The Iron Crusade
Betrayal at Ithraca: Holding the Line
This mission represents the valiant defence offered by the "Nine Paragons of Ithraca", where nine Legio Praesagius Warlords sacrificed themselves to delay the advance of Legio Suturvora. Chosen as the mustering point for the principal strength of both Legio Praesagius and Legio Suturvora, the barren lands surrounding Ithraca City played host to over 200 god-engines drawn from both Legios. Mustered in preparation for an assault upon the Ork-infested Ghaslakh xenos hold, the two forces were, to all appearances, allies in both purpose and belief. This was to be proven false as the Arutan, a colossal orbital lifter bearing much of Legio Praesagius' strength, took to the air and the flow of information from Calth's planetary data manifold fell silent, cutting off communication across the planet. As many force commanders sought to re-establish contact with the network, Legio Suturvora awoke, reactors flaring into life even as fire rained from the sky.
The opening salvo of orbital fire was both precise and deadly, laying waste to key infrastructure across the city of Ithraca and felling the Arutan, the vessel ploughing into the ground and carving a destructive furrow in the city below. As confusion reigned amongst the Loyalists, the Fire Masters bellowed their triumph, marching upon those True Messengers still present upon the muster fields. Unaware of the danger about to befall them, a score of Titans fell to the weapons fire of their once-allies before a response could be mounted. Were it a less disciplined Legio, it is likely that the True Messengers would have fallen that day. Instead, those of Legio Praesagius that still stood formed into a defensive position, the larger Warlords locking shields to protect those weakened by the onslaught unleashed by the advancing Fire Masters. Together, these Warlords marched to meet the assault of their new foes, offering their lives to cover the retreat of their Legio.
DESIGNER'S NOTE:
The Nine Paragons of Ithraca
Historically it was the Nine Warlords of Legio Praesagius that marched against the Fire Masters in order to buy time for the rest of their Legio to retreat into the streets of Ithraca. If the players wish, the Legio Praesagius player can build a battlegroup of nine Warlord Titans armed as they see fit. The Legio Suturvora player should then have a Battle Rating equal to 500 points more than the Legio Praesagius player. It should be noted that such a battle would be a large one and ideal for several players, or a gaming club, wishing for a grand affair.
Battlegroups
One player controls the Legio Praesagius forces, while their opponent controls those of Legio Suturvora. Each player selects a battlegroup as described on page 53 of the Adeptus Titanicus rulebook. The Legio Praesagius player's force should have a Battle Rating of up to 2,500 points and can only include Warlord Titans, while the Legio Suturvora player's Battle Rating should be up to 3,000 points. Each force must consist of at least one maniple, plus any Reinforcements. Neither side can include Knight Banners.
Battlefield
The battle is played on a 6'x4' board. The battlefield represents the barren plains surrounding Ithraca and should be set up with rocky outcrops, cracked ground and piles of rubble representing those Titans already destroyed.
Stratagems
The Legio Praesagius player has no Stratagems for this battle. The Legio Suturvora player has 2 points to spend on Stratagems (see page 64 of the Adeptus Titanicus rulebook). They may not choose any Ground Assets or Tertiary Objectives Stratagems.
Mission Special Rules
Paragon's Bastion: Those Warlord Titans of Legio Praesagius that survived the Fire Masters' first onslaught shielded the retreat of the rest of their Legion. For the duration of the battle, Legio Praesagius Titans may share void shields as if they were part of the same squadron.
Traitorous Ambush: Unprepared for the betrayal perpetrated by their supposed allies, the god-engines of Legio Praesagius suffered significant damage before they could answer in kind. After deployment, but before the game has started, roll a D6 for each of the Legio Praesagius player's Titans. On a 1-3, the Titan lowers its Void Shield level by D6. On a 4-6, a random location loses D3+1 points of Structure 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.
Till Duty's End: The Warlords of Legio Praesagius know they cannot survive and must fight until the bitter end to ensure they do not die in vain. For the duration of the battle, Legio Praesagius Titans ignore the effects of Critical Damage to their Head and Legs.
Tide of Traitors: The majority of the Fire Masters advance upon their once-allies with numbers far greater than their foes. In the End phase of each round, the Traitor player chooses up to 600 points of their force that has been destroyed and places it back on the battlefield within 6" of their battlefield edge.
Deployment
The Legio Praesagius player deploys their forces within 6" of a long battlefield edge of their choice. The Legio Suturvora player then deploys their forces within 6" of the opposite battlefield 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 seven rounds, after which either the Legio Praesagius force has delayed their foe long enough for others to escape or the Legio Suturvora have broken through with little delay. 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, if less than 25% of the total points value of the Legio Praesagius force remains on the battlefield, the game is a draw. If all the Legio Praesagius Titans have been destroyed, the Legio Suturvora player is victorious. Otherwise, the Legio Praesagius player is victorious.
