Thundering engines roared as they trundled over the blasted, toxic landscape of Ankara Five. Rangers led the march of the Adeptus Mechanicus forces, scouting the territory ahead and relaying vital intelligence to the slower column behind. Huge Dune Crawlers, mighty Castellans, Destroyers on tank tracks, a powerful host led by Belisarius Cawl.

The ancient forces of the red planet, led by the most revered servant of the Omnisiah, had been quick to answer the distress hymnals sent out by the mighty forge world. But now, all was eerily quiet. In the distance, impossibly huge structures loomed, dark and dead. No fires burned within their bellies, no servo skulls zipped around nearby to greet the great master of machines as he approached. It was a ghost town.

But Belisarius knew, even ghosts presented a threat.

He ordered one of his Tech Priests to begin a Shroudpsalm. The toxic planet’s ashen ground seemed to lift in response, creating a thick, dark mist around the Mechanicus forces as they arrived at the outermost reaches of the industrial complex. Lightning whipped across the sky, igniting it in shades of green and yellow, but instead of thunder following that brilliant display of light—there were whispers.

Something emerged from the darkness ahead. A massive, hulking beast of ceramite armor running on four powerful arms. The beast roared, its throat issuing forth an unholy purple light. Gnashing tendrils whipped around it as it charged the column head on. One of the rangers dared to fire at the beast, but that only served to attract its attention. It barrelled toward them, eager to rip them to pieces.

Belisarius gave the order for the Dune Crawlers to fire, but no sooner had his command left his vox did he see the true enemy behind the beast. They marched slowly, dutifully, and in complete synchronicity. Rank and file, bolters raised, their eyes burning green, the Rubricii of the Thousand Sons made their advance upon the Mechanicus forces. Here, on this toxic battlefield, ancient foes would clash and only dust would remain.

Only dust.

Mission: The Relic

Deployment: Dawn of War

Points: 1750

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Imperium – Adeptus Mechanicus) ++

Forge World Choice: Forge World: Mars

Specialist Detachment: Servitor Maniple

+ HQ +

Belisarius Cawl

Tech-Priest Dominus: Eradication Ray, Phosphor Serpenta

. Warlord: Warlord Trait (Codex 1): Monitor Malevolus

Tech-Priest Enginseer

+ Troops +

Kataphron Destroyers

. Kataphron Destroyer: Phosphor Blaster, Plasma Culverin

. Kataphron Destroyer: Phosphor Blaster, Plasma Culverin

. Kataphron Destroyer: Phosphor Blaster, Plasma Culverin

. Kataphron Destroyer: Phosphor Blaster, Plasma Culverin

. Kataphron Destroyer: Phosphor Blaster, Plasma Culverin

. Kataphron Destroyer: Phosphor Blaster, Plasma Culverin

Skitarii Rangers: Enhanced Data-Tether

. Ranger Alpha: Phosphor Blast Pistol, Taser Goad

. 7x Skitarii Ranger

. Skitarii Ranger (Plasma caliver): Plasma Caliver

. Skitarii Ranger (Transuranic Arquebus): Transuranic Arquebus

Skitarii Vanguards: Enhanced Data-Tether

. 7x Skitarii Vanguard

. 2x Skitarii Vanguard (Plasma Caliver): 2x Plasma Caliver

. Vanguard Alpha: Arc Pistol, Power sword

+ Elites +

Cybernetica Datasmith: Gamma Pistol, Power fist, Relic: Raiment of the Technomartyr

+ Heavy Support +

Kastelan Robots

. Kastelan Robot: Heavy Phosphor Blaster

. . Two Heavy Phosphor Blasters: 2x Heavy Phosphor Blaster

. Kastelan Robot: Heavy Phosphor Blaster

. . Two Heavy Phosphor Blasters: 2x Heavy Phosphor Blaster

. Kastelan Robot: Heavy Phosphor Blaster

. . Two Heavy Phosphor Blasters: 2x Heavy Phosphor Blaster

. Kastelan Robot: Heavy Phosphor Blaster

. . Two Heavy Phosphor Blasters: 2x Heavy Phosphor Blaster

. Kastelan Robot: Heavy Phosphor Blaster

. . Two Heavy Phosphor Blasters: 2x Heavy Phosphor Blaster

Onager Dunecrawler: Broad Spectrum Data-tether, Cognis Heavy Stubber

. Neutron Laser and Cognis Heavy Stubber: Cognis Heavy Stubber, Neutron Laser

Onager Dunecrawler: Broad Spectrum Data-tether

. Neutron Laser and Cognis Heavy Stubber: Cognis Heavy Stubber, Neutron Laser

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Chaos – Thousand Sons) ++

+ HQ +

Exalted Sorcerer: Dark Matter Crystal, Force stave, Inferno Bolt Pistol, Prescience, Weaver of Fates

Exalted Sorcerer on Disc of Tzeentch: 2. Undying Form, Death Hex, Force stave, Inferno Bolt Pistol, Warlord, Warptime

+ Troops +

Rubric Marines: Icon of Flame

. Aspiring Sorcerer: Force stave, Inferno Bolt Pistol, Tzeentch’s Firestorm

. 4x Rubric Marine w/ Inferno Boltgun: 4x Inferno boltgun

. Rubric Marine w/ Soulreaper cannon: Soulreaper cannon

Rubric Marines: Icon of Flame

. Aspiring Sorcerer: Force stave, Inferno Bolt Pistol, Tzeentch’s Firestorm

. 4x Rubric Marine w/ Inferno Boltgun: 4x Inferno boltgun

. Rubric Marine w/ Soulreaper cannon: Soulreaper cannon

Rubric Marines

. Aspiring Sorcerer: Doombolt, Force stave, Inferno Bolt Pistol

. 4x Rubric Marine w/ Inferno Boltgun: 4x Inferno boltgun

Tzaangors: Brayhorn, 29x Tzaangor w/ Tzaangor Blades

. Twistbray: Tzaangor blades

+ Elites +

Scarab Occult Terminators: Hellfyre Missile Rack

. Scarab Occult Sorcerer: Force stave, Glamour of Tzeentch, Inferno Combi-bolter

. 3x Terminator: 3x Inferno Combi-bolter, 3x Powersword

. Terminator w/ Heavy Weapon: Power sword, Soulreaper cannon

Scarab Occult Terminators: Hellfyre Missile Rack

. Scarab Occult Sorcerer: Doombolt, Force stave, Inferno Combi-bolter

. 3x Terminator: 3x Inferno Combi-bolter, 3x Powersword

. Terminator w/ Heavy Weapon: Heavy Warpflamer, Power sword

Scarab Occult Terminators: Hellfyre Missile Rack

. Scarab Occult Sorcerer: Force stave, Glamour of Tzeentch, Inferno Combi-bolter

. 3x Terminator: 3x Inferno Combi-bolter, 3x Powersword

. Terminator w/ Heavy Weapon: Power sword, Soulreaper cannon

+ Heavy Support +

Maulerfiend: 2x Magma cutter

Maulerfiend: Lasher tendrils