Adeptus Mechanicus
The Adeptus Mechanicus is an ancient and powerful institution that traces its roots to the very founding of the Imperium. Acquisitive and ambitious, the Tech-Priests of Mars are obsessed with the idea that knowledge is power – though whether they put that knowledge to good use is another matter.
Contents
Books
| Book | Kind | Edition | Version | Last update |
 Adeptus Mechanicus | ||||
| Adeptus Mechanicus | Index | 10 | July 2023 | |
 Munitorum Field Manual | ||||
| Munitorum Field Manual | Expansion | 10 | 1.4 | October 2023 |
 Legends Field Manual | ||||
| Legends Field Manual | Expansion | 10 | 1.1 | October 2023 |
 Balance Dataslate | ||||
| Balance Dataslate | Rulebook | 10 | Autumn 2023 | September 2023 |
| Legends: Adeptus Mechanicus | ||||
| Legends: Adeptus Mechanicus | Datasheet | 10 | July 2023 | |
 Horus Heresy Field Manual | ||||
| Horus Heresy Field Manual | Expansion | 10 | June 2023 | |
| Horus Heresy Legends: Adeptus Mechanicum | ||||
| Horus Heresy Legends: Adeptus Mechanicum | Datasheet | 10 | June 2023 | |
Army Rules
Doctrina Imperatives
An Adeptus Mechanicus army marching to war is a sight both terrifying and glorious, each holy warrior a disturbing fusion of Human and machine. While the ruling Tech-Priests and their fanatical followers raise modified voices in praise of the Machine God, their Skitarii soldiery and Servitor creations are controlled by doctrina imperatives loaded by their masters to augment and adapt the warriors’ abilities.
At the start of the battle round, you can select one of the Doctrina Imperatives below. Until the end of the battle round, that Doctrina Imperative is active for your army, and all units from your army that have the Doctrina Imperatives ability gain the relevant abilities shown below.Protector Imperative
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Conqueror Imperative
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Rad-Cohort
Detachment Rule
If your Army Faction is ADEPTUS MECHANICUS, you can use this Rad-Cohort Detachment rule.Rad-bombardment
Whether as a result of natural phenomena, apocalyptic internecine strife or calamitous accidents, many forge worlds are heavily irradiated. When holy wars of requisition are unleashed, the Tech-Priests think nothing of turning this invisible curse upon their foes, bombarding the battlefield with deadly radiation prior to an assault.
BATTLE ROUND
BOMBARDMENT1
At the start of the first battle round, for each enemy unit within your opponent’s deployment zone, your opponent must decide whether that unit will take cover or stand firm. If a unit takes cover, until the end of the battle round, that unit is Battle-shocked. If a unit stands firm, roll one D6 for that unit: on a 3+, that unit suffers D3 mortal wounds.
BATTLE ROUND ONWARDS
FALLOUT2
At the start of the second, third, fourth and fifth battle rounds, roll one D6 for each enemy unit within your opponent’s deployment zone. On a 3+, that unit suffers 1 mortal wound.
Stratagems
If you are using the Rad-Cohort Detachment rule, you can use these Rad-Cohort Stratagems.BALEFUL HALO
1CP
Rad-Cohort – Battle Tactic Stratagem
A haze of deadly radiation hangs around the warriors of a Rad-Cohort, every exhalation they make adding to the isotopic fog, sapping the strength and stamina of those who are not inured to its effects.
WHEN: Fight phase, just after an enemy unit has selected its targets.
TARGET: One ADEPTUS MECHANICUS unit from your army (excluding VEHICLE units) that was selected as the target of one or more of that enemy unit’s attacks.
EFFECT: Until the end of the turn, each time an attack is made that targets your unit, subtract 1 from the Wound roll.
TARGET: One ADEPTUS MECHANICUS unit from your army (excluding VEHICLE units) that was selected as the target of one or more of that enemy unit’s attacks.
EFFECT: Until the end of the turn, each time an attack is made that targets your unit, subtract 1 from the Wound roll.