72"
6"
Legio Suturvora Deployment Zone
6"
Legio Praesagius Deployment Zone
A Midnight Realm: Battle Beneath Ulixis
This mission represents the battle in the Wyrms' Lair upon Ulixis, as Legio Suturova sought to eradicate those Loyalists they had lured into a trap. Although ultimately a war for the worlds of Ultramar, many of the greatest battles of the Crusade of Iron were sparked far more by hatred than by tactical necessity. Upon Ithraxa, the Fire Masters had struck a blow against the True Messengers that threatened to end their proud lineage. Even as the Loyalists reeled from the sudden betrayal, the Fire Masters, led by Princeps Maximus Horgoth Nyr, gathered allies close to him and set them upon a path of destruction across the Five Hundred Worlds. Their primary goal lay in crippling the Ultramarines' ability to conduct war, hamstringing their efforts to aid the wider Imperium. For Nyr, the Crusade of Iron also offered the opportunity to indulge in his base urges, including the systematic destruction of opposing Titan Legions.
The world of Ulixis was the perfect staging ground to both harm Ultramar and deal severe damage to the Loyalist forces. The world itself served as one of the principal producers of munitions in Ultramar and, knowing its destruction would deal a severe blow to the Ultramarines' effort to rebuild, Nyr set upon the world. In truth, the invasion was the first step towards springing a trap upon the Loyalists. When a combined force of both Legio Lysanda and Legio Oberon were drawn to the world, they found its surface devoid of Traitor Titans despite reports to the contrary. It was then the Traitors sprang their trap, seizing control of the planet's orbit and unleashing a fierce orbital bombardment upon the Loyalists on the surface. Though the initial bombardment was devastating, most of the Loyalist forces were driven into the system of caverns beneath the surface, forcing the Fire Masters to commit to a series of running battles beneath Ulixis. It was within the Wyrms' Lair, a vast cavern littered with the remains of the burrowing creatures that had carved it long ago, that the conflict came to a head, both sides committing their forces in an effort to eradicate the other.
Battlegroups
One player controls the combined Loyalist forces of Legio Oberon and Legio Lysanda while their opponent controls those of Legio Infernus. Both players select 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. Each force must consist of at least one maniple, plus any Reinforcements.
Battlefield
The battle is played on a 4'x4' board. The battlefield represents the Wyrms' Lair and should be set up with rocky outcrops, cracked ground and natural stone pillars.
Stratagems
Both players have 2 points to spend on Stratagems (see page 64 of the Adeptus Titanicus rulebook). In addition, the Loyalist player has the Noble Sacrifice Stratagem. Neither player may choose the Outflank, any Ground Assets or Tertiary Objectives Stratagems.
Mission Special Rules
Lurking in the Dark: Legio Infernus used the anger held by the Loyalists towards the Fire Masters to lure the servants of the Imperium into an ambush. During deployment, the Legio Infernus player may choose to keep up to 750 points of their battlegroup to one side. From the second turn onwards, at the start of any Strategy phase, the Legio Infernus player may spring their ambush. The units are deployed within 6" of any battlefield edge and any of these Titans may be issued the First Fire order without the need to make a Command check. In addition, all of the newly deployed Titans start at Void Shield level X, and immediately increase their Void Shield level by D3, to represent them powering up their reactors quickly.
Pitch Black: This battle uses the Pitch Black environment rules described on page 221.
Deployment
The Loyalist player chooses a battlefield edge as their own and deploys half their force within 18" of that battlefield edge. The Legio Infernus player then deploys half of their force within 18" of the opposite battlefield edge. Players than deploy the remainder of their force, starting with the Loyalist player.
The First Round
In the first round, both players roll off to see who takes the Opus Titanica.
Battle Length
The battle lasts for five rounds, as both sides tear each other apart in an effort to destroy one another. 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, both players total up the points value of enemy units they have destroyed. If either player has destroyed 500 points more than their opponent, they are victorious. Otherwise, the battle is a draw.
