The Siege of Kado
"Innumerable wonders have been forged in this galaxy. In our ascendance, we lay claim to them."
Zienfried Derolski re'muld Arakarti, Rogue Trader
Kado. In the annals of Imperial records, the planet was categorised as nothing more than a hive world, a planet of towering cities filled with teeming crowds and the constant smog of industry. Such descriptions though were but a ruse, for Kado was no simple celestial body but an artificial construct far beyond the ken of humanity's greatest minds - perhaps beyond even the Emperor himself. It was a vast disc upon which its architects - creatures long gone and forgotten by the passage of time - had cultivated strange ecospheres; forests of granite trees that flowered; labyrinthine mountain ranges of conductive crystal that hungrily drank in the lightning storms that wracked their peaks; seas of violet-tinged water that teemed with life. For all this, it was the beating heart of Kado that the Imperium most desired, for within the disc's centre sat a reactor of singular design, vast in proportion and sustained through means the Mechanicum could only speculate upon.
The investigation of the reactor and acquiring of its secrets were the all-consuming focus of the Imperium's efforts and the reason Kado was kept a secret, even from the Warmaster. Yet few things remain secret for long and as broken oaths led to the Horus Heresy, so too did broken oaths lead the Traitors to Kado and with them came doom.
The Siege of Kado Narrative Scenarios
The Siege of Kado was an example of the countless shadowed battles that were fought during the Horus Heresy, for though it was one of cataclysmic proportions, involving multiple Titan Legions and hundreds of infantry battalions and armoured formations, it remains shrouded in secret; what little exists speaks only of a conflict upon an unimportant hive world. The missions within this article take a look at the battles fought on Kado, allowing players to experience a portion of the Siege of Kado, including the strange battlefields it was fought upon.
Battle of the Amethyst Plains:
Destroy the Research Facilities
After the Imperium occupied Kado, the Mechanicum constructed hundreds of research facilities across its surface, both on the sun-facing Dawn Side and the void-facing Dusk Side. Though the bulk of the Mechanicum's research efforts were focused on unlocking the secrets of the reactor that sustained both Kado's solar-stationary orbit - an orbit which counteracted gravitational effects to keep Kado suspended in a single spot around its system's star and tidally locked - as well as the habitable atmosphere on the disc itself, the artificial disc world had countless other secrets to offer. Amongst them was the locale referred to colloquially as the Amethyst Plains, a moniker given due to the towering inselbergs of purple crystal that dotted an otherwise sparse plain on the Dawn Side of Kado. No signs of artificial construction marred the crystalline formations and great effort was spent in researching both their creation and the unique power-siphoning properties they exhibited; the formations would readily absorb energy, both from lightning storms and Imperial reactors left unshielded, and then erratically discharge the stored energy into the surface of Kado, the purpose of which had yet to be discovered.
Following the Traitor invasion of Kado, the Amethyst Plains rapidly became the main route through which their forces travelled along the Dawn Side of Kado to reach the disc's central hive city. As battles raged between Titan Legions and ground forces, the Dark Mechanicum took interest in the many research facilities on the plains, desiring the information locked within them. Soon, both Loyalist and Traitor assembled battlegroups to contest these facilities - the Loyalists to extract knowledge and then destroy the facilities, and the Traitors to seize them and leverage any advantage for the Warmaster that the facilities might contain. The presence of Titans in close proximity to the crystal inselbergs proved dangerous, for the formations would sporadically syphon power from passing god-engines, weakening the Titan in question and storing its energy, which would then be released in deadly bursts upon the warring forces. By the end of the conflict, the Amethyst Plains contained new formations - the drained husks of Titans, forever silenced by the strange properties of the land they had walked upon.
Battlegroups
One player controls the Traitor forces, while their opponent controls the Loyalists. Each player selects a battlegroup as described in the Adeptus Titanicus rulebook. Each player's 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 6'x4' board. An appropriate terrain piece is placed in the centre of the board, representing a Mechanicum research facility. Each player then deploys one research facility more than 12" from any short board edge. Finally, players take it in turns to place three markers, or appropriate terrain pieces, representing the crystal formations, within 12" of each facility; no crystal can be placed within 8" of another crystal. The rest of the board should contain a moderate amount of terrain, such as hills, rocky outcrops and buildings representing support facilities.
