Meteor Hammer Conversion for World Eaters Sergeant

A bit of a conversion piece today in the form of a Meteor Hammer for a World Eaters assault squad sergeant.

The meteor hammer is made out of several distinct parts. At the lower end (the meteor part) is the head of a power maul / mace. This works out quite nicely as the heavy end as it communicates the weight nicely even though it is not just a spherical mass. 

Attached to the maul's head is a chain taken from spares of the Noctilith Crown portal scenery piece. These are suitably spike laden (and if you press to hard will indent into your skin - ouch). I've pinned the power maul head to this and also drilled through the sergeant's hands to get the positioning spot on. The other end of the chain is from the same range and terminates in a small spear like tip. 

Joining both hands is a curved chain that I think is from the older chaos range - I can't be certain as it has been sat in my bits box for years on end being unused! Possibly the old chaos tank accessories frame? Again, I'm guessing, but let me know if I'm wrong. 

It took quite a bit of shaving and clipping to get the positioning correct on this curved piece regardless, but I think it connects to the hands quite well after a lot of dry fitting and fiddling around. 

Finally the eagle eyes will notice that the head is also a conversion. Here I've used a head front from an eight bound and the rear of the head from a standard helmet and glued the two together and used green stuff to hide everything. In hind sight, I would not choose to do this again and would buy a regular head from the Khorne range to depict the nails. Still - it works very nicely and I am pleased with the overall result here. 

 

Building Phoenix Terminators

In part frustrating, but overall okay. 

Building Phoenix Terminators from Forge World has been a pleasure when I'm now able to look at the final product and see the sheer detail that has been included in the sculpts. It is very impressive. However the assembly process itself was a bit fraught. 

The main issue is the two handed spears. Despite dry fitting many times over, getting these style of spears into the exact position is a pain. The issue is that the bond locations (shoulders and wrists) lack nubs or any kind of obvious joint to help with placement. [Aside: for the uninitiated, there are d6 like marks on the arms and spears to help you get the right parts at least (i.e., ".." on the wrists aligns with ".." on the rest of the body - 2 dots, just like the d6 result of a 2). 

In the end, my approach was to pin one of the shoulders into the approximately correct location. I then glued the spear on to this arm, and then proceeded to attach the other arm into what I trusted was more or less the correct spot. It worked out - just about. My pose on the right hand terminator above looks like a mid-strike movement which I am happy with. The head angle certainly helps communicate this fluidity. 

Conversely, the terminators that are wielding the spears one handed were much, much more straight forward and easy to assemble. They certainly look good in the end, much to my relief!

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Atramentar Flay-Clade

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.5/5 stars. I've rounded down due to native WS and the points cost. 

Background.

The terminator elite of the Night Lords, and all swearing fealty to Sevatar. Armed to the teeth (in some cases literally), they are noted to be shock troops employing murderous opportunism, yet also very prone to the Night Lords' failings of being little more than a disunited rabble who might plausibly turn against their own. 

Strengths. 

Two wound terminators in tartaros armour with T=5. There are several rules that set the aside. 

The first is Sworn Loyalty. They can use Sevatar's Leadership value (Ld=10) whilst he is on the battlefield instead of their own (Ld=8). This is valuable. 

The second is cloaked in murder, which gives +1 movement when setting up a charge against an already embroiled foe. 

The customization here is great. They have access to an almost full suite of terminator upgrades - which is exactly what you would expect for this elite unit. More than this, they also have native deep striking which is one of the hallmarks of the Night Lords - they really did invest in teleporter technology extensively. 

Weaknesses. 

Hopefully the subject of your charge is not only already locked in close combat, but also suffering from a status effect to activate the much needed WS+1 bonus for this unit (which has WS=4 base). This is an issue in comparison to alternatives in the Night Lords. The points cost here is also steep, and you are paying for these bonuses and the access to better weapon upgrades through the nose here. Hence the 3.5 stars out of 5. 

Builds.

5 Atramentar, 1 Heavy Flamer, (Power Axes or Chain Glaives)  (180 points).

Expensive in comparison to regular terminator squads (cf., 155 points), but arguably worth it for the extras as discussed above. 

10 Atramentar, 5 Thunder Hammers, 5 Chain Fists, 5 Combi-Meltas (495 points).

Anti-tank, but expensive. Take a Headsmans Axe to taste. 

20 Atramentar, 4 Heavy Flamers, 4 Thunder Hammers, 1 Headsmans Axe (785 points).

The large blob. Not really recommended, simply here as an illustration. Not worth the points.

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Night Raptor Squad

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

3/5 stars. This is a standard marine unit that can be very powerful, but you have to line them up appropriately.  

Background.

A breed apart, forged together by the simple fact that they all have similar ... proclivities. Soar above the battle field. Circle around. Look for prey. Then be really unsubtle about it all. 

Strengths. 

