The Battle of Molech

Balmorn's Charge: Defending the Preceptor Line

"If men should remember our House in times to come, let them not say we were cowards, let them not say we fled before the foe, and let them not say we died with our backs to the enemy, for we are the sons of Molech, and Molech stands with the Emperor!"

Lord Balmorn, Baron of House Donar

This mission represents the defence of the Preceptor Line against Mortarion's advance on Lupercalia. It had long been held that the jungles of Kush, a formidable natural barrier populated with dangerous beasts, effectively denied an invader ingress from the east. To this end, Tyana Rourion, Lord General of the Grand Army of Molech, had kept her best troops back for the defence of Lupercalia and committed only second line Imperial Army companies to hold the Preceptor Line. Fortunately for the defenders, its protection was not the responsibility of the Imperial Army alone. House Donar, one of the ancient Knightly Houses of Molech, held dominion over the lands bordering the great Kush, and their Household fortress was incorporated into part of the ancient defensive wall. When news came of invaders landing on the eastern shore of Molechari, the Knight armours of Donar massed upon the Preceptor Line. Unbeknownst to the defenders, Mortarion was forging a path through the jungle even as they waited, fell warp magicks turning its once verdant reaches into a sea of death. Driven forth before the destruction of the jungle, tens of thousands of creatures stormed the Preceptor Line, emerging in a frenzied rush to fall upon the defenders.

Ravaged by hordes of beasts driven from the jungles, the already crumbling defences had taken further damage to the point that they represented little more than a line in the sand against the advancing Traitor Titans. Despite having expended large amounts of ordnance on destroying the rampaging packs of azhdarchid, xenosimian and stone serpents, among other macro-fauna, the Knights of House Donar stood their ground. Even as the jungle fell into blackened ruin before their eyes, devoured by the life-eater virus, Lord Balmorn, Baron of House Donar, bade his Knights hold the line. That they faced the vanguard Titans of the Legio Mortis did not diminish their courage and when the first Titans were sighted emerging from the miasmic clouds that had once marked the jungle's edge, Lord Balmorn mustered his Knights and issued the order to charge.

Battlegroups

One player controls the Legio Mortis forces, while their opponent controls those of House Donar. The Legio Mortis player selects a battlegroup as described on page 53 of the Adeptus Titanicus rulebook, while the House Donar player selects a Knight Household as described on page 174. Both players' forces should have a Battle Rating of up to 1,000 points. The Legio Mortis battlegroup cannot include any Knight Banners, while the House Donar Knight Household may not have any supporting Titans.

The Battlefield

The battle is played on a 4'×4' board. The House Donar player chooses one board edge. This is the Preceptor Line. The area within 12" of this board edge should be clear of terrain to represent the kill zone between the jungle and the wall. The rest of the board should have a moderate amount of terrain, such as rotting copses of trees, hills representing mounds of dead beasts, or lakes of dark, reeking liquids.

Stratagems

The Legio Mortis player has 2 points to spend on Stratagems (see page 64 of the Adeptus Titanicus rulebook). They may not choose the Outflank, Orbital Lance Strike or Tertiary Objectives Stratagems. The House Donar player has 4 points to spend on Noble Tactics from page 179, with the exception of Orbital Lance Strike and any Tertiary Objectives.

Mission Special Rules

The Preceptor Line: A crumbling length of fortifications, the Preceptor Line offers no real defence against the advancing Titans. Instead, the Traitor Titans are attempting to move past it and deeper into the Western Marches. From the end of the third round, if a Traitor Titan is in contact with the Preceptor Line at the conclusion of the End phase, remove it from the battlefield. The Titan does not count as destroyed, but takes no further part in the game.

Life-eater Virus: This mission uses the Virus Infected Battlefield rules from page 220.

Honour of the Household: The Scions of House Donar know full well that they face their doom, though are sworn to sell their lives dearly. For the duration of this game, all Loyalist Knight forces ignore the rules for being Shaken.

Deployment

The Legio Mortis player deploys their Titans anywhere within 12" of the board edge opposite the Preceptor Line. Then, the House Donar player places their Knight Banners anywhere within 12" of the Preceptor Line.

