Adeptus Titanicus/Tactics

This is the Tactica page for the Adeptus Titanicus specialist game, for rules for playing with Titans in 40k click here.

The Rules

Official rules

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FAQ

Here are some common questions regarding the rules for Adeptus Titanicus. Several concepts/rules found in the rule book are unfortunately not very clear and open to interpretation. Note: These are not official answers!. House rule interpretation have been added to give a solution until official FAQ is released. This section is not intended for bible-bashing rules, but more a friendly section for those confused by the badly written rules as well. If you find a official answer, please update the question with a reference/link.

Strategems

• Question: Can you use the same stratagem multiple times in a single battle? For Example: A Warlord Titan is fired on and has its shields collapsed. I use Machine Defiance and get lucky to recover 3 shields. The next turn the shields are collapsed again, may I use the Machine Defiance again to try and save the shields?

Shooting

• Question: Can I place blast markers anyway I want? E.g. can I shoot between Knights with a Volcano cannon to hit more Knights?
• Answer: No. Like most GW games, you place the blast markers hole anywhere over a base. For larger bases, this means there is still quite a big of freedom (Paraphrasing a Copenhagen GW employee)

• Question: Does the Warlord Titan's Ardex-Defensor Cannon or the Knight's torso-mounted Melta gun need to roll to hit?
• Answer: No. The terminal simply states the units "Suffers D3 Strength 5 hits" with no mention of needing a hit roll. It's not a ranged attack, rather a persistent effect which just happens.

• Question: If a Reaver (Scale: 8, almost 3" deep base) is exactly 9" away from a Warlord (Scale: 10), can the Warlord's carapace weapon still target the Reaver?
• Answer: No The rules use the word "within" with no mention of having to be "completely within". If even 0.1mm of the Reaver's base is within 10" then the carapace weapons cannot target it.
• Additional Explanation: You don't have to have the whole base within range to target it with any other weapons, you simply have to have part of the base within range.

Orders

• Question: Does a unit with Emergency repairs activate the maintenance roll in the movement phase OR the combat phase?
• Answer: The order says "As soon as [the order] is issued, make a repair roll." This would imply the repair roll is immediate. You make the Repair Roll as soon as the order is passed, and then have to choose wherever to activate the unit in either the Movement or Combat Phase.

• Question: Is a unit with Full Stride orders limited by the "full stride" rules in the movement phase as well? I.e. must move in a straight line in it's front arc?
• Answer: Official answer unknown.
• House interpretation: A unit with Full Stride orders can move and rotate normally during the movement phase, and only in the combat phase execute the "straight line" move that a full stride entails. Without the alignment flexibility in the movement phase, the criteria setup for a meaningful stride is basically impossible for anything but banners.

• Second Take: It's insinuated in the rules that this only takes effect in the Combat phase. "A unit acting under Full Stride orders cannot attack in the Combat phase. Instead, when it is activated,..." Context seems to indicate that it should be read as "Instead, when it is activated in the Combat phase,...". This seems to be a RaI vs RaW argument though.

• Question: A unit who fired with First fire order in the movement phase must fire at the same target in the combat phase?
• Answer: No. A unit may fire at a different unit in the combat phase. (Paraphrasing a Copenhagen GW employee)

Battleline Maniples

Axiom Battleline Maniple

• Minimum: 1 Warlord, 1 Reaver, 1 Warhound
• Optional: 1 Reaver, 1 Warhound
  • Might of the Omnissiah: If a Titan in the maniple fails its command check, the others may still make command checks.

Corsair Battleline Maniple

• Minimum: 3 Reavers
• Optional: 2 Reavers
  • Fighting Withdrawal: Titans can move outside their front arc at full speed but may not use boosted speed outside of their front arc.

Dominus Battleline Maniple

• Minimum: 1 Warlord 2 Reaver 1 Questoris or Cerastus Knight banner.
• Optional: 2 warhound 1 Knight banner.
  • Auspex bafflers: A Titan in this maniple that is within 6 inch of a Knight banner from same maniple gets a -1 modifier on attacks made against it from more than 2 inches away (Knight and Titan must both be visible to the attacker).
  • Knights in this maniple do not get modifiers to roll from cover, due to the auspex bafflers.
  • Noble Sacrifice: ("Look out Sir") When a Titan in this maniple takes a hit from ranged attack, it can transfer that hit to any Knight banner from same maniple that is within 6 inches. At least 1 of the knights must be visible to the attacker. The Knights then suffer the damage from the hit. If the attack uses a blast marker, centre the marker on the Knight. Firestorm weapons hits may NOT be passed on by this manner.
  • (My opinion, if you play as Legio Solaria you can replace the 2 reavers with 2 warhounds) or use solaria rules for a homebrew legio or a "counts as" legio. Just make sure your opponent understands that is what you are doing, before starting the game).

Fortis Battle Maniple

• Minimum: 1 Warlord 2 Reaver.
• Optional: 1 Warlord 1 Reaver.
  • Titanic Fortress: 2 Titans in base contact with each other, and as long as they didn't move in the Movement Phase, they ignore Armor roll modifiers resulting from Structural Damage or being attacked in the flank or rear. Also, Titans in this Maniple can merge their void shields!

Janissary Battleline Maniple

• Minimum: 1 Reaver 2 Warhounds
• Optional: 1 Reaver 1 Warhound
  • Close Support: Janissary Battleline maniples learn to coordinate their actions with Household Support units, and can move to support them when needed. If a titan of this maniple activates during the Movement phase, choose a Knight banner within 6in of the activating titan. Once the Titan has finished it's movement, the chosen Knight Banner may now make it's activation.

