The Mechanicum
The Mechanicum
The Mechanicum, the ancient and powerful techno-religious order responsible for the manufacture and maintenance of the Imperium’s war machines, has long maintained a significant presence on Velaraxis. The planet's vast deposits of Nexiumite, a rare and highly conductive metal critical to the production of advanced power armor and plasma weaponry, made it a vital resource hub for the Mechanicum for centuries. The Mechanicum’s deep mining colonies and forges dotted across Velaraxis have long fueled the Imperium’s war machine, but with the outbreak of the Horus Heresy, the Mechanicum’s loyalties have fractured.
On Velaraxis, the Mechanicum’s role is one of both defense and internal conflict. The divided forces of the Mechanicum—split between Loyalist and Traitor-aligned factions—have been drawn into the broader war, fighting not only for control of the planet’s resources but also for dominance over ancient and forbidden technologies hidden within Velaraxis’ subterranean ruins. As the civil war rages across the galaxy, the Mechanicum on Velaraxis has become a battleground where technology and ideology collide.
The Role of the Mechanicum on Velaraxis
Velaraxis, with its vast underground mining operations and xenos ruins, has long been a planet of great interest to the Mechanicum. Its reserves of Nexiumite were essential to the production of high-end technological devices, from plasma weaponry to Titan war engines. The Mechanicum’s mining colonies, forges, and research outposts were responsible for extracting and refining these materials, supplying the greater war effort of the Imperium. However, with the Horus Heresy, the planet became more than just a resource hub—it became a key battleground for the factions within the Mechanicum itself.
Divided Allegiances: Loyalist vs. Dark Mechanicum
The Mechanicum on Velaraxis has been fractured by the events of the Horus Heresy. Many of the planet’s Tech-Priests and forge worlds have declared for the Warmaster Horus, siding with the Dark Mechanicum and embracing forbidden technologies, heretical doctrines, and the dark powers of the Warp. These renegade Tech-Priests seek to control Velaraxis’ vast stores of Nexiumite and the ancient xenos relics buried beneath its surface, hoping to harness their power for the Traitor war effort.
On the other side, Loyalist forces of the Mechanicum remain dedicated to the Omnissiah and the Imperium, fighting to preserve Velaraxis as a key supplier of war materiel for the Loyalist forces. These Tech-Priests view their Dark Mechanicum counterparts as heretics and abominations, and they are determined to prevent the planet’s resources from falling into the hands of Horus and his traitorous followers.
The internal schism within the Mechanicum on Velaraxis has only made the conflict more intense. Rival forge temples wage war against one another, with both sides deploying Titans, Skitarii legions, and vast armies of automata to claim control of the planet’s critical infrastructure. This civil war within the Mechanicum is as brutal as any other battle in the Horus Heresy, with both sides ruthlessly pursuing their goals while fighting for survival in the face of the larger Loyalist and Traitor war effort.
Mechanicum Combat Doctrine on Velaraxis
The Mechanicum’s forces on Velaraxis are highly advanced, utilizing powerful war engines, elite Skitarii troops, and cybernetic automata to wage war. Their combat doctrine is based around the use of overwhelming firepower, arcane technology, and superior battlefield control. Whether fighting as Loyalists or in service of the Dark Mechanicum, the Tech-Priests of Velaraxis deploy a wide variety of technological marvels and horrors in their pursuit of victory.
Key Tactical Elements:
Skitarii and Cybernetica: The Mechanicum’s Skitarii legions form the core of their military forces on Velaraxis. These augmented soldiers are equipped with powerful weaponry, including arc rifles, transuranic arquebuses, and phosphor blasters, and they are capable of fighting in the harshest environments without faltering. The Cybernetica maniples, including massive Castellax and Thanatar battle-automata, are deployed to crush enemy infantry and vehicles alike, operating with cold precision under the guidance of their Tech-Priest masters.
