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 Azreal13 wrote:
Meh.

It isn't like the design team reached into my head with the infantry kit, but I don't dislike them.

Really, really conflicted about the Robochicken.

I'm pleased that people are liking them, I'm relieved that I'm not so taken with them that I'll feel compelled to add any to my already adequate collection of armies. Yet, at least.

I think the Robochicken wins me over on bizarre points alone. It's got the penitent engine feel to it. I'm even thinking that adding some wiring could make it look even more grotesque.

Hollismason wrote:
Oh wait isn't there still some sort of tank walker or whatever?

Additional query:

I think there is a small picture of it somewhere in the thread; but is it quadraped or a tripedal design? Because y'know Mars and tripods.

xraytango wrote:
@ I_do_not_like_that:


Ad Mech designs, even fan-scratch-bash-built ones, have always looked like a tornado went through the plumbing section at Home Depot. I find that this official iteration of these designs adequate. I might have liked seeing more gears, pulleys, and chaindrives, but what there is, I feel, is good.

By "high-tech" do you mean more wires and gears, pistons, and gribbley know-wots, or do you mean sleek and clean high-tech closer to what we see on the Tau?

The only thing I could see the Ad Mech keeping for themselves, ergo "high-tech" would be more anti gravity vehicles or "driverless" machines with servitor brains hard-wired in.

Sure there are thousands of possibilities, but this is what we have for now.

It's difficult to pin down, to be honest. Definetly not along the lines of the Tau, as they don't have the technological superstition of the Imperium, but yeah, more pistons and cogs. 100% this.

Hollismason wrote:
So are those the only units in the codex?

No, there is at least another walker, with four legs, it was leaked earlier

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:

Logic? What Logic? The most technologically advanced force in the Imperium is running around on a machine that exposes vital crew members to enemy fire and you're talking about logical design?

Let's be honest - the most 'technologically advanced' faction in the Imperium is also the faction that insists that turning on a computer requires blessings, prayers, sacred oils, incense and the placation of spirits.

So ... they have no transports at all for their troops?

Excellent looking models

But they also have the best shields around too, so much so that they eschew heavy armor, at least fluff-wise.

 infinite_array wrote:

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:

Logic? What Logic? The most technologically advanced force in the Imperium is running around on a machine that exposes vital crew members to enemy fire and you're talking about logical design?

Let's be honest - the most 'technologically advanced' faction in the Imperium is also the faction that insists that turning on a computer requires blessings, prayers, sacred oils, incense and the placation of spirits.

Fair point, but if you were looking at that walker from a strictly military point of view, straight away you'd think head shot to the pilot from a sniper rifle.

Even in the Imperium, military pragmatism has to come into the design stage at some point. I think GW's designers overlooked this.

I really think this will make an excellent allied attachment in a 2K list: 6 of each walker, 10 rangers, and a cheap HQ... Maybe a FW IK too.

Hollismason wrote:
So ... they have no transports at all for their troops?

Clearly all of the information for a brand new 40k faction has been relased

Those arc rifles just made the force. Wow.

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:

 Swastakowey wrote:

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:

 ClockworkZion wrote:

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:
I can't be the only person that thinks chaos cultist when looking at the infantry models.

Yes because two models in robes must automatically be the same thing.

The connection was already made, but I find it just as silly now as it was made then.

You don't think it's lazy design on GW's part?

Considering all the mars troops, admech troops etc I have ever seen had robes.... not really. Their robes are red to represent Mars, their robes also symbolize a cult status and their mechanical mimicking bodies show their devotion to the machine. It all seems like deliberate design choices to me, that all hint towards their identity.

Ironic really, considering you brought up critical thinking, yet you cant put ideas together and see the logic behind them Instead you saw two things that are similar and assumed they are the same (or more bluntly, you saw a lazy rip off).

What do you consider lazy design? Because their design is well thought out, given they are a machine cult (their design reflects this) who are militarized with the best technology they have to offer in a time where they dont understand the tech (steam punk appearance) adds further the mystic look they have combined with their robes and colouring all comes together in a pretty strong theme.

Of course, none of the above matters if you simply dont like the design. But your distaste for the models is not critical thinking. Nor is the design lazy. If you look at the models, you can see deliberate design choices that fit in reasonably with the theme as far as I can tell.

Logic? What Logic? The most technologically advanced force in the Imperium is running around on a machine that exposes vital crew members to enemy fire and you're talking about logical design?

When did I talk about logical design?

You said "lazy design, me smart, look model no good"

I simply stated you are wrong because the design is far from lazy, the design is well thought out in regards to the theme (40k has no logical designs at all in terms of how things should work) not how the impractical the model is. In fact, impractical is probably the major theme of any imperial force.

Honestly, as stupid as all the designs are in 40k from a practical standpoint, the designs usually fit the theme.

 WrentheFaceless wrote:

Hollismason wrote:
So ... they have no transports at all for their troops?

Clearly all of the information for a brand new 40k faction has been relased

They can use any IoM transport. So even if they don't, not a problem

Can a Mod update the OP with the pictures?

An interesting thing with the name of some of the new weapons - particularly the phosphor serpenta and the plasma caliver - is the fact that they share part of their names with the volkite guns from 30K, maybe showing some form of technological lineage from the 31st millennium.

Is the Galvanic rifle the infantry's base gun?

It's the ranger's standard gun, yes

I like how the dragoons are the "not sucky Rough Riders". They AT LEAST have +2 strenght after the charge.

Okay, I'm all caught up now...and I like wanna sell my orks now.

So i hadn't planned on any more hobby purchases than paint, glue..typical small stuff for a while. I knew admech was in the works, and I had specifically said, "I will drop money on a limited codex if there is one, but no models".