Regia Battleline Maniple

• Minimum: 2 Warlords 1 Warhound
• Optional: 2 Warhounds
  • Royal Court: The two warlord titans play house. While within 12" of each other, when one passes an order, the other may automatically gain the same order. The Warhounds are their children and may merge void shields with their parents while within 3" instead of only in base contact.

Heavy Maniples

Myrmidon Heavy Maniple

• Minimum: 2 Warlords, 1 Reaver
• Optional: 1 Warlord, 1 Reaver
  • Overwhelming Firepower: When issuing First Fire or Split Fire orders, the Command check is always passed on a 2+. Kinda meh, but the cheapest way to expand from the Grand Master starter set and get into matched play. <- Not sure who wrote this, but there's nothing 'meh' about getting to fire 2x a turn with your Warlords.

Light Maniples

Ferrox Light Maniple

• Minimum: 1 Reaver 2 Warhounds
• Optional: 1 Reaver 1 Warhound
  • Knife Fighters: When making attack within a number of inches equal to their scale, the titans add 1 to their armour rolls. Titans may also choose whether to use their weapon skill or ballistic skill within 2.

Lupercal Light Maniple

• Minimum: 3 Warhounds
• Optional: 2 Warhounds
  • Hunting Pack: At the start of the battle any or all Warhounds can form a squadron with others of this maniple. These squadrons last until the end of the round. In addition any Coordinated Strikes made by this maniple add 2 to the armour roll instead of 1.

Venator Light Maniple

• Minimum: 1 Reaver, 2 Warhounds
• Optional: 2 Warhounds
  • Opportunistic Strike: If an enemy Titan's shields are collapsed by the Warhounds in the Maniple, the Reaver gets a free shot at the enemy Titan. Take Apocalypse missiles and laugh as your reaver can potshot anything. Combine with warhounds with Vulcan mega-bolters to pop shields across the boards and unleash hell with your reaver. Taking full advantage of this rule by equipping the warhounds with shield busting weapons seem compelling, but don't rely on it too much. A single Reaver Titan will die quickly to concentrated enemy fire.

Titan Legions

Loyalist

Legio Gryphonicus 'War Griffons'

• Legion Special Rules
  • Lust for Glory: At the beginning of a game, the Gryphonicus player may nominate a target, and a Titan claiming that target, for any number of their Titans. A Gryphonicus Titan may re-roll 1s to-hit when attacking their claimed target, and add 1 to the results of any armour rolls. However, it will lose those bonuses if anyone else attacks their claimed target.
  • Mainstay of the Titan Legion: May replace a single Warhound or Warlord in a Maniple with a Reaver.
• Legion Specific Wargear
  • Enhanced Auspex Relays: A Warhound may be given enhanced Auspex Relays for +10 points. Any targets within 12" of one of these Warhounds may be pre-measured by a Titan targeting them.
  • Gravatus Plating: A Reaver Titan replacing a Warlord may be upgraded with Gravatus Plating for +20 points, reducing speed and manoeuvres by 1 but upping its leg and body armour by 1 as well.
  • Motive Sub-reactors: For +25 points, a Reaver replacing a Warhound can boost its speed and maneuver without pushing its reactor, but if it takes a critical hit to the legs, its reactor level is increased by 1.
• Legio Princeps Traits
  • 1. Reckless Maverick: Once per battle, the Princeps' Titan can be activated a second time in the Movement or Combat phase. After doing so, the Titan's reactor level is advanced three times.
  • 2. Master Duellist: Re-roll failed Hit rolls for the Princeps' Titan, when attacking a target within 8".
  • 3. Hunter without Equal: Re-roll any failed Hit rolls when the Princeps attacks a target it has claimed via Lust For Glory.

Legio Astorum 'Warp Runners'

• Legion Special Rules
  • War March: In the first and second turns, Legio Astorum Titans May choose to add 2 to their boosted movement but, when doing so, must roll two reactor dice and choose the least favourable result.
  • Veteran Princeps: During the Damage Control phase or when rolling for an Emergency Repair, Legio Astorum Titans may re-roll one repair die. Warlord Titans May re-roll up to two dice instead.
• Legion Specific Stratagems
  • Bounty of Mars (2): Choose one type of critically damaged system or weapon at the beginning of the damage control phase which will get +1 to the repair roll for that phase.
  • Machine Defiance (2): When a Titan's shields go down, roll a number of dice equal to that Titan's Servitor Clades. For each 5+ immediately regain one shield. nasty.
• Legio Princeps Traits
  • 1. Hero of the Crusade: As long as the Princeps is closer to the nearest enemy than any other Titans in their maniple, all Titans in that maniple add +1 to any Command checks.
  • 2. Reckless Hubris: Once per round, the Princeps may ignore the negative effects of a critically damaged system or disabled weapon, firing the weapon as if it were functional. After that system or weapon is used, apply a Strength 12 hit to the Titan's Body, ignoring void shields.
  • 3. Ancient MIU: Instead of taking a Command check during the Strategy phase, the Princeps' Titan may be given a random Order.

