Also helpful is their ability to move at the beginning of the game, putting them in an ideal position immediately. All in all great value from the cheapest unit in your army. Unless you are sitting on backfield objectives, Vanguard are usually better.
**Transuranic Arquebi are ''the'' special weapon this squad should take, as if you're taking rangers they should be backfield and their awesome 60" range doesn't waste Galvanic Rifle range as the other guns do, and with actual stats (S7 AP-1 D1d3) on top of regular sniper rules there will always be targets of opportunity for them to attack. Dealing 2D to vehicles, even flyers, from your deployment zone isn't too hard to do, and is actually pretty comfy coming from a troop unit whose job would usually be to just stand back and bodyblock rear line deepstrikers. However, you need a surprisingly high number of these to consistently snipe characters.
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<tab name="Skitarii Vanguard">
*'''[[Skitarii]] Vanguard:''' Vanguard are your Skitarii frontliners. Their 18" Assault 3 Rad Carbines let them advance and still hit on a 4+. '''These guys auto wound on nat 6s to hit non-vehicles which can be buffed to a nat 4+ to hit with a strat.''' 
**With that strat, these guys get disgusting: assuming 20 vanilla vanguard, you've got 60 S3 shots, with a potential 30 auto-wounds at best for 2CP a pop.
** Put them with a Marshal for re-rolls, or give them the Manipulus buff for AP-1, and there just aren't a lot of things that want to make 30 AP-2 saving throws... with their Rad saturation aura (-1T is better than +1S), they can also help as melee soup support to Sicarians and Electropriests.
**''Always'' grab Plasma Calivers with these dudes as your first special weapons pick.  If you kick up to a larger unit, then and only then reach for Arc Rifles, as they don't synergise well with the basic carbines the unit sports. NEVER take the Transuranic Arquebus with these guys; it's designed for backline sniping, and these guys will be up front.
**The custom forgeworlds and new warlord traits massively buff vanguard, especially boosting AP. The Rad-Saturated FW's triple firing S4 AP1 is pretty nasty on its own, and gets even nastier (if a touch expensive) when you bring in stuff like the Manipulus' AP-1 buff or the nat 5+ mortals stratagem.
**Unlike Rangers, Vanguard find themselves in melee more often. It's worth noting that you can upgrade the alphas, but with only 2 attacks and a 4+ WS it won't do much. However, as of now, all weapons are free on Alphas, and melee weapons don't replace anything. Just don't forget to magnetize those hands, because good things like free upgrades never last.
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===={{W40Kkeyword|Cult Mechanicus}}====
Kataphrons are the big guys of the Cult Mechanicus are closer to tankettes than they are to people: their Ogryn-sized T5 frames make them difficult to remove from an objective, and with W3 your HQs can actually repair them. Their long-ranged firepower doesn't suffer the penalty for moving, since they're {{W40Kkeyword|Biker}}s that ignore Breachable terrain like infantry, beasts, and swarms do. ''Great'' firepower coming from Troop units, and very easily buffed by your mostly-shooty HQ section.

'''Jokes on you, the Q1 2023 Balance Dataslate gives Kataphrons the {{W40kKeyword|Core}} keyword, this changes everything about them.'''
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<tab name="Kataphron Destroyers">
*'''Kataphron Destroyers:''' Dedicated anti-MEQ gunships. Though well-protected against small arms (3+/6++), they are a prime target for your enemy so they have to be defended. Park them in cover with a Dominus and they can turn it into a miniature bunker with a good bit of firepower.
**'''Guns:''' 
***Heavy Grav Cannons are reliable; 30" Heavy ''5'' S5 AP-3 D1 deletes weaker targets, and D2 against anything with a 3+ save melts heavy infantry and can even dent monsters and tanks.
***Kataphron Plasma Culverins cost more: 36" Heavy 1d6 S7 AP-3 D1, Blast and can Overcharge for S8 and D2, but 1s to hit deal the shooter a mortal wound.  
****Only ever worth it if you fire them in Overcharge mode, and even then, remember you're sinking a lot of points into BS4+ dakka here. Furthermore, against most targets, the heavy grav-cannon outperforms the culverin simply due to costs - the culverin makes the model cost 25% more for usually less than 25% more dakka, even ignoring the mortal wounds you suffer.
**'''Sidearms:''' Their Phosphor Blasters are the budget option to use against targets of opportunity. However, Cognis Flamers are ''radically'' more damage per point against everything in the game if the target is within 12".
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<tab name="Kataphron Breachers">
*'''Kataphron Breachers:''' Trades some firepower for 2+ armour but, most importantly, ''at discount price''. Enough to be heavy speedbumps yet disposable. Breachers bring 9W for 105pts and their Heavy Arc rifles  (36" Heavy 2 S6 AP-2 D2) are not only basically anti-infantry autocannons, but also tear D3 chunks out of vehicles and autowound them on 4+, so they can even help your overworked Onagers. Unlike Destroyers, Breachers aren't defenseless in combat, with four WS4+ attacks using Arc Claws (S6 AP-3 D1/D2 vs vehicles). With those stats, they are a screen by themselves. If you NEED an objective to be positively, absolutely defended, activate '''Acquisition at Any Cost''' and they'll be very difficult to remove, with ''4A'' and a 2+/5++ save. (Alternate take if supported by vanguard S6 Ap-1 still wounds marines on 2's and a unit of 6 will kill 3.75 tac marines) their not gonna touch a dedicated melee unit but can still give a bad day to enemy troops or small characters) and now we have unlimited warlord traits prime hermeticon increases their melee output by 50%
**Torsion Cannons are hard to defend. S8 AP-4 is nice but they cost a lot, ''are single-shot'' and D1d3+3 is all it provides. Likewise, Hydraulic Claws are like power fists...but with only AP-2 instead of the AP-3 of Arc claws they will struggle to go through their targets' armour Sv, and Breachers aren't ''dedicated'' melee units, could throw one into maybe kill Vehicles and Monsters in melee.
**Agripinaa breachers are really strong if you have a huge amount of CP as a 6 man squad can potentially bring 5 back from the dead and relocate if just one survives. Which considering their tankiness is quite possible. Do this a few times and count the firepower you've soaked.
***The clue is in the name for these guys though; the above chap is absolutely correct in his analysis for the average game, but GW covers bases for more narrative games too: Fortifications & other Immobile units are auto-hit so when you need to <i>breach</i> through some Fortifications you have at least 9 S10 -2 AP auto-hitting hydraulic claws vs the S6 of arcs, and that's 9 lots of 3+ rolls instead of iffy 5+.
