Mechanicum and Dark Mechanicum lists after Liber Strategia

During the weekend, I had constructed Legions Imperialis lists for my Knight Household, Solar Auxilia and Collegia Titan armies. I wanted to see how much has changed for my Dark Mechanicum, who are supposed to be the antagonists for this weird story I had in my head about my Knight Household and their Cybernetica retainer cohorts, plus Collegia Titan allies.

Unfortunately, I've been returning home late every night. I literally reached home past midnight yesterday, and I couldn't write more than a two paragraphs before I gave up and went to bed. So I ended up continuing today instead. Ugh. Anyway, I'll begin with the Mechanicum list, then Dark Mechanicum. As usual.

Before Liber Strategia

Legio Cybernetica Cohort (Loyalist)

Archmagos Prime on Abeyant (45)

2 (x3) Thallax (25)

2 (x3) Thallax (25)

4 (x3) Castellax battle-automata (140)

2 Tech-priests Auxilia (30)

2 (x3) Vorax battle-automata (80)

2 Vultarax Stratos-automata (70)

2 Triaros Armored Conveyors (30)

Points: 445

Dark Taghma Sub-covenant

Archmagos Prime on Abeyant (45)

4 (x5) Adsecularis Tech-thrall Covenant (30)

6 (x5) Adescularis Tech-thrall Covenant (42)

4 (x3) Thallax (50)

2 (x2) Myrmidon Destructor Host (30)

2 (x2) Myrmidon Destructor Host (30)

2 (x2) Myrmidon Secutor Host (30)

4 (x3) Ursarax Cohort (40)

2 Triaros Armored Conveyors (30)

Points: 327

Terror Protocol Cohort

1 Scintillax Cyclops Noospheric Stalker Network (75)

4 (x3) Harpax Swarmer Scout Hosts (30)

4 (x3) Harpax Swarmer Scout Hosts (30)

1 Errax Butcher Assault Stalker Cohort (45)

1 Errax Butcher Assault Stalker Cohort (45)

Points: 225

Purge Protocol Cohort

2 Serperos Overlord Heavy Stalker Maniple (175)

1 Tenebrax Archer Battle Stalker Cohort (35)

1 Tenebrax Archer Battle Stalker Cohort (35)

1 Scintillax Cyclops Noospheric Stalker Network (75)

2 Serperos Overlord Heavy Stalker Maniple (175)

Points: 495

Total (Dark Mechanicum only because Legio Cybernetica is Loyalist): 1,047

Now, what happens after Liber Strategia? Just how much has changed for both the Mechanicum and Dark Mechanicum? Or perhaps the reduction in Titan points makes the most difference for how the Dark Mechanicum goes to war?

After Liber Strategia

Legio Cybernetica Cohort (Loyalist)

Archmagos Prime on Abeyant (45)

2 (x3) Thallax (25)

2 (x3) Thallax (25)

4 (x3) Castellax battle-automata (135)

2 Tech-priests Auxilia (30)

2 (x3) Vorax battle-automata (75)

2 Vultarax Stratos-automata (65)

2 Triaros Armored Conveyors (44)

Points: 444

Uh, thanks to the Triaros Armored Conveyors going up by 7 points each (14 for 2), I only save 1 point. I was going to originally make this an allied detachment to my Purgigatus Heavy Maniple and Collegia Titanica Support Cohort, but the Warmaster has gone up by 100 points, so that's moot. Oh, well. Solution is simple - because I'm over by 75 points, all I need to do is simply remove the Vorax, and there you go. But I might consider the alternative.

Legio Cybernetica Cohort (Loyalist)

Archmagos Prime on Abeyant (45)

4 (x3) Thallax (45)

4 (x3) Thallax (45)

4 (x3) Castellax battle-automata (135)

2 Tech-priests Auxilia (30)

2 (x3) Vorax battle-automata (75)

2 Vultarax Stratos-automata (65)

4 Triaros Armored Conveyors (88)

Points: 528

Yeah, that means my guys have gone over by 159 points now. I suppose I'll have to remove a single Thanatar and the Vultarax to get under 3,000 points. Yikes. That hurts, but you can't have everything in life, I suppose. Especially since I'm taking 3 heavy Titans in this list already. Fair enough.

For Dark Mechanicum, on the other hand, the calculations have gotten more complex. I'll take out the Thallax and Triaros since they have gone over to my Loyalists, though I'd like to do a comparison first to see how points have changed before I adjust my list.

Dark Taghma Sub-covenant

Archmagos Prime on Abeyant (45)

5 (x5) Adsecularis Tech-thrall Covenant (40)

5 (x5) Adsecularis Tech-thrall Covenant (40)

4 (x3) Thallax (45)

2 (x2) Myrmidon Destructor Host (30)

2 (x2) Myrmidon Destructor Host (30)

2 (x2) Myrmidon Secutor Host (30)

4 (x3) Ursarax Cohort (55)

2 Triaros Armored Conveyors (44)

Points: 359

Yeah, the total cost went up by 32 points, rather than go down. Mostly because of the Triaros Armored Conveyor going up in points, but apparently both the Adsecularis Tech-thrall Covenant and Ursarax cohort rose in costs too! Ouch. The good news is that the Adescularis Tech-thralls are split into 5 bases rather than weirdly 4 or 6, and you can take up to 10. Cool, but I need to fulfil 2 compulsory cores anyway. Of course, I plan to adjust the list by removing the Thallax and Triaros, so now they cost this much instead. Also, there is no change to the points costs for the Dark Mechanicum stalker constructs, so no discount there. Oh, well.

Dark Taghma Sub-covenant

Archmagos Prime on Abeyant (45)

5 (x5) Adsecularis Tech-thrall Covenant (40)

5 (x5) Adsecularis Tech-thrall Covenant (40)

2 (x2) Myrmidon Destructor Host (30)

2 (x2) Myrmidon Destructor Host (30)

2 (x2) Myrmidon Secutor Host (30)

4 (x3) Ursarax Cohort (55)

Points: 270

Terror Protocol Cohort

1 Scintillax Cyclops Noospheric Stalker Network (75)

4 (x3) Harpax Swarmer Scout Hosts (30)

4 (x3) Harpax Swarmer Scout Hosts (30)

1 Errax Butcher Assault Stalker Cohort (45)

1 Errax Butcher Assault Stalker Cohort (45)

Points: 225

Purge Protocol Cohort

2 Serperos Overlord Heavy Stalker Maniple (175)

1 Tenebrax Archer Battle Stalker Cohort (35)

1 Tenebrax Archer Battle Stalker Cohort (35)

1 Scintillax Cyclops Noospheric Stalker Network (75)

2 Serperos Overlord Heavy Stalker Maniple (175)

Points: 495

Total: 990

So what do I do for the rest of the 2,010 points?

Titans. They've gone down in points. Each of the formations allow me to take Titans, and they count as primary, not allied. Yay! So the Terror Protocol Cohort allows me to bring 2 Warhounds in a single hunting pack for 600 points, and I'll grab a 350-point Dire Wolf and a 850-point Warmaster Iconoclast Titan for 1,800 points to bring the total up to 2,790 points. That leaves me with 210 points. I think I'll get a second box of Dark Mechanicum Stalker Constructs, doubling the Errax Butcher Assault Stalker Cohort (40 for the second), Tenebrax Archer Battle Stalker Cohort (still 35, unfortunately) and Harpax Swarmer Scout Hosts (25 for 4 additional). Alternatively, I can get a 2 squadrons of 3 Krios battle tanks (one fitted with irad scourers) for 200 points total (100 each), but I'll decide when the time comes.

Only thing left to do now is to get those Titans and second box of Dark Mechanicum Stalkers (or a box of Krios tanks, depending on what I feel like assembling), and my Dark Mechanicum will be complete. Once that's done, I'll have to paint them one day and create a diorama of my Knight Household clashing against the Dark Mechanicum. Or my Loyalist Titans against the Dark Mechanicum for a literal clash of Titans. That will be fun!

Liber Strategia

I finally got my hands on the new Liber Strategia! Yay! Now it's time to pore through the changes and see what affected me the most. I don't have any Legiones Astartes stuff for Legions Imperialis, so I won't talk about them, but I'll mostly see how my Solar Auxilia, Mechanicum, Knights and Titans have been affected. Knights, especially! Mechanicum, I'll do in another article because they haven't seen many points changes, so I won't cover them in this article.  Specifically, Dark Mechanicum - there's not many changes for my Cybernetica Cohorts, so I'll just run through what minor changes they have here, and focus on Dark Mechanicum in a future post.

