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| Issue | Article |
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| WD 206 | Preview |
| WD 216 | Miniatures - Imperial Guard |
| The Imperial Guard: Rules | |
| Painting Tanks - Epic 40K | |
| The Scourging of Lammas: Battle Report - Imperial Guard vs. Eldar | |
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New Releases
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| WD 217 | Mail Order Only - Epic 40K Drop Pods |
| Tactica Imperialis: Imperial Guard Tactics | |
| New Releases - Leman Russ, Demolisher, Shadowsword, Deathstrike | |
| WD 218 | The Coming of the Great Devourer: Scenarios based on Codex Tyranid |
| WD 222 | Green is Meaner!: Ork Tactics |
| WD 223 | Blood Reavers: Chaos Army |
| WD 224 | Lords of Battle: Titan Tactics |
| CJ 20 |
Epic 40,000 - The Director's Cut: Combined Arms Rule
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Squat Armies
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| CJ 21 |
Adeptus Mechanicus Detachments: Skitarii Tech-Guard of the Forge Worlds
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Machines of Destruction: Titan Upgrades
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| CJ 25 | For the Emperor!: Imperial Tactics in Epic 40,000 |
| CJ 27 | Children of the Kraken: Genestealer Cults |
| The EPICentre |
| Issue | Article |
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| WD 108 | 'Eavy Metal: Adeptus Titanicus Titans & Banners |
| WD 109 | Adeptus Titanicus Release Ad |
Land Raider!: Vehicle Rules
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Reavers and Warhounds:
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| WD 110 | Space Marine!: Rules for Infantry |
Eldar:
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| WD 111 | Chain Fist!: Advanced Close Combat for Titans |
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Craters
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| 'Eavy Metal: Adeptus Titanicus | |
| WD 112 | Conqueror!: Robots |
| WD 114 | Death Blow!: Advanced Damage Rules |
| WD 115 | Space Marine: 1st Edition Preview |
| WD 116 | Epic Battle Damage System: Large Battles |
Imperial Vehicles
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Orks
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| WD 117 | Codex Titanicus: Preview |
| WD 120 | War Griffons: Colour Schemes & Markings |
War Machines
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| WD 123 |
War Machines: Updated Vehicle Stats
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| WD 124 | Epic Imperial Guard
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| Codex Titanicus Errata | |
| Epic Scale Ork Battlewagons | |
| WD 125 | Epic Imperial Guard: How to Design Imperial Guard Regiments |
| WD 126 | Epic Space Marines: How to Design Space Marine Regiments
in the Horus Heresy
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| Knights (by Andy Chambers, excerpted from WD 126)
Knights are fast-moving powerful war machines, thirty to forty feet tall and controlled by a single warrior, that fight on the battlefields of the Horus Heresy in the service of both Eldar and Human armies. Recruited from feral worlds where lesser versions of these machines are used to herd mighty Megasaurs, Knights take to the field of war alongside other members of their noble families. With their devastating visor-mounted psychic and shock lances, the mere gaze of a Knight can bring death to its enemies. THE BIRTH OF THE ELDAR KNIGHTSLong before the Dark Age of Technology, numerous barren as planets were visited by Eldar seed ships. These inhospitable worlds were prepared for the long process of terraforming and then seeded with the essential ingredients to sustain of life. The Eldar plan was to create new worlds to colonize in thousands of years time. These worlds were known to the Eldar as Lilaethan or Maiden Worlds.As their civilisation neared its collapse, a number of Eldar groups denounced the easy decadence offered by Chaos and abandoned the homeworlds in a series of migrations they called the Exodus, referring to themselves as Exodites. These groups travelled far away and colonized the Lilaethan, determined to escape the terrible fall of their a race that they had foreseen. On their arrival, the Exodites split into individual clans each led by a warrior elite. Those who joined the Exodus came from all levels of Eldar society but were united in their determination and powerful will to survive. The Exodites were a group which had long been aware of the dangers of indulgence and hedonism; by choice, they selected worlds where their life would be hard so as to avoid the trap of sloth. To a great extent, this suppressed the natural Eldar character of intense emotion and intellect, and did indeed save them from the Fall. Among the Exodites, the intensity of the Eldar nature is expressed as a powerful loyalty to their individual clans and a strong determination to achieve their objectives. The struggle for survival on these worlds was indeed grim. To enable them to deal with the harsh conditions, the Exodites converted the sleek war machines they had brought with them into tall walkers which they piloted across their new planets, tending the virgin worlds. The ruling warrior Elite gradually developed a system of status and honour which brought about the society now known as the Eldar Knights. Dwelling in tall keeps, the Knights strove to hasten the planets' evolution and bring life and order out of the primeval maelstrom. After the Eldar Fall, the craftworlds sought out the colonists to offer them a place on board. The Exodites coldly told their craftworld brethren that they preferred to stay where life was simple if harsh, and the dangers were obvious. Though the craftworlds and Exodite colonies trade with one another, the Exodites still maintain that the easy lifestyle on the craftworlds is dangerously close to that which brought the downfall of their race. In order to produce the food necessary to trade with the craftworlds, the oceans of the planets were seeded with algae to form vast floating weed beds. These weed beds and the lush vegetation of the primitive jungles provided nourishment for docile brontosaurus-like herd beasts called Megasaurs created by the Knights through cloning and genetic engineering. The Megasaurs in turn provided protein-rich food for the craftworlds. The herds were shepherded by the