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Description

The oldest branch of the Adeptus Mechanicum is the Legio Cybernetica. As one of the most feared and powerful military arms, the Legio bears the burden of using battle-automata in warfare. They are also responsible for the development and upkeep of the machines. The care and construction of all robots throughout the Imperium is the focus of the Legio Cybernetica.

Organization

The Legio Cybernetica has multiple self-contained and independent units called a cohort. Each cohort had between 30-100 battle-automata maniples, each comprising between three to five war engines led by a Legio Tech adept called a Datasmith.

They did this arrangement to limit the power wielded by any single Archmagos of the Legio. A senior priest of the Machine Cult governed each cohort, with whom the secret lore of the cybernetica resided. Below them was a coven of Magos Dominus who would govern the war machines in the thick of battle. Battlefield support is provided by the cohort's enginseers, servitors, and thralls would see to its needs both on and off the battlefield.

They commanded their support networks, mobile workshops, transports, battlefield vehicles, and even starships. Otherwise, they are forbidden to have their forges, making them dependent on webs of fealty, supply, and patronage from Forge Worlds for their long-term survival and prosperity.

On Imperial Robot Technology or Cybertheurgy

The Magi of the Legio Cybernetica is privy to many ancient secrets from the Age of Technology. This was a time when the un-living phalanxes of Mankind’s creations shattered alien empires to carve humanity’s first stellar empire.

Much of this lore has been lost or become forbidden. The Magi can fashion and maintain a Battle-automata for the Imperium thanks to fragments of knowledge. Such is the nature of the dark arcana of Cybertheurgy. However, it is not without risk, as what is awakened may slip the leash of control with disastrous consequences.

Components

A robot, like an Astartes Dreadnought, is the product of the synthesis of multiple advanced technologies required to construct its armored shell. These include artificial muscle and nerve bundles, power plants, weapons control systems, equipment interfaces, and the central neural cortex.

The forges of the Adeptus Mechanicum turn out many robots of the age-old designs stored within the core memory of their logic stacks. The compatibility of the near-identical components shared with the Dreadnought simplifies many supply and repair problems on the battlefield.

Cortex and Programming

The cortex is the artificial brain of a robot. It is printed using simple maintenance, task, and movement algorithms. The cortex allows the robot to obey instructions when away from the battlefield. The organic neural cortexes of simple living creatures are often patterned after these firmware routines.

Before deploying a robot into battle, the firmware routines are overlaid and replaced with so-called wetware. This is the robot’s combat software that defines the handler’s commands. This specialized software is held in small slices of bioplastic, no larger than a credit card, which has been implanted within the robot’s cortex.
Even though its reflexes and aim are similar, a robot may be less effective than a living warrior. Literal-minded, its programming can severely limit what a robot can do on the battlefield. Nevertheless, a robot is a tougher opponent to kill than a human soldier.

Even when programming will not produce the correct outcome for a situation, a robot always follows its pre-prepared programming. A robot may be unable to navigate the demands of a changing battlefield if it can't adapt to unexpected developments.

Therefore, a Datasmith is essential to the operation of a maniple. Without constantly reprograming and directing their robotic charges, a maniple would be overrun.

Imperial Robot Patterns

Scyllax

No larger than a grown man, the Scyllax Guardian-automata shows formidable power in a compact frame. These sophisticated machine-creatures are neither battle automata nor are they a true-Servitor class. Their armored carapaces, as durable as Astartes battle plate, house powerful reactors and banks of cogitator stacks. This computer system is so potent some claim it borders on the blasphemy of the abominable intelligence. Prized beyond the servo-automata from which they were developed, Scyllax are found in the retinues of highest-ranking magos, where they serve as bodyguards and shock troops. Though some factions within the Adeptus Mechanicum will have nothing to do with the Scyllax, claiming sinister provenance for its design.

Crusader
The Crusader-class robot is designed for agility and can move quickly on the battlefield. It is a light combat robot that is lightly armored. It can be used in an anti-personnel mode and is very popular with the Orders Metallic and the Adeptus Arbites. The Crusader is never used where heavy resistance or strong enemy armor are expected. The Crusader is armed with dual Power Swords on each arm and a chassis-mounted Lascannon.

Vorax

The Vorax-class battle-automata is a hunter-killer unit created from the Crusader template pattern, which may be found on every Forge World in the Imperium. They were created on pre-Imperial Mars to fulfill the role of search and destroy to hunt down rogue machines and mutant vermin. Their Cybernetica cortex engrams are predatory and vicious examples of their kind. Such are the bestial instincts that override cantos are hard-wired into their control programming. Armed with a pair of rotor cannons and a lightning gun, the Vorax is prepared to meet most threats. At close quarters, their power blades make quick work of heavily armored infantry.

