Editing Warhammer 40,000/Tactics/Mechanicum (30k) (section)

===Troops===

*'''[[Thallax|Mechanicum Thallax Cohort]]:''' Shock Troops initially gifted by Ordo Reductor, but became much more widespread among out-lying Forgeworlds as they were comparatively easier to amass compared to Battle-Automata. They're best used against vehicles since being Jet Pack Infantry means they're super mobile, able to jump out behind a wall then shoot before flying away, and S7 plus Rending guns means they wreck light vehicles (and potentially much tougher vehicles) not to mention being S5 T5 and means they're not too shabby in combat either. Overall pretty damn good but start to cost a lot of points quickly and while they have access to great weapon options, this isn't a fantastic way of picking up a tonne of high strength weaponry (stick to Myrmidon Destructors or Secutors for your special weapons).
**For extra options for dealing with Vehicles, buy them '''Destructor''' (Tank Hunters) to make sure you get that rending roll or '''Empyrite''' to deep-strike them behind/beside tanks, in which case you should either stack up on models in one unit or multiple Deep-strikers as they're likely to get shot to hell after they arrive (flying away only carries you so far).  If you need to deal with fliers then set them up behind a fortification (so you get a Quad Gun or Lascannon), and buy them '''Icarian''' and a '''Multi-laser''', for extra 36" S6 hits.  Keep in mind Djinn-sight fucks over Jink saves so use this to your benefit instead of a Magos on the gun.  Don't get a '''Multi-Melta''', most 30K vehicles have Armoured Ceramite (immunity to the extra D6) so Rending S7 is better (Don't forget melta bombs DO still work on ceramite, they negate the ceramite).
**For dealing with Marines you have '''Phased-Plasma Fusils'''; they're an interesting weapon choice, though listed as Salvo 2/3 it needs to be remembered that Thallax possess relentless, thus turning this into a Assault 3, and S6 AP3, (amazing against marines, especially with Djinn-sight wrecking their Cover Saves).  Of course you may be wondering if this subverts the point of using the Thallax cohort as tank hunters and you would be right it does, you also have Castellax who are much better at this role with all of them being able to take S6 AP3 weapons.
**For dealing with 2+ armour You've got '''Photon-Thrusters''', they're expensive but their main advantages are 48" S6 AP2 for making those squishier Primarchs (Like Lorgar, Conrad Curze, and Angron) and Terminators to take several invuln saves, though once again Castellax are better at this role with their Darkfire Cannons and at S6 Lance won't help at all, your regular Rending S7 Lightning Guns are better for vehicles.  They can still be useful if you're charging though since they cause blind.
**For dealing with Light Infantry you have '''Irrad-cleansers''' which are also a very interesting weapon; 2+ Fleshbane (not poison!) template pretty much guarantees a large portion of the target will get wounded, it also handily goes with '''Empyrite''' for deep-striking, flaming, then flying away (since you cannot assault) but at AP5 however it could vary widely as to how effective it is afterwards; Ork, Nids, IG and even Nurgle daemons blobs?  Not a problem. Legiones Astartes?  It'll at least make them take lots of saves (but is worse than Phased-plasma), [[Solar Auxilia]] with their 4+?  Get '''Heavy Chainblades''' (for Instant Death), charge and crush them.
**Something to keep in mind is that as they fuck with Infiltrators thanks to Djinn-sight (so spread them out), and you should always keep them away from S10 AP 4+ weapons as they invalidate your armour, FnP, and three wounds.

