Horus Heresy 3e Review: Tarantula Battery

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. An unsung and undersung unit.  

Background.

Do you remember the movie "Aliens"? The special edition? They deployed some of these beasts and they stopped so many aliens it was embarrassing. Then they ran out of ammo. And things got more interesting. There's no real difference here except that they don't run out of ammo! 

I actually have a real soft spot for Tarantulas in Horus Heresy and I may be over-rating them. 

Strengths. 

Fundamentally these units are static guns with a low armour profile that shoots reactive shots (interceptor, overwatch, and the special automated fire reaction here). 

Automated fire is simple enough. If something ends their move within 48 inches you shoot at it as a zero-cost reaction. But it does rely on movement which might be an issue sometimes. However, you can offset this due to Infiltrate (9) and set up some commanding overlapping fire lanes if you wanted to. They're also very expendable!

Weaknesses. 

Two automated heavy bolters for 45 points is a good deal overall. Particularly at BS=4 which is a significant improvement on second edition. However, the AP=10 is an issue and they will be wiped out prompted with a bit of return fire. So treat them as they are: cheap and cheerful, but deadly in numbers.

Builds.

4 Tarantulas (90 points - i.e., 2 slots).

Four lots of heavy bolt guns to saturate your enemies advancing corridors. This is actually okay in comparison to the cost of a heavy support squad. 

2 Tarantulas with lascannons (85 points). 

Longer range and harder hitting. 

2 Tarantulas with Melta Arrays (95 points)

Very short range, but hard hitting. Use wisely with infiltrate. Not highly recommended overall. 

2 Tarantulas with Hyperios Missile Launchers (75 points). 

Your ground to air interceptors. 

I actually wouldn't bother with the Orias Frag Missiles due to one use only. And only if I had lots of Volkite would I consider the Culverin option. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Land Raider Explorator

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. An iconic land raider variant.  

Background.

The explorator hails from even before the great crusade. It is primarily used for exploring hostile and difficult terrain. Of course, it would later find good use in many of the legions. Particularly the outrider ones, and those associated with mobility such as the Raven Guard and the White Scars. I could easily imagine the Alpha Legion and Death Guard liking these as well for similar reasons.

Strengths. 

As a land raider, it comes with AV=14 all round as the basis which immediately makes it strong (and probably a target!). 

You swap out your carrying capacity here in order to get more kit on board. Here you are granted auto-repair at 5+ as well as the valuable outflank rule. 

Weaknesses. 

In comparison to second edition, the lack of re-rolls of reserves is an issue. The carrying capacity of 8 means you also have to think hard about what you carry on board - and it is not an assault vehicle. My recommendation here is for tactical support squads armed with your favourite special weapons, perhaps with a command or high command marine of your choice. 

Builds.

Land Raider Explorator, Front mounted twin las cannon (240 points).

Lots of las cannons to provide cover for your people on board? Take a pintle mounted combi-melta to taste. Search lights are optional, but I always favour them on cheap and expendable rhinos. Hunter Killer missiles depend on your play style overall. Or just get rid of the front las cannons if you are saving on costs?

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Outrider Squadron

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

3/5 stars. Fast and able to bring appropriate threats where needed with good positioning and foresight. But you get what you pay for, and the lack of melta in third edition makes this unit less attractive. 

Background.

Marines on bikes!

The fluff describes them as being suited for scouting, encirclement, and hit and run tactics, all of which are viable.

Strengths. 

Just a note firstly about the Firestorm special rule. This lets you fire volleys not merely as snap shots. In addition, if you charge, you are not obligated to complete the charge and can just be happy with volleys. 

Outflank and vanguard round out the rest of the notable rules here. 

The stat line is a basic marine, but with 2 wounds each which isn't that remarkable. You can upgrade your standard twin bolters for twin plasma guns if you want, the rest is fairly standard. 

Weaknesses. 

Only a 3+ save.

And if you want melta guns, then you have to reach for the attack bike squadron from the Legacies instead. This isn't great and hopefully might be FAQ'ed. 

Builds.

5 Outriders, all with twin plasma guns, Sergeant with power fist (215points).

Plasma death on the charge. And combat effective if needs be as well. 

10 Outriders (225 points).

Even twin bolt guns can whittle away opponents. 

Take hand flamers or plasma pistols to taste. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Sabre

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.5/5 stars. Rounded Down. The rules are very fine.  

Background.

The Sabre is a strike tank. Rather than being a gun line tank of the early great crusade, these tanks represent a new form of warfare seen later on: strike, keep the enemy big guns suppressed, fade, and form up again elsewhere very quickly. 

This mode of operation will clearly suit some of the faster legions, and those who favour flexible deployment and rapid repositioning when required. 

