The Cataclysm of Iron
Assault Upon Findari Prime: Seize the Fortress
Following the massacre at Isstvan V, the fires of war spread across the galaxy. Yet not every region was swiftly consumed. The Belt of Iron was one such place. Populated by numerous lesser Forge Worlds, it became mired in distrust and tension, with few worlds wishing to be forthcoming with their allegiance. Those that did often feared treachery and were slow to overtly move against another Forge World lest a hidden foe strike while their attention was elsewhere. What was clear to many within the Belt of Iron was that of the thousands of worlds contained within its borders, only a handful truly possessed the capacity to wage all-out war against their neighbours, with those Forge Worlds possessing Titan Legions the most prominent of such worlds. In the lead up to the assault by Legio Atarus upon the Findari Spoil, numerous proxy wars erupted across the Belt of Iron, with Forge Worlds using clandestine forces and allied worlds to strike out against those they perceived as foe. Such a situation proved only a temporary one.
Within the Findari Spoil, a barren region of space in close proximity to the Loyalist Forge World of Atar-Median, those aligned with the Warmaster toiled. Kalibrax, a planet notable for its considerable ties to the Fabricator-General, worked in secret to construct a series of fortifications across the asteroid belts and single planet within the Findari Spoil. This served as the first step towards the invasion of Atar-Median, with Kalibrax desiring to gift the Loyalist world to the Fabricator-General, who had long seen the creation of Atar-Median as a direct insult against him.
The efforts of Kalibrax did not go unnoticed and the forces of Atar-Median fell upon the system when news reached them of Iron Warriors allies moving to aid the construction efforts of Kalibrax. While Taghmata forces, supported by Knights of House Col'Khak, were tasked with seizing control of the system's orbital defences, Legio Atarus mustered for the main assault upon the sole planet within the Spoil. Upon the surface of the world, the Tech-Priests of Kalibrax had raised a towering fortress which held over two dozen god-engines of Legio Kulisaetai. Leveraging the lack of orbital defences constructed around the fortress, Legio Atarus disembarked mere kilometres from their target, falling upon the Gatekeepers with frightening speed. In doing so, the Firebrands joined battle with a foe largely unprepared, with many Traitor Titans yet to have awakened from their slumber. With Legio Atarus came a cadre of Tech-Priests who had the singular task of seizing control of the fortress and turning it against the Traitors. In support of such labours, Legio Atarus stood guard, awaiting the arrival of the Traitors who would inevitably try to stop them.
Battlegroups
One player controls the Legio Atarus forces while their opponent controls those of Legio Kulisaetai. The Legio Kulisaetai player should have a Battle Rating of up to 2,500 points, while the Legio Atarus player should have a Battle Rating of up to 2,000 points. Each force must consist of at least one maniple, plus any Reinforcements.
Battlefield
The battle is played on a 4'x4' board. The board represents the interior of a partially constructed Titan Legion fortress and should contain a moderate amount of industrial terrain.
Stratagems
The Legio Atarus player has no Stratagems for this battle. The Legio Kulisaetai player has 4 points to spend on Battlefield Assets.
Mission Special Rules
Rites of Awakening: The bold landing of Legio Atarus caught the Traitors off-guard, with many of their god-engines still slumbering in their cradles.
The Legio Kulisaetai player deploys no units on the battlefield initially. Instead, at the start of each round, before rolling to see who is the First Player, the Legio Kulisaetai player may roll a number of dice to determine how many of their reserves have reached the battlefield. In the first turn they roll a D10 and add 14 to the result, while in subsequent turns they roll 3D10. They may then bring on a number of units whose total Scale is equal to or less than the number rolled. For example, if a 13 was rolled, the player could bring on a Warlord Titan (Scale 10) and a Knight Banner (Scale 3), or four Knight Banners (total Scale 12).
