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Hello everybody !

Question from a n00b here – I haven’t even started to read the rules of 40K, so at the moment I still have no idea how to play.
To give a bit of background, I’m working on a pre-heresy Death Guard, but with so many models, rules and points I feel it might not be a good way to start.

So I landed on the 40k Mechanicus. Oh sweet Omissiah !
I would really love to paint those, so I got the Cult Mechanicus codex for starters.
But I was quite surprised to see that in spite of the big web bundle that includes both Cult and Skiitari, the codex showed no formation for those.

I thought I might start (a bit later down the line) with the 1st formation that was shown in the Codex, with a Tech Priest Dominus and 2 units of Kastellan robots (albeit, I don’t like their “faces”/helmets).

And now, the question. Is there a way to legally mix the 2 armies, as for example I don’t like the Cult’s troops, and I don’t like the Skiitari’s heavies.
So would love an army with a Dominus HQ, 2 units of Rangers / Vanguard (either both or a single type), 1 unit of 10 Electro-Priests and 1 or 2 Ironstriders.
Would this legally work, and still have some benefits?

As I said, I don’t plan to start it now, so GW might as well release new models until I learn the rules, finish my Death Guard, get more funds and more time
But might be good to get an idea

Any input would be appreciated
Thanks,

With that specific setup, you'd have to go Unbound. You'd lose some small benefits, but nothing tremendous. In Unbound you can play anything you want in any number so long as you stick to the points restrictions.

PS: your army would be pretty bad Don't expect winning much with it. Electro Priests are awesome looking, but pretty overcosted. Both Cult and Skitarii have very good troops choices.

If you added some Cult troops, you could field a perfectly bound list. I added some Kataphron, since they are sick, but I hate the model, so I'm proxying them with these, rebased on 60mm bases:



Honestly, this picture is from their new webshop and doesn't do the model justice. It's a terrible picture, and the model looks so much better with the gun sidemounted too.

Ally them in or use the War Convocation formation.
See the thread Tactica Mechanicus for details on tactics and what units are the most effective.

Thanks both of you for the quick replies !

On second thoughts, i think the best option for starters would really be getting the Legio Cybernetica (i think, if i well remember) battle formation.

So a single Dominus and 2 Kastellan robot squads.
I feel it would be good for starters, fielding only 7 figures which - as per rules description - field as a single unit.

If thing go cool, i might later add a standard Skiitari army (how comes they don't have HQs? do they use the Dominus as well?) and mix them for an unbounded army

ciuncky wrote:
Thanks both of you for the quick replies !

On second thoughts, i think the best option for starters would really be getting the Legio Cybernetica (i think, if i well remember) battle formation.

So a single Dominus and 2 Kastellan robot squads.
I feel it would be good for starters, fielding only 7 figures which - as per rules description - field as a single unit.

If thing go cool, i might later add a standard Skiitari army (how comes they don't have HQs? do they use the Dominus as well?) and mix them for an unbounded army

They are all a part of the greater machine. Be the cog, do your part.

Their highest ranking officer, the Alpha Prime, is just another soldier that has proven himself a good cog. And individuality is not just strongly discouraged, but harshly punished (by simply removing it from their minds) by the Cult Mechanicus Engineers that lead the Skitarii.

So basically, they just don't have anyone that would be considered a HQ choice. They are generally led by a Dominus. However, the Dominus is most commonly not on the planet with them. He sits in orbit, sending them their commands.
That's why it fits them perfectly to not have any HQ.

That said, it does happen that the Dominus joins them, and so allying them with Cult Mechanicus is probably one of the most fluffy alliances in the game at this time.

Ruleswise they don't use the Dominus if you are running only a Skitarii codex army. You just pick any leader of a unit (like a prime from one of your Vanguard units) and he is the Warlord for that battle.

Amazing explanation mate. Many thanks for that!
So, Skiitari Codex should be next, lol.
I'd go anytime with the ones i told you, were the Kastelan not so ugly head-wise. Not sure i'll get them before i figure a way to convert it and look a bit better...

Let's see how the army evolves while i work on my Sons of Mortarion.

Now please, stop pointing that finger at me...

ciuncky wrote:
Amazing explanation mate. Many thanks for that!
So, Skiitari Codex should be next, lol.
I'd go anytime with the ones i told you, were the Kastelan not so ugly head-wise. Not sure i'll get them before i figure a way to convert it and look a bit better...

