Master Ciaphas' Adeptus Titanicus

[Master Ciaphas]

Cheers, schoon. As for the "twisting terrain", I have no idea where it is from, as the game was played at the FLGS...

[Master Ciaphas]

Hail!

 

Just a micro-update!

 

Work on my six Cerastus Knights is progressing as well as expected: ie. stalled on the painting of gold trim! In essence I "just" need to paint the trim on seven greaves and five carapaces - then onto the easy part of shading with Reikland Flesh Shade and a drybrush with Necron Compound all over. It is "merely" a question of getting my act together and doing it!

 

On an easier note - I have received this wonderful part from Forge World:

 

 

With this, I am now ready to DOMINATE the gaming table and CRUSH my enemies in the dust and leave them wailing as my sole Warhound will become the DOG OF POWER GAMING with a Shock Lance. 

 

:-D

 

Faithfully,

Master Ciaphas

[Mandragola]

Nice. I've got a batch of knights in exactly the same situation. I just need to paint the trim on 2 lancers and 3 questoris, and then I'll actually have some finished banners.

 

As for the shock lance... good luck! It's a nice thing to have.

[General Strike]

This thread was enough to convince me to invest into AT. Tiny titans and knights are too cool!

[Mandragola]

This thread was enough to convince me to invest into AT. Tiny titans and knights are too cool!

It’s a really good thread. You won’t regret this. Best game GW make and amazing models.

[schoon]

This thread was enough to convince me to invest into AT. Tiny titans and knights are too cool!

 

Yeah, the models are awesome, and the game is one of the best thought out of GW's offerings (less the occasional Oops).

 

Welcome aboard, Princeps Strike.

[Master Ciaphas]

Hail!

 

I am only glad to have inspired another to play this great game.

 

In other news, I will be playing my first narrative mission today - Hammer of the Legio: The Delta-Garmon II Beachhead, pitting 1460 Legio Astorum against 2000p of Legio Mortis. I will be fielding the following stalwart defence force:

 

Warlord Battle Titan

- Paired Gatling Blasters

- Sunfury Plasma Annihilator

- Belicosa Volcano Cannon

 

Reaver Battle Titan

- Apocalypse Missile Launcher

- Laser Blaster

- Melta Cannon

 

Warhound Scout Titan

- Vulcan Mega-Bolter

- Vulcan Mega-Bolter

 

Warhound Scout Titan

- Turbo Laser Destructor

- Plasma Blastgun

 

Acastus Knight Porphyrion

- Twin Magna Lascannons

- Ironstorm Missile Pod

- Twin Lascannons

 

I will probably lose big time - but I will look good while getting beat :-)

 

My opponent is fielding the following:

- Warbringer-Nemesis Titan w. Mori Quake Cannon, Laser Blaster & Volcano Cannon 

- Reaver Titan - bolter array, gatling blaster, melta cannon

- Reaver Titan - power fist, chainfist, warp missile

- Warhound w. twininferno cannons

- Warhound w. plasma blastgun & vulcan mega-bolter

- Warhound w. vulcan mega-bolter & turbo laser destructor

- 2 Cerastus Knight-Lancers

- 3 Questoris Knights (2x2 with CCW, 1xCCW & thermal cannon)

 

Anyhow...it will be fun!

 

Faithfully,

Master Ciaphas

Edited October 15, 2020 by Master Ciaphas

[Mandragola]

Nice. The two lists look roughly balanced - or as much as possible given that you have much fewer points. By my (possibly incorrect) calculation you're at 1440 by the way, with quite a lot of points to play with. Do you have any other models available?

[Master Ciaphas]

Hail!

 

It took a bit of time to write up - but here is the battle report from last Thursday, that saw Legio Astorum defend against the invading forces of Legio Mortis!

