1500 Ad Mech Lists

[Charlo]

Greetings friends, I hope the Omnissiah has blessed your motive force and cogitators with maximum output this Sanguinala!

 

So in a similar vein to my Custodes thread, I've got a 1500pt tournament next year and am weighing up my options for a solid list. Doesn't need to be ridiculous powerful but I don't want to sell myself short either!

 

I'd probably rather stick to Mars, but I suppose at 1500 even with reductions Cawl is a large investment.

 

In terms of collection I've got:

Cawl

Dominus

2 Enginseer

2 Datasmith

3 Vanguard (3 of each special)

6 Breachers/ Destroyers

2 Neutronager

1 Icarus Onager

4 Kastellan

 

So help a robro out!

[Gaz1858]

Dominus plus monitor malevolus WT

TPE

4 Dakka Bots

6 Destroyers

2 Rangers squads

Icarus onager

 

From.there just see what points youve got and add units in. Cawl isnt HUGELY neccessary if you use Elimination Volley Strat so look to more units before adding him in

[Prot]

Agreed. But honestly that’s really the list you’re looking at with your inventory.

[Charlo]

Sadly only have Vanguard, no Rangers. I do have ten Tin Men on sprue but would rather save them for Secutarii.

 

Currently thinking of this, has a fair amount of Dakka but maybe not amazing staying power.

 

Cawl

Enginseer

6 Plasma & Flamer Destroyers

10 Vanguard - 3 Plasma, Datatether

10 Vanguard - 3 Arc, Datatether

5 Vanguard

Datasmith

4 Phosphor Kastellan

2 Neutronager - extra stubbers

 

Could be deceptively mobile, with Cawl surrounded by Skitarii and Destroyers to advance and cap points with accurate firepower. Elimination Volley will be a first thing thing with Wrath of Mars before any real movement to drown big things in mortal wounds (I've taken out a Cerastus Lancer before and that was really just the bots shooting!)

 

Close combat obviously a weakness with the only power being from big C combined with Vanguard Rad Poisoning.

 

I could certainly play around with adding in Knights (any Questoris option + Styrix available), with a Gallant being an easy include and reliable distraction. 4 Armigers also on the collection, again could help shore up some bits.

 

I think in that case though it becomes a Knight list with Ad Mech support as opposed to the other way around.

 

Another flex could be looking at the Vigilus servitor stuff, dropping Cawl and playing around Kataphron regen. Breachers are insanely cheap at 90 for a squad now... The 2+ on shroudpsalm and magic S6 shooting (with average combat as a fallback) could be an option and adds some durability. I wouldn't be opposed to buying some more either.

[Prot]

I think it looks very good unless you face anyone pushing forward. You really don’t have anything there that is going to push your lines forward for board control. I really wish you had a Dragoon or two. Any chance you’d bring in some of your Custodes?

[Charlo]

I think it looks very good unless you face anyone pushing forward. You really don’t have anything there that is going to push your lines forward for board control. I really wish you had a Dragoon or two. Any chance you’d bring in some of your Custodes?

Agreed. I'd love some Dragoons, but I make a point of not buying them as they are just ridiculously overpriced.

 

Not opposed to bringing Custodes at all, what would you suggest? Bikes or just some Guardians as a killy road block?

[Prot]

 

I think it looks very good unless you face anyone pushing forward. You really don’t have anything there that is going to push your lines forward for board control. I really wish you had a Dragoon or two. Any chance you’d bring in some of your Custodes?

Agreed. I'd love some Dragoons, but I make a point of not buying them as they are just ridiculously overpriced.

 

Not opposed to bringing Custodes at all, what would you suggest? Bikes or just some Guardians as a killy road block?

 

 

I think we both know it has to be the bikes. ;)

 

I agree on the pricing of the Dragoon. It's absurd. Luckily I got mine in early 7th. But I'd still actually like to add Ballistarii now that they are cheaper but it probably won't happen. 

 

Bikes give you precious time, and they're ObSec. I just think they plug a big hole. But really I think any aspect of Custodes benefits your army, if not most AdMech. 

[Charlo]

I know... I just feel dirty using them. They such a "oh you brought those" unit. But I'll see what I can work up.

