Horus Heresy 3e Review: Ultramarines Nemesis Destroyer Squad

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. Good rules and potential for board control in  multiple small units.

Background.

The Ultramarines possessed many chapters within their structure. Some were dedicated to a very specific type of warfare. The Nemesis Chapter was one such configuration. They feature primarily bolt guns but were otherwise a destroyer sub-division replete with rad grenades. Their bolt guns, however, were manufactured to use experimental ammunition that had a strong influence on the Calth war. 

Strengths. 

Looking like regular bolt guns, the Mortifier Bolter has a shorter range in exchange for causing panic. These are very useful and can impact a good amount of board control when played right.

There are multiple upgrades available, but the rad missile launcher is nice for being assault, poisoned, phage on toughness, and has AP=3 making it break regular marine formations. 

Phosphex and / or melta for the sergeant is icing on the cake really. The only real decision to make here is whether to tool up further for close combat or not. My instinct is not - keep them as a mid range panic and toughness phage inflicting threat and accompany other units to finish them off if needed. 

Weaknesses. 

They're nothing special realistically: 3+ armour save marines with 1 wound each that cost a bit more than regular marines due to the equipment. 

Builds.

10 Nemesis Destroyers, 2 Destroyer Missile Launchers (195 points).

Take nuncio vox and similar to taste. Upgrade to more members and kit the sergeant out for close combat if you wish (thunder hammer by preference), but my take would be to run multiple of these squads and leave the melee to a more dedicated unit (but equally the bolt pistol and chainswords are good enough against phage inflicted regular marines, so just go for it anyway!). Take phosphex bombs to taste - melta bombs are better elsewhere probably unless you're really taking 2 melta guns? 

Rubble Basing from Unused Bits

If you are anything like me, then your bits box is probably overflowing with cast off bits and parts that you have kept "just in case" and has inevitably accumulated over time. I often have half a mind just to sell a random bag of bits on eBay, but then I don't do it for whatever reason my brain says. 

But this week I broke my habit of endless accumulation of bits in a very specific way. Basing! Okay, this is not a novel idea by any means. I will freely admit that. I like how it has turned out though.

The vibe that I am aiming for here is war strewn rubble. Perhaps even Isstvan inspired at some level. The bits seen here consist of cork (to at least provide one level location for a foot to be attached to on two of the bases), drop pod remnants, chain swords, rhino door, random eagles and eyes of Horus, broken Custodes weapons and shields, Imperial sector cast offs, there's even a marine that I've slice in half, one or two age of Sigmar bits that plausibly look like building works, servo skulls, bits from vehicle accessories frames, unused heavy weapons, bolt guns, and close combat items, and random small accessories bits. And those are just the ones that I remember and see easily. There's lots more besides all cluttered together on these bases upon close inspection, and layered as well. I fear positioning feet on some of these will be a challenge, but that's a problem for the future!

Creeping Vines Use and Basing

Creeping Vines are sold by Warhammer in a boxed set to help with scenery and basing. What is immediately striking about them is the sheer flexibility that they offer. The plastic which is used is very flexible and can be bent into twisting shapes to adhere better to existing scenery. 

The base above shows a flying stand with rubble (cork and actual stones and grit) plus old bits of the plastic imperial sector painted up. Surrounding this, I've twisted the creeping vies to create some foliage and suggest the these ruins have been around for a while and nature is starting to take back over. In hindsight, I probably should have opted for a more brown colour on the trunk of the vines, but the green is good enough here!

The second image shows that vines on the sprue. I painted them like this because it was easier to spray paint them with the undercoat before applying liberal amounts of contrast in red and green to create the final detail. The frame doesn't do justice to the flexibility of the plastic used here. I did accidentally break one of them due to forcing it too hard - so fair warning, don't be like me and just gently bend them! Glue helps them stick in place once the positioning is right. Overall a great product and one that I will certainly be thinking of returning to in the future. 

Liber Astartes and Hereticus Reviews Complete

It has been a long road to get here, but the main entires from both Liber Astartes and Liber Hereticus for 3rd Edition Horus Heresy are now completely reviewed!

The summary page has been updated!

So, the obvious question to readers is this: which volume should get reviewed next...? Please feel free to make suggestions in the comments below. I will cover everything eventually, but I'm currently pondering which book to focus on next. Also, if I've missed your favourite Legacies unit, please also do shout out as I've included a number of them, but not all of them since many models are simply no longer available. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Mastodon Super-Heavy Assault Transport

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️

2.5/5 stars. Rounded down. Slow, but has its place.

Background.

Employed only sparingly during the Great Crusade to breach enemy positions, the Mastodon saw increased use in the days of the Heresy as a fully armed and armoured transport capable of protecting its transported marines even against titans to a reasonable degree.

Strengths. 

AV=14 all round with 20 hull points and a whopping transport capacity of 42 makes the Mastodon impressive. Only the Sokar Stormbird can compare. 

You can carry 4 models that lack infantry or paragon, but can't have greater than bulky of 6 (so yes, you can carry some contemptor dreadnoughts which is pretty unique). 

Two void shields help keep it all alive nicely. The siege melta array is nice enough with a large blob at S=10 but obviously short range, and the turret skyreaper is fine with S=7 and skyfire. 

Weaknesses. 

The movement rate of 10 is a problem for a transport, unless you don't mind moving slowly, which admittedly many people might. 

This is the sort of unit that you need to build around. Not only your army list, but also your battleplan. 

Builds.

Mastodon, las cannon sponsons, heavy flamer sponsons (620points).

We have to take two lots of sponsons, so the selection here corresponds to what is sold (I acknowledge you get all variants) but its always pictured with this combination and I don't see any reason to disfavour it. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Sokar Stormbird

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.5/5 stars. Rounded down. The rules are fine overall.

Background.

An ancient design that pre-dates even Great Crusade and harks back to the Unification of Terra, the Stormbird is ungainly in flight, unsightly in appearance, but gets the job done. Where the job is defined as forcing a landing zone or forward position.

Strengths. 

This is fundamentally a transport vehicle. And a big one at that. 

It can carry 52 standard occupants and this includes larger models (up to 2 that lack infantry or paragon), with the restriction of nothing at Bulky (6) or above. It can also carry a rhino (which is at 12 on the bulky scales). 

AV is 14 all round with a solid movement of 16 and a juicy 22 hull points. Topping this off are two void shields as well. 

For weaponry, it has las cannons on the hull, twin heavy bolt guns (two on the turret and one on the rear) as well as six hell strike missiles. These are nice to be clear, but not quite at the same level as you'd get out of the turbo-laser on the thunderhawk.

Weaknesses. 

Exactly the same as second edition in terms of my critique. This is a great craft, but the points cost is a significant deterrent here. It certainly is one for the collectors and is ALWAYS well regarded on the table top for the sheer audacity of fielding it and the rarity with which it is seen. I actually like it a whole lot, but wow - the real world financial cost combined with points cost in game makes this a rare one to see in person. And given I tend to play at lower points levels games, I guess I just don't see it much!!

Builds.

Sokar Stormbird (850 points).

Take the gravis heavy bolters if you want them - they will provide much closer fire power for you.