Knights in their machine-bodies, protecting the Megasaurs from predators and moving them from place to place to feed. On occasion, the Knights of different clans would clash over watering rights or border disputes, though combat took an almost ritualised form intended more to hone the Knights' skills than bring about bloodshed. THE COMING OF MENDuring the Dark Age of Technology, scouts from Earth travelled far through the galaxy seeking planets to be used as agricultural worlds to provide food for the huge hiveworlds of Humanity. They copied the farming techniques used by the Eldar Knights already living on some of the worlds discovered. In a period referred to by the Exodites as The Coming of Men, the Eldar and Human colonists clashed in a series of bloody wars as the Eldar Knights sought to protect their homes from the interlopers.When these planets were cut off in the Age of Strife, they became feral worlds. A warrior aristocracy grew up on the Human worlds, mimicking the lifestyle of the Eldar clans. On many worlds, the Eldar clans resurged to win back the lands they had lost and settled into a pattern of battling and raiding both against the Humans and each other. The wealth of the noble Human houses and Eldar clans was based on their herds and much herd-raiding went on. The herds were greatly reduced in size, but, as the only readily available food source, were just as important. While the Eldar shared their duties equally throughout the clan, the Human nobility enforced a feudal system on those below them. A sub-class of Drovers looked after the herds, as the nobles would not soil their hands with such work. The Drovers' walkers were not, by law, armed with weapons even though they lived in constant danger from raiders and predators. This ensured that the Drovers had to rely on the Knights of the nobility for protection and nullified any chance of revolt. As well as the nobles, each house could field large numbers of men at arms, either mounted on horses or on foot. These were equipped much like Planetary Defence Force and Imperial Guard units elsewhere in the Imperium, though with not nearly as many heavy weapons. When the nobles grew too old to carry on fighting in the harry and slash of raiding or the swirling melee of battle they would give their armour to their eldest son and take instead the armour of a Warden. Wardens formed the steadiest element within the noble houses, usually found defending the keep or protecting the Drovers. On many of the worlds, groups of artificers and technicians became the most important of the nobles' subjects. They initially simply maintained the Knights for the nobles but soon learnt to speak with one voice, threatening to withdraw their services from any Lord who failed to take heed. They styled themselves as a priesthood for the half forgotten mysteries of technology and were called Sacristans. As their power grew, they arbitrated between the different houses to ensure they did not wipe one another out in bitter feuds. The ever-present dangers of their worlds meant the Knights could not survive wars of attrition and genocide, and this necessitated the use of chivalric values to settle disputes. Eventually the Sacristans on many worlds ritualised the virtues of Honour, Duty and Valour and passed on these traditions from generation to generation. With the acceptance of these values the nobles became known as The Chivalry. In addition to the threat posed by hostile houses, the Chivalry had to fight constant battles against swift Carnosaurs which preyed upon the herds. Hunting the Carnosaurs honed their fighting skills to a deadly art, preparing them for the periods of violent warp activity which created monstrous mutated beasts. When such a beast was sighted, all the Chivalry would go on quests to seek out and destroy the creature before it tainted the land. THE REDISCOVERYThousands of years later, the planets were brought back into the Imperium. When Rogue Trader Jeffers rediscovered the agriworlds he referred to their inhabitants as Knights, pointing out their many Knightly virtues as he emphasised the worlds' value to the Empire both as a massive food resource and as a source of born and bred warriors. The Administratum agreed with Jeffers' findings and quickly set about rediscovering the rest of the long-lost agriworlds. To their delight, they found that two in three of the originally settled worlds were still occupied by Humans working along very similar social lines. The remaining worlds were either occupied by both Eldar and Human Knights or held exclusively by clans of Eldar Knights with strong links to the craftworlds, trading natural raw materials for technology.Often, a Knight world would be affiliated to a Titan forgeworld, producing food for it, while the Sacristans would come under the control of the Adeptus Mechanicus. Other Knight worlds were left with a large degree of autonomy, required only to produce food and obey the call to arms when given. The Imperial Cult was introduced in such a way that the Chivalry could be called on by the Empire to enter a crusade. Old rivalries forgotten, the Knights (especially younger ones) would form family units to fight with Titan Orders or the Imperial Guard. Young Knights sometimes don't have their own armour, but train on that of their father. When fighting in a crusade they are given their own armour, built on a Titan forgeworld. Once they return home they are able to keep the armour and form their own house. Thus units of Knights are often fielded by Titan Orders and the Imperial Guard. During the Horus Heresy, Knights fought on both sides - many of the agriworlds declared allegiance to Warmaster Horus and were only brought back into the Imperium after decades, even centuries, of terrible armed struggle. Knights usually fight as single units from each house which means they are usually seen in large groups. After a period of time on crusade, the Chivalry can return home, well-rewarded with loot and new armour. Normally the Wardens stay on the homeworld to protect the keep but occasionally they have taken the field when required, more than compensating for their age with stoic tenacity. In some cases, Knights bring units of men-at-arms with them. These are re-equipped by the Order or Regiment, often having their horses replaced with bikes. They act in close support of the Knight formations and as scouts for the Order. KNIGHT SUITSKnight suits are