Let's see how the army evolves while i work on my Sons of Mortarion.

Now please, stop pointing that finger at me...

This guy made the head a lot better in a very easy way. Just filling the stupid eyes up with greenstuff.
(I also saw another guy do the same thing, then paint the whole bowl pitch black and then coating it over and over with 'ARD COAT to make it shiny, which looked pretty great too.)

I was thinking of filling them as well.

There are 2 options really, or a shameless copy of the above, or one with a thin bar left unfilled in the middle. or even raised, sort of Cyclops (the superhero).

And a few cables really, they'd work great with Mechanicum. Cables can't harm anyone, i'd say

Thanks for the input mate!

Rock the war convocation.

It's a really good formation. Borderline OVerpowered.

Yeah, just checked that one, cool thing you don't need to pay for any wargear. i have a strange feeling they'll fix it in a new update. i mean, otherwise i don't see big player having much of a reason to field a different army.

that said, it's a lot of models for a starter.
i will most probably go with the small formation army, 7 units would be cool, and won't break a wallet - too bad.

ciuncky wrote:
Yeah, just checked that one, cool thing you don't need to pay for any wargear. i have a strange feeling they'll fix it in a new update. i mean, otherwise i don't see big player having much of a reason to field a different army.

that said, it's a lot of models for a starter.
i will most probably go with the small formation army, 7 units would be cool, and won't break a wallet - too bad.

I'm playing around with the idea of a Admech army.
As you say, that formation is good but also an big investment up front.

Do you have an idea of a 700 resp 1000 point army. One that in the end will end up as the war formation?

Not really sure mate, i guess it depends how big you want the final War Convocation to be. As nearly half of it needs to be Cult, with nearly half Skiitari and the rest for a Knight.

I'd say a good starting point is to get the compulsory option, so Dominus + 2 troops, and top up with 2 Kastelan formations if you feel like taking it up to 1k. Or a single Kastelan, based on how much gear you want to take (sorry,don't have the book at hand to check point values).

By the mighty power of Mechanicus artefacts, i resurrect this thread !

Oh well, all this said, I started my Mech army. A WIP thread should follow as soon as I’m done with some Death Guard I’m working on.

I have got my Tech Priest Dominus and a box of Kastelan Robots. I will need to get another one to field a Cohort Cybernetica formation.

Question was, if I go unbounded, can I field 2 formations from 2 factions? So I can add a Ironstrider Cavaliers formation from Skitarii?
I have seen a lot of threads online talking about Skitarii and Mechanicus, but none covered taking formations from each and only referred to the Rock of War convocation

Also, I have added this into BattleScribe (trying to get used to it). Is it a difference between adding a Roster with 2 Forces (Mechanicus Formation and Skitarii Formation) or adding 2 Unbounded army forces? Does it make sense to generate certain rules, or is it simply a convenience point to add Formations as they are easier to edit?

Considering that codices have entire armies as formations I don't think that you would have to go unbound to field to two formations as your army. I think all you would need to do is declare one your primary detachment (the formation your warlord is in) and have that other just be a standard formation detachment.

Now I could be wrong, but from what I've seen I don't think I am.

Also, if you're running the Cohort Cybenetica invest in the IWND relic. It makes the super durable Kastelans even more so. Not invincible mind you, so still be careful of poison, ID, and D but I went against a tau list of broadside spam firing at the four bots for four rounds and only lost two due to poor rolling on my part. Also the off chance of reflecting shots make folks hesitant to use stronger ranged weaponry against them.

That would quite make sense, I think. It really is a shame they (GW) didn’t just made a single book and a single army, or an option to tie them together with more simplicity. I can understand the financial aspects they’re after and I’m not going to argue on that anyway…

I’ve also taken a look over the Cult’s relics and the IWND seems amazing, was thinking of taking it. From what you’re saying, I understand you’re playing the same formation, which I guess is cool. At least at my FLGS, I understand people play mainly battle-forged and scenarios so I might not fit in with my army as long as I add the skitarii, but would work for a 750 point game with a single formation.

I’m planning to start to play with a friend as he wants to get into it as well, so probably none of us will argue, as long as we have equal point lists.