**** In 9th edition this is staple unit for holding objective for a turn, something that Skitarii realistically cannot do. Keep them below 6 count and they will give you a relatively cheap and tough scoring unit that is needed sorely for narrative and matched games.
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<tab name = Notes>
*It's worth noting that these puppies can be a huge fire magnet. A smart opponent will point medium weaponry at these guys and frankly, they're not quite as tough as they seem. Point efficiency and multiple wounds don't mean a lot when a punisher cannon can delete a 3 man squad in one round of shooting. 
*To compensate, provide them with the Stygies VIII Dogma or Agripinaa's stratagem to increase their survivability considerably.
*Or take as Ryza plasma destroyers hoping you'll play a knight list and can make your points back in one round of shooting accepting there won't be a second round.
*Or Lucius and deepstrike them in guaranteeing destroyers one round of fire.
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===Dedicated Transports===
*'''Skorpius Dunerider:''' No longer do Infantry have to footslog. M12" T6 W12 Sv3+ and a degrading statline like any vehicle. It has four Cognis Heavy Stubbers; the fact that hit penalties are capped at -1 also means you can advance and shoot to still hit on 4s. It carries any 12 {{W40Kkeyword|Secutarii}} or {{W40Kkeyword|<forge world>}} {{W40Kkeyword|Infantry}} models.
*'''Terrax-pattern Termite (Forge World):''' Forge World has handed down new rules for the Drill in Imperial Armour 9E. For 180 points (+10 to upgrade to Volkites) you can have access to a deep-striking transport that can carry up to 12 {{W40Kkeyword|<Forge World>}} or {{W40Kkeyword|Secutarii}} {{W40Kkeyword|Infantry}} models, except for Cawl; other infantry without a Forge World keyword, like X-101, are out of luck. It has also gained Imperatives and the Skitarii keyword, which open up all sorts of interesting new possibilities. Its relevant statline for carrying your dudes is M8" T8 W14 Sv3+, so when that M degrades, you'll ''notice''.
** The Drill's primary weapon is the Melta Cutter, which now has a profile of a Heavy 5 meltagun. Although this is a mixed change for most armies, for Mechanicus, this is an upgrade, giving you access to melta. This option also has the choice of Storm Bolters (which you should never take), Heavy Flamers (12" S5+1 AP-1 D1 autohits), or paying for Volkites (20" S5 AP0 D2, nat 6s to wound inflict +1MW).  Heavy Flamers are the cheaper choice, but the Volkites deal much more damage per point against everything, at least until your BS degrades.
***There is no good reason to take Storm Bolters anymore. (Good luck trying to remove those from your models.)
** The Drill is no slouch in melee, either: WS4+ Melee 3 S14 AP-4 D1d3+3, +3 damage vs {{W40Kkeyword|vehicle}}s, and the Attacks degrade rather than the WS.
** Deep striking and laying down 5 melta and 7 heavy flamer or 8 volkite shots combined with Corpuscarii, Vanguard, or Servitors is devastating. They are a reliable means to score board control secondaries such as Engage On All Fronts/Linebreaker or Deploy Scramblers/Teleport Homer.  You can, of course, also use them to deliver Ruststalkers, if you were trying to come up with a solution you liked.

===Elites===
===={{W40Kkeyword|Cult Mechanicus}}====
*'''Cybernetica Datasmith''': The herder for your robots. Quite competent as a fighter in its own right, with a Terminator stat line, complete with a 2+/5++ and a power fist, as well as a pretty scary pistol that can reliably one-shot Primaris marines - but its main purpose is to tend to your Kastelans and provide an extra relic and/or WL caddy for your patrols/battalion.
**Keep in mind that the protocol change takes place on your next turn ''after'' you've declared it. Consider what you're up against and structure your game plan accordingly - since your opponent knows what you're up to a turn in advance, you'll have to play the rest of your army around your Kastelans to get the most use out of them.
**You can use the 1CP stratagem '''Binharic Override'' to change the active protocol for a unit immediately and lock your robots into that protocol for the rest of the game, but Command Points are generally worth far more than the Datasmith's measly 45 points.
**Your Datasmith can carry a WL trait without using an HQ slot - if you want to save CP in ninth.
**Don't miss the fact that it's got 6" Move to the bots' 8".
**Generally speaking, it'll make back its cost in points if you've changed Protocols at least once with it. If you also manage to get it in melee and take some wounds off something, you've already got more than what you paid for.
**As of the 9E codex, these guys become even more vital to your bots. Not only do they not take up an elite slot if taken with some Kastelans, they also can exclusively repair them and have a 3" aura that grants them the {{W40kKeyword|Core}} keyword. While you won't be expecting much from any WTs that can buff them, there are plenty of stratagems that suddenly open up just by keeping this cyborg nearby. It also counts as a {{W40kKeyword|Doctrina Assembler}}, meaning that it can pull double duty and keep an eye on some skitarii as well.
*'''Tech-Priest Enginseer (Astra Militarum)''':What's this? Two Enginseers? Well the thing is the Guard Version of the Enginseer also has the keywords Cult Mechanicus and Forge world, same as your codex Enginseer. They lack adeptus mechanicus keyword instead haveing the Astra Millitarum of course, but RAW: so long as every unit in your detachment has either Cult Mechanicus Or the forge world keyword (And every unit has that last one) then: yes you can take the gaurd uof the Enginseer since the whole detachment share's a faction keyword.* There are some quirks to this however, namely since the keyword used to give your army Objective Secured is Adeptus Mechanicus, if you put a Astra militarum Engineseer in, your detachment will lack Objective secured, see next paragraph.  So with the legalese of why you can take the Guard Version of the Enginseer, why would you want to? At a full 20 points cheaper then normal Engineseers they have, worse gun, worse bionic save, can't take holy orders and, the death blow, can't benfit from Canticles of the Omnissiah and prevent the whole army from benfiting from them since they lack Cult Mechanicus. What they do have to make up for it is that they have a more expansive list of target vehicles they can repair, a list that includes Forge world vehicles, Astra Miltarium, or '''Questor Mechanicus''' Knights. Normal enginseers can only repair forge world vehicles. As such these guys have a clear use case: only take them if your all ready planning to ally with guard or an Imperial Knight formation beyond just a single Free Blade and as such would lose canticles anyway. In fact since the Engineseer would make you lose Objective secured there better for small Admech Forces allied to larger detachment's of Knights or guardsmen as a way to get extra repairs in and also squeezing in a few Admech support unit into the detachment, knights in particular would like this since they can give repairs and a few supporting options. If on the other hand you have a primary admech force, you'll have to keep them in there own Detachment separate from main 'bulk' of your admech army, and in that case you'll need at least 3 detachments for this to make sense, your primary admech, the Astra Admech and the guard or knights, which can be prohibitive in CP and number of detachments you can even take. Bottom line:  losing access to Canticles make them a hard pass in an admech army, but if you want to put a small admech force to support a larger Knight or Guard Detachment, espically knight's since they don't have access to repair's natively the way guard can, then they might be considered as option.