Legio Atarus 'Firebrands'

• Legion Special Rules
  • Seizing the Initiative: In the first battle round, a force that contains at least one Legio Atarus maniple may re-roll the dice roll to determine First Player, but only if they rolled lower than their opponent. If they win the roll off they must nominate themselves First Player.
• Legion Specific Stratagems
  • Impetuous Machine Spirit (1): When the Machine Spirit awakens, this stratagem can be used to automatically used to choose the impetuous result and moving d6 plus 2 instead of d6 inches.
  • Maniple of One (2): At the beginning of any round, one Titan replaces their maniple traits with the traits of any other maniple available to the firebrands.
• Legion Specific Wargear
  • Infernus Missiles: Any Legio Atarus Titan with Apocalypse Missile Launchers may upgrade them with Infernus Missiles for +15pts. If a model takes at least one hit from Infernus Missiles, place the large 5” blast marker under the model. In the end phase, any model at least partially on the marker takes a S4 hit ignoring shields (Titans are hit on the legs). In addition, blocking terrain touched by the marker takes a S4 hit and is set alight if not destroyed. Burning terrain continues to take and deal S4 hits to models within it until it is destroyed or extinguished.
• Legio Princeps Traits
  • 1. Headstrong: In the End phase, the Princeps' Titan may choose not to discard its order - retaining that order for next turn without needing a new Command check. Shutdown or other effects that change the Titan's order are applied as normal.
  • 2. Unconventional Thinker: Once per game, after an enemy Titan declares its action, the Princeps' Titan may move D6" in any direction, and change facing by up to 90 degrees. This movement can't take the Titan through impassable terrain or models.
  • 3. Shedim Drift Veteran: During the Combat phase, choose one of the Princeps' weapons. You may re-roll any Armour rolls for that weapon this round. If targeting an enemy from the Death's Heads or Tiger Eyes Legios, hits from ALL the Princeps' weapons may re-roll their Armour rolls.

Legio Solaria 'Imperial Hunters'

• Legion Special Rules
  • Wolf Packs: warhound squadrons in a solaria maniple can have up to 4 warhounds and can select a warhound titan in place of any reaver titan as part of its mandatory components of that maniple.
• Legion Specific Stratagems
  • Fog of War (2): play this in Strategy phase of First round; Solaria player may redeploy 1 warhound titan for every titan with a scale of 7 or greater in their force. Can only be redeployed to anywhere they can be normally deployed allowed by the mission you are playing.
• Legion Specific Wargear
  • Fortis Motivators: a warhound can be fitted with this for +20 points. In the Damage Control phase discard any repair action dice to repair a point of crit damage on that titans legs.(regardless of dice number)
  • Chameleoline shrouding: a solaria titan with scale 6 or less can take this for +35 points. Hit rolls shot at that titan from long range suffer a -1 to hit. The Shroud is destroyed as soon as the titan suffers 1 point of structural damage.
• Legio Princeps Traits:
  • 1. Spear of Tigrus: the princeps' titan may go into full stride orders without a command check.
  • 2. Agile Minded: once per game, when the princeps' titan is hit by an attack the titan may immediately make a single attack back at the attacker. This interrupts the activation of the enemy unit.
  • 3. Swift Displacement: once per game when an enemy titan makes a smash attack as part of a charge order against the princeps titan, the princeps titan gets to run away 6 inches directly away from attacker, after the attacker has moved, but before any 'To Hit' dice are rolled for the attack. Facing of princep titan stays the same.

Legio Defensor 'Nova Guard'

• Legion Special Rules
  • Righteous Fire: In the first round, each Titan can fire one weapon twice during its activation, but you advance your plasma reactor two spaces to do so. Probably best used with a weapon that's good at stripping void shields
  • Indomitable Resolve: If one of your Titans eats it, then everyone else gets +1 to Command rolls for the rest of the game.
• Legion Specific Stratagems
  • A Day of Retribution (2): Make a single attack with one Titan before the game begins, with your weapon doubling its range. Advance that Titan's reactor three spaces.
  • Blessings of the Emperor (3): When an attack would force your Titan to roll on catastrophic damage, don't.
• Legion Specific Wargear
  • Devotional War Sirens: Your Warlord blasts out glorious hymns to the God-Emperor, every Titan within 8" rolls two dice when making a Command check and chooses the better result.
• Legio Princeps Traits
  • 1. Enduring Hatred: The Princeps' Titan may re-roll Hit rolls of 1, once it has suffered Critical damage. During the Damage Control phase, they must spend repair dice on disabled weapons first, before repairing any other damage type.
  • 2. Crusade Veteran: Once per game, after successfully issuing an Emergency Repairs order, the Princeps' Titan may immediately issue a second order after the repairs have been resolved. The Titan must follow any restrictions for both orders.
  • 3. Icon of the True: While the Princeps' Titan is on the board, all Knight Banners and Titans from friendly Legios add +1 to the roll when making Command checks.

Legio Crucius 'Warmongers'

• Legion Special Rules
  • Forgeborn: Re-roll Damage Repair rolls of 1 in the Damage Control phase and under Emergency Repair Orders, but only for the first and second rounds.
  • Pride of Ryza: Repair rolls of 6 used to Vent Plasma decrease your reactor level by 2 rather than 1.
• Legion Specific Stratagems
  • None
• Legion Specific Wargear
  • Terminus Override System: The first time you're required to roll on Reactor Overload table, give the Titan a Shutdown Order instead
  • Bifolded Plasma Containment: Roll a D6 when using a weapon with Draining. On a 4+ you can roll two Reactor dice and choose your result, but on a 1 you have to roll 2 Reactor dice and choose the worst result.
• Legio Princeps Traits
  • 1. Collegia Lord: A command check roll of 9 or 10 made for the Princeps' Titan allows you to issue orders to all other Titans in the maniple without rolling.
  • 2. Mechanicum Born: Once per Damage Control phase, you can re-roll one Repair die.
  • 3. Black Banner: If the battlegroup has no Tertiary Objective, gain Tertiary Objective "Salvation of Crucius," which gives VPs if the Princeps' Titan is not destroyed or structurally compromised at the end of the game.

