Horus Heresy 3e Review: Sons of Horus Legion Rules

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.5/5 stars. Rounded up. The rules are relatively good. 

Background.

The Sons of Horus have a reputation for alpha-strikes: cutting out the heart or weak point of an enemy in a decapitation assault from which they will never recover. Such is the Cthonia legacy. Within the Heresy, their name is synonymous with the treachery itself. There were instrumental in the rebellion and the alliance with Chaos, right from the Betrayal of their own legion through to the Siege of Terra. They were at the forefront of everything. Whether Horus was deluded, seduced by chaos, or whispered to a little bit too much by certain Word Bearers is another matter entirely. 

Armoury. 

Banestrike. A gift from the Alpha Legion as evidence of their loyalty, the Sons of Horus are able to make good use of Banestrike ammunition. Breaching is good and generally worth it for a sub-set of squads. 

Carsoran Power Axes are a modest points cost upgrades to regular power axes. They are generally worth considering. 

Martial Supremacy grants a prime advantage slot for both Duelist's Edge and Champion special rules. This is okay overall without being overpowered. 

Decurion Lanius. This is weaponeer upgrade for various tanks that gives you a banestrike bolt cannon on a pintle which is a nice weapon to have thanks to the relative strength and breaching. Thanks to Brutal Enforcement, you can also target your own men to stop them routing. Nasty. And also: Ouch. 

Tactica. 

Death Dealers is the third incarnation of a special rule for the entire legion in as many editions. The writers just can't seem to decide where the balance lies it seems. In Third Edition, it means making volley attacks at full ballistic skill. This is very useful for your close combat orientated squads - perhaps even tactical squads, and certainly banestrike squads. Of course, it comes with the provision that you need to be making volley attacks which in turn means getting up close and personal - as you have come to expect with Sons of Horus. 

Gambit.  

Merciless Strike is actually excellent. Phage on Toughness can swing an entire challenge and it is well worth using. Honestly, this is the stand out rule in the Sons of Horus for me!

Additional Detachements. 

Supremacy Cadre brings you extra heavy assault and troops to quell any foe. Quite nice, and very appropriate to the background. 

Advanced Reaction. 

Warrior Pride is unusual and lets you avoid a challenge if you have a WS that is greater than the challenger, and all other members of the reacting unit also have a better WS. Your enemy simply does not deserve death by your haughty superior hand apparently. Used judiciously, it can win entire combats. 

The Sons of Horus mutate again in Third Edition which sees yet another new core rule. And it isn't called tip of the spear either. It plays a little different as well, but those full BS volley shots are valuable, even if they only activate once in a while (you will want to activate them as much as possible, particularly on powerful weapons, or banestrike). 

Iron Hands Terminator with Autocannon Conversion

In building up my Iron Hands from something of a Shattered Legions element to something a bit more viable on its own, I decided to go down the terminator route and incorporate some heavy shooting and hitting Tartaros armoured men. This is the first of a siege squad. 

The auto cannon here is borrowed from chaos space marines as can be seen by the spiked chain that is under hanging the main barrels. Some conversion work was required to get this to fit, but the connection is all but invisible underneath the relevant shoulder pad. 

For painting, this follows my standard Iron Hands formulation of a matte black colour achieved with Eshin Grey. For accents, I have opted to go for a contrasting red on the chain fist and leather between the legs. Although almost any colour could likely work for Iron Hands in this regard, the red draws the eye nicely without over-whelming the miniature. Silver accents and highlights coupled with select decal transfers rounds off the miniature and gives the final vibe of a squad leader who is ready to cause some havoc. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Cataphractii Terminator Command Squad

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. More terminator goodness as far as I'm concerned. 

Background.

Cataphractii are the last word in personal protection and becoming a tank without being interred within a dreadnought. Excellent for close range fights aboard starships as they are for open battlefield siege attacks. 

Strengths. 

All of the points made for the Tartaros version are still valid here. A solid stat line with 2 wounds, WS=5 and T=5 and a native 4+ invulnerable save. 

Durable and with a lot of upgrades to consider.

The main upgrade to take is going to be your Legion Standard. This is one of the main reasons for taking a retinue, so you should buy this. No excuses! 

The grenade harness is similarly recommended for melee. 