If they drop a box set, I have to get one.

I wish I had a better frame of reference for myself in reading what the stats are, but I'm thinking the walkers might be somewhat situational in play. Will have to see as more models get dropped.

(I started with 'nids, and I play xenos, so 'nids is always my frame of reference when I try to read some other army rules, which doesn't help me much when somebody tells me "it's like a bolter" .)

So, shall we realistically look at these rules?

Rangers - S4 AP4 fire warriors. Not bad, but not great either.

Vanguard - really good basic weapons, cool -1T in combat thing, quite cheap. Still not great.

Ballista - 55 points for a TL autocannon. 75 for a TL lascannon. It's not bad, especially as they can move 9" a turn, but they're not really good.

Dragoon - 2 ways to run these. First is tank hunting - move 9", charge on average 10", then deal 4 S8 attacks on the charge which generate extra hits on 6's. It;s a nasty shock unit and quite a cheap throwaway. The other use is jezzails - 2 shot snipers aren't incredible, but it's quite cheap for what you get.


Now here's the super let down - options.

Ranged Weapons:
Phosphor blast pistol - if you can get within 12" of a unit, hit, wound, save is failed then, and only then, can you fire against a unit with -1 to cover. Otherwise it's a waste. Realistically, it's usually going to be a waste.
Radium pistol - it's a slightly better laspistol. Pass.
Arc pistol - you could do worse for 10 points than have a S6 haywire shot, but you can do much better too.

Melee Weapons:
Taser goad - for the price of a power maul, you can get a worse power maul. Alternatively, don;t do that.
Power sword - insanely overpriced. Absolutely crazy how much this thing costs for Mechanicus.
Arc maul - I mean, I'm sure you could do worse than a power maul with haywire, but for 20 points you'd be struggling to find what exactly was worse.

Special Weapons:
Arc rifle - actually pretty good. If this was available to AM, I'd probably pick it over meltaguns. I still think it;s very costly for AP5 though.
Transuranic arquebus - I can only assume someone was trying to make a ranged gun as bad as the new mindshackle scarabs. So, you get an AP3 sniper which is cool and it has armourbane so it can chip through single HPs when needed. The cost of this? More than a lascannon. No, really, they thought this was worth 25 points when most armies get a S9 AP2 shot for 20. I just... I'm struggling to think when this would EVER be a good idea to take. I guess you can get 3 for 75 points in your 120 point ranger unit and plink away at range, but really, why would you want to ever do that?
Plasma caliver - so, for the cost of 2 plasma guns you get a gun which is worse than 2 plasma guns. You get extra effectiveness between 12"-18", sure, but you can't fire past 18" at all, so that kinda balances. Really though, 3 shots when most armies get 4 at the same range? 30 points for a gun on a souped up guardsman? Really? Even if the enemy doesn't kill you, you'll almost always melt your own face off. It's just not good.

Special Issue Wargear:
Refractor field - whatever. It's cheap, but it's not protecting anything of worth.
Conversion field - same issue as refractor field, but now it has a gimmick where it can blind enemies... and yourself. Not really the best.
Digital weapons - if you;re in assault, your opponent is bad or you're about to imminently die. Both are bad.


Here's my issue - what do they bring to the table? Their shooting is nothing special, they lack transportation, and their options are way too expensive for what you get, with the possible exception of arc rifles. Even if you wanted to ally them in, what do they bring you over Scions? Or heck, AM? What's the draw which gives them a niche? I dunno, footslogging T3 guys don't impress me, and I can't see a good reason to take things which don't get melta, only get bad plasma and still cost a ton. I dunno, I'm hoping that there's still something to show because apart from the models, I'm not impressed.

Yeah the weapons these guys have access to have insane rules. Transrunanic Arquebus, a sniper rifle that has armourbane. Yes, yes that is what one needs.

Also Arc Rifles being Rapid Fire Haywire ST6 is crazy town. So you can take 3 of these in a unit plop down with a Allied Drop Pod and reliably erase vehicles.

Then you got the insane " All our Walkers have Better than Skyfire" , BS2 Twin Linked is pretty decent for I dunno always being able to shoot at flyers and any one else at BS4 Twinlinked.

Surely you need to see all their special rules before figuring out how differently they'll play. Unless we've seen those?

Those weapons are pretty boss. Also everyone has relentless it seems.

Well I think ill get some mechanical dragoons eventually and make them into Praetorian heavy cavalry for my guard. That could look pretty cool.

nudibranch wrote:
An interesting thing with the name of some of the new weapons - particularly the phosphor serpenta and the plasma caliver - is the fact that they share part of their names with the volkite guns from 30K, maybe showing some form of technological lineage from the 31st millennium.

Or perhaps the self-same technology, preserved and revered; taken from the armory only in times of most dire need. Other times there are hymns sung and scencers full of inscense burned in the holy alcoves where reliquaed munitions are ensconced.

These were more advanced weapons from more elegant times, before the apostasy, before the heresy, before the rebellion. When the Emperor delved into the things of science and technology, only the iron-man was to never be trusted, for machines with their own will was aenethema to the divinity which is man.

So BL is looking for writers I hear?

So charge of the mechanics anybody? ( I'm so theming mine after polish hussars)

 Medium of Death wrote:
Surely you need to see all their special rules before figuring out how differently they'll play. Unless we've seen those?

Well, unless doctrina imperatives is some huge bonus (and it sounds like it might actually be a bad thing instead), we know enough to judge. And frankly, I don;t see how these guys beat S3 AP3 guns/special weapons with good orders and deep strike, which is what Scions give you for comparable points.

I like those rangers. Kinda meh on all the rest.