Codex: Adeptus Mechanicus Weapons Preview

Over on Warhammer Community, games Workshop dropped a set of previews for the cogboys of the Adeptus Mechanicus. Explicitly, we’re looking at details from the new Codex, release date as yet uncertain, focused on Adeptus Mechanicus weapons. This preview covered weapon systems by streamlining rules and making some flat improvements.

Adeptus Mechanicus Skitarii

Our first improvement comes to the galvanic weapons carried by Skitarii and Serberys Raiders. As shown below with the Galvanic Rifle, you’re losing some accuracy while on the move, but gaining additional weight of fire at long range and a steady AP value.

Arc weapons also see improved performance. Rifles and pistols see increased damage and AP. However, they become exceptionally dangerous against vehicles. Targets with the Vehicle keyword take 3 Damage with any unmodified wound roll of 4+. That’s plenty of potential damage.

Melee versions of arc weapons receive the same anti-vehicular benefits. Whether we’re looking at your Alpha with arc maul or the Katphrons with arc claws, it all translates into improved tank killing capability!

Adeptus Mechanicus Weapons, Kataphron

Speaking of Kataphrons, both flavors of combat servitor see improvements in ranged capability. Destroyers now only take 1 mortal wound from their plasma culverins on rolls of “1” instead of being destroyed outright. Our Enginseer calls that acceptable degradation!

The Breachers already get an upgrade with the new arc weapons (rifles and claws). They’re also seeing advanced improvements in their torsion cannons. Damage improved to D3+3 and range doubled to 48″. They must have found a more complete version of the STC.

Adeptus Mechanicus Weapons, Sicarian

Even Sicarian Ruststalkers are getting in on the improved loadout. Transonic blades and razors gain improved AP with a -3 on the blades and -2 on the razors. Even the most well protected units should be wary of challenging them in melee.

Adeptus Mechanicus Weapons, Cognis

For the last set of previews, we’re looking at a rather bland set of Imperial standards, flamers, heavy stubbers, autocannons, and lascannons. The Mechanicus versions are known as cognis weapons. Possessed of awakened machine spirits, cognis weapons provided small improvements over Imperial standard in the previous Codex. Now, they’re more accurate and adaptive. This is reflected by an improved rate of fire and changing from heavy to assault without additional special rules.

The twin cognis lascannon doesn’t receive an improved rate of fire. Two is quite enough for a weapon this heavy. However, they are now assault and the improved damage, D3+3, ensures they’re hurting whatever they hit.

That’s it for today’s previews from the forge worlds! I expect we’ll see a few more as we get closer to a release date.

I like all the changes shown, especially where we’re seeing simplification without losing any capability. The most benefit accrues to the Kataphrons. Players with older destroyer models will be able to bring the plasma culverins out of the closet to dominate the table once again. Newer players will want to take advantage of the breachers arc weapon suite both in melee and at range. Expect to see a run on Kataphron kits soon.

Thanks and see you all soon!