Units that have been destroyed should be put to one side and count as reserves for the purpose of deciding which units can arrive on the battlefield at the start of each turn, in the same manner as described above. Units returned to the table arrive fully healed of any damage they have suffered and, in the case of Knight Banners, with their full complement of models. When a unit arrives from reserves, it can be placed anywhere within 3" of a board edge and activates normally that round. Titans returned to the battlefield during the same turn may be formed into maniples (as long as they meet the maniple's required components) or squadrons.
Override: The Tech-Priests of Atar-Median laboured to gain control of the defences of the fortress even as the battle raged around them, allowing them to cut off potential access routes for Legio Kulisaetai reinforcements. At the start of each round, before rolling to see who is the First Player and before rolling to see how many Legio Kulisaetai units arrive from reserve, the Legio Atarus player can roll a D6 to determine how many entrances are closed. On a 1-3, one entrance is closed, on a 4-5, two entrances are closed and on a 6+, three entrances are closed. For each entrance that is closed, the Legio Atarus player can choose a single board edge. Until the end of the round, no enemy units arriving from reserve can be placed within 3" of the chosen board edge/s. New board edges are determined at the start of each round.
Deployment
The Legio Atarus player deploys anywhere within 12" of the centre of the battlefield. The Legio Kulisaetai player then deploys any Battlefield Assets within 6" of any board edge but deploys no units on the battlefield yet.
The First Round
In the first round, the Legio Kulisaetai 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 Atarus player has secured the fortress or their numbers are too few to hold the structure. If all the units controlled by the Legio Atarus player are destroyed at any point before this, the battle ends immediately.
Victory
At the end of the battle, if less than 33% of the total points value of the Legio Atarus force remains on the battlefield, the Legio Kulisaetai player is victorious. Otherwise, the Legio Atarus player is victorious.
48"
48"
12"
Legio Atarus Deployment Zone
The Relief of Xiloci II: Destroy the Siege Lines
The battle within the Findari Spoil proved to be the catalyst for all-out war across the Belt of Iron. No longer constrained by a desire to maintain the pretence of continued allegiance to the Emperor, Kalibrax moved to expand its Forge empire. In doing so they called upon those they knew shared their new loyalties, assembling a large fleet in preparation for the invasion of the Ny'Drinah sub-sector, a region within the Belt of Iron capable of producing a significant supply of resources to feed the ceaseless hunger of several Forge Worlds. Motivated by a need for an ever-increasing quantity of materiel to fuel the war effort, the forces of Urdesh and Kalibrax, led by their respective Titan Legions, fell upon the sub-sector.
The initial conquest proved swift, with the sub-sector largely devoid of forces capable of resisting the might of a Titan Legion. In quick order, five of the systems within the sub-sector fell to the Traitors, with the remaining two, including the sub-sector's capital, heavily besieged and in desperate need of reinforcements. Initial attempts to reinforce the sub-sector proved a failure, as disparate groups of Loyalist forces, mustered upon both Atar-Median and Arachnus, failed to gain ground against the invading Traitors. It was only through the staunch resistance of the defenders of the Xiloci'ny system that enough time was given for Graia, homeworld of the Legio Astraman, to muster a force capable of turning back the tide of Traitors. The first blow to the Traitors came in the Uridoci'ny system, when the relief fleet from Graia engaged in a methodical conquest of the worlds within it, their efforts doing much to embolden those who resisted across the sub-sector.
The ultimate goal for the Loyalists proved to be Xiloci II, the capital of the sub-sector and the main bastion of resistance against the Traitor advance. It was to Xiloci II that the Loyalists committed most of their forces, advancing upon the vast web of siege works constructed around each of the planet's hive cities that had yet to fall. In an effort to isolate the Traitors, the Loyalist forces split into three detachments, enacting simultaneous assaults upon multiple hive cities to prevent nearby Traitors from reinforcing their allies elsewhere on the planet. No single battle defined the war that unfolded upon Xiloci II, for dozens of hive cities were contested by the Traitors and each assault upon their entrenched positions proved gruelling, both sides heavily punished in the unfolding conflict.
