White Dwarf #69 Review - The Mechanicus Motherload!

It's White Dwarf Day and also the final issue dedicated to the releases of the expanding forces of the Adeptus Mechanicus and they have certainly ended with a bang - this issue has so many releases you will need to mortgage the cat to afford everything next week!
How's this for a list: Tech-Priest Dominus, Corpuscarii Electro-Priests, Fulgurite Electro-Priests, Codex Adeptus Mechanicus, Datacards, three Mechanicus Transfer sheets, Legions of the Omnissiah Painting Guide, and the Crusaders of the Machine God Painting Guide...!
So all that is in this issue as well as more exhaustive background on the Cult Mechanicus and the Legions of the Omnissiah, a Theatre of War article on the massive formation; the War Convocation, plus rules for the new releases. It's a tour de force! Want a look inside?
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The Tech-Priest Dominus has been seen in most of the teasers out there for weeks, and finally in the last week of Mechanicus we see him, and he's damn cool! Although what seems to be a hunchbacked old man, he is in fact bristling with weaponry and a brain for war! This is a great looking miniature with tonnes of detail - small things like the ornate shoulder armour and pistol accompanied by the raw power of a Volkite weapon. I really like this guy, an awesome looking miniature but at a price. He's not cheap!

This week also sees the premiere of the Electro-Priest dual kit. You can either build the Corpuscarii Electro-Priests or the Fulgurite Electro-Priests. The back story is these guys have split and are now opposing factions - in a political sense that is. Interesting back story and I think they tell us enough in this issue to get us wanting to know more.

The Corpuscarii Electro-Priests basically fry their enemy with electricity. The poses of these guys looks great - they really look like they are throwing lightning. The electrical componentry around their arms and head looks great and the generator on their back looks, well frankly uncomfortable.

The opposing faction are the Fulgurite Electro-Priests who instead of frying the enemy, they drain them of their life force. Again these guys share most of the same kit parts, apart from the arms and the heads. Again, dynamic poses for all in what looks like a very nice dual kit.

The much-anticipated Codex is here! In a way it's odd to have it out at the end of the run when they could have had it out Week 2, but I guess that spoils the rest of the "surprise" miniature releases to come.
The book has full background on these battle priests and  also has a number of battle formations, including the Numinous Conclave where the Electro-Priests unite as one ominous force.

The Dominus Edition of the Codex is also available if you are lucky enough to be one of the first 900 devotees. Also on show are the Datacards and the sequel novel to Adeptus Mechanicus: Skitarius

With the myriad of icons and details on the Mechanicum models it's a bit of a relief that there are transfer sheets for the three major Forgeworlds; Mars, Metalica and Ryza. From squad markings to vehicle recognition and warning labels, these sheets are seemingly a must have if you're building an army!

The Games Workshop Painting guides have been a bit hit and miss, the Space Wolves and Dark Eldar ones being pretty good and the Sons of Sanguinius being a complete waste of time. Here's hoping the Legions of the Omnissiah, which deals with the Skitarii, and Crusaders of the Machine God, which deals with the armies of Mars, Metalica and Ryza. I must say though, can we look at a few different worlds apart from those three? It's kind of getting a bit tired now...
I will definately be looking at these, not sure about the buying part. If you get a chance to look at a store copy I recommend it due to the sporadic nature of the releases so far.

Paint Splatter looks at a pretty ordinary looking Electro-Priest to be honest. 
They really should pick nicer miniatures to show because from this the details on the Electro-Priests don't look that impressive, especially the face 

More background on the Mechanicus at war...

Theatre of War highlights the devastating Adeptus Mechnicus War Convocation formation.

The all important rules section is of course included with a great shot of the Tech-Priest Dominus - it's just a pity he is as expensive to buy as an entire unit!

There's a few interesting bibs and bobs about the Mechanicus in the back of the issue too. Often this section seems to just be throw away stuff or repetition. There used to be Designer's Notes, but they have gone and the designers are now anonymous, so this back section is a bit superfluous.
But this week there is short piece on the Canticles of the Omnissiah, the battle hymns which give the Legions of the Omnissiah more power, a focus and an physical aura of power.

Verdict

This is the culmination of the Adeptus Mechanicus launch and caps off four weeks of Mechanicus releases. There sure has been a lot of red in these issues...! 
It may have even overstayed it's welcome for a week, but with such a packed issue there really is quite a bit to read and see. I do still get that sense of repetition I mentioned the other week.
The rumour is next week is Space Marines - so open your wallets and pray for a lotto win!

Soundtrack For This Review

This week it's the very Bolt Thrower-like Entrails - enjoy and listen for the Bolt Thrower riffs!