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I realise this isn't the most competitive list possible. It lacks anti-air, it doesn't take advantage of the psychic phase, and there aren't any objective-secured units. That being said I'd say that my goal here is to (1) have fun and (2) be able to win games at least ≈50% of the time in friendly matches or even small local tournaments.

That being said, there are models that I want to keep in the list:
- Kastellan Robots
- Skitarii Vanguard
- Sicarian Infiltrators
- Onager Dunecrawlers

With that in mind, what could I do to improve this list? For instance I was thinking of removing the Infoslave Skull from the Sicarian Infiltrators. With the extra points I could get an extra 5-man unit of Skitarii Vanguard..
Also, I was thinking of replacing the Neutron laser and cognis heavy stubber on one of the Onager Dunecrawlers with an Icarus Array, but I get the idea that if someone brings flyers it won't be enough, and if they don't bring flyers then it's a waste of a Dunecrawler's potential, hence why the initial iteration of this list ignores flyers entirely.

Thoughts? Opinions? Is my list as bad as I think it might be or does it have some potential in small-town tournaments?
(I'm really concerned about the lack of ob-sec units; I'm always wary about having something like a lone Ork Boy steal an objective)

Cohort Cybernetica (755)
- Tech-Priest Dominus + Autocadeus of Arkhan Land = 135
- 1x Kastelan Robot Maniple + 2x Twin-linked heavy phosphor blasters = 310
- 1x Kastelan Robot Maniple + 2x Twin-linked heavy phosphor blasters = 310

Skitarii Maniple (1045)
Troops: 330
- 5x Skitarii Vanguard
- 5x Skitarii Vanguard
- 5x Skitarii Vanguard
- 5x Skitarii Vanguard
- 5x Skitarii Vanguard
- 5x Skitarii Vanguard

Elites: 370
- 10x Sicarian Infiltrators + 10x Flechette blasters and taser goads + Infoslave skull

Heavy Support: 345
- Onager Dunecrawler + Neutron laser and cognis heavy stubber
- Onager Dunecrawler + Neutron laser and cognis heavy stubber
- Onager Dunecrawler + Neutron laser and cognis heavy stubber

Total: 1800/1850

Good units, but as you have found out not the fastest in WH40K.Holy Requisitioner

First - Kastellans. Good meatshields, but not so good at hitting the enemy. Drop the cohort and keep 2 robots and the tech priest. That is enough to form a living wall that can advance over the battlefield.

10 Infiltrators are too many. Either split them into 2 x 5 units, or take only 1 x 5. I suggest the second solution - they are distractions, not trying to win the battle all by themselves. (You could do that, but it would require big changes in the list, such as allying in drop pod SM.)

Keep Vanguards in squads of 10. Overwatch, regular fire and their -1T are better the more models that parcipiate. 5 are wiped out too easy.

Not 3 Onagers in one squad, although 4++ is tempting. You will getter return on 2 Neutron Onagers in one squad and 1 something else (Eradicator, since you lack big templates?) in a different squad.

And with the saved points: get a Holy Requisitioner formation. Deepstrike a Magos and 2-3 squads of Breechers at an objective - thereby both securing the objective and putting the enemy under fire from two different directions.

Things to consider: Dragoons are cheap and fast - harassment units that easily runs down that single Ork (or rather - your opponent will see the Dragoon and not make the attempt). The Inquisition offers both cheap scoring units (12 points) and powerful counters to psykers and/or daemons. The xenos Inquisitor can take Rad grenades which give the opponent -1T - devastating together with Vanguards. Or Servitors with multimeta for two meltabombs each.

I like your idea of using the Holy Requisitioner but there's a points problem: if I remove the Cohort Cybernetica, then I still need to pick two troop units in order to take two Kastelan Robots. Whichever troop choices I choose, it's still at least 300 points (the same price as a the second Kastelan Robot Maniple), which means that I won't have enough points for the Holy Requisitioner. Minimum points cost for a Holy Requisitioner: 405 points.

I agree that squads of 5 Skitarii Vanguard is small so they die faster, but here's the way I was thinking of using the Skitarii Vanguard: keep the small multiple units near each other so they can act as if they were one unit, but some can break away and go capture objectives. So my worry is that if I keep them in groups of 10, then I only have 3 units to run around and capture objectives.. and most games I play can easily have 6 objectives. That means: 3 units to capture 6 objectives, anywhere on the board at any given time.

Finally I also play Inquisition (and Grey Knights). I know that the Henchmen can capture objectives, but in 7th edition ALL units can capture objectives. The Inquisition isn't special in this way, and they certainly don't have the special rule "objective secured" even after checking the recent Inquisition FAQ. That being said, I do agree that the Inquisition is good, but I'd prefer to stick with Adeptus Mechanicus units for the theme of the army, but I have considered adding an Ordo Xenos Inquisitor with Rad Grenades for the -1Toughness

The Holy Requistioner deep strike would both kill a lot of your opponents scoring units and force the scoring units to shoot at your formation instead of moving towards objectives

The Infiltrators (5 or 10 strong) would have similar effect: removing scoring units from the equation by killing or delaying them. To be frank I think it is a better strategy to first kill off enemy units and then take the objectives.

