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So I'm gettinback into the hobby after years of hiatus.Was thinking about running all battlesuit Tau, but maybe I can do something more interesting. I realized that now the Adeptus Mechanicus have an army/ies I can now field an awesome idea I've had for awhile: Cult of the Void Dragon.
I mean we all know that the Void Dergan probably is the machine spirit slumbering beneath Mars, it makes total sense that if the Cult Mechanicus found out they would worship the VD as it really is the machine god. Also I can't stand the whole "for the Emprah!" thing so this is a nice way to play Mechanicus/Skitari without the being on the Imperiums side.

What I ask from you guys is: what kind of backstory ideas could I use, some paint scheme ideas, and what models would make for a fluffy yet reasonably competitive 1,500pt list?
I have some ideas but would love to hear what y'all have to say. Besides my creativity is in dire need of a resurrection

How would you want to play it?

Okay so you could either be a rogue Mechanicus Forgeworld either with or without an STC or other valuable information.
This is the most dangerous option, as either way, the Imperium is going to fight to bring you back into the fold.

You could also be a Forgeworld who was never brought back into the Imperium during the Great Crusade, and is now making efforts at establishing your own empire of sorts.
This one isn't very dangerous, until you encounter the Imperium.

You could be an rebellious exploratory fleet, who found out about Necrons and spoke to some Crypteks, learned about the Void Dragon Ctan. Revelation. Etc.
Least dangerous for your faction fluffwise, as the Imperium may never learn about your rebellion.

Then theres the Dark Mechanicus, which is just chaos sponsored.

Those are the most likely scenarios.

As far as paint jobs, the first two allow you to literally do anything, but you'll most likely splash red in there in some way, as almost every Mechanicus Faction does this.
The Necron one will allow the most flair to it, since they could respect/worship the Necrons as the final goal of the Mechanicus, and therefore paint themselves in that color.
This could result in a alot of green accents and shiny silver, or you could base it on the Dynasty that they encounter.
The last paint is chaos. Make it chaos. Spikes, Blood, Warpflame. Whatever.

Finally, as far as models go, get War Convocation. Fluff really doesn't matter, but most Forgeworlds have a Knight World nearby as a defense measure, so you could base it around that.
An exploratory fleet might be taking some Skitarii in stasis or a Knight with them depending on their initial mission and the danger involved. Probably to collect an artifact/STC of some kind.

Yeah didn't wanna use electropriests cause they where too organic for my theme.
I heard something theres a way to use drop pods with Mechanicus/skitari? Their lack of mobility and transports is kinda annoying considering theu are the Adeptus Mechanicus and make all the Imperiums vehicles

yes.

you can use the allies matrix found in the rulebook to ally in drop pods from the space marine, blood angel, or dark angel codexes.

it is a very strong way of playing ad mech, especially with a war convocation, lots of fast, powerful shooting.

Gus Angleford wrote:
Yeah didn't wanna use electropriests cause they where too organic for my theme.
I heard something theres a way to use drop pods with Mechanicus/skitari? Their lack of mobility and transports is kinda annoying considering theu are the Adeptus Mechanicus and make all the Imperiums vehicles

If you're concerned with fluffy army over competitive, drop pods basically pigeonhole you into being an exploratory fleet.
That's the only reason skitarii would use drop pods.
The fluff makes a point that they only walk, and hate forms of transport. Something about honoring their skitarii progenitors.
They leave their posts months in advance to make it to a battlefield, rather than fly or ride.
Even their mechs are walkers.