 

What would you drop from the Mech to include them?

[Charlo]

So I'm reviving this I'm light of any developments since...

 

In terms of what I could field,I also now have access to Ten Rangers, a second Dominus, two Armiger (warglaives or Helverins) and any Questoris Knight (up to three).

 

In addition these will be to play the CA18 missions.

 

Ideas?

[Link2edition]

Have you considered using Forgeworld Metalica? You have a lot of vanguard, and that dogma would make them mobile. Plus the warlord trait lets your gunline fall back and continue shooting.

[Charlo]

Have you considered using Forgeworld Metalica? You have a lot of vanguard, and that dogma would make them mobile. Plus the warlord trait lets your gunline fall back and continue shooting.

I've had some experience using the dogma before and it was rather cool! Definitely mobile. I like the idea of falling back and firing still.

 

I think if I was using Robots I'd want to run Mars, purely for the insane mortal wounds...

[Charlo]

Currently playing around with this in my head...

 

Plan would be to move forward as a blob onto objectives with Cawl in the Center providing re-rolls while shooting stuff with Overcharged Plasma + Robot Phospher. Elimination Volley + Wrath of Mars for Mortal wounds against whatever needs to most turn one/ two. Breachers are there to be a front wall and surprise bite against vehicles, also the Strat Acquisition at any Cost is LULz on them I think. Assassin is for maximum FUN and to cover weakness to Psychic (Culexus), Combat (Eversor) & nasty characters (Vindicare) or just to be a distraction (Callidus).

 

Also of note, I'm going for "Highlander" which is no duplicates of any datasheets bar Troops, hence the four HQs.

 

Current total is 1483pts, with 11CP to play with after the Assassin and Detachment

 

Battalion 1 - Mars; Servitor Maniple

Belisarius Cawl

Tech Priest Dominus - Warlord (MASTER OF BIOSPLICING)

- Eradication Ray, Macrostubber [Suggestions for Relic?]

 

Cybernetica Datasmith

 

5 Servitors

- Servo Arms

 

5 Breachers

- Heavy Arc, Hydralic Claw

 

6 Destroyers

- Plasma Culverin, Phospher Blasters

 

5 Skitarii Rangers

-2 Aquebus, Omnispex

 

3 Kastellan Robots

- Triple Phospher

 

Battalion 2 - Mars

Tech Priest Manipulus

Enginseer

 

5 Skitarii Rangers

-2 Aquebus, Omnispex

 

10 Vanguard

- 3 Plasma, Data Tether

 

10 Vanguard

- 3 Arc, Data Tether

 

No Detachment

Assassin (-1CP, - 85pts)

[Link2edition]

If you run squads of 10 I would consider bringing a morale boosting vehicle like an onager or a dragoon to help keep them on the board.

For relic I would go with Ramient of the technomartyrs, it supports a shooty army well

[Charlo]

Good call on the relic!

 

I'm not so sure about a 3" bubble on an Onager or something, is it worth it?

 

What do you think about the Double Battalion? By going Highlander I realise is 400pts of my total just to get some CP, almost 1/3 which could be used towards something a lot nastier, for the sake of some CP...

[Charlo]

Okay so trying this out today:

 

Cawl

Dominus - relic tbc

 

6 Breachers - Arc and Hydralic Claw

6 Destroyers 3 Plasma/ Flamer, 3 Grav/ Phospher

8 Skitarii Vanguard - 3 Arc rifles, data tether

8 Skitarii Vanguard - 3 Plasma Calivers, data tether

5 Skitarii Vanguard - 2 Snipers, Omnispex

 

4 Servitors - servo arms

 

3 Robots with triple Phospher

Onager with Neutron LAZOR

[Charlo]

It went well!

 

However I think my opponents list was potentially on the soft side. He had Emperors children with:

 

Terminator Lord - chainfist, combi melta

Sorcerer - Warptime, Slaanesh FNP power

Lucius the Eternal

Aspiring Champion - power sword

5 Marines - Plas, Combi-plas

10 Noise Marines - 8 Sonic Blasters, 2 Blastmasters

10 Cultists - Flamer

Helbrute - Twinlas, Scourge

Contemptor - Plasma Fist, Kheres Assault Cannon

Contemptor - Chainfist, Fist, Flamer

Sonic Dreadnought - ???