The First Round

In the first round, the House Donar player automatically takes the Opus Titanica and is the First Player.

Battle Length

The battle lasts for five rounds, after which Lord Balmorn's charge has either exacted its toll upon the enemy or they have been completely crushed under the pitiless tread of the Legio Mortis. If all of the units controlled by either player are destroyed at any point before this, the battle ends immediately.

Victory

At the end of the battle, the Legio Mortis player scores Victory points equal to the Scale of each Titan that was removed from the board after reaching the Preceptor Line.

The House Donar player scores Victory points equal to the Scale of each Legio Mortis Titan that has been destroyed or which is Structurally Compromised.

The player who scores the most Victory points claims victory.

12"

48"

Legio Mortis Deployment Zone

House Donar Deployment Zone

Preceptor Line

48"

Fortidus' Last Stand: Delaying Action at Avadon

"Leave none alive. If they flee, cut them down without mercy, if they hide, crush them to paste beneath your tread, and if they stand, reward their courage with annihilation!"

Princeps Seniores Kabis Harr, Legio Vulpa

This mission represents the delaying action fought by Legio Fortidus against the massed Traitor Titans of the Warmaster. After the Sons of Horus broke through the defences erected to hold them on Damasek Island, they advanced uncontested upon the coastal city of Avadon. Such was the suddenness and brutality of their victory, the people of Avadon had barely begun their evacuation; long columns of citizens and retreating Imperial Army regiments stretched out from the city towards the heartlands of the Western Marches and the relative safety of Lupercalia hundreds of kilometres distant. These survivors were horribly exposed to the Traitors, and risked annihilation.

In the vanguard of the Traitor forces were the Titans of the Legio Mortis, Legio Vulcanum, Legio Vulpa and Legio Interfector, with orders to reduce the city to ash and exterminate every last inhabitant. Only the arrival of a Regia maniple of the Legio Fortidus stayed the Traitors' assault. Led by Princeps Uta-Dagon, the Fortidus maniple was but two Warlord Battle Titans and four Warhound Scout Titans. In any other circumstances this represented an abundance of firepower, though against the massed Traitor Titans, numbered in their dozens, it could barely hope to hold the line perhaps long enough for the survivors of Avadon to escape to the south. That the Loyalist Titans had come at all was a miracle in itself, Uta-Dagon defying the orders of Princeps Magnus Etana Kalonice, the commander of all Collegia Titanica forces on Molech, to get there. Unwilling to leave Avadon to its fate, the Princeps and his Titans had quit the relative safety of the Zanark Deeps, their cavernous fortress, and marched north to meet the enemy. Though the Traitors were to win the day, and Avadon was wiped from the face of Molech, the actions of Uta-Dagon could be counted in the many thousands of Imperium lives he saved.

Battlegroups

One player controls the Traitor forces, while their opponent controls those of the Legio Fortidus. Each player selects a battlegroup as described on page 53 of the Adeptus Titanicus rulebook. The Traitor player's force should have a Battle Rating of up to 2,500 points, and can include Titans from the Legio Mortis, Legio Interfector, Legio Vulpa and Legio Vulcanum, while the Legio Fortidus player's Battle Rating should be up to 1,250 points. Each force must consist of at least one maniple, plus any Reinforcements. Neither side may include Knight Banners.

The Battlefield

The battle is played on a 4'×4' board. The Legio Fortidus player chooses one of the board edges to represent the outskirts of the city of Avadon - this is the Avadon board edge. The area within 24" of this edge should have a moderate amount of terrain, such as buildings, roads and urban structures to represent the outer reaches of the city. The rest of the board can be set up with a moderate amount of wilderness terrain such as trees and hills.

Stratagems

The Traitor player has no Stratagems for this battle. The Legio Fortidus player has the Noble Sacrifice Stratagem (see page 64 of the Adeptus Titanicus rulebook), and may use this Stratagem more than once in any Strategy phase.

Mission Special Rules

Servitor Overload: The servitor clades of Legio Fortidus are working furiously to maintain their Titans in the face of overwhelming odds. For the duration of the battle, Legio Fortidus Titans do not need to make a Command check to be issued Emergency Repair orders.