Legio Fortidus 'Dauntless'

• Legion Special Rules
  • Children of Mars Legio Fortidus Titans never suffer penalties to their Command checks, and ignore effects that force them to reroll successful checks. Knight banners within line of sight of a friendly Titan may re-roll Command tests to avoid being shaken.
  • Lost Sons: Replace any one Mandatory element in a Maniple with a different class of Titan. That Titan counts as whatever it replaced (e.g. if you swap a Warhound in a Venator Maniple for a Reaver, that Reaver will still count as a Warhound for that maniple's special rule)
• Legion Specific Stratagems
  • For the Red Planet (2): Can be used whenever a Titan activates, to ignore the effects of Critical Damage in any one location until the beginning of the next round.
  • Red Skies (1): Reveal when suffering a Magazine Detonation or Catastrophic Meltdown result on the Catastrophic Damage table to add 5 to the Titan's scale when resolving the effects
• Legion Specific Wargear
  • None
• Legio Princeps Traits
  • 1. Broken by Treachery: When targeting a Titan with scale equal to or greater than the Princeps' Titan, you may re-roll the dice for its first attack roll of the game. If the attack uses multiple dice, all must be re-rolled.
  • 2. Immortal of Mars: Counts Critical Damage to Head as one level lower.
  • 3. Soldier of the Crusade: +1 Stratagem point

Traitor

Legio Tempestus 'Stormlords'

• Legion Special Rules
  • Glory in Death: When a Tempestus Titan suffers catastrophic damage, make a command check. If passed, the Titan can immediately attack with one of its weapons.
  • Fury of the Machine: A Tempestus Titan may re-roll any results of 1, 2 or 3 on the Awakened Machine Spirit rule.
• Legion Specific Strategem
  • Combat Drop (3): A Titan with a scale of 6 or less (i.e. Warhounds) can be deep-striked onto the battlefield.
• Legion Specific Wargear
  • Chasmata Pattern Laser Destructors: Adds 3" to short range and 6" to long-range on Tempestus Laser Blasters and Turbo Laser Destructors for the price of 5 points/dice of the weapons you increase the range of. Incredibly useful.
• Legio Princeps Traits
  • 1. Adamantium Resolve: Once per battle at any time, the controlling player can remove Shutdown orders from the Princeps' Titan. This may even be done as the Shutdown order is issued, effectively cancelling it.
  • 2. Storm-born: Affects any Titan in the Princeps' maniple that has Charge orders. When that Titan moves in the Movement phase, it uses its boosted Speed value without having to push its reactor.
  • 3. Defiant Warrior: If the Princeps' Titan's void shields have been collapsed, it can re-roll all Hit rolls of 1 for its attacks.

Legio Fureans 'Tiger Eyes'

• Legion Special Rules
  • Machine Rage: When rolling a reactor dice, blanks count as Machine Spirit Awakened results. But if the Command check is failed, the result may be chosen from the table instead of being rolled for.
  • Many Faces of the Omnissiah: Samurai fight start. You stand still for 1 or 2 phases of first turn. For each phase activated with no action you can re-roll ONE DICE later in the game ( any dice!)
• Legion Specific Stratagem
  • Offensive Surge (3): In any Combat phase, choose a Titan maniple. Each Titan in that maniple may attack twice with one its weapons, increasing its reactor by 1 in addition to any other effects.
• Legion Specific Wargear
  • Hunter Auspex Relays For 20 points, a Titan can ignore one -1 to hit penalty when firing at targets over 12" away.
• Legio Princeps Traits
  • 1. Titan Stalker: When targeting a titan that is within 12”, the Princeps Seniores may add one to the Armour rolls of any hits, provided the targeted Titan has a Scale equal to or greater than their own.
  • 2. Humardu Savage: When the Princeps Seniores Titan makes a Smash attack, add 2 to the Strength of the attack.
  • 3. Trophy Taker: Any weapon disabled by the Tiger Eyes Princeps using a Smash attack, or a weapon with the melee trait, is harder to repair. These require a dice score of 1 higher than normal when making repair actions... bitch gimme that!

Legio Mortis 'Death's Heads'

• Legion Special Rules
  • Reaper's Tally: For each enemy Titan killed by a Legio Mortis Titan a re-roll of 1 can be made in the shooting phase. This is cumulative, so the more enemy titans you kill, the more re-rolls you get. A great fluffy rule to show Mortis' ruthlessness.
  • State of Decay: Once per game, a Titan may ignore the effects of MIU feedback, Moderati wounded, or Princeps Wounded for a round. It may not use any repair dice on its head for that round however.
• Legion Specific Strategem
  • March of the Dead (3): In the strategy phase of the 1st round, the player may make one regular movement with each of their Titans. The opposing player automatically becomes first player.
• Legion Specific Wargear
  • Remains of the Fallen: For 20 points, enemy units with 8" increase their command characteristic by 1.
  • The Warmaster's Beneficence: For 20 points, the first time a titan fires it adds 1 to the strength of any of its bolter or missile weapons, and may ignore draining.
• Legio Princeps Traits
  • 1. Rotten Heart: Chaos is here already! The Princeps has already sided with Chaos, and so has the Machine Spirit. It means you can ignore the effect of Machine Spirit awakening, but take some Reactor heat instead.
  • 2. Pitiless: Even when an enemy Titan is bleeding out, Mortis take no prisoners. When an enemy Titan that is currently critically damaged is targeted, all damage rolls receive +1 to the Strength of the attacks.
  • 3. Ancient of Terra: Legio Mortis has many ancient Princeps which have taken full immersion or similar due to how old the Legion is. It basically means the Titan treats the red level as the orange level of the reactor overload table.