**This logic also extends to guard servitors as well, but since there objectivly worse then your own were not even going to dignify them with a unit entry.

*'''Electro-Priests:''' The blue man group fit within an interesting niche in that they're utterly flimsy with only T3, but then they have a 6+/5++/5+++. Their shining point is that they're able to dump mortal wounds at close range on the charge. Of course, the issue is actually getting them there because they're just people.
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<tab name="Corpuscarii Electro-Priests">
*'''Corpuscarii Electro-Priests''': Same cost as Fulgurites and not as killy in close combat (they can only put out mortal wounds with their Voltagheist Field charge, which inflicts a mortal wound on a 6+ for each model in ''one'' unit charged). They also can't buff their V-field, which means they'll be stuck with a 6+/5++/5+++. However, their Electrostatic Gauntlets deserve a special mention. They have two profiles, either Melee 2 WS4+ or 12" Assault 3 BS3+, but both are a flat S5 AP-1 D1, with any nat 6 causing '''3 hits instead of 1'''. Congrats, you functionally have taser goads at 12" range ''and'' melee. Sure, they're ugly models, but that's an awful lot of firepower from 5 little guys.
**As expensive as it is. A squad of 20 will put out 60 dice rolls. It would take three Leman Russ Punishers with one upgraded for three Heavy Bolters to exceed it. With that much firepower your likely to kill or heavily wound anything short of a Super Heavy.
**Can't benefit from the {{W40Kkeyword|Lucius}} or {{W40Kkeyword|graia}} dogma or Shroudpsalm at all, but a great choice for tactical reserves.
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<tab name="Fulgurite Electro-Priests">
*'''Fulgurite Electro-Priests''': Get them in close combat and they'll dump Mortal Wounds on people. Of course, getting them to close combat is the trick. If you footslog them, they will die. Fulgurites are ideal if you're running Movement stratagems and transports. Always field these guys in squads of 10 or bigger. At just 2 attacks per model, they simply do not attack often enough to really take advantage of the mortal wounds you can get off the staves unless you attack with enough models, and you NEED them to kill something in close combat as quickly as possible to get that sweet, sweet 4++ save. Still, the Voltagheist field is nice for some pre-combat mortal wounds if you charged, and with Fanatical Devotion, you ignore any wounds taken on a 5 or 6, which is nice.
**Despite the desire for large units of these guys, and the steep cost to deep strike many units of them remember, pulling off a deep strike charge is only feasible when you maximize how many attempts you're making.  Don't field just one unit and expect it to make that critically important charge roll - field at ''least'' '''three''' per thing you want charged, so you can get your odds of at least one getting the charge off to above 50% (in this case, 62.33%). (As of engine war if your deepstriking your Lucius and you can always solar flare a character forward to get them in range of a reroll charges aura from amongst the new warlord traits (with +1 to charge on a manipulus). This potentially makes them viable again.
**9th hits these hard - they need to be in big enough units to get that critical unit kill, but then they become vulnerable to blast weapons (against which their saves mean fuck all).
**The big problem with these is that while they are superb after killing a unit they are weak if they haven't, so they ''need'' to wipe an enemy unit on the turn they get into combat or risk getting wiped when they hit back. Use transports or strats to get them close to a weakened unit before you charge them.
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*'''Servitors''': Your cheapest unit, often a point filler and objective sitter. A poor ranged unit equipped with free melee weapons. While a unit of 4 servitors are 30 points with free servo arms; there ''are'' worse melee units for the cost. Also helping matters is that they won't take up a slot when taken alongside a Tech-Priest of any kind - Expect to spam this mercilessly considering how a dominus and manipulus can already grab a technoarchaeologist or enginseer without taking an HQ slot or how Datasmiths can be taken with Kastelans.
**These guys are stupidly cheap infantry and as such can perform actions without any waste to yourself. They wont stay alive if shot at, but they will waste a unit's shooting if they want to get rid of them, so its a win/win.
**If you would take a Plasma Cannon unit for 42 points, take Plasma Culverin Vanguards for 55 points to do the same job, better (for a single unit with one plasma weapon).
**If you would take 2x Multimeltas in a unit for 60 points, there admittedly isn't a better ''infantry'' option in-faction for the same role, but Onagers will do the same job, better.
*** With the buff to meltas (half range is damage D6+2), and "strategic reserves" being based on PL cost, two units of servitors with meltas and a tech-priest, dropping 9" away on turn 2/3 would put out 8 melta shots, hitting on 4s in their buffed profile. For extra lolz, make sure you are in the reroll 1s canticle, have that tech-priest be Dr. D, who then could put a +1 to hit on the thing you want melta'd, so you are hitting on 3s rerolling 1s. For best results, shoot a thing that has T7 or so, no invulnerable save: average 4d6+8 damage!

===={{W40Kkeyword|Skitarii}}====
*'''Secutarii <sup>Forge World</sup>''': The Titan Guard are Super-Skitarii, but with a downside. Their Secutarii special rule means they don't benefit from any {{W40Kkeyword|<Forge World>}} dogmas or stratagems. However, they don't keep the rest of your army from benefiting from the dogma if they are Battle-forged, though they can still enjoy Doctrinas. This introduces some unwelcome hurdles for using them. They don't benefit from the auras of Cawl or a Dominus since they both specify a {{W40Kkeyword|<Forge World>}} unit. [[What|This is because apparently, being assigned to guard Titans means you immediately lose all Forge World specific equipment and training, despite the fact that Titans are both drawn from specific Forge Worlds and the fact that the Codex specifically states that the Titan Guard is drawn from a Forge World's 1st Macroclade]]. In exchange, they gain the niche ability to heroically intervene any enemy within 6" that charges a friendly titan sharing the same {{W40Kkeyword|<Titan Legion>}} keyword.