Tide of Traitors: The bulk of the Traitor Titans have now turned away from Avadon to meet the Legio Fortidus threat. In the End phase of each round, the Traitor player chooses up to 500 points worth of their Titans not already on the battlefield and places them on the battlefield so that their bases are in contact with the Avadon board edge. These Titans may then activate as normal in the following round.

Avadon Burns: Legio Fortidus must buy time for the refugees to escape Avadon. Depending on which round a Legio Fortidus Titan is destroyed determines how many Victory points it is worth to the Traitor force.

Round	Titan Victory Points
1	3 × Scale
2	2 × Scale
3	2 × Scale
4	1 × Scale
5	1 × Scale

Deployment

The Traitor player deploys up to 1,000 points of Titans 12" from the Avadon board edge. The rest of their force is then put to one side and will arrive later, using the Tide of Traitors special rule. Then, the Legio Fortidus player places their maniples anywhere within 12" of the board edge opposite Avadon.

The First Round

In the first round, the Legio Fortidus player chooses who will take the Opus Titanica and be the First Player.

Battle Length

The battle lasts for five rounds, after which either the majority of the refugees have escaped or the Traitor forces have completed their encirclement of the city. If all of the units controlled by either player are destroyed at any point before this, the battle ends immediately.

Victory

At the end of the battle, the Traitor player scores Victory points depending on how quickly they destroyed their enemies as detailed in the Avadon Burns special rule.

The Legio Fortidus player scores Victory points equal to the Scale of each Traitor Titan that has been destroyed and Victory points equal to half the Scale of each Traitor Titan which has not been destroyed but which is Structurally Compromised.

The player who scores the most Victory points claims victory.

Legio Fortidus Deployment Zone - 12"

Traitor Deployment Zone - 12"

Outskirts of Avadon

Battlefield width: 48"

Fires from Heaven: The Battle for Iron Fist Mountain

"...TARGET LOCK DETECTED... ...SCANNING EXLOAD DATA... ...SCANNING EXLOAD DATA... ...WARNING... ...ORBITAL THREAT DETECTED... ...ALL SECTORS BRACE FOR IMP-"

Crucius Skitarii Vox Intercept, Battle of Lupercalia

This mission represents the battle for Iron Fist Mountain as part of the larger assault on Lupercalia. Guarding the western flank of the great city, Iron Fist Mountain was a forbidding fortress, its chambers hollowed out from the rock of the peak and covered in hundreds of massive guns, missile batteries and anti-aircraft towers. The true might of Iron Fist lay not in its defences but the scores of Titans that sheltered within its depths. These were the god-engines of the Legio Crucius, principal Loyalist Titan Legion of Molech and the greatest obstacle to the Warmaster's victory. While many of the Legio's Titans, most notably the Paragon of Terra, were stationed at the northern approaches to Lupercalia, the bulk remained within their protective bunkers, waiting to respond to any breakthroughs made by the Sons of Horus or their Traitor Titan allies.

Initial landings made by the Traitors, their Legionaries deployed by Thunderhawk and Storm Eagle gunships, were held in check by the defences of Iron Fist Mountain. The Ultramarines kept the Traitor infantry pinned down with a steady stream of disciplined fire, while even the vanguard Titans of the Legio Interfector were forced to tread warily around the massive cannon covering all approaches to Iron Fist itself. It seemed, at least to the defenders, that Lupercalia's western flank would hold strong, though they had not counted upon the cunning of the Warmaster.

After the battle in the void, the Traitors laid claim to many of Molech's orbital defence platforms. These they dragged into higher orbits, denying them as targets for the ground based batteries. When the battle for Lupercalia began, one of these space fortresses, Var Zerba, was brought back into low orbit, its macro cannon and lance turrets aimed down at the mountain fortress below. In an instant of fire and carnage, the Iron Fist was gutted, dozens of its Titans buried beneath tonnes of rock. For the survivors, the battle had turned, and those few Legio Crucius Titans to smash their way free of the wreckage found themselves immediately engaged by a savage assault led by the Legio Interfector.

