Iron Marches

"Obliterate his words, cut out his tongue, put to fire all wrought by his hand, and the heretic shall cease to exist."

- Gathalamorians 714.5

The five great fleets sent forth from the Forge World of Hephaestia into the galaxy to seek resources throughout the Segnentum Obscurus and stabilize their holdings. They would re-contact the worlds of the Ixaniad sector, reminding them, by force if necessary, of their obligations

The rift was a tipping point. A massive invasion by the forces of the plague god have devastated the two agriworlds in system. Food is slowly running out. Population culls are reassessed and suddenly the need to contemplate such basic, trivial, and human things returns to the forefront. A population base is needed to run the forges, and make up for losses in a greatly overextended military cult.

Their greatest gamble is the creation of these great fleets. And then sent them out. To try and find solutions to their untenable situation. One great last gasp which will either bring back solutions or leave them in ruin, as their rich carcass is picked over by the crows. Sent forth from the Forge to make their slow journeys across warp ruined space, buffeted by storms at all turns in order to do what must be done.

The creation of these fleets does not come lightly, and represents the single greatest investment of military power since the Great Crusade. Though mighty in strength, this exercise in political and military ambition to carve out a fiefdom has left the forge depleted in its space-faring capability and system defenses. Though the powers of these fleets can shatter worlds and grind down whole armies of foes, their presence in system is sorely missed.

Fleet Purpose
Each fleet upon creation was given a specific task upon creation and investiture of its commanding Archimandrite. To go out and find those worlds who owed fealty to Hephaestia, and to distant Mars. Travel was expected to be slow, but the problems were underestimated. Without the Astronomican to guide them, the Thrall-Navigators bound up to the fleets have often allowed the fleets to fragment or drift dangerously. Many planetary destinations were found to be lost upon arrival, and with travel back home with nothing to show for their actions out of the question the fleets carried on.

Many worlds fallen to heresy and mutation are numbered now among the records of the Mechanicum. Many more worlds relieved and gladly taken back into the iron girding of the Machine Cult. Ongoing efforts to cleanse these worlds is a drain on resources that the fleets can scarcely afford to expend. The ongoing psychic corruption befalls all worlds; upon the once productive industrial world of Urtha driven mad by warp changed chemical runoff. In the system of Sacristorphales, the six worlds had stopped in their orbits; preserved in place by horrific ritual and each world a cancer upon reality. Each world burned by orbital weapons fire, their tainted populations consigned to oblivion. The ruined world of Malphoraz was cracked by graviton tethers for mining, continent sized chunks of rock and molten material ripped from the firmament to fuel the destruction. Other worlds, tainted terminally, made into warp filled places from which malefic data djinns leapt from code-daemons and sorcery leapt from miasmic clouds of half sentient tides of aetheral power. Ships were overcome and destroyed, corrupted in kind and collected knowledge undone.

Each system visited and each world reclaimed or burned added to the knowledge of the cult. And technology, tainted or pure, was mined and contained. Many of the fleets magi, unable to categorize what they saw or unable to conceive of the horrors of what they had seen, went half mad, some lost their minds entirely and often in hidden ways; sabotaging key systems to bring about unknowable goals before being purged by the Venatorii Sanctoris.

The fleets continue to move; subjugating each world or bending it beneath their will. The obligations of each new fief made obvious. One day the fleets shall return in full, their duties fulfilled and sanctity restored.

Fleet Composition
Each of the Grand Convocations is composed of a dizzying array of ships, magi-officers, and indentured manpower.
 * Grand Ark Mechanicus (Unique Ship)
 * Archmagos Ultima/Veneratus Commander
 * Convocational Command
 * Voidwright Superius
 * Autokrator Primus
 * Explorator Prime
 * Fabricator Primus
 * Representative of the Chamber Cardinal
 * Representative of the Legio Kreuzius
 * Navigator Singularis
 * Telepathican Singularis
 * Ordnance Lord
 * Gentorius Medicae
 * Chief Mandati