Deployment Map
- Battlefield length: 48"
- Loyalist Deployment Zone: within 18" of one battlefield edge
- Legio Infernus Deployment Zone: within 18" of the opposite battlefield edge
Ambush on Espandor: War for the Agri-Sprawl
This mission represents the battle over the Boreaus Agri-sprawl, as the Loyalists engaged the Traitor force seeking to conquer Espandor. In the wake of the conflict on Ulixis, the Loyalists sought to press the advantage, working to divide the Traitors in order to more efficiently dismantle their strength. When word reached Legio Praesagius of a gathering invasion intended to seize the Agri-world of Espandor, the Loyalists laid plans to intercept the Traitor efforts, focusing their forces on the Boreaus Agri-sprawl, a heavily developed area containing a maze of feed-towers and macro-granaries that would serve to negate the numerical advantage of the Traitors. Though only a handful of Titans from Legio Praesagius could be mustered, they were supported by several maniples from Legio Oberon, alongside dedicated companies of both Titan Killer infantry and super-heavy tanks. Amongst their number stood the Psi-Titan Occedentalis-Damysus, the Warlord-Sinister lending its support to Princeps Ultima Dae Vergos' forces for reasons known only to its Preceptor-Intendant.
Having marshalled their forces, the Loyalists hoped to spring a devastating ambush on the approaching Traitor force, consisting of Titans drawn from both Legio Audax and Legio Suturvora. Though Vergos has constructed her plan with meticulous detail, she could not account for the powers to which the Traitors now bowed. The Occedentalis-Damysus, tasked with striking the opening blow against the Traitors, found its talents stifled by the forces the Traitors employed. With the Psi-Titan brought low by packs of Audax Warhounds hiding amongst the very buildings Vergos sought to use against the Traitors, the Loyalists were forced onto the back foot. In an effort to secure victory, Vergos ordered her forces into the city in order to limit the numerical advantage of the Traitors, drawing them into a bitter, close-quarters fight.
Battlegroups
One player controls the combined Traitor forces of Legio Infernus and Legio Audax, while their opponent controls the combined Loyalist forces of Legio Praesagius and Legio Oberon. 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, while the Loyalist player's Battle Rating should be up to 2,000 points. Each force must consist of at least one maniple, plus any Reinforcements. The Loyalist player may not include any Psi-Titans.
Battlefield
The battle is played on a 4'x4' board. The majority of the battlefield should be densely packed with buildings, although no building should be placed within 12" of a battlefield edge. Woods and other natural terrain objects should fill the rest of the battlefield, representing the wooded area that surrounds Boreaus.
Stratagems
Both players have access to the Artillery Bombardment Stratagem, representing the violent storms now raging across the city (see page 64 of the Adeptus Titanicus rulebook), and the Titan Hunter Infantry Stratagem. In addition, the Loyalist player has access to the Thermal Mines Stratagem (see page 64 of the Adeptus Titanicus rulebook).
Titan Hunter Infantry (2)
This Stratagem can be played once in each Strategy phase of the game. When this Stratagem is played, place two markers anywhere on the table wholly within a piece of terrain (this does not need to be the same piece of terrain). Instead of activating a Titan or Knight Banner, a player may fire with these markers as if they were units, following all of the rules for making attacks and using the profile below. If more than one player has this Stratagem, players take turns when placing their markers, beginning with the First Player. If two opposing markers are placed in the same piece of terrain, immediately remove both markers.
| BS/WS | Firing Arc | Range S | Range L | Accuracy S | Accuracy L | Dice | Strength | Traits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5+ | 360° | 6" | 12" | +1 | - | 4 | 5 | - |
Mission Special Rules
Cataclysmic Storms: The storm-coils holding back the violent weather of Espandor have been destroyed by the ongoing firefight, unleashing the storms upon the combatants. For the duration of the battle, whenever a unit is activated roll a D6, subtracting 1 from the result if the unit is a Knight Banner. On a 1, the unit counts as having been hit by a Quake weapon for the remainder of the turn.
Hidden Forces: Both sides have hidden troops amongst the confined streets of Boreaus, awaiting their moment to strike. During deployment, either player may set aside a unit of Scale 6 or lower instead of deploying it. During any Strategy phase after the second round, a hidden unit may be revealed. The unit must be deployed more than 12" from a battlefield edge and more than 6" from an enemy unit - if a unit cannot be deployed in this manner, it has been disabled by Titan Hunter Infantry units and counts as being destroyed.
Overwhelming Numbers: It quickly became evident to the Loyalists that, no matter how much damage they did, they could not hope to win the battle and were forced to retreat lest they be overwhelmed. From the start of the third round onwards, Loyalist Titans must end their activation in the Movement phase (or Combat phase if issued the Full Stride order) closer to their battlefield edge than they started that turn, unless they are either unable to move as a result of Critical Damage or are subject to the Shutdown order.
Deployment
The Loyalist player chooses a battlefield edge and deploys their entire force within 24" of it. The Traitor player then deploys their force within 24" of the opposite battlefield edge. No model may be deployed within 8" of an enemy unit.
