Horus Heresy 3e Review: Konrad Curze

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. Rounded down. A deadly primarch with occasional psychic powers. 

Background.

Cursed with psychic premonitions. Alone as a child on a gang controlled criminal world. And with a keen sense of bringing judgement to those the Emperor would see sanctioned, Konrad was almost a breed set apart from his kin. With a bit more humanity in him, he could have been very similar to Corax, but as it turned out, darkness, fear and terror were his boots, gloves and coat. 

Strengths. 

With 7's in WS, BS, and I, Curze is a quick and potentially deadly opponent. His melee weapons (artificer lightning claws named Mercy and Forgiveness) give A+2 with AP=2 and 1 damage, but with a valuable critical hit at 5+ and shred at 4+ (the latter helping alleviate the singular damage). 

His ranged weapons - widowmakers - causes breaching at 4+, but is otherwise not very remarkable.

He comes with a personal gambit - A Death Long Foreseen - which grants him a choice psychic advantage (Check against willpower at WP=8). This can be feel no pain (okay I guess), A+1 (useful), or I+2 in melee (much, much more useful and likely the top most pick). 

As sire of the Night Lords, the prime slots are grants if you have 4 terror squads or assault squads which is fluffy. And all terror squads gain infiltrate of 12 which is useful, and demands that you actually have terror squads build around him. 

Weaknesses. 

I did want a higher fear factor, but fear (2) is still useful. He is not the most deadly of his brothers, not the best fighter, not the most endurable, nor causes the most damage, but he holds his own when he needs to and the weight of attacks he has combined with some psychic powers from his gambit makes him a primarch to think twice about tangling with. 

Overall.

I was going to give 3.5/5 stars, but gave 4/5 in the end as I was struggling to make my mind up. He packs an amazing punch still. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Night Lords Legion Rules

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.5/5 stars. Rounded up. The rules are mixed to good. 

Background.

Of all the traitor legions, the Night Lords ever were close to censure and skirted the edge of acceptable results against monstrous behaviour. Already close to being declared renegade, it is little wonder they threw in their lot with Horus. Nearly unique among the legions, they pretty much splintered during the Heresy itself and dissolved into much smaller warbands. Temporarily reunited for the Siege of Terra, they were a spent force after Thramas and ultimately did dissolve into renegades and those who would still visit their "justice" on the Emperor. 

Armoury. 

Trophies of Judgement. A tradition within the legion and in every edition. For a small points cost, command and champions get Fear (1). Almost always worth taking. 

Notraman Chain Weapons (chain glaive and headsmans axe) are a modest points cost for the benefit of higher S, better AP and some special rules (breaching and shred for the former, with critical hits for the latter). Almost always worth taking. 

Atramentar grants a prime slot advantage to a terminator to gain the deep strike and Impact (I) special rule. This is certainly worth taking and very fluffy - the Night Lords ever being one of the legions with reliable deep strike access. 

Finally in Legacies, we also get the Escaton Power Claw. This is more expensive, but massively impactful. Worth considering here and there. 

Tactica. 

Talent for Murder returns in third edition to give WS+1 when facing enemies that have tactical statuses. This fundamentally alters the playstyle of the legion from one with massed infantry to encourage outnumbers, to one that wants to inflict lots of statuses on enemies. These are not mutually exclusive either, and I think retention of large blobs of Night Lord units is still beneficial and fluffy (not least because of the points cost implications). 

Gambit.  

Nostraman Courage lets you swap out your challenger for someone else. The cowards literally get someone else to fight their battles! Very appropriate. Very frustrating for your opponent as well perhaps! But actually subtly powerful when done right.  

Additional Detachements. 

Terror Assault and Atramentar Hunt brings some nice extra units in the for of compulsory terror squads in the former (for extra fast attack), and an apex detachment of terminators but restricted to them all having teleporter transponders as their prime advantage. This is actually an incredible strong apex detachment and very fluffy - top marks! 

Advanced Reaction. 

Better Part of Valour lets you fall back when charged - because you are Night Lords and don't tangle with stuff you don't want to! 

Overall, the rules for the Night Lords are average with some stand outs like the teleport transponders and various upgrades. Their play style shifts in third edition from massed blobs (still valuable) to inflicting as many statuses as you can and ending your enemy up close and personally. 