similar to Titans in that they are controlled through a direct mind link. Imperial Titans are imprinted with a feral personality, which must be dominated by the Princeps in order to control the machine. The Titan's personality is there to handle all the mundane tasks in operating such a machine, like balancing and walking, leaving the Princeps free to concentrate on more important things.Eldar Knight suits contain a spirit stone which supplies the personality for the machine. When linked to the lone Eldar pilot, this lends Eldar Knights a fluid grace lacked by Human Knights. The spirit stones in Eldar Knights are often ancient artefacts dating back to the time of the Fall and contain the the souls of many long dead heroes. When an Eldar Knight links with his suit, he exchanges a portion of his consciousness with those in the stone. This makes Eldar Knights strange characters often speaking in archaic tongues and referring to past ages with unnerving familiarity. Human Knight suits do not have a permanently imprinted personality. Instead the Knight sits in a throne, which is imprinted with aspects of his own personality. The throne is plugged in to the armoured Knight suit and may be transferred from one Knight suit to another, though this is a rare occurrence usually only undertaken if the old suit is damaged beyond repair or the Knight wishes to become a Warden, passing on his old Knight suit to a younger relation. Imprinting your personality on a throne is a lengthy, sometimes dangerous, business. It has become a rite of passage for young nobles - this is how they become an adult. When he is old enough, a noble son who wishes to become a Squire undertakes a vigil in the family's chapel or sacristy, remaining seated in the throne throughout the long night. He is surrounded by the ancient thrones and battle banners of his forefathers which are kept in the sacristy, reminding him of the long traditions of honour and chivalry he is expected to maintain. The imprinting process tends to exaggerate dominant aspects of the young noble's personality, especially with regard to the way he is feeling during his vigil. If he is scared, the personality imprint will always be scared, making the suit difficult to control in combat. If the noble is angry with someone (say a brother who made fun of the noble before his vigil) the personality imprint will always hate that person, even if the noble has got over it. When a noble dies, his throne retains some of his character. Nobody else can use it to control the suit until they have overlaid their personality onto the throne. It is still possible, however, to communicate with the personalities in the throne. Thus they are often kept and placed in the family's sacristy, a direct link with the ancestors of a noble house. It is the height of dishonour to deny a family the opportunity to salvage the thrones of Knights who have fallen in battle and the family will go to any lengths to get them back. Note that the unarmed suits used by herdsmen are not controlled in the same way. They have a simple mind-link like that used on a Dreadnought. This makes them slow, lumbering machines when compared to the sleek thoroughbreds used by the nobles. The Sentinel walker used by the Imperial Guard is in fact a copy of the tried and tested Drover suit adapted for combat with the addition of basic armament. Though there are, many different designs of Knight suit, a common feature to all except Warden suits is the lance. The lance is a short ranged area weapon developed from devices used for herding Megasaurs. To affect the dull nervous systems of Megasaurs, lances needed to be very powerful. The war lances used by Knights in battle discharge all their tremendous power in a single cataclysmic blast, making them a weapon much feared by their opponents. The lance is always mounted in the Knights' visor, a practice that has given Knights a reputation of being able to kill with a single glance. Knights are rapidly-moving war machines, able to advance swiftly across the battlefield, deploying their heavy firepower to devastating effect. They are frequently used to forge ahead of the main formation to spearhead an attack or secure an important position. During a battle, these highly-mobile hard-hitting units may be ordered to make flanking attacks, out-manoeuvring slower-moving enemy forces, and can be quickly redeployed whenever a new or unexpected threat is posed. There are three levels of status for Knights: Squire, Knight and Lord (Wardens of this status are known as Seneschals). FORMATIONSAll Knights are organized into detachments of three or more machines. The Knights in each detachment belong to a single noble house, though it's possible that a large house may be represented by more than one detachment. In major battles it is not unknown for large houses to field up to thirty kinsmen, although six to eight is more usual. Though many of the houses have blood-ties extending back hundreds of years, there is much lingering distrust between the numerous houses. Thus, if Knights are fighting on both sides in a battle, all the Knights fighting together on one side will be allied or related houses battling out a bloodfeud against age-old enemies.Human Knights are always fielded in detachments containing only one class of Knight. It is traditional for each household to use either Knight Paladins or Knight Lancers rather than a mix of the two, although large houses often fight with both classes in separate detachments. All the truly great noble houses, legendary names such as Hawkwood, Beaumaris, Arundel, Mortimer and Warwick, have the resources to call on Knights of any class: Paladins, Lancers and the stern, unflinching Wardens. Lesser families may only have a few Knight suits of a single class, worn by the finest of their warriors. Eldar clans, on the other hand, frequently use a combination of two or three classes within the same detachment and aren't subject to the same restrictions as the Human households. The most common mix in Eldar detachments is Fire Gale and Towering Destroyer classes; if the detachment also includes Bright Stallion Knights, it means the Stallions can't make use of their superior speed. HERALDRYEldar from the Lilaethan or Maiden Worlds paint their Knights in the clan's colours. Clan motifs and runes are added to both the Knight and its banners according to individual taste. The motifs of the Exodite clans are based on