Strengths. 

We get what we pay for roughly here just as we did in second edition. There's a big weapon mounted on the front of a distinctly average tank. Depending on the armament, it can function in a number of different roles on the battlefield, ranging from anti-tank, to anti-infantry, without competing against predators and vindicators for the same force organization slot. 

The movement rate is the real strength here though. Able to go 16 inches per turn, you can really out maneuver your opponents with ease. 

Weaknesses. 

You will need to think carefully about positioning. The armour values are not great (12, 11, and 10) so they are vulnerable if you position them poorly. But the good news is that they have outflank. I should like this tank more than I do as it is very flexible in the right hands and the points cost is very good for what you get - it just doesn't sit well in comparison to other options for many legions though. That, and I would want it in plastic to be honest - not resin. 

Builds.

Sabre with Neutron Blaster and multi-melta (115 points).

Anti-tank role. 

Sabre with Volkite Saker and havoc launcher (85 points).

Anti-infantry role. The Volkite Culverin can be added as a front hull mounted option to taste.

Sabre with Anvilus Snub Autocannon and 2x Sabre Missiles (90 points).

Monster hunter role. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Reconnaissance Squad

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. I am personally quite fond of the Recon Squad and they have their purpose. 

Background.

Roaming ahead of the main lines and conducting all manner of operations behind enemy lines, the recon squad is the forward eyes and ears of the legions. They can be armed with long range sniper weapons, or something a bit more up close and personal - either way they're useful. 

Strengths. 

Although at first glance they look expensive, what you are really paying for here is the ability to infiltrate a small squad to pack a punch. They also come with move through cover to help them advance (use this) although they are also a support squad (at a level of 2) so not quite as effective at grabbing objectives as you might otherwise like. 

Customization options range from making the marines short range fighters with shot guns, to long range snipers with nemesis bolt guns. Both are valid. 

Don't forget though that they provide a way to also bring a buried power weapon or similar to an early fight, as well as melta bombs. 

Weaknesses. 

The points cost can add up fast here, so you will need to think carefully about how you infiltrate them. 

Builds.

5 Recon Marines, Shotguns, Sergeant with Power Weapon and Melta Bombs, Nuncio Vox (140 points).

Up close and personal with a buried power weapon of your choice. Take on your target early game, but don't expect to survive long without back up. Increase squad size to 10 if you wish. Multiple of these represent a very interesting threat. 

5 Recon Marines, Nemesis Bolters, Nuncio Vox, Augury Scanner (155 points).

Use infiltrate to set up in position (probably a tall, central ruins or building) and shoot at your targets at liberty. Highly annoying to your enemy in all probability. Bonus tactica to infiltrate right on top of an objective in mid-field! 

Praetor Challenge: Iron Warriors vs Shattered Legions

Happy New Year!

A new feature for Warpstone Flux this year is the Praetor Challenge! This will largely supersede the Wargames Gallery (but I will keep the tag going all the same). The core idea of the Praetor Challenges is to suggest what you would do in a given tactical situation on (a segment of) the game board. Sounds simple enough right? But you would not believe the disagreements that arise. Not merely from pure mathematics or statistics, but also from fluff (what would Angron do, after all?), duty, honour, or anything else combined. There's no right answer to Praetor Challenges, but there might be optimal plays, and most fluffy plays, and those are the kinds of comments we'd like to see and talk about!

So here is the first of 2026's Praetor Challenges: Iron Warriors facing off against the Shattered Legions!

Iron Warriors:

Tactical squad x7 (Sergeant with Power fist and plasma pistol, bayonets all round, 1 vexilla)
Iron Havocs x3 (all with Lascannons);
Cataphractii Terminators x4 (2 with chain fists and combi bolters, 1 with heavy flamer and power fist, 1 with thunder hammer and combi bolter);

Praetor in Cataphractii Armour (Thunder hammer and combi bolter - unwounded). 

Shattered Legions:
Mor Deythan x3 (2 melta guns, 1 combi melta - spent already);

Salamanders Praetor in Cataphractii Armour (2 wounds remaining; thunder hammer and combi melta - spent);

Salamanders contemptor (twin meltas - 3 wounds remaining);
Salamanders tactical squad x4 (sergeant with power fist; standard marines otherwise);

Iron Hands Heavy Support Squad x3 (Auto cannons x3). 

The Iron Warriors have finished their movement phase. What should they do next for shooting and charging / close combat? The Shattered Legions have 2 reactions in hand. Critically, the tactical squad is already sat on an objective (the necron scenery). What is the right play? The optimal play? The fluffy play? Or just a mad play?

Over to you in the comments, Praetors!