Anyone tried the new AdMech tanks yet?

[Ishagu]

For the first time in my hobby life I'm noticing the price of things as I'm having a particularly expensive year (wedding, new car, house renovation). I'm planning on getting two of them to run as the tanks, not transports.

 

Has anyone had a chance to play them?

[CaptainMarsh]

As Tanks, they're good. Not board beaters, not truly exceptional, but good. The main issue is that they compete in a fantastic slot for the Mechanicus, and almost directly with the Dunecrawler. It is comparable but IMHO not better than the Dunecrawler, and it lacks a real niche.

As a transport it offers a nice profile and ability for the Mechanicus, assuming you weren't using the Drills from FW. 

Solid, if unexceptional, purchase.

[GrinNfool]

Got 1 game in with them, running one as a tank and 1 as a transport, (set them up to be able to be changed back and forth).  The transport 1 ran them with 10 fulgurites, went well performed cost effectively, and got them in a position to do damage.  The tank, its reasonable, just not amazing, the biggest issue for it as mentioned by captainmarsh, is it competes with Onagers, which are fantastic.  The tank version seems more to be, bring this once you already have 3 onagers and want more tanks.  I think what it will fight with for space with are the kastellans for the kataphron/kastellan combos, this is a much cheaper (although weaker) way to use the slots an spend points elsewhere, like dragoons, or an arquebuss squad.  Didn't try the belleros though as my army didn't really need help against its preferred targets.  Your mileage may vary though.

[Gaz1858]

I am running the Belleros Turret as I play ITC a lot and being able to hit units of out LOS is golden. If youre a tournament player in an ITC Circuit youre going to want these instead of, or as well as, Onagers.

 

I used one recently and it was a good tank. The enemy feared its out of LOS shooting ability and targeted it heavily even over the 2 squad of 4 Kastelan Robots lol!

 

The Onagers are good and I have had an Icarus in my list for most of 8th. However I think Admech have a enough firepower elsewhere to do damage to flyers as their generally qute weak and Kastelans can take them out or anything with an Arc type gun can do some damage

[Xisor]

Around here we've got a forthcoming 1250pts tournament - I had a little pre-tourney game earlier this week with my Ad Mech. Skitarii-heavy, with a single Dunerider.

 

No great results in either direction from the Dunerider except that I've still to get my head around transports in 8th Edition. Not being able to deploy *after* moving has my mind all askew.

 

On the upside, big buckets of dice of them stubbers.

 

And I'm vaguely considering trying to make a triple-trio of vehicles list work. E.g. 3 Dragoons, 3 Onagers, 3 Duneriders.

 

I'm even sort of curious about how a 3 Dragoons, 3 Onagers, 3 Duneriders, 3 Disintegrators might work.

 

Probably unnecessary for those last three if I've got the 3 Onagers, but as said - I'm curious!

 

Edit: curious and averse to painting more Skitarii infantry. They're incredible, but wow are they detailed.

Edited July 18, 2019 by Xisor

[Magos Takatus]

Around here we've got a forthcoming 1250pts tournament - I had a little pre-tourney game earlier this week with my Ad Mech. Skitarii-heavy, with a single Dunerider.

 

No great results in either direction from the Dunerider except that I've still to get my head around transports in 8th Edition. Not being able to deploy *after* moving has my mind all askew.

 

On the upside, big buckets of dice of them stubbers.

 

And I'm vaguely considering trying to make a triple-trio of vehicles list work. E.g. 3 Dragoons, 3 Onagers, 3 Duneriders.

 

I'm even sort of curious about how a 3 Dragoons, 3 Onagers, 3 Duneriders, 3 Disintegrators might work.

 

Probably unnecessary for those last three if I've got the 3 Onagers, but as said - I'm curious!

 

Edit: curious and averse to painting more Skitarii infantry. They're incredible, but wow are they detailed.

Yeh, Skitarii really are slow going if you pick out all the details. I haven't finished buliding and painting my tanks, never mind getting back into games sadly.