 

The Hammer of the Legio: The Delta-Garmon Beachhead
The beginning of the Warmaster’s full-scale invasion of Beta-Garmon cluster, started with the Death’s Heads Legio’s spearhead assault against the defences surrounding the Harvest Domes of Delta-Garmon II. Delta-Garmon II was one of the first worlds of the Beta-Garmon cluster to feel the Warmaster’s wrath. In the opening days of Horus’ assault, the Traitor fleets drew away their Loyalist counterparts, breaking apart the defensive cordons and blockades around key worlds. With the defenders stretched thin and unable to be everywhere at once, the Traitors exploited the holes torn in Loyalist defences to land forces and create footholds on strategic planets.

 

Desiring a sudden and overwhelming show of force, the Warmaster used his Titan maniples to spearhead these attacks. In the Delta-Garmon system, it was the Legio Mortis, or Death’s Heads Titan Legio, that led the way, its supporting Traitor fleet gathering above the wastes surrounding the largest Harvest Domes and using their apocalyptic weaponry to create open landing zones for the Titan Legions. Amid clouds of burning dust, the Death’s Heads heavy transports made their landing on Delta-Garmon II, their Titans smashing apart the Loyalist fortifications and advancing upon the Harvest Domes. The Traitor Titans swiftly brushed aside the tank companies of the Deltairum 276th Armoured Corps, who for years had held rebel forces at bay, and it was on the Titans of Legio Astorum, the Warp Runners Titan Legion, who managed to slow their advance, the Loyalists desperately attempting to contain the Traitors to their landing zones.

 

Mission Special Rules:
Blast Shelters: Having been forewarned of the Death’s Heads arrival, the Warp Runners have retreated into subterranean bunkers to survive the brutal preliminary bombardment by the Warmaster’s fleet. As the ground battle begins, their Titans are now emerging to oppose the invaders.
In the first round of the game, Warp Runners units cannot be targeted by attacks, nor can they make attacks until they have moved.  

 

Legio Forces
Legio Astorum – Delta-Garmon II Defence
Warlord Titan "Terribilis Vindicta" (Warlord trait: Hero of the Crusade)  
Paired Gatling Blasters 
Sunfury Plasma Annihilator 
Bellicosa Volcano Cannon 
  
Reaver Titan "Tritus"  
Apocalype Missile Launcher 
Melta Cannon 
Laser Blaster 
  
Warhound Titan "Pyladii Alpha"  
Vulcan Mega-Bolter 
Vulcan Mega-Bolter 
  
Warhound Titan "Avernus Maxima"  
Plasma Blastgun 
Turbo Laser Destructor 
  
Acastus Knight Porphyrion "Arx Terminus"  
Ironstorm Missile Pod 
Twin Magna Lascannon
Twin Lascannon

 

Legio Mortis:
Warbringer-Nemesis Titan “End of Days” (Warlord trait: Rotten Heart)
- Mori Quake Cannon
- Volcano Cannon
- Laser Blaster

 

Reaver Battle Titan “Foe Breaker”
- Warp Missile
- Titan Chainfist
- Titan Power Fist

 

Reaver Battle Titan “Lord of Night”
- Gatling Blaster
- Vulcan Mega-Bolter Array
- Melta Cannon

 

Warhound Scout Titan “Canis Dolor”
- Plasma Blastgun
- Vulcan Mega-Bolter

 

Warhound Scout Titan “Infidelis”
- Vulcan Mega-Bolter
- Turbo Laser Destructor

 

Warhound Scout Titan “Canis Infernum”
- 2 x Inferno Cannons

 

2 x Cerastus-Knight Lancers

3 x Questoris Knight Gallants

 

With furious thunder and wrath, the skies broiled hellish red. The landing zone had been all but flattened, all ground marks obliterated by the preparatory fire that Horus Lupercal’s fleet unleashed on Delta-Garmon II. Forewarned, the Loyalist Titans of Legio Astorum had sought shelter in the many Blast Shelters and were now emerging to defend against the invading Legio Mortis engines.