Battlegroups

One player controls the Legio Interfector forces, while their opponent controls those of the Legio Crucius. Each player selects a battlegroup, as described on page 53 of the Adeptus Titanicus rulebook. The Legio Interfector player's force should have a Battle Rating of up to 1,500 points, while the Legio Crucius player's Battle Rating should be up to 2,500 points. Each force must consist of at least one maniple, plus any Reinforcements. Neither side may include any Knight Banners.

The Battlefield

The battle is played on a 4'x4' board. Mark the centre of the board with a dice or token. The area in an 8" radius from this point represents the crater made by the Var Zerba, and can be represented by broken ground, rubble or a massive crater. The rest of the board represents the shattered remains of Iron Fist Mountain, and can be set up with rocky outcrops, cracked ground and piles of shattered rock.

Stratagems

The Legio Interfector player has the Artillery Bombardment Stratagem (see page 64 of the Adeptus Titanicus rulebook), representing the Traitor guns arrayed around Lupercalia.

The Legio Crucius player has the Thermal Mines Stratagem (see page 64 of the Adeptus Titanicus rulebook) to reflect the remnants of Iron Fist Mountain's defences.

Mission Special Rules

Savaged Landscape: The area surrounding the broken mountain has been transformed into a hellscape of shattered earth. This mission uses the Volcanic Ground Battlefield rules on page 220.

A Grave for Titans: The remaining Legio Crucius Titans emerging from the ruin of Iron Fist Mountain are badly damaged by the orbital strike and still gathering their senses to fight back. After deploying their Titans, the Legio Crucius player should roll the Hit Location dice three times for each Titan. Each of the locations indicated suffers D6 Structure points of damage, or if it is a weapon, it is disabled. This damage can cause Critical Damage if there are no Structure points left at the location indicated but cannot result in Catastrophic Damage. If a roll would cause Catastrophic Damage, any excess damage is ignored. In addition to the damage suffered, all Legio Crucius Titans begin the game with their void shields collapsed.

Deployment

The Legio Interfector player deploys their Titans anywhere on the battlefield within 6" of a board edge. The Legio Crucius player then places their Titans within 8" of the centre of the board. After deploying their Titans, the Legio Crucius player must then roll the Scatter dice for each one to determine the direction it is facing.

The First Round

In the first round, the Legio Interfector player chooses who will take the Opus Titanica and be the First Player.

Battle Length

The battle lasts for five rounds, after which either the Legio Interfector have destroyed the last of the Legio Crucius or the Legio Crucius have rallied, ready to push on to Lupercalia. If all of the units controlled by either player are destroyed at any point before this, the battle ends immediately.

Victory

At the end of the battle, the Legio Interfector player scores Victory points equal to the Scale of each Legio Crucius Titan that has been destroyed.

The Legio Crucius player scores Victory points equal to the Scale of each Legio Interfector Titan which has been destroyed and Victory points equal to half the Scale of each Legio Interfector Titan which has not been destroyed but which is Structurally Compromised.

The player who scores the most Victory points claims victory.

Battlefield dimensions: 48" × 48"

Legio Crucius Deployment Zone: within 8" of the centre of the battlefield

Legio Interfector Deployment Zone: within 6" of a board edge

Into the Wolf's Jaws: The Lupercalia Vanguard

"Those beneath the Eye are not your brothers; though they might wear the guise of men of the Imperium, they are lost to us. Give them no quarter as you do the Emperor's work, for you can be sure they will offer you none as they do the Warmaster's."