Before Liber Stategia

Let's start off with Solar Auxilia, though. We'll calculate the original points from before the Liber Strategia. I have a Solar Auxilia Mechanized Infantry sub-cohort with a Solar Auxilia Armored Company, and Titan Hunter Company. My Legate Commander Detachment (16 points), 2 Auxilia Lasrifle Tercios (one has a couple of flamer sections in them) would cost me 72 points, a full Auxilia Veletaris Storm Section about 60 points, and a single Auxilia Ogryn Charonite section for 50 points. They all ride in 10 Dracosan Armored Transports (7 with demolisher cannons, 3 with lascannons), (37x3 + 42x7 = 111+294 = 405). We have 2 squadrons of 4 Aethon Armored Sentinels for 60x2 = 120 points and 4 Lightning Fighters in a squadron for 305 points.

The Armored Company has 2 Valdor tanks in a squadron for 140 points, 2 squadrons of 4 Leman Russ Executioner tanks for 175 points each (350 for both) and 2 Stormblades for 240 points (1 being the Tank Commander), and 2 Baneblades for 190 points.  The Titan Hunter company has 4 Shadowswords (2 in a squadron, plus tank commander) for 560 points.

Solar Auxilia Mechanized Infantry sub-cohort: 1,028

Solar Auxilia Armored Company: 920

Solar Auxilia Titan Hunter Company: 560

Total: 2,508 points

The remaining 492 points are for allied Knights and the like. Honestly, to adjust this list, I'll probably take out the Charonite Ogryns and their transports, which would free up 134 points, so a total of 626 points for Knights (3 Knight Lancers for 605 points). I don't know what to do with the remaining 21 points, but whatever.

Anyway, speaking of Knights, I did have a few lists from before Liber Strategia.

Barony Guard Lance

3 Questoris Knights Errant with missile pods (535)

3 Questoris Knights Paladin with missile pods (535)

3 Cerastus Knights Lancer (605)

3 Cerastus Knights Castigator (605)

Points: 2,280

Bonded Household Lance

2 Questoris Knights Styrix (390)

2 Questoris Knights Styrix (390)

2 Questoris Knights Magaera (390)

2 Cerastus Knights Atrapos (455)

1 Acastus Knight Asterius (270)

Points: 1,895

Knight Household Aegis Cohort

2 Acastus Knights Porphyrion (500)

1 Cerastus Knight Castigator (215)

4 (x3) Castellax battle-automata (140)

2 Domitar battle-automata (65)

2 Arlatax battle-automata (75)

4 Thanatar siege-automata (210)

4 Thanatar siege-automata with Sollex heavy-las (230)

Points: 1,435

Knight Household Retainer Cohort

1 Cerastus Knight Lancer (215)

1 Vultarax stratos-automata (35)

1 Vultarax stratos-automata (35)

2 (x3) Vorax battle-automata (80)

Points: 365

Purigatus Heavy Maniple

Warmaster Heavy Battle Titan (750)

Warlord Battle Titan (600)

Points: 1,350

Collegia Titanica Support Cohort

Warlord Battle Titan (600)

2 Arlatax battle-automata (75)

2 Domitar battle-automata (65)

4 Thanatar siege-automata (210)

4 Thanatar siege-automata with Sollex heavy las (230)

Points: 1,180

I'll include the Cybernetica points for Mechanicum, briefly. Fortunately (or unfortunately), there aren't any major changes to Mechanicum Cybernetica units, except for 5 points discounts for additional 2nd detachments for the Castellax, Vorax, Vultarax and Thanatar (but additional 3rd and 4th detachments cost the same). Oh, well. Or I'll write about Dark Mechanicum in a separate article, but I feel like Solar Auxilia, Knights and Titans are more than enough ground to cover for this one. Anyway, let's see how much have changed after the discounts in Liber Strategia!

After Liber Strategia

Again, let's start with the changes to Solar Auxilia. My Legate Commander detachment, lasrifle tercio, and Veletaris Storm sections have not changed at all, but Ogryns went up by 20 points! Ouch! However, they are now 2 wounds each! What the hell?! Aethon Heavy Sentinels cost the same, but we have an extra attack for our light missile launcher (still hits on 5+, though, but now twice, while the anti-tank didn't change). Oh, Leman Russ Vanquisher squadron stayed the same, but Leman Russ strike squadron (the battle tank) has gone down by 15 points to 160 for 4 as opposed to 175, plus extra tanks cost 150 points for 4. Nice! Speaking of which, the same applies to my Leman Russ Executioner squadron, which is now 160 points for 4 instead of 175, yay! And my Valdor now has a 2+ save and a drop in points from 70 to 60, and 55 for a 2nd instead of 70 again!

Baneblades cost the same - 100 points, 90 for the second, but they now have 3 wounds each! That's actually incredible! Stormblades went down by 10 points (110 now, 100 for second), and they get 3 wounds too! Did I mention the plasma blastgun went up to 3 shots from 2? That's insane. You know what's even crazier? Shadowswords. My Titan Hunter Company. They went down from 140 to 120, and 110 for a second tank, plus they also get the 3 wounds treatment. No change to the volcano cannon, but I'll take it, for sure. Dracosans did go up 5 points per model, but they are 2 wounds each now. Damn! Still 5 points for the demolisher cannon upgrade. Lightning fighters remain the same.

So, effectively, my tanks got tougher, cheaper, or both (Dracosans got tougher but more expensive). Let's see how many points they are now.

Solar Auxilia Mechanized Infantry sub-cohort: 1,098

Solar Auxilia Armored Company: 845

Solar Auxilia Titan Hunter Company: 480

Total: 2,423 points

My Solar Auxilia is now 85 points cheaper, with more durable tanks and more wounds spread across them! I now have 577 points for Knights, which means I can bring more of them! As usual, I can remove the Ogryns and their Dracosan armored transports to free up 164 points for a total of 741 points. I can bring 3 Cerastus Knights and 2 Questoris Knights!

Questoris Knights have gone down by 50 points (to 130), with subsequent Knights being 60 or 100 less for 2 (120 and 240). They also get 2+ saves and 3+ ion shields now! Rocket pods still cost 5 points, no change there. Mechanicum Questoris Knights now only cost 10 points more (though extra Knights are about 130 each). Cerastus Knights are now 160 points - a 55-point discount - with extra Knights costing 150 each, as well as the 2+ saves and 3+ ion shields (Knight Lancers get 2+ ion shields!). The Cerastus Knight Atrapos is still a 20-point upgrade, but it means he keeps the 55 point discount. Extra Knights are 170 points each for the banner. Nice. Acastus Knight Porphyrion is 230 points each, 20 points cheaper, and 220 for the second. The Asterius upgrade is an additional 10 points, which makes him 30 points cheaper than previously! Awesome!

Armiger Banners have gone down from 180 to 120 for the normal variants, and 135 from 200 for the Moirax, plus they get Tactical Strength of 3 instead of 1 in Knight Households Formations. Their datasheets see no changes whatsoever, with the remarkable exception of the Helverin, who now has 3 shots for his autocannon, hitting on 4+ instead of 2 shots and 5+ previously. Too bad I have no Armigers, and I won't get them until they're released in plastic.

Barony Guard Lance

3 Questoris Knights Errant with missile pods (385)

3 Questoris Knights Paladin with missile pods (385)

3 Cerastus Knights Lancer (460)

3 Cerastus Knights Castigator (460)

Points: 1,695

Bonded Household Lance

2 Questoris Knights Styrix (270)

2 Questoris Knights Styrix (270)

2 Questoris Knights Magaera (270)

2 Cerastus Knights Atrapos (350)

1 Acastus Knight Asterius (240)

Points: 1,400

Knight Household Aegis Cohort

2 Acastus Knights Porphyrion (450)

1 Cerastus Knight Castigator (160)

4 (x3) Castellax battle-automata (135)

2 Domitar battle-automata (65)

2 Arlatax battle-automata (75)

4 Thanatar siege-automata (210)

4 Thanatar siege-automata with Sollex heavy-las (230)

Points: 1,325

Knight Household Retainer Cohort

1 Cerastus Knight Lancer (160)

1 Vultarax stratos-automata (35)

1 Vultarax stratos-automata (35)

2 (x3) Vorax battle-automata (75)

Points: 305

As you can see, my lances went down by 585, 495, 110 and 60 points respectively. I can actually take a Barony Guard Lance and a Knight Household Aegis Cohort together now, no problem! Just need to get rid of 4 rocket pods. Alternatively, I can remove 2 Thanatar and 1 Thanatar with the Sollex heavy-las, plus 3 rocket pods (because I want to be thematic and run them in banners), and add a second Cerastus Knight to the Aegis Cohort. Similarly, I can run a Bonded Household Lance with a Knight Household Aegis Cohort, remove a single Arlatax, and add 2 more Cerastus Knights. Pretty much 3 Cerastus Knight Lancers or Castigators in the Aegis Cohort. That is a lot of Knights, but with automata support! Nice.