 

 

With the advantage in numbers, Legio Mortis moved swiftly ahead, but in their haste, their Princeps Senioris only managed to issue orders to the squadron of Warhounds, Canis Dolor and Infidelis, who went on Full Stride, before the vox network broke down. Across from them, Legio Astorum’s engines moved into slightly better firing positions.

 

On the Astorum right flank, Terribilis Vindicta fired its guns at the Warhound squadron, and successfully remove all their shields and damaging the engines ever so slightly.  Foe Breaker retaliated with its Warp Missile, hitting Terribilis Vindicta in the legs, inflicting a devastating hit.

 

Canis Dolor and Infidelis moved forward trying to flank the Astorum, but now much more vulnerable following the Warlord Titan’s unkind attention.

 

In the center Lord of Night tried to end Arx Terminus, but despite severely damaging it, the Acastus Knight remained standing. In return, Arx Terminus zeroed in on Lord of Night, and when the Magna Lascannons had finished firing, the Reaver Titan had been stripped of all shields.

 

Both Legios again attempted to issue orders, but only Tritus, having advanced slightly on the Astorum left flank, managed to get First Fire. It fired everything at Lord of Night, but besides damaging it slightly, the only marked effect was rendering one of its weapons useless. Following on, Avernus Maxima laid into the enemy Reaver as well, this time hitting with both its Plasma Blastgun and its Turbo Laser Destructor. Overwhelmed by fire, Lord of Night toppled drunkenly, swung round in its death throes and unleashed everything into the rear of the Warbringer-Nemesis Titan End of Days. Rapidly it stripped all the Warbringer’s shields and even managed to inflict structural damage on its body. With that, Lord of Night toppled, as the vox signal “ENGINE KILL!” emanated from the Astorum Warhound. Adding insult to injury, Lord of Night toppled to its left, crashing down on the enemy Questoris Knights, crushing one of them as it fell. The two Warhounds, Canis Dolor and Infidelis turned their fell attention on Pyladii Alpha, but as it was placed next to the Void Shield Generator, it weathered all the incoming fire without losing any shields!

 

 

On the Astorum right flank, the enemy had been steadily closing in. Despite Terribilis Vindicta and Pyladii Alpha punishing the enemy Warhounds, and Terribilis Vindicta obliterating the two enemy Cerastus Knights with a blast from its Belicosa Volcano Cannon, the Mortis Reaver Foe Breaker, had closed into close quarters with the Astorum Princeps Senioris Titan.

 

Shortly after, both enemy Warhounds fell; the last killed at close quarters by Pyladii Alpha. In the slugging match between Foe Breaker and Terribilis Vindicta, the enemy Reaver failed to inflict any damage whatsoever. On the left flank, Canis Infernum had moved forward to engage Tritus with its Inferno Cannon, but despite hosing the noble Reaver Titan in burning promethium, the only effect was to collapse its shields.

 

Scurrying forward the two surviving, enemy Questoris Knights engaged Avernus Maxima, damaging its body severely. Following suit, Canis Infernum also moved past Tritus, and with its Inferno Cannons destroyed Arx Terminus in a blaze of fire.

 

As fate would have it, Tritus had finally zeroed in on End of Days – and as its Missiles battered the stricken Warbringer, it was finally destroyed by a well-placed Melta Cannon it, that cored its torso. As the reactor containment fields collapsed, the reactor went crital and exploded. The resulting meltdown wiped out the two Questoris Knights and compromised Canis Infernus. Avernus Maxima was also slightly damaged.

 

The battle was nearing its end. On the right flank Foe Breaker made a last effort to destroy the Astorum Warlord Battle Titan. Legio Mortis also now remembered to call it the Orbital Lance strikes from the supporting fleet above Delta-Garmon II. Fire now rained down from the heavens, severely damaging Avernus Maxima and destroying Pyladii Alpha. Foe Breaker laid into Terribilis Vindicta, its Titan Chain Fist ripping out large chunks of armour plating. On the verge of falling, Foe Breaker finally killed the Warlord Titan, its Powerfist taking out the knee joints, causing the giant God-Engine to fall.