Order of the Day XX.K, Grand Army of Molech, Lupercalia Defensive Cordon

This mission represents the Traitors' vanguard as it forged a path into the outer districts of Lupercalia. Initially, the Warmaster committed only his more expendable units to the attack, holding back the bulk of his Legiones Astartes. Even so, the Traitor Legion advanced upon the city, its only counter the Traitor armies possessed that could hope to match the devastating firepower of the Legio Crucius Imperator Paragon of Terra. Armed with a vast array of weaponry, including the apocalyptic hellstorm cannon and plasma annihilator, the Imperator was the match of dozens of lesser Titans. Mechanicum war engines and Traitor armoured regiments were of even less concern to it, with a single atomic shell from the hellstorm cannon able to obliterate a company of tanks with a single earth-shaking hit. Aboard this grand god-engine, Princeps Magnus Etana Kalonice directed her crew, selecting targets from the wealth of enemies advancing on the city. Despite the power of the Imperator, the Warmaster's armies were vast, and the Paragon of Terra relied on Warlords, Reavers and Warhounds to counter the superior numbers of Traitor Titans they faced.

Unbeknownst to the defenders, and indeed many of Horus' own commanders, the Traitor armies and Titans were only required to hold the attention of their enemies, the Imperator especially, for he had something special planned for the ancient god-engine. While the betrayal of House Devine had yet to reveal itself, the battle raged on, and scores of Titans turned the highlands before Lupercalia into a churned-up landscape of burning wreckage and boiling plasma.

Battlegroups

One player controls the Traitor forces, while their opponent controls those of the Loyalist forces. Each player selects a battlegroup as described on page 53 of the Adeptus Titanicus rulebook. Both players should have a Battle Rating of up to 2,500 points. The Traitor battlegroup may not include any Knight Banners.

The Battlefield

The battle is played on a 6'×4' board. The Loyalist player chooses one of the short board edges to represent the outskirts of Lupercalia - this is the Lupercalia board edge. The area within 24" of this edge should have a moderate amount of terrain, such as buildings, roads and urban structures to represent the outer reaches of the city. The rest of the board can be set up with a moderate amount of terrain such as trees, farms and hills.

Stratagems

The Traitor player has 3 points to spend on their choice of Stratagems (see page 64 of the Adeptus Titanicus rulebook). The Loyalist player has 4 points which can be spent on their choice of Battlefield Assets (see page 65 of the Adeptus Titanicus rulebook).

Mission Special Rules

Guns of the Imperator: The massive Imperator Titan the Paragon of Terra stands at the Loyalists' back, lending its devastating weaponry to the defence. The Loyalist player gains an Artillery Bombardment Stratagem for this battle without expending any Stratagem points. This Artillery Bombardment Stratagem may be used twice in each Strategy phase.

The Warmaster's Lash: The Warmaster will allow no retreat to his forces and is driving them to take Lupercalia as swiftly as possible. Each round, Traitor Titans must end their activation closer to the Lupercalia board edge, unless they are either unable to move as a result of Critical Damage or are subject to the Shutdown order.

Deployment

The Traitor player deploys their maniples anywhere within 12" of the short board edge opposite Lupercalia. The Loyalist player then deploys their maniples and supporting units anywhere within 24" of the Lupercalia board edge.

The First Round

In the first round, the Traitor player chooses who will take the Opus Titanica and be the First Player.

Battle Length

The battle lasts for six rounds, during which the Traitor forces must push on into Lupercalia, while the Loyalists attempt to blunt their advance. If all of the units controlled by either player are destroyed at any point before this, the battle ends immediately.

Victory

At the end of the battle, the Traitor player scores Victory points equal to the Scale of each of their Titans within 12" of the Lupercalia board edge.

The Loyalist player scores Victory points equal to the Scale of each Traitor Titan that has been destroyed and Victory points equal to half the Scale of each Traitor Titan which has not been destroyed but which is Structurally Compromised.

The player who scores the most Victory points claims victory.

Traitor Deployment Zone: 12"

Loyalist Deployment Zone: 24"

Battlefield dimensions: 72" × 48"

Outskirts of Lupercalia

Death of a God: In the Aftermath of the Imperator's Demise

"And the death scream pierced the skies and plunged into the earth, marking the passing of a god from our world. All at once the machine spirits of a hundred Titans fell silent, and then cried out as one for their lost brother."