animals, each of which has a deep spiritual significance within the clan that uses it. The rank of the Eldar is shown by a strict colouring code: Lords have silver heads, Knights have bronze heads and Squires have gold heads.Each of the Imperial noble houses that field Knights have a livery of two colours. They use these, with adapted Imperial heraldry, to denote rank. Squires use the basic livery colour (usually the colour that is dominant on the household's banner). Knights use the basic colour halved with the secondary colour, and Lords use the two colours in a quartered pattern. The actual areas painted in different colours varies from house to house and between the different designs of Knight, but the basic pattern is always retained. Wardens are usually coloured all white, with a single panel in their household colours in a pattern appropriate to their rank. Emblems on the war machines and their banners are adapted from the main household banners. These banners usually show a heroic ancestor in battle with a mythological monster as their central image. Campaign banners and emblems are often added while the Knights are on crusade with Imperial forces. |
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| WD 127 |
Squats: How to design a Squat War Host
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| WD 128 |
Orks: How to design an Ork Horde in Epic Scale
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| WD 130 | Praetorians: Rules for Capitol Imperialis & Hellbore |
| WD 131 | Epic Realm of Chaos (Part 1): Army List (Part 2 in WD 132) |
| WD 132 |
Epic Realm of Chaos (Part 2): Daemons and Their Conjuration (Part 1 in WD 131)
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| WD 133 | Titan Expansions
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| WD 136 | An Epic Battle: Battle Report - Space Marine Valedictors (from WD 126) vs. Orks |

| Useful Links: |
| Issue | Article |
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| WD 141 | Space Marine: Preview |
| WD 142 | A Guide to Painting your Epic Scale Forces |
Titan Weapons
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| WD 143 | Stompers! |
| (Eldar) Alaitoc Craftworld vs.
The Blood Angels:
Battle Report (See Epic Forces article in WD 144 for new Eldar vehicle rules) |
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'Eavy Metal: Epic Eldar
Vehicles from Alaitoc Craftworld vs. The Blood Angels Battle Report
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Armies of the Imperium: Imperial Guard Colour Schemes
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| WD 144 | Assault!: New rules for attack and defence scenarios in
Space Marine
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Modelling Workshop: Epic Fortifications
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Epic Forces:
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'Eavy Metal: Epic Vehicles
and Titans
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Titan Data Sheets:
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| WD 145 | 'Eavy Metal: Mike McVey's tips
on painting new Epic releases
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| WD 147 | Eldar Avatar and War Walker |
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The Eldar Craftworlds: Colour Schemes
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| WD 148 |
Daemons and Chaos War Machines
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| WD 149 |
Epic Ork Vehicles
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| WD 150 |
Epic Ork Vehicles
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'Eavy Metal: Epic Daemons
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| WD 151 |
Mekboyz And Squats |
| WD 152 |
Commissar Yarrick and Warlord Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka
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| WD 154 | The Battle for Golgotha: Battle Report - Orks vs. Squats |
| WD 156 | Chaos at Kadavah: Battle Report - Imperium Blood Angels Space Marines vs. Chaos Horde |
| WD 158 | Ragnar Blackmane, Njal Storm Caller & Ulrik The Slayer in Space Marine: Space Wolves |
| WD 159 |
Daemon Engines of Tzeentch
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| WD 160 |
The Assault on Barbarius: Battle Report - Imperial Guard vs. Eldar |
| WD 161 |
Gargants: Orks
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| WD 164 |
Daemon Engines of Khorne
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The Banelord: Chaos Titan of Khorne
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| WD 168 | Bloodbath on Centius Prime: Battle Report - Chaos vs. Orks |
| WD 170 | Squat Cyclops |
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Epic Eldar Armies
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| WD 171 |
Chaos Armies
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| WD 172 |
Blood and Fire (Listed in Contents as Fire and Blood): Scenarios
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| WD 173 |
Questions & Answers
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| WD 175 | Questions and Answers 2 |
| WD 177 |
Know your Foe: Tactics
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| Titan Legions: Preview | |
| WD 178 | Into the Maelstrom: Review |
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The Titan Legions (by Rick Priestley, excerpted from WD 178) THE ADEPTUS MECHANICUSThere are no towers as high as the spires of Mars, no cities greater than the hives of Mars, and no men more devoted to the pursuit of knowledge than the Tech-Priests of Mars.Mars is the greatest and most populous world in the entirety of the galaxy-spanning Imperium. Sprawling hives climb miles into the Martian sky and their foundations delve deep into the planet's core. Orbital factories circle its globe, their ceaseless industry forming a glowing halo around the red planet. Above the equator vast space docks float in geo-stationary orbit, for this is the home of the mightiest fleet in the Imperium, the Battlefleet Solar. Untold billions of human souls live on the ancient world. They are the people of the Cult Mechanicus and the devoted servants of its technarcane Machine God. Mars is the homeworld of the Tech-Priests, the ruling class of the Cult Mechanicus. Throughout the galaxy there are many other worlds that belong to the Tech-Priests, planets whose people also form part of this huge and powerful organisation. These other