EXTINCTION ORDER
1CP
Rad-Cohort – Strategic Ploy Stratagem
As Tech-Priests order the purge of an area of the battlefield, rad-bombardments are redoubled in the hopes of turning it into a wasteland.
WHEN: Your Command phase.
TARGET: One TECH-PRIEST model from your army and one objective marker within 24" of that model.
EFFECT: Roll one D6 for each enemy unit within range of that objective marker. On a 4+, that unit suffers 1 mortal wound and it must take a Battle-shock test.
TARGET: One TECH-PRIEST model from your army and one objective marker within 24" of that model.
EFFECT: Roll one D6 for each enemy unit within range of that objective marker. On a 4+, that unit suffers 1 mortal wound and it must take a Battle-shock test.
LETHAL DOSAGE
2CP
Rad-Cohort – Wargear Stratagem
Sanctified with the Tri-fold Litany, the most blessed power cells, fuel canisters and solid slugs have spent a decade in the oldest and most irradiated forge temple to certify their lethality.
WHEN: Your Shooting phase.
TARGET: One ADEPTUS MECHANICUS unit from your army that has not been selected to shoot this phase.
EFFECT: Until the end of the phase, each time a model in your unit makes a ranged attack that targets an enemy unit (excluding VEHICLE units), add 1 to the Wound roll.
TARGET: One ADEPTUS MECHANICUS unit from your army that has not been selected to shoot this phase.
EFFECT: Until the end of the phase, each time a model in your unit makes a ranged attack that targets an enemy unit (excluding VEHICLE units), add 1 to the Wound roll.
AGGRESSOR IMPERATIVE
1CP
Rad-Cohort – Battle Tactic Stratagem
The Skitarii feel the press of an invisible hand upon their minds as the Machine God drives them forward. Servos are pushed to their structural limits as fibre bundles fill with the boundless energy of the Motive Force and propel the faithful on an unstoppable crusade.
WHEN: Your Charge phase.
TARGET: One SKITARII unit from your army that Advanced this turn.
EFFECT: Until the end of the turn, your unit is eligible to declare a charge even though it Advanced this turn.
RESTRICTIONS: You can only use this Stratagem if the Conqueror Imperative is active for your army.
TARGET: One SKITARII unit from your army that Advanced this turn.
EFFECT: Until the end of the turn, your unit is eligible to declare a charge even though it Advanced this turn.
RESTRICTIONS: You can only use this Stratagem if the Conqueror Imperative is active for your army.
VENGEFUL FALLOUT
1CP
Rad-Cohort – Strategic Ploy Stratagem
The sentence for those who dare strike at the Tech-Priests' holy creations has been carefully prepared in advance and it can be unleashed with an anger born of fanatical faith.
WHEN: Your opponent’s Shooting phase, just after an enemy unit has resolved its attacks.
TARGET: One ADEPTUS MECHANICUS unit from your army that was selected as the target of one or more of that enemy unit’s attacks.
EFFECT: Your unit can shoot as if it were your Shooting phase, but it must target only that enemy unit when doing so, and it can only do so if that enemy unit is an eligible target. After your unit has finished making these attacks, it is not eligible to shoot again this turn.
TARGET: One ADEPTUS MECHANICUS unit from your army that was selected as the target of one or more of that enemy unit’s attacks.
EFFECT: Your unit can shoot as if it were your Shooting phase, but it must target only that enemy unit when doing so, and it can only do so if that enemy unit is an eligible target. After your unit has finished making these attacks, it is not eligible to shoot again this turn.
BULWARK IMPERATIVE
1CP
Rad-Cohort – Battle Tactic Stratagem
The warrior wisdom of experienced Reductors is force-loaded into the Skitarii’s minds. Each pulse of data bestows a sensation of sacred invulnerability upon the Tech-Priests’ soldiers.
WHEN: Your opponent’s Shooting phase, just after an enemy unit has selected its targets.
TARGET: One SKITARII unit from your army that was selected as the target of one or more of that enemy unit’s attacks.