Excerpt from the War Journal of the Legio Crucius, Chapter LVII "Lupercalia"

The destruction of the Paragon of Terra, an ancient and potent god-engine, was the turning point of the battle for Lupercalia. This mission represents the moment the Titan was destroyed by the treachery of House Devine, and the opening it tore within the defenders' ranks. A white hot supernova blossoming in the midst of the battlefield, the Titan's death annihilated entire regiments, laying waste to Loyalist and Traitor alike. So great was the destruction that buildings hundreds of kilometres away shook as the shockwave reached them, and orbital observers noted a sudden brilliant flash on the planet's surface. Those within a few kilometres of the explosion were simply erased from existence, either flash-boiled into vapour clouds or smashed apart by the concussive force. Those slightly further away were hurled about like toys, tanks, men and war machines scattered across the Lupercalia valley mouth.

Despite the brutality of the destruction, the battle continued. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers still stood on both sides, as did entire regiments and companies of armoured vehicles and battle engines. Stunned by the explosion, Traitors and Loyalists took precious moments to orientate themselves. Titans, smashed backwards by the detonation, regained their balance, while dirt-smeared infantry crawled from ruined bunkers and craters still hugging the ground in fear. This moment of artificial calm did not last. Like a river rushing through a broken dam, the Traitor forces surged toward the gap blasted in the Loyalist lines, while in response the Loyalists hurried to fill the gap.

Battered Titans and scarred Knight armours were the first to reach the ruined defences, and were met by their own kind. Here the Loyalists had to hold the invaders at bay, for nothing stood at their backs, save the heart of Lupercalia itself.

Battlegroups

One player controls the Traitor forces, while their opponent controls the Loyalist forces. Each player selects a battlegroup as described on page 53 of the Adeptus Titanicus rulebook. Both players should have a Battle Rating of up to 2,500 points. The Traitor battlegroup must include at least one Knight Banner.

The Battlefield

The battle is played on a 4'×4' board. This battle takes place well within the outskirts of Lupercalia and the board should be set up with a dense amount of terrain, including buildings, roads, as well as some open areas representing parks or plazas.

Stratagems

Both players have 3 points to spend on their choice of Stratagems (see page 64 of the Adeptus Titanicus rulebook).

Mission Special Rules

Death of a God: After both sides have fully set up, place a marker or token in the centre of the table - the crashed Titan Head marker is especially appropriate. Then roll a Scatter dice and 2D10 and move the marker that many inches in the direction indicated. Once the marker's location has been determined, work out the effects of a Catastrophic Meltdown (see page 36 of the Adeptus Titanicus rulebook), imagining that the marker is an exploding Titan with 15 holes in its Plasma Reactor Status track and a Scale of 14. After working out damage to all Titans and Knight Banners in range, remove all battlefield terrain within 12" of the marker. Then leave the marker on the table.

A Hole in the Line: The death of the Paragon of Terra has blasted a hole in the defences of Lupercalia, and both sides are rushing to exploit or defend it. The marker represents the hole in the Loyalists' defences. Proximity to this marker at the end of the game will determine Victory points for both sides.

Deployment

The Loyalist player chooses two opposite board edges; these represent the edges of the Lupercalia defensive line. The Traitor player then chooses one of the remaining edges; this represents the direction of the Traitor assault. The Loyalist player now deploys their entire force within 18" of their board edges, but no closer than 12" to the Traitor's board edge. Finally, the Traitor player now deploys their entire force within 6" of their board edge.

The First Round

In the first round, players roll off to see who will take the Opus Titanica and be the First Player.

Battle Length

The battle lasts for five rounds, after which the Traitors have forced their way through the gap in the enemy lines or the Loyalists have closed ranks once more. If all of the units controlled by either player are destroyed at any point before this, the battle ends immediately.

Victory

At the end of the battle, both sides score Victory points equal to the Scale of each Titan within 12" of the marker. The player who scores the most Victory points claims victory. If both sides scored the same number of Victory points, the victor is determined by the side that destroyed the most enemy Titans. If both sides destroyed the same number of enemy Titans, the game is a draw.

Traitor Deployment Zone

6"

12"

48"

Loyalist Deployment Zone

18"

Devine's Final Betrayal: The Burning of Lupercalia

"...FLEE BEFORE BANELASH! WORMS OF A FALSE EMPEROR! CHILDREN OF A DEAD MASTER! BOW DOWN BEFORE YOUR DOOM AND WELCOME YOUR DARK PRINCE..."

