The Tyranids Last Home was The Magellanic Clouds - An Updated Argument

Back in March 2012 I posted a small hypothesis about where the Tyranids might actually have come from.

My argument then was fairly simple: the Tyranids were explicitly extragalactic, yet the various Hive Fleets appeared to be attacking the Milky Way from rather different directions. In particular, some of them appeared to be arriving along the plane of the Galaxy whilst Leviathan was doing something rather different and coming up from below it. 

My suggestion was Galactic Cannibalism. I argued (rather vaguely) that the Tyranids had originated in one of the satellite galaxies associated with the Milky Way: the Large Magellanic Cloud, Small Magellanic Cloud, or Sagittarius Dwarf. Their interaction with the Milky Way could then potentially account for Tyranid populations arriving from apparently different directions. Fourteen years later, I think I had part of this right and part of it wrong. 

The original post is here: Tyranids from Galactic Cannibalism? 

First, a bit of astrophysical housekeeping. The Hubble expansion argument in the original post isn’t especially relevant here. The Magellanic Clouds are members of the Local Group and are gravitationally interacting with the Milky Way. Treating their separation as though it were simply increasing according to Hubble’s Law isn’t appropriate. Likewise, the idea that destruction of a satellite galaxy could simply scatter Tyranid populations around the Milky Way is a little too convenient. Sagittarius is being tidally disrupted. The Magellanic Clouds are a more complicated dynamical system and I wouldn’t make quite the same argument now. 

So let me modify the hypothesis. The Tyranids came from the Magellanic Clouds! 

Or, more precisely, the Large and/or Small Magellanic Clouds were the last galaxies consumed by the Tyranids before they turned their attention to the Milky Way. There are several reasons why I rather like this version. The first is Hive Fleet Leviathan. The modern Tyranid background has doubled down considerably on the strange geometry of Leviathan. It isn’t simply another fleet entering through the Eastern Fringe. Leviathan is enormous, with tendrils detected throughout the Imperium, and Imperial observers conclude that these tendrils are attacking from below the Galactic plane.

The Fourth Tyrannic War makes the point even more strongly. Tyranid fleets are now appearing in Segmentum Pacificus, on the western side of the Imperium, having emerged from beneath the Galactic plane. This changes how I think about the old problem. We don’t necessarily have Hive Fleets arriving at the Milky Way independently from several completely different external galaxies. Instead, Leviathan appears to represent an enormous Tyranid distribution beneath the disc which is intersecting the Galactic plane in multiple places. 

Now look at the Magellanic Clouds. The Large Magellanic Cloud lies at Galactic coordinates approximately l = 280.5 degrees b = -32.9 degrees and the Small Magellanic Cloud at l = 302.8 degrees b = -44.3 degrees. In other words, both are substantially below the Galactic plane.

That isn’t proof of anything of course! Half of the extragalactic sky is below the plane! But it is interesting. If we wanted a nearby extragalactic location from which a vast Tyranid swarm could approach the Milky Way from beneath the disc, the Magellanic system is sitting in exactly the right general part of the sky. 

There is then the big piece of Tyranid lore that didn’t exist when I wrote the original article: the Pharos. The epilogue of Pharos established that the destruction/overloading of the Pharos during the Horus Heresy attracted the attention of the Tyranids. At that point they were drifting in the intergalactic void. The Pharos flare effectively told them that there was something worth eating over here. At first sight, that seems to kill my 2012 suggestion. If the Tyranids were happily living in the Large Magellanic Cloud in M31, they weren’t drifting around in the intergalactic void waiting for the Pharos to go off. 

But there is a much cleaner version. Suppose they had already eaten the Magellanic Clouds. They consume their way through one or both galaxies, exhaust the useful biomass, move out into the surrounding void, and enter whatever passes for dormancy in a Hive Fleet. Then the Pharos lights up. Suddenly there is a beacon coming from the next major galaxy. Dinner. This even works reasonably well in terms of distance. The Large Magellanic Cloud is around 163,000 light years away. The Small Magellanic Cloud is around 200,000 light years away. There are approximately ten thousand years between the Horus Heresy and the arrival of the major Tyranid invasions in M41. A very crude straight-line calculation therefore requires an effective velocity of order 16-20 times the speed of light. Which obviously doesn’t work in real physics. Fortunately the Tyranids aren’t using real physics. Narvhal bio-ships create compressed-space transit corridors which allow Hive Fleets to cross interstellar distances faster than light. A journey from the Magellanic system to the Milky Way over that sort of timescale therefore causes no particular difficulty within the established setting. 

There is one consequence of this idea that I particularly like. The Magellanic Clouds should still be there in M41. Tyranids don’t eat stars. An observer in the Milky Way would therefore still see the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds hanging in the southern sky. From a distance they might look entirely normal. But send a ship there and things could be very different. Billions of stars. Planetary systems intact. Rocky worlds still orbiting their suns. And almost nothing alive. World after world reduced to sterile rock, stripped of atmosphere, oceans and accessible organic material. An entire pair of dwarf galaxies that constitute the Tyranids’ previous meal. There is also a potentially testable version of all of this. Take the canonical locations where Leviathan’s tendrils enter the Galactic disc and try to reconstruct their approximate three-dimensional approach vectors. Then compare those with the real direction of the Magellanic system. Games Workshop’s Galactic cartography obviously isn’t accurate enough for precision astronomy. But the test doesn’t need to be precise. If the Leviathan vectors consistently occupy the Galactic hemisphere and broad direction containing the Magellanic Clouds, the idea becomes rather more interesting. 

