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How do!

So it’s new edition time, and for the Taghmatas of the Mechanicum there’s a fair amount of change.

Firstly, Castellax have been split into two units. Castellax Battle) basic loadout for heavy weapon) and Castellax Destructor (where everyone can upgrade their Heavy Weapon). Castellax Battle is Support, Castellax Destructor is Heavy Assault.

Tech-Thralls are now T5, but remain chaff. Expendable units you use to jam up Objectives.

Thallaxi have changed a bit. W2, but a 3+ save. The loss of a wound might feel rough initially, but on the upside as well as the increased Save, none of their ranged weapons now involve Gets Hot! And any model can now upgrade from the Lightning Gun. Speaking of Lightning Guns, they’ve now a single firing profile. Basically 3 S5 AP5 D1 shots. Shred (6+) and Suppressive (0). Shred, when triggered, now inflicts an additional wound.

Ursarax have a bit of a glow up. Again, lost a wound, gained an improved save. But their weapons are now unit specific. Claws give A+3 (so five per model), AP3 and have Breaching (6+). By no means foolproof, but a decent sized unit will mean real trouble for anything Power Armoured. Ursarax Fists strike at I1 after modifiers, but at S+2 (so, S6), AP2 and D2. Not entirely sold on Fists right now, but early days.

We’ve also some bloody nasty especially when stationary heavy weapons. Let’s just say my two on-sprue Krios are now destined to be Venator. And the Sollex Heavy Lascannon does D4 when fired from stationary. With 2 shots, S10 and AP2? There’s a fair few things not going to enjoy that. Spesh as it has Armourbane, so either chokes or penetrates (stop giggling at the back!).

For my next trick? Trying to wrangle my existing collection into a cohesive army list. Which involves getting into one of my Saturnine boxes.

But that’s my opener. I’ve by no means gone through it with a fine toothed comb, just looked at the rules for what I’ve got in terms of existing models.

Working out the Detachments is what's annoying me right now - I'm thinking Taghmata & Shock Assault for my Cybernetica, but part of me is wanting to use the Cybernetica special one (Command Maniple).

I think it’s gonna work best for me to get the models out the cabinet and lined up in squads, and then cobble together from there.

Gonna start with a basic, no-frills attempt. I reckon that’ll give me a clearer perspective on which (if any!) Slots are oversubscribed models wise, and from there start digesting the fancy ones.

Are the Secutarii in that book?

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Thallaxi have changed a bit. W2, but a 3+ save. The loss of a wound might feel rough initially, but on the upside as well as the increased Save, none of their ranged weapons now involve Gets Hot! And any model can now upgrade from the Lightning Gun. Speaking of Lightning Guns, they’ve now a single firing profile. Basically 3 S5 AP5 D1 shots. Shred (6+) and Suppressive (0). Shred, when triggered, now inflicts an additional wound.

I am very, very curious how Thallax will shape up this edition.

Second edition Thallax were very interesting to me due to the unique place they held in the overall game. At T5 W3 4+ 6+++, their defensive profile frustrated the massively-popular lascannon, which was unable to ID them, wasted most of its AP and wasn't even able to deny their FNP - an autocannon was twice as good into them as a lascannon and a heavy bolter (!) was even better. I really liked the effect plentiful Thallax had on a local meta's weapon diversity for that reason.

With them going to W2 and damage stats being added, they now feel markedly more frail - but are now very cheap at only 20 points. It might well work out for them. My main concern then is the poor hobbyists, you need a lot more Thallax now if you want them to stick around, and they're a hell of a model to build!

It’s definitely a Find Out In Play thing, I think.

A stationary Lascannon can now blat a single Thallax, as it’s D2.

But, D higher than 1 seems surprisingly uncommon. Not rare by any stretch like, just not as prevalent outside of big, chunky stuff.

And it’s the 3+ I think is going it make the main difference. They’re now markedly more resilient against their old banes, Heavy Bolter and Autocannon (and equivalent), and of course small arms fire.

They also still get their Meltabombs, which I’ve not yet read the rules for.



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In other things I’m yet to do? Whilst not put pen to paper to fiddle around constructing a rough initial list? I’ve had a proper read of the army selection rules.

Provided I pack out my initial detachment with Command and High Command? I don’t think I’m gonna have an issue fitting my existing collection around the structure. Well. Maybe. Not entirely sure I can fit in all four Thanatar, but I’m not sure I’d want that.


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Soooooo Meltabombs are looking healthy.

Can only be used against Vehicles, Buildings and Units with Movement 0 or -.

A1, S9, AP2, D4(!), with Armourbane. Hefty I modifier, but given quite a lot of the time the target won’t be fighting back, not a massive concern.

Oh, and you must only be in combat with a qualifying enemy. If there’s a mixed melee going on, and that includes say, Infantry, no Meltabombs for either party.

Otherwise, a nice wee thing to have up your sleeve I reckon.

 Lathe Biosas wrote:
Are the Secutarii in that book?

Secutarii are in the knight and titans book.

At a glance, they are baseline hoplites which can be upgraded to peltasts. Peltasts only get galvanic casters, no longer able to swap to the other two weapons they had available last edition.

Yeah, I'll just run my arc rifles as galvanic casters if they don't get them back in Legends - but at first glance they seem a bit expensive.