EFFECT: Until the end of the turn, models in your unit have a 4+ invulnerable save.
RESTRICTIONS: You can only use this Stratagem if the Protector Imperative is active for your army.
TARGET: One SKITARII unit from your army that was selected as the target of one or more of that enemy unit’s attacks.
EFFECT: Until the end of the turn, models in your unit have a 4+ invulnerable save.
RESTRICTIONS: You can only use this Stratagem if the Protector Imperative is active for your army.
Enhancements
If you are using the Rad-Cohort Detachment rule, you can use these Rad-Cohort Enhancements.
Having witnessed the rad-bombardment of a hundred battlefields, this experienced commander can call upon the minutiae of those servo-recorded conflicts, feeding adjusted protocols into the data-nets of their warriors, granting them a hyper-predictive combat awareness to perfectly defeat the foe as they stumble out from their irradiated positions. SKITARII MARSHAL model only. At the start of the battle round, you can select one friendly SKITARII unit within 12" of the bearer. Until the start of the next battle round, if the Protector Imperative is active for your army, the Conqueror Imperative is active for that unit instead, and if the Conqueror Imperative is active for your army, the Protector Imperative is active for that unit instead. |
This devoted follower of the Machine God is wreathed in a dense, radioactive fog that shrouds their allies from the sights and scanners of the foe. ADEPTUS MECHANICUS model only. While the bearer is leading a unit, models in that unit have the Stealth ability. |
With a mind blissfully unsullied by the passions common to the flesh, this zealot has become a peerless annihilator, commanding ruthless technology to eliminate all life before them. So blessed, they impart the detached logic of their priorities unto their minions. ADEPTUS MECHANICUS model only. While the bearer is leading a unit, ranged weapons equipped by models in that unit have the [SUSTAINED HITS 1] ability. |
This weapon exemplifies the Adeptus Mechanicus' disdain for organic life. All flesh, blood and bone caught in its searing beams are reduced to inert atoms in an instant. ADEPTUS MECHANICUS model only. Add 3 to the Attacks characteristic of the bearer’s ranged weapons. In addition, the bearer’s ranged weapons have the [ANTI-INFANTRY 2+] and [ANTI-MONSTER 4+] abilities. |
Heavy
Heavy weapons are amongst the biggest guns on the battlefield, but require bracing to fire at full effect and are unwieldy to bring to bear at close quarters.
Weapons with [HEAVY] in their profile are known as Heavy weapons. Each time an attack is made with such a weapon, if the attacking model’s unit Remained Stationary this turn, add 1 to that attack’s Hit roll.- Add 1 to Hit rolls if the bearer’s unit Remained Stationary this turn.
Assault
Assault weapons fire so indiscriminately that they can be shot from the hip as warriors dash forward.
Weapons with [ASSAULT] in their profile are known as Assault weapons. If a unit that Advanced this turn contains any models equipped with Assault weapons, it is still eligible to shoot in this turn’s Shooting phase. When such a unit is selected to shoot, you can only resolve attacks using Assault weapons its models are equipped with.- Can be shot even if the bearer’s unit Advanced.
2. Battle-shock
In this step, you must take a Battle-shock test for each of your units on the battlefield that is Below Half-strength. To do so, roll 2D6: if the result is greater than or equal to the best Leadership characteristic in that unit, the test is passed; otherwise, the test is failed and, until the start of your next Command phase, that unit is Battle-shocked.While a unit is Battle-shocked:
- The Objective Control characteristic of all of its models is 0.
- If it Falls Back, you must take a Desperate Escape test for every model in that unit.
- Its controlling player cannot use Stratagems to affect that unit.
Once you have taken Battle-shock tests for all of your units that require them, your Command phase ends and you progress to your Movement phase.
- Take a Battle-shock test for each unit from your army on the battlefield that is Below Half-strength.
- Roll 2D6: if the result is greater than or equal to the unit’s Leadership, the test is passed. Otherwise, the unit is Battle-shocked until the start of your next Command phase.
