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)