 * Ark Mechanicus (various unique patterns)
 * Archmagos Prime Commander
 * Fleet Command
 * Archmagos Admiral
 * Archmagos Astromancer
 * Archmagos Dogmatis
 * Navigator Primus
 * High Fabricator
 * Autokrator Majoris
 * Magisterium Provost Marshal
 * Baskillion Ordinatus
 * Master of Munitions
 * Battleships (Oberon, Emperor, Apocalypse class)
 * Magos Dominus Commander
 * Ship Command
 * Magos Captain
 * Magos Astromancer
 * Magos Dogmatis
 * Aeronautica Primus
 * Empyronaut Primus
 * Chief Telepathican
 * Empyrotek Majoris
 * Navigator Majoris
 * Line ships (Gothic, Lunar, Dictator class)
 * Magos Commander
 * Ship Command
 * Magos Captain
 * Magos Astromancer
 * Magos Dogmatis
 * Aeronautica Minors
 * Empyronaut Minoris
 * Chief Telepathican
 * Empyrotek Minoris
 * Navigator Majoris
 * Support Ships (Factory, Goliath, escorts)
 * Adept Sub-Dominus Commander
 * Ship Command
 * Adept Captain
 * Navigator Secundus
 * Fabrication Specialist (if applicable)
 * Voidwright Inferior

Ground Force Composition

 * Legio Assets
 * Magi Legatus
 * Stataraga Primus
 * Princeps Maximus
 * Moderati Primus
 * House Dumontine Support lances
 * Senseschals
 * Autokrator
 * Alpha macroclade
 * Secutarii Cohorts
 * Garison Forces
 * Subterranean Assault Units
 * Maniples
 * Skitarii Macroclades
 * Master of Skitarii
 * Skitarii Tribune
 * Cohorts
 * Skitarii Alphas
 * Maniples
 * Mechanicum Aeronautica
 * Autokratos Cataphract
 * Krios Unitaris
 * Onager Squadron
 * Arcana Autoteknica
 * Divisio Cybernetica
 * Chief Cybernetican
 * Mech-Lord
 * Alpha Maniple Cybernetician
 * Alpha Maniple
 * Beta Reserve Maniple
 * Datasmith
 * Cybernetica Line Maniples
 * Acuitor Silica
 * Stratos Automata
 * Mechwright
 * Prefecture Magisterium
 * Malagra Representative
 * Mech Assassins
 * Interfector Scourges
 * Sicarian Killclades
 * Venatorii Sanctoris
 * Celerius Tribuni
 * Celaris
 * Triarius Executus
 * Triarius Decani
 * Venatorius Venetaranus
 * Venatorius
 * Venatorius Novicius
 * Ordo Reductor
 * Reductor Primaris
 * Reductor Mandati
 * Investigatus
 * Omniprophet
 * Myrmidon
 * Myrmidon Destructor
 * Macroteknica
 * Ordinator Prime
 * Ordinator
 * Assorted Sub Cults of the Mechanicum Collegia
 * Investigatus
 * Psykana
 * Linguistica
 * Pecunius
 * Militaris
 * Telepathica
 * Astrologus
 * Fabricator
 * Digitalis
 * Technicus
 * Logis
 * Genetor
 * Lexmechanicus

Status of Each Fleet

 * First Grand Convocation: Split into three sub-fleets; one en route to the capital system, one is stationed around Caberiria, and one around Greggario-1. Each fleet serves to maintain the Mechanicus interests with their allies and provide fleet assistance and integration.
 * Splinter Fleet Tyba-Virellan: Currently in defensive patterns about Gaerethra and surrounding moons while forge outposts are strengthened.
 * Second Grand Convocation: In orbit in strength around Chorix, maintaining hold on Hephaestian claim in system following the Barofian Campaign. Detachments disconnected to return to Hephaestia with non-stc arcana.
 * Third Grand Convocation: Remaining in Warzone Nochturn in the area of Vigilus. Suffered considerable losses to ground units and material reserves. Fleet operates under broad Imperial Command.
 * Fourth Grand Convocation: Commencing resource extraction on tour of vassal worlds.
 * Fifth Grand Convocation: In system; assigned as guard duty to the Aglaean System.