planets are called Forge Worlds, and though none are as ancient or as powerful as Mars, each has its hives and its factories, its industries and its cavernous temples to the Machine God. Each Forge World is a colony of the Tech-Priests, controlled by its own Techno-Magi and responsible for its own affairs. However, the ultimate loyalty of all the cult members is to the Cult Mechanicus itself, and to its masters on the planet Mars. THE BIRTH OF THE CULT MECHANICUSThe Cult of the Machine God began many thousands of years ago, before the birth of the Imperium, during the time known as the Age of Strife. The events that triggered the Age of Strife must forever remain a mystery, but very likely the increasing turmoil in warp space was one of the most influential factors. Only by means of the ethereal realm of warp space can interstellar space travel take place. Erratic disturbances in warp space, called warp storms, make it almost impossible for spacecraft to travel between star systems. During the Age of Strife, the warp storms became frequent and more intense, spreading throughout the galaxy until space travel became next to impossible. Individual solar systems became isolated and many human colonies hitherto dependent upon interstellar contact were lost. Societies collapsed, anarchy prevailed, and the old civilisation of mankind passed away forever. During the Age of Strife the Earth could no longer acquire sufficient food or resources to accommodate its people. Without access to the wider galaxy the homeworld could not survive. Untold billions died as a result of war and starvation. The planet soon became a battleground where rival warlords fought over the ruins of a once great civilisation. All of Earth's ancient knowledge was lost and its cities destroyed. The planet became little more than a desert where its people were reduced to the level of brute savages fighting over the scarce land and water that remained. On Mars the process of disintegration began as it did on Earth, but because of the unique conditions on Mars events were to develop entirely differently. Because of lack of maintenance the planet's atmospheric radiation shields soon disintegrated. Solar radiation poured onto the surface, destroying the fragile ecosystem and wiping out sparse vegetation which had taken millennia to cultivate. Plagues caused by high radiation levels slew most of the population. Of those who survived most became deranged by sickness, many turned into mutant zombies or gibbering cannibals. The destruction of the entire planet seemed likely. However, this was not to be, for a new idea began to spread amongst the people, a religion of survival - the Cult Mechanicus dedicated to the Machine God. The devotees of the Machine God sought out the now scattered technology needed to rebuild temporary radiation shelters. The cult demanded absolute devotion from its followers, for only by selfless dedication and often personal sacrifice could machines be recovered or the planet saved. Under the direction of their Tech-Priest leaders, the cultists set about restoring order to the world. They built shelters to protect themselves from the radiation storms, and oxygen generators and food processing machines to enable them to live behind the enclosed shielding. There were few shelters even for the Tech-Priests and none for unbelievers. Marauders and mutant raiders tried to force their way inside the hurriedly constructed buildings. Many of the cultists died defending their shelters and some early shelters were destroyed, but the survivors emerged all the stronger and more determined. The people interpreted their survival in the face of tremendous odds as vindication of the Cult Mechanicus. Their resolve and devotion to the cult became unshakeable. Whilst rival warlords battled over the remnants of Earth the Tech-Priests rebuilt Mars in the image of their inhuman god. On red sand there rose the first temples of the Machine God and the people came to worship at the High Altar of Technology. The Tech-Priests scoured the ruins of Mars for surviving machinery which they enshrined within the Temple of All Knowledge. Within the temple's plasteel shell shining pistons held the vaulted roof almost a mile above. The shafts of each piston were so constructed that they moved to raise and lower the roof, altering its acoustic properties to accentuate the hymns of praise sung to the Machine God. The High Altar within took the form of a vast database containing the whole knowledge of the Tech-Priests. Even today every new discovery is dedicated to this altar. Every temple on Mars and throughout the Forge Worlds is connected to the High Altar by means of a living Transmat link, a psychic Servitor whose mind co-joins all altars of the Cult Mechanicus into one holy machine entity. THE TITAN LEGIONSWhen the Tech-Priests built their first temples and restored order to Mars they also laid the basis for the military arm of the Cult Mechanicus, the Titan Legions. They created weapons capable of functioning in the hostile environment of their planet. The vast fighting machines they built were Titans. Since that time the Titan Legions have formed the backbone of the armies of the Cult Mechanicus. Now, as part of the Imperium, they serve the Emperor. Of all the galaxy's fighting machines none can match the sheer size and power of a Titan. The largest Titans bristle with weaponed turrets and carry potent guns capable of destroying entire formations of enemy troops. Inside the Titan's armoured shell countless crew busy themselves with their duties. Some operate the throbbing engines that propel the machine enabling it to walk over the battlefield. Others direct its potent weapons of destruction, guiding its turrets and aiming its lethal missiles. A Titan is a ponderous battleship of the land. A machine of such a size and complexity that it is accompanied by infantry and tanks so that it can deliver its substantial firepower in the most effective way. Some Titans carry troops into battle, their towering leg sections form mighty bastions from which squads of troops attack the enemy. The construction of a Titan takes many years. Centuries of endeavour lie behind a single machine. The largest and oldest Titans of all are held to contain a spark of the Machine God's divinity. They have a holiness invested in them by virtue of their antiquity and technical complexity. The Tech-Priests deck the Titans with