<tabs>
<tab name="Secutarii Peltasts">
*'''Secutarii Peltasts:''' Ad-mech Dark Reapers. 5++ makes them slightly sturdier than Vanguard. Their Galvanic Casters have 2 firing modes: 18" Assault 3 S4 AP0 D1 and 24" Heavy 1 S5 AP-2 D1, making them worse than Vanguard at killing almost everything in the game. Once per game they can give themselves -1 to be hit instead of shooting. Maybe not worth the cost of the models now, but multiple shenanigans ensue. Unlike other Skitarii the Alpha carries the special equipment and can't take both an EDT and a melee weapon. 
**Do not give the Alpha a pistol, ever. None of our pistols are worth giving up the ''free'' Galvanic Caster. Melee is not good for them at all.
**Their Blind Barrage can only be used to protect themselves, not a different unit as they could in previous editions. [[Fail|It's also shittier than the free Dogma you get from being Stygies VIII, which Peltasts can't use]].
***Generally, Peltasts are best left to fulfil a scouting and objective-sitting role. They perform quite well against most basic infantry targets regardless of their immediate circumstances, and their lack of {{W40Kkeyword|<Forge World>}} synergy means that they can be sent out independently without really missing out on any buffs.
</tab>
<tab name="Secutarii Hoplites>
*'''Secutarii Hoplites''': Budget Skitarii with budget TH/SS. These guys melt to massed low strength firepower but can hold their own against a charge from a knight gallant. They are very strong in melee especially when buffed with the omniscient mask. They are also very points efficient for what they do, so don't underestimate the shooting of a large blob of arc lances. At S6 AP-1 per shot, or melee S+3 (S6) AP-1 hits that both do 1 damage each or changes to D3 vs vehicles, hoplities are the perfect unit to tie up vehicles and even infantry in melee combat. Anything short of Terminators will fear a charge from Hoplites.
**S6 AP-1 D1d3 isn't going to scare many t7 vehicles, ''but'' those light vehicles you are good against are usually (land speeders, etc) absolute death to Admech troops. The other decent targets are things like Ogryn, Kataphron Destroyers, Grotesques, and the like. This makes hoplites decent because they come with decent durability to start but not as good offense as other choices. Kinda niche, but also much cheaper than our other elites.
**At only 1 pt more than Vanguard, these guys make for great cheap bodyguards. In addition to a flat 5++, they have a shield that gives them a 4++ against melee and reflects a mortal wound back on the attacking unit on any unmodified saving throw of 6 in CC. Arguably the best meatshields we have, especially against melee-focused infiltrators and other meatshields.
**Hoplites benefit massively from access to a Termite, and it provides them with the only guaranteed way to get into charge range without getting shot off the table.
**Put them into combat with vanguard to wound MEQs or lower on a 2+
**While they lack a '''<Forge World>''' keyword, Hoplites can still benefit from '''Acquisition at any Cost''', making them pretty good at contesting and holding mid-board objectives.
</tab>
</tabs>
*'''Sicarians:''' The spindly droids are a decent bit are a good bit more mobile than the electropriests. That said, they're a lot less shared between the two. Both of them have a 4+/5++ save and 3+ to both WS and BS as well as 2 wounds at T3. 
<tabs>
<tab name="Sicarian Infiltrators">
*'''Sicarian Infiltrators''': The taser variant that used to destroy hordes has been weakened, the power sword variant that wrecked marines hasn't changed. They have even freer reign on starting positions than even the rangers. Their aura now deals a -1 to leadership within 3" as well as denying re-rolls to hit and to wound on any attacks made against them within 12", severely hampering the value of HQs they'll be fighting. Just remember to keep them in cover until you're ready to charge them because they still suffer from T3 and only a 4+.
**Flechette Blasters outperform Stubcarbines against T5 or less and T8 or higher, and while Stubcarbines will absolutely do better against T6 and T7, you're still attempting to scratch paint - against a Rhino, for example, a minimum unit shooting expects to deal 0.93 wounds with the Blasters and 1.11 wounds with the Stubcarbines. Flechette blasters with 50 shots make superb (if high variability) Wrath of Mars strat targets.
**In melee the Power Sword's increased AP relative to the Taser Goad mean that it will outperform it against the targets you'd expect it to; the taser goad was nerfed to only add hits on natural 6s, greatly weakening its combat effectiveness as the conqueror doctrina imperative no longer multiplies hits.
**Following Engine war this unit is in a bit of an odd place its most commonly fielded variant has become less efficient in CC while its existing rivals in the corpuscarii became more efficient. Equally, the new pteraxii are competing with it in terms of deepstrike firepower. While not out for the count, expect less of them.
**A notable thing to consider is their new capability to actually infiltrate, unlike before, meaning they can start anywhere on the board outside on 9" of the enemy's deployment zone. This is a massive boon as you can either hide these guys turn 1 out in the field to scan for octarius data, or take a massive brick of 10 with the temporcordia to threaten a turn 1 charge if you go first, or hunker down with the defensive doctrina and shroudspalm (Mars is great for these guys), and bait your opponent into trying to kill them. Then they've overcommitted, blast them away with your chickens!
</tab>
<tab name="Sicarian Ruststalkers">
*'''Sicarian Ruststalkers''': These guys are your Mortal Wound sources for Skitarii-heavy armies. They're faster than fulgurites on the whole, slightly tankier than a pre-kill fulgurite due to their 4+ save and natural invuln, and have better AP than the fulgurite staff with their blades. However, they lack their 4++ invuln after a kill and can't consistently put out as many mortal wounds. 
**Always buy the Princeps the Blades as it's now free and it doesn't have to give up its chordclaw.
** You can have a full unit of 10 infiltrate post-deployment for 1CP; this is incredibly cheap for the ambush potential they provide. Note that since you can drop 9" away from ''any'' battlefield edge and enemy with this, you can let your enemy advance then drop a unit of rusties with the Eyes of the Omnissiah WLT and Temporcopia relic into a piece of cover in or near the enemy DZ. They should now have a +2 save against ranged attacks and the ability to force a charging enemy to fight last, making them a bit more difficult to shift prior to their charge into the enemy's rear.
*** The above stratagem (Circuitous Assassins) also lets them serve as great action monkeys and VP scorers for more shooty armies, particularly with secondaries like Repair Teleport Homers, or Linebreaker/Engage On All Fronts. Infiltrating them into the opponent's DZ then triggering an action is an entirely legal strategy, as is using it to get them out of combat.
** 2CP for two strats gives them +1 to attacks and strength for the fight phase, so a full blades-equipped unit goes up to 41 S6 AP-3 melee attacks at WS+3. This is incredibly nasty against MEQs and kinda good against TEQs.