Wargames Gallery: Loyalist Emperor's Children vs Traitors Word Bearers melee

A loyalist element of the Emperor's Children charges against the traitorous Word Bearers from the Gal Vorbak! 

The praetor and the Gal Vorbak leader have been set to one side for their own challenge. This leaves 10 assault squad members with chain swords and combat shields, the assault squad sergeant with twin lightning claws, and an apothecary to fight against 5 Gal Vorbak. 

Which side do the dice favour?!

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Dark Sons of Death (Karaoghlanlar)

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are great for this legacy unit, but the points cost adds up fast. 

Background.

The Dark Sons (Karaoghlanlar) focus on the "unmaking" of enemies who have fallen so far as to deserve both physical destruction and spiritual oblivion. They are regarded with unease by their battle brothers and adorned with appropriate talismans and wards to protect themselves and to make Stormcallers aid them all the easier. 

Strengths. 

Movement of 12 is excellent here.

Otherwise, these are simply space marines with rad grenades. Of course, the rad grenades are great, thanks to phage on toughness as being poisoned. So my view for this unit is to go further and arm them with either weapons that enhance strength further, or templates that go over as many enemies as possible. 

The Invocation of the Razing Tempest special rule allows a Stormcaller to target them from further away with their Call of the Wild special power. This is actually insane and can get you where you need to be in short order. 

Weaknesses. 

The points cost rack up steeply here. And fundamentally, they are one wound space marines with a 3+ save. So what this unit is, in effect, is a glass cannon. You need to treat it as such. 

Builds.

5 Karaoghlanlar, all with Power Glaives (200 points). 

S+1 on the power glaives is great. But the points cost is steep. Make sure you know which target you are going for. 

10 Karaoghlanlar, 2 Flamers, 2 Hand Flamers, Champion with Power Weapon (255 points). 

Flame unit variant. Take extra men to taste. 

I think other builds are possible such as a melta-cide orientated one, but other units do such activities better than this. You want to be an anti-infantry glass cannon. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Kyzagan Assault Speeder

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

3/5 stars. The rules are average. 

Background.

This is the White Scars solution to ensuring heavy weapons keep up with the rest of the legion! Essentially it is a flying anti grav platform form those heavy weapons to fly to where they are needed and do some shooting with. They should be played like that accordingly. . 

Strengths. 

Movement of 14 combined with an impressive toughness of 7 should keep the speeder alive for it to perform its duty. Which explicitly is the unloading of lots of assault cannon and reaper auto cannon shots into its designated target. 

Weaknesses. 

For the points cost that you are paying, this is a reasonable option overall. Sure, it isn't over powered, but it is a viable threat as well. There's just not too many builds to consider. 

Builds.

Kyzagan Assault Speeder (105 points). 

I don't think the hunter killer missiles are generally worth it, but you might get some bang for the points cost if you play them right. So take them to taste. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Ebon Keshig

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

3/5 stars. The rules are average. 

Background.

Being put in terminator armour for the White Scars is not a testament of strength or honour as it might be for other legions. It is condemnation. The Ebon Keshig is a form of atonement for battle brothers who have been found wanting or lacking in honour. They are deployed as a vanguard and bodyguard, and should the marines die, then clearly they've had a final honourable death. Should they survive, then maybe they have found atonement and will be allowed back to the prior positions. 

Strengths. 

Tartaros terminators with T=5 and Leadership=10. They come with a power glaive which gives a S bonus as well as breaching and impact on AP. 

Thanks to Legacies, you can get other power weapons and power fists alongside combi weapons. 

The vexillia and the grenade harness are almost a given upgrade. 

Weaknesses. 

The points cost is steep here. You are effectively paying for Vanguard (3) (but basic terminators have this! NB), feel no pain (but only at 6+) and Expendable (2). It is worth also considering how to get them to their destinations. 

Builds.

5 Kharash, 2 with power fists and combi-meltas, vexilla, grenade harness (235 points).

A basline entry unit. But note that the points cost is high here already. Are you sure you wouldn't just have tartaros terminators instead?

10 Kharash, 5 with power fists and volkite chargers, vexilla, grenade harness (440 points).

The unit gets a bit cheaper with more members, but it is still very expensive. And you need a transport solution, or some White Scars speed ups.