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, after which the Loyalists make their escape, whether they have inflicted significant damage or not. If all of the units controlled by either player are destroyed at any point before this, the battle ends immediately.
Victory
At the start of the battle, both players should nominate one of their Princeps Seniores to be the battlegroup's leader. Both players are attempting to destroy their opponent's battlegroup leader. At the end of the battle, both players total up the points value of every enemy unit they have destroyed. If either player has destroyed 500 points more than their opponent, they are victorious. Otherwise, the battle is a draw. For the purpose of calculating points, the battlegroup's leader counts as twice their points value if destroyed.
| 24" | 24" |
|---|---|
| Loyalist Deployment Zone | Traitor Deployment Zone |
48"
Dark Waters: Battle of Aquila Atoll
This mission represents the fight for the Aquila Atoll, where Legio Mordaxis forced a landing zone upon Zarathusa Secundus. The battle upon Espandor represented a turning point for the Loyalist forces despite the defeat they suffered. Though outnumbered by the Traitors, Vergos and her forces were bleeding their enemy dry, claiming far more Engine-kills than their foes. As the Crusade of Iron stretched on, Horgoth Nyr became increasingly frustrated, redirecting his allies to hunt down the Loyalist forces in lieu of crippling the industry of Ultramar. Such efforts relied upon a network of spies to learn of the Loyalist plans, revealing their movements and where they lurked. It was these whispers that led Legio Mordaxis to Zarathusa Secundus, a planet covered in shallow seas and the site of a recent Imperial Army victory against an uprising orchestrated by the Dark Mechanicum.
The Traitors commenced their attack as the Loyalist forces, commanded by Princeps Krane of Legio Lysanda, awaited extraction upon the principal landmass of Zarathusa, known as the Aquila Atoll. The Traitors seized control of both the planet's orbit and the Loyalist vox-net, masquerading as loyal servants of the Imperium until the trap was sprung. As landers approached the surface of Zarathusa, they revealed themselves not as the intended extraction ships but rather transport carrying the Titans of Legio Mordaxis, a Traitorous Legio transformed by the machinations of the Word Bearers Legion. Desperate to deny the atoll to the invaders, Legio Lysanda and House Vornherr scrambled to form an effective defence, aware that retreat was not an option without abandoning those ground forces unable to wade through the seas of Zarathusa; seas that turned black as the battle raged and the toxins that had ravaged Legio Mordaxis polluted the ground they walked upon.
Battlegroups
One player controls the forces of Legio Mordaxis, while their opponent controls those of Legio Lysanda. Each player selects a battlegroup as described on page 53 of the Adeptus Titanicus rulebook. The Legio Mordaxis player's force should have a Battle Rating of up to 2,500 points, while the Legio Lysanda player's Battle Rating should be up to 2,000 points. Each force must consist of at least one maniple, plus any Reinforcements. The Legio Mordaxis player may not include any Knight Banners while the Legio Lysanda player must include at least one Knight Banner.
Battlefield
The battle is played on a 4'x4' board. The Loyalist player picks one edge - this is the Atoll battlefield edge and the area within 12" of that edge represents the beaches of the Aquila Atoll. This area should have a moderate amount of ruined buildings and machinery. The remainder of the battlefield represents the shallow seas of Zarathusa and should be set up with a sparse amount of broken machinery and reefs.
Stratagems
The Legio Mordaxis player has no Stratagems for this battle. The Legio Lysanda player has access to the Titan Hunter Infantry Stratagem. In this scenario, special rules apply to the use of the Titan Hunter Infantry Stratagem.
Mission Special Rules
Imperial Army: The atoll's beaches were held not just by Legio Lysanda and House Vornherr but also detachments of the Imperial Army. In this scenario, markers placed as part of the Titan Hunter Infantry Stratagem can only be placed in the area representing the beaches of the Aquila Atoll and only one marker can be placed in each terrain piece. However, Titan Hunter Infantry markers are not removed after they fire like normal, instead staying upon the battlefield until they are destroyed.
Techno-toxins: As the battle progressed, the waters surrounding the Atoll became increasingly corrupted by the toxins filling each Mordaxis Titan. From the second round onwards, if any model from the Legio Lysanda player's battlegroup enters the area representing the shallow seas, they immediately take D6 S4 hits. The Strength value of the Hits increase by 1 at the start of every round after the second.
Deployment
The Legio Lysanda player deploys all of their forces within 12" of the Atoll battlefield edge. The Legio Mordaxis player then deploys their forces within 18" of the opposite battlefield edge.