You could use Elimination Maniple - robots and destroyers with big buffs for the latter. And able to fire at three different targets if neccesary. If you drop the third Onager and half the Infiltrators it's almost enough.

To really remove that lone Orc you could take one or two minimum Ranger squads. 30 inch range would cover most of the table and even their basic guns are very good against non-MEQ.

lol do not drop the Cohort, that's the second best AdMech formation just behind War Convocation. Make sure they have the carapace phosphor blasters as well as the twin linked arm blasters. At full strength the formation can shoot 24 shots at four units. Plant in center of the table with LoS to most objectives, engage shooty protocol, and blow away all scoring units with the additional 12 shots.

The Cohort is such an investment your remaining ~1000 points must complement it with mobile units that can contest objectives. A Scouting Vanguard horde is a good start. Dragoons could be even better. Of course the most competitive compliments are various Space Marine detachments, but you'll still find success with all AdMech.

Vanguard have access to great special weapons. Even a single plasma thrower greatly increases their threat, and you do want some AP2. Five model units are better, even if there's one Kill Point mission.

Five model Infiltrator units are also great. If they can't hide out of sight, consider keeping them in Reserve to Outflank after you've removed things that threaten them.

Dunecrawlers overlap with the Cohort's role so three is too many.

If you do bring an Inquisition detachment, it's for the servo skulls and/or Coteaz. And Divination super charges the Cohort.

Thanks guys! Here's the list after modifications. The main changes:

- Gave the Kastelan Robots the extra heavy phosphor blasters

- Kept the MSU Skitarii Vanguard spam, but added 2 special weapons per unit. A unit of ten models can have three special weapons, but if I run small units of five side-by-side, then it's the same as if I had an extra special weapon, plus more tactical flexibility.

- Gave two units arc weaponry to support the Onager Dunecrawlers hunt vehicles.

- Reduced the unit of Infiltrators down to 5 models.

- Finally I kept the 3 Onager Dunecrawlers with neutron lasers. My reasoning: they don't just blast infantry (of all kinds), but are the main source for ranged anti-AV, as well as increasing the odds of getting First Blood. This is a straight out of the Dark Eldar playbook with the way that Ravagers are used in tournament settings (except Ravagers are specifically designed to hunt vehicles, and some have replaced them with Scourges but that's a conversation for another topic). The Ironstrider Cavaliers does make them seem appealing -- but again I'm at a loss of how to use them; vehicle-hunting? Capture objectives?
I'm told they're better in real life than they appear on paper, but I don't know..

I was thinking of replacing the last two units of Skitarii Vanguard with Sydonian Dragoons and/or Ironstrider Ballistarii, but every time I look at them I just don't see them surviving long enough to win their points back (this coming from someone who plays Dark Eldar!).


Cohort Cybernetica (775)
- Tech-Priest Dominus + Autocadeus of Arkhan Land = 135
- 1x Kastelan Robot Maniple + 2x Twin-linked heavy phosphor blasters + 2x Carapace-mounted heavy phosphor blasters = 320
- 1x Kastelan Robot Maniple + 2x Twin-linked heavy phosphor blasters + 2x Carapace-mounted heavy phosphor blasters = 320

Skitarii Maniple (1070)
Troops: 530
- 5x Skitarii Vanguard
- 5x Skitarii Vanguard
- 5x Skitarii Vanguard + 2x Plasma calivers = 115
- 5x Skitarii Vanguard + 2x Plasma calivers = 115
- 5x Skitarii Vanguard + Arc pistol + 2x Arc rifles = 95
- 5x Skitarii Vanguard + Arc pistol + 2x Arc rifles = 95

Elites: 195
- 5x Sicarian Infiltrators + 5x Flechette blasters and taser goads + Infoslave skull = 195

Heavy Support: 345
- Onager Dunecrawler + Neutron laser and cognis heavy stubber = 115
- Onager Dunecrawler + Neutron laser and cognis heavy stubber = 115
- Onager Dunecrawler + Neutron laser and cognis heavy stubber = 115

Total: 1845/1850

That's fine. Just spread the four plasmas across the four Vanguard units.

Drop arc pistols because they're on foot. Spend those points for conversion fields on important HQ.

Thanks again AxisOfEntropy! I did as you suggested, but then realized that if I replaced some Vanguard with Skitarii Rangers it would add a little more tactical flexibility to the troops section. Here's the final tweak to the list, in case it might help someone out. Note that the change leaves 15 points left over when you total up the points.

One more thing: if someone likes this list and wants to emulate it, I'd have to recommend trying out the various unit combos in the Troops section of the codex; I'm not sure if shooting from far is better than having extra plasma weapons. As mentioned earlier, I just see the Rangers with arquebuses as adding tactical flexibility since I can start hitting my opponent sooner.

Troops: 520
- 5x Skitarii Vanguard + 2x Arc rifles = 85
- 5x Skitarii Vanguard + 2x Arc rifles = 85
- 5x Skitarii Vanguard + 1x Plasma caliver = 85
- 5x Skitarii Vanguard + 1x Plasma caliver = 85
- 5x Skitarii Rangers + 1x Transonic arquebus = 90
- 5x Skitarii Rangers + 1x Transonic arquebus = 90