If they point everywhere beneath the disc, the correspondence is probably coincidence. So my revised hypothesis for 2026 is slightly different from the one I proposed in 2012: The Tyranids didn’t necessarily originate in the Magellanic Clouds. The Magellanic Clouds were simply the last galaxies they ate. Afterwards they moved into the void. 

Then somebody turned on the Pharos. Oops.

Assault Destroyer Conversion

How easy is it to turn a chaos space marine raptor into something approaching a Horus Heresy era assault destroyer marine? That's the question that I started out with several weeks ago after raiding the (frankly too large) bits box. 

This marine is built out of a number of kits. Obviously the raptor provided the basis and I've shaved off the chaos growths on the back of the jump pack along with most other things that are too heretical to mention. The right arm comes from the ancient chaos space marine range. The left arm from the more modern assault marines. Shoulder pads from the same along with the "first born" space marine range (I still don't like the term even despite the recent controversy). Grenades at the groin cover up the blank part where I shaved off the chaos star. 

I should probably add a chain sword, but otherwise I think this is done. The helmet seals the deal and makes it look a lot more Heresy era. My intention here is to paint this one up in Thousand Sons colours and see how it looks. Recommendations for paint scheme approaches welcome!

Summary Page Update

Although this post is short, I have been working behind the scenes to update the Horus Heresy Summary Page. This now includes the entirety of Liber Custodes (i.e., Legio Custodes, the Sisters of Silence, and the Diviso Assassinorum). Additionally, the Zone Mortalis journal tactica has been added.

That brings to a close the Liber Custodes reviews. 

Next up will be another Journal Tactica, followed by the long-awaited Liber Mechanicum in due course. Lots more to come! 

And Dreadtober is approaching as well! 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Kharon Pattern Acquisitor

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars. The rules are relatively good. 

Background. 

Sleek, deadly looking, and very stealth orientated, the Kharon Pattern Acquisitor is the Sisters of Silence transport unit. Realistically, it is meant to be for taking prisoners and bringing them in for some justice of one sort or another. It is also a highly rated tank overall as well.

Strengths. 

With an armour value of 13 on the front, the Kharon is a good transport and can carry up to 12 Sisters in to the heart of battle. Naturally it is also an assault vehicles but in this edition has a movement rate of 12. 

The weapons here are good. It has both a hellion heavy cannon array (suppressive 6 shots at S=7) and a Vratine heavy missile pair (each has a small pie plate, panic, and psy shock for your mortal and immoral enemies which still has uses thanks to panic against non-psychic enemies).

In and of itself, its mere appearance also causes fear! It also has outflank to get somewhere nasty fast and shrouded to help stay alive. It is a great transport realistically and should be taken to transport Sisters to where they need to be (or fluffier: their quarry away). 

Weaknesses. 

The Kharon has lost a bit compared to second edition. The movement rate is slower and it has less special rules. 

Beyond my gripes, the rear armour of 11 is an issue that players need to consider. 

Builds.

There are no builds to discuss.

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Anathema Cadre

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5 stars. The only troops choice. Over-costed compared to space marines and otherwise lacking in custom units compared to previous editions.

Background. 

These sisters of silence are organised in to a paramilitary force and able to take down anything ranging from enemy psykers through to armies of animated corpses controlled by corrupted so-called sorcerers. These are the core units of the sisterhood in short. 

Strengths. 

A 10 in willpower with 4's in WS, BS, and I, but otherwise looking very mortal on the stat line. The 3+ save is the same as a space marine, of course.

They have bolt guns as standard, and come with Fear (useful) and hatred against psykers and malefic (situationally useful).

The upgrades are mixed. Two bolt pistols is fine overall for close up work. Flamers are useful for your purification obsessed units. And Execution Blades are good enough, but you are giving up the bolt gun for these. Equally, rending and breaching at S=5 and AP=3 will quickly deal with enemy space marine squads so long as they survive the strikes coming back at them. 

Weaknesses. 

I am more than disappointed that there is only a singular unit of Sisters troops available. Seriously - all the glorious divisions and even beast handlers of previous editions have been lost. Not cool. 

Worse than this, I would contend that they are over-costed in comparison to core space marines. A tactical squad with 10 Astartes at T=4 is 100 points. Here we have 10 women mortals with T=3 (not an issue - NB), but costed at 115 points. For this, all you get is fear and hatred as extra, but they will go down to massed fire power much more easily. 

Builds.

10 Sisters with bolt guns (115 points).

Basic and reasonable. Swapping out for 2 bolt pistols each is also entirely viable and might actually be better in Zone Mortalis or similar.  

5 Sisters, All with Flamers (90 points).

Up close and personal with flame units. 

10 Sisters with Executioner Blades (215 points).

Somewhat expensive, to be sure. But if they get the charge in, then things will start falling apart in all likelihood. And I like the miniatures. They a bit like power swords, but better!

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Knight-Centura

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars. The only command choice, but lacks build flexibility.

Background. 

Battlefield commanders from within the Chamber of Oblivion. These commanders field their own mission forces and can be responsible for many Sisters. 

Strengths. 

Strictly inferior to Jenetia Krole, but that is to be expected. The Knight-Centura is the command choice for the