Mars is the twin planet of Terra, and one of many long-inhabited Human colony worlds located near the Cradle of Humanity. Translation of binaric static chorus Litany of PraiseĪdeptus Mechanicus stellar cartographic map depicting the Forge Worlds of the Segmentum Solar, including Mars, home of the Cult Mechanicus. Let he merciless logic of the Machine God invest thee. It is possible that Mars is also the world where the ancient and terrible C'tan known as the Void Dragon has chosen to slumber the eons away. The moon Deimos is absent from Mars' orbit, seconded to the Grey Knights of Titan in aeons long past. Spacecraft are constructed within the Ring's extensive orbital factories, and many of the ships of the Battlefleet Solar are based in its huge floating docks. It was the shipyards of the Ring of Iron that constructed the vast exploratory and Expeditionary Fleets of the Great Crusade in the late 30th Millennium and even today produce the majority of the Imperial Navy's capital ships. The massive orbital conglomeration of thousands of drydocks and other starship manufacturing facilities in a geosynchronous orbit that turn above the Martian equator are known collectively as the Ring of Iron. The surface is covered with massive forge complexes, sprawling refineries, towering monuments to the glory of the machine and weapons shops that scrape the skies.

Millennia of incessant construction have turned Mars into a smog-choked hellscape.

So vaunted is Mars that across the stars a hundred worlds have been terraformed and settled in exactly the same manner. The Red Planet is the birthplace of the Cult Mechanicus, and is considered the holiest of all celestial orbs in the galaxy to the adherents of that faith. Mars is also the homeworld and headquarters of the Adeptus Mechanicus and a planet sacred to the faith of the Cult Mechanicus, which is one reason why travel to the Red Planet for Imperial personnel who are not members of the Mechanicus and share its peculiar faith is restricted. It is located in the Sol System of the Segmentum Solar, and produces vast numbers of weapons, vehicles and other advanced technology for the Imperium and its war efforts throughout the galaxy. Mars, also known as the 'Red Planet,' is the first and greatest Forge World - the 'Forge World Principal' - of the Imperium of Man.

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