banners proclaiming their divine nature. On the eve of battle they anoint the machines with holy oil and perform the Mass of the Cult Mechanicus before the entire legion. The sacred names of the Titans are chanted amidst readings from the Manual Technicanum. To the Tech-Priests a Titan is more than a fighting machine it is an aspect of the Machine God, a holy and worshipful creation of Technology. To serve aboard a Titan is to serve the Machine God in person. This is the greatest service that a mere mortal can perform. THE FORGE WORLDSWhen the Cult Mechanicus restored order to Mars its leaders looked to Earth and beyond, hoping to find remnants of human knowledge on other worlds. The Tech- Priests were appalled at the destruction on Earth and judged there was nothing worth saving. Instead they turned their attention to the wider galaxy. However, their spacecraft were unable to break through the warp storms that raged throughout the galaxy, isolating the Sol system and many others besides. The Tech-Priests studied the warp barrier for many centuries, observing the nature of the warp storms and the energy patterns within them. After many lifetimes they were able to predict when the storms were at their weakest, and made preparations for an expedition beyond the solar system. At last an opportune moment came, the warp storms abated, and a massive fleet set out from Mars. The spacecraft of the Cult Mechanicus carried an entire Titan Legion onboard as well as thousands of Servitors and Tech-Priests to form the seeds of a new colony. After a few short days the warp storms regained strength once again and all contact was lost with the fleet. The Tech-Priests waited for a sign from their Machine God, and faithfully started to prepare another expedition. Over the next thousand years many Titan Legions were built and launched into the void. Some were lost or destroyed, but others were successful in their mission. Throughout the galaxy new colonies of the Cult Mechanicus were founded, each a replica of Mars with its temples and hives, its factories and its hierarchy of Tech- Priests. Each new world was protected by its Titan Legion. These new worlds were called Forge Worlds. Whilst the storms persisted the Tech-Priests of Mars could only guess how many of their space fleets had survived passage through the tumultuous warp. During moments of relative calm broken messages were down-loaded into the High Altar in the Temple of Knowledge, fleeting reports from the Forge Worlds, data from recovered machines, conformations of new discoveries or desperate pleas for help. But there was little the Tech-Priests of Mars could do to aid individual worlds, and it was not until the time of the Great Crusade in the Age of the Imperium that the Forge Worlds were to be finally united with Mars. THE KNIGHT WORLDSThe Tech-Priests' spacefleets found an anarchic galaxy where the ancient confederacy of interdependent human planets no longer existed. They discovered that the Eldar too were facing social degeneration. Many had taken to the worship of the Dark Gods of Chaos, and everywhere the Eldar worlds were falling into ruin. Some Eldar had already chosen to abandon their home worlds and set up new colonies of Exodites untainted by the evil of Chaos. The Tech-Priests also found that wild Ork warbands rampaged throughout the galaxy, looting and destroying, causing unrest everywhere. The human worlds discovered by the Tech-Priests retained little of their old technology. They had devolved into feudal states ruled by aristocratic nobles who welcomed the Tech-Priests as long awaited saviours. The Tech- Priests settled amongst these feudal empires, or Knight Worlds, choosing planets that were mineral rich where they could rebuild their industries. They established contacts with the Knights, trading with their worlds and investigating the ancient ruins where surviving technology could still sometimes be found. The Knights provided manpower and security against enemies such as marauding Orks and land-hungry Eldar Exodites. In return the Tech- Priests provided technical expertise and help rebuilding their planets. Over the millennia the Forge Worlds became powerful and the Knight Worlds flourished under their wing. The Tech- Priests and Knights became mutually dependent and each Forge World became the hub of an empire consisting of a Forge World and its surrounding Knight Worlds. The Knights learned much from the Tech-Priests and their societies were gradually transformed into technically sophisticated cultures. Many of the Forge Worlds were successful in maintaining sporadic contact with each other, and the Tech-Priests' obsession with knowledge ensured that discoveries on one world were down-loaded to altars throughout the galaxy. The most important innovation that the Tech-Priests brought to the Knight Worlds were the fighting machines also called Knights. These machines were one-man versions of a Titan, much smaller and less powerful than a real Titan, but far better suited to the mobile style of warfare prevalent amongst the nobility of the Knight Worlds. Today these Knights fight alongside the Titans and form a reserve of troops which can be called up into the Titan Legions when required. Each machine is piloted by a noble of the Knight Worlds, a Knight warrior within a Knight machine, for these worlds have maintained their feudal societies over the millennia. Indeed, the acquisition of technology enabled the warrior nobility to strengthen its position of power on their worlds THE AGE OF THE IMPERIUMIt is now ten thousand years since the Age of the Imperium began. It was in that distant time that the warp storms finally ended with a single massive storm of unbelievable destructive power. The warp is formed from psychic energies which affect the minds of psychically sensitive mortals. As a result of the final collapse of the storms many humans were killed as a psychic shock wave spread throughout the galaxy. The Eldar worlds were at the centre of this shock wave, spelling the end of planet-bound Eldar civilisation. Some Eldar escaped by means of massive space arks called Craftworlds. The Eldar Exodites who had already distanced themselves from the hub of their civilisation also survived. Other Exodites arrived amongst the Knight Worlds looking for worlds to settle, seeking out planets seeded by their ancestors thousands of years previously. Many of these worlds were already settled by the