[quote=E&C]I'm just very, very worried that the list as it stands:
A - Is too bloated
B - Has no core theme
I feel the list has failed, right now, and needs a good kicking to get it back into line.[/quote]
That's a brave decision, but one with which I agree. I'm a long-time fan of the Adeptus Mechanicus, helping out with various fan-codices, running a forum and building
myself a big ol' 40k-scale army of the Skitarii. I've never been tempted to use this set of Epic rules for exactly the reasons you've outlined above.
I hasten to say that I don't think it's a bad list; just not one that appeals to me, because it's so unfocussed.
The Skitarii are nearly as large an organisation as the Imperial Guard, so their ranks cover everything from the mindless clones of Anthony Reynold's
Dark Apostle to Abnett's feral Skitarii from
Titanicus; much as the Imperial Guard cover everything from woad-painted warriors in bark armour to the Elysian Drop Troopers.
My suggestion would be to call this current list the Martian Skitarii or something (hence the choice of pretty much everything) for the moment; and then develop some more themed sublists for individual Forgeworlds – one with no Imperial Guard equivalents, for example, for tighter, smaller (and in my opinion, better) themes.
I think you're trying to cover too much in this list, personally, and don't think it captures the feel of a Mechanicus world. If the individual Forgeworld lists take off, you can retire the Martian list, and if they don't; you've lost nothing.
Either way, until you make a final decision on your design approach, I think it's pointless arguing specific points.