Players of Warhammer Mechanicus Are Currently Engaged in Civil War

In a Warhammer display, Games Workshop just unveiled a ton of amazing Mechanicum models. An abundance of former Forgeworld resin miniatures are arriving in plastic, and they are fantastic. The models are amazing, featuring everything from the massive Thallax with their lethal plasma guns to the larger Castellax Battle-automata with xenotech weapons to the new Archmagos Prime and the Triaros Armoured Conveyor tank. The players aren’t content, though.

The reveal was amazing to me as a fervent supporter of Dark Mechanicus, the owner of a Grey Mechanicus force (which is morally gray, not unpainted), and an all-around enthusiast of everything Omnissianic. The sheer quantity of new robots, the scale of the Thanatar-Cavas Siege-automata, and the presence of the Servitors are all astounding.

However, not everybody agrees. For these are not Mechanicus models; rather, they are Mechanicum models. In the Warhammer universe, a single letter might have significant implications. For example, the Mechanicum existed 10,000 years before the Mechanicus in the Warhammer 30K era, making it almost a proto-Mechanicus.

The Adeptus Mechanicus that we know in the 41st Millennium are a shell of their former selves, and their technology has largely been lost. People are outraged about the tabletop implications, not the undoubtedly awful oversimplification of thousands of pages of literature.

Warhammer 30K troops cannot be used in Warhammer 40K, and Games Workshop has no intention of releasing 40K rules for all these awesome models. Fans of Mechanicus are stunned.


For background, the Adeptus Mechanicus Codex, which was published in 2017, is thought to be the worst 10th edition codex ever. There isn’t even enough flavor to make up for the terrible rules or the absurdly high cost of developing a force. The Adeptus Mechanicus is now a useless mob of soldiers rather than a group of cutting-edge experimenters.

Furthermore, the sole model unveiled alongside the Codex was the highly criticized Skatros, a regular guy donning massive stilts. Although I don’t dislike the model as much as many others do, it doesn’t seem well when contrasted with the massive release of the specialized game 30K.

Further background: Games Workshop never makes rules available for a model that spans two systems. For each game you play, it wants you to purchase completely different armies. For any of its 30K publications, it no longer releases 40K rules. The Mechanicum is the norm rather than the exception. That’s not to say it doesn’t hurt, though.

American Civil War


Fans of Mechanicus are understandably frustrated, in my opinion, that their army is receiving so little assistance following such a poor Codex. However, they’re venting to the Mechanicum players. The fact that Mechanicum players are receiving new gadgets is not their fault. It is not their fault that Games Workshop refuses to produce instructions for cool models in two systems due to its overwhelming corporate avarice.

Mechanicum players, however, retaliate. They are tired of constantly being overlooked in favor of Games Workshop poster child 40K, and they believe that now is their chance to shine. Years after resin disappeared from most other ranges, plastic miniatures are now available for them. Because 30K is regarded as a specialized game, its rules are rarely revised, therefore now is their moment. They will not allow gamers of 40K Mechanicus to take that away from them.

What if I told you there was an alternative, though? that we don’t need to quarrel, fight, and make light of one another? What if we all have the same beating heart beneath our robotic, steely exteriors?

The Resolution


Here’s the problem, though. Mechanicum units are usable in your Adeptus Mechanicus force. If you would like to, you can use Adeptus Mechanicus units in a Mechanicum army, but it’s unclear why you would want to. Both can be used in combination! And you ought to.

To use a proxy is the simplest method. The size of Thallax and Kataphrons is similar. People won’t mind a 30K proxy if they don’t mind playing against monstrosities formed from Orks and Space Marines smushed together like a toast soldier into dippy egg. My converted Kataphrons are already bipedal. I am aware that Arc Rifles are really popular right now, but you won’t even need to switch weapons if you use plasma.

The larger Castellax and Kastelans are about the same size. To make the firearms resemble their 40K counterparts, these could require minor adjustments, but other than that, you should be good for friendly games. You can choose to choose Rangers or Vanguard as your servants, as long as you don’t try to pull a fast one and your opponent is aware of what each one of them represents.


But modifying the models with a hobby knife would be far more effective than simple proxying. Perhaps start by switching out the weapons, or magnetize the weapon selections such that you can utilize this same force in both 30K and 40K scenarios.


Without a doubt, I’m going to open this package and search through my bits box for the dirtiest, ugliest parts to add to the army of automata. To tie it all together, I see rusting armor from Age of Sigmar, bellies from the Sons of Behemat, and an excessive quantity of greenery.


This Mechanicum release is perceived by players as the catalyst for a conflict. Between Mechanicum and Mechanicus. 30K as opposed to 40K. Plastic against resin. However, it’s not. This is a chance to use modeling to break through the constraints of the system and the regulations.

Take part in that portion of the pastime and enjoy the satisfaction of transforming and molding models into what you like. Defy corporate avarice by using the same models in two different systems. Make this release into anything you want it to be by using modeling putty and magnets.

That is ultimately the purpose of the Mechanicus. Take advantage of this chance to try new things. Try employing kits that you really shouldn’t be playing in 40K to broaden your horizons. Place a thirty thousand robot on the table. A mutated automata that resembles nothing your friends have ever seen before will shock them. Make your army stand out by having them guess where the parts are coming from. The fact that there hasn’t been a “proper” release of Mechanicus in years may seem discouraging, yet nothing is more Mechanicus than the ability to recruit anything into your army if you have the correct mindset.