I can even combine my Barony Guard Lance with Knight Household Retainer Cohort, add a second Cerastus Knight (the Castigator) to the Knight Lancer, and then fill the remaining 850 points with my Warmaster Titan! Woohoo!

Now, the Titans. The Warlord Titan, unfortunately, still costs 600 points, but he has 7 wounds now instead of 6, and his void shields increased from 6 to 8. Time will tell if he's still worth taking. The Warlord-Sinister Titan receives the same treatment, still costing 675 points, but also has 7 wounds and 8 void shields now. The Warmaster has seen an increase to a whooping 850 points from 750, with 8 wounds now instead of 7. Still retains 12 void shields Really? Really?! You're increasing his cost by 100 points for a measly wound? Needless to say, the same applies to his Iconoclast counterpart. Ugh.

For the Titans I don't have (but I might in the future, for Dark Mechanicum), Warhound Titans have dropped from 330 to 300, and each subsequent Warhound costs an additional 300, as opposed to 330 and 640 for 2 more in the original. Like the others, they have an extra wound - 5 instead of 4. The Dire Wolf has seen points dropped to 350 from 385, and similarly, he has gained a 5th wound just like his less heavily armed brethren. Reavers are cheaper by 15 points - now 400 - and also have an extra wound (6 now). Like the Warlord, the Warbringer Nemesis Titan has unfortunately remained at 525 points with no discounts, but he does have an extra wound now (6), like the Reaver. All of them have the same number of void shields (2 for the Warhounds and Dire Wolf, 4 for the Reaver and 6 for Warbringer Nemesis, so no change there).

Purigatus Heavy Maniple

Warmaster Heavy Battle Titan (850)

Warlord Battle Titan (600)

Points: 1,450

Collegia Titanica Support Cohort

Warlord Battle Titan (600)

2 Arlatax battle-automata (75)

2 Domitar battle-automata (65)

4 Thanatar siege-automata (210)

4 Thanatar siege-automata with Sollex heavy las (230)

Points: 1,180

Uh...that leaves 370 points for a tiny allied detachment. Fortunately, Knights are cheaper now, so 3 Questoris Knights without rocket pods? Or even 2 Cerastus Knight Atrapos if I want to be mean. Hey, that actually works! Perfect!

Veletaris command section

I assembled a Veletaris command section! Do you guys remember the Heresy 1.0 first edition rules of old when the Lord Marshal could take a household retinue? The one where you can take a Veletaris Storm Section an Elites choice and they get Preferred Enemy (Infantry). They're supposed to be the Marshal's bodyguards, get WS4 (which we already do get in 3.0), and people would arm them with storm axes. For the Marshal and his household retinue to charge into glorious combat and hack even the vaunted Legionaries of the Legiones Astartes to pieces. Because we mortals rock.

So that's what I did. Gave almost everyone, aside from the Captain and the vox operator, a storm axe. Whee!!!!

I even kitbashed a Veletaris with a command vox. He has a volkite charger by his side. I mean, it makes no sense for the vox operator to be armed with a storm axe...his job isn't to charge into melee, but to stay back and keep the vox channels open for communication.

"Bro, where's your storm axe? Why aren't you charging?"

"Mate, can't you see the heavy vox-pack on my back? You want me to run straight at the enemy while carrying all this equipment? Nah, go on ahead. I'll just shoot from afar with my trusty volkite charger."

"...right. Okay, everyone else! CHARGE!"

Not sure if you can see it, but the Captain (or Veletaris First Prime) has a volkite serpenta to pair with his power sword. As befitting his status as an officer, y'know? And also to mark him as an officer when contrasted against the Veletarii sergeants that lead the Veletaris storm sections. I also gave another guy an Auxilia vexila, to make it more command section-ish. He gets a storm axe because that's how he inspires the other Veletarii.

At least I can unlock my Veletaris Tercio now! YAY!

Dark Angels Contemptor Dreadnought

I finally assembled my Dark Angels Contemptor Dreadnought! I bought the plastic version to combine it with the resin Dark Angels torso.

I also assembled all the weapons, just in case I need them for a future Contemptor Dreadnought. You'll never know...anyway, my Osiron-Contemptor Dreadnoughts have an extra volkite culverin now! Maybe I might get one for Imperial Fists in the future, but I don't know. Depends on my budget, but for now my Dark Angels are on their way to becoming a more fully fledged out force.

I glued the plasma cannon because I want this guy to be plasma. Dark Angels = plasma. And I like plasma. Doesn't matter if they got nerfed or whatever. He'll go well with my Interemptors and other guys. Hopefully, I'll get more stuff for my Dark Angels - I intend to kitbash Mortalis Destroyers! Eventually...we'll see!

My Imperial Knights now Feel Pain

It's official, fellow Lords and Ladies. Imperial Knights are losing their 6+++ Feel No Pain.

Warhammer Community has revealed the 4 Knight Detachments in our new codex. I don't know if I'll get it, at least not in the near future (maybe a few months later). Not only have I run out of money, I'm currently focusing on Horus Heresy. But I'll get the Knight codex...eventually.

Anyway, Noble Lance is no more. No more 6+++ Feel No Pain. In his place, we get the Valorstrike Lance, which gives our Knights Assault and rerolls for advance. Oh, well. I'm probably more inclined toward Dauntless Defenders because Ryuusei Katanas used to be known as the Draconian Defenders. I think.

I won't be covering all the rules revealed - you can read the Warhammer Community article for that. I would love to, but I'm exhausted. I've been regularly working until past 8 or 9pm for the last couple of months, and by the time I finally sit down to catch up on news, it's almost 11.30pm. Hell, it's almost 1am now when I'm writing this, and I have to work again tomorrow. I couldn't even drop by Gamers @ Pi to pick up my Veletaris and Contemptor Dreadnought (I told you I'm focusing on Horus Heresy) because by the time I got off work, the game store had already closed.

...oh, well.

By the way, that yellow Knight might appear to be bearing the Ultramarine symbol on his shoulder pauldron, but he's House Hawkshroud. No, seriously. That ultima symbol is also a Hawkshroud thing. Also, the Knights for Dauntless Defenders are House Raven.

Anyway, I'll just go to bed now. Have fun reading the article. Honestly, aside from Crusade, I can't say I'm excited about the new Knight codex. Losing our Feel No Pain hurts (pun very much intended), and I'm not really a fan of Heroes of Legend because I feel like the Deeds are hard to complete (for me, anyway). I also like my Titanic Knights more than Armigers, so the Spearhead-at-Arms detachment don't really interest me. Valorstrike Lance seems like the old Knight Errant Bondsman ability, which is cool, but doesn't really fit my playstyle. In the end, it's either Questor Forgepact or Dauntless Defender (which probably wins by default, though I see the appeal in running my Skitarii alongside my Knights).

Frankly, I'd much rather play Horus Heresy with my titanic Knights and Yeomanry mesnie or automata talon, than 10th Edition. I don't know. I swear it's not because of Valrak, I just am not feeling it. Oh, I'll definitely play Crusade, though! I would love to play Crusade, for sure! Maybe that's what I need, focus on narrative, and to hell with the Detachments. I'm gonna create a story for my Knights.

Adios. じゃね。再见。See ya. (I'm going crazy because I'm exhausted, so don't mind me)

Imperial Militia is here!

The Imperial Militia is here! Games Workshop released a PDF for the army for Horus Heresy yesterday! I wanted to write about it then, but I worked until past 2am, and by the time I reached home, it was almost 3am. Obviously, I wasn't in any shape to write...well, anyway.

