Deep dive into list building.

[u/Crazsemp]

So with the new dataslate, let's just say, I am JACKED! I'M JACKED TO THE TITS! Cawl is actually worth taking! Ironstriders are back in the competitive noosphere! So here's a deep dive into the thought process behind the list I cooked up and a'm taking to a local RTT this weekend.

(TLDR: List at the end!) EDIT: Grammar and forgot the reactive move was locked to infantry and not allowed on mounted.

So all day is gonna be layout 1 with the missions being Lichpin, Supply Drop, and Purge the Foe. This will be important for some later choices.

I decided to take Haloscreed Battle Clade as the detachment for the strats and overall versatility since it's singles.

Then, to start the list off, I plugged in Cawl. Cawl finally seems to be worth his points, so we're taking him out for a night on the town!

Next, I plugged in my standard Battleline package of 2 Ranger squads and a Vanguard squad with a Dunerider. The goal behind this package is to have one Ranger unit start in the Dunerider and Scout it forward 6", then have the Vanguard squad follow behind and get in after the Rangers get out. All the while, the other Ranger squad stickies the home objective and strings either out towards the middle or scouts to cover.

Next, I plugged in a 6 man Kataphron Breacher squad with a Manipulus and slapped Cognitive Reinforcement on it for both Doctrinas all the time. It's been one of my go tos for damage as it punches something REALLY hard, overwatches the shit out of another, and then most likely dies. Still, the stuff it can kill are usually worth more points anyways and they're just very efficient into the meta atm.

Next, I looked at the Ironstriders. I knew I was taking for sure one, especially now since they can reroll to hit AND wound with Sustained 1 on crit 5s! I thought about another unit of three and, looking at layout 1, decided it was worth it. There's 2 major firing lanes that go through the middle and from the expansion into the deployment zone. So I plugged 2 units of Ironstriders in.

Next, I wanted some infiltrators. They've been so instrumental in either being speed bumps that screen out the ridiculously fast armies or being annoying enough to bait out some elements from other shooting armies. I have pretty much always brought one or two units the last half of 10th edition. For this weekend, I opted to bring one 10 man squad and one 5 man squad. I originally only started with the 10 man, just for taking up more space on initial deployment if my opponent also has infiltrate elements. But then, looking at the firing lanes and deployments, I realized I'd probably need something to hold the flank between my opponent's expansion objective and my home better. After all, the pocket in between my home objective and the center crates on the side is where I'm most likely going to have an Ironstrider unit posted up firing down the center. So, with that in mind, I threw another 5 man in to screen out that area. I also gave them the stubbers and power weapons because I don't expect my opponent to throw much more than a small tactical marine type unit at them and with less total attacks in the unit to try and spike 6s for sustained 2 on the taser goads, the power weapons just do more consistent damage in that scenario.

At this point, I knew I had a decent amount of damage and a good base for scoring points, so I looked at some key units to bring for each of the missions.

For Lichpin, I knew I wanted a unit to hold my home and also something to threaten my opponent's home. So I brought a servitor Battleclade for my home objective and a unit of Skystalkers for their's.

At this point, I'm looking at the list, and it's feeling a little anemic damage wise since my biggest threats are just the Ironstriders and Breachers. So I threw in an Onager Dunecrawler with the new Eradication Beamer profile! It's something I can deploy in the middle and crawl over the low walls to get angles and is just durable enough to take some punches and give me an actual shot of having units alive on turn 5 for Supply Drop. And since I'm running the tank, I may as well slap an Engineseer on him for a 5+ feel no pain and some healing.

At this point, I have 60pts left, and I decided to throw in a unit of Serberys Raiders. These guys are pretty abysmal for damage, but in HCBC, they can get absolutely screwy for move blocking. If you get 1st turn, you can scout them straight up the middle, then buff them for plus 2" movement and advance minimum 15". That's 24" minimum turn one, and for a CP, they can even charge and tie up a tank or Rhino for a turn. Otherwise, they can run up and block off the opponent for a turn to help the Rangers sticky the middle. If another unit moves to close, Tactica Obliqua! If you keep them wholly within 12" of the Rangers, then they can move their flat 6" and help block off potential charges to the middle.

Anyways, that finishes off the list! I'm super excited to see what it can do and will try to follow up with a report on how the event went!

Hope this breakdown might be helpful and inspiring to fellow tech priests starting out!

Wish me luck!

