Horus Heresy 3e Review: Phoenix Terminator Squad

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are very good. 

Background.

As the honour guard to Fulgrim himself, the Phoenix Terminators were an elite cadre within the Emperor's Children. As might be expected, they have pushed martial excellence to a higher level than most and were about to pull off feats that others might only dream to aspire to.

Strengths. 

Double wound terminators (and the vital WS=5 and T=5) armed with the standard phoenix power spear.

The Skill Unmatched rule here allows them to flip flop between choosing the perfect strike (gain a pip of WS to strike) and the perfect guard (gain a pip of WS when being struck by others). This really allows some customization of what you want them to do (slice and dice, or generally protect whoever they are escorting). 

The ability to take sonic shriekers, sonic lances, and grenade harnesses is similarly excellent. 

Weaknesses. 

They come as retinues, but I don't see this as a major negative to be very honest. 

They also lack in the ranged department. But again: this isn't a true negative if you are playing them like they should be played: aggressively and with intent. 

Builds.

5 Phoenix Terminators, Grenade Harness (205 points).

There are not many options here. In fact, there's only really the option to add more members to the retinue which is generally worth it. 

If you are playing a traitor force, you get the added option of sonic shriekers (take them!) and sonic lances (more to taste). I really favor the former for denying any reaction counter measures to you charging in - very much worth the points cost. I'm on the fence about the sonic lances.

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Saul Tarvitz

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are good. 

Background.

The original loyalist and a mirror of what Eidolon is to the traitors. A line officer who, very peculiarly, lacked the drive to ascend the ranks within the Emperor's Children like his peers. Content to be that line officer, he was sent by Fulgrim to perish. Discovering the plot, he raised the alarm and conducted a mighty fight-back on Isstvan 3. 

Strengths. 

Officer of the Line (2) is very impressive when combined with the other things he has to offer. He has a typical command profile in the stat line as well as Hatred of Traitors which is very handy. 

He comes with a nemesis bolt gun as standard (which again is unusual in third edition) as well as a Charnabal broadsword which gives breaching and duellist's edge. The S+2 is very attractive here as well which sets him up nicely as yet another character killer potentially.

The gambit he has is very super specific and only operates against the World Eaters, Sons of Horus, Emperor's Children and Death Guard (i.e., those traitors who betrayed them on Isstvan 3). It gives WS, S, and T +1 in the first face off where chosen. This is actually quite powerful, even though it is very situational. 

Weaknesses. 

Loyalist only - if you count that as a weakness?

Curiously, his points cost is identical to Eidolon and Lucius as well. Not sure why it was engineering this way. 

Overall.

His character is well suited to an Isstvan 3 game where you would be assured of having opponents for his close combat gambit. Otherwise this is going to go to waste most of the time which is probably why we also have hatred built in to compensate. A very reasonable character and strong during the betrayal. You will also probably want a transport solution. Don't forget Officer of the Line here either - this really tilts Saul over into the regime of being a really good choice, and an almost default choice for a command slot in the loyalists of the legion. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Captain Lucius

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are good. 

Background.

Superlative swordsman. Vainglorious. Arrogant. Jealous. Bitter. Feuding. Opportunist. Before he was Eternal, Lucius was a promising Captain of the Emperor's Children and was fairly un-matched with his blade skills. During the heresy, he found himself on the loyalist side thanks to working with Saul Tarvitz. He later betrayed Saul and re-took he place among the IIIrd Legion as it descended into madness.  

Strengths. 

Lucius is a duelist, plain and simple. 

He carries with him masterful swords, including the original Laer blade. These generally provide AP=2 and Damage=2 with a duelist's edge. Combined with the stat line that has WS=7, he is a killer. 

He gains +4 to the focus roll when using Paragon of Excellence instead of the usual +2 to make him even more deadly that anyone would otherwise anticipate. 

Weaknesses. 

Costing as much as Eidolon in points value, Lucius is slower and will need a transport to get where he is going, and has less wounds. That said, when he gets into combat he will be deadly. 

Overall.

Yet another character killer for the Emperor's Children, but perhaps played differently to Eidolon - Lucius will be wanting to charge out of a transport for maximum impact. You just need to get him into combat. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Lord Commander Eidolon

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are rather good. 

Background.

Once held up as the ideal to which all Emperor's Children should aspire to. Eidolon had a bit of a fatal flaw in his own over-confidence. This mutated in time to become arrogance which he would later suffer for. Yet at the time of the Heresy outbreak, he had already had sonic weaponry surgically put into place thanks to Fabius and crossed over the proverbial line, and wielded a warhammer gifted to him by Fulgrim himself. 

Strengths. 

The warhammer, Glory Aeterna, provides Eidolon with the mainstay of his offensive capability with S=6 hits at AP2 although at a small initiative penalty that you will hardly worry about. With the sonic shriekers, no one will be reacting to his charge though, and the death scream he can emit is nice for both breaching and pinning which will cause problems. 

He also comes as standard with a jump pack which means he can get to where he needs to be very quickly indeed. He is almost a perfect leader for a speartip assault in many ways. 

Weaknesses. 

Not many for a praetor of his calibre except for the points cost - you will be fielding him in larger games, or concentrating a lot of points into high command at lower points. 

Overall.

A character killer overall, and good at it outside of the Primarchs. Sure, there are other characters in other legions who he will struggle against, but he really is up there with the best of them when you factor in the Emperor's Children special rules. 

Wargames Gallery: Lorgar Summons

Acting on instinct as much as tactics, Lorgar summons forth daemons bound to his adamantium will to do his bidding as loyalist elements of the Alpha Legion bear down on him. It doesn't go well for the Alpha Legion here -- Lorgar by himself is more than a match for these space marines. 

Dreadtober 2025: Completed Iron Warriors Contemptor

Dreadtober 2025 is now over and I have completed my pledge of one Iron Warriors contemptor dreadnought. Armed with a las cannon, this dreadnought has a long range battlefield role, but backs that up with the fist so that he can remain a close range threat. 

The final details for the work have included really focussing hard on building the base up into a quality and believable configuration that is in keeping with the rest of my Iron Warriors range. I think this has worked nicely with less being more in this instance. 

Weathering of the model has also been extensively looked at with damage added to the hazard stripes to not only look cool, but disguise the potentially less than perfect diagonals. You are very welcome to steal this idea too - it works for me as a long term painter to say the least. 

Overall then, very happy, and glad to have got another dreadnought painted up thanks to Dreadtober! See you again next year I hope Dreadtober fans!!!