Heavy Artillery and Siege Warfare: The Mechanicum excels at siege warfare and artillery bombardments, particularly in the confined underground environments of Velaraxis. Using Thallax Cohorts equipped with devastating lightning guns and Krios Battle Tanks armed with potent arcane weaponry, the Mechanicum can engage enemy fortifications from a distance, softening up defensive positions before their Skitarii and automata move in to finish the job.
War Engines and Titans: The presence of Titan Legions on Velaraxis, both Loyalist and Traitor-aligned, has elevated the conflict to catastrophic levels. The Legio Vulcanum, a Titan Legion loyal to the Imperium, fields several Reaver and Warlord Titans, colossal war machines that dominate the battlefield with their firepower. In opposition, the Dark Mechanicum has brought their own Titan Legions, corrupted by the Warp and equipped with forbidden technologies, to challenge the Loyalists for control of the planet.
Subterranean Warfare: Much of the fighting on Velaraxis takes place beneath the surface, in the labyrinthine tunnels and mining shafts that crisscross the planet. The Mechanicum is well-equipped for this type of warfare, using specialized mining vehicles such as Termite Assault Drills and Mole Mortars to burrow through enemy defenses and launch surprise attacks. Their ability to adapt to the planet’s harsh conditions gives them a significant advantage in the underground battlefields.
Techno-Sorcery and Heretical Technology: The Dark Mechanicum forces on Velaraxis have embraced forbidden forms of techno-sorcery, using Warp-based technologies and daemonically-infused machines to enhance their combat effectiveness. This heresy is seen as an abomination by the Loyalist Tech-Priests, but it grants the Dark Mechanicum terrifying capabilities. From Daemon Engines to cursed Malagra Magi, the Dark Mechanicum’s arsenal is both dangerous and unpredictable, often causing untold damage to both friend and foe.
Mechanicum Strategy on Velaraxis
The Mechanicum’s strategy on Velaraxis revolves around maintaining control of the planet’s vital resources while waging a brutal internal war between the Loyalist and Dark Mechanicum factions. Each side employs vastly different tactics and technologies to achieve their goals, but both are united in their desire to control Velaraxis and its rich deposits of Nexiumite.
Loyalist Mechanicum Strategy:
The Loyalist forces of the Mechanicum, led by Archmagos Thule, focus on fortifying key mining colonies and processing facilities, ensuring that the flow of Nexiumite to the Imperium continues uninterrupted. They employ a combination of heavy artillery, siege warfare, and defensive tactics, utilizing their vast Skitarii legions and war engines to create impenetrable fortresses. The Loyalists are also dedicated to defending the xenos ruins beneath Velaraxis, preventing the Dark Mechanicum from unlocking the forbidden technologies hidden within.
Dark Mechanicum Strategy:
The Dark Mechanicum, led by Magos Kryth Zhaan, seeks to subvert the planet’s mining operations and seize control of the ancient xenos technology buried deep underground. Their forces are highly aggressive, often relying on warp-tainted war machines and Daemon Engines to break through Loyalist defenses. The Dark Mechanicum’s strategy is less about maintaining production and more about gaining access to the forbidden knowledge and technologies that could turn the tide of the war in their favor.
Mechanicum Strategy on Velaraxis
The Mechanicum is a critical player in the Battle for Velaraxis. Their forges, mining colonies, and war engines are essential to both the Loyalist and Traitor war efforts, and the loss of Velaraxis would be a devastating blow to whichever side fails to secure it. The planet’s resources, particularly its Nexiumite deposits, are vital for the production of advanced weaponry and armor, making the Mechanicum’s control over Velaraxis a key strategic objective.
Beyond the material resources, the xenos ruins beneath Velaraxis are of immense interest to the Mechanicum, particularly the Dark Mechanicum. These ancient structures contain forbidden knowledge and technologies that could shift the balance of power in the Horus Heresy. As the conflict drags on, the Mechanicum’s role in the war will only become more important, as both sides seek to exploit the planet’s resources and unlock its hidden secrets.