Adeptus Titanicus is a game of deep strategy, where every decision you make matters – from which Titans you activate first to the direction you face at the end of a move. Among the most important choices each turn is what orders to issue to your God-machines.
Orders are issued one at a time in the Strategy phase. To receive an order, a Titan has to make a Command check. If it succeeds, the chosen order will change the way the Titan acts. If the Command check fails, not only does the Titan not receive that order, but no more can be issued that turn, making the order of your orders critically important.
There are six orders available to your Titans, each with their own advantages and drawbacks.
What It Does: Normally, you have to wait until the Damage Control phase to repair your Titans. Emergency Repairs lets you make an immediate Repair roll in the Strategy Phase, with a nifty +1 bonus, for a better chance of those 5s and 6s that will let you raise your Void Shields and repair Critical Damage. This makes it more likely that you’ll get that reactor under control or restore shields, and you’ll get your normal Repair roll later in the turn as well!
The Drawback: A Titan which is issued Emergency Repairs can only be activated in either the Movement or Combat phases – not both.
Use It When: You have a badly damaged war engine that needs additional repairs, or one whose reactor is running hot. If it’s in a position to either move into cover, or to draw a bead on enemies in the Shooting phase without moving first, Emergency Repairs are go.
What It Does: Shoots twice! Rather than striding forward in the Movement phase, a Titan acting under First Fire orders can fire a single weapon instead – and then shoot all its weapons as usual in the Combat phase. Maximum firepower!
The Drawback: A Titan on First Fire must remain stationary – no moves or turning.
Use It When: You have a target in your sights and absolutely want to bring it down with a withering barrage of fire, or when a badly damaged enemy could be removed from play with a pinpoint shot, and you need to hit it before it moves into cover.
What It Does: Just what it says! Charge forward and hit an enemy really, really hard. In practical terms, a Titan on Charge orders can move in its Front arc, then hit with a Melee weapon or Smash attack. For every 3” it moves, it gets +1 to the attack’s Dice value, which can make for a truly devastating assault – followed by another in the Combat phase if the enemy remains close enough (and is still standing).
The Drawback: A Charge is of limited use for Titans not equipped with Melee weapons – sure, they can make a Smash attack, but it’s often less effective than just standing and shooting. It’s worth noting that a Titan which Charged can still shoot – with the caveat that some guns, like Blast weapons, are dangerous to use at close range.
Use It When: You have a Titan with a Melee weapon – like a tasty Reaver Chainfist – and an opposing Titan which has foolishly ventured too close. A Charge can also be handy when you’re facing a foe whose Blast weapons are likely to overwhelm you – get in close and you may be protected from the worst of the shooting, as no Princeps would be foolish enough to fire blast weapons at such close range. Charging also puts pressure on an opponent that can change their plans – having a Titan so close can force them to move away so they can re-engage on their own terms.
What It Does: When enemies are all around, Split Fire allows you to target different foes with each of your weapons.
The Drawback: Your Princeps is so focused on their enemies that you can only move forwards – no turns this turn.
Use It When: Titans to the left of you, Titans to the right – make that valley of death a bit less deadly by taking on multiple enemies at once. Fire the volcano cannon into the Warlord lurking in the distance while your laser blasters drop the Void Shields on an opportunistic Warhound that’s come a little too close for comfort. The best of both worlds!
What It Does: When the Titan activates in the Movement phase, it can go full speed ahead.
The Drawback: There’s no shooting when you go Full Stride, and the Titan can’t make any turns either, or move outside of its front arc. It really is full speed ahead.
Use It When: You’re out of position and need to get back into the fight – or alternatively, when you’re in a bad position and need to get away. No Princeps expects an enemy Titan to speed right past them and into the relative safety of their rear arc. Titans with short-ranged weapons may want to Full Stride early in the game as well to get their guns in range for future turns of devastating shooting.
What It Does: Collapses the Void Shields, turns off the plasma reactor and has a bit of a rest. In the Damage Control phase, the Reactor level automatically drops by 2 and any rule that would make the Titan make a Reactor roll just doesn’t.
The Drawback: We’re not gonna lie – this one’s risky. A Titan on Shutdown orders is completely offline for repairs. It can’t be activated in the Movement or Combat phases, and unlike other orders, this one remains in place until you can restart the plasma reactor – and if you fail, your Titan becomes a big, defenceless target for every gun the enemy can point at it.
Use It When: Shutdown orders normally come about as a result of a Princeps being wounded, but can be handy if your Titan is in a relatively safe position and really, really needs to vent its reactor.
Knights and Orders
Knight Banners and Lances can be issued orders just like Titans – with a few differences. They can’t get Emergency Repairs or Shutdown orders, and their Charge orders only apply the Dice value bonus to one Knight in the Banner.
Knights in a Household force also have their own unique order – Coordinated Strike. This allows them to focus their weapons and make a single attack, with each Knight in the Banner adding to the attack’s Strength. This allows Knights to potentially overwhelm even the largest Titans, at the cost of an increased chance of missing altogether – risky, but incredibly satisfying when it leads to an Engine Kill!
You can start issuing orders to Titans and Knights alike with the contents of the Adeptus Titanicus boxed game. With four Titans and two Knights, along with the rules and everything else you need to play, it’s the ideal way to start playing. Grab your copy now and get going!