Stratagems
Each player has 3 points to spend on Stratagems (see the Adeptus Titanicus rulebook). The Traitor player may not choose any Battlefield Assets, the Orbital Lance Strike or Tertiary Objectives Stratagems. The Loyalist player cannot choose the Outflank, Orbital Lance Strike or Tertiary Objectives Stratagems.
Mission Special Rules
Absorption Crystals: The research facilities are devoted to researching the draining properties of the crystals - properties that wreak havoc on the systems of the Titans clashing around them. When a Titan within 6" of a Crystal pushes their reactor, the player must roll an additional Reactor dice and pick the least favourable result (as per the following order from least to most favourable: Awaken Machine Spirit, Increase Reactor Level by 2, Increase Reactor Level by 1, Blank). In addition, when a Titan within 6" of a Crystal is activated in the Movement phase, roll a D6; on a 4+ that Titan lowers their Void Shield level by one. If this happens, place a marker next to the Crystal, representing the power stored inside it. If a Titan's Void Shield level is already at X, increase the Reactor level by 1 instead.
Energy Discharge: Although the crystals appear able to store energy indefinitely, they often generate localised storms that are absorbed into the surface of Kado. At the start of the Strategy phase, before any Titans are activated, roll a D6 for each Crystal that has one or more markers, adding 1 to the result for each marker beyond the first that the Crystal has. On a 6+, the Crystal unleashes an energy discharge. All units within 6" of the Crystal suffer D3, S10 hits as if attacked by a Shieldbane weapon.
Deployment
The winner of a roll-off chooses a short table edge and their deployment zone extends 12" from the chosen edge. The opposing player's deployment zone extends 12" from the opposite short table edge. Players take it in turns, starting with the winner of the roll-off, deploying units until both players have deployed all their forces.
The First Round
In the first round, the winner of a roll-off chooses who will take the Opus Titanica and be the First Player.
Battle Length
The battle lasts for six rounds, after which one force withdraws to tend to their wounds having failed to secure the facilities. 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, calculate the total points value of both players' models (including individual Knights rather than the entire Banner) within 6" of each facility. Titans that are Critically Damaged count as half of their total points value for this purpose. A facility is controlled by the player with the highest total points value within 6" of it. If the total points value of both players' models is equal then no player controls it. The player who controls the most research facilities is the victor - if both players control the same number of facilities, the game is a draw.
Research Facility
Crystal
48"
72"
The Delta Breach: Defend the Gate
While much of Kado was left untouched so the Imperium could study the biospheres cultivated by the disc's creators, the core of the construct was swiftly transformed into a thriving Imperial hive, giving a modicum of truth to the records listing Kado as a hive world. Given the secrecy of Kado's existence, its hive was far from the overcrowded metropolises seen on other planets. Instead, its trio of spires were mirrored on each side of the disc and surrounded by a multi-tiered cityscape that housed the tens of millions who laboured to reveal Kado's secrets. The two sides were connected by a subterranean tunnel network that linked the Dawn and Dusk side, along with the many hollows, including the one that housed Kado's reactor core, intentionally constructed within the disc's interior.
The nature of the twin-sided city and the network of tunnels that connected them made besieging Kado's hive nigh-impossible; it could not be encircled and starved out, for the tunnels below fed its people and allowed reinforcements to flow. As such, the Traitors resorted to brute force, enacting countless assaults upon the hive city on both the Dawn and Dusk side in the hope that a weak point could be found. To counter the Traitors' greater numbers, the Titan Legions that defended Kado, the Legio Ignatum, Legio Astraman and Legio Metalica among them, dispersed into mobile groups that combined the strength of their Legios. This caused consternation amongst the defenders but also proved highly successful, with the roaming packs of Warhounds able to shore up defences assailed by the Traitors and hold them off until heavier god-engines arrived to throw the invaders back.
Some of the heaviest fighting was seen at the Delta Gate, a towering edifice engraved with images glorifying the Emperor and his Primarchs, and the vital thoroughfare it stood guard over. Control of the Delta Gate gave access to a primary artery of Kado's hive city, allowing an invader rapid passage into the city beyond and reliable access to the tunnel network beneath Kado. For weeks, the Traitors seeded Dark Mechanicum saboteurs amongst the city's defenders and, though many were caught and executed, enough evaded detection to lace the Delta Gate with explosives. The fruits of deception were revealed when the Titans of Legio Audax launched a concentrated assault of the Delta Gate and, as the Traitor god-engines reached the walls, the gate's sub-structure was torn apart, collapsing it and the surrounding walls. The Traitor Titans quickly stormed the breach, intent upon slaughtering those who had delayed them for months. Only a staunch few Legio Metalica engines stood against them and though the odds of survival looked grim, hope was not lost, for booming footsteps thundered in the distance-Praeco Deductus, Imperator Titan of the Legio Crucius, walked in defence of the breach.