*** Assuming we go with a Terminator statline, let's do some mathhammer. 3+ WS gives you a 2/3rds chance of hitting, or 0.66. 41 attacks * 0.66 chance to hit is 27 hits, with a 1/6 or 0.16 chance of a MW (27 hits * 0.16 chance of a 6, so 4.32 MWs on top of regular damage). S6 vs T5 means we're wounding on 3+, so a 0.66 chance of wounding, which gives us 17.82 wounds. If their invulnerable save is a 5++, we lose (17.82*0.32) 5.7 wounds; if it's 4++, we lose (17.82*0.5) = 8.91 wounds). The result is, respectively, 12 and 9 (rounded) wounds, which will take out most of a 5-man termie unit before it has a chance to hit you even once due to the relic.
</tab>
</tabs>

===={{W40Kkeyword|Adeptus Mechanicus}}====
These units aren't Skitarii or Cult Mechanicus due to coming from an older edition.
*'''Larsen Van der Grauss:''' {{W40kKeywords|imperium|Adeptus Mechanicus|tech-priest}}, and {{W40Kkeyword|Mars}} mean you can field this guy just fine, but bear in mind he ''isn't'' in the Cult Mechanicus.  He's also largely pointless: M6 A2 WS4+ S3 BS4+ T3 Sv4+/5++ W2 Ld8 with two guns: 6" Grenade 1d3 S3 AP0 D1, +1S and +1D against targets within 1" of terrain, and 12" Pistol 1 S5 AP0 D1, unmodified 6s to hit explode twice so you hit 3 times, and he can ride any of your {{W40Kkeyword|transport}}s.  Larsen is from the Rogue Trader Kill Team in 8E but has no 9E rules discussing him (9E only has Astra Cartographica rules, which he isn't a member of), but he does so very little for you it's doubtful your opponent will be bothered if you take him.
*'''X-101:''' The named servitor from Blackstone Fortress. It comes with a Grav-gun, a hydraulic claw, and a 5+ BS and WS. Has the standard Mindlock ability regular servitors have with a minor upgrade - it goes up to WS/BS 4+ and Ld9 while close to a {{W40Kkeyword|Tech-Priest}} ''without'' caring about {{W40Kkeyword|<forge world>}} - and gets a further +1 to hit if it's targeting a {{W40Kkeyword|VEHICLE}}. Unfortunately, since it lacks the {{W40Kkeyword|CHARACTER}} keyword, it's just going to get popped the second it steps out into the open. And since it can't take a transport, you can't even really kamikaze it. Even at 25 points, still not worth it.
** Its lack of {{W40Kkeyword|CHARACTER}} keyword is actually a boon for performing actions, but for only 3 points more you could take an actual unit of Servitors, so just don't take this robot.

===Fast Attack===
*'''Ironstrider Engines:''' The Ironstriders garnered a bit of controversy during the codex's release. Because they were somehow labeled {{W40kKeyword|Core}}, this meant that they could benefit from a lot of things, including buff auras and certain stratagems. The July errata neutered this a bit by removing them from Core, but their firepower remains just as potent as before.
<tabs>
<tab name="Ironstrider Ballistarii">
*'''Ironstrider Ballistarii''': Your mobile backfield and occasionally midfield anti-tank/elite sniper of choice. The new codex has given them extremely good buffs in the sense of adding +1 to their saves, +1 shot for each of their two auto cannons, and 3+D3 damage on their lascannons. Cheap, deceptively durable when need be in a Mars, Lucius, or Data-Hoard detachment, mobile, and able to output unfair amounts of damage, which makes these a top tier threat in the new Admech codex. Get them while they're hot before the guaranteed price hike.
**Lascannon Ballistarii are absolutely beyond disgusting right now when run in a Mars/Data-Hoard (Auguries) Outrider detachment. Not only are they severely undercosted for their damage output, but taking them in small squads of 1-3 makes them immune to morale since they're Ld8 and allows a very efficient usage of the Mars Dogma to re-roll 1 hit roll per unit and the canticle for them to re-roll a hit, wound, and damage roll (if you use Data-Hoard, instead you just need to get within 24" to get full re-rolls to hit, but you don't get the once per game Dogma). They are extremely mobile and play as one of the most threatening backfield anti-tank snipers in the entire game, and if need be, can run out into the center of the board when you've mopped up anything that can threaten them. They will most certainly be nerfed in the near future, as they are extremely undercosted at 75 points a pop for two D3+1d3 assault lascannons. Play the angle game with them. Peek them out to get a bead on any armor threat, and they ''will'' kill it. 
</tab>
<tab name="Sydonian Dragoons">
*'''Sydonian Dragoons''': Received a similar buff to what its ranged cousin got, giving it +1 to its save characteristic, and the -1 to be hit from its incense clouds also work in melee now. Gaining a point of AP on their taser lance to make them S8 AP-2 D2 and a stratagem to make their taser weapons explode on 5s and 6s, it seems that the new codex has listened to the anguished cries of all Dragoon enthusiasts who had their melee chickens gutted in the transition to 9th edition. Now cheap as chips at 50 pts a pop (+5 for the Taser Lance), they may actually see the tabletop!
</tab>
</tabs>
*'''Serberys Riders:''' The reigning champs of the skirmishing department. Not only are they very fast, but also pack a powerful punch and can do so while being able to hide behind cover.
<tabs>
<tab name="Serberys Raiders">
*'''Serberys Raiders:''' Serberys Raiders are Skitarii Rangers that are mounted on cybernetic dog-mounts. T4, 2W, and a new 5++ Invulnerable save make them a bit of a sidegrade coming from the old codex where they had lost a wound. Nevertheless, gaining a point of AP on their carbines still puts them into one of the best Fast Attack choices in the Adeptus Mechanicus 9th edition codex. They can do it all. A 12" pregame move is extremely handy in the hands of a skilled player, able to set up early board control before the game has even begun. Charging them can be a nightmare due to their stratagem that allows them to immediately make a move if they become the target of a charge, and they can target characters with their carbines and deal mortals on 6s to wound as they are snipers. There's practically no downside to at least taking two small units in your list. They're fantastic screens and harassers, and with certain combos, can actually output respectable damage.
**If you really want to meme it up, take two units of nine of these guys in a Mars detachment, pop Wrath of Mars, and delete any character you see hiding behind their army if you manage to get in range. Wrath of Mars makes them deal mortals on 6s to wound, which they also already do because they are snipers. That's right. ''Two mortal wounds for each natural 6 to wound''.