[BolterZorro]

From what I've read, 3 dragons in a unit is a bit short, 4 is ideal. 5 is solid but the base is big...

[Son of Sacrifice]

I'm not tempted by the tank variant, aesthetically I just don't like it. I do like the transport version more every time I see it though.

 

I've already got one drill, and another unbuilt. Is there any reason to get the transport?

 

I'm running about 40 skitarii vanguard.

[Gaz1858]

I'm not tempted by the tank variant, aesthetically I just don't like it. I do like the transport version more every time I see it though.

 

I've already got one drill, and another unbuilt. Is there any reason to get the transport?

 

I'm running about 40 skitarii vanguard.

I personally prefer the drill as it can hold almost a full battalion, taking your total drops from 5 to 2. The new transport would take 5 to 4 which isnt much difference.

 

As a Rhino rush idea I can see it working better with loads of them filled with priests and skitarii

[Xisor]

 

I'm not tempted by the tank variant, aesthetically I just don't like it. I do like the transport version more every time I see it though.

 

I've already got one drill, and another unbuilt. Is there any reason to get the transport?

 

I'm running about 40 skitarii vanguard.

I personally prefer the drill as it can hold almost a full battalion, taking your total drops from 5 to 2. The new transport would take 5 to 4 which isnt much difference.

 

As a Rhino rush idea I can see it working better with loads of them filled with priests and skitarii

Two Duneriders could do it in two drops too, couldn't they?

 

2* Duneriders

3*5 Rangers, 2* Engineseers? That even leaves room for friends.

 

And its not exactly expensive either. For more shots, some Vanguard.

 

More CP?*A whole duplicate of the battalion (even going into more expensive vanguard/manipulus/dominus as needed) would work!

 

Fair volume of shots, some board presence, many command point, low drops, many units...

 

Hell, I've a vague notion that even loading up on Onagers and Disintegrators on top of them wouldn't be too bad at all.

 

(Also, Disintegrator is a conspicuous name versus the rest of the Ad Mech range. I wonder what they'd originally intended and had to switch out at for Disintegrator? I'm surprised they didn't go with Duneblaster or Dunesweeper.)

 

---

 

Edit: the not-so-cheap-but-has-utility & kinda works as a cheap "distraction" battalion I'm envisaging is:

2* Duneriders

2*5 basic Rangers

1*7 Vanguard, 2 plasma, omnispex

1*1 Dominus

1*1 Manipulus

 

That slightly bigger squad would slightly better benefit more from a Protocol CP, and be in range of the Dominus, and if parking to stay put on an objective (Acquisition) - that Manipulus could do a little trick too. The HQs can heal the tank if needed, to keep the Data Tether, or alternatively get their axes and mechadenrites dirty digging for some hot & juicy data.

 

It's not *super* cheap, but if you wanted to skimp and take an extra cheap battalion anyway (15 Rangers, 2 Duneriders, 2 Engineseers), then you'd also have some room for quite a deal of either heavy firepower, or heavy hitters too.

 

It's just the question of spending any extra investment on that second Dunerider's cargo.

 

Hell, that'd sort of work even at the 1250 level, by leaving points for other 'meaty' stuff.

 

Or have I missed something?

Edited July 20, 2019 by Xisor

[DeStinyFiSh]

Played a 2000 point games yesterday.

 

Ryza

TPD with Necromechanic Warlord Trait

TPM with Omniscience Mask and flamer weapon

2x5 Rangers with 1 Sniper each

1x10 Vanguard and 1x9 Vanguard with max Plasma each in a Gunboat

7 Infiltrators with Uzi

4 Dragoons

2 Neutronagers

1 of the new tanks with the Energy Canon

1 Knigh Valiant

First time ever fielding the tanks and the Valiant.