Knights and wars broke out throughout the Knight Worlds as Eldar tried to oust the Knights. The Forge Worlds and Knights managed to repel the Eldar invaders in most cases, but they could not prevent the Exodites settling nearby. Over the following centuries the Exodites and Knights would fight many long and arduous wars. On Earth the lifting of the warp storms signalled the beginning of an age of rebuilding and resurgence. From the battling warlords of Earth emerged one far-sighted visionary, a man of mysterious origins whose knowledge of past technologies astounded all who spoke to him. History does not recall his name only the title he came to assume in later years - the Emperor. This great leader united the warring people of Earth and prepared the way for the reconquest of the galaxy by his Space Marine Legions. On Mars the Emperor was recognised as the long-awaited Omnissiah of cult legend. A frenzy of popular uprising swept through the entire Cult Mechanicus as word spread of his coming. When the Emperor arrived on Mars he was hailed as the Machine God Incarnate and the Tech-Priests and Techno-Magi alike came to acknowledge his leadership and marvel at the technical secrets at his command. Not all amongst the Cult Mechanicus were happy with this turn of events. Many of the senior Magi resented the disturbance in the status quo threatening, as it did, their own power base. A few of these malcontents led a rebellion and seized the Temple of All Knowledge from where they called the faithful to war against the Emperor. The conflict that followed was short and bloody, and ended in the defeat of the reactionaries and triumph of the Emperor's followers. Mars and Earth were reunited after millennia of separate development. THE GREAT CRUSADEWith the massive human resources of Earth and the colossal technical power of Mars the Emperor began the re-conquest of the galaxy. This mighty enterprise is known as the Great Crusade and it lasted for two hundred years. The Emperor's forces spread out from the Sol system, searching for surviving human worlds and driving out alien usurpers. Many long forgotten planets were liberated during the Great Crusade and many worlds were settled anew. Gradually the Imperium expanded throughout the galaxy. Forge Worlds throughout the galaxy were able to establish secure communications with Mars following the end of the warp storms. Many Forge Worlds were able to contact the High Altar of Knowledge, and many technical advances and discoveries were spread as a result. The position of Mars and the Cult Mechanicus as the leader of the Forge Worlds was reaffirmed and spacecraft began to travel between the worlds regularly. Many Forge Worlds found themselves at war with alien invaders, especially Orks, now that space travel was viable once again. Although the Forge Worlds were able to help each other to some degree, they were everywhere forced onto the defensive. Some Forge Worlds were destroyed and many of the Knight Worlds were devastated. As the Great Crusade advanced it was able to free the Forge Worlds from these attacks. The liberation of the Forge Worlds was a great advantage to the Imperium, because their considerable military might could be added to that of the Great Crusade itself. As the Emperor's forces pushed further and further into the galaxy, the Forge Worlds were able to supply arms and equipment, weapons, spacecraft and other munitions to the advancing armies. Titan Legions from the Forge Worlds joined the Space Marines to extend the borders of the Imperium still further. As the Great Crusade reached the edges of the galaxy the Cult Mechanicus founded new Forge Worlds to act as forward supply bases. These new planets soon grew and established their own Titan Legions. Surrounding planets were colonised from the Knight Worlds, replicating the long-established pattern on the other Forge Worlds. THE HORUS HERESYAs the Great Crusade reached ever outwards, encompassing almost the whole galaxy, a new and unthinkable threat emerged to challenge the re-emergence of humanity. This was the rebellion known to later ages as the Horns Heresy. The revolt was led by Warmaster Horus, the greatest of the Emperor's generals, his most trusted lieutenant, and the most powerful of all the Primarchs. The rebellion began far out on the eastern fringes of the galaxy, and took hold amongst the Space Marine and Titan Legions serving under Horus. It is unclear how Horus managed to turn his armies against the Emperor, but he was a skilled and persuasive leader who commanded immense personal loyalty amongst his troops. In all probability there were few who even questioned his orders, and later, when the true power behind the revolt was revealed, it was too late. At the very beginning none guessed that behind the Warmaster' s plans lay something altogether more sinister. Unknown to anyone, Horns had thrown in his lot with the Dark Gods of Chaos. All who followed him would be as damned as he. This is not the place to describe at length the fierce battles of the Horns Heresy. The galaxy was torn asunder as Space Marines fought Space Marines and Titans battled Titans. Horus' strategy was to move against the Emperor directly, attacking Earth with as much speed and as many troops as he could muster. Earth's defences were weak and reinforcements were weeks behind Horus' fleet. In the final event the war was to be won by the Emperor, but only at the cost of his own life as he battled Horus in personal combat aboard the Warmaster' s own battleship. From that day forth the Emperor has lived only as a spirit sustained by psychic energies, his lifeforce inhabiting a corpse held together by stasis fields. The majority of Horus' forces were scattered following his defeat. The rebel Space Marine and Titan Legions fled into the Eye of Terror, a zone of what is known as Chaos Space. Here the twin dimensions of the warp and reality overlap, and the ethereal realm of Chaos co-exists with the material realm of men. In this vast region of space there are worlds inhabited by daemons and their minions, and it was amongst these worlds that the traitors made their home. Outside the laws of time and space the Eye of Terror has preserved the remnants of Horus' armies to this day. Space Marine warriors who fought against the Emperor live there still, emerging at points past, present and future to harass the forces of the Imperium. Titans that took part in the Heresy can