So, what has changed? Seems like the Imperial Militia has gotten more flexible and even had units added to their roster, particularly those from Necromunda and Genestealer Cultists from the 40K line. Their rules have a glowup - they are Irregulars, which allows you to score or contest objectives with them even when they suffer tactical statuses. Of course, they're limited to only scoring 1 victory point and Line doesn't count, but it still helps a lot to even the scoring despite having lots of them die. They do die if they get routed and run all the way to the edge of the table, though.

Vehicles retain their Third-Line rule, but now it means you suffer a hull point's worth of damage if you get glanced. I assume Armorbane weapons will deal 2 hull points worth of damage (or 1 + the damage of the Armorbane weapon). Super-heavy vehicles also suffer two hull points worth of damage if glanced. Ouch.

Now, on to the fun part: Provenances of War. They're more flexible than before, allowing you to mix and match without as many restrictions as during the first and second editions. Some are locked to specific allegiances, such as Traitor, though. So no running Tainted Flesh or Debased Rabble with Talons of the Emperor, for example.

Also, Imperial Militia only get one Provenance now. Hang on, calm down before you start screaming about nerfs. It's actually a buff because if you take a Force Commander with his Planetary Overlord Trait, you get a second Provenance, so you go back to square one - but it's a buff if you're taking an army without a Force Commander. Say, if for some reason you don't want to use the Special Assignment Prime Advantage to turn a Command into a High Command slot, or you just want to run several command troops for their amazing Officer of the Line (3) that unlocks 3 auxiliary detachments. Yes, you readd that right. Officer of the Line (3). Hell, yeah!

Anyway, what are the Provenancess of War?

Abhuman Master: Irregulars (basically non-vehicles and non-walkers and non-Ogryns) get +1 Strength, +1 WS, -1 BS, Impact (LD), and access to assault shields for 1 point each.

Alchem-jackers: Ignore negative modifiers to Leadership or Cool when making checks for Tactical Statuses, and access to Frenzon for 1 point each, which gives them Hatred (infantry, cavalry, automata) and Heedless.

Armory of Old Night: My good old Provenance for Ryuusei Katanas (or Household Militia). We keep our volkite chargers and volkite serpentas (for officers and sergeants), and they cost 5 points each now. Volkite culverins are now heavy weapons that cost 15 points each, so now my Grenadiers suddenly lost access to them and their loadout is illegal. However, they can take special weapons (2 per squad), which means they gained volkite calivers for 10 points each. Sure, I'll just swap the volkite culverins out for volkite calivers then.

However, the most insane upgrade is that now my Ryuusei Katanas have their Armor saves improved by +1, the tradeoff being they are Slow and Purposeful. That means my Grenadiers now have 3+ armor saves, putting them on par with Astartes legionnaires in terms of armor saves! WHAT IN THE HOLY EMPEROR'S NAME?!

Arms of the Omnissiah: Hooray, they combined the two pseudo-Skitarii rules! Now your Skitarii-wannabes have access to las-locks for the standard infantry troops (Grenadiers already have access by default, and they cost an extra point each), plus arc rifles in special weapons (again, 2 for Grenadiers, 1 for infantry troops). Not only that, they now can ride in Triaros armored conveyors as heavy transports and take an armored detachment of Krios tanks, but these vehicles get Third-Line and -1 BS.

Augmented Levy: The third pseudo-Skitarii that got left out and not combined with the other two, Irregulars gain Rite of Pure Thought, and Command Troops can repair automata for 2 points per model. Huh?

Cyber-augmetics: Good old original pseudo-Skitarii rule from both the first and second editions, not the three provenances we got from a 2nd edition Exemplary Battle. Irregulars infantry gain Eternal Warrior (1), which is hilarious when you consider that most of your non-Character infantry only have 1 wound. Could have been useful on, say, Cavalry or units, but nope. On the other hand, your multi-wound artillery dudes are tougher? So Field Guns, Ordnance Batteries, etc.? Bizarre, but what do I know?

Oh, they also get +1 Cool and Intelligence, as well as rad grenades for Characters costing 5 points each. No Feel No Pain or invulnerable saves. Sad. But rad.

Debased Rabble: Traitors only. The opposite of Cyber-augmetics, sort of, with +1 Cool but -1 Intelligence. Melee dudes and Officers get Tainted implements for 1 point each. Basically Rending (6+) melee weapons.

Feral Warriors: Irregulars get Impact (WS), but are forced to make an Intelligence Check whenever they're within 8" of an enemy unit. Failing that, they must charge that unit. But you were going to do that anyway...right? Also, they get paired close combat weapons for 3 points each. That just gives them an extra attack.

Gene-crafted: Irregulars get Light sub-type, or lose Heavy if they have Heavy sub-type. They also get needle pistols for 5 points each, assault needlers for 5, needle rifles as special weapons for 10, and needle cannons as heavy weapons for 15. Basically separating them out from volkite in Armory of Old Night, and making them more Necromunda-ish. Cool.

Imperialis Provosts: Irregular infantry without Expendable get +1 Cool, melee dudes and officers get shock mauls for 3 points each, and they also get webbers as special weapons for 3 points.

Industrial Levy: Irregulars get Move Through Cover, access to Heavy Industrial weapons for 8 points each, mining lasers and seismic cannons as special weapons for 15, heavy mining lasers and heavy seismic weapons as heavy weapons for 25. Start converting your Genestealer Cultists into Militia!

Kinfolk Helots: Squats, Space Dwarves, Heresy-era Votann, whatever you want to call them. Irregular infantry get +1 Toughness, but -1 Initiative and Movement. You can choose one Grenadier Troop in each detachment and upgrade them to Exo-riggers for 8 points per model, which makes them Heavy, Bulky (2) and Slow and Purposeful, improve their Armor save to 3+, gives them 6++ invulnerable, an Intelligence of 7, Sergeants get Battlesmith (1), and access to heavy industrial weapons for 8 points each, or a pair of industrial weapons for 10.

Legacy of the Great Crusade: Hell, yeah! It's back! Irregulars who are not Expendable get +1 BS, infantry troops get access to lasrifles for 1 point each, and rotor cannons are added to special weapons at 10 points.

Ogryn Conscripts: Ogryn brutes lose Heedless if they have Discipline Masters attached to them, and they can swap their assault shields for boarding shields for 2 points each.

Survivors of the Dark Age: All vehicles gain Auto-Repair (5+), and your dudes can ride in Rhinos, Termites and Land Carriers, but as usual, they get -1 BS and Third-Line. Would be hilarious to take this for your Yeomanry Mesnie to support your Knights with frakking self-repairing Land Raiders. God-Emperor.

Tainted Flesh: Irregulars get Aflame (1) and Impact (1). Ghost Riders, anyone? Rogue Psykers also get two psychic disciplines instead of one.

Voidbourne: Also separated from Armory of Old Night, these guys get Infiltrate (18) as long as they are Irregulars without Expendable and Bulky. Reconnaissance Troops or Command Troops can be upgraded to voidjumpers for 3 points per model, giving them Antigrav, Bulky (2), Deep Strike, Firestorm, Movement 10" and access to two pistols (2 laspistols will cost 1 point per model).

Warrior Elite: Irregulars get +1 Leadership to a maximum of 9, and may swap their Militia vexilla for auxillia vexilla for free, which helps rally your troops when they're routed.

Unending Horde: Infantry Troops and Levy Troops get Endless Horde (4+), which means you can replace them on a roll of 4+ whenever they're wiped out, by placing a "new" unit in Reserves. Obviously, attached Characters don't get revived, so no resurrecting your Force Commander or Discipline Master or Rogue Psyker when they die. Also, you can give your Command Troop and Infantry Troops Expendable (1) for 1 point per model.

Which is your favorite Provenance?

Imperial Militia players are eating good. In addition to these new Provenances, we also have an immense number of new detachments!

6 Apex detachments, giving us an insane number of whatever units we want to spam, whether they are Grenadiers or Ogryns, or maybe infantry. Or artillery and heavy weapons. We even have cavalry spam and tank spam (you can take up to 8 tanks - one being a Lord of War, thus allowing you to circumvent the 25% limits of the Lord of War detachment!) options for Apex.

Three auxiliary detachments give you one for an extra command slot accompanied by 4 supports for Medicae units only, a Storm Cadre for 2 Grenadiers if you don't want to take a Force Commander but still want to bring Grenadiers for an allied detachment, and Daemonic Manifestation that summons 3 units of Ruinstorm Daemon Brutes, but only for Imperial Militia armies who brought Rogue Psykers.

