Horus Heresy 3e Review: Xiphon Interceptor

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. A speedy interceptor that has the rule of cool! Seriously, I love the model. 

Background.

A dual atmospheric and void craft, the Xiphon is an ancient craft design. Brought into the Imperium thanks to the compliance of outlying worlds, by the end of the crusade it was only the Ultramarines and Dark Angels who were still really using them. The Heresy changed this as every legion pressed them back into battle. 

Strengths. 

This is an air-to-air interceptor primarily. It does do its job magnificently though.

It comes armed with two twin mounted las cannons on its centreline which makes it ideal for aerial dog fights and the interceptor role (remember that in third edition fliers start in aerial reserves and must be assigned a combat role when they get on the board - interceptor is one of these. Other viable ones including the traditional strafing run!).

The Rotary missile launcher is okay as well, but your main damage is probably coming from your las cannons. 

And the craft is magnificently fast with movement of 20!

Weaknesses. 

Armour of 11 all round make this an easy target - especially on a strafing run. With 5 hull points, it will likely go down quickly, so decide your role and go for it. Equally, the points cost is attractive enough to offset these concerns. 

Builds.

Xiphon (120 points). 

The only build available!

Steam Style Review of Isstvan 3

Thanks to ChatGPT, I give you the following: a Steam style review of Isstvan 3!! 

[Emperor's Children loyalist variety]

- - 

Not Recommended.  

26.3 hrs at review time.    

Avoid unless you are extremely committed to punishing difficulty, broken command structures, and being lied to by every system that is meant to protect the player. 

The deployment begins normally enough. Standard compliance theatre. You know the routine. Then, without meaningful warning, the campaign reveals that your own commanders have flagged you for deletion, the sky turns toxic, half your faction disappears in the opening minutes, and the rest of the experience becomes an extended endurance mode against impossible odds. 

To be clear, this is not “challenging” in the satisfying sense. This is a betrayal simulator with survival-horror elements. Respawns are effectively disabled. Reinforcements do not exist. Air support is hostile. Extraction is fictional. Supply lines are gone. Mission updates consist mostly of discovering fresh layers of treachery while your brothers die around you. 

And yet, infuriatingly, it works. 

Because once the scale of the deception becomes clear, the whole thing sharpens. Every corridor matters. Every magazine matters. Every last stand becomes personal. You are not fighting to win the map. You are fighting because the alternative is to accept that everything you served was already rotten. The game understands this, and it leans into it with brutal consistency. 

Enemy variety is also strong. Arrogant duelists, frothing butchers, trench-stubborn killers, cold administrators of death. You really do get the full traitor roster, each with their own special way of making the galaxy worse. 

Boss design on the command tier is especially effective, because the real mechanic is not damage output but moral injury. 

Pros: Phenomenal atmosphere. Excellent desperation-driven combat. Strong squad cohesion mechanics, especially when everyone knows they are already dead. One of the best final-act tonal collapses I have ever seen. 

Cons: Tutorial lies to you. Faction loyalty system catastrophically bugged. No meaningful victory condition. Ends exactly as badly as it should. 

I cannot recommend it to anyone seeking fairness, closure, or competent leadership. I can recommend it to anyone who wants to look treachery in the face and still choose to fight. 

Verdict: 10/10 experience. 0/10 command structure. 

Would die on the walls again.

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Blood Angels Sanguinary Guard

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are good.

Background.

These are the Ikisat who are also known as the Burning Ones. Their role is straight forward enough: guardians of Snaguinius - or on occasion of commanders who were held in favour by the Primarch or his heralds. In effect then, when a commander is accompanied by these men, he has the full backing of the Primarch as these Seraph will sacrifice themselves for the commander or Primarch to live. 

Strengths. 

More jump pack marines, but this time with 2 wounds, WS=5, and all armed with perdition weapons. 

There are a variety of upgrades available, and I think the full squad melta bombs on a full squad are an absolute steal. Paragon blades and inferno pistols all have their place as well. The best upgrade is, however, the banner. You should be taking the legion standard.

Weaknesses. 

I am a bit torn on the utility of combat shields for these marines to be honest. 

Builds.

5 Seraph, Legion Standard, Paragon Blade (235points). 

I feel there's no point to the unit unless you are taking the legion standard, and then a paragon blade comes a close second. 

10 Seraph, Melta Bombs, Legion Standard, 2 Paragon Blades, 2 Inferno Pistols (495 points).

In the realm of very costly in terms of points, but the cost is understandable. This is the ultimate escort unit minus the combat shields (20 points upgrade for that all round, so something to think over) and you should be able to pull things off by speed and positioning. 