Battlegroups
One player controls the Legio Astraman forces while their opponent controls those of Legio Kulisaetai. The Legio Kulisaetai player should have a Battle Rating of up to 2,000 points, while the Legio Astraman player should have a Battle Rating of up to 2,500 points. Each force must consist of at least one maniple, plus any Reinforcements.
Battlefield
The battle is played on a 4'x4' board. The board represents the siege works surrounding a hive city and the ruins they are built upon, and should contain a moderate amount of industrial and urban terrain. The Legio Kulisaetai player chooses a board edge - this is the Traitor board edge.
Three sections of the battlefield each 6" wide represent the siege lines of the Traitors (see the map opposite for details). The Legio Kulisaetai player can place the terrain within each siege line as they see fit.
Stratagems
The Legio Astraman player has no Stratagems for this battle. The Legio Kulisaetai player has 3 points per siege line to spend on Battlefield Assets. A maximum of three Stratagem points worth of Battlefield Assets can be deployed within each siege line.
Mission Special Rules
Siege Lines: Many of the hive cities upon Xiloci II have experienced extended sieges, encircled by Traitors operating from heavily fortified siege lines. Each siege line represents a vital area that Legio Astraman is attempting to capture. At the start of the game, all siege lines are under the Legio Kulisaetai player's control. During the End phase of each round, calculate the total Scale of each player's units within each siege line controlled by the Legio Kulisaetai player. If the total Scale of Legio Astraman units is higher, the siege line is now controlled by the Legio Astraman player.
Once a siege line is under the control of the Legio Astraman player, it cannot be recaptured by the Legio Kulisaetai player.
Deployment
Players take it in turns, starting with the Legio Kulisaetai player, to deploy half of their force (rounding up). The Legio Kulisaetai player can deploy their force within any siege line, splitting their force over several siege lines if they desire. The Legio Astraman player deploys their forces within 6" of the board edge opposite the Traitor board edge.
The First Round
In the first round, both players roll off to see who takes the Opus Titanica.
Battle Length
The battle lasts for six rounds, after which the Legio Astraman player has broken through the Traitor siege lines or the Legio Kulisaetai player has repelled the assault. If all the units controlled by either player are destroyed at any point before this, the battle ends immediately.
Victory
At the end of the battle, if the Legio Astraman player has captured three of the Traitors' siege lines, or two of the Traitors' siege lines and destroyed over 50% of the Legio Kulisaetai player's starting points value, they are victorious. Otherwise, the Legio Kulisaetai player is victorious.
48"
Traitor Board Edge
6"
Siege Line
6"
Siege Line
6"
Siege Line
6"
Loyalist Deployment Zone
The Burning of Malhanr: Titan Duel
After the fall of the Ny'Drinah sub-sector to the Loyalists, the Traitors found themselves on the defensive, deprived of a centre of industry and isolated from their allies by Loyalist forces. In an effort to regain the initiative, the Traitors unleashed a series of fleets designed for the sole purpose of wanton destruction. Dozens of worlds suffered under their wrath, forcing the Loyalists to choose between dividing their forces to defend as much territory as possible or securing those worlds deemed invaluable and leaving others to their fate. As the Traitors' trail of destruction grew, many worlds surrendered to the Warmaster's forces, accepting subjugation over a brutal death.
Though the tactics employed by the Traitors did much to blunt the Loyalists' momentum, the wanton destruction brought further problems down upon the Belt of Iron, for many of those worlds targeted proved to be the least capable of defending themselves, a fact which saw large numbers of agri-worlds reduced to toxic husks by the Traitors. In turn, this led to a massive decrease in food supplies across the Belt of Iron, causing widespread famine within the region. Recognising the issue, both Loyalist and Traitor forces moved to secure those agri-worlds that still remained. Inevitably, this brought conflict to the surviving worlds and when such conflict included the might of the Titan Legions, many agri-worlds suffered catastrophic damage despite efforts to preserve their industry.
