Horus Heresy 3e Review: Magos

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars. Solid choice with or without an Abeyant. 

Background. 

The Magos Dominus fill a gap between the Archmagos Prime and the rest of the army / feuding states / technocracy. They are masters of the cybernetica and build the cortex automata for the Mechanicum. Some are at the very edge of heresy themselves thanks to all the body modifications that they put themselves through, and most are eccentrics and obsessive about their technologies.  

Strengths.

As with the Archmagos, there is a glorious amount of customisation available for the Magos. I will refer readers back to the Archmagos for some general thoughts. 

The stat line here is less than an Archmagos as might be expected: 5's are everywhere, with 4 wounds and WS=4 and I=3. Intelligence is still 9 which is important for commanding Mechanicum and their cyber rites. 

Weaknesses.

WS=4 is an issue for combat, as is I=3. I therefore regard the Magos as more of a support character choice than a full-on commander. 

Builds.

Magos, Conversion Beamer (130 points). 

Very much a ranged character, but I do like it a lot. Add some rites to taste. 

Magos, Abeyant, Rad Furnace, Thunder Hammer, Melta Bombs, Rad Grenades, Overcharged Reactors (200 points). 

A close combat version. The danger here is spending too many points on a single character who is not the archmagos to be honest. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Archmagos

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 stars. You will be taking one, basically. With or without an Abeyant.

Background. 

These unique individual are the high adepts of the machine cult of the Omnissiah. They have likely upgraded themselves for the purpose of war and might have gone as far as placing their remaining organic components inside the equivalent of a dreadnought. Armed and armoured with the best Forge World available kit, they are a force to be reckoned with.

Strengths.

With sixes in most places on the stat line, the archmagos is already rather powerful and maybe more powerful than a Praetor in some regards. Adding to this are special rules like feel no pain at 5+, battlesmith at 4, and firing protocols. And don't forget the ability to score victory points as well - this implies arming for at least a bit of close range action. 

The Archmagos is also highly customisable. They can take anything from the mechanicum gear and the magos gear. There's a lot to be had there:a cortex controller is almost always going to be useful, augury scanners are optional, cognis-signum is solid, cyber familiars are good, servo-arms are nice, melta bombs to taste, rad grenades are good at close range, nuncio vox is nice if no-one else has them. The rad furnace is attractive, and the machinator array similar. 

Choose from the rites as well (see here). I think players should be thinking about a couple of these regardless of anything else. Other armaments are to taste really. 

Weaknesses.

WS=5 is slightly lower than what is useful for a commander who might like to engage in challenges. 

Beware of spending too many points on the character with attractive upgrades galore!

Builds.

I'll try to provide one build per trait to give some ideas. There are obviously many more besides. And far too many permutations to list. Hence I hope it at least gives some ideas. Abeyants are the obvious upgrade here and also worth taking in any build below. They give T+1 and Command Throne to help with reactions at the price of being bulky and exploding. Worth it. 

Archmagos [Archimandrite], Overcharged Reactors, Chastise the Machine Spirit, Paragon Blade (165 points).

Trying not to spend too many points, but here we are focussed on using Cyber skills mainly. Other things like a cyber familiar are of course usable. 

Archmagos [Cybernetica], Overcharged Reactors, Cogitator Purge, Paragon Blade, Rad Furnace, Rad Grenades (190 points).

Take and hold objectives. Take the melta bombs, nuncio vox and augury scanner to taste.

Archmagos [Lacrymaerta], Fleshknit Protocols, Omega Protocols, Paragon Blade, Rad Furnace (175 points).

To take alongside your flesh and metal creations. 

Archmagos [Myrmidax], Overcharged Reactors, Paragon Blade, Rad Furnace (160 points).

Although you should go close combat, there's a case here for ranged as well - like the following.

Archmagos [Myrmidax], Conversion Beamer (150 points).

An interesting ranged option. A bit of a waste of close combat potential though.

Archmagos [Malagra], Overcharged Reactors, Paragon Blade, Cortex Controller (150 points).

This archmagos is all about positioning to be honest. 

Archmagos [Macrotek], Servo Arm, Machinator Array, Thunder Hammer, Overcharged Reactors (175 points).

Run alongside your tanks. Also a candidate for a conversion beam.

Archmagos [Reductor], Thunder Hammer, Deactivate the Limiters, Unseal the Portal, Melta Gun (175 points).

Reducing things to smaller things. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Cybertheurgy

Cybertheurgy, or cyber spells, are used by models with the Cybertheurgist trait, or cyber sorcerers. In short then, these are the members of the Mechanicum who understand how to manipulate robots, electrical flows, transitors, something approaching AI, and magnetic fields (or similar). They are not warp based magic in the slightest, even though some of the outcomes might seem like they border on those results.

To activate these abilities, an Intelligence test is conducted, with a modifier for the difficulty level (as a negative). Handily, other cybertheurgists can help out if they are in the same unit to give +1 bonueses. Failure leads to feedback which is essentially perils of the warp under a new name. 

There are three common statuses to be aware of that arise from these powers. Quicken gives movement+1 and I+1 (or movement+3 if it lacks intelligence). Fortify gives S+1 and T+1 (or a chosen armour value +1). Guide gives WS+1 and BS+1.  

Standard Rites:

Programming Interrupt gives ones of the three above statuses and can make a free reaction at the cost of removing the status. This is good, and sound, and should be used. 