- Battle-shocked units have an OC of 0 and their controlling player cannot use Stratagems to affect them.
- Battle-shocked units must take Desperate Escape tests if they Fall Back.
Mortal Wounds
Some attacks are so powerful that no armour or force field can withstand their fury.
Some attacks inflict mortal wounds. Each mortal wound inflicts one point of damage on the target unit, and they are always applied one at a time. Do not make a Wound roll or saving throw (including invulnerable saving throws) against a mortal wound – just allocate it as you would any other attack and inflict damage to a model in the target unit as described below.Unlike damage inflicted by normal attacks, excess damage from mortal wounds is not lost if the damage can be allocated to another model. Instead, keep allocating damage to another model in the target unit until either all the damage has been allocated or the target unit is destroyed.
If, when a unit is selected to shoot or fight, one or more of its attacks can inflict mortal wounds on the target, resolve any normal damage inflicted by the attacking unit’s attacks on that target before inflicting any mortal wounds on that target. If an attack inflicts mortal wounds in addition to any normal damage, but the normal damage is subsequently saved, the target unit still suffers those mortal wounds, as described above.
- Each mortal wound inflicted on a unit causes one model in that unit to lose one wound.
- No saving throws can be made against mortal wounds.
- Mortal wounds inflicted by attacks always apply after any normal damage, even if that damage was saved.
The VEHICLE keyword is used in the following Adeptus Mechanicus datasheets:
Wound Roll
Each time an attack scores a hit against a target unit, make a Wound roll for that attack by rolling one D6 to see if that attack successfully wounds the target unit. The result required is determined by comparing the attack’s Strength (S) characteristic with the target’s Toughness (T) characteristic, as shown below.
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If the result of the Wound roll is greater than or equal to the required number shown in the table above, then that Wound roll is successful and scores one wound against the target unit. Otherwise, the attack fails and the attack sequence ends.
An unmodified Wound roll of 6 is called a Critical Wound and is always successful. An unmodified Wound roll of 1 always fails. A Wound roll can never be modified by more than -1 or +1.
- Critical Wound: Unmodified Wound roll of 6. Always successful.
- An unmodified Wound roll of 1 always fails.
- A Wound roll can never be modified by more than -1 or +1.
The TECH-PRIEST keyword is used in the following Adeptus Mechanicus datasheets:
Objective Markers
Objective markers represent objects of tactical or strategic import that both sides are attempting to secure, such as valuable artefacts, vital supplies or communications nodes. If a mission uses objective markers, it will state where they are located on the battlefield. These can be represented using any suitable marker, but we recommend using round markers that are 40mm in diameter.When setting objective markers up on the battlefield, place them so they are centred on the point specified by the mission. When measuring distances to and from objective markers, measure to and from the closest part of them. Models can move over objective markers as if they were not there, but they cannot end a move on top of an objective marker.
At the start of the battle, each objective marker on the battlefield is said to be contested, and so is not controlled by either player. To control an objective marker, a player will first need to move models within range of it. A model is within range of an objective marker if it is within 3" horizontally and 5" vertically of that objective marker.
Every model has an Objective Control (OC) characteristic listed on its datasheet. To determine a player’s Level of Control over an objective marker, add together the OC characteristics of all the models from that player’s army that are within range of that objective marker. A player will control an objective marker at the end of any phase if their Level of Control over it is greater than their opponent’s. If both players have the same Level of Control over an objective marker, that objective marker is contested.
- A model is within range of an objective marker if within 3" horizontally and 5" vertically.
- Level of Control: Add together the OC characteristics of all of a player’s models within range of the objective marker.
- An objective marker is controlled by the player with the highest Level of Control over it (in a tie, it is contested).
- Models cannot end a move on top of an objective marker.
