This thread assumes: EC will be a well established, thriving game that has seen multiple expansions that will allow the following parameters which are not currently in the game: Base Building Destructible Environments Player Forge Customization The Space Marine faction are in a loose alliance to the other Imperial factions (IG/Humanity, Sisters of Battle) The Adeptus Mechanicus, stands as an auxiliary faction to the Imperium of Man within the existing factions; Techmarines from the Marines, Techpriests from the IG, ect. Serving to repair and enhance the Imperial Structures across the land: as well as find a single objective - A working STC. This semi-combat faction is more interested in everything surrounding war, but not directly involved in combat unless absolutely necessary. These classes from the Imperium can band together and pool their resources in order to build bases over outposts, customize them, repair damage, and even create new looks in the Player Forge (using the constraints of the STC of course!). They gain experience either in combat, using the various forges, or by searching for the fabled STC hidden somewhere on Arkohna. Thoughts?
I can kind of see it but I don't personally know much about the techs. What if they were more a non combat class so everyone could play one for upgrading/building stuff when pvp and pve get a little tired. Could match it with bonesingers (?), cultists (?), and grots (?). Looking for the STC might be more of a reward too if they just had to be protected in a group all the way there but then it might be nice to put limits on how many techmarines/priests on the field at a time. Maybe because orks horde so much it would take 5 grots for them? I'm not sure how it should work but your idea is an interesting start. The only reason I say non combat though is because I know techmarines are HQ and I can't really see them as a hero class and barely as an elite class but anything less in a combat situation wouldn't make sense unless their repairing powers were grossly exaggerated to fit with the pace of combat. This way too we wont be seeing thousands of high specialty classes getting stomped. Well, at least aside from the chaos and orks. If you were adamant about combat though I would recommend a repairing aura and a direct repair ability, a strong melee weapon and a strong short range pistol. Maybe slightly better armor so they can roam the battlefield and then class them as elite or hero depending how effective they are. There's also option number 3. Use both but only pay to be a tech when in a battlezone. This way everyone could happily upgrade/build at their convenience but their would still be a specialized class to help push through barriers. Edit: Realized I had no idea what you were talking about.
I fear if we add Techpriests before the IG as a full-fledged faction becomes playable, disgruntled Guard fans will burn down the bE studious. And I personally see major mechanical problems with the (relatively) squishy guardsmen, so seeing them in the near future (or at least before other, more pragmatical factions have been released) is not something I expect - with the respective consequences for the Adeptus Mechanicus. Maybe SM fortified areas could have AdMech gun servitors as guard NPCs?
the Mechanicus and Dark Mechanicus if added should be full factions of their own, each have sufficient troop choices to fill the roles presented by other factions, and sweet looking models they are too
The Adeptus Mechanicus is capable of being its own fully independent faction even without going into Titans. They have Guard equivalent Skitarii and within the Skitarii ranks have units that are even the equivalent of Astartes but easier to mass produce. Units such as the Hypasist and Moderatus who make up the rank and file such as Conscripts and regular Guardsmen. Herakli who are heavy weapon themed and look much like Combat Servitors but with more independent thought given to them. Tribunes who act more like Stormtroopers and Hardened Guardsmen and their equivalents of Sagitarii who are walking brutes with multiple heavy weapons attached to them (think of basically a walking heavy weapons support platform). Finally you have the Praetorians and Praetorian Reductors who are the equivalent of basically rank and file Astartes. Their super enhanced frames allow them to react faster than an Astartes and with the augmentations, make them even more accurate and deadlier. Combine that with the fact the Mechanicus has the largest amount of arcane and rare wargear, they can even be more deadly than an Astartes combat squad. The main reason why the Mechanicus is normally shunned from games is that they are for the most part, untouched by most developers for their misunderstood and less played lore. Even Games Workshop and Forge World are only now beginning to balance them for TT so adding them to a game without a template to really balance them off of is harder to do. I personally wouldn't mind the Mechanicus being implemented in place of the Imperial Guard because they're essentially a stronger version of them but with more tentacles, binary, and screaming FOR THE OMNISSIAH in battle-cant. They are, in my opinion, the better implementation of the two AND can easily be a faction that can attack other Imperium of Man factions without consequence. We've all seen them massacre Imperials to protect their revered STCs and would easily murder their allies if it meant preventing a Techno-Heresy as they are if anything, more of an ally to the Imperium of Man than an established sub-faction.
The main problem I see with that plan, is I don't think the whole Imperium is likely to be balled up as a single faction. It's never happened in any previous 40k game, for pretty much the same reasons it's not going to happen in this one. One Imperium to rule them all would simply be too bloated, have too many redundant units, and suck up too much of the player base. That doesn't mean Imperial factions can't ally at all, after all such alliances may even be necessary to bolster underpopped Imperials such as the AdMech and SoB would likely be. But SMs are likely to always be off doing their own thing, because they REALLY don't need the extra pop. As to Gaunt's plan, I really don't see AdMech as a replacement for the Guard. They just wouldn't deliver the style and feel of gameplay that is particular to the Imperial Guard. They would make good allies though, as the differences between the two do play to each others' strengths.
Deus Mechanicus be praised!Someone with common sense and minimal tech-heresy!Of course Cult Mechanicum can survive on its own as an independent faction.It survived the Old Night...it certainly can 'survive' the 41 millennium! Mechadendrites! A Guardsmen touching a sacred cache of Machine God`s knowledge?They entire regiments are hereteks!Purge them! I totally agree with Gaunt`s plan.They are both easier to implement,much more refreshing and it will arise with fewer problem then Guard faction would have caused,such as troubles with the balance in PvP.
We need the hammer of the emperor I can't imagine a 40k game without the guard in it in some shape or form it wouldn't feel right after all it is the guard that do the donkey work unlike the spezz merines who just come in and take the glory,I long to pull on my steel legion uniform and fight under commisar yarrick
If it makes you feel better, Imperial Guard units allied with Mechanicus combat units are normally turned into nutrient paste upon death. Source: Word Bearers Omnibus Book One, Dark Apostle. So in a way the Guard would be fighting with the Mechanicus by fueling their servitors
I too agree with Commissar Gaunt and would add that the Adeptus Mechanicus is divided into religious Factions, all have some defence/combat units, with some being purely dedicated war. You also have Thallax Cohorts as part of their forces, Legio Cybernetica constructs such as Castellax, Vorax, & Thanatar Battle Automata; Tech Thralls, Myrmidon Destructors & Secutors, as well as Mechanicum Knights. And that doesn't include the Ordinatus weapons they have.