12" 18" 48" Legio Lysanda Deployment Zone Legio Mordaxis Deployment Zone
The First Round
In the first round, the Legio Mordaxis player chooses who will take the Opus Titanica and be the First Player.
Battle Length
The battle lasts for six rounds, after which either the forces of Legio Mordaxis have seized the Atoll or Legio Lysanda have succeeded in throwing them back. 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, calculate the total Scale of both player's units within 12" of the Atoll battlefield edge. If the Legio Lysanda player has at least double the Total Scale as the Legio Mordaxis player's Total Scale, they are victorious. Otherwise the Legio Mordaxis player is victorious. The Legio Mordaxis player is also victorious if all of the Legio Lysanda units are destroyed at any point.
Confrontation on Drooth II: Crusade's End
This battle represents the final confrontation between the forces of Horgh Nyr and Dae Vergos, bringing an end to the Crusade of Iron. Though the Traitors had achieved many victories, Nyr found his forces bloodied by the vengeful Loyalists that pursued him. In the eyes of both himself and those around him, Nyr's record of conquest and slaughter across Ultramar was tainted by his failure to eradicate every trace of Legio Praesagius. As the rampage across Ultramar undertaken by the Word Bearers and World Eaters drew to a close, Nyr knew he must settle the running battle between Vergos and himself. Committing to luring his foe to him, the Traitor forces burned a dozen worlds, each an open challenge to the Loyalists that pursued them. Though it was clear such actions were committed to bait Vergos into a fight, the Loyalists had little choice if they wished to punish their enemy. Gathering what remained of those forces committed to the Crusade of Iron, the Loyalists set sail for Drooth II and the battle that awaited.
Known for its burning sand-like mineral deserts, Drooth II was originally populated solely by a research station and listening outpost, placed there by the Ultramarines Legion to watch over the eastern edge of Ultramar. This outpost was quickly overrun by the Dark Mechanicum as war engulfed Ultramar and turned into a profane manufactorum capable of churning out debased weapons infused with powers pulled from the Æther. It was here that Nyr chose to make his stand against the Loyalist forces, aware that the veil lay thin and the entities within the Warp were easily called upon should the Traitors lose the advantage. In preparation for the Loyalists' arrival, the defences of the outpost were strengthened, denying approach from orbit and forcing any invader to land far from the Traitors. With both sides drawn to the world, the stage was set for a battle of cataclysmic proportions.
Battlegroups
One player controls the combined Traitor forces, while their opponent controls the combined Loyalist forces. Each player selects a battlegroup as described on page 53 of the Adeptus Titanicus rulebook. Both players' force should have a Battle Rating of up to 3,000 points. Each force must consist of at least one maniple, plus any Reinforcements.
Battlefield
The battle is played on a 4'x4' board. Place a 3" wide marker, or appropriate terrain piece, in the centre of the battlefield - this is the forge-fane and gravity elevator. The battlefield represents the outpost of Helgarn's Furnace and should have a moderate amount of terrain such as buildings, roads and manufactorum structures.
Stratagems
Both players have 4 Stratagem points to spend on their choice of Stratagems (see page 64 of the Adeptus Titanicus rulebook).
Mission Special Rules
Destroy the Forge-fane: Outnumbered and assailed by daemonic entities, the Loyalist forces know their only true chance of victory lies in the destruction of the forge-fane. The forge-fane is a towering structure shrouded in daemonic mist, represented by a 3" wide marker or appropriate terrain piece. Any unit can target the forge-fane as if it was an enemy unit. When targeting the forge-fane, the attacking unit rolls to hit, applying a -3 modifier if the attacking unit is more than 12" away, and resolves Armour rolls as normal, although no Location dice is rolled. The forge-fane has the following Damage table:
| Armour Roll Result | Damage Effects |
|---|---|
| 12-16 | The reactor loses 1 Structure point |
| 17+ | The reactor loses 3 Structure points |
The forge-fane has a total of 25 Structure points. When it loses its last Structure point, the forge-fane is destroyed and removed from the battlefield. The forge-fane is a towering structure, and is presumed to be visible and unobscured even if the attacking unit cannot see the marker.
Burning Sands: This battle uses the Burning Sands rule (see page 222 for more details).
Deployment
The Traitor player deploys their force within 12" of the centre of the battlefield. The Loyalist player then deploys their force within 6" of any battlefield edge.
The First Round
In the first round, the Loyalist 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 Loyalists have destroyed the forge-fane or the Traitors have thrown them back. If the forge-fane is destroyed or 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 Loyalist player has destroyed the forge-fane they claim victory. Otherwise, the Traitor player claims victory.
6"
Loyalist Deployment Zone
48"
12"
Traitor Deployment Zone