How to Play Adeptus Mechanicus in Warhammer 40K
Today let’s take a look at some basics of how to play and get started with Warhammer 40k Adeptus Mechanicus in 10th Edition.
The Adeptus Mechanicus are the might of the Machine God made manifest. When the Mechanicus go to war, they call on phalanxes of Skitarii, robotic might, and esoteric technology. On the tabletop, the Adeptus Mechanicus are a diverse and dynamic faction with a lot to get through.
So below we offer some tips on how to play the army and get started with the army.
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Who Are The Adeptus Mechanicus?
The Adeptus Mechanicus is a technological organization, often known as the Priesthood of Mars. It holds a monopoly on technological knowledge in the Imperium. Their Forge Worlds turn out the Imperium’s most powerful and advanced weaponry and equipment. While the Mechanicus is a part of the Imperium, it has developed separately. Thus, they enjoy a considerable degree of independence.
Due to the great amount of power it wields, the Adeptus Mechanicus could almost be considered an allied empire—more so than an organization within the Imperium—as they technically appear. The Adeptus Mechanicus follow a separate religion from the rest of the Imperium. This religion and structure of the Adeptus Mechanicus are known as the Cult Mechanicus. The Adepts of the Adeptus Mechanicus are known as Tech-Priests.
Battle Congregations are the military force of the Tech-Priest hierarchies. Their typical Battle Congregations consist of a variety of forces from the militant Mechanicum factions under the general command of a Tech-Priest Dominus. The makeup of the Congregation is heavily dependent on two things. The strength of their Forge World and the Dominus’ status in the labyrinthine hierarchy of the Mechanicum Priesthood. Across the organization are thousands of iterations.
Why Play Adeptus Mechanicus
Adeptus Mechanicus offers one of the most characterful and visually interesting factions the Imperium has to offer. The steampunk variety offered by the Mechanicus is unmatched. The miniatures range from diminutive Skitarii, alongside large servitors, to an array of interesting vehicles. These elements may even seem a bit disparate. However, the best Mechanicus armies are held together by two things; the Priesthood of Mars and a striking color scheme!
Strengths of the Army
- Firepower superiority.
- Strong specialist close combat units.
- A large number of adaptable rules means the Mechanicus has a program for any situation.
Weakness of the Army
- Large number of overlapping and layering rules based on a large number of Keywords. Keeping track of all the rules or buffs you may have coming into effect can be a full-time job.
Adeptus Mechanicus Army Rules
- Doctrina Imperatives– an alternating set of offensive and defensive buffs.
Adeptus Mechanicus Detachments
Rad-Cohort
- Rules: Rad-bombardment will slowly chip away at enemy units.
- Enhancements: Mostly fairly situational, but Radial Suffusion is amazing for how it enhance the main rule.
- Stratagems: When Mechanicus wants an enemy in their deployment zone gone, they have a Pre-Calibrated Purge Solution!
Data-Psalm Conclave
- Rules: This Mechanicus oriented rule, Benedictions of the Omnissiah, is just a straight choice of two extremely solid game-long buffs. Sort of reminiscent of the old War Convocation in a way.
- Enhancements: The aptly name Temporcopia is pretty neat, giving Strike First to something punchy.
- Stratagems: Like much of this detachment, the majority of these are fairly strong close combat improvements.
Skitarii Hunter Cohort
- Rules: Stealth Optimization gives all your Skitarii Stealth- quite useful!
- Enhancements: This is a lovely set of Skitarii items offering both passive buffs
- and some excellent movement shenanigans in the form of Clandestine Infiltrator.
- Stratagems: With clever use you can completely disrupt your enemies shooting plans with Shroud Protocols.
Cohort Cybernetica
- Rules: This rule, Cyber-Psalm Programming, does just one thing, so you’d better use it. It gives Cybernetica units the keywords they need to benefit from the main army rule, Doctrina Imperatives.
- Enhancements: These are all powerful but the best name is by far Necromechanic.
- Stratagems: These are all keyworded to Cybernetica or vehicles.
Explorer Maniple
- Rules: Acquisition at Any Cost gives a to wound re-roll buff based around a chosen objective each turn and much of this detachments power is hinged around leveraging objective control.
- Enhancements: All of these rely on being within range of the chosen obective.
