40K: Ad Mech Needs Transports…Maybe
These guys can walk the walk all right – but why do they have to?
AdMech are here in all their glory. I for one am excited! I had shelved my 7th Ed Mechanicus army to make way for my 8th Ed Thousand Sons. The Index arrived, but 8th Ed Ad Mech looked and played pretty much the same way they did in 7th…minus the War Convo. In other words, they didn’t. Honestly, it didn’t matter much, as my Sons of Magnus/Chaos forces were taking care of business.
Then the Dex arrived last week. Not only Canticles (and all the fun manipulation that is to be had) but Forge World Dogmas, and a plethora of Stratagems can be found in this awesome tome!
But wait…I don’t see no transports! So the word march has a whole new meaning for an Ad Mech army. Well, not exactly new. They never had transports. My question is…do AdMech need transports?
You gotta learn to roll with it
Maybe Not?
Perhaps the durability of an Adeptus Mechcanicus list, their impressive amount of potential firepower, and the ability to Infiltrate/teleport (via Stratagems or innate abilities) are enough to get them through most opposition. Kastellans are pretty tough even without any Ad Mech buffs. Electro-Priests are pretty durable as well, with 5++/5+++ saves. Both can be teleported to any location on the board, depending on which Forge World you choose for them. Infiltrators have the intrinsic ability to “teleport” during deployment as well. Although not quite as tough as Robots or Zealots, they still have a 4+/6++, which can certainly be enhanced with Canticles, Stratagems or Dogma.
All good, right? Maybe. You have to burn Command Points to light this stuff off. Given the amount of Stratagems that Ad Mech have available (a bunch!), spending Command Points on moving stuff about the board before the game even starts should not be the sole source of mobility for this army. Fresh Converts Stratagem can be used during the game, but is limited to very specific unit types and limits deployment to your own deployment zone.
The Lucius Stratagem that allows “hold outs” can certainly compensate for a lack of troop transports. It is very similar to any army that has the ability to place units in the “teleportarium (theatre of the mind stuff).” Here’s the rub…it can only be used for single unit. Almost every other army in 40K not only has transports, but multiple units that can be set aside for future insertion to the combat zone. This is another illustration of how even though Ad Mech have ways to move units about the board, this ability is very limited in terms of the number of units that can take advantage of the teleport mechanic. Is this limitation outweighed by the durability and firepower of the army? We shall see.
Maybe..YES!
Sorry folks, but I just don’t get why Ad Mech is the only bloody army in 40K not to have transports*. They make armoured boxes for every other freakin’ Imperial army in the game. Why the hell can’t they get one of their own?! Yeah, here is how I really feel about this. It makes no bloody sense. Why should there even be an argument of whether or not they need a stinkin’ transport? No one else has to beg. Arguing that they don’t need one because of their inherent abilities is an exercise that could apply to any other army in 40K, including Xenos armies.
Transports not only provide mobility, but protection for troops as well. Skitarii Rangers and Vanguard are not nearly as tough as Space Marines, but Marines get transports. Hell Stormy, get a freakin’ life would ya? Everyone knows Ad Mech don’t need transports. If they did, surely GDub would have thrown in a new model with the release last week.
In fairness, there are several rumors (this is the Interweb after all) that Forge World is in the process of releasing more Mechanicum backstory, and with that, will port over several Forge World Mechanicum models to 40K. Wait…I did say rumors didn’t I? It would be pretty sweet if a beautiful Triaros was added to the Ad Mech lineup. I’m not holdin’ out for that though. In fact, there are a couple of other Mechanicum vehicles that could function as Ad Mech transports. Here again, I just don’t see it happening. One would think as long as those models have been around, they would have been included in the Index or the Ad Mech Dex out the gate.
The point here is one of hobby discussion, and being able to vent a bit about an army that I really enjoyed playing in 7th, and transports or no, will enjoy in 8th. Just having a tough time understanding GWs omission of a unit that is essential to almost army in the 8th Edition 40K game. Mobility is a key part of success in this edition. Severely limiting that mobility for an army like the Ad Mech is a bit of a conundrum.
Transports for Admech…yes or no?
*editor’s note: He forgot about Tyranids – Unless we’re counting Spore Pods and/or Tervigons. They can also hitch a ride with a Trygon now. So…yeah, let him have this one.