***Remember to keep tabs on your mortal wounds separately if you do this - once the stratagem has dealt 6 mortals it can't deal any more, so if you manage to roll 7 or more 6s to wound (which is ''extremely'' unlikely), each 6 to wound past the 6th only deals 1 mortal.  In actual practice, doing this with 8 galvanic carbines (i.e. 16 shots) on the same turn you are applying Benediction of the Omnissiah and the Protector Imperative will usually inflict 5.242 mortals on anything, 4.326 if you're BS3+ (e.g. from taking the penalty to Advance).  Getting the alpha into range is of almost no benefit, getting you from 5.242 to 5.525 or from 4.326 to 4.547.
</tab>
<tab name="Serberys Sulphurhounds">
*'''Serberys Sulphurhounds:''' Fast-moving Skitarii Vanguard gunslingers riding cyber-dogs that breath fire. Identical in statline to the Raiders, but with different special weapons and rules. Basic models are equipped with dual phosphor pistols (same stats as the Phospor Blast pistol but strength 4 instead of 5.) as well as a sulphur breath (same stats as the phosphor pistol, but 12", Pistol D6, and auto hits.) The Alpha carries a single Phosphor Blast Pistol and a power maul, neither of which can be swapped out. Finally, one model can swap a phosphor pistol for a Phosphor blast carbine (24", Assault 4, strength 5, AP -1, 1 damage with all the usual phosphor rules). Their Pistoleers' special rule allows them to advance and fire pistols, and they share the rad-saturation rule with the Vanguards.  As with the Serberys Raiders, the Sulphurhounds are a skirmisher unit that is cheap, though not as cheap, fast, character sniping or ranged as the raiders.
</tab>
</tabs>
*'''Pteraxii:''' Another unit that was the center of attention due upon the Codex's release. The Booster Thrust Stratagem RAW allowed them to immediately jump back into reserves after landing out of them, making them nigh-untouchable. With the errata breaking this option over its knee, the pteraxii are back to being glass cannons - Booster Thrust now can't target a unit that was deployed this turn.  Otherwise, it's a stratagem all Pteraxii share, to, at the end of your turn, jump back into reserves and be forced to deep strike back onto the table on your next turn.
<tabs>
<tab name ="Pteraxii Skystalkers">
*'''Pteraxii Skystalkers:''' Flying drop troops that vomit shots. They have a special stratagem, Arc Grenades, that lets them supplement their friendly Shooting phase shooting with spending 1 CP for, on average, 2 mortal wounds to a {{W40Kkeyword|vehicle}} within 6", but actually a 1/6 chance each of 0 and 2d3 and otherwise 1d3, so it's very swingy for something as precious as a CP.  They can shoot after falling back, which is why it's so stupid the Alpha trades an 18" assault gun for a 12" pistol.  Their ranged output is 5 S3 shots per dude, and their melee output is taser goads on everyone.
**Expect your opponent to blow them out of the water the turn after they drop - they're fragile glass cannons, and no savvy opponent will let them live.
</tab>
<tab name="Pteraxii Sterylizors">
*'''Pteraxii Sterylizors:''' Close range Pteraxii, with a 12" Flamer that ignores the cover bonus (that's in deep strike range). Then if they charge, they each make 3 S4 AP-1 attacks, and the Alpha makes 4 S6 taser goad attacks. Unfortunately, the alpha is forced to carry a substantially worse gun than the rest of the unit - it'll land fewer shots at worse S and worse AP, and that's assuming you can shoot it, as it's the only model in the unit that can't shoot after advancing.
**2pts more than infiltrators for an AP -1 flamer making their firepower equal to infiltrators - these are glass cannons like skystalkers, don't expect them to survive to fly off again or have a second shot - I'd stick with your infiltrators for efficiency, but it's close.
** With the Deeply Sunk Talons stratagem to stop a fallback on +2, they can have both survivability and suppress enemy non-flyer tanks/artillery. It can be kept in combat for the next turn and if the enemy you were engaging is no longer important, you can make it soar to the skies, even if stuck in combat range, to descend in deep strike the next turn.
** For 2ppm more than Skystalkers, there is a lot to recommend them. Even if you want to use Wrath of Mars on one of the two units, Sterylizors get more hits out of deep strike without having to spend additional CP or coordinating a Dominus/Cawl to be within aura radius (d6 auto-hit averages more hits than 5 shots at 3+). Add the fact that you can survive a bit longer using Deeply Sunk Talons and have way better melee and the answer to the "what should I build my box of Pteraxii as?" question is pretty straightforward.
</tab>
</tabs>

===Heavy Support===

*'''Kastelan Robots''': More slot-efficient than the Dunecrawler, as you can get 6 in a unit. (Spamming them is a trap though, since they're extremely vulnerable in the Fight phase; 2-4 is enough.) They still have the same Monstrous Creature statline, can reflect guns back at their shooter (for a Mortal Wound now), and are fast (8") but relatively expensive (85ppm).  They rock a 5++ against ranged attacks that, on a nat 6, inflicts a mortal wound on the shooting unit, so there may be situations where you'd rather take the invuln than the better armor save, in the hopes of dealing a mortal wound.
**Worse than a properly equipped (Neutron Laser and 2 Cognis Heavy Stubbers) Onager Dunecrawler at shooting ''everything'', but better in melee.  However, radically easier to buff, since a nearby Datasmith lets them count as {{W40Kkeyword|core}}.
**They do make an incredibly good [[DISTRACTION CARNIFEX|Distraction Canifex]].  
**Alternative opinion: Spam all you want! The fact that 9th edition allows vehicles to shoot at units they are in melee with means your bots can flame and light up your targets with ease. Just be wary of anything that can "robot rock" your bots into the ground in a single melee phase. They can't shoot shit if they're already dead.