Battlegroups
One player controls the Legio Audax force, which can take Legio Mortis and/or Legio Vulpa Titans as Reinforcements, while their opponent controls the forces of Legio Metalica. Each player selects a battlegroup, as in 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 Battlefield
The battle is played on a 4' × 4' board. Mark out a line 1" thick across the board 18" from one table edge. This line represents the Delta Breach and can be represented by a mark on the table or any appropriate terrain the players might have in their collection, such as a ruined section of the wall. The smaller portion of the board is the Traitors' deployment zone. The larger portion of the battlefield represents Hive Kado and should contain many buildings, with an empty section at least 3" wide running down the middle of the board, from one table edge to another, crossing the Delta Breach, representing a road.
Stratagems
The Traitor player has 2 Stratagem points to spend on any Stratagems they wish. The Loyalist player has 4 Stratagem points to spend on Battlefield Assets which can be deployed anywhere in their deployment zone.
Mission Special Rules
Dark Mechanicum Infiltrators: The Delta Gate was brought down from within by small groups of Dark Mechanicum saboteurs that now lie in wait for the Loyalists' counter-attack. Once per round, when a Titan finishes their move within 2" of an intact building, the Traitor player may attempt to sabotage that Titan. Roll a D6; on a 1-2, nothing happens; on a 3-5, the Titan suffers D3 S6 hits to its Legs, ignoring void shields; on a 6, the Titan suffers D3 S6 hits to the Legs, ignoring void shields, and its Plasma Reactor level increases by D3.
Break It Open: The breach created by the Traitors has taken the Loyalist forces by surprise, forcing them to hold the now ruined Delta Gate against a seemingly endless number of Traitors. In this mission, when a Traitor Titan or Knight Banner is destroyed, place it to one side. At the beginning of the round, before determining the First Player, the Traitor player may roll 2D10 to see how many of their reserves have reached the battlefield. 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 back a destroyed Warlord Titan (Scale 10) and a Knight Banner (Scale 3), or four Knight Banners (total Scale 12). Units returned to the table arrive fully healed of any damage they have suffered and with their full complement of models, in the case of Knight Banners.
When a unit arrives from reserves, it can be placed anywhere within 3" of a board edge within the Traitors' deployment zone and more than 12" from the Delta Breach 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.
A God Speaks: With each passing hour the Loyalist counter-attack marches closer, accompanied by the Imperator Titan Praeco Deictus. During the Strategy phase of the third round, and each round after that, the Loyalist player may make a Command check for up to two of their Titans instead of issuing them Orders. If the check is passed, choose an enemy Titan that the Titan can see. The target Titan immediately suffers two S14 Hits as if hit by a weapon with the Fusion trait; the attack is presumed to be within Short Range.
Deployment
The Legio Metalica player deploys up to 50% of their total points anywhere within 6" of the Delta Breach. The Traitor player then deploys the entire battlegroup anywhere within the smaller portion of the board at least 6" from the Delta Breach. The Legio Metalica player then deploys their remaining units anywhere within the larger portion of the battlefield more than 10" from the Delta Breach.
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 seven rounds, after which the Loyalists have either secured the Delta Breach or the Traitors have seized their desired foothold. If all of the units controlled by the Loyalist player are destroyed at any point before this, the battle ends immediately.
Victory
At the end of the battle, calculate the total points value of both players' models (including individual Knights rather than the entire Banner) within 6" of the Delta Breach. Titans that are Structurally Compromised count as half of their total points value for this purpose. The player with the highest total points value within 6" of the Delta Breach has secured it and is victorious. If the total points value of both players' models is equal, no player controls it and the game is a draw.
Deployment Map
- Battlefield: 48" × 48"
- Traitors Deployment Zone: 18" deep
- Delta Breach
A Sinister March: Ambush
Of all the battles fought during the Siege of Kado, it was the Battle of the Lion's Mouth that was the most destructive. The battle in question was fought within the Square of Lions, an expansive plaza conceived as a haven of serenity and natural landscapes for the leaders of Kado that also played host to a collection of monuments depicting the Emperor's unification of Terra and his dispelling of old myths and the casting down of primitive gods. It is perhaps the greatest of ironies then that it was at the Square of Lions where the Dark Mechanicum unleashed a vast host of its foul creations infused with the power of the Æther. In those days, few were the records of the monstrosities forged by the combination of warp powers and the god-engines of the Collegia Titanica; against such unseen horrors, even the Loyalist Titan Legions could do little. The Loyalists were soon pushed further into the hive on the Dawn Side, all hope seemingly lost.