 

 

 

His Marines:

Salamanders

Captain in Phobos Armour

Librarian

3x5 Intercessors

Tech Marine

2 Predator with Las and Autocanon

1 Repulsor Executioners

Leutnant

Whirlwind

Hellblaster

Eleminators

1 Knight Paladin

 

 

The tank was nice, insta killing Primaris with each failed save, but he was not a game changer at all. But to be honst: I totaly forgot his rockets, did not fire them once  

 

The Transports have been nice. The both dropped the Vanguards where I wanted them and then moved around to hold objectives and shot around with their stubbers. Its just stubbers, but the sheer number of bullets finished a Predator that had 2 wounds left, did 4 damage to the Knight and finished of a Marine here and there. I mean just the 2 transports have 24 shots.

 

So my first game impression:

Very solid units for what they cost and they help us with the objective game just by beeing fast, but they are no auto includes that will win you every game.

[DanPesci]

Got 1 game in with them, running one as a tank and 1 as a transport, (set them up to be able to be changed back and forth).  

 

Just picked up on this.

 

Was hoping it'd be possible to magentise etc due to the high cost.....so was it particularly difficult to do this?

[synthaside]

Not really too bad to be honest , the only issue is the missing servitor for the gunner .

The method i've followed for mine is  to leave the front grill off the tank , as this stops you from swapping the top ...  You then just don't glue the top piece on ... it slots quite firmly in with no glue , perhaps you could use a small magnet on the back to hold it a little more firmly but its not going to fall off... unless you shake it  like a coctcail.  my only niggle is it " pops up a tiny bit , and unfortunately it does mean you cant really put the ladder on as it would protrude above the top line .

Turret wise .... i just didn't put the servitor in , i started kitbashing a spare skitarri to go inside ... but it looked a little bit meh , so i just left it empty and painted some controls ... lets just assume the tank commander  Skittarii  Prime  R-0mm31 is down inside the tank .

You will however need to glue the sides of the landing ramp to it so it doesn't look ideal when its  open,  but a small price to pay to save 40 quid. and 

Edited July 23, 2019 by synthaside

[DanPesci]

Not really too bad to be honest , the only issue is the missing servitor for the gunner .

 

The method i've followed for mine is  to leave the front grill off the tank , as this stops you from swapping the top ...  You then just don't glue the top piece on ... it slots quite firmly in with no glue , perhaps you could use a small magnet on the back to hold it a little more firmly but its not going to fall off... unless you shake it  like a coctcail.  my only niggle is it " pops up a tiny bit , and unfortunately it does mean you cant really put the ladder on as it would protrude above the top line .

 

Turret wise .... i just didn't put the servitor in , i started kitbashing a spare skitarri to go inside ... but it looked a little bit meh , so i just left it empty and painted some controls ... lets just assume the tank commander  Skittarii  Prime  R-0mm31 is down inside the tank .

 

You will however need to glue the sides of the landing ramp to it so it doesn't look ideal when its  open,  but a small price to pay to save 40 quid. and 

 

 

awesome cheers for the info, this is very much what I was hoping for looking at the two models in 3d mode. Id probably just use magents to secure stuff anyway (and maybe even magentise that ladder lol)

 

With the servitor, could you not put him into the hatch that the 'look over there' guy is in instead? - the pics look like it'd be the same size hatch/fitting - and that other guy doesnt need to be there (not like he gets to fire his radium carbine or anything lol)

 

Also thinking of maybe seeing if you can cut the missle bits into small plates and have them magnetise onto the side of the 'transport' part...too....

 

anway! good to know that at least some swapping about is possible, deffo gonna order 1 now and see what I can do with it.

Edited July 23, 2019 by DanPesci

[GrinNfool]

 

Got 1 game in with them, running one as a tank and 1 as a transport, (set them up to be able to be changed back and forth).  

 

Just picked up on this.

 

Was hoping it'd be possible to magentise etc due to the high cost.....so was it particularly difficult to do this?

 

Ya I went into it expecting to have to use about 6-8 magnets, but in the end the only thing I magnetized was the turret, requiring just 3 magnets.  I glued the door to the normal connector piece, but that didn't glue that to the hull, and for the tank part just glued the top of the tank part to the missile section that connects to the hull, but again just didn't glue it to the hull.  It has sort of a hinge-esque feel, so it will stay on there. 