Tritus attempted to kill Canis Infernum, but despite its best efforts, the ailing Warhound was left standing, its head so incredibly damaged that any further damage would have killed the engine for good. Avernus Maxima was brought low by the Twin Inferno Cannons mounted on Canis Infernum.

 

 

With that, the battle ended. Both Legios had been practically wiped out during the battle. Of the Astorum engines, only Tritus still stood, all but unscathed but for a single point of heat on its reactor. Of Legio Mortis, Canis Infernum still stood, but shieldless and crippled to a horrific extent. Foe Breaker, the bane of the Astorum Warlord, as also battered, its body location compromised and its reactor leaking heat.

 

 

Tallying up, the Legio Mortis advance had been blunted for now, and Astorum stood victorious (Pyrrhic at best, though) with 50 Victory Points to Mortis’ 43 Victory Points.

 

 

[schoon]

Excellent pictures and report!

 

Sounds like a fun and hard fought battle.

[Mandragola]

Thanks for this write up. Good pictures too. Well done for holding back Mortis.

[Master Ciaphas]

Cheers - I am glad that you like the write up. AT18 is truly a magnificent game. 

 

On 7th November I will be giving an introductory game to a new player, who has painted a wee Legio Xestobiax maniple (Reaver w. melta cannon, volcanon cannon & laser carapace, and 2 x Warhounds with 2xInferno Cannons and Plasma Blastgun/Mega-Bolter).

 

Now, I will also be fielding a Reaver and two Warhounds. With the Hounds I am stuck with Plasma Blastgun/Turbo Laser Destructor and 2xMega-Bolters, but my Reaver is with magnets. I am thinking something along the lines of Warp Missile, Fist and Melta Cannon, in a Venator Light Maniple. 

 

Basically, I want to give him a good experience and try something fun, rather than going for efficiency - so how do the two match-ups look? 

 

We will not be playing with Legio or Princeps Senioris traits, nor Strategems, so that the game is not too complicated (and as Xestobiax does not have traits it seems fair I leave Astorum rules at home).

 

Faithfully,

Master Ciaphas

[Mandragola]

That's going to be a tough one because your opponent's list is objectively bad. Double inferno guns in a three-titan battlegroup are kind of hopeless and melta/volcano is a pretty rubbish combo too - though presumably all your opponent had access to out of the box. The only shield-breaker in his list is the VMB on the other hound.

 

So basically go easy on the new player - as you probably would have done anyway. You could tone down the lethality of your own Reaver by taking something like laser blaster and gatling, so you could knock shields down but not do too much else. Melta and Fist can potentially knock his titans over quite easily.

 

This doesn't particularly matter when you show someone the game. And as they expand their list, they'll be able to add in stuff to take shields down on other engines.

[Master Ciaphas]

Ah. Good points, Mandragola. I will swap my Reaver weapons for what you suggested. All of his Titans are glued...just like my two warhounds, so there is no switching out the weapons - so the only option is to for me to tone down my Reaver.

[Master Ciaphas]

Hail!

 

Just a wee bit - excited to finally getting the e-mail from GW informing me, that my Open Engine War card pack has shipped (along with the limited edition of Luther).

 

Also, it seems I have finally swayed a friend of mine to pick up Adeptus Titanicus! Great stuff with another adherent here in the Kingdom!

 

...and yes - my six Cerastus Knights are still waiting to be finished... sigh. 

 

Faithfully,

Master Ciaphas

[schoon]

Hail!

 

Just a wee bit - excited to finally getting the e-mail from GW informing me, that my Open Engine War card pack has shipped (along with the limited edition of Luther).

 

Also, it seems I have finally swayed a friend of mine to pick up Adeptus Titanicus! Great stuff with another adherent here in the Kingdom!

 

 

That's excellent news on all fronts then! Congratulations.

[Master Ciaphas]

Hail!