- Stratagems: There are quite a few neat ones, but Reactive Safeguard is an absolutely hilarious way to leave an opponent flat-footed.
Key Adeptus Mechanicus Units To Know
The army has a sizable unit roster and knowing what units to take can be tricky. Here are some suggestions to get you off on the right track.
Leaders
Belisarius Cawl
Cawl is the Monstrous Epic Hero in the Mechanicus toolbelt. While being a beast themself, most of what Cawl does comes in the form of benefitting nearby units.
Tech-Priest Dominus
One of the many powerful Leader Tech-Priests available to lead the armies of the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Dominus provides a nice defensive buff. Because of the wide array of units it joins, it is a perfect leader for your force.
Tech-Priest Manipulus
Armed with a powerful Magnarail lance and Galvanic Field, which can buff the attacks of nearby units. A handy utility unit.
Skitarii Marshal
The Skitarii Marshal is the highest-ranking of the Skitarii legions you can muster. He joins foot Skitarii units and greatly enhances their already prodigious firepower with his Control Edict.
Sidonian Skratos
The Skratos is a stealthy, long-legged sniper guy- what’s not to love about that? They fill a great role running around as Lone Operatives and blasting things.
Battleline
Skitarii Rangers
The most diminutive and common Battleline available to the Machine God are the Skitarii. Rangers are armed with an excellent long-range rifle and really benefit from all the buffs they can get. They can also tag objectives with Objective Scouted.
Skitarii Vanguard
The other Skitarii Battleline on foot, Vanguard are interesting because their Rad-saturation aura reduces the Objective Control characteristic of nearby enemies (while having an OC of 2 themselves).
Other Units
Kataphron Destroyers
This servitor option packs some large and powerful guns. Thanks to their Sentinel Directives, enemies will think twice about charging.
Sicaran Infiltrators
Infiltrating assassins with a battleshock-impacting debuff aura and strong anti-infantry weaponry. They can make quick work of non-assault infantry.
Kastelan Robots
Big, brutal, Johnny 5 looking machines, Kastelans do work at range and up close. Make sure you add in their Datasmith though. They are lost without him! Their Repulsor Grid hilariously throws back mortal wounds at range.
Ironstrider Balistarii
An incredibly useful and mobile gun platform. The Ironstrider is very cost-efficient and easily buffed. They are also quite resilient in large units.
Serberys Raiders
A nice forward scouting unit. The most compelling reason to take either variety of Serberys is for their amazing and creepy robo-horse-dogs!
Skorpius Disintegrator
Everyone needs a flying tank with a big gun—the Adeptus Mechanicus has a reliable one full of Blistering Salvoes!
Archaeopter Stratoraptor
This crazy Leonardo Da Vinci machine flyer is the Stratoraptor, which is highly effective because of its twin lascannon and Strafing Run ability.
Pteraxii Sterylizors
Winged, flamer Skitarii? What’s not to love? Sterylizors are fast and put out a lot of fire(power)!
Sample Starter Warhammer 40k Adeptus Mechanicus Army
Army: Adeptus Mechanicus
Leaders
Tech-Priest Dominus. 1 Model. They are equipped with: macrostubber; volkite blaster; Omnissian axe.
Battleline
- Skitarii Rangers. Ten Models. One model equipped with: plasma caliver. Every other model is equipped with: galvanic rifle.
- Skitarii Rangers. Ten Models. One model equipped with: plasma caliver. Every other model is equipped with: galvanic rifle.
- Skitarii Rangers. Ten Models. One model equipped with: plasma caliver. Every other model is equipped with: galvanic rifle.
- Skitarii Rangers. Ten Models. One model equipped with: plasma caliver. Every other model is equipped with: galvanic rifle.
- Skitarii Rangers. Ten Models. One model equipped with: plasma caliver. Every other model is equipped with: galvanic rifle.
Other Units
- Ironstrider Ballistarii. Two Models. Equipped with: Twin cognis lascannon.
- Skorpius Disintegrator. One Model. It is equipped with: 3 cognis heavy stubbers; disruptor missile launcher; belleros energy cannon.
How to Play Adeptus Mechanicus
AM are an ultimate finesse army- timing the use of your buffs is *imperative* . You can plan for the alpha strike or not and determine how you use your imperatives. You can start off on defense and plan the lightning strike switch to offense or full alpha with offense all the way.
For the Omnissiah!