So what does that mean for my Imperial Militia? Either I have the volkite culverins count as bulky, old-fashioned volkite calivers, or I just cut them off and equip them with volkite calivers. I....don't think I want to do that, so I'll just pretend they are distinctive volkite calivers. They fit my Yeomanry Mesnie for my Knights really well, taking up the 2 Elite slots. Perhaps I might get cavalry to join them in the future, or a squad of Snipers. I don't really want to bring Gorgons, though. Unless they're fine with me proxying a Stormlord as a Gorgon or something...or I kitbash a Stormlord into a Gorgon. maybe.

Rules-wise, they're...fine? But I find myself wondering if I should just take Solar Auxilia instead. After all, the same loadout on a 10-men Veletaris squad costs 90 points (95 with vox interlock), minus 2 shots from the volkite calivers, and they're already hitting on 3+ instead of 4+ with their BS4. Plus they have access to Dracosan Armored Transports. There's...no reason to take Armory of Old Night Imperial Militia over Veletaris Solar Auxilia. The only edge they have over their Solar Auxilia counterparts is a 3+ armor save, but I'm paying over 50% more for them (145 points for a squad with 8 volkite chargers and 2 volkite calivers). Are they worth it? Even if I say fluff, for all intents and purposes, Veletaris Solar Auxilia with volkite chargers are identical, aside from the better BS and worse armor save.

I honestly don't know. What do you think?

List building with Liber Auxilia

I finally got my hands on Liber Auxilia, and now I shall proceed to list build with the models I have, and the ones I'll be getting in the very near future (already ordered a few of them, just a matter of waiting for them to be delivered). As always, we'll begin with a bit of the lore, though...quite frankly, there's no change. Saturnyne Ordo and Jovian Void Clans formed the basis for these elite unaugmented troops of humanity, and Solar Auxilia are the elite pinnacle, forming 25% of the Imperial Army, etc. Not much to see here.

Anyway, we'll first begin with my Legatine Command Section, which I already assembled after getting the Solar Auxilia Battlegroup last year (March 2024, to be exact). Or actually, this version was assembled in August last year, with me kitbashing Veletaris models to be command squad veterans - hence, you'll notice they're all in Veletaris void armor, rather than the standard void armor of lasrifle tercios. The Legate Marshal has a paragon blade and archaeotech pistol, and I have 4 Lifewards, one has a Cohorts vexilla, one has a command vox, and two have plasma pistols and power swords. The Lifeward with the vexilla is also equipped with a plasma pistol and a power sword, just because. This brings their cost up to 200 points. I'll be choosing the Mechanized Patterned Cohort Doctrine because I love tanks, and my guys are quite literally a mechanized force, anyway, with all my infantry riding in Dracosan Armored transports.

I will be kitbashing a Veletaris Command Section soon, giving them a single command vox. The lieutenant has a volkite serpenta and a power sword to signify his status as an officer. I'll give the remaining three Veletarii storm axes, which will bring them up to 104 points. Rounding up the command staff would be an armored command section, a Leman Russ tank with a volkite macro-saker (or twin lascannon, which I'll magnetize if possible), a hull lascannon and a flare shield for 180 points.

The infantry consists of two Veleteris Storm Sections at 95 points each, all armed with volkite chargers and a single vox interlock. They are supported by 4 Hermes Veletaris Sentinels in a single squadron, all armed with volkite calivers and costing 80 points. The Logistical Benefit will be used for a Dracosan Armored Transport with twin lascannons and flare shield for 160 points. They'll be riding in 2 Dracosan Armored Transports with demolisher cannons and flare shields at 195 points each. This fills my Veletaris Tercio detachment, and the total cost of that is 820 points.

Speaking of Aethon Heavy Sentinel, there's this awesome artwork where we take down a Contemptor Dreadnought with a melta lance. Humanity, f yeah! We mortals can beat Astartes!

I'll have to unlock a heavy support detachment with my primary Crusade detachment, the Legatine Command Section, for an Aethon Heavy Sentinel squadron of 3, armed with melta lances and Aethon missile battery for 240 points.

4 Leman Russ assault tanks make up 2 Armor Tercio detachments, which I have access to thanks to taking the Mechanized Patterned Cohort. 2 are equipped with executioner plasma destroyers and lascannons for 175 points each, while the other two retain their volkite marco-sakers, but unlike the Tank Commander, they swap their hull weapon for multi-lasers and have pintle multi-lasers too. They only cost 150 points each. The total tercio cost will be 650 points. Nice.

The Logistical Benefit in the primary crusade detachment will unlock the Valdor Tank Destroyer,who has a sponson lascannon and a flare shield, so he costs 255 points. Rounding out my armored cohort is a Stormblade super-heavy tank with 2 sponson lascannons and two twin heavy bolters for 540 points.

That brings me to 2,989 points. I have 11 points left over for a 6th Veletaris with storm axe for the Veletaris command setction, which will add nicely to a total of 3,000 points. Nice. There's also the option of taking away the power sword from the vexilla bearer (since he's technically only holding a plasma pistol) and swapping the melta lances on my Aethon Heavy Sentinels for volkite culverins, which will give me another 44 points, to round up my Veletaris command section to 10 men for 3,000 points.

Alternatively, I can downgrade my Legatine Command Section to a Tactical Command Section, though the captain has a power fist and plasma pistol as opposed to a paragon blade and archaeotech pistol. Everyone else is the same, so they cost 170 points, giving me another 30 points to play with. I'll just take out 2 Hermes Veletaris Sentinels to free up another 40 points. Adding that to the 11 points (since I will not be taking a 6th storm axe Veletaris in this scenario), the consequent 81 points mean I can bring a Carnodon strike tank for 80 points with his volkite culverin and two sponson volkite calivers. Now you see why I took out 2 Hermes Veletaris Sentinels? I already have 2 volkite calivers on my Carnodon strike tank, so they're kind of redundant! However, if I really want to go all in on volkite, I could swap the melta lances for volkite culverins and keep the Hermes Veletaris Sentinels to free up the 39 points I need to get the 80 for my Carnodon strike tank.

I have a lot of volkite in my list, especially if I decide to arm my Aethon Heavy Sentinels with volkite culverins instead of melta lances. But I have way too much volkite. I mean, 43 volkite shots from my Veletaris Command Section and Storm Sections alone, 8 from my Hermes Veletaris Sentinel squadron, and 24 Damage 2 volkite shots from my Leman Russ tanks (16 if I go for twin lascannons on the Tank Commander). If I swap my 2 Hermes Veletaris Sentinel for my Carnodon strike tank, I have another 7-8 volkite shots, minus 4, which is an additional 3-4 overall. That's a total of 75 or 78-79 Strength 5/6 shots in a single army. That's a lot of dakka. Of course, it drops to 67 or 70-71 if I use twin lascannons for my Tank Commander. Do I really need another 9-12 volkite shots from my Aethon Heavy Setinels? If I want to go all in on volkites, I can arm my Aethon Heavy Sentinels with volkite culverins. That will bring me up to 84-87 (extra Hermes Veletarii Sentinels) or 87-91 (Carnodon strike tank). Or 91-95 volkite shots if I went all in on volkite as previously mentioned, at the cost of antitank. Of course, if I'm taking volkite culverins over melta lances, I might as well swap the volkite on the Carnodon strike tank for lascannons at the expense of 2 Hermes Veletaris Sentinels, which will bring it down to 80-83 volkite shots.

Comparatively, my antitank weaponry is lacking. My Valdor tank hunter, 3 hull lascannons on my Leman Russ Assault tanks (plus twin lascannons if I take that over the volkite macro-saker), the twin lascannons on my Dracosan Armored Transport, 2 Demolisher cannons also from Dracosans, along with the Stormblade are all that stand between me and armored foes. That's like, what, 8-10 lascannon shots, 2 neutron beam lasers, 2 Demolisher blasts and 1 gigantic Damage 5/7 plasma blast? Doesn't sound too bad, actually. Anyway, having an extra 3 melta shots might be helpful if I face a tank-heavy opponent, but I can chop and equip however I see fit. As said above, swapping volkite for lascannons on my Carnodon strike tank will give me 4 additional lascannon shots, bringing it up to 12-14 along with the others.