Hours Heresy 3e Review: Contemptor-Incaendius Dreadnought

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are good.

Background.

Contemptor dreadnoughts with jump packs specially manufactured by the Mechanicum on Baal's first moon under the treaty of Anvillus. Being blunt: some dreadnoughts have jump packs - get over it. 

Strengths. 

Let's just revisit the core premise here. It is a dreadnought. WITH A JUMP PACK. 

In third edition, this amounts to a few things. It has a base move of 8. It can deep strike. It also has a special rule of a boost pack which enables it to gain the anti-grav type during a Rush. Hence not quite what an infantry man with a jump pack would be. But that is okay!

The paired talons of perdition weapons are solid and come with aflame 2 as well as AP=2 and are hitting at S=9. This is excellent. The melta and assault cannon upgrades are worth considering too.

Weaknesses. 

You are getting what you pay for, and it is expensive to be clear. But consider the cost of a regular dreadnought - let's say invariably 170 and above - combined with a dreadnought drop pod which would be 100 points, and you can see that the price here isn't actually bad at all!

Builds.

Contemptor-Incaendius Dreadnought, two melta guns (220 points).

I like the melta gun replacements for the heavy flamers as they provide excellent threats. 

Contemptor-Incaendius Dreadnought, two Iliastus assault cannons (230 points).

Slightly longer range threat as you close the gap for close combat. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: The Angel's Tears

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are good.

Background.

There exist a range of attitudes toward destroyer units among the legions. There are those that simply do not use them (Salamanders) to those that regularly use them without remorse (Death Guard), and various shades of shunning, and occasional use in-between. For the Blood Angels, they use them, but only when Sanguinius calls for it. These then are the Angel's Tears: Destroyers for the Blood Angels, also called Erelim, and part of the First Sphere like the Crimson Paladins. They have given up their names and identities whilst they serve in this manner.

Strengths. 

Destroyer assault squads with twin volkite serpentas and rad grenades. 

The vanguard (3) rule is excellent here and might swing games. Firestorm ensures that their volleys are not snap shots either. 

Upgrades include the Erelim grenade launcher that has poisoned and phage on toughness which is excellent. Legacies give further options including rotor cannons for causing statuses and Iliastus assault cannons. 

Weaknesses. 

Expensive given that they only have 1 wound each and a 3+ save to keep them alive. Very much glass cannon territory if not played intelligently. 

Builds.

5 Erelim, Arch-Erelim with thunder hammer (165 points). 

The baseline entry. 

5 Erelim, Arch-Erelim with inferno pistol and thunder hammer, 2 rotor cannons, 2 assault cannons,  (230 points). 

Note the use of the inferno pistol here. I'd like melta bombs here too, but can't seem to get them in Third Edition. 

10 Erelim, Arch-Erelim perdition weapon, all with heavy flamers (365 points). 

The anti-horde build. It won't make you many friends, but it is very nice. 

10 Erelim, all with Iliastus pattern assault cannons (450 points).

Dakka till you drop. Again, you are not making any friends here. The price is too steep realistically as well. 

10 Erelim, Arch-Erelim with power fist, all with Erelim grenade launchers (365 points). 

 I really like this build as well. Might get you slightly more friends for being fluffy, but don't count on it.

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Dawnbreaker Cohort

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are great.

Background.

The Dawnbreakers are the elites of the assault squads for the Blood Angels. They are known for accompanying Sanguinius himself in dawn raids as they sprinkle down from the skies to liberate long long human colony worlds from xenos and tyrants alike.

Strengths. 

High movement, WS=5 and armed with the falling star power spear. This does impact (SM) and breaching whilst bringing AP=3 to the table. You can exchange this in Legacies with a pair of equinox blades to get an extra attack which might be attractive, but I'd value the spears higher. A couple of perdition weapons might also be desirable for the Aflame rule here. 

Alongside this, they come armed with grenade dischargers (frag and krak) which are a great shorter ranged weapon for when they charge in.

And charge in they are very likely to. They have deep strike natively as you would expect with jump packs. They also have Set the Sky Aflame. You cannot be targeted by interceptors over 12 inches away when you deep strike. This is very strong indeed. 

Rounding this off is the fact they have a 2+ save and 2 wounds each which explains their higher points cost, but they are still worth it. 

Weaknesses. 

Not many, but I would recommend a character being attached to them.

Melta bombs for 25 points for the entire unit are good for larger units, but not as great for smaller ones. 

Builds.

10 Dawnbreakers, Melta Bombs, 3 Perdition Weapons (315 points).

A baseline build (you could go smaller) that is effective and strong.