*'''Adsecularis Covenant'''--Thralls, From suck to stellar. No vehicle, but they can now go up to 20 Thralls, which is a no-brainer. They can choose between Laslocks, Mitralocks and Heavy chainblades, you generally want the Laslocks. They now have a variety of upgrades that effect the entire squad, and are more cost effective at maximum size!
**Rite of Pure thought grants them fearless, but removes Overwatch and sweeping advance. Few things discourage taking Fearless, especially with a tarpit like this, if you're taking Thralls, give them this.
**Induction chargers make both Mitra-locks and Las-locks assault 2. Generally this is more compensation for BS2 than it is for getting extra hits, however plop in a Cyber-occularis and have fun.
**Carapace armour, as it says on the tin. Great if you intend to shove them in the face of enemy line infantry but Heavy bolters will rip them apart.
**Revenant Alchemistry, SPOOKY, upgrades your FNP to 5+ and grants hatred, slow&purposeful is almost a joke draw back. Prop up Tech-priests behind them and you're gonna have 4+ FNP. Autocannons will mitigate this, but even 30k can only back so many autocannons!
**Heavy Chainblades, although called Heavy Chainswords in the core rulebook. In essence, it's a two-handed melee weapon that gives +2S and AP5. Your Adsecularis start at S4, so that means S6, which means that they will severely hurt anything that doesn't decimate them before they get to strike.
***Surprisingly durable tarpits packing a mean punch if properly equipped(RoPT+Carapace+RA+Heavy Chainblades). You'll have to convert/kitbash your own, and while they have the same WS and I as Tau Firewarriors(a meager 2), Hate(everything) and hitting at S6 means that no one wants to see them swing at their models. Should be quite efficient against big blobs of Ork Boyz, hitting them at 4+ rerolling, wounding on 2+ and AP5 while taking advantage of their 4+ save and Feel no Pain which ''statistically'' speaking is as good as 3+ against anything which doesn't cause them Instant Death or ignores their armor. As an anecdote, I once knocked 4 wounds off a Bloodthirster with a unit of 20, and would have finished it if it hadn't been for a unit of deepstriking Bloodletters saving their bosses bacon.
***In short, if the enemy unit wasn't designed to kill through spamming tonnes of dice and hits on higher initiative (Hormagaunts, World-Eater marine blobs etc) then you'll rip their nuts off. Failing that they will waste huge amounts of the enemies time, by which point you would of likely gained the upper hand. Use Tech-thralls to Screen portions of your army by forming a heavily discouraging target for anything that isn't artillery.

*'''Castellax Class Battle-automata'''--Now they can no longer be compulsory troops choices.  Tragic.  But they are still scoring. And don't forget they are some of the best monstrous creature hunter units in the whole game! So almost an auto include! See the other entry on Castellax if you aren't sure how to equip your murderous do-it-all deathstars.

*'''Scyllax Guardian-Automata Covenant''': Very situational in this list, Thallax are just slightly more expensive with a better statline (extra Thallax cost just five more points than extra Scyllax) as well as far more mobility, if you don't want to pay for Castellax (remember, they're not compulsory choices in Taghmata but Scyllax are) but still want a decent defensive unit for Close Combat then they're okay as even though Thallax have a better statline for a small points increase, Scyllax can to ID TEQ's thanks to dismemberment.  It should be noted too that anything Scyllax can do for you with their weapons can be done more efficiently in other options, if you must use them then use them solo (except for Calleb as that'll grant you an additional 5 attacks that will also ID TEQ's) as unlike the Reductor your characters/Scyllax do not gain any special benefit from joining them as they're not Battle-automata (and as such don't benefit from Cybertheurgy aside from making them fearless but that works up to 24").  Try to have them as a defensive measure as they can ID TEQ's using dismemberment while using their ranged options similarly to the Ordo Reductor:
**If Defensive Assault is your ideal strategy, then load up on '''Flamers''' (available to all) and '''Rad-cleansers''' (available to only one in four, sadly). Template weapons can help whittle down a lot of blobs real fast (having that much Wall of Death doesn't hurt if you get counter-charged either).
**If you opt for ranged combat, you'll want the '''Rotor Cannons'''. Sure they're weaker in strength than the '''Volkite Chargers''' but they put out more shots the Volkites and your regular Bolters do, Relentless meaning you get to fire 4 shots at full 30" range. And they're the cheapest option! Even if you're up against 4+ saves, the heightened volume of fire means you'll inflict more wounds than Kraken Bolters.
**As for the other "1-in-X can equip Y" items, they're pretty self explanatory. '''Graviton guns''' help with slowing infantry and dealing with vehicles that got too close, '''Plasma guns''' help with taking out 2+ saves from range (handy if a player puts their Artificer Armour Sergeant in front), and '''Melta guns''' are good for leaving at home because your opponent bought Armoured Ceramite and you have better things to deal with vehicles and 2+ saves.