Also, I can just play an armor cohort with just tanks - an Armored Command Section, 4 Leman Russ Assault tanks, my Stormblade and Valdor Tank Hunter cost 1,625 points, which means they can serve as allies to my Thousand Sons or Dark Angels or Mechanicum. For example, a Legio Cybernetica list with my Archmagos Prime, a Magos, 2 Tech-priests, 2 Castellax battle-automata, 4 Castellax Destructor battle-automata, 1 Domitar battle-automata, a Thantar-Cavas siege-automata and a Thanatar-Calix siege-automata will cost me 1,665 points. That puts me in excess of 290 points, so I'll need to drop something. Maybe the Thanatar-Cavas siege automata and one Tech-priest, which frees 25 points.

The Veletaris and their Dracosan Armored Transports can serve as Yeomanry Mesnie for my Knights - 570 points. Alternatively, if I want to play them as allies, the command section, storm sections and their transports will cost 1,219 points. Either way, if I were to ally them to the Legio Cybernetica Mechanicum force above, that brings me to 2,884 points! I have 116 left over, but I can swap the Aetheon Heavy Sentinel squadron for 2 Krios Venator tanks with 6 points remaining. Nice.

Anyway, it's been a fun exercise! I'll add this as a note when I start fleshing out my lists for my Thousand Sons and Dark Angels! My Solar Auxilia will be the perfect Legiones Auxilia for them!

New Dark Angels Centurion, Dreadnaught torso and swap of weapons

I finally assembled my Dark Angels Centurion! Well, he's a Praetor, but I'm running him as a Centurion. I also assembled the Dark Angels Contemptor Dreadnaught torso. I can't wait to piece him together with the plastic Contemptor Dreadnaught kit! I'll be assembling him with...you guessed it, plasma. Gravis plasma cannon and plasma blaster in power fist. I'm all about plasma, and so are my Dark Angels!

Honestly, I would have assembled them last week, but my Army Painter super glue hardened. It has been 5 months since I bought it, so I guess it's...normal. Ordered a new one from Rogue Trader in Singapore, and they shipped it almost immediately! Yay!

I didn't just work on the Centurion/Praetor and the Contemptor Dreadnought torso. I used the opportunity to swap weapons. As melee Veterans can no longer take plasma guns (or special weapons), or rather, Retinue command squads can't take special weapons with melee weapons, the plasma gun plus power sword loadout is now illegal. So I simply swapped the guy's plasma gun with a plasma pistol, and then glued the plasma gun to my Numerologist, cutting the bolt pistol he used to have and just giving him an aetherfire blaster.

Thousand Sons and aetherfire. That's the theme of my Thousand Sons. Once I get the MKII guys from Saturnine, I'll be arming them all with aetherfire blasters. Probably 2 squads, each paired with a single Castellax-Achea battle automata, since each support detachment only has 2 support slots each.

I...just don't know what my Numerologist is supposed to do now. He's a terrible Techmarine, if I were to be honest, and his psychic powers do nothing for my robots or infantry. Oh, well.

Castellax Battle Maniple

I assembled my Castellax battle maniple!

After the change to the Force Organization Chart, and the new Liber Mechanicum categorizing my current automata as Castellax Destructor Maniple in the Heavy Assault slots, I had to go procure a standard mauler cannon pattern Castellax battle automata maniple to fill in the support slot. Oh, well. But at least I have a Legio Cybernetica army ready to go.

Only automata I'm waiting for is for the Domitar battle automata to be released in plastic. Maybe Vorax, which I might get if they're released in plastic too.

I also assembled the multimelta and darkfire cannon as spares, along with the automata power blades. I mean, it's possible I might get more Castellax in future, so having a spare multimelta and a spare pair of power blades might help!

Legacies of the Age of Darkness

Good news, everybody! The PDF for the Legacies of the Age of Darkness is now available for download! WOOHOO! Go download it at the Warhammer Community Horus Heresy download page! NOW! That's an order!

My focus will be on Thousand Sons and maybe a bit of Dark Angels, then Solar Auxilia and Mechanicum, because these are the armies I own. Yes, even Dark Angels because I'm a plasma guy. That said, I'll only be talking about Destroyers and Dreadwing stuff because I'm a plasma guy and I like Dreadwing (though I also have Deathwing, but that's, like, whatever, man). Plasma repeaters are nerfed to the ground - for 5 more points than a normal plasma gun, they have 1 more shot but at lower Strength and lower range. Not sure if they're worth it. Oh, well.

Interemptors can now take a vexilla and the Sergeant can take melta bombs and phosphex bombs. Not my guys, though, they're sticking to plasma.

Destroyers are back, but what's funny is that both versions - Mortalis and Assault - are now Heavy Assault slots as opposed to Support like the Interemptors. Huh. Well, I'll take that. Now I need to start scrounging for volkite Serpentas...interestingly, another thing I might consider adding to my Dark Angels is a Veteran Heavy Support squad (since I already have the Retinue and Heavy Assault filled for that) - equipping them with 5 heavy disintegrators might be hilarious. They'll probably die from the sheer weight of overloads, though...but worth it? Who knows? But quite frankly, if they're going to die from firing their disintegrator rifles anyway, I might as well go big and go all in.

Thousand Sons have their aetherfire blasters back. At first glance, I wondered why you'd take them. Like the plasma repeaters, they're 5 more points than a normal plasma gun, but they don't get maximal fire (meaning no increased Strength and no Breaching 5+). So why would you pay 5 more points for them?

Then it hit me. They are all Damage 2 without any Overload. Repeat after me. Aetherfire weapons are all Damage 2 without any Overload. That includes our Aetherfire pistols. Holy Terra. Also, remember the whole Corvidae Rending 5+ shots I was talking about the other day? Let's do the math. 10 guys shooting 2 shots of plasma, roughly 14 hits, and 2-3 Breaching shots. With Corvidae's Fated Shots giving us Rending 5+, we increase that to 7 Breaching shots from the hits alone, plus maybe 1 more from the remaining 7. That's 8 Damage 2 Breaching (AP2) shots, all without the risk of overloading. Doubling the damage means they're much better at killing Terminators and Dreadnoughts now - formerly, even if you overload, you get like 9 Damage 1 AP2 shots, that's only about 4 dead Terminators. Now you have 8. Also, you can kill Dreadnoughts more easily (might be overkill, though?).

Ha ha. HA HA HA HA HA! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!

Eat my plasma, Pardo-hater leaker dude! Who's the retard now, eh? EH?!

And we have asphyx pistols and bolters back, for those of you who want Rending 6+ without having to resort to Corvidae. I'll just take my chances with perils.

Numerologist Cabal is back. This time, he just gets 2 powers, which is Foresight's Blessing from Divination to give us 5+ Precision,  and Mind-burst from Telepathy to remove a tactical status from an enemy unit, force them to fall back and take a Leadership check, and if they fail, they're routed. Aside from that, he's identical to last edition, retaining his Life Wards and all the wargear. Hmm, I don't know what to do with him, as an Elites choice, he doesn't really fit my army now. We'll see, I guess.

Solar Auxilia has their Companion Section back as a Retinue (I told you so, who were the dudes who downvoted me on Reddit?). So plasma spam is back on the table. Apex Detachment, 3 Retinues of 30 guys with plasma. Hah! Tarantulas can only take heavy bolter and lascannon options, so a hard pass. Carnodon is now Fast Attack, which boggles my mind.

BUT the important thing is the super-heavy tanks! They're all better now! They have a huge discount, so a Baneblade is 520 points (560 with sponsons), for example. My Stormblade is 500 points (540 with sponsons)! They're no longer the ridiculous 650 (previously 750, even) points from last edition. Woohoo! Also, I'm not sure if I'm reading this right because it's utterly ridiculous if true, but my plasma blastgun is Strength 8 AP2 Damage 5 without overloading?! And if I overload with maximal fire, it goes up to Strength 9 AP2 Damage 7? Wait, what?! How is this even a thing? Damage 7 plasma? Am I reading that right? I know it's a Titan weapon, but still...?!

Thank you, God-Emperor of Mankind. My Stormblade and Solar Auxilia are going to drown everything in plasma now.

Mechanicum retains the Arlatax, who...quite frankly, sucks? He's stuck with the same nerfed plasma cannon as the Astartes', meaning it's Strength 6 even if you maximal fire it. With only Damage 1, Strength 6 and Breaching 5+, but Overload 2, yeah...the poor plasma cannon just sucks now.

Funnily enough, Mechanicum Tarantulas have more options than their Solar Auxilia counterparts, even getting volkite culverins and melta array. Whoa. Pretty cool. I might want one...we also get all our Ordinatus back, so those who were worried can rest assure that their Titan-sized Ordinatus are back on the menu. So rejoice, servants of the Omnissiah!

