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I was pleasantly surprised to see a box from GW in my father's New Year's present (Dad usually tends to his own armies and refrains from pushing miniatures into my face). I opened it to find a Techpriest Enginseer *shudder* with two sets of servitors *double shudder*. You can probably imagine what my face looked like, it was fitting since I just advanced to candidacy in my engineering PhD, but I have no clue about what good it can do on the battlefield.

A few months back, I wrote up some thoughts about Enginseers on Dakka, but I never thought I would actually get one. So what do I do with him? It's a universally reviled and hated unit that is notoriously fragile, expensive, situational and always near-or top-of the list of the most useless unit in the IG codex. I have two possible tactics to try the unit:

1- place it behind an advancing wall of at least two Demolishers (or maybe bolter boat Punishers), as part of the bubble-wrapping infantry mass, so they can keep up with vehicles that cannot move more than 6" per turn and tend to get shot before they get in range, and maybe get to repair some damage while deterring people from getting too close with their servo-arms (I know the threat is minimal, but S8 is often psychologically off-putting to panicky players) and maybe even get to charge non-walker vehicles. (I know I'm too optimistic about this)

2- place it among the artillery/long range russes to cover their rear (25% is possible if you push it) and help them stay safe from enemy AT weapons while using the same psychological gamble above to support the local troops in discouraging the enemy from outflanking/deep striking behind them with War Walkers or something. (This is optimistic too, but I can't come up with anything else) I know they won't have a chance vs. Sternguard or equivalent, that's like five leagues above their abilities.

I'll likely be trying out the Techpriest and two Servitors without upgrades in a friendly game. What tactics would you use? Can you think of other ways to use the unit? Is there any way this unit is becoming anything but dust gatherers on the shelf?

It's actually a bit better than it was in 5e since if I remember the FAQ correctly Techpriests can repair Hull Points now. Hide them near some Russes and annoy your opponent with your ability to make the Russe snot die.

 AnomanderRake wrote:
It's actually a bit better than it was in 5e since if I remember the FAQ correctly Techpriests can repair Hull Points now. Hide them near some Russes and annoy your opponent with your ability to make the Russe snot die.

Take 3 fully decked out executioners. Take a techpriest with a couple of repair arm servitors.

Laugh evily everytime you lose a hullpoint only for it to magically reappear next turn.

Other than that I've got nothing sadly. I bet a few well placed ones in an armored company list could be maddening though.

Forgeworld armoured company?

IDK :(

I read somewhere that if you embark a Techpriest on a Vendetta (with repair servitors of course), you can laugh evilly as your already hard to kill flier gets even harder to kill because it keeps on repairing itself mid-air

 washout77 wrote:
I read somewhere that if you embark a Techpriest on a Vendetta (with repair servitors of course), you can laugh evilly as your already hard to kill flier gets even harder to kill because it keeps on repairing itself mid-air

Better yet, put the techpriest in a LR Achilles. A Crimson Fist player did that in my local store and it never died. Ever.

Problem is, the Techpriest isn't an Ork Mekboy-with two servitors to be moderately reliable in repairing stuff, he costs like five times as much, so I thought he should have access to multiple vehicles he can repair.

1 Techpriest+2 Servitors - 75 pts, Repairs on 3+
2 Mekboyz - 30 pts, Repairs on a re-rollable 4+

Not that Mekboyz are viable choices to begin with. *sigh*

 Hedkrakka wrote:
Problem is, the Techpriest isn't an Ork Mekboy-with two servitors to be moderately reliable in repairing stuff, he costs like five times as much, so I thought he should have access to multiple vehicles he can repair.

1 Techpriest+2 Servitors - 75 pts, Repairs on 3+
2 Mekboyz - 30 pts, Repairs on a re-rollable 4+

Not that Mekboyz are viable choices to begin with. *sigh*

1 CSM Warpsmith - 110 pts. Repairs on a 4+

THey are much better in 6th. Stand behind Russes and enjoy

 Exergy wrote:

 Hedkrakka wrote:
Problem is, the Techpriest isn't an Ork Mekboy-with two servitors to be moderately reliable in repairing stuff, he costs like five times as much, so I thought he should have access to multiple vehicles he can repair.

1 Techpriest+2 Servitors - 75 pts, Repairs on 3+
2 Mekboyz - 30 pts, Repairs on a re-rollable 4+

Not that Mekboyz are viable choices to begin with. *sigh*

1 CSM Warpsmith - 110 pts. Repairs on a 4+

That's one of the problems of the new CSM codex-the new HQs. Unless I were running a themed Iron Warriors list, I'd never even consider a Warpsmith, even with his more useful abilities, he's so much less than a kitted Lord or Sorcerer while being right up there with them in terms of cost. I couldn't being myself to like the Dark Apostle either.

 Jihan wrote:

 washout77 wrote:
I read somewhere that if you embark a Techpriest on a Vendetta (with repair servitors of course), you can laugh evilly as your already hard to kill flier gets even harder to kill because it keeps on repairing itself mid-air

Better yet, put the techpriest in a LR Achilles. A Crimson Fist player did that in my local store and it never died. Ever.

That sounds just plain awful to go against

Exalbaru wrote:

 Jihan wrote:

 washout77 wrote:
I read somewhere that if you embark a Techpriest on a Vendetta (with repair servitors of course), you can laugh evilly as your already hard to kill flier gets even harder to kill because it keeps on repairing itself mid-air

Better yet, put the techpriest in a LR Achilles. A Crimson Fist player did that in my local store and it never died. Ever.

That sounds just plain awful to go against

I recently played against a guy who had a MotF, techmarine and 4 servitors in a LR Achilles. I killed it on turn 2 with haywire grenades.

 Exergy wrote:

Exalbaru wrote:

 Jihan wrote:

 washout77 wrote:
I read somewhere that if you embark a Techpriest on a Vendetta (with repair servitors of course), you can laugh evilly as your already hard to kill flier gets even harder to kill because it keeps on repairing itself mid-air

Better yet, put the techpriest in a LR Achilles. A Crimson Fist player did that in my local store and it never died. Ever.

That sounds just plain awful to go against

I recently played against a guy who had a MotF, techmarine and 4 servitors in a LR Achilles. I killed it on turn 2 with haywire grenades.

Well haywire gernades are their own beast. I had a guy rage quit on me from haywire gernades when they took out all three of his killakhans and deffdread same turn