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The Defence of Ryza: Your First Look

G-dubs brings us a preview of the upcoming Titanicus expansion!

This article was originally published on the Warhammer-community site.

As an Adeptus Titanicus player, you’ve lived through the Titandeath, experienced the Doom of Molech and joined the Shadow and Iron Crusades. The next stage in your journey through the Horus Heresy will take part in The Defence of Ryza.

This expansion for Adeptus Titanicus will see one of the Imperium’s foremost forge worlds under siege as the Dark Mechanicum moves to capture this vital industrial hub, second only to Mars in power and prominence. Their main goal is the knowledge of plasma weapons and engines that Ryza holds, for with this information, coupled with the daemonic pacts of the traitor Tech-Priests, Horus’ power could be unmatched.

The book contains loads of information about Ryza and the war to control it, as well as six narrative missions that recreate key clashes from this fierce conflict. We’re sure that what you really want to know, though, is about the Titans… Like every Adeptus Titanicus expansion before it, The Defence of Ryza details a variety of Titan Legions that fought in the campaign, each with their own rules and heraldry. 

There are three Legions detailed for each side. The Loyalists are bolstered by the Legio Honorum and Legio Osedax, while the Legio Magna and Legio Vulturum march for Horus and the Dark Mechanicum. The rules for Legio Crucius and Legio Mortis are also reprinted here, as both have a part to play in the battle for Ryza.

All of them have a mix of Legio Traits, Stratagems and Wargear that will help you to defend or conquer Ryza, all while playing in a way that reflects the character of your Legion. 

A Princeps Seniores of Legio Honorum can sit in a Basilius Throne, improving a maniple’s ability to use the same Order across multiple Titans. This represents the Death Bolts’ penchant for fighting as a close-knit unit and passing information between princeps through their command thrones.

Conversely, the traitors of Legio Magna, who were among the first Titan Legions to fall to Chaos, can make it harder for enemy engines to pass Command checks by broadcasting the horrifying shrieks of their home world’s fire spirits.

If you like taking big risks for big rewards, check out Legio Vulturum’s Storm Frag shells. These upgrade vulcan mega-bolters with the Maximal Fire trait, letting you give each of your many shots +2 Strength with just a tiny chance of overheating your reactor and slightly blowing up.

The Defence of Ryza also expands on rules first published in White Dwarf that allow you to create your own Titan Legion, complete with a choice of Traits, Stratagems and Wargear that you can use to customise the way your battlegroup plays.

Perhaps the Tech-Priests attached to your Titans are particularly adept Adepts, who can keep your engines walking under the heaviest of fire.

As well as choosing your rules, you can declare allegiance to the Emperor or Horus – or forge your own destiny as a Blackshield, eschewing both sides and fighting for freedom, for survival, or to carve out an empire of your own. Each of these three allegiances comes with its own associated custom traits, giving you even more thematic options. Blackshield, for example, can walk The Path to Ascension.

16 different Traits are joined by 15 Stratagems and 21 Wargear choices. You can choose four of these rules, with a maximum of two from each category, giving you countless customisation possibilities. A characterful option for a Titan Legion allied with Ryza might include the Plasma Rifling and Reactor Fetters wargear, along with Elite Magos and another Trait or Stratagem of your choice.

This is just scratching the surface of what you can expect in The Defence of Ryza. As well as all the Titans, you’ll find new maniples, rules for Knight Allegiances, Battle Standards, additional Houses and new Stratagems. Keep an eye out for more previews soon.

You don’t have to wait until The Defence of Ryza comes out to start your own Titan Legion – you can design your heraldry now! Download this handy Titan template, grab your crayons (other colouring implements are available) and get cracking!


When you’ve created your Legion, take a photo of your design and show us it on the Forge World Facebook, Warhammer Community Twitter and Warhammer Instagram pages – we can’t wait to see your glorious god-machines.

And remember, Frontline Gaming sells gaming products at a discount, every day in their webcart!

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