 

The turret there are 2 variations but they are more or less the same, one is just a big larger, so I went with that 1 as it has a heavy stubber that gets connected (used no matter what) then I put a magnet inside the other sides connector piece where normally the tank gun assembly goes.  Just glued a magnet to a heavy stubber and 1 to the tank gun assembly.  Other than that again I just don't actually glue in the tank gun so I could choose between them easily. 

 

So for the transport I put that front piece on, place the turret on the rear hatch, and put the magnetized heavy stubber on the turret.  For the tank just swap the fronts out, and put the turret on the top center spot, placing a hatch over the side one, then place the magnetized tank gun assembly, on there and just slide the tank gun on I want into the slot.  Takes about 15-20 seconds to swap versions of the vehicle so not bad at all.

[DeStinyFiSh]

A rule question regarding the transport (might fit here):

 

A Tech Priest Manipulus is embarked on a Dunerider. Can you choose the +1 movement aura so that he buffs his friends as soon as he gets out of the transport or is no aura active since he is technically not on the battlefield at the beginning of the movement phase?

[synthaside]

Nope , not typically , its an aura ability and the same Faq's that govern aura's not working in rhino's would apply .... while it may look like its open topped secretly its just a visually closed metal Box.

I used my completed Dunerider for the first time last night things were going until it was swamped by 40 odd GSC Acoyletes who murdered it and prevented its occupants from escaping .

 Lesson learned ...  "Do not turn it sideways to  block movement / Los / charges until after its occupants have disembarked..

[DanPesci]

A rule question regarding the transport (might fit here):

 

A Tech Priest Manipulus is embarked on a Dunerider. Can you choose the +1 movement aura so that he buffs his friends as soon as he gets out of the transport or is no aura active since he is technically not on the battlefield at the beginning of the movement phase?

 

EDIT - Ninjad by synth :D

 

 

But aye Looking at the way his rules are worded Id say that unfortunately if hes embarked at the start of that turn, then he cant use his aura as that kicks off at the start of the movement phase.

 

Similarly any units that were embarked on the transport, even if he was say on foot behind it, cant get buffed the turn they disembark. All he could do would be add 1" to the vehicles movement.

 

 

If trying to get better charges etc you would be way better off just using stygies and pre-game moving your transports 9" up the table. That way you get 18" + 2d6 for potential first turn charges.

 

The only way id see a manipulus being useful in this 'go forward in transport' role, is if you do what I currently do with one of my dominus, which is to also make him warlord and give him prime hermeticon - but i run a combo of priests and breachers so this synergises well. If you were running only skitarii in the transports then the omniscient mask would work well for this too (could actually be quite nasty running multiple units of sicarians in transports for example)

Edited July 24, 2019 by DanPesci

[frostbite]

I got decent mileage from a Disintegrator in a recent game. I went with the Belleros energy cannon really to differentiate it from my 3 neutron laser onagers (imo the Ferrumite cannon is a bit too close to the neutron laser). It threatens multi-wound infantry well enough and can have a go at vehicles, though it's not so well suited to that.

 

I agree with CaptainMarsh and GrinNfool's assessment: decent for it's cost but not amazing, and something to consider after you've loaded up on onagers

[Ishagu]

Guys I found this very good, in depth analysis of the new Tanks.

I like what I see from these results and will be running two of them in my main list.

 

https://www.goonhammer.com/skorpius-disintegrator-review-analysis-mechanicus-mathematical-musings-part-2/

[Xisor]

I've found myself musing about something like this, to be honest...

 

Conjecture for a 2k all-AM Brigade.