Volkite chargers need to go big or go home. The combi bolt gun is still probably a slightly better choice overall unless you know you are facing non-marine armies. Combi-weapons are certainly useful, but the points cost will add up fast. 

I generally would not bother with a single lightning claw as a power weapon upgrade and instead consider a range of different types of power weapons if you are thinking along those lines. 

Pairs of lightning claws are very attractive in number and can do well overall - especially for swifter legions like Emperor's Children or ones that want to press a weight of attacks. Especially for charging out of a tank with. 

Weaknesses. 

Loads of choices here, but my only advice is to watch the points cost creep. In addition to the notes about tartaros here, recall that the movement rate is slower for cataphractii and that you have slow and purposeful. Maybe take a land raider to help with this?

Builds.

10 Chosen 9 with twin lightning claws, 1 with Legion Standard, Grenade Harness (535 points). 

Charge out of a land raider. 

10 Chosen, Legion Standard, Grenade Harness, Volkite Chargers (445 points).

Good for attacking mechanicum. 

5 Chosen, Thunder Hammers, Legion Standard, Grenade Harness (295 points).

Thunder hammers are excellent really. 

3 Chosen, 2 Combi-Meltas, 3 Chain Fists, Legion Standard, Grenade Harness (205 points). 

Distraction Carnifex for anti armour duty or light tank (and passenger) demolition. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Tartaros Terminator Command Squad

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. I do like terminators and they are a very good unit. 

Background.

Tartaros terminators are favoured where the commander wants a bit more speed and agility. Like power armour, but with terminator levels of protection. And in a command squad, they can take their pick of upgrades. 

Strengths. 

A solid stat line with 2 wounds, WS=5 and T=5. This is a squad for getting stuck into the enemy with. There are also a lot of upgrades to consider.

The main upgrade to take is going to be your Legion Standard. This is one of the main reasons for taking a retinue, so you should buy this. 

The grenade harness is similarly recommended for melee. 

Volkite chargers need to go big or go home. The combi bolt gun is still probably a slightly better choice overall unless you know you are facing non-marine armies. Combi-weapons are certainly useful, but the points cost will add up fast. 

I generally would not bother with a single lightning claw as a power weapon upgrade and instead consider a range of different types of power weapons if you are thinking along those lines. 

Pairs of lightning claws are very attractive in number and can do well overall - especially for swifter legions like Emperor's Children or ones that want to press a weight of attacks. 

Note that the FAQ also gives you access to the other melee weapons. So you might like to consider chain fists if you are facing off against armour or power fists and thunder hammers for harder armoured foes. 

Weaknesses. 

Loads of choices here, but my only advice is to watch the points cost creep. 

Builds.

10 Chosen 9 with twin lightning claws, 1 with Legion Standard, Grenade Harness (535 points). 

Savage melee monsters. But that points cost makes my eyes water. 

10 Chosen, Legion Standard, Grenade Harness, Volkite Chargers (445 points).

I generally don't like the chargers too much, but they can work against lesser foes in volume. 

5 Chosen, Thunder Hammers, Legion Standard, Grenade Harness (295 points).

I like thunder hammers all round. 

3 Chosen, 2 Combi-Meltas, 3 Chain Fists, Legion Standard, Grenade Harness (205 points). 

Distraction Carnifex for anti armour duty or light tank (and passenger) demolition. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Centurion Command Squad

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are good.

Background.

Lower ranked officers were often accompanied by their favoured veteran squad, or otherwise those men that they trusted fully. These are the unsung heroes of the legion accompanying their commander to glory. 

Strengths. 

Nearly identical in many ways to the Praetorian command squad, they have 2 wounds and WS=5, but very critically only have a 3+ save (whereas the Praetorian command squad has a 2+ save). 

The upgrades are many and you can build this squad in a multitude of ways. Let's go through the options - most of which will be a copy / paste from the Praetorian options. 

I don't like the volkite charger here much - you probably want a different squad for those kind of shenanigans. The disintegration rifles are okay, but note your 3+ save is an issue. The shot gun is fine for Stun on a couple of models, but otherwise leave at home. Thunder hammers, power fists, and power weapons all have their place here but I'd leave most of the rest at home unless swapping out the bolt gun for a chain axe. 