Legio Krytos 'God Breakers'

• Legion Special Rules
  • Doom of Worlds: A Warlord may replace the compulsory Reaver in Myrmidon maniples.
• Legion Specific Strategem
  • Scorched Earth (1): Add one strength to any attack targeting terrain for the duration of any round.
  • Iron Endures (1): Damage suffered by dangerous terrain is reduced by 2 for the duration of a round.
• Legion Specific Wargear
  • Earthbreaker Missiles: Apocalypse Missile Launcher upgrade. Costs 10 points for a Reaver and 20 points for a Warlord. Removes 1 dice from a Reavers shots or 2 from a Warlords shots but the missiles gain the Quake trait. Adds 5 strength to the weapon if targeting terrain. Useful for stopping enemy titans from closing in and very good at destroying terrain.
• Legio Princeps Traits
  • 1. Godlike Contempt: The Princeps' Titan may still make Command checks if a Knight Banner or Titan with a smaller Scale than the Princeps has failed its Command check
  • 2. World Bane: Any Blocking terrain destroyed by the Princeps' Titan becomes Dangerous Terrain, if it wasn't already.
  • 3. Path of Iron: The Princeps' Titan may make a single Smash attack in the Movement phase, against an enemy model of Scale 3 or less. Stop movement, resolve the attack, then continue moving as normal. The Titan can move through models of Scale 3 or less, if it has enough movement to clear the enemy model's base.

Legio Vulpa 'Death Stalkers'

• Legion Special Rules
  • Honour and Blood: When a Legio Vulpa Titan is within 3" of an enemy Titan, increase Weapon Skill by 1 and decrease Ballistic Skill by 1.
• Legion Specific Strategem
  • No Pity for the Vanquished (1): When an enemy Titan is destroyed, the killing Titan may make another attack with the same weapon system against another target within 12" of the destroyed Titan.
• Legion Specific Wargear
  • Plasma Gargoyles: For 15 points, when this Titan vents plasma, units with 3" take a hit with Strength equal to 3 plus the level the reactor heat is decreased by.
  • Disruption Emitters: For 30 points, the Titan adds 2 to the Strength of any Melee weapons, and counts its Scale as 2 higher when making Smash Attacks.
• Legio Princeps traits:
  • 1. Razor Tongue: At the start of the round, the Princeps can choose an enemy Titan within 24". For the duration of the round, that Titan's Command characteristic is increased by 2.
  • 2. Bloodied but Unbroken: For each point of Critical Damage the Princeps' Titan has suffered (not including damage on weapons), increase the Strength of any Melee weapons and their Smash attacks by 1, to a maximum of +3.
  • 3. Cruel: When making attacks against units with Scale 5 or lower, increase the Strength of any hits by 2.

Legio Interfector 'Murder Lords'

• Legion Special Rules
  • Creeping Madness: Option to allow Madness to take over when activating a Titan in the Movement Phase. Roll a D6 and consult the insanity table...
    • 1-2 Charge Order & you must charge the nearest enemy possible by the shortest route.
    • 3-4 First Fire order with a random weapon towards the nearest target with +1 Strength and Dice, then disable that weapon.
    • 5-6 Static Scream. Force everything within 12" to remove their current Orders unless they're under Emergency Shutdown or Repair Orders.
• Legion Specific Strategems
  • Portents of Doom (2): Reveal in Strategy phase. Prevents any enemy Titan or Knight banner within 12" of an Interfector Titan from being issued Orders this round.
  • Tormented Machine Spirit (1): Play when you're about to roll on Awakened Machine Spirit table. Make an attack with all of the Titan's weapons against the closest model (friend or foe) instead of rolling on the Awakened Machine Spirit table.
• Legion Specific Wargear
  • Static Rounds: Reavers or Warhounds with Vulcan Mega-Bolters can take them. Modifies the Rapid trait when firing against targets with active Void Shields to count hit rolls of both 5 or 6 as generating 2 extra hits each. Doesn't work if you need a 6 to hit.
• Legio Princeps Traits
  • 1. Dark Fanatic: The first time the Princeps suffers Catastrophic Damage, roll a D10. A result of 6, 7, 8 or 9 allows you to ignore it, but for any other result you automatically suffer Catastrophic Meltdown.
  • 2. Raving Madman: When rolling a D10 you can count rolls of 9 as 6 or rolls of 6 as 9.
  • 3. Hollowed Out: Titan does not get bonus to Command rolls for being Princeps Senioris, but ignores any damage effects from Critical Damage to the head.

Legio Vulcanum 'Dark Fire/Lords of Ruin'

• Legion Special Rules
  • Two-Faced God: You can nominate two Princeps Senioris in your battlegroup but they may not be part of the same maniple. If one is destroyed, the other counts as having Princeps Wounded for the rest of the game.
  • For the Fallen: For each Vulcanum Titan destroyed you get a re-roll for any single dice roll, that can be used once per round.
• Legion Specific Strategem
  • Symbiotic Commands (1): Play in Strategy phase when successfully issuing an order, to issue the same order to one or all Vulcanum Titans in your battlegroup (not maniple!) without having to make a Command check.
• Legion Specific Wargear
  • Twinned Machine Spirits: Pairs two Titans that each need to buy the upgrade. Titans with this upgrade count as being part of a squadron with each other. If either Titan rolls Awakened Machine Spirit then both Titans need to make a Command Check.
  • Janus Pattern Missiles: Lets you split the fire of any missile launcher however you like, as long as the other target(s?) are within 12" of the main target.
• Legio Princeps Traits
  • 1. True Born: +3 to Command Checks when issuing orders to Princeps' Titan, but if you roll a 1 no more Command Checks can be made in the entire Battlegroup that turn.
  • 2. Divided of Mind: If the Princeps fails a Command Check, roll the Order dice and apply whatever the result is anyway, unless it's Shutdown in which case you can choose whether or not to apply it.
  • 3. War's Orphan: The Princeps' Titan can push its reactor if it's in last red hole, but takes a S9 hit to Body each time you push in this way.