One such world was Malhanr. Though the agri-world had so far avoided the Cataclysm, it soon felt the tread of Legio Atarus and Legio Laniaskara engines, as both Titan Legions moved to claim the world for themselves. As the two forces battled upon the surface of the world, their orbiting fleets faced a new threat, with xenos raiders, now unhindered by Imperium patrol fleets, falling upon the two sides, caring nothing for the distinction between Loyalist and Traitor. The destruction of both fleets left the god-engines of Legio Laniaskara and Legio Atarus trapped upon Malhanr, effectively nullifying their ability to capture the agri-world and requisition its supplies for the wider war effort. This fact did nothing to discourage the two sides from engaging in battle, for both wished for nothing more than the total annihilation of the other.
Battlegroups
One player controls Legio Atarus' forces and their opponent controls those of Legio Laniaskara. Both players should have a Battle Rating of up to 1,000 points. No maniples can be used and neither player can take Knight Banners as Reinforcements.
Battlefield
The battle is played on a 3'x3' board. The board represents a well-developed agri-world and should contain a moderate amount of natural terrain with a small amount of industrial buildings.
Stratagems
Neither player has Stratagems for this battle.
Mission Special Rules
Titanic Duel: The battles fought on Malhanr following the destruction of both the Loyalist and Traitor fleets were small scale affairs, fought between a handful of Titans, with most ending in a stalemate and both sides retreating.
To represent a fast-paced duel between a small number of Titans, this mission implements some changes to the core system of Adeptus Titanicus. During the battle, Titans cannot be part of any maniple nor can they be formed into Squadrons, even if they normally would be able to.
In this mission, the normal turn sequence is replaced. Instead players take it in turns, starting with the winner of a roll-off, to activate a single friendly Titan. That Titan can perform one of the following actions:
- Fire: The Titan can turn up to 45° and attack a chosen target as if it were the Combat phase.
- Move: The Titan can move as if it was the Movement phase.
- Charge: The Titan can make a Charge move, as if it was the Movement phase and they had been issued with a Charge order.
- Minor Repair: The Titan may make a Repair roll, rolling a number of dice equal to half their number of Servitor Clades (rounding down, to a minimum of 1) and then move up to half their Movement characteristic. A Titan cannot make more than one turn during this move.
- Emergency Repair: The Titan may make a Repair roll as if they had been issued the Emergency Repair order.
After a Titan is activated, it may not be activated in the controlling player's next activation unless there are no other eligible friendly Titans to be activated (i.e., if a player has a Reaver Titan and a Warhound Titan and activates the Reaver during one activation, they must activate the Warhound Titan before they can activate the Reaver Titan again).
!!! note "Designer's Note" The changes to the turn sequence presented in this mission modifies the game play to give it a different feel from the main game. The intention is to create a mission where each action of the Titan should be carefully thought out and the wrong move can spell disaster for your Princeps. If, at any point, the change to the turn sequence creates clashes with other rules from the core system, players should discuss it between themselves about how to go forwards, rolling-off if they can't come to an agreement.
Deployment
The winner of a roll-off chooses a board edge and deploys a single unit within 12" of that board edge. Their opponent then deploys a unit of their choice within 12" of the opposite board edge. Players alternate deploying units until all units have been deployed.
The First Round
In the first round, both players roll off to see who takes the Opus Titanica.
Battle Length
The battle lasts until one or more players have no units on the battlefield.
Victory
At the end of the battle, the player who still has units remaining on the battlefield is victorious. If neither player has units remaining on the battlefield, the game is a draw.
The battlefield is 36" × 36", with a 12" deployment zone along each of two opposite board edges.
