Spotlight On: Kataphron Battle Servitors

For the next unit in my Adeptus Mechanicus force, we have these Kataphron Battle Servitors. 

I was desperate to get them but strangely went off them as soon as I did. Having said that, they are cool. After doing a bit of research online I ended up giving them the grav cannon loadout. This seemed good and also moved away from the plasma weapons I usually go with.

The whole point of this force is to explore the weird and wacky, not tread the usual paths, so... we'll see what they're like in-game.

Spotlight on Mechanicum Myrmidon Destructors

I've been working on painting again recently and I'll be showcasing some of my stuff in the near future.

Let's get started with my Forge World Mechanicum Myrmidon Destructors.

I've had these for a while now but it's only in my latest purge that I've painted them.

I don't have the Forge World rules for these guys as yet but in the meantime I'm using them as Kataphron Destroyers.

Covert Arms Buildup: Part Three - Cleared

Tau vs Adeptus Mechanicus | Gill v Tim | 40k | 54 | 109.997.M41 


The complex seemed empty.

Corridor after corridor without activity - no sign of life and only emergency power.

Whatever use the Adeptus Mechanicus had made of this place, it seemed abandoned now and the Tau moved through it, looking for signs that resistance remained. There seemed to be none but still they proceeded cautiously. 

But it was clear that all the tech adepts had withdrawn. Every Squat trooper had gone with them. Something big had been planned here and prepared for but after the initial defence the Mechanicum had pulled out completely.

Canisters and crates had been left behind containing weapons and other equipment. Obviously a major offensive had been organised from here, but the half human, half machine creatures had deemed a strategic withdrawal wise against the losses they might have taken. 

Yes. The Tech Priests had completely withdrawn. 

Or had they? 

Scuttling through the shadows, Squat defenders still remained, carefully checking their bolters and plasma weapons, readying themselves for a final rearguard attack to give the rest of their forces time to completely pull out.

 Aphids crept into position. On their tracked units, Thunderfire Batteries prepared to fire.

And then suddenly the Tau attacked, sweeping through the complex, blasting out with their pulse weapons, carbine barrels revolving rapidly. 

The Squats stepped forward from the shadows, entering battle,blasting at the disgusting and tightly-packed xenos interlopers. Fire Warriors fell but the Crisis Suits were forming the vanguard and their tough armour repelled the bulk of the small arms fire as they took down the defenders with cruel precision.

The Squats had never expected to win.

Their purpose was only to delay the aliens while the docking bays were cleared of transport craft. They had no withdrawal plan for themselves and fell one by one, roaring in challenge proudly.

The Tau didn't care. They pushed through, exterminating each and every single member of the Mechaicum defensive force, clearing every corridor until not one remained breathing.

 But this left them with no answers.

Something was brewing. The Adeptus Mechanicus were surely building an army. But why and what they would do with it? These things remained unknown.

Gill won

Covert Arms Buildup: Part Two - To Neutralise Command

Tau vs Adeptus Mechanicus | Gill v Tim | 40k | 53 | 109.997.M41 

The surprise battle within the outer reaches of the manufactorum had disrupted the Tau interlopers but the Adeptus Mechanicus forces had withdrawn deep into the structure and down into the underground levels.

The Tau had been unaware of their presence here but this was obviously another new faction with designs to take control of Valorax VIII. With their initial scouting force devastated, the Tau commander had to make a difficult choice: commit more troops for a deeper exploration or withdraw.

If they pulled out, it would give the Mechanicum full freedom to consolidate and expand what was clearly a new army. That could cause problems later on. In the meantime, an assault now without knowing the full scope of what they faced could be fairly damaging.

But it needed to be done.

Linked Gun Drones drifted into the outer reaches of the underground manufactorum, scanning for danger. There was no movement in the shadowy corridors but active datascreens suggested recent and ongoing activity. Unlike many of the other complexes, this one was fully operational.

Fire Warriors and Crisis Teams followed them in, scanning left and right with their pulse weaponry.

Still there was no sign of defensive forces.

But the Mechanicum forces were lying in wait. And though all reports had declared the stout Squats to be extinct, a sizable security force was assembled here and waiting.

As the intervening door came open the Squats opened fire, riddling the Crisis Suits with bolter fire as the diminutive abhumans took shelter in a storage chamber.

Then from behind the Tau incursion force a Mechanicus Aphid scuttled into position, letting fly with dozens of tiny warheads, striking down the Crisis Team before they could shoot back.

The Fire Warriors pressed on but more Squats lay in wait, firing then withdrawing, firing then withdrawing.

Now the fire Warriors were ready for them though and they let fly with volley after volley of concentrated pulse fire, driving the space dwarfs back.

Further Gun Drones glided into place as a Stealth team took up position before the next doors.With the initial resistance overcome, the Tau were able to funnel more and more troops into the narrow corridors now and their sensors told them there was a command centre behind the next door.

Making ready, they blew the locks and charged through, burst cannons spraying the interior.

Their sensors were right. Adeptus Mechanicus tech priests were manning the consoles, frantically working the controls, but the Stealth Team gunned them down before they could finish what they were doing.

The Squat commander hurtled forward from his command station to beat them back but there were too many of them. With reinforcements elsewhere in the complex he had to stand alone and even his great strength was insufficient.

He was hosed down by pulse rifle fire and fell to the ground dead.

Whatever the Mechanicus had been trying to do here had been foiled but more questions remained.

The answers lay deeper underground and there was only one way to reach them.

A Fully Furnished Zone Mortalis!

I think I just had a wargasm.

Welcome to my fully furnished Forge World Zone Mortalis, all thanks to Newbury Colours wargame festival, Antenocitis Workshop, another company I can't remember the name of and a small lot of cash.

I'm going to blog about each of these rooms sets individually at some point and look at them in more detail. For now, let's have a super fast tour.

This first room is the command centre. We have the map viewer thingy, the strategy table thingy...

A couple of desks with holo screens (manned by Adeptus Mechanicus from Micro Art Studio). And what's that at the back?

It's a command chair! Complete with holo screens!

The screens on the walls are also  from Antenocitis, held in place by a super strong magnet inside the wall.

Store room full of crates...

Little robot-controlled buggies for carrying round stuff. These are from the other company I can't remember.

 A bunch of machinery items...

And then there's the finally complete Medi-Bay! 

You can see the diagnostic couch with holo displays, another screen for the wall and cryo tubes too! 

This is exhausting! I need a rest!

In the Rec Room! 

I really need a pool table and a juke box - maybe a vending machine. Anyone know of where I can get them? 

And that's it for now.

I'm half way though a game at the moment on this lovely board - Sqiats and Adeptus Mechanicus versus Tau. The furniture adds so much to it! I'm hoping Forge World will bring out some furnishings at some point - and bring back that dissection table!

Till then... stay tuned for more pictures in future.

Spotlight On: Squat Tarantula

Many years ago, in one of the first White Dwarfs I ever owned there was an advert for a Squat Tarantula, a heavy weapon artillery platform. I never bought one but I always remembered…

Twenty five or so years later and I have the next best thing: The Mantic Hailstorm Cannon!

I wasn’t sure about this model at first. I might not have bought it if it hadn’t come in the Mantic Warpath boxed game starter set, but it has grown on me. 

I don’t know if Mantic intended this to be used as a Tarantula in games of 40K, but the closest thing in the Squat codex I’m working from is definitely that.

 

With this complete I’ve now finished the support element of my army.

Just six Squat infantry to finish now and then I’m done!

(Grins inanely)