Titans

Warhound Scout Titan

Weapons

• Arm Weapons
  • Turbo Laser Destructor: Great at dropping shields as you can push the reactor to gain shieldbane on its shots, and strong enough to keep pushing damage through once the shields are down, it's a great multi-purpose weapon.
  • Vulcan Mega-Bolter: A brilliant weapon for collapsing void shields, a single one isn't amazing, especially when combating heavier titans. Two however is particularly horrifying.
  • Plasma Blastgun: Arguably the most practical weapon for harming opposing titans, with two shots and being able to boost itself to S10 (with a risk to its reactors) it has a very good chance of cracking Warlords. All the more so when behind them. It is a blast weapon though, so prepare for scatter. As it's a blast weapon with 2 dice it can reliably score 4 hits on Titans, which goes a long to way landing damage or dropping voids in a pinch.
  • Inferno Gun: As a teardrop style template it auto hits the target, and can put a lot of hurt on Knights or other Warhounds, landing several hits on the lead target. With the strength buff from side or rear shots it can threaten larger titans later in the game with a surprising amount of hits, even if the target is obscured.

Squadrons

Warhounds have incredible benefits due to their being able to be grouped into squadrons of up to three

• Deployment: Squadrons are deployed together as one unit - so three Warhounds can be deployed simultaneously as opposed to a single Warlord for example
• Activating Squadrons: Squadrons are activated as one unit in each phase, when moving, all members of squadron must move simultaneously, shoot simultaneously and so on. They cannot be activated individually however
• Orders: An order issued to one member can be applied to all members - or not, as you choose. You can issue orders individually if you so choose
• Coordinated strikes: Squadrons can also declare they are conducting a coordinated strike - improving armour rolls. Most practical if a titans void shields are not relevant
• Void Shields
  • Void shield shenanigans in squadrons can massively improve their staying power
  • If a squadron of three is in base contact, hits can be fielded onto any of the members void shields using the best save in the group - equally, failed saves may be forced onto any member of your choosing. Effectively, Warhounds can maintain their 3+ void shield for extended periods making them surprisingly resilient, to collapse their shields, all three must be collapsed. Or, base contact must be broken
  • Equally, this can play into mobility. Their move may be boosted using their void shield instead of the reactor, whilst maintaining the save on one Warhound and passing this save onto the others

Reaver Battle Titan

Weapons

• Arm Weapons
  • Reaver Titan Power Fist This can be a pretty funny weapon, it has a good strength (9) with 2 attacks at +1 and being concussive, you can start slapping titans left and right and pushing them backwards with it. Don't forget, melee weapons can make targeted attacks with no negative modifiers!
  • Reaver Titan Chainfist While possessing 'only' a strength 8 when compared to the fist, it has an extra attack (for a total of 3), hits on a +2 instead of +1 and has rending. This thing hurts when it gets into close combat. Mounting two on a Reaver is a serious threat and will draw a mass of fire. Charge this at 9" for an extra three attacks on top!
  • Laser Blaster While having a good strength (8) and 3 shots, it does suffer a -1 to hit at long range making it somewhat difficult to use when negatives to hit start stacking. Despite this, it can make use of shieldbane if pushing its reactor. This can aide it in dropping shields from their 3+ position or collapsing them entirely. Definitely a weapon to consider, especially if using Legio Tempestus with Chasmata Pattern.
  • Volcano Cannon To all intents and purposes, this is a mini Belicosa, the only real differences are its lower strength (10) and small blast as opposed to large. If running a light maniple, this can open up your options when making a free attack. But beware of the drain on the weapon when doing so.
  • Melta Cannon This is a horrific weapon when in short range owing to its high strength and fusion trait. It has greater damage potential as a result of this.
  • Gatling Blaster destroy shields and smaller opponents, but might need to fire into side or rear of larger opponents to do damage when shields are gone.

• Carapace Weapons: Unlike the Warlord, the Reaver's carapace weapons have a 360° arc
  • Apocalypse Missile Launcher: Its great arc and the long range (120") makes this the ideal weapon to weaken the enemy void shields while moving into position, but its comparatively low number of shots mean it won't destroy shields on its own.
  • Turbo Laser Destructor: The carapace weapon with the highest strength value (8), only 2 shots mean its the most effective against Titans that have already lost their shields. Can also be used to strip shields when needed, as it gets shieldbane when pushing the reactor.
  • Vulcan Mega-Bolter: Same as the Warhound's but lacking in the short range accuracy buff (Nope, FAQ'ed), can be handy to dissuade flanking Knights or used to strip voids, especially with a split fire order while the main cannons focus on something in the distance.

