Kastelan Robot
Kastelan Robots are a type of robotic soldier used by the Adeptus Mechanicus.
Contents
Overview
A huge, ancient robot built ten thousand years ago, the Kastelan Robot is a perfect example of the Adeptus Mechanicus’ re-purposing of technology. Nearly unstoppable, their only flaw is that of any mere machine; they will follow instructions to the letter, even if this results in their own demise. A specialist Tech-Priest - the Cybernetica Datasmith - must constantly update and reprogram the Kastelan via order dataslates, which placed in the chest slots of this machines, lest this enormous, clanking robot simply stride blindly into a nearby chasm.[1] In rare and extreme cases, the original orders can be changed using a forced 'binaric override' - enhanced static chants of superior Tech-Priests. However, such an action spoils the Kastelan systems, burning out their doctrina wafers.[5]
Kastelan Robots are armed to the teeth and may include two sets of arm-mounted Power Fists or Phosphor Blasters and a choice of carapace-mounted weaponry that includes yet another Phosphor Blaster or an Incendine Combustor. For protection, they are equipped with Kastelan Battlehide that allows for resistance to even Krak Grenades[2] as well as a head-mounted scoptic sensory plate.[8]
Known Named Kastelan Robots
- Attendus VIII, the Unstoppable[4c]
- Axiom-88 - one of the Robots that belongs to Xenarite Tech Priest Callias Rhoda[3]
- Impedicus - First Maniple of the Daedarii Reserve Cohort, serving the Heretek Octal Bool[9]
- Rhombus-4 - one of the Robots that belongs to Xenarite Tech Priest Callias Rhoda[3]
- Sigma Fidelis - The favoured Kastelan-class battle automaton of Datasmith X99 Bolus, one of Archmagos Cawl's followers.[10]
Itinerant Kastelan Robots
In addition to robots that belong to certain Forge Worlds, there are also "itinerant" Kastelan Robots that are older than the Imperium and some call no single forge world home. Bands of these machines may appear in battle and join to congregations of the Cult Mechanicus to help them. This phenomenon is taken as a sign of great favour from the Omnissiah. Itinerant robots allow themselves to be directed by local Tech-Priests and fight on until the battle is won. After that they dissapear as mysteriously as they previously arrived, perhaps for centuries at a time.[4a]
Unlike "standard" Kastelan Robots that represent themselves in the strict colours of existing Forge Worlds, these ancient machines can be literally any colour scheme, sometimes even appearing very bright and/or colourful.[4a]
Known Itinerant Kastelan Robots
- 02-Hex, the Sol-Blessed, lone trusted guardian of Adept Veritus[4a]
- 13-Tor, Automongrel of the Graian Stellar Drawbridge[4a]
- 3-Null Cortex, Eighth Maniple of the Vitruvian Honour Cohort[4a]
- 8-Ondos, Autostigmaton of the Lucian Cyborg Elite[4a]
- Aladothris 8-Maximal, lost in service, Ghoul Stars Explorator Crusade[4a]
- Bane of Ecclesiands, destroyed and later rebuilt on site at Sanctuary 101[4a]
- Cromag-Conquestor, Blessed Maniple of Thoth, XIIth Gnuvian Recidivism[4a]
- Dostoyon Vladimus 12, Iron Ghost of Farewell Secundus[4a]
- Electrus 9-Shantar, reported lost during the Goloch Transmographism[4a]
- Esmodd 9-Determinis, last seen heading for the Protoid Nebula[4a]
- Galahos 2-Urian, Maniple of the Gilded Dawn, Ultramar Penumbra[4a]
- Legionarius 6-Stenngra, last of the Grim Shepherds, Alabastex Schism[4a]
- Medroloi Mu-Lambda, bloodsworn brother of the High Terran Xenoflayers[4a]
- Nihilor Rad-Ulthus, Detestatus Maniple (macrosabotage specialists)[4a]
- Sor-Methuselas, Din-Thoria Maniple, the Red Lessons of Agra Prime[4a]
- Two-Malavont, Cloneskin Suppression, M37 Cross-Segmentum Crusaders[4a]
- Verg-Rhombor, the Giant of Destregrad IX[4a]
Images
Kastelan Robot (7th edition)
Kastelan Robot
Cybernetica Datasmith with a Kastelan Robot
Kastelan Robots
Sketch of a Kastelan Robot with Cybernetica Datasmith
Kastelan Robots fighting Tau
Trivia
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Kastelan and Castellan Robots
- Although the Castellan Class Robot for the Mechanicum in The Horus Heresy has a similar name and design, the Kastelan Robot is also linked to the Horus Heresy-era as being an "ancient robot built ten thousand years ago", with "some of them having existed for much longer"[4b]; it is unknown if the different naming convention is intentional or an oversight. For the record, the Castellan/Castellax denomination preceded[6][7] the Kastelan naming convention.[2]
See also
Sources
- 1: Games Workshop
- 2: Codex: Cult Mechanicus (7th Edition) - Weapons of Enlightenment
- 3: White Dwarf 85 (2015) — Regiments of Renown
- 4: Codex: Adeptus Mechanicus (8th Edition):
- 5: Codex: Adeptus Mechanicus (9th Edition), pg. 61 — Binaric Override
- 6: Warhammer 40,000 Compendium, pgs. 96–112 — Imperial Robots
- 7: The Horus Heresy Book Three - Extermination, pg. 223
- 8: Warhammer 40,000: The Ultimate Guide, pg. 93
- 9: Cybernetica (Novella)
- 10: Genefather (Novel), Chapter 12