Huh, that's it for now, I think? All the rest, you can read for yourself. Since they aren't armies I have, I'll give them a miss. Have fun!

List building with Liber Mechanicum, and Skitarii...Covenants? Plus millions of automata!

Today, it's the Mechanicum's turn! This one is a lot harder...

As usual, before I begin, I'll probably touch a bit on the lore. There's...no change, so far as I can tell. It's mostly copy-pasted from the 2nd edition Liber Mechanicum and the 1st edition's old black books. There are a few subtle differences, though, in terms of names...and numbers! Hah!

Do you remember in my Retrospective article about the Legio Cybernetica where I attempt to estimate the numbers based off various Apocrypha lore? So each maniple consists of 3-5 robots, and each cohort is composed of 100 or less maniples. On the upper end, you have like 500 robots per cohort, and with thousands of them, that means at least 1-2 million robots on the lower end.

As it turns out, I have grossly underestimated the number of automata.

In the new Liber Mechanicum, we have actual, hard numbers. The Legio Cybernetica is broken down into myriad self-contained and independent units known as Cohorts, and...guess what? Each cohort is formed of roughly 25,000 battle-automata and a cadre of a few hundred tech-priests and magi bound to the Cohort and commanded by a single Archmagos. Each Cohort also commands their own support networks, mobile workshops, transports, battlefield vehicles, orbital landers and even star vessels. Considering there were several thousand Cohorts active during the outbreak of the Horus Heresy, that means we have at least 50 million battle-automata running around the galaxy.

Holy Omnissiah...a minimum of 50 million battle-automata, and maybe over 100 million battle-automata. If there are like 10,000 Cohorts, wouldn't that mean like 250 million battle-automata? Nah, surely we don't have that many, right? Maybe 125 million would be a good estimate. Still an immense number of robots in the Imperium.

Wow. Omnissiah on Mars. My mind has been blown. The sheer scale of all this...

Anyway, another thing. We no longer have Legiones Skitarii or the Skitarii Legions. There's been a subtle change in their nomenclature, and now they're known as Skitarii Covenants, or the Skitarii Conclaves instead. Known as the Mechanicum Protectors, they are not members of the priesthood and instead follow their own unique martial traditions and sub-cult of the Omnissiah. The Skitarii Covenants follow their own secretive oaths rather than the authority of any Forge World and bowed only to the Fabricator General. Presumably of Mars, not just any random Forge World Fabricator General.

The Titan Legions or Legio Titanicus have also been changed to Titan Orders. Not Legions. Orders. I think they're trying to distinguish between the Legiones Astartes or Space Marine Legions from the other forces, and using Legions for everything like Legiones Skitarii and Legio Titanicus will make everything confusing (really? I don't think so). They want to individualize each force, so now the Skitarii Legions are Skitarii Covenants and Titan Legions are Titan Orders.

Right. Okay...bro. Whatever you say. Honestly, it's not a major retcon. It doesn't really change anything. However, I'm looking forward to whatever they're cooking for the Skitarii. We had their reveal a couple of months ago about plastic Skitarii models for Mechanicum, and the renaming of Skitarii Legions to Skitarii Covenants might be significant there. Who knows? I certainly don't. We'll have to ask the Foil. Someone hop onto Valrak's stream and poke him about this. I wonder if his whispers in the warp mentioned anything about Skitarii in the Horus Heresy.

Anyway, back to list-building. Like the Knight army I have yesterday, I think I actually have more than enough to put together a 3,000-points list without allies. No Solar Auxilia teaming up with my automata because there's no room for them, not if I want to bring my Mechanicum Knights along. Oh, the horror!

I start with my Archmagos Prime, which is the new plastic model from last year, with his Thanatar buddies. He's equipped with a cortex controller, cyber-familiar, machinator array, corposant stave, volkite serpenta, Overcharged Reaction and conversion beamer for 220 points. He's backed up by a Magos who also has a cortex controller, cyber-familiar and Overcharged Reaction, but this Cybernetica Magos has a power sword, Archaeotech pistol and servo-arm instead, for 175 points. They're supported further by 2 Tech-priests with cortex controller, cyber-familiar, power axes, servo-arms and Overcharged Reaction, for 90 points each.

My Castellax Destructor Maniples are 190 points for the multimelta and power blades ones, and 180 points for the duo with Darkfire cannons. That's the Heavy Assault slot. The Archmagos with the Cybernetica Techno-arcana will unlock the Apex Command maniple for me, which will let me field a 150-point Castellax Battle Maniple, a single Domitar battle-automata for 100 points, and the 245-point Thanatar-Calix siege-automata. The Logistical Benefit will unlock the Thanatar-Cavas siege-automata, which is 225 points. The automata are backed up by an Armor detachment of 2 Krios Venators that cost 350 points in total. Our Lord of War is a Cerastus Knight Atrapos at 600 points. I'll give him Medicant Affiliation, so that I can unlock 4 Armiger slots, which I'll fill with an Armiger Moirax with dual conversion beam cannons for 205 points and a second Armiger Moirax with 2 lightning locks for 175 points. That brings me up to 2,995 points.

I have like 4 Characters for the 3 Castellax maniples and 1 Thanatar, while the Domitar and remaining Thanatar will have Paragon of Metal. No idea what to do with the logistical benefit, only thing I can do now is improve the intelligence of the Tech-priests or something.

Well, that's that. The only thing I can do now is wait for plastic Domitar automata.

List building with the new Liber Questoris and cool Strategic Disposition stuff

I've bought the new Liber Questoris and Liber Mechanicum, so I can start assembling my guys into armies now! I'll first start with Knights. Before that, let's have a deep dive into the lore in these books! I see some new stuff for Knights, especially. Yay!

We now have a Strategic Disposition of a Knight Household, which is really cool. In addition to Household assets, which include planetary and tribulatory domains, void flotillas, household armory and Household support chambers that consist of Sacristans, provenders, aedificators, scribes, etc., they are usually composed of banners of Knights. Most Knight banners are comprised of multiple armors of the same broad class (e.g. Questoris or Cerastus, while lances are configured to be tactically flexible, with specialist lances among the ranks of larger knight households. Needless to say, at the top of the Household Aristocracy is the High Monarch, or whatever title you want for the guy ruling your Knight Household. For House Yato, it's the Shogun.

The simplest unit of a Knight Household is the banner, led by a Lord Scion and composed of 1-5 Knight armors, depending on class. Banner assets might include Armiger Talons, which vary from 2-8 Knight Armigers, Automata Maniples, Yeomanry Detachments or even individual Freeblade Knights. A High Scion commands about 3 banners, which make up a single lance, much like how 3 platoons make up a company. Lance assets include Auxiliary Knight banners (1-4 Acastus or Achaeus class Knight armors), Freeblade banners that might consist of 2-6 Knight banners, Automata Talons of about 2-4 Maniples, Yeomanry Mesnies of varying numbers and sometimes accompanied by hundreds of levied serfs, Sacristan Conclaves, Provender support retinues, Drop-keeps and Knight Carriers.

Multiple lances - up to dozens of lances, if necessary - are commanded by a Seneschal, who leads a muster. You can think of a muster as the equivalent of a battalion or regiment, which is comprised of many companies. For example, the Tanith First and Only regiment is composed of over twenty companies. So that's your version of a Muster. Muster assets are comprised of Yeomanry Hosts, seconded Auxiliary forces such as Solar Auxilia Sub-cohorts, Mechanicum Macrotek Covenants, Imperialis Armada Air Wings, etc., Titan Overseer Maniples, Macro-landers and air-defense assets, and warships and void-capable transport vessels. Essentially, a Muster is a self-sufficient army in itself.

Apparently, three Musters fall under the command of Household Representatives, which can be an Archmagos-Prelate when present, Sacristans Prime, Yeomanry Marshals - the commanders of Yeomanry Mesnie, or basically our Household Militias - and Flotilla Captains. These Household Representatives answer to the Baronial Court, which consists of Household Family Dynasts (whatever that means, probably the heads of individual , noble households), Specialist Knightly Order Representatives, Veteran Companions and Household Standard Bearers. All of whom will hold fancy Knight titles like you'd see in the older codices, like, uh, Gatekeepers or whatever.