Warlord Battle Titan

Weapons

• Arm Weapons
  • Arioch Titan Power Claw: While a seemingly odd choice of weapon, this hits like a Belicosa and has a +2 to hit bringing it into usable territory for the Warlord. Having this and another weapon which does not have draining can enable you to use your reactors to boost your movement instead. It can also be useful as a deterrent to Knights and Warhounds which may try to get up close and personal. Charge your enemy with a Warlord armed with a pair of these just to see the horror on their face.
  • Belicosa Volcano Cannon: The real workhorse of the titan legions. Stands a good chance of wiping out a group of 3 knights in a single shot; 2 will make it almost certain. Don't waste it on void shields though - it's almost never worth the reactor increase. On which note - watch the reactor increases! You also can't call your target zone because blast weapons, so don't count on it to finish anything off.
  • Sunfury Plasma Annihilator: A solid all rounder, good number of shots and able to boost its strength. While its range is not the biggest, its not the worst either. Good for finishing titans off when closing in or using to help drop shields if desperate.
  • Macro Gatling Blaster: A decent enough weapon, while hampered by its range, it can be used to drop shields nicely and with its reasonable strength and ordnance, it can do a fair amount of damage to titans, particularly smaller ones. It can also pose a threat to knights, but beware their saves.
  • Mori Quake Cannon: The bread and butter. This is your basic all rounder. A few shots, no toying with reactors, high strength, concussive to boot. If you’re not sure what to arm your warlord with, this is a safe choice no matter the occasion. It is a blast, so like the Belicosa, don't count on it to finish anything off. It is compulsory to fire this at a banner of knights with full stride or charge orders.

• Carapace Weapons
  • Vulcan Mega-Bolter Array: The ultimate in void shield removal technology. 12 shots, an ungodly hail of dakka in itself, with even more shots on 6’s. Somewhat limited range but you don’t you’re not limited by long range negatives. Don’t expect much if you’re trying to knock a freshly unshielded Titan down, but once you’ve knocked them around a little it may be able to steal a killshot
  • Paired Turbo Laser Destructors: These may seem like a bit of a raw deal compared to the laser blasters, but they have some advantages. They have no modifiers to hit at any range compared to the blasters. This can be extremely useful when firing at an obscured target. They are also 15 points cheaper. Other than that, bog standard lasers, S8 with shieldbane capabilities.
  • Paired Laser Blasters: These have an additional two shots over the destructors, but sufer a -1 to hit at long range which can be a problem. Not game breaking, but can be infuriating hitting of 4s or 5s. This can benefit from chasmata pattern laser destructors.
  • Apocalypse Missile Launchers: 10 shots at strength 4. Superb at stripping void shields in the early game and finishing off wounded titans in the late game (when the bonuses from structure damage mean it can actually do something against all that armour). Don't waste it on Knights; it's weak enough that they get their full ion shield saves. Gets an accuracy bonus at long range and can ignore LoS so works well in an artillery role. Just watch the facing (especially if you're moving first) - it's very easy to mis-judge the firing lines.
  • Paired Gatling Blasters: A strong contender, while lacking in range, they can strip shields comfortably and then cause enemy titans some pain with their strength and ordnance rule. Definitely worth using.

Knights

Questoris Support Banner (3-6 Knights)

Weapons

• Arm Weapons
  • Questoris Melee Weapon: If you're taking Knights you likely have at least one per of these. They're not worth building to be "shooty," as Knights who try to position themselves to shoot Titans will find themselves dead.
  • Avenger Gatling Cannon: Don't bother, seriously. It does put out a lot of shots but those shots are too weak to even take other knights out, or damage void shields. If you're looking for cheap knights for screening you're better off doubling up on melee weapons. Might get better if infantry is introduced but that's a long way off.
    • Second Opinion: I have personally seen AGCs kill Warlord Titans. If you're aiming to kill Titans with Knights, you will want to usually be in melee. Add in using your amazing manoeuvrability and positioning, you will be hitting Titans in their rear arc for that sweet +2, making you effective strength 5. Add in maybe +1 to a location for strength 6 (or 7 or 8 if you stripped more). Add in bonus to hit for the range countering the location aiming penalty, you're gonna real rip and tear. TL;DR: AVG are good for focus firing inside shields to finish Titans.
  • Thermal Cannon: The real star on knights. With a high base strength and the Fusion trait increasing your armour rolls to a d10, it gives you a really good chance of putting hurt even on the biggest opponents. Take 6 of these and pop an unshielded titan in the ass for near guaranteed crits. Fun for the whole family.
  • Rapid-Fire Battlecannon: Old reliable. Decent range, two S5 shots with the Ordnance trait, and a bonus to hit within 8".

• Carapace Weapons
  • Stormspear Rocket Pod: Relatively expensive, but adds an extra three S5 shots for stripping shields out to 16".
  • Meltagun: A solid, if expensive upgrade for your knights: When the banner activates in the Combat phase, each Knight with a Meltagun upgrade can target an enemy unit within 3" for an automatic S8 hit. Generally a safe bet to give it to your Lord Scion for a bit of extra dakka up close, which is where you want your knights to be. Good for filling 15 points somewhere but not an autotake.

Cerastus Knight Banner (2-4 Knights)

• These are bigger, faster and slightly tougher than their smaller brethren, the Questoris Knights. With a 12" move, one extra structure point and an easier time passing orders, these are an extra layer of threat in addition to Questoris Knights.

Variants

• Cerastus Knight Castigator
  • Castigator Bolt Cannon: Akin to the Avenger Gatling Cannon, it is of little real use unless getting up close in the side or rear arc of an opposing titan
  • Tempest Warblade: An improved Questoris Melee Weapon, at S7 with 2 attacks and rending, this is slightly more capable. Same stats as the Reaper Chainfist.

• Cerastus Knight Acheron
  • Acheron Pattern Flame Cannon: A 2 dice S7 template weapon on a Cerastus frame? Yes please! Take four in a squadron and find some knights or a squadron of Warhounds to toast.
  • Reaper Chainfist: An improved Questoris Melee Weapon, at S7 with 2 attacks and rending, this is slightly more capable. Same stats as the Tempest Warblade.