Castellan
The Castellan-class robot is suited for a range of battlefield situations and was designed for general-purpose combat and assault. It is armed with a Power Glove on each arm; and a Heavy Bolter mounted above its chassis for additional protection and ranged firepower. This standard configuration makes it effective in siege and anti-vehicle roles.

Castellax
The most common pattern of the widespread Castellan-type battle-automata in service, the Castellax, is a general battle unit developed during the Great Crusade. Intended for siege and shock assaults, the Castellax Battle-automata is a hulking humanoid machine with an aggressive and responsive Machine Spirit. The standard configuration of a Castellax is a Bolter and Bolt Cannon, which can maintain a punishing barrage of firepower.

Kastelan

The Kastelan robot is an example of technology being re-used. Their only flaw is that of a machine. They will follow instructions even if this results in their death. A specialist Tech-Priest — the Cybernetica Datasmith — must constantly update and reprogram the Kastelan via order dataslates, lest this enormous, clanking robot stride into a nearby chasm. Make no mistake, however; when his controls will destroy, the Kastelan will destroy. Two sets of Power Fists or a pair of twin-linked Phosphor Blasters are some of the weapons options the Kastelan Robots have. The choice of carapace-mounted weaponry, either an Incendine Combustor or another Phosphor Blaster.

Colossus
The Colossus-class robot functioned as a siege weapon. Its standard configuration combines a Siege Hammer mounted on one of its arm appendages for attacking fortifications with a Bolter mounted on its other arm appendage for defending troops. In close combat situations, the Siege Hammer can be used. It has a multi-Melta for additional firepower. The Imperial Guard often employs the Colossus as a cheap alternative to the use of heavy artillery. The Ordo Reductor of the Adeptus Mechanicus maintains A few Colossus-class robots for testing new and experimental siege weaponry.

Domitar
The Domitar is a sophisticated variant of the Conqueror pattern. Larger than the more common Castellax alongside which it would serve, the Domitar was also swifter, designed to cross the open battlefield at speed. Its blows were amplified by the battle-automata’s inbuilt gravitational hammers, allowing it to pulverize battle tanks. As a line-breaker, the Domitar was unparalleled in the Mechanicum’s arsenal, and its tactical flexibility was further augmented with a missile launcher.

Thanatar
The Legio Cybernetica used a heavy-class Imperial robot during the Great Crusade of the late 30th and early 31st Millennia. It is armed with a Hellex Pattern Plasma Mortar. This is a terrifying weapon, able to launch dense spheres of blazing plasma on arcing trajectories over defensive barriers and into the heart of enemy fortifications. The sun-hot fire would destroy anything in its blast radius. The Thanatar’s frame, built to accommodate the enormous weapon and the power systems and fuel reserves required to supply it, is larger than even the hulking Castellax-class Battle Automata. Its frame is reinforced. This is done to withstand the stresses of firing its weapon and protect it from incoming attacks. This factor, alongside an Atomantic Shield array, makes Thanatars durable.

Thanatar-Calix
A variant of the Thanatar-class Siege-Automata developed during the latter part of the Great Crusade. Rumors persist that this variant of the Thanatar was the combined efforts of the Myrmidon and the Ordo Reductor, alongside the Legio Cybernetica. The Thanatar-Calix combines the deadly tech-arcana of all three groups into a single devastating weapons platform geared towards the forefront of siege warfare. It can sunder the strongest fortifications in moments and conduct targeted strikes to neutralize defensive batteries with the lethal fire of its Sollex Heavy Lascannon. The Taghmata and Ordo Reductor covenants that fielded them held as sacred these rare siege-automata. Having one of these Siege-Automata is a sign of prestige within the Cult Mechanicum. They are rarely committed to battle without the support of an escort on the field.

Thanatar-Cynis
Unlike the lauded Thanatar-Calix, the magos of Estaban III met from its creation this variant of the potent Thanatar-class Siege Automata, known as the Cynis, with ill fortune and acrimony. An unashamed attempt by the Mechanicum faction on Estaban to increase their power within the Machine God’s domains. The Cynis was intended to replicate the Thanatar siege-automata on a wider scale. By doing so, the magos of Estaban hoped to further usurp the sometimes-troublesome Forge World of Ryza’s importance in the eyes of the Fabricator-General. Without Ryza’s mastery of plasma-arcana, the Cynis proved an unstable design, despite its battlefield power. Its machine spirits were equally believed to be erratic and malevolent by those adepts whose task it was to tend them. Regardless, the Fabricator-General approved its design over the objectives of Ryza. This only worsened the feud which had broken out between Ryza and Estaban III, although the production of the class was far less successful than hoped.