 

++ Brigade Detachment +12CP (Imperium - Adeptus Mechanicus) [130 PL, 1,999pts] ++

 

+ No Force Org Slot +

 

Forge World Choice

. Forge World: Mars

 

+ HQ +

 

Belisarius Cawl [13 PL, 190pts]

 

Tech-Priest Dominus [7 PL, 90pts]: Macrostubber, Volkite Blaster, Warlord, Warlord Trait (Codex 6): Prime Hermeticon

 

Tech-Priest Enginseer [3 PL, 30pts]

 

+ Troops +

 

Skitarii Rangers [4 PL, 43pts]

. Ranger Alpha: Galvanic Rifle

. 2x Skitarii Ranger

. 2x Skitarii Ranger (Arc Rifle): 2x Arc Rifle

 

Skitarii Rangers [4 PL, 43pts]

. Ranger Alpha: Galvanic Rifle

. 2x Skitarii Ranger

. 2x Skitarii Ranger (Arc Rifle): 2x Arc Rifle

 

Skitarii Rangers [4 PL, 43pts]

. Ranger Alpha: Galvanic Rifle

. 2x Skitarii Ranger

. 2x Skitarii Ranger (Arc Rifle): 2x Arc Rifle

 

Skitarii Vanguards [4 PL, 62pts]

. 2x Skitarii Vanguard

. 2x Skitarii Vanguard (Plasma Caliver): 2x Plasma Caliver

. Vanguard Alpha: Radium Carbine

 

Skitarii Vanguards [4 PL, 62pts]

. 2x Skitarii Vanguard

. 2x Skitarii Vanguard (Plasma Caliver): 2x Plasma Caliver

. Vanguard Alpha: Radium Carbine

 

Skitarii Vanguards [4 PL, 62pts]

. 2x Skitarii Vanguard

. 2x Skitarii Vanguard (Plasma Caliver): 2x Plasma Caliver

. Vanguard Alpha: Radium Carbine

 

+ Elites +

 

Fulgurite Electro-Priests [8 PL, 160pts]: 10x Fulgurite Electro-Priest

 

Servitors [4 PL, 20pts]

. 4x Servitor (Servo arm)

 

Sicarian Ruststalkers [6 PL, 77pts]

. Ruststalker Princeps: Chordclaw, Transonic Blades

. 4x Sicarian Ruststalker (Razor/Chordclaw): 4x Chordclaw, 4x Transonic Razor

 

+ Fast Attack +

 

Ironstrider Ballistarii [4 PL, 60pts]

. Ironstrider Ballistarius: Twin Cognis Autocannon

 

Ironstrider Ballistarii [4 PL, 60pts]

. Ironstrider Ballistarius: Twin Cognis Autocannon

 

Ironstrider Ballistarii [4 PL, 60pts]

. Ironstrider Ballistarius: Twin Cognis Autocannon

 

+ Heavy Support +

 

Onager Dunecrawler [7 PL, 119pts]: Broad Spectrum Data-tether, Cognis Heavy Stubber

. Neutron Laser and Cognis Heavy Stubber: Cognis Heavy Stubber, Neutron Laser

 

Onager Dunecrawler [7 PL, 119pts]: Broad Spectrum Data-tether, Cognis Heavy Stubber

. Neutron Laser and Cognis Heavy Stubber: Cognis Heavy Stubber, Neutron Laser

 

Onager Dunecrawler [7 PL, 112pts]: Broad Spectrum Data-tether, Cognis Heavy Stubber, Icarus Array

 

Skorpius Disintegrator [6 PL, 111pts]: Belleros Energy Cannon, 3x Cognis Heavy Stubber

 

Skorpius Disintegrator [6 PL, 111pts]: Belleros Energy Cannon, 3x Cognis Heavy Stubber

 

+ Dedicated Transport +

 

Skorpius Dunerider [4 PL, 73pts]: 2x Cognis Heavy Stubber, Twin Cognis Heavy Stubber

 

Skorpius Dunerider [4 PL, 73pts]: 2x Cognis Heavy Stubber, Twin Cognis Heavy Stubber

 

Skorpius Dunerider [4 PL, 73pts]: 2x Cognis Heavy Stubber, Twin Cognis Heavy Stubber

 

Skorpius Dunerider [4 PL, 73pts]: 2x Cognis Heavy Stubber, Twin Cognis Heavy Stubber

 

Skorpius Dunerider [4 PL, 73pts]: 2x Cognis Heavy Stubber, Twin Cognis Heavy Stubber

 

++ Total: [130 PL, 1,999pts] ++

---

 

The thinking being that the transports load up as follows:

3* (Dunerider +5 Skitarii + 5 Rangers)

Dunerider+10 Fulgurites

Dunerider+Dominus+Servitors+Ruststalkers

 

The intent being that the Skitarii can zoom off to wherever.

