Thallax Cohorts – The Mechanicums shock troops. The Cybernetically-augmented cold and calculated killing machines of the Heresy era battlefields.
Seeing as my Taghmata Army List red book finally arrived and I’ve had a week to digest it, I thought I’d take some time to look at one of the most unique Troops choices currently available in the 30k universe a little closer.
Background
The hulking heavily augmented cyborg shock troops originating with the Ordo Reductor faction of the Mechanicum. The Thallax differ from the Martian Skitarri regiments both in their purpose and the unique degree of their augmetics. The Lorica Thallax which encases their major organs, nervous system and cerebrum also replaces the skeleton and limbs entirely with armoured mechanical systems powered by an internal reactor core.
The agony of this process, along with the replacement of the usual human sensory apparatus, proves so traumatic as to require the surgical excision of the pain centres and emotions. The Thallax however retains a degree of independent human thought; this individuality and self-determination is greater by far than that enjoyed by tech-thralls, whose cranial surgery implants are often crude at best.
Many variants of the flexible and powerful Thallax have been brought into being by the artificers of the mendicant Ordo Reductor; a number of which found their way to the outer Forge Worlds of the Imperium where they were seized upon as potent war machines which; while lacking the power of true Battle-automata, were more practical to produce in larger numbers.
(from The Horus Heresy – Mechanicum, Taghmata Army List page 39, Copyright Games Workshop Limited 2015.)
On the Table
The Thallax Cohorts are one of the main compulsory Troop choices in the Taghmata army list sitting between the Tech-thralls and Scyllax Guardian-automata (not counting the Castellax Battle-automata, compulsory only in Legio Cybernetica lists). They give you access to some very useful and tactically flexible options that will leave many opponents very jealous indeed.
Their statline is also pretty impressive for a troop choice. WS3 is useful enough. BS4 is good, and will really pay-off if you choose to upgrade their ranged weapons. S5 and T5 are what these guys are all about, read that again, S5 and T5 on troops! with 3W each, these guys will require dedicated shooting or CC to take down. I2 is low, but not terrible, just watch out for any blind tests they may have to take. 2 Attacks base is also handy, and means that when they do strike, they’ll put some hurt out. Ld8 is good enough. A 4+ Armour save is OK, especially offset with 3W.
Thallax also have some useful special rules and wargear. Bulky, Stubborn, CCW and Frag grenades. They carry Lightning guns as a standard too. Additionally they also have the following unique special rules and wargear;
Djinn-sight allows the Thallax’s ranged weapons to reduce its targets cover save by 2. This is tactically brilliant and will allow you to really punish hidden units or anything that wants to jink or go to ground. Additionally it also stops your opponent from deploying infiltrators within 24″ of a Thallax unit, regardless of line of sight.
Lorica Thallax gives the unit feel no pain (6+) which is very useful but stops the unit from making sweeping advances.
Thallax are also Jet Pack Infantry, this really does give them an edge on the battlefield, allowing them to move quickly cross the board and engage targets. It also allows them to do an additional “bounce” move in the Assault phase which can keep them out of harms way. Also, JPI are relentless, this is important to remember, especially when looking at their ranged weapon options.
Base unit cost is 135pts for three. So that’s 9 wounds of JPI with a 6+ FNP that will prove to be a thorn in the side of most armies. Extra Thallax are 40pts each and you can max out the squad at nine. Each Thallax may also take Melta Bombs for the usual cost. Heavy Chainblades are also available to each Thallax.
Each Cohort may also be upgraded with one of the following augments:
Icarian – Stationary units may choose to use Skyfire on all ranged attacks that turn. Remaining static is not what these guys do…however remember their Djinn-sight, adding this upgrade will spell almost certain death for most enemy flyers. A unit with this upgrade no longer counts as Troops but as Heavy Support.
Ferrox – The unit gains Rage and it’s CC attacks have rending but cannot replace their Lightning guns.
Destructor – The unit gains Tank Hunters, which could also be very handy for certain builds.
Empyrite – Allows the unit to Deep Strike and also gives them Void Hardened Armour. Probably not the best option given the unit is already equipped with Jet Packs.
One Thallax in three can replace their Lightning gun. Weapon options for units of Thallax are actually quite diverse and will allow them to be tailored into certain battlefield roles. Multi-lasers and Irad-cleansers for clearing poorly armoured troops. Phase plasma-fusil’s for clearing 3+ infantry targets along with threatening light vehicles. Photon thruster’s and Multi-meltas for heavy infantry or vehicles.
That’s not to say that the Lightning gun isn’t exactly something that should always be replaced, H1, S7 with Shred and Rending is good enough. But will also compliment any of the above options.
They also have an option to take an Triaros Armoured Conveyor as a dedicated transport (even though they are JPI) but I can’t ever see that as being entirely worth it seeing as they are such a quick unit.
How to use them?
Putting all of the above together you really have a number of options for a unit of Thallax Cohort as either a three man unit with just Lightning guns that will jump around being annoying, sniping enemy vehicles and diverting firepower away from your main army. Or a six man unit with two Phase plasma-fusil’s or two Irad-cleanser’s for that will really hit enemy infantry hard. You could also have a unit with two Multi-meltas and Melta Bombs that can hammer enemy heavy vehicles.
You could even go for a big nine man unit, but at that point you’re looking at a 375pt base unit without any upgrades that will attract a lot of firepower. I don’t see a unit of this size ever being tactically usable and you should probably look elsewhere in the Taghmata army list for a unit that could do what you want easier.
A 275pts six man Thallax Cohort with two Phased plasma-fusils that are fast and maneuverable with T5 and 18 wounds seems pretty good value for me. Jumping around and hunting/exposing enemy units and allowing the rest of your force to prosper.
However, for my first army, I’m planning on using a three man unit in a guerrilla warfare type role, jumping in and out of cover and slowing the enemies advance.
Now, I just have to finish writing the rest of my list…