Description

The oldest branch of the Adeptus Mechanicum is the Legio Cybernetica. As one of the most feared and powerful military arms, the Legio bears the burden of using battle-automata in warfare. They are also responsible for the development and upkeep of the machines. The care and construction of all robots throughout the Imperium is the focus of the Legio Cybernetica.

Organization

The Legio Cybernetica has multiple self-contained and independent units called a cohort. Each cohort had between 30-100 battle-automata maniples, each comprising between three to five war engines led by a Legio Tech adept called a Datasmith.

They did this arrangement to limit the power wielded by any single Archmagos of the Legio. A senior priest of the Machine Cult governed each cohort, with whom the secret lore of the cybernetica resided. Below them was a coven of Magos Dominus who would govern the war machines in the thick of battle. Battlefield support is provided by the cohort's enginseers, servitors, and thralls would see to its needs both on and off the battlefield.

They commanded their support networks, mobile workshops, transports, battlefield vehicles, and even starships. Otherwise, they are forbidden to have their forges, making them dependent on webs of fealty, supply, and patronage from Forge Worlds for their long-term survival and prosperity.

On Imperial Robot Technology or Cybertheurgy

The Magi of the Legio Cybernetica is privy to many ancient secrets from the Age of Technology. This was a time when the un-living phalanxes of Mankind’s creations shattered alien empires to carve humanity’s first stellar empire.

Much of this lore has been lost or become forbidden. The Magi can fashion and maintain a Battle-automata for the Imperium thanks to fragments of knowledge. Such is the nature of the dark arcana of Cybertheurgy. However, it is not without risk, as what is awakened may slip the leash of control with disastrous consequences.

Components

A robot, like an Astartes Dreadnought, is the product of the synthesis of multiple advanced technologies required to construct its armored shell. These include artificial muscle and nerve bundles, power plants, weapons control systems, equipment interfaces, and the central neural cortex.

The forges of the Adeptus Mechanicum turn out many robots of the age-old designs stored within the core memory of their logic stacks. The compatibility of the near-identical components shared with the Dreadnought simplifies many supply and repair problems on the battlefield.

Cortex and Programming

The cortex is the artificial brain of a robot. It is printed using simple maintenance, task, and movement algorithms. The cortex allows the robot to obey instructions when away from the battlefield. The organic neural cortexes of simple living creatures are often patterned after these firmware routines.

Before deploying a robot into battle, the firmware routines are overlaid and replaced with so-called wetware. This is the robot’s combat software that defines the handler’s commands. This specialized software is held in small slices of bioplastic, no larger than a credit card, which has been implanted within the robot’s cortex.
Even though its reflexes and aim are similar, a robot may be less effective than a living warrior. Literal-minded, its programming can severely limit what a robot can do on the battlefield. Nevertheless, a robot is a tougher opponent to kill than a human soldier.

Even when programming will not produce the correct outcome for a situation, a robot always follows its pre-prepared programming. A robot may be unable to navigate the demands of a changing battlefield if it can't adapt to unexpected developments.

Therefore, a Datasmith is essential to the operation of a maniple. Without constantly reprograming and directing their robotic charges, a maniple would be overrun.

Imperial Robot Patterns

Scyllax

No larger than a grown man, the Scyllax Guardian-automata shows formidable power in a compact frame. These sophisticated machine-creatures are neither battle automata nor are they a true-Servitor class. Their armored carapaces, as durable as Astartes battle plate, house powerful reactors and banks of cogitator stacks. This computer system is so potent some claim it borders on the blasphemy of the abominable intelligence. Prized beyond the servo-automata from which they were developed, Scyllax are found in the retinues of highest-ranking magos, where they serve as bodyguards and shock troops. Though some factions within the Adeptus Mechanicum will have nothing to do with the Scyllax, claiming sinister provenance for its design.

Crusader
The Crusader-class robot is designed for agility and can move quickly on the battlefield. It is a light combat robot that is lightly armored. It can be used in an anti-personnel mode and is very popular with the Orders Metallic and the Adeptus Arbites. The Crusader is never used where heavy resistance or strong enemy armor are expected. The Crusader is armed with dual Power Swords on each arm and a chassis-mounted Lascannon.

Vorax

The Vorax-class battle-automata is a hunter-killer unit created from the Crusader template pattern, which may be found on every Forge World in the Imperium. They were created on pre-Imperial Mars to fulfill the role of search and destroy to hunt down rogue machines and mutant vermin. Their Cybernetica cortex engrams are predatory and vicious examples of their kind. Such are the bestial instincts that override cantos are hard-wired into their control programming. Armed with a pair of rotor cannons and a lightning gun, the Vorax is prepared to meet most threats. At close quarters, their power blades make quick work of heavily armored infantry.