The Censure of Urdesh: Last Stand
A year after the Traitors first seized the Parodonal'ny system, the last of their number had been pushed out from the Ny'Drinah sub-sector. The conflict to achieve this proved a brutal affair for the Loyalists and Traitors alike and though Atar-Median and Graia were victorious, their numbers were far diminished. To exacerbate matters, many of the worlds within the sub-sector had been ravaged by conflict, vastly reducing the capabilities of their industries. Though both sides sought respite to rebuild before renewing the conflict, such a luxury was to be denied. Through messages passed on from the Praetorian of Terra himself, orders were given demanding the capture of Urdesh. Such a task was deemed imperative as the Forge World served as a potential route through which the Traitors could move supplies into the Segmentum Solar, laying the foundation for the Warmaster's impending invasion.
After much discussion between Atar-Median and Graia the responsibility of conquest fell to the latter, while those of Atar-Median focused on curtailing Traitor activities elsewhere within the region. Trusting in their allies to maintain a semblance of order without aid, the principal strength of Legio Astraman was assembled in preparation for an assault on Urdesh. Even with such might the prospect of assaulting a Forge World was not a simple one and it was with little protest, beyond that deemed proper and diplomatic, that Graia accepted aid from a complement of Legio Ignatum Titans, alongside a fleet tasked with driving back any who might come to reinforce Urdesh. With a plan settled upon, the forces of Graia moved upon Urdesh, beginning the assault as they waited for their promised reinforcements to arrive.
The invasion of Urdesh remains one of the more calamitous of battles fought during the Cataclysm of Iron, not least because over a hundred Titans walked upon the Forge World, many of them falling upon the surface to never rise again. Legio Damicium, the wardens of Urdesh, proved themselves capable of holding back the larger number of Legio Astraman, utilising their superior knowledge of the Forge World to extract a cost for each step the Morning Stars took. The tide turned upon the arrival of Legio Ignatum, the Titans coming to the aid of Legio Astraman as the promised aid from the Segmentum Solar. Although only eight in number, the Fire Wasps brought superior tactical knowledge and skills honed by constant battle amongst the stars and it was in the Forge city of Urdessec that the final battle for Urdesh took place, the battered remnants of Legio Damicium gathered together in a final act of defiance.
Battlegroups
One player controls the Legio Damicium forces while their opponent controls the Loyalist forces. The Legio Damicium player should have a Battle Rating of up to 2,000 points, while the Loyalist player should have a Battle Rating of up to 2,750 points. Each force must consist of at least one maniple, plus any Reinforcements.
Battlefield
The battle is played on a 4'×4' board. The board should contain a dense amount of urban terrain, with a light amount of urban terrain within 12" of a board edge.
Stratagems
Both players have 3 points to spend on Stratagems. Neither player may choose the Outflank or Tertiary Objectives Stratagems.
Mission Special Rules
Defiant in Death: The defenders of Urdessec know that they face almost certain destruction but will fight until their final breath to make their foe bleed. Whenever a Legio Damicium Titan suffers Catastrophic Damage, before rolling on the Catastrophic Damage table they may immediately make a move and a single attack with a non-disabled weapon. A Titan cannot push their reactor during the move (although they can do so when attacking with a weapon with the Draining trait). After resolving any move and attacks, roll on the Catastrophic Damage table as normal.
Deployment
The Legio Damicium player deploys their forces within 12" of the centre of the board. The Loyalist player then deploys their forces within 8" of any board edge.
The First Round
In the first round, the Loyalist player chooses who will be the First Player and take the Opus Titanica.
Battle Length
The battle lasts for six rounds, after which the last resistance upon Urdesh has been put down or Legio Damicium have proved their strength, resisting the Loyalists for longer than anyone predicted. If at any point one player has no units on the battlefield, the battle ends immediately.
Victory
At the end of the battle, if all of the Legio Damicium player's units have been destroyed, the Loyalist player is victorious. If one or more Legio Damicium units remain on the battlefield but their total points value is less than 33% of the Legio Damicium force's starting points value, the game is a draw. Otherwise, the Legio Damicium player is victorious.
48"
Legio Damicium's Deployment Zone
8"
12"
Loyalists' Deployment Zone
8"
48"