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

===={{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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