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Long time ago in Codex Titanicus, near the beginning, and in a Citadel Journal back in 1997.

Yeah, the Skitarii were around for a while.

 ZebioLizard2 wrote:
Long time ago in Codex Titanicus, near the beginning, and in a Citadel Journal back in 1997.

Thanks, what page in Codex Titanicus? I just thumbed through an online copy sitting in Google but couldn't find the mention. Went though the 1988 Adeptus Mechanicus too and found no mention.

In which issue of the Citadel Journal? Specifics are great


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Did a little digging and found it was Citadel Journal 21. 1997 like you said

Anyone got anything earlier?

 Bottle wrote:

 ZebioLizard2 wrote:
Long time ago in Codex Titanicus, near the beginning, and in a Citadel Journal back in 1997.

Thanks, what page in Codex Titanicus? I just thumbed through an online copy sitting in Google but couldn't find the mention. Went though the 1988 Adeptus Mechanicus too and found no mention.

In which issue of the Citadel Journal? Specifics are great

Journal 21 talks about them

"Known by the unitiated as the Tech-Guard, the Skitarii are raised from the populations of the forge worlds and are armed and trained in a similiar fashion to the imperial guard"

Dunno bout Titanicus, I heard they were in there but I never checked that one.

However as that was second edition that's likely the best bet (for Journal), because that's mostly when the factions solidified mostly.

Some citations at bottom of lexi page if it helps

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Skitarii

Thanks, it says page 30 but I still can't find mention of them.

I just find it interesting that they were not present in Codex: Imperalis (the fluff book from 2nd edition) and so was wondering about their origins.

They were mentioned as Tech-guard in Codex: Sisters of Battle (1997).

Huh, strange coincidence. In the Codex Army Lists pamphlet from the 2e box, you need a Tech-Priest Engineer to field Penal Legion squads.

In the same pamphlet, the Imperial Agents army list includes;

characters
Tech-Priest Magos
Champion.............27 points
Hero.....................50 points
Might Hero............71 points

Tech-Priest Engineer..... 30 points

Squads
Tech-Priest Squad..... 9 points per model
- 5 to 20 Tech-Priests armed with lasguns, laspistols and flak armour. Any number of models may exchange their lasguns for special weapons.

Electro Priest Squad...... 14 points per model
5 to 20 electro priests.

Servitor squad............9 points per model
5 to 20 servitors with lasgus or shotguns. Any number of models may exchange their lasguns for meltaguns (+6 points per model). The squad must be led by an Adeptus Mechanicus character.

Support Weapon............9 points per model
Consists of a support weapon and a crew of one servitor.

Vehicles...................... see datafax.
The Adeptus Mechanicus may include any o the vehicles in the Vehicle section of the Imperial Agents wargear list.

 Bottle wrote:
Thanks, it says page 30 but I still can't find mention of them.

1989 Codex Titanicus suppliment for Adeptus Titanicus and Space Marine 1st edition, page 30.

Not to be confused for the Codex Titanicus booklet from Titan Legions.

look at that Land Raider! looks like something I would get in a kids meal.

 Gashrog wrote:

 Bottle wrote:
Thanks, it says page 30 but I still can't find mention of them.

1989 Codex Titanicus suppliment for Adeptus Titanicus and Space Marine 1st edition, page 30.

Not to be confused for the Codex Titanicus booklet from Titan Legions.

Amazing thanks! So they have been part of "Epic" since the late 80s, predations 2nd Edition 40k. Interestingly enough they aren't mentioned in the 2nd Edition 40k fluff book (Codex Imperialis), does anyone know when they started having a raised profile in 40k itself?

So if they are equipped like Guard regiments, what are the new minis supposed to represent? Or has the fluff changed over the years?

There has always been a bit of vagueness as to what the Tech-Guard/Skitarii were equipped with, and this has changed over the years. In the Epic: Titan Legions, the Tech-Guard were basically Imperial Guard with some Chimera variants. So some players have interpreted them to be basically Imperial Guard with maybe some small amount of cybernetics. The 4th edition Imperial Guard Codex gave an option to have Guard with a 6+ invulnerable save. Other players have felt that was not good enough to distinguish so also opted for the 4+ carapace armor option.

Since then, based on some novel fluff about the Skitarii or the Praetorians, some players have interpreted the Skitarii to be extreme cybered up constructs with stats more like Space Marines and with 3+ armor saves.

Strictly speaking the Skitarii are levied from Forge Worlds and are loyal to Mars directly, almost like a levy of Imperial Guard. The FW rules had the Taghmata in 30k (no idea if they still exist in 40K) as the levies loyal to the Forge World itself, almost like a PDF. However given the vast variation in even the organization and equipment of individual Forge Worlds and the fact that nominal loyalty to Mars has not prevented Titan Legions (and presumably Skitarii) from rebelling, there is still room for interpretation. Frankly I personally prefer the brass diving suit like aesthetics of FW's Solar Auxilia for the Skitarii or the mixture of flesh and cyber of the Ad Secularis/Tech Thralls from FW.