It was then that a figure appeared before Taren Varnowe, the Grand Castellan of Kado. Clad in the black of his Ordo, the figure requested that the Square of Lions, which lay in the path of the Traitors' advance, and the surrounding districts be cleared. There, the full might of the Adjunct-Chamber of the Ordo Sinister would be unleashed; in his wisdom, the Emperor had assigned a portion of the Ordo Sinister to Kado, to guard against threats only he could perceive.
As predicted, the clearing of defenders and hive citizens from the area drove the Traitor's corrupted engines into a frenzy, for nothing opposed them and thus no blood could be spilt. The Traitors' assault quickly fragmented and it was an unruly mob that strode into the Square of Lions, hungry for battle. In doing so, they had pushed into open ground and, as one, the three Psi-Titans of the Ordo Sinister emerged from concealment, setting upon their foe with the full might of their esoteric powers.
Battlegroups
One player controls the Traitor forces, while their opponent controls the Ordo Sinister forces. 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 3,000 points, while the Loyalist player's Battle Rating should be up to 2,500 points. The Traitor force should consist solely of Corrupted Titans. The Loyalist force consists solely of Psi-Titans; no maniples are required and Psi-Titans ignore the usual restriction of a maximum of one Psi-Titan per maniple.
The Battlefield
The battle is played on a 4'×4' board. The board represents the Lion Mouth's Square and should be sparsely filled with terrain within 24" of the centre of the board. The rest of the board should be heavily filled with buildings and other appropriate terrain pieces to represent the hive city.
Stratagems
The Traitor player has 2 points to spend on any Stratagems they wish. The Loyalist player has 4 points to spend on any Stratagems and/or Battlefield Assets they wish. Any assets purchased must be placed after all units have been deployed and must be at least 12" from an enemy unit.
Mission Special Rules
Carefully Laid Plans: The Titans of Ordo Sinister have prepared their trap with great diligence and are ready for the oncoming foe. All Loyalist Titans automatically pass any Command check made during the Strategy phase in the first round. In addition, subtract 2 from the result of any Command check made when issuing an order to a Traitor Titan during the battle.
The Veil Weakens: As the battle progressed the energies unleashed by both sides caused the emergence of the Warp onto Kado, twisting the very surface of the planet itself. During the End phase of each round, the First Player rolls a D6, adding 1 to the result for each round beyond the first. On a 6+, the Warp is unleashed, twisting the surrounding hive into a nightmarish landscape. If the Warp has not been unleashed by the End phase of the fourth round, it is automatically unleashed.
While the Warp is unleashed, this mission uses the following battlefield rules:
Visions of Madness: During this battle, if a Reactor roll shows the Machine Spirit symbol, the Titan's machine spirit or entity is automatically awakened - no Command check is rolled.
Distorted Reality: At the end of each round, players can roll a D6 for each of their Titans.
- On a 1, roll the Location dice twice; the Titan suffers a point of Critical Damage to each location rolled, or two points if the same location is rolled twice.
- On a 2-5, the Titan may repair a single disabled weapon or one point of Critical Damage.
- On a 6, the Titan repairs a single disabled weapon and up to two points of Critical Damage.
Deployment
The Traitor player deploys their units first, anywhere within 12" of the centre of the table. The Loyalist player then deploys their units anywhere on the board more than 12" from an enemy unit.
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 six rounds, after which the Traitor forces have been broken or the Loyalists have failed to blunt their assault. 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 number of points the Loyalist player has destroyed from the Traitor forces. Units which have not been destroyed but are Structurally Compromised or, in the case of Household Support units, have lost more than half of its models, count as half their points (rounding down) when calculating the total points.
If at least 75% of the total points value of the Traitor forces has been destroyed, the Loyalist player claims victory. If less than 75%, but at least 60%, of the total points value of the Traitor force has been destroyed, the battle is a draw. If less than 60% of the total points value of the Traitor force has been destroyed, the Traitor player claims victory.
Deployment Map
- Battlefield: 48" × 48"
- Lion's Mouth Square: 24" × 24" in the centre of the battlefield