*:<tabs><tab name = "Aegis Protocol">Sv2+, the Protocol that the robots enter the battle in.</tab><!--
--><tab name = "Protector Protocol">Great for shooting, bumping up their BS to 3+ but banning them from moving. It's recommended if you are going shooty, deck them out with triple phosphor.</tab><!--
--><tab name = "Conqueror Protocol">WS2+ and re-roll charges. If you are going punchy, get Fists and the Incendine Combustor. Kastelan Fists in melee will punch holes in virtually anything, so consider fists if you live for the image of your robots ripping tanks in half.</tab><!--
--><tab name = "Kastelan Fist">Your base CCW is A3 WS4+ S6 AP0 D1, improving to WS2+ under Conqueror Protocol.  Each arm can mount a Fist instead of a gun.  The first arm will bring you to A4 WS4+/2+ S10 AP-3 D3 and the second will up that to A5, so the second arm is a lot less useful than the first.</tab><!--
--><tab name = "Kastelan Phosphor Blaster">Instead of a fist, each arm can take a gun, which is 24" Heavy 3 S6 AP-1 D2, Ignores Dense Cover.</tab><!--
--><tab name = "Heavy Phosphor Blaster">The longer-ranged shoulder weapon, clocking in at 36" Heavy 3 S6 AP-2 D1, Ignores Dense Cover.  Incapable of hitting anything as hard as the Combustor does, but can shoot things much farther away.  Take this with arm phosphors for maximum long-range murder.</tab><!--
--><tab name = "Incendine Combustor">The shorter-ranged shoulder weapon, clocking in at 12" Heavy 1d6 S5 AP-2 D1, Automatically Hits.</tab><!--
--><tab name = "Notes">A critical difference here between {{W40kKeyword|LUCIUS}} and {{W40kKeyword|Stygies VIII}} when deep striking is that the former deep strikes in after it's too late to change Protocols outside of Binharic Override (costing a second CP for the unit), so unless you're willing to shell out the CP, you'll be in Aegis Protocol on the turn you arrive. Be certain if you do this that they are where you need them to be for the rest of the battle, as they will no longer be able to move.</tab><!--
--></tabs>
*'''[[Onager Dunecrawler]]''': Your best bet at dealing with heavy armor, and with plenty of solid options for the '''Turret'''. They come with a 3+/5++. They can no longer squadron, so taking a few will eat your Heavy Support slots. Very cheap at 100 pts per model for what it brings.
**While the Skorpius Disintegrator may have greater shooting utility, volume, and consistency, the Onager has the durability, due to the disintegrator lacking an invulnerable save. Additionally, it can babysit your backline ranger units and provide the {{W40kKeyword|DATA-TETHER}} keyword.
**Each Dunecrawler can choose 1 turret weapon, either Smoke Launchers or a Broad Spectrum Data-Tether, and can take an optional extra cognis heavy stubber.
*:<tabs><tab name="Daedalus Missile Launcher, Gatling Rocket Launcher, and Twin Icarus Autocannon">All weapons are range 48", type Heavy, and get +1 to hit {{W40kKeyword|Aircraft}}. Heavy 1 S7 AP-3 D1d6, Heavy 5 S6 AP-2 D1, and Heavy 4 S7 AP-1 D2, respectively.</tab><!--
--><tab name="Eradication Beamer">36" Heavy 1d6 S8 AP-3 D2, Blast, and can change profiles for 18" but AP-4 and D3.  D6 shots is quite random, but blast does help it a bit. On average it will fare decently well against both vehicles and infantry. S8 means it will wound t4 targets on a 2+, and t7 vehicles on a 3+ (same as the Neutron Laser). The dissipated beam is rather interesting in an anti-MEQ role, punishing non-MSU squads due to AP-3 D2 at 36" range. The focused beam became more reliable as well, cranking up AP and Damage one point further to a potent AP-4 D3. Begone TEQ and light vehicles! A*D averages against the three Blast targets:  7/8/12 at long range, 10.5/12/18 at close range.</tab><!--
--><tab name="Neutron Laser and Cognis Heavy Stubber">48" Heavy 1d3 S12 AP-4 D1d3+3, Blast and 36" Assault 4 S4 AP0 D1, respectively. The Neutron Laser's average A*D is 10/15, and is usually your best gun against anything in the game. Always remember: you only receive 1d3 shots, make them count! Consider using an [[Enginseer]] to awaken the machine-spirit and keep the Dunecrawler in its top bracket. ''Without my Enginseer, my Neutron Laser is useless. Without my Neutron Laser, my Enginseer useless. I must fire my Neutron Laser true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me.''</tab><!--
--><tab name="Twin Onager Heavy Phosphor Blaster">8 shots at S6 AP-2 D2 and ignoring dense cover is good for deleting MEQ units, not a bad choice by any means.</tab><!--
--><tab name= "Cognis Heavy Stubber">A straight-up addition, now free, so take it. This is the one that the Skitarii is firing from out of the hatch in the pintle mount and is separate from the Neutron Laser weapon option (which includes another cognis stubber coaxially mounted to the Neutron Laser). At 36" range it will rarely be out of targets. You're mounting it on a t7 3+/5++ chassis that has easy access to repairs, as well as numerous other defensive buffs, it will last a while to get its shots off.</tab><!--
--><tab name= "Broad Spectrum Data-Tether">Gives one forge world {{W40kKeyword|SKITARII CORE}} unit within 6" +1 LD. More importantly, it grants the selected Skitarii unit the {{W40kKeyword|DATA-TETHER}} keyword. Great addition for a backline Crawler that can babysit your Ranger units.</tab><!--
--><tab name= "Smoke Launchers"> Gives your Crawler the {{W40kKeyword|SMOKESCREEN}} keyword. Consider the alternative, a Broad-Spectrum Data Tether.</tab><!--
--></tabs>
* '''[[Skorpius Hover Tank|Skorpius Disintegrator]]''': If it’s mobile firepower you’re after, you’ll want the Skorpius Disintegrator. You can choose one of two turret options, but both come baseline with 3 Cognis heavy stubbers and a prow-mounted disruptor missile launcher that packs a highly explosive wallop: 36” Heavy d6 S7 AP-2 Dd3, Blast. Random attack volume and damage make it unpredictable but it is a ''decent'' weapon nonetheless. It also comes with a broad spectrum data-tether and imperatives. It has the exact same stats as the Skorpius Dunerider, except for an additional point of toughness (T7). 
**Probably the most critical difference when deciding between this and the Dunecrawler is the invuln save, or rather lack thereof on the Disintegrator. So in summary, the Disintegrator has better firepower for the cost than the Dunecrawler but is less durable, which means it can be shot off the board dishearteningly quickly.  