Civitas Vox-capture, Recovered 017.M31 Via Argentum Excavation

This mission represents the immediate aftermath of the battle for Lupercalia, when the Warmaster and his Sons of Horus withdrew from the field, leaving the fate of the city to the Traitor Legio and the Knights of House Devine. Despite the cataclysmic destruction of the Imperator Titan Paragon of Terra and the shattering of their lines around Lupercalia, the defenders fought on. Heedless of the departure of their master, the surviving Traitor mortal and Dark Mechanicum formations pressed into the city, becoming intermingled with the remnants of Tyana Kourion's grand army, now scattered and broken.

Traitor Legios battled against the survivors from Iron Fist Mountain and those god-engines not caught in the fiery death of the Imperator. Leading the charge were the Knights of House Devine, having withdrawn into the city after their betrayal. Stalking through the burning streets, the Traitor Knights followed their lord's Knight armour, Banelash, the remains of Albard Devine already fused with the corrupted war machine, his broken mind filled with the whispered commands of its new master. Fuelled by Albard's own hatred at having been held captive by his step-siblings and tormented for decades, Banelash took out its madness on the city and its people.

To their credit, the other Knight Houses of Molech rallied quickly after the betrayal of House Devine, perhaps spurred on by centuries of chaffing under its rule as the world's leading Knight Household. Accepting that Lupercalia was lost, and with it any hope of resisting the Warmaster's armies, the Loyalist Knights instead turned their attention to exacting their revenge against House Devine.

It was to be a bitter and merciless battle between the Knight Households. The Traitors, already victorious, began indulging in destruction and butchery. Meanwhile the Loyalists sold their lives for every street and soul within their city, determined to exact a hefty blood price for their enemy's treachery.

Battlegroups

One player controls the Knight House of Devine, while their opponent controls the other Molech Knightly Houses. Each player selects a Knight Household, as described on page 174. The Devine player's force can only include House Devine Knight Banners, while their opponent's force can contain any mixture of Knight Houses, with the exception of House Devine. Both players should have a Battle Rating of up to 1,200 points.

The Battlefield

The battle is played on a 4'x4' board. This battle takes place in the heart of Lupercalia, among its twisting streets and densely packed buildings. The battlefield should be set up to represent the urban sprawl of the city with plenty of buildings and other structures for the Knights to take cover behind. Some areas can be more open, such as parks or plazas, or even the Via Argentum processional, represented by a broad avenue running the length of the board.

Stratagems

Both players have 4 points which can be spent on any of the Noble Tactics from page 179.

Mission Special Rules

Dark Appetites: House Devine have become lost to Chaos and are revelling in their own dark impulses. For this battle, House Devine Knight Banners add 1 to the Strength of any weapon with the Melee trait.

Burning City: Lupercalia is in flames as the Traitors visit their wrath upon it. This mission uses the Cities in Flames Battlefield rules from page 219.

Brothers Betrayed: The other Knightly Houses are rightly incensed by Devine's betrayal and are determined to eradicate the Traitors. For this battle, Loyalist Knight Banners ignore the effects of being Shaken.

Deployment

The House Devine player chooses one of the board edges, the area within 12" of this edge is their deployment zone. The area within 12" of the opposite board edge is the Loyalist player's deployment zone. Starting with the House Devine player, players then take turns deploying a Knight Banner within their deployment zone until both players' forces are deployed.

The First Round

In the first round, players roll off to see who will take the Opus Titanica and be the First Player.

Battle Length

The battle lasts for five rounds as both sides tear each other apart, one for duty and honour, and the other to appease the dark gods. If all of the units controlled by either player are destroyed at any point before this, the battle ends immediately.

Victory

At the end of the battle, both players score Victory points equal to the Scale of each enemy Knight Banner that has been destroyed and Victory points equal to half the Scale of each enemy Knight Banner that has lost at least half of its models.

The player who scores the most Victory points claims victory.

House Devine Deployment Zone

12"

48"

Loyalist Deployment Zone

12"

48"