Combat shields actively carry the rule of cool and present excellent painting options. They are okay on the tabletop, but the cost does add up faster than you would like. 

In terms of pistols, going large on plasma pistols can be fun. The odd hand flamer is a reasonable option too. 

Unique here is the option to take a heavy or special weapon per 5 members. Its almost like modern tactical squads! I quite like the plasma gun or melta gun here because I am a traditionalist like that. Heavy flamer and multi-melta are nice as well. 

Pairs of lightning claws are much more situational, and possibly even legion dependent. 

Bayonets are not worth the points, but have the rule of cool. Chain bayonets are only fractionally better. 

Just take the company standard. Sure, it isn't as good as the legion standard, but it is still a solid pick. Augury scanners and nuncio-vox to taste. 

Weaknesses. 

Too many choices feel over whelming. And the points cost adds up very quickly indeed. But there are many good builds to have and I'm hard pressed to say too many bad words against them other than the 3+ save which is reflected in the 4/5 star rating. I actually favour a 40k chaos space marine style build here. 

Builds.

5 Veterans, Power Weapons and Combat Shields, Company Standard (165 points).

Very much has the rule of cool and will be effective. Nuncio vox to taste. 

5 Veterans, Thunder Hammers, Company Standard, Nuncio Vox (190 points).

Terminators remain a better choice here. 

5 Veterans, Chain Axes, 4 Plasma Pistols, 1 Heavy Flamer, Company Standard (135 points). 

Mixed threats. Swap out some bolt guns for shot guns for the Stun effect. 

10 Veterans, 2 melta guns, Nuncio Vox, Company Standard, Champion with Thunder Hammer (235 points).

A fleeting vision of 40k chaos space marines of old. Points cost efficient too.

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Praetorian Command Squad (and Jump Pack Squad)

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4.5/5 stars. The rules are very good indeed, but I rounded down narrowly.  

Background.

Regardless of the type or mark of armour worn, legion command squads are the personal body guard of a praetor or consul and highly trained and disciplined warriors. 

More than this, they carry the banner of the legion itself into battle which in turn serves as a rallying point for the men of the detachment. They are the elite fighters of the legion and trusted with plentiful access to all the best toys and gadgets that can be mustered. 

Authors Note: I am combining the standard Praetorian Command Squad with the Jump Pack equipped one in this review due to their incredible similarities except for the obvious one. 

Strengths. 

With 2 wounds, WS=5 and a native 2+ save these marines are very flexible and simultaneously great for the points cost. 

The upgrades are many and you can build this squad in a multitude of ways. Let's go through the options. 

I don't like the volkite charger here much - you probably want a different squad for those kind of shenanigans. The disintegration rifles are actually a reasonable choice here given the 2+ armour save. The shot gun is fine for Stun on a couple of models, but otherwise leave at home. Thunder hammers, power fists, and power weapons all have their place here but I'd leave most of the rest at home unless swapping out the bolt gun for a chain axe. 

Combat shields actively carry the rule of cool and present excellent painting options. They are okay on the tabletop, but the cost does add up faster than you would like. 

In terms of pistols, going large on plasma pistols can be fun. The odd hand flamer is a reasonable option too. 

Pairs of lightning claws are much more situational, and possibly even legion dependent. Could be good with jump packs for instance, but otherwise are not my first choice. 

Bayonets are not worth the points, but have the rule of cool. Chain bayonets are only fractionally better. 

Just take the legion standard whatever you do. 

Weaknesses. 

Too many choices feel over whelming. And the points cost adds up very quickly indeed. But there are many good builds to have and I'm hard pressed to say too many bad words against them.

Builds.

For all the builds below, please regard them as being viable with jump packs as well for a small points increase.

5 Chosen with Disintegration Rifles, Legion Standard (175 points). 

They can survive using their own weapons. Victory!

5 Chosen, Power Weapons and Combat Shields, Legion Standard (210 points).

Very much has the rule of cool. Expensive. 

5 Chosen, Thunder Hammers, Legion Standard (225 points).

Can be deadly in the right hands and situation, but expensive and terminators might do it better. 

5 Chosen, Chain Axes, 4 Plasma Pistols, 1 Flamer, Legion Standard (175 points). 

Mixed threats. Nice with jump packs. Swap out some bolt guns for shot guns for the Stun effect.