also be found in the Eye of Terror on worlds ruled by dark and corrupted Tech-Priests whose hellish visions of techno-madness have created societies where men are slaves to daemon-possessed machines which hunger for mortal blood. THE ASCENDANCY OF THE HIGH LORDSFollowing the defeat of Warmaster Horus the Imperium of Mankind was re-established afresh. The organisational basis for the Imperium of the 41st Millennium was laid down in the years following the Emperor's incarceration. At that time Imperial organisations were instated in forms which have endured broadly unchanged for ten thousand years. Institutions created by the Emperor to serve his Great Crusade became the ruling bodies of the sprawling empire. Their chiefs became the most powerful men the galaxy has ever known. These individuals are the High Lords of Terra, a conclave which includes the chief military and administrative officials of the Imperium. The new ruling body of the Imperium was known as the Adeptus Terra, the Adepts of Earth, a term which included not only the High Lords but all the organisations under their control. From this time the term Adeptus was formally adopted as the title for all officials of the Imperium. During the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy the Cult Mechanicus had taken part in all the triumphs and failures of the Imperium. Now the Techno-magi prepared to play their role in the rebuilding process too. To establish their place amongst the new rulers of the Imperium the Cult Mechanicus became the Adeptus Mechanicus, and its cult leaders became High Lords of Terra. Over the following millennia the people of Earth and Mars would march forward together, welded into one mighty Imperium, yet distinctly different societies with their own governments and institutions. THE ADEPTUS MECHANICUSIt is now the forty-first millennium. The Emperor has endured for ten thousand years, his living spirit continues to guide the fate of mankind though his body is rank with decay. On the world of Mars the Techno-Magi celebrate the rites of the Machine God and his divine manifestation the undying Emperor. Throughout the Imperium there are countless Forge Worlds devoted to the pursuit of knowledge. The Titan Legions and the Tech-Guard armies of the Adeptus Mechanicus protect and expand the territories of the Machine God. In conjunction with the Space Marines and Imperial Guard, they form the fighting armies of the Imperium, the most potent force in the galaxy. The Forge Worlds and Knight Worlds remain fiercely loyal to their
Martian masters. Their industry and their tithes are to the Adeptus
Mechanicus and the Techno-Magi of the Cult Mechanicus. Where other
human worlds in the Imperium are part of the feudal empire controlled
by the Administratum of the Adeptus Terra on Earth, the Adeptus
Mechanicus retains direct ownership of its own territories. Thus
the Forge Worlds and the Knight Worlds owe no obligations to the
Adepts of Earth. They raise no regiments for the Imperial Guard
and they pay no tithes to the treasury. They are not answerable
to the Adeptus Terra but to the Adeptus Mechanicus. Only the Inquisition
has jurisdiction in their territories, and there are no worlds
in the Imperium where those warriors of righteousness may not
walk freely. Legions
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| WD 179 |
Titan Legions: Epic Miniatures
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| Inferno: Battle Report of alternate scenario for Gehenna Campaign from Fires of Gehenna scenario booklet in Titan Legions - Imperium Legio Metialic vs. Ork Waaagh! Hargluk (Follow-up Stomp an' Smash! Battle Report in WD 188) | |
| WD 180 |
Fists of Death: Titans Tactics
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| WD 181 |
Imperator Titan: Tactics
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Space Marine Razorbacks
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| WD 182 |
Waaagh Da Orks!: Mega-Gargant Tactics
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Knight Households
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| WD 183 |
Epic Hive War: Tyranids Supplement - Review
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| WD 184 |
Abomination!: Battle Report - Imperials vs. Tyranids
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| WD 185 |
Chimera Assault!
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| WD 186 |
Eldar Revenant Scout Titans
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| WD 187 |
Imperial Airpower
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| WD 188 |
Plague Engines of Nurgle: Chaos
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| Stomp an' Smash!: Battle Report that continues alternate history to Gehenna Campaign from Fires of Gehenna scenario booklet in Titan Legions that was started in Inferno! Battle Report of WD 179 - Imperium Legio Metalica vs. Godratz' Ork Horde | |
| WD 190 |
Slaanesh War Machines: Chaos
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| WD 191 |
Ordinatus: Imperium
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| WD 192 |
Death from Above: Epic Flyer Tactics
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| WD 193 |
Unsung Heroes: Infantry Tactics
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| WD 194 |
Modelling Workshop: Abominatus, Despoiler of Worlds - Epic Khorne Imperator Titan Conversion |
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Tyranid Assault!: Tyranid Tactics
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| WD 195 |
Ancient Writings: Scenario Inspirations
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| WD 196 |
Mission Briefing: Mission-Oriented Objective Counters
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| WD 197 | Reign of Fire!: Battle Report - Orks vs. Blood Angels (Uses Objective Counters in WD 196) |
| WD 198 |
Honour and Glory: Veteran Regiments
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| CJ 1 | Random Space Marine Armies with scenarios |
| Knights: Fast Moving War Machines | |
| CJ 2 | Storm the Breach: Urban Conflicts |
| CJ 3 | Inner Force: Expanded Psychic System |
| CJ 4 | The Power Within: Psykers for "Inner Force: Expanded
Psychic System" in CJ 3
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Snakebite Cyber-Wyvern
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| CJ 5 | Epic Special Characters
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