 

The tanks (inc Ballistarii) can variously congregate around Cawl to wall things up. The Skorps can sit further backfield/in cover if they need to make serious use of their indirect fire, alternatively vely they can be mobile walls and support components of the central wall if not.

 

Obviously it's not fully optimised, but it strikes me as being able to do a fair amount, without being utterly wasteful either.

 

And quite flexible.

[Magos Takatus]

Wow, that's a lot of vehicles. The use of the Ballistarii is unusual in itself. I'd like to have a force similar to that in the long run but I would need to collect a lot more tanks first. Seeing that from the opposite side of the table it would be tough to prioritize targets.

 

The Ruststalkers are an interesting choice too. What role are you considering for them? Are they to lock targets in place for the Fulgurites to finish off, or are they just a decoy unit to draw fire?

[Xisor]

Wow, that's a lot of vehicles. The use of the Ballistarii is unusual in itself. I'd like to have a force similar to that in the long run but I would need to collect a lot more tanks first. Seeing that from the opposite side of the table it would be tough to prioritize targets.

 

The Ruststalkers are an interesting choice too. What role are you considering for them? Are they to lock targets in place for the Fulgurites to finish off, or are they just a decoy unit to draw fire?

I was envisaging a little column A, a little column B.

 

Originally I'd went for two-by-four servitors, but felt the engineer was better on foot, so a small unit for spares, and a squad of five other bodies would make a neat package.

 

Infiltrators could be squeezed in, but at only five, they're not that important, and would require concessions elsewhere.

 

Due to the volume of firepower anyway, I thought ballistarii would help keep up pressure. (And having the Sydonians rush forward would make target priority more clear cut *and* possibly lead to them getting in the way by necessity of being up close and personal.)

 

The Ruststalkers, however, give the idea of... Causing trouble.

 

They're an extra source of mortal wounds, not entirely incompetent, and with no shooting, there's no harm in them dashing off advancing on-foot if absolutely necessary.

 

An 8+3d6+disembark" threat range is sort of useful, and I do like the thought of a little wildcard.

 

---

 

The general form of the list strikes me as flexible. If you can wall & lightning-strike the fulgurites, great, with only a few outriders slamming onto objectives as needed.

 

If you can't - it's a good list to scatter and disperse with too. That flexibility appeals to me, without on paper looking really weak. (Well, not to my eyes.)

[BolterZorro]

I refresh this thread because of the nerf (up in points)...

 

 

...of the Executioner (for Primaris). It has been upped of 31 points. That soon....

 

It is the very reason I don't go full unit of new releases. They tend to be nerfed relatively soon. Those transports/tanks (skorpius) are at a nice price (in points, far from it in  $£€). I hope they remain like this.

Edited August 1, 2019 by BolterZorro

[Prot]

I can't see the vehicles going up in points. You make a good point and the Executioner caught me off guard. I'd be shocked if these went up... I mean there is a solid argument for not using them at all.

 

But nevertheless I feel completely burned by the 2 Executioners I bought and it's good to be cautious in case GW messes with the points.

 

 

My own experiences have been mixed and a bit of a surprise to be fair.  The transport is basically a Rhino except Canticles. It gets ignored like a Rhino but it really doesn't do a heck of a lot more however the low level fire support is commendable. 

 

Transport wise I tried a 10 man Vanguard with a close combat weapon and 3 calaviers.... ugh. Really did poorly with those flash lights. I think if I'm playing competitively I'll just stick to priests in there.

 

The tank (both variants) are turning out like I thought. The idirect fire is fun and needed, but the points don't feel right. Right now it feels necessary because of my meta, it just feels like a lot to pay for what it does.

 

The energy cannon (S8 AP3 3 Damage) is good, but I know math supports this weapon over the Onager Neutron, however the synergy on using multiple Onagers is nice.