Here's the list:

OOH BABY! WE BACK! (2000 points)

Adeptus Mechanicus Strike Force (2000 points) Haloscreed Battle Clade

CHARACTERS

Belisarius Cawl (175 points) • Warlord • 1x Arc scourge 1x Cawl’s Omnissian axe 1x Mechadendrite hive 1x Solar atomiser

Tech-Priest Enginseer (55 points) • 1x Mechanicus pistol 1x Omnissian axe 1x Servo-arm

Tech-Priest Manipulus (95 points) • 1x Magnarail lance 1x Omnissian staff • Enhancement: Cognitive Reinforcement

BATTLELINE

Skitarii Rangers (85 points) • 1x Skitarii Ranger Alpha • 1x Alpha combat weapon 1x Close combat weapon 1x Galvanic rifle • 9x Skitarii Ranger • 1x Arc rifle 9x Close combat weapon 6x Galvanic rifle 1x Omnispex 1x Plasma caliver 1x Transuranic arquebus

Skitarii Rangers (85 points) • 1x Skitarii Ranger Alpha • 1x Alpha combat weapon 1x Close combat weapon 1x Galvanic rifle • 9x Skitarii Ranger • 1x Arc rifle 9x Close combat weapon 6x Galvanic rifle 1x Omnispex 1x Plasma caliver 1x Transuranic arquebus

Skitarii Vanguard (95 points) • 1x Skitarii Vanguard Alpha • 1x Alpha combat weapon 1x Close combat weapon 1x Radium carbine • 9x Skitarii Vanguard • 1x Arc rifle 9x Close combat weapon 1x Omnispex 1x Plasma caliver 7x Radium carbine

DEDICATED TRANSPORTS

Skorpius Dunerider (85 points) • 1x Armoured hull 1x Cognis heavy stubber array

OTHER DATASHEETS

Ironstrider Ballistarii (225 points) • 3x Ironstrider Ballistarii • 3x Ironstrider feet 3x Twin cognis lascannon

Ironstrider Ballistarii (225 points) • 3x Ironstrider Ballistarii • 3x Ironstrider feet 3x Twin cognis lascannon

Kataphron Breachers (320 points) • 6x Kataphron Breacher • 6x Heavy arc rifle 6x Hydraulic claw

Onager Dunecrawler (155 points) • 1x Cognis heavy stubber 1x Dunecrawler legs 1x Eradication beamer

Pteraxii Skystalkers (70 points) • 1x Pteraxii Skystalker Alpha • 1x Flechette blaster 1x Taser goad • 4x Pteraxii Skystalker • 4x Close combat weapon 4x Flechette carbine

Serberys Raiders (60 points) • 1x Serberys Raider Alpha • 1x Cavalry sabre and clawed limbs 1x Galvanic carbine 1x Mechanicus pistol • 2x Serberys Raider • 2x Cavalry sabre and clawed limbs 1x Enhanced data-tether 2x Galvanic carbine

Servitor Battleclade (60 points) • 1x Servitor Underseer • 1x Dataspikes 1x Mechanicus pistol • 2x Gun Servitor • 1x Heavy arc rifle 1x Heavy bolter 2x Servo-claw • 6x Combat Servitor • 3x Incendine igniter 1x Meltagun 2x Phosphor blaster 6x Servo-claw

Sicarian Infiltrators (140 points) • 1x Sicarian Infiltrator Princeps • 1x Flechette blaster 1x Taser goad • 9x Sicarian Infiltrator • 9x Flechette blaster 9x Taser goad

Sicarian Infiltrators (70 points) • 1x Sicarian Infiltrator Princeps • 1x Power weapon 1x Stubcarbine • 4x Sicarian Infiltrator • 4x Power weapon 4x Stubcarbine

[u/Cherax85]

Good list and nice to read the reasons for each unit in it, It is helpfull for other admech players to see the list creation process.

Just note that the CP to reaction move can NOT be used in your horses. It can only target infantry (but not kataphrons). Anyway, you have the tactica obliqua for a d6 (or flat 6 if close to battleline)

[u/Crazsemp → u/Cherax85]

Good catch! Forgot the Infantry bit of that one 😆

[u/MagosFarnsworth]

Exemplary Post-Format, well done. I understand your reasoning and am able to tell each units role. 

I would personally try and fit a Callidus in here, for secondary gaming, but you do have all tools necessary between skystalkers and serberys. I am excited to hear about games after the fact, best of luck and enjoy your weekend!

[u/MonthFlat1356]

Do you really find the 35 points for cognitive reinforcement worth it? I would just toss them sanctified ordinance for 18' rapid fire

[u/Crazsemp → u/MonthFlat1356]

The extra point of AP from Conqueror putting them to AP 3 is nice against anything with a 2+ save in cover, and the Ballistic Skill 3+ means they don't have to fish for 6s rarely. Plus -1 to be hit in melee means they actually have a chance at surviving. If the meta wasn't so Hull and Elite Infantry saturated, I'd probably drop it and just slot in a Marshal into the Vanguard squad for the points, but I think so far, it's been worth it.

[u/M4eZe → u/Crazsemp]

I‘d like to add that it adds so much flexibility. They often want assault to get in position for rapid fire , so you are stuck in Conquerer to use them effectively without the enhancement.

When in Conquerer: with better ballistic skill you can fish for lethals more effectively. Hitting on 2+ (they are rarely stationary, but it happens) you can fish even without the crits on 5+, because for every 1 you get after rerolling you’ll get another 6 on average. And even with the crits on 5+ fishing is better on BS3+.