• Cerastus Knight Lancer
  • Cerastus Shock Lance: A nasty CC weapon on a small and nimble chassis, hitting at S8 with two attacks this can hurt titans and other knights in no time. Coupled with the Ion Gauntlet Shield, you've got a pain in the backside.
  • Ion Gauntlet Shield: This provides a +1 to all ion shield saves as long as there is at least one in the unit. Definitely take a Lancer, if not for their shock lance, at least for the shield. It also has a 2 shot S6 shooting attack, which while not amazing, is rather nice. It's worth noting that the WH Community article is incorrect in its statement that this always confers a 6+, it does not. If the shield save is '-' it confers no benefit. Expect maximal plasma, melta and volcano weapons to hurt like a truck.

Knight Lances

With the release of the Doom of Molech book, Knights now have their own version of a maniple and plenty of rules to go with it!

Forming a Lance

• • A lance must have three banners of Knights, two of which must be the same type. (It says nothing about having more banners in a lance however, probable FAQ territory? The book is pretty clear, three exactly.)
  • No Freeblade banners may be included in a Lance
  • Each individual banner must equipped in the same manner i.e. one banner consisting solely of Paladins, another solely of Errants and the third solely of Lancers
  • One banner must be the High Scion's banner
    • Multiple Lances may be used, if so, one banner in either Lance must be the Knight Seneschal. This will replace the High Scion in one lance. E.g. you have three Lances, on lance will have a Knight Seneschal, the other two will have a High Scion each.
• Freeblades
  • These are banners of knights which are separate to a lance, but, they can mix and match weapons across the knights as you see fit, i.e. you can have a Warden, Errant and Paladin in the same banner. It does mean they cannot make coordinated strikes however.

Activating a Lance

• Knight Lances are effectively one big knight unit, and is reflected in their activation and coherency.
• A Lance is activated at the same time. Each banner will be activated in turn, in whatever order the controlling may may choose, and will continue until all banners have been activated.
  • So, you may have a lot of banners, but you dont have a lot of activations. This can screw you if your opponent simply has Titans, as a larger banner can be as much as some maniples. Be wary.
• They must maintain a 3" coherency within banners and a 6" coherency within the Lance. If a banner is not in coherency, it is shaken. If a banner is not in Lance coherency, that individual banner is shaken. Once coherency is restored, they are not shaken. This, equally, can screw you. Hope your opponent has not brought quake cannons...

Lances and the Strategy Phase

• Lances may be issued orders to each individual banner, or be issued a Lance Order. If choosing the latter, the highest command roll within the lance is used and between one and all of the banners in a lance my be issued the same order.
• New orders available include:
  • Charge: Yes, this isn't a new order however the FAQ has made some changes; gone are the days of charging in bendy lines. Knights must now take the shortest distance when charging a target, and while their front arc is 360, a turn is defined as making a 45 degree pivot of the base irrespective of arc. So Knights may not make any turns after beginning their charge. They can turn before it, but not after.
    • Knights may now make smash attacks against units which are of the same scale or smaller than themselves now as well!
  • Coordinated Strike:Used when making shooting attacks only - This can make avenger gatling cannons somewhat more useful. When making a coordinated strike, nominate one knight to make the attack and then add one to the strength of the weapon for each knight which is in range and has LoS to the intended target. E.g. A unit of 4 Knight Errants makes a coordinated strike, one thermal cannon is fired, but its strength is increased to S12, S8 + 4 knights in range and LoS.
    • This could be useful on the Avenger Gatling cannon more than anything, but it does mean you are losing out on all your other knights making ranged attacks to increase the strength of one weapon. Very situational.
    • Literally a free +1S if the banner only have a single Knight left, and Acastus only need 1 knight to form a banner.

Tactics

It's very tempting to take two Warlords, slap the big ol' volcano cannon and missiles on it, and call it day. However, even playing a few games will tell you that mixing different weapons is one of the best ways to excel at this game. Once you get past the temptation to sit at the back of the boards and vomit firepower at long range all game, you will find every weapon has a place. Most weapons can be put in four categorys:

High capacity weapons (apoc missiles, gatling blasters, mega bolters) are your standard shield stripping affair. Weak against armour, you'd think once they kill shields they're useless. Wrong. On Reavers and Warhounds, they can hit sides and flanks of other Titans for those sweet bonuses, where your huge number of attack dice means you will likely roll one or two high dice. Add in the fact that Gatling blasters and mega bolters get more accurate the closer you get, you will find that if you flank effectively they can still contribute to the battle.

High power weapons (volcano cannons, quake cannons, melta cannons) are great for punching holes in the enemy armour, with blast helping them land multiple hits or mitigating misses. They can even help with shields.

Hybrid weapons (turbo lasers, laser blasters, plasma weapons) these are weapons which have a good rate of fire, so can meaningfully contribute to the void shield killing (sometimes with shieldbane to help take a Titan off 3+) while also having a high enough strength to help with armour. Plasma weapons with maximal can highten the strength even more to help with armour. This kind of firepower is also good nailing weak spots to help finish off wounded Titans.

Close quarters weapons (all knight weapons, fists, inferno cannon) are extremely strong but require some planning to get the best use out of. With a lower penalty to aimed shots and a usually high bonus to hit, these can really put the hurt down on enemy Titans, ignoring shields since you're so close. These weapons can be used defensively depending on your list, allowing you to put damage on more aggressive maniples as they close in. Melee weapons often need no support from the other weapon types.

• Building your army