Beyond Brilliant! Dark Mechanicus!

Another master class tournament is upon me, this time it’s Arena 2k10 in Krakow, on the other side of Poland. Every year Arena is a blast, and this year it’s organised in the same venue as the last year, which is a great improvement over the previous venues. We go there by train and by we I mean our gaming group plus some spouses – 16 people in total. The journey itself is always an entertainment, as we take a plethora of boardgames as well as proper beverages to ease the 11-hour ride.

I am faithul to my Adeptus Mechanicus army, but due to the fact that Arena 2k10 is with a 2100 points limit, I shivered when I counted the tanks I’d need to take if I were to use the imperial Guard rules. In a 1300 points list I run 9 vehicles, and as they and my infantry are resin and metal only, my army case weighs 14kgs!

For Arena my initial list had no less than 14 vehicles, most full of infantry. Space in my army case ran low.

So I ditched this idea and chose to go with my Dark Mechanicus army – using Codex: Chaos Space Marines rules. The problem was, I needed Land Raiders.

So over the last 5 days I built and painted them. Or their wicked vision.

Now, I admit they are not pretty in a traditional sense, but I kinda like them. Plus my Daemon Prince counts-as will finally be able to hide behind something (he’s the Technomagos in the glass jar).


Above are my Land Stalkers with their Electropriests (Berzerkers) cargo.
Below are the  Stalkers (Rhinos) with Protectors Maniples (Plague Marines):


Here are the HQ: Technomagos (Lord), Arcomagos (Daemon Prince, in tank) and Praetor (Greater Daemon, the one with the most limbs):

I call them Robin, Barry and Maurice.

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The Adeptus Mechanicus Project

Hi there,

Congratulations! you have found the temporary home of the Adeptus Mechanicus project. This is where I will be posting updates on the progress of what I hope will be a 2000pt Adeptus Mechanicus army (using Codex: IG).

Current status (18th October): In case anyone is wondering why there have been no updates, I am finishing off Uni for the semester and am up to my neck in assignments (all of which I should have done earlier). Project will go full steam ahead as soon as I deal with real-life.

MISSION STATEMENT
To create a fully playable Adpetus Mechanicus army, incorporating as many of their goodies as I possible can. I want to have 1750pts ready for my local tournament in June 2006 (G'Con Lismore Australia).


I estimate the army to be about 1% complete at this stage.
Current progress
1 Sergent
4 troopers
1 Plasma gunner
1 Techpriest Enginseer
1 proto-type Praetorian
1/2 finsihed Heavy Weapon platfrom
1/2 finished jetbike

Lascannons and Autocannons teams will be mounted on small tracked platforms, Heavy bolters teams will be modelled as servitors (with the second man in the team being a little cherub type thing humping ammo on its back).

Two basilisks will be included in the finished army. I have considered a few ways to 'tech them up'. The first possibility is to order FWs Armageddon pattern Basilisk, costly, but looks very nice. However to make a more original model I think I will modify the standard kit myself. The crew will be replaced by servitors, and a loading servo arm will be mounted onto the hull.
Banks of computer screens from the Land Raider interior will also be added.
A few extra cables here and there, and some AM symbols painted on and they should look the part.

ARMY LIST

I will post a link to a WIP army list soon.

The Tech Magos and his bodyguard will be represented using the rules for a DH Inquisitor Lord.

Thoughts on Doctrines:

Update: The list I was previously pretty sure about is starting to bore me, so I was thinking of trying motorised organisation. Nice and fluffy.

Abhuman doctrines: A recent WD contained Chapter approved rules for abhumans. One of these doctrines (slave levy) grants models the 'feel no pain' special rule, at the cost that they become 'slow and purposeful'. Sounds pperfect for Ad mech troopers in my opinion. The 4+ chance of getting up nicely represents hits deflecting of bionics ect. And slow and purposeful fits my idea of the lumbering but unstoppable onslaught of the Skitarii.

In my current list I have not used doctrines. This may strike people as a strange choice, but after considering all the options I decided there was nothing I really wanted badly enough.
Carapace armour and bionics, whilst fluffy for AM, add a fair bit to the squad cost. I am a big believer in weight of numbers when it comes to IG, so I would rather take more troops than the 4+ Save, which can negated by many weapons.

Mechanised and Grenadier formations are both options I considered, however once again point costs drove me away. The main use of a mechanised list is for 'drive-by' type tactics, where the troops rarely dismount. I figure that Im putting so much effort into converting the troopers, I want them on the table all the time. Footslogging AM may strike some people as strange, but this is likely to be a army primed for defense and shooting, so lack of mobility is regrettable but not critical.

Please feel free to post suggestions, or shots of your own Mechanicus conversions, and to discuss all modelling aspects of this most high and mysterious order.

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