2 Spawn

1 Spawn

1 Spawn

 

Mission was "The four pillars" from CA18. Essentially four objectives in a rectangle, each 15" from the centre towards a table corner. You score 1VP if you hold more objectives than your opponent at the end of the turn or 3VP if you hold them all.

 

First strike, Slay the Warlord, Linebreaker and one more objective (1VP if you wipe out more enemy units in the turn than your opponent) were also in effect.

 

I deployed first and got first turn, opponent rolled a 1 on the seize.

 

I deployed with Arc Skitarii, Cawl, Robots and Destroyers on the left half. Snipers in the center. Right side was Dominus, Breachers, Servitors, Onager and Plasma Skitarii.

 

His left (from my view) was 3 Spawn, Champion and Lucius, with Cultists and sonic dread on the left objective. Noise marines on a bunker in the centre with Sorcerer supporting. CSM were on the right objectives with other 3 dreads and his TDA Lord on the right flank.

 

My turn started horribly. Canticles were reroll morale and 1s to hit... yay. Neutron missed, as did the aquebus. Heavy Arcs failed to do much of anything after saves, I was beginning to sweat. However then we moved over to the Kastellans and Destroyers. I changed the bots to double shots and popped Elimination Volley to great effect; playing to the mission I cleared his Cultists & CSM squad from the Phosphor (ignore cover and S6 makes them excellent at clearing massed bodies) and 8/10 noise marines died from the Grav of the Destroyers. The Plasma annihilated his sonic dread - excellent result that pretty much meant he couldn't capture objectives the rest of the game.

 

His turn one saw some bad luck followed by a dead Kastellan from Lascannon fire (and some CP rerolls). Everything that could move up did and the Sorc Warptimed the chainfist contemptor forward and gave it FNP. SADLY it failed it's charge and got eaten alive by Breacher Overwatch (and fire in the next turn) but not before my Plasma Skitarii Squad bit the dust from its errant shooting. His two spawn unit made a charge on my Arc Skitarii and proceeded to miss all ten of thier attacks. We laughed, he cried, it was fun - tin men did two wounds back to the Spawn in return.

 

My turn two I rolled Shroudpsalm and +1S in the fight phase. Neutron opened up into the Lascannon Dread to avenge the robot and did a solid 6 wounds. Skitarii fellback from the Spawn and Cawl nuked one with his SOLAR ATOMISER after positioning for a charge of his own if necessary. Kastellans killed off the last of the Noise marines, and piled a load of shots onto his Contemptor with the Breachers. However at this point I'd made a mistake - his spawn were still closer to my Destoryers so I couldn't target Lucius or the Champion and in essence had wasted their firepower this turn and 2CP on an elimination volley! Cawl however did opt to axe the last spawn to death and then retreat back 3".

 

Opponents turn two saw what little he had remaining move up into position to shoot and charge. The two dreads did some token wounds on my Breachers and the lascannons chipped 3 wounds from a robot. His spawn and two dreads however charged the Breachers, I interrupted after the arc scourge killed a Breacher to smash it right back but then sadly didn't hit the fresh contemptor once - he then pulped my Breachers to a man. However I was still holding the objectives and killed more units so my VP rose.

 

Turn 3 It was just cleanup really. I got his last dread down to 1 wound and easily shot Lucius and the Champion dead. I revived a Breacher and sent the last three Servitors on a heroic charge at the contemptor. The didn't hit and got pulped, providing food for the heretic.

 

Though at this point I'll leave it, as you can probably tell I won.

 

It was 8 to 1 in the end. A good refresher to 40k and Ad Mech.

 

Overall thoughts: I'm not sure on Skitarii special weapons or numbers; all that seems to happen is they don't shoot then get swept off the table, even at ld8 with a reroll - if you lose 6 guys out of 8 you're probably gone... I wonder if 5 man MSU truly is the way forward just go run around peppering things with cancer guns and not care about casualties, not to mention saving on points for other units. Maybe 5 man teams with one aquebus each is a more worthwhile investment.