Castellan
The Castellan-class robot is suited for a range of battlefield situations and was designed for general-purpose combat and assault. It is armed with a Power Glove on each arm; and a Heavy Bolter mounted above its chassis for additional protection and ranged firepower. This standard configuration makes it effective in siege and anti-vehicle roles.

Castellax
The most common pattern of the widespread Castellan-type battle-automata in service, the Castellax, is a general battle unit developed during the Great Crusade. Intended for siege and shock assaults, the Castellax Battle-automata is a hulking humanoid machine with an aggressive and responsive Machine Spirit. The standard configuration of a Castellax is a Bolter and Bolt Cannon, which can maintain a punishing barrage of firepower.

Kastelan

The Kastelan robot is an example of technology being re-used. Their only flaw is that of a machine. They will follow instructions even if this results in their death. A specialist Tech-Priest — the Cybernetica Datasmith — must constantly update and reprogram the Kastelan via order dataslates, lest this enormous, clanking robot stride into a nearby chasm. Make no mistake, however; when his controls will destroy, the Kastelan will destroy. Two sets of Power Fists or a pair of twin-linked Phosphor Blasters are some of the weapons options the Kastelan Robots have. The choice of carapace-mounted weaponry, either an Incendine Combustor or another Phosphor Blaster.

Colossus
The Colossus-class robot functioned as a siege weapon. Its standard configuration combines a Siege Hammer mounted on one of its arm appendages for attacking fortifications with a Bolter mounted on its other arm appendage for defending troops. In close combat situations, the Siege Hammer can be used. It has a multi-Melta for additional firepower. The Imperial Guard often employs the Colossus as a cheap alternative to the use of heavy artillery. The Ordo Reductor of the Adeptus Mechanicus maintains A few Colossus-class robots for testing new and experimental siege weaponry.

Domitar
The Domitar is a sophisticated variant of the Conqueror pattern. Larger than the more common Castellax alongside which it would serve, the Domitar was also swifter, designed to cross the open battlefield at speed. Its blows were amplified by the battle-automata’s inbuilt gravitational hammers, allowing it to pulverize battle tanks. As a line-breaker, the Domitar was unparalleled in the Mechanicum’s arsenal, and its tactical flexibility was further augmented with a missile launcher.

Thanatar
The Legio Cybernetica used a heavy-class Imperial robot during the Great Crusade of the late 30th and early 31st Millennia. It is armed with a Hellex Pattern Plasma Mortar. This is a terrifying weapon, able to launch dense spheres of blazing plasma on arcing trajectories over defensive barriers and into the heart of enemy fortifications. The sun-hot fire would destroy anything in its blast radius. The Thanatar’s frame, built to accommodate the enormous weapon and the power systems and fuel reserves required to supply it, is larger than even the hulking Castellax-class Battle Automata. Its frame is reinforced. This is done to withstand the stresses of firing its weapon and protect it from incoming attacks. This factor, alongside an Atomantic Shield array, makes Thanatars durable.

Thanatar-Calix
A variant of the Thanatar-class Siege-Automata developed during the latter part of the Great Crusade. Rumors persist that this variant of the Thanatar was the combined efforts of the Myrmidon and the Ordo Reductor, alongside the Legio Cybernetica. The Thanatar-Calix combines the deadly tech-arcana of all three groups into a single devastating weapons platform geared towards the forefront of siege warfare. It can sunder the strongest fortifications in moments and conduct targeted strikes to neutralize defensive batteries with the lethal fire of its Sollex Heavy Lascannon. The Taghmata and Ordo Reductor covenants that fielded them held as sacred these rare siege-automata. Having one of these Siege-Automata is a sign of prestige within the Cult Mechanicum. They are rarely committed to battle without the support of an escort on the field.

Thanatar-Cynis
Unlike the lauded Thanatar-Calix, the magos of Estaban III met from its creation this variant of the potent Thanatar-class Siege Automata, known as the Cynis, with ill fortune and acrimony. An unashamed attempt by the Mechanicum faction on Estaban to increase their power within the Machine God’s domains. The Cynis was intended to replicate the Thanatar siege-automata on a wider scale. By doing so, the magos of Estaban hoped to further usurp the sometimes-troublesome Forge World of Ryza’s importance in the eyes of the Fabricator-General. Without Ryza’s mastery of plasma-arcana, the Cynis proved an unstable design, despite its battlefield power. Its machine spirits were equally believed to be erratic and malevolent by those adepts whose task it was to tend them. Regardless, the Fabricator-General approved its design over the objectives of Ryza. This only worsened the feud which had broken out between Ryza and Estaban III, although the production of the class was far less successful than hoped.