Essentially the Night Raptors are assault squads with built in Fear (1), Impact (I) alongside an impressive Vanguard (4). They get an extra pip in WS as well which makes them valuable. Two wounds rounds out a good value proposition. 

The WS=5 calls for a more combat orientated unit. However, with the legacies rules, you can also add on special weapons. And in third edition, I strongly recommend the flamer to cause panic and thereby trigger the Night Lords rules before you charge in. 

Of course, you can still have melta guns and others to make your squad more specialist, but I really see the flamer as the go to option. Twin lightning claws are also a realistic option here too as are chain glaives and chain blades. 

Weaknesses. 

They are still 3+ save space marines with a leadership value of 8. You need to position them well and get the charge in if you are combat orientated. 

Builds.

5 Night Raptors, 1 Flamer, 5 Chain glaives  (180 points).

A baseline build. Use the flamer to cause panic. Then charge in and finish them off. Expensive points wise, but worth it if you can position them well. 

10 Night Raptors, 8 Twin Lightning Claws, 2 Flamers (365 points).

Burn, rip, shred.

10 Night Raptors, 2 Melta Guns, 2 Chain Glaives, 2 Power Weapons (335 points).

Mixed Threats and will do well.

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Terror Squad

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

3/5 stars. This is a standard marine unit that can be very powerful, but you have to line them up appropriately.  

Background.

Regardless of whether it is a criminal worthy of punishment, a planetary governor, or some other victim, the Night Lords were well able to make a gruesome example of all that stood in their way. Indeed, it is notable that these true monsters (many of whom were marked for death by their Primarch) probably caused less bloodshed through their mere threat than when they were unleashed. But when unleashed, they brought ruination and dark deeds to the battlefield. 

Strengths. 

Fundamentally, the terror squad is a basic marine with bolt pistol, chain sword, and the valuable Vanguard (2) and Fear (1). 

As with other sources of fear, you need to apply some conditions and it is worth considering how to do that. 

In the upgrades, we have Flamers that cause panic, and rotor cannons for suppressive. Both are viable in third edition to help with that WS+1 bonus in close combat. 

Weaknesses. 

They are marines with a 3+ save and they die like them too. You are really paying a lot of points for fear, vanguard, and the ability to have lots of toys. See if you can infiltrate them somehow, or just take a transport. 

Builds.

5 Executioners, 3 Rotor Cannons, 3 Chain Glaives (145 points).

The baseline build to force suppressed on enemy units and follow up with close combat mayhem. Take a vexilla to taste. 

5 Executioners, 2 Rotor Cannons, 2 Flamers, 5 Chain Glaives (160 points).

Getting expensive here for 5 regular marines, but the idea is to apply different statues and follow up directly in combat. You just need positioning. Take a Vexilla to taste. 

10 Executioners, 2 Rotor Cannons, 2 Flamers, 5 Chain Glaives (250 points).

Like the above, but with more members that are really ablative wounds. Take a power fist or similar on the Headsman to taste. 

15 Executioners, 15 Rotor Cannons (370 points).

Massed rotor cannon action! Take a power weapon on the Headsman if you feel the need, and a vexilla to taste. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Contekar Terminator Squad

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. Very reasonable overall.  

Background.

The Contekar were the noble born sons of Nostramo. Corrupt, and showing utter contempt for the Imperial Citizenship, their main concern was with their own standing and haughty status within the legion. Indeed, only the Night Haunter or the First Captain could freely command them, everyone else had to be worthy of their butchery (by, e.g., being of similar noble bloodlines). More than this, they were often sent to change the commander of lesser Night Lord detachments that were deemed unworthy. 

Strengths. 

WS=5 and T=5 terminators in tartaros armour with three attacks and two wounds.

They come as standard with chainblades which grants S+1 , breaching and shredding. Functionally this is identical to chain glaives, but look cooler. They also have volkite cavitors which give you deflagrate at short range and S=6 which is very nice for softening up targets. 

There are only two upgrades to consider here: the Escaton Power Claw (which is worth the points), and upgrading the cavitors to heavy flamers which is tempting to be very honest. Even though you reduce the strength to S=5, the possibility of inflicting panic cannot be overlooked due to the core rules of the Night Lords. So take at least one - preferably much more. 

Weaknesses. 

Vanguard (3) and Fear (1) is good, but the inherent deep strike is what you are paying the points cost for. Indeed, Night Lords are one of the few legions to have superb access to Deep Strike and you should take advantage of this. 

Builds.

5 Contekar, 3 Heavy Flamer, 1 Escaton Power Claw (235 points).

This ties to the resin sold by Warhammer/Forge World and is exceptionally viable. 

10 Contekar, 6 Heavy Flamer, 1 Escaton Power Claw (435 points).

Moving up to 10 members, the points cost is less steep, and in all honesty, you could readily take it up to 15 members (635 points).