We’re officially 2/3rds of the way through the edition and have our second last combined rules & points Dataslate before 11th edition. As most factions have codex’s now and the focus is moving to the next edition, I expect we will see fewer changes moving forwards.
What does this mean? It’s likely – but not impossible – that there won’t be any major changes to most faction/army rules until 11th edition. We’re fairly late into the edition and if GW wanted to make big changes, they would have (or should have) by now.
Adeptus Mechanicus changes
Rules changes
- The Cybernetica Datasmith and Kastelan Robots were given the Doctrina Imperatives army rule, finally.
This means that every unit in our codex now receives the army rule, it only took 2 years. What this also means is that Kastelan Robots are now viable in every single Ad Mech detachment, it no longer feels bad to bring them because previously they wouldn’t get the army rule.
You could give the robots permanent stealth in Rad Zone, fight first in Data-Psalm, once per phase auto 6 a hit, wound, or saving throw in Explorator Maniple, the possibilities are limited!
They’re probably still best run in Cohort Cybernetica, followed by Haloscreed. The fights first in DPC is a bit of a meme, as in my opinion they are too slow outside of Cohort/Halo.
- Cohort Cybernetica detachment
- Detachment rule was changed to: ‘Add 2″ to the movement characteristic of models in Legio Cybernetica units from your army. In addition, unless that unit is Battle-shocked, add 1 to the objective control characteristics of models in that unit.’
Remember that Legio Cybernetica units are the Kastelan Robots & Cybernetica Datasmith. This is fantastic, having all your robot units move 8″, with the potential to move 11″ for a stratagem and giving them +1 to advance and charge makes them a real threat.
I’m shitty that I just sold 4 Kastelan Robots to Nick now, I definitely would have run this detachment with 8 of them. Having a full 4-man unit sit on an objective gives 14 OC now which means your opponents will have to commit something to either remove them, as they wouldn’t be able to contest it with just a transport or a 5-man battleline unit anymore.
I still don’t really have sellers’ remorse, but still, annoying.
- Haloscreed Battle Clade detachment
- Transoracular Dyad Wafers Enhancement: Removed the section where it gives the unit the army rule, because they have it by default now.
Pretty self-explanatory, Legio Cybernetica units now have the army rule, so it doesn’t need to be added to the enhancement.
Points changes
- Ironstrider Ballistarii -5 points per model (costs 70 per)
- Sydonian Dragoons with Taser Lances -5 points per model (costs 65 per)
- Skorpius Disintegrator -10 points (costs 165)
- Haloscreed Battle Clade: Transoracular Dyad Waters -15 points (costs 15)
This is a win all around, Disintegrators are spammed in every list these days and were a bit over costed at 175. The walkers weren’t being played as much since SHC dropped out of popularity since Haloscreed dropped. We may see more SHC lists now, or just walker spam in Haloscreed where they’re still very strong.
The enhancement dropping points makes sense as it’s now a 15-point tax to always have a Kastelan robot unit have the Halo Override keyword, one that I will always pay.
Overall, as far as balance changes go, eh. I’ll be able to finagle my list a little bit to run the stuff I want instead of having to swap Vanguard for Rangers due to the Disintegrator dropping in points. But other than that, it’s pretty much the same old Ad Mech. I don’t anticipate fulling swapping to a Cohort Cybernetica list as I’m not a big fan of the walkers these days (and I SOLD my ROBOTS). I’ll probably keep running Haloscreed and forcing my views on Electro-priests onto people.
In other news, the CSM Lord Discordant got buffed and apparently, I have 3, so I may spend the next month building and painting those up to take to a GT in July. Vashtorr also got a glow up and he was already fab, just depends on if I can be bothered printing all the base toppers that I need. I need it to be school holidays; I can never be bothered printing anything during work weeks.
Servitor Battleclade
Lastly, the Ad Mech kill team rules were revealed, which also get the army rule! Excellent! It’s a mixed unit of 2 gun servitors, 6 combat servitors and a pseudo leader, the Servitor Underseer, which does not have the character keyword, but does have the tech-priest keyword which means you can give this unit certain enhancements. The loadout options are a bit weird; the whole unit is a bit weird.
Actually, it has the cult-mechanicus keyword, which means it synergises with the detachment rule for Data-Psalm Conclave. Oh boy, I’m feeling like DPC is back on the menu boys. I just need 3 units of this kill team which I probably won’t be able to get until 11th edition.
If you take the ‘best’ loadout options you can, you end up with 1 Dataspike and 6 Servo-claws, 4-0-1 isn’t that bad if you are receiving the battleline AP buff. That would give a total of 20 attacks, or 29 if you’re in DPC with the Citation in Savagery buff, and it would become strength 5. This is unironically not shit.
For shooting, you would have a Heavy arc rifle, heavy bolter, 3 Incendine igniters, 1 Meltagun and two phosphor blasters. Kinda stupid, I love it. All of this for only 60 points is absolutely busted. I’ll be running three units of these as soon as I can get my hands on them.
I’m still exploring a lot of different lists with Ad Mech. I should be finally getting around to adding Pteraxii to my list soon, I hear they’re pretty good. I understand that a lot of gamers are kind of over Ad Mech for the edition, but I think they still have a lot of play, and there are more memes I would like to engage in. Let me know what you think of the Balance Dataslate.
Until next time, cya nerds.
Litanies of the Faithful 
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