*:<tabs><tab name="Ferrumite Cannon">48” Heavy 3 S8 AP-3 D3. An excellent option for reliably blasting chunks from enemy vehicles, monsters or elite, multi-wound infantry, thanks to no randomness in shots or damage. This weapon does statistically less damage than the dunecrawler's neutron laser, but don't forget your other guns: the dunecrawler is 125 for 2 stubbers and a neutron laser, but the disintegrator is 145 for 3 stubbers, a missile launcher, ''and'' the ferrumite cannon.  That means a Dunecrawler is more efficient against T8+ or targets with very good saves, while a Disintegrator with a Ferrumite is better against medium targets - typically T4-T7 with a 4+ or worse save or T3 with a 3+ or worse save.</tab><!--
--><tab name="Belleros Energy Cannon">36” Heavy 3D3 S5 AP-1 D2, Blast, can hit things out of LOS, making this a waste of your time because none of the tank's other guns can ignore LOS and the BEC isn't worth the cost if you're going to hide this thing behind terrain and lob pot-shots.  </tab><!--
--></tabs>

===Flyer===
*'''Archaeopter:''' The brand-new dragonfly planes. Though seemingly unremarkable, they benefit from being hyper-maneuverable by pivoting before moving, and being able to hover as well. You also have the option of either a Command Uplink, which lets friendly {{W40kKeyword|<Forge World>}} units within 6" use its 9 Leadership, or Chaff Launchers for reducing any damage it takes from shooting by 1 to a minimum of 1. With only 10 wounds at T7, that'll be necessary, moreso after factoring in the damage track influencing your BS and movement scores.
**They are also the most maneuverable aircraft in the game, surpassing eldar flyers. Use their huge bases to obstruct your opponent's movement, which can be done with these aircraft as you have far greater control over where they'll end their movement on the board.
**All Archaeopter variants are perfect options for the Machine Spirit's Revenge stratagem. If you find you are down to minimal effectiveness due to lack of wounds, throw yourself into hover mode and suicide charge headfirst into the centre of their forces. With such a large base size, a 6" bubble of D3 mortal wounds can reach significant distances, and really help the model earn back a lot of its points for only 1CP.
<tabs>
<tab name="Transvector">
*'''Transvector:''' The transport option, though its capacity of 6 {{W40Kkeyword|<Forge World> Infantry}} models is weak.  Its armament is rather meager with four Cognis Heavy Stubbers. These will absolutely benefit from Chaff Launchers, as it gives you a slightly better chance at withstanding the anti-aircraft fire so you can drop your pack. The Command Uplink will also see use as you'll already have this at the front lines.  These are more durable than Duneriders, but they cost ''much'' more for equivalent transport capacity.  If all you want to do is deep strike some units, a Termite may be a better choice.
**You can field 2 per Flyer slot, not 1.
**You can pair them up, which provides multiple benefits.  Mechanically, you do it during deployment - when you would deploy one, you instead select two to pair.  This gets you the following benefits and drawbacks:
***Units can now start the game embarked across both transports, with some members in each.
***The transports can deep strike; when they do so, all embarked models must immediately disembark more than 9" away from enemy models.
****When the transports deep strike, they can and must deep strike on turns 1, 2, or 3, regardless of mission rules to the contrary.
***When you set up the two transports, they have to be set up within 9" of each other.
</tab>
<tab name="Fusilave">
'''Fusilave:''' The bomber. Your guns are improved negligibly to four separate Cognis Heavy Stubbers, but you also get the bombs. Every turn after moving, you get to roll up to 10d6 worth of dice on one enemy unit you flew over (with monsters and vehicles acting as 6d6), with every 4+ resulting in a mortal wound. It is actually much more of a support and board control unit than a pure damage dealer platform. It will allow you to control enemy movement, deal a few mortal wounds here and there, and later if that thing does survive, grab an objective in hover mode. 
*Avg 3 mw on a vehicle, 2.5mw or a 5 man squad make this hard to justify sure 5mw on a 10 man Intercessor or Custodes squad. Very respectable output no matter what you're dropping explosives on. 
*Good thing about this bomb is that isn't one use and have a nifty trick to halve enemy mobility with a stratagem. You can chose enemy squad that is closing with your shooting units and likely it wont charge, while you shoot them with impunity. Bomb itself will deal solid 5 MW to a unit of monstrous creatures like Necron Wraiths. Target of stratagem and target of bombs may not be the same, you just have to fly over. Maxiumum effect of stratagem will be on fast land targets, like bikes, dragoons, rhinos, all land transports, daemon engines, large squads of advancing infantry like ork mobs.
** Also best candidate out of three for Electro-Filament Counter Measures, since you are going to be close and personal anyway. May turn off enemy defenses from auras like Dark Shroud, Lions helm, or debuff enemy warlord traits, abilities and artifacts, that are auras...
*** With the changes to flyers in 9th, RAW means you can fly over the top of units and straight off the table, dropping your bombs without giving your opponents the chance to shoot back. As you get 1CP back every turn, you can effectively cripple one unit of your choice with the strategem and bomb pretty much any unit(s) you want with a free pivot before flying straight off the board again. Coming back onto the board is not considered movement (effectively it's deep strike) so neither bomb nor strat work on that round.
</tab>
<tab name="Stratoraptor">
'''Stratoraptor:''' The gunship. Your Cognis Heavy Stubbers are complimented by two Heavy Phosphor Blasters and a Twin Cognis Lascannon. Indeed, the weapons are all made to wipe the floor with any priority targets in comparison to the Fusilave's carpet bombing. You'll certainly want the Chaff Launchers on this, since you are bristling with a lot of guns. Alternate take this is the best allrounder flyer as it is not dependent on your opponents list like the Fusilave. As taking the command uplink allows access to the strat that turns off auras which seems strong in certain matchups.
</tab>
</tabs>

===Lords of War===

See [[Warhammer_40,000/Tactics/Imperial_Knights_(9E)|here]] for an in-depth discussion of Knights on their own; what matters to you is that Cawl, Domini, Manipuli, and Enginseers can fix {{W40Kkeyword|Questor Mechanicus}} Knights, and any of the three or a Datasmith can propagate the Knight of the Cog stratagem onto them (they also have access to a new stratagem from our Codex, Rotate Ion Shields, but they can do that without any assistance from us at all).  If you want to maximize the impact of this:

*Datasmiths are the cheapest of the four options to propagate the Stratagem, but Enginseers are the cheapest that can both propagate and repair.  In either case, none of your relics are directly relevant, and neither are your dogmas, but Monitor Malevolus will somewhat reduce the cost of maintaining Knight of the Cog, Chorister Technis will exponentially improve your ability to guarantee the Canticle you want (especially easy, as always, with Cawl on hand), and Necromechanic will greatly improve how reliably and quickly you can repair the Knight, which is one of the big reasons to bother with this combo in the first place.
*The best Knight to take is the Crusader, since that's the only one not forced to take a melee weapon on one of its arms.
**By default the Crusader is the best take because of how much firepower and anti-horde it wields. The only reason not to bring it is because the enemy is fielding some really, '''''really''''' tanky units that want to go toe-to-toe in CC, at which point you either want to bring the Atrapos for titan-killing or some Armigers to wear your enemy's heavies down before your valuable stuff finishes them off.