Iracundus wrote:
There has always been a bit of vagueness as to what the Tech-Guard/Skitarii were equipped with, and this has changed over the years. In the Epic: Titan Legions, the Tech-Guard were basically Imperial Guard with some Chimera variants. So some players have interpreted them to be basically Imperial Guard with maybe some small amount of cybernetics. The 4th edition Imperial Guard Codex gave an option to have Guard with a 6+ invulnerable save. Other players have felt that was not good enough to distinguish so also opted for the 4+ carapace armor option.

Since then, based on some novel fluff about the Skitarii or the Praetorians, some players have interpreted the Skitarii to be extreme cybered up constructs with stats more like Space Marines and with 3+ armor saves.

the skitarii in this codex seem sort of a good comprimise

Skitarii or "Tech Guard" have been around since the Ad Mech has as far as I know.

The Skitarri are the ground troops of the Ad mech. They protect the Titans from close attack when the Titans stride into battle or spearhead planetary expeditions for Explorators or whatever their purpose is.

As has been explained by others their equipment has varied throughout.

Most of the time I've personally heard of them they were essentially IG with modified LR tanks, Chimeras, etc and cybernetic infantry with things like integrated weapons of various caliber depending on rank and purpose.

basicly the PROPER way to use the new asmech army is as bubble wrap for a titan

Lord Corellia wrote:
So if they are equipped like Guard regiments, what are the new minis supposed to represent? Or has the fluff changed over the years?

The new miniatures are basically the Skitarii equivalent to the Tanith 1st - light scouts that move ahead of the main group with specialised gear to perform reconnaissance and sabotage.

Originally the "Scutari", as Gashrog shows, were the supporting elements of the Titan Legions. They were never really mentioned in 40k for the fairly obvious reason that Titan legions were outside the scope of the game. 2nd edition had a few Adeptus Mechanicus units in the "Imperial Agents" army list in the "Codex Army Lists" booklet (ably reviewd by Kid Kyoto here).The units included were servitor squads (with lasguns, shotguns or meltaguns) and Electro-priests, who were unarmed, but were S8 in melee because of their built-in capacitors. (as an aside, note how they didn't need fifteen special rules to represent that )

2nd edition Epic Titan legions came out after 2nd edition 40k, and the "Scutari" were renamed "Tech-Guard". At the time, the Imperial Guard army in Epic was characterised by huge companies of foot infantry and companies of tanks and artillery. The Tech-Guard were differentiated by having entirely armoured infantry formations thanks to the newly-introduced Chimera APC (it appeared in Epic first), and I think they were still support troops for Titans. The colour scheme was left unclear because the few times they were used in battle reports, they used the existing Codex Grey-clad infantry stands from their Imperial Guard army.

After that, it was all left to be quietly ignored. The background wasn't really addressed in 40k until now. I think some of the novels have looked at the Mechanicus, but most of what has been written was about the Mechanicum during the Heresy.

Also, it looks like their role has changed - from being the support arm of Titan Legions to being an independent military arm in their own right.

They make a notable appearance in the first Night Lords novel by ADB.

 AndrewGPaul wrote:
Originally the "Scutari", as Gashrog shows, were the supporting elements of the Titan Legions. They were never really mentioned in 40k for the fairly obvious reason that Titan legions were outside the scope of the game. 2nd edition had a few Adeptus Mechanicus units in the "Imperial Agents" army list in the "Codex Army Lists" booklet (ably reviewd by Kid Kyoto here).The units included were servitor squads (with lasguns, shotguns or meltaguns) and Electro-priests, who were unarmed, but were S8 in melee because of their built-in capacitors. (as an aside, note how they didn't need fifteen special rules to represent that )

2nd edition Epic Titan legions came out after 2nd edition 40k, and the "Scutari" were renamed "Tech-Guard". At the time, the Imperial Guard army in Epic was characterised by huge companies of foot infantry and companies of tanks and artillery. The Tech-Guard were differentiated by having entirely armoured infantry formations thanks to the newly-introduced Chimera APC (it appeared in Epic first), and I think they were still support troops for Titans. The colour scheme was left unclear because the few times they were used in battle reports, they used the existing Codex Grey-clad infantry stands from their Imperial Guard army.

After that, it was all left to be quietly ignored. The background wasn't really addressed in 40k until now. I think some of the novels have looked at the Mechanicus, but most of what has been written was about the Mechanicum during the Heresy.

Also, it looks like their role has changed - from being the support arm of Titan Legions to being an independent military arm in their own right.

we'll have to see how the codex fluff handles em. my gut feeling is we'll get a case of "they're often in support of the titans but they kick plenty of ass by themselves"

I think the Titan Legions themselves are much less autonomous than originally described. I mean, does this look like a Tech-priest to you?