 

Just a wee update. My intro-game got cancelled on account of increased COVID-19 lock-down restrictions. More happily, I have finally built my last buildings:

 

 

And snagged the White Dwarf exclusive tactics card, which seems rather good!

 

 

On the reading side of things, I am beginning to work my way through the Crucible of Retribution book, and enjoying it so far!

 

Kindly,

Master Ciaphas

[schoon]

The buildings look nice. Well done.

 

...and yes, the WD card looks like a good one.

[Master Ciaphas]

Hail!

 

Thank you, Schoon. I am pleased with them - but have gotten zero painting done on them, on account of Real Life Obligations like...work. 

 

In the meanwhile, I have today received my newest AT18 SWAG, and can now look forward to rolling 7% better with my dice :-D

 

 

Legio Astorum custom templates! Huzzah!

 

Faithfully,

Master Ciaphas

[Master Ciaphas]

Hail!

 

Well. Shame to say, but I have made zero progress on either the buildings or the six Cerastus-class Knights I prepped half a year ago. Instead, I have made a Herculean effort and gotten quite far with the new Mechanicum Knight Styrix models! I reeived them last Saturday, and have since managed to flash clean, soap wash, assemble, prime and get past the "paint trim" stage of the model. The "paint trim" is what killed my effort on the Cerastus batch. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really like these models. Also, I like the fact that there are only two in the set (even if I dislike the real world money price tag). That has also made me reconsider my approach to painting six Cerastus Knights in one go, and I think I will break them down in batches of two, so that I paint the two Lancers, two Castigators and the two Acherons individually instead. 

 

As for the two Styrix Knights, I think I will add a standard on top of one of them. I have a fair number of old Space Marine back banners lying around, and I saw a post on the Facebook Adeptus Titanicus page, of a gent there having done just that - and it looked great. 

 

With current efforts, I might be done by the weekend, as I "only" need to do fine details and the white and red amour plate of House Tintaroth now.

 

Faithfully,

Master Ciaphas

[schoon]

Those have really come along nicely.

 

Congrats, Ciaphas.

[Mandragola]

Good job on these. They're not my favourite models to be honest, but you've done well to make them look very good. I think your metallic finish works better than the colourful designs FW has given theirs.

 

How is the quality of the casting? I've seen someone on FB complaining about print lines on the carapace.

Edited December 16, 2020 by Mandragola

[Mendi Warrior]

I got some as well. At first look the quality seemed excellent. I'll likely post some pictures on my plog but I have a big lack of motivation at the moment.

 

Excellent job indeed! I agree with you Master Ciaphas: I also like the models but dislike their real world price (and yet I'm debating adding some more ... especially if they can arrive home before the end of the year).

[Master Ciaphas]

Cheers

 

Thank you all for your kind comments. 

 

I have now managed to finish the armour and only need to paint details like cabling, glow on the funny-name Volkite cannon, and then do the bases. Then they are done. So by tomorrow (k)night I will be able to add another banner to my slowly growing Household force. 

 

Pardon the terrible lighting - there has been no sun today, at all!

 

 

A group of us here in Denmark also ordered the new Cerastus-Atrapos, that I will look forwad to painting as well. The Cerastus chassis is without doubt my favourite Knight chassis. 

 

I have heard about there being casting errors with the Styrix models, but mine have been fine, so I guess I am in luck. 

 

Faithfully,

Master Ciaphas

Edited December 17, 2020 by Master Ciaphas

[Master Ciaphas]

Hail!

 

Ok - so despite me not posting, I have actually gotten work done on my A18 collection! Now I am more ready than ever, to play Adeptus Titanicus. With the beneath shown buildings done, I have actually painted all of my terrain. The only thing left, is to go and pick up the Sector Mechanicus box, which I have have not been able to do, on account of the current lock-down in Denmark. 

 

As it is, I have finished my Administratum Spires and all terrain in my possession. I am well pleased with them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

This, however, means that I have run out of excuses for not painting my Knights and Titans, and that I now have to paint trim again. Sigh!

 

Faithfully,

Master Ciaphas