There are endless variations of Knightly or noble titles for the myriad Households of the Questoris Familia, so for the counterpart for another House's High Monarch would be the Shogun of House Yato, for example. Or Suzerain-Designate, a High Scion Viceroy and a Lord Scion Marquise if you dislike High Monarch/King/Queen. Similarly, musters, lances and banners are not necessarily termed as such or numbered, and might instead frequently have distinctive titles of either allegorical natures or directly derived from the name of their commanding scion. For example, a banner of House Yato might be the Honoo no Ryu (Flame Dragon), led by the Lord Scion or Taicho Tanaka, piloting the Knight Errant, Kazan (Volcano). Something like that.

The Questoris Familia do possess "lesser" military forces to serve them upon the battlefield to accomplish more mundane strategic objectives, which we term Household Retainers. These are our Armiger, Yeomanry and Automata divisions, which are the Knight Household's most common retainer forces. Interestingly, though Armiger Knights are less costly and complicated to fabricate than full-scale Knight armors, and are found within almost all Households, a high Armiger-to-scion ratio often indicates a Household in decline. Better start getting rid of my Armigers then, eh?

The Questoris Yeomanry are as varied as the armies of the Imperialis Auxilia - meaning they are basically Imperial Army that happen to serve Knight Households - and range from impoverished peasants pressed into mass levies to veteran soldiers patterned after the elite of the Solar Auxilia, though in Questoris Mechanicum Households, they are often substituted for forces drawn from their patron Forge World's Taghmata. It'll be interesting to see how the new Imperial Militia rules will change for 3rd edition. Hopefully, we get to keep Grenadiers as Troops and not move them to Elites, and retain Armory of Old Night so that I can continue running my Ryuusei Katanas volkite grenadiers as Yeomanry Mesnie (Household Militia) for my Knights of House Yato. No tanks, though, which is a pity. Oh, and I think this is a sign of the Forge World provenances for pseudo-Skitarii to be kitbashed for Imperial Militia, which is really cool! Lots of possibilities!

Household Automata, in contrast to Skitarii Yeomanry Mesnie, are conversely rarer outside of Mechanicum Vassal Households, gained through pacts of mutual support by the larger Questoris Imperialis Households where their Mechanicum counterparts are usually furnished with hosts of deadly battle-automata as a matter of course. Cool!

Now list-building. Let's start off with a single Knight Questoris - the base cost is 400 points for a Knight with 2 Reaper chainswords and a heavy stubber. Uh, nope. My Knight Errant with a meltagun and Stormspear rocket pod will cost me 440 points. Oh, well. A Knight Preceptor with a las-impulsor, Avenger gatling cannon, multi-laser and twin Icarus autocannon will be 450 points. My Knight Castigator is 480 points and my Knight Lancer is 480 points. In total, that will be 1,850 points. That leaves me with 150 points for 2,000-point games. That's exactly the price of a Castellax battle-automata maniple of 2 I can bring along with my Knight Preceptor. Whoa! Awesome! That's the Honoo no Ryuu banner I mentioned earlier, led by Sir Tanaka piloting his Knight Errant, Kazan.

For 3,000-point games, I'll bring a Knight Atrapos, and I have 400 points left over. Now I'll need to wait for the Imperial Militia list to see how I can fill out the rest of the list, but I will want a Domitar battle maniple for 100 points, so I have 300 points left for my Imperial Militia. I don't have a Domitar automata yet, but I'll buy one the moment he's released in plastic. I'm not touching the resin version.

There you go! My Knight list! Knight Preceptor will be Preceptor, Castigator will be Scion Implacable. Lancer will be Scion Uhlan. Depending on whether it's 2,000 points or 3,000 points, my Knight Errant will be the Lord Scion or Scion Martial to unlock my Lord Scion Atrapos.

In the meantime, I might just fill out the remaining 300 points with Imperial Militia or Solar Auxilia, depending on when the Imperial Militia PDF will be released. Anyway, that's all for today. I might do the Mechanicum one tomorrow, or I might assemble my newly acquired third box of Castellax battle maniple for my Legio Cybernetica. Till then!

Math for plasma

If you remember the leaker dude, he posted on imgur the leaks of weapon profiles for Horus Heresy 3.0, and he was pretty, uh, vocal and angry about it. I mean, just look at his furious words at the bottom of the image. So if I think plasma is decent, I'm apparently a "retard."

It's not that I don't understand. Aside from the guy needing therapy, anger management and probably a ban for harassing poor Pardo, I do think plasma is...actually kind of bad this edition. Breaching 4+ went down to 5+, though 6+ and lower Strength if you want to play it safe (you'll still be wounding Astartes on 2+, though). But that's like 33% (67% on safe mode) less effective in terms of taking down both power armor and terminator armor dudes. Gone are the days of plasma as anti-Terminator equivalent weapons. With them being bumped to 2 wounds, and now Toughness 5 means you'll have to overload your plasma gun if you want to continue wounding them on 2+ instead of 3+, they...are just not as effective anymore. Meltaguns are better anti-Terminator weapons, particularly against the new Saturnine Terminators, while plasma is...what exactly is plasma's role now?

They are high Strength weapons, so they can be light anti-tank, though I don't fancy my chances of glancing AV12 vehicles on 5+. Might give them tactical statuses, I guess. They wound infantry, most of them anyway, on 2+, which makes them more effective than boltguns, but are they really worth paying 10 points each and taking up a support slot? At least the plasma cannons (and the heavier plasma weapons) are damage 2, but they're mostly blast. The one upside, aside from the nerfed Breaching, is that rapid fire as a trait is gone now, and plasma guns can fire 2 shots from their full 24" instead of needing you to be within 12" for 2 shots. So I guess you're safer from charges, and you can make more shots at longer range now? But that's still not worth the extra 10 points and Support slot, is it?

Let me offer a hypothetical (now I'm sounding like Ultramarines, but Thousand Sons do this too because we're scholars) scenario. I have 10 Thousand Sons plasma gunners. That's 20 shots. In Heresy 2.0, with a BS4, we average about 14 hits (rounded up), and 7 of those are Breaching wounds resolved at AP2. Not bad.

In Heresy 3.0, with the nerfed Breaching, we'll only have roughly 4 Breaching shots (5 if I round up), and that's only if we overload our guns (which basically puts us back in square one). Ouch. If you want to play it safe, you can fire without overloading, and that's...2 Breaching shots. 3 if you want to round up. And you're wounding Terminators on 3+ instead, which is...well, we're ignoring those because we want to focus on Breaching shots for now, as those are what kill Terminators, and it's unlikely they'll fail their 2+ saves anyway.

However, what if I tell you there's a way to make them decent? Thanks to my scholarly tendencies and my legion being Thousand Sons, I might perhaps have a way to make plasma guns for us work a little more efficiently than they did in Heresy 2.0. That doesn't mean they're worth it, mind you. If you think plasma was decent in 2.0, then hell yeah, this works out. If you don't because you think Breaching 4+ is still bad, then...well, nothing has changed, except that plasma is slightly better for my Thousand Sons.

Huh? What are you talking about? You may ask. Well, with the newly updated Prosperine Arcana, I present to you the Corvidae's Fated Shots Blessing. Sure, you run the risk of Perils of the Warp, but thankfully I'll just shunt them off to my Castellax-Achea, which retains his ability to take the hits for us when we peril, but let's run the math for now. Fated Shots gives us Rending 5+, which means we automatically wound on hit rolls of 5s and 6s, and these wounds count as being resolved as 6s. Which means they count as Breaching wounds. Hell, yeah.

So what does that mean, mathematically? It means that out of 20 hits rolls, about 7 of them automatically breach. Just the Rending hits alone make us equal the average tally of Breaching wounds in 2.0! The remaining 7 hits will produce another 2 wounds, which means you average about 9 breaching wounds at AP2. That's 2 better than Heresy 2.0's 7! If you play it safe, it goes down to about 8 wounds, which means no-overload does 1 more than the number of Breaching Wounds in Heresy 2.0, without the risk of blowing yourself up (but with the risk of perils, which is mitigated by Castellax-Achea, but you're paying an extra 80 or so points on top of that).

So...are plasma weapons worth it with Corvidae's Fated shots? It depends on whether you thought they were worth it in 2.0. If you didn't, nothing has changed and you can continue to avoid plasma. If you didn't mind the Breaching 4+, then you can play your plasma tactical support squads as Corvidae to get a slightly better number of Breaching wounds than in 2.0!