The SKITARII keyword is used in the following Adeptus Mechanicus datasheets:
Characters
Dedicated Transports
Other
Advance Moves
When a unit Advances, make an Advance roll for that unit by rolling one D6. Add the result in inches to the Move characteristic of each model in that unit until the end of the phase. Each model in that unit can then make an Advance move by moving a distance in inches less than or equal to this total, but no model can be moved within Engagement Range of enemy models. A unit cannot shoot or declare a charge in the same turn that it Advanced.- Advance Move: Models move up to M+D6".
- Cannot move within Engagement Range of any enemy models.
- Units that Advance cannot shoot or charge this turn.
Invulnerable Saves
Whether shielded by force fields, enveloped in mystical energies or simply possessed of preternatural senses and lightning-fast reflexes, some warriors are protected by more than mere physical armour.
Some models have an invulnerable save listed on their datasheet. Each time an attack is allocated to a model with an invulnerable save, the controlling player must choose to use either that model’s Save characteristic or its invulnerable save, but not both. If a model has more than one invulnerable save, it can only use one of them – choose which it will use.Unlike armour saving throws (which use a model’s Save characteristic), invulnerable saving throws are never modified by an attack’s Armour Penetration characteristic, but otherwise follow the normal rules for saving throws.
- Invulnerable Save: Never modified by an attack’s AP.
- The controlling player can choose to use either a model’s invulnerable save or its Save characteristic.
Hit Roll
When a model makes an attack, make one Hit roll for that attack by rolling one D6. If the result of the Hit roll is greater than or equal to the attack’s Ballistic Skill (BS) characteristic (if the attack is being made with a ranged weapon) or its Weapon Skill (WS) characteristic (if the attack is being made with a melee weapon), then that Hit roll is successful and scores one hit against the target unit. Otherwise, the attack fails and the attack sequence ends.An unmodified Hit roll of 6 is called a Critical Hit and is always successful. An unmodified Hit roll of 1 always fails. A Hit roll can never be modified by more than -1 or +1.
- Hit Roll (Ranged Attack): A hit is scored if the D6 result equals or exceeds that attack’s BS.
- Hit Roll (Melee Attack): A hit is scored if the D6 result equals or exceeds that attack’s WS.
- Critical Hit: Unmodified Hit roll of 6. Always successful.
- An unmodified Hit roll of 1 always fails.
- A Hit roll can never be modified by more than -1 or +1.
STEALTH
Some warriors are masters of disguise and concealment.
If every model in a unit has this ability, then each time a ranged attack is made against it, subtract 1 from that attack’s Hit roll.Sustained Hits
Some weapons strike in a flurry of blows, tearing the foe apart with relentless ferocity.
Weapons with [SUSTAINED HITS X] in their profile are known as Sustained Hits weapons. Each time an attack is made with such a weapon, if a Critical Hit is rolled, that attack scores a number of additional hits on the target as denoted by ‘x’.Example: A model makes an attack with a melee weapon with the [SUSTAINED HITS 2] ability. If the Hit roll is an unmodified 6 (a Critical Hit), then that attack scores a total of 3 hits on the target (1 from the successful Hit roll of 6, and 2 from the [SUSTAINED HITS 2] ability).
- [SUSTAINED HITS X]: Each Critical Hit scores ‘x’ additional hits on the target.
Anti
Certain weapons are the bane of a particular foe.
Weapons with [ANTI-KEYWORD X+] in their profile are known as Anti weapons. Each time an attack is made with such a weapon against a target with the keyword after the word ‘Anti-’, an unmodified Wound roll of ‘x+’ scores a Critical Wound.Example: An attack made with an [ANTI-VEHICLE 4+] weapon will score a Critical Wound against – and so successfully wound – a VEHICLE unit on an unmodified Wound roll of 4+, while an attack made with an [ANTI-PSYKER 2+] weapon will score a Critical Wound against – and so successfully wound – a PSYKER unit on an unmodified Wound roll of 2+.
- [ANTI-KEYWORD X+]: An unmodified Wound roll of ‘x+’ against a target with the matching keyword scores a Critical Wound.
Army List
Datasheets collatedCharacters
Battleline
Dedicated Transports
Other
