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'''The Schism of [[Mars]]''' is the name given to the civil war that erupted on the planet [[Mars ]] during the early stages of the [[Horus Heresy]]. The schism involved all Martian forces, civil and military, from lowly [[menial]] through [[Knight]] and [[Titan]] orders right up to the most senior [[Adeptus Mechanicus]] personnel, as well as drawing in [[AstartesSpace Marines]] and units of the [[Imperial Army]].¹

By this point in history, the Warmaster had already settled upon his course of rebellion and had secretly gained the tentative support of the Mechanicum through Regulus and his connection to [[Kelbor-Hal]], the [[Fabricator-General]]. Regulus' visit to Mars at this juncture was to demonstrate the commitment of Horus to the alliance with the Mechanicum and the advantages to siding with the Warmaster against [[Imperium|Imperial]] rule. As a result of the information provided by Horus and carried by Regulus, Kelbor-Hal was able to open a long-sequestered area of Mars known as the [[Vaults of Moravec]].^1.p113

The Vaults of Moravec were a repository of forbidden knowledge, ordered sealed by the [[Emperor of Mankind|Emperor]] himself. It soon became clear that the information and industry stored within the Vaults were corrupted by the influence of [[Chaos]]. With the opening of the Vaults, this corruption spread across Mars in a peculiarly literal way; as [[scrapcode]]. This viral information infection managed to penetrate systems and facilities all across the Martian industrial landscape, causing literal chaos wherever it struck. As a result of the scrapcode infestation, communication across and off-planet was severely disrupted and many essential industries sabotaged. A period of general confusion followed, which the Fabricator-General and his allies used to marshal their forces, intent on making sure the whole of Mars was firmly under their rule. This proved to be somewhat more troublesome than they had anticipated.¹

While the opening shots had already been fired, it still took a short while before open civil war began. Requiring at least a pretense pretence to march to war, Kelbor-Hal and his allies attempted to provoke those unwilling to join them, employing various acts of sabotage, assassination and outright aggression - as when the Dark Mechanicum-aligned [[Legio Mortis]] attempted to goad [[Legio Tempestus]] into opening fire first by entering Tempestus territory and refusing to answer hails.^1.p.186

Eventually the pretense pretence Kelbor-Hal required was given to him by Koriel Zeth, Mistress of the Magma City, when she declared non-belief in the [[Machine God]] (while this ''was'' her belief, she was still loyal to Terra). The Dark Mechanicum went to war against the Magma City, bringing war to Mars. While conflict erupted all over the red planet, the Magma City soon became the focal point for the resistance, with both Legio Tempestus and the [[Knights of Taranis]] coming to Zeth's aid. Holding against the chaotic power of the Dark Mechanicum was a difficult business and soon not only Zeth's forge, but those of Maximal and even Kane found themselves becoming effectively surrounded by enemies and besieged.¹

Twin beacons of hope for those still loyal to the Terran-Martian alliance appeared when two Imperial assault forces made up of [[Imperial Fists]] Astartes and Imperial Army formations drawn from the Solar levies under the commands of [[Space Marine Captain|Captains]]s [[Sigismund]] and '''Camba-Diaz''' arrived on Mars^1.p355, touching down and intending to secure the two main forge-complexes which supplied Astartes arms and equipment, that of Kane and that of [[Lukas Chrom]]. Unfortunately for Camba-Diaz, Chrom, whose complex he was sent to secure, was one of the leading traitors, and a vicious battle between Imperial and Dark Mechanicum forces broke out in his forge complex as a result. Sigismund was more successful, being able to secure Kane's forge - Mondus Occulum - and even able to sally out and attempt to aid the Martian loyalists. All the while this was happening, Sigismund was making sure that as much arms, ammunition, armorarmour, and materiel material as possible was being sent back to [[Terra ]] from Mondus Occulum.¹

However, despite the Imperial reinforcement, it soon became grimly clear that the Dark Mechanicum must be triumphant. Recognizing Recognising the inevitable, Sigismund issued an evacuation order for all loyalist forces, taking with him as much and as many as he could when he and the Imperial forces finally left, including Fabricator-Locum Kane. The other leaders of the resistance, as well as that part of Legio Tempestus on Mars and nearly all of the Knights of Taranis, eventually died fighting the pernicious and relentless assaults of the Dark Mechanicum, leaving all of Mars effectively under the influence of Horus.¹

== List of Known Loyalist Forces Involved known loyalist forces involved ==

== List of Known Traitor Forces Involved known traitor forces involved ==

===[[Collegia Titanica|Titan Legions]]===