Cogitator Pulse removes those statuses and inflicts a feedback outcome. Also basic and very reasonable, if situational given the opponent. 

Overcharged Reactors also applies statuses, is easier to cast, and gets removed at the end of the turn. Very basic, and you probably should aim for programming interrupt given an option and some good die rolls. 

Lacrymaerta Rites:

Omega Protocols removes statuses, suffers feedback, and if any models are removed then two more S=6 hits get applied. Essentially and upgrade for Cogitator Pulse. 

Flesh-Knit Protocols gives fortify or quicken. It is a touch easier to cast than Overcharged Reactors. 

Reductor Rites:

Unseal The Portal forces an emergency disembark and inflicts a feedback. Nice, albeit short ranged.

Deactivate Limiters is essentially a long ranged version of Overcharged Reactors. 

Esoteric Rites:

Fury Of Ages is for Myrmidax and gives fortify or guide at short range and low difficulty. 

Chastise The Machine Spirit is for everyone and gives Stunned or Suppressed as well as a feedback. This is good. 

We will cover Machina Malefica distinctly. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Mechanicum Traits

Beginning the reviews of Liber Mechanicum, we first turn to the high tech arcana of the various traits - or factions - within the Mechanicum itself. Players can choose which traits they like, but there are penalties for mixing a commander of one trait with a unit from another. Further, all automata can't control objectives (unless via the Cybernetica trait), make reactions (except if someone has a cortex controller), suffer tactical statuses, or be routed. 

Archimandrite (Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars). 

This is the governing and political faction, broadly speaking. Their core benefit is Cl+1 and Ld+1 which is very nice to have. Significantly, they don't suffer any penalties for joining other factions. For a small points cost, the player can also use 2 Cybertheurgic Rites per turn as well which can be powerful. Their apex detactment has troops with veterans prime advantage selected for them as well as retinues since they can summon the corse of the Forge Worlds power to the front. 

Cybernetica (Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5/5 stars, narrowly rounded up!).

The robot controllers and creators. Any automata unit accompanied by a magos or similar can hold objectives. This one cannot be under-estimated on the battlefield. One model can also be given Paragon of Metal as a prime advantage (Ld+4, Int+4, WP+4, I+1, WS+1) and is counted as a tech priest - this is amazing really. Their apex detachment gives you yet more robots or different force organisation chart slots. 

Lacrymaerta (Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5/5 stars, but rounded down). 

The flesh and metal masters. Your battlesmiths can repair wounds to infantry, walkers, automata, as well as vehicles as normal. Or just add more tech thralls to your unit that you are already in proportionate to your battlesmith value. Interesting! The prime advantage here is for infantry: S+2 and W+1. This turns one unit into a super unit effectively. And the apex detachment is three heavy assault slots to use as Ursarax cohorts. 

Myrmidax (Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars). 

This is the trait of warfare! Models get W+1 and a bunch of special rules such as battle meditation. They become champions too and therefore eligible for challenges. As a gambit, the get an additional die in the focus phase and discard the highest in exchange for a shooting attack. The apex formation are elites with only a single prime advantage. 

Malagra (Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars). 

Effectively the secret police of the Mechanicum! Cause BS-1 and WS-1 in a reasonable range to Mechanicum enemies as you radiate fear into them. Pretty amazing really when placed well. They also come with a gambit which is an Intelligence test to add a battlesmith value to one of WS, S, A, or I which will help. For the Apex detachment, there are three Arcuitor Magisterium units to gain. 

Macrotek (Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars). 

Building things from cities to titans - they have the grandest of plans and visions. They can grant a 6++ to a regular vehicle just by being close to it. The Prime Advantage also gives vehicles AV+1 on the front and sides, Hull Points +2, and an increase of transport capacity by 2. This is solid without being outrageous. Of course, their Apex detachment offers 6 vehicles and you have to select the prime advantage discussed for all of them. 

Reductor (Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars). 

Dissembling things - like enemy fortifications - into ash. The give S+1 to things shooting at buildings or stationary vehicles, or eliminates the use of ShieldWall advanced reaction choice when targeting a unit that otherwise could declare it. The Prime advantage is 5++ and Ld+1 which is solid. They get 3 Thallax cohorts in their Apex detachment. 

Dreadtober 2026: Not much to show so far!

Dreadtober 2026 has started! 

This year, I have pledged to complete a Saturnine Dreadnought. Largely because it has been sat in the Saturnine box for way, way too long, and I need the motivation!

As can be seen, my progress is strong and substantial thus far. The legion can almost be guessed at as well I suspect. I've just got a couple of parts to glue into place (all of them). And I'm sure it could use a few licks of paint here and there to make it more interesting and eye catching (all of them). I have zero doubt that I will finish it off in no time at all. 

I am also a raging optimist. 

Warhammer World: Terminator Helmet

I have been meaning to post this one for a long time, but it honestly slipped my mind. On my visit to Warhammer World earlier this year, I spied an Indomitus pattern Terminator helmet that I wanted to share!

The is an Ultramarines chapter helmet, in red. 

The construction of it really took my eye - so to speak. If you zoom in and look closely if you get to visit the Warhammer world exhibits, it is worth seeing some of the everyday items that have gone into this, but are otherwise cleverly disguised and integrated. The mesh and wires were nice to see. The rebreather seems like household items to my untrained eyes. And the bionic eye / targeter was very interesting to have on board there. 

Overall, a very impressive addition to the exhibits and worth taking a good look at. Doubly so if LARPing or cosplay are your thing.