How to Prepare for Wrath of the Machine Hard Mode in Destiny: Rise of Iron

Hey all, just thought I'd share the data I've been looking over while prepping my resources for HM WotM. Below is the general gameplan/tips my group is following, as well as a list of gear sources by slot to help us decide when to use each resource. The list shows the % finding an item per each Source or Boss Strike Hoard chest, as well as the additional gear the chest may drop. Also note that ALL Strike Hoards seem to either drop a class item or artifact in addition to the SSL:

PRIMARY WEAPONS

Exotic Engram (100%)
Rockets McDickface (100%)
HoJ Package (80%) & Secondary
Omnigul (50%) & Class
Undying Mind (50%) & Class
Restorative Mind (50%) & Arms
Blastoise & JOHN CENAAAA (50%) & Arms
Taniks (33%) & Heavy, Class
Psion Flayers (25%) & Class x3
V/C/F Package (RNG)
Queen Package (RNG)
Gunsmith Package (RNG)

SECONDARY WEAPONS

Exotic Engram (100%)
Taken Either Archon Priest (100%)
Sepiks Perfected (50%) & Class
Alak-Hul (50%) & Helm
Abombination Heist (50%) & Sniper
Wretched Eye (33%) & Helm, Class
HoJ Package (20%) & Primary x4
V/C/F Package (RNG)
Queen Package (RNG)
Gunsmith Package (RNG)

HEAVY WEAPONS

Exotic Engram (100%)
Fallen Saber (50%) & Helm
Taniks (33%) & Pri, Class
V/C/F Package (RNG)
Queen Package (RNG)
Gunsmith Package (RNG)

HELMET

Exotic Engram (100%)
Malok (100%)
Fallen Saber (50%) & Heavy
Alak-Hul (50%) & Sec
Wretched Eye (33%) & Sec, Class
V/C/F Package (20%)
Queen Package (RNG)

ARMS

Exotic Engram (100%)
Abombination Heist (50%) & Sec
Blastoise & JOHN CENAAAA (50%) & Pri
Restorative Mind (50%) & Pri
V/C/F Package (20%)
Queen Package (RNG)

CHEST

Exotic Engram (100%)
No Strike Specific Loot!
V/C/F Package (20%)
Queen Package (RNG)

LEGS

Exotic Engram (100%)
No Strike Specific Loot!
V/C/F Package (20%)
Queen Package (RNG)

CLASS ITEMS

Everywhere. Don't Focus on em.
Archon's Forge if you do need em.
Skeleton keys drop additional artifact or class item.

GHOSTS

V/C/F Packages are your only option.

Bonus: Trials Gold bounties can drop ghosts as well. Save one if you can.

ARTIFACTS

Eris Packages (RNG) & Class
Skeleton Keys (RNG - seems 50/50) or Class

Next, how we plan to approach HM WotM. The general idea is to get a character to or near 400 before starting the raid. So 385+ Prep would be:

Run the 320 Strike Playlist to acquire Skeleton Keys, Exotic Engrams, Glimmer, Motes, Coins & Mats.

Switch to 350 Strike Playlist for better rep once I have 20 keys - 5 per character, 5 in Vault.
Store Keys (20 max), Exotic Engrams & Motes.

Store Purple Engrams. While Exotic Engrams should be given priority, try to fill in any free vault space (lolwut?) with purples for decryption.

Hard to control but, if you can get a postmaster full of important blues (20) that is another source of gear, as exotics can decrypt from them. So pull out class item engrams, leave everything else.

Spend glimmer on whatever rep fuel is efficient for you (Variks Heavy -> Weapon Parts).

Spend coins on 3oC & Heavy.

Store a package Queens Wrath, House of Judgement & Gunsmith by leveling up, then not picking up the package.

Edge an additional package Queens Wrath, House of Judgement & Gunsmith.
Do not bother edging Vanguard/Crucible/Faction until just before HM drops, as the amount of rep materials you'll gain actually playing instead of sitting on an edged faction is much higher.

At the point where we know and draw close to the HM release date, it would then be a good idea to store a faction package, then switch to another faction to store and edge, and then to a final faction to store and edge along with crucible & vanguard. This will allow you to pick the following up: (Faction Package -> Rank Up -> Faction Package -> Switch Factions -> Faction Package -> Rank Up -> Faction Package -> Pick up final package from 3rd Faction)

Save Gold & Silver Trials Bounties.

Run the Raid monitors at least once per character each week, as the siva solution chest always contains an Exotic Engram.

The Raid Glimmer Items (Aksis Core/Vosic Core), as well as Shiros Bounties are worth 500 Rep Each so save those too if you like.

Once HM drops and LL cap is confirmed to be lifted:

Start using your resources to get drops.

Prioritize the ones with the most RNG first (Packages), then snipe the gear slots as required.

Snipe lowest slots first, prioritize SSL for chests that can drop multiple items you need (IE: You need primary, heavy, and class - open taniks first, not McDickface).

Wait for some awesome people to post what they're getting for nightfall rewards. Do the Nightfall accordingly.

We're prioritizing armor packages over weapon packages, as OP takes care of primary for a bit, and secondary heavy are fairly easy to get upgrades for.

You'll want to try and save your Chest/Leg engrams for last, as these have no SSL.

Artifacts and Ghosts will be your main stalling point. Be sure to save around 5 keys and 5 packages worth of material to use around 395+ to cap off these slots.

It would also be wise to save a few EE's to snipe any gearslots your next character may need, if you have any to spare.

Remember Ghosts and Iron Lord Artifacts are transferrable, so keep on pumping up that Dread Explorer Shell and Memory of your choice.

Doing this should get us pretty close, and taking this 400-ish character through the raid SHOULD give us enough infusion mats to get the next character straight to the same level (10-13 Exotic Chests, 1 EE, 2 chances @ boots/sec/sec, 2 chances @ Arm/Chest/Heavy, Ghost/Artifact, & 2 Chances at Helm/Class/Pri/Pri).

Also while doing the Raid we'll be getting the missing weapons (all of these except the sidearm seem very good for the raid, use em, don't infuse em.) and the Hard Mode spliced gear. The only difference between normal and spliced is the ornament slot, and the fact that you need a full 5-piece spliced set to pick up the Nanopeosis shader. Since the items required for the Ornaments don't even drop until challenge mode (per the nanomania armor designers comment) We're just gonna send any armor pieces over to the next character and worry about it later.

Well good luck everybody, any thoughts/improvements are welcome. And no, this is not ruining the fun for me. This is my definition of fun. I can guarantee you I've been playing destiny longer than most, and will be playing longer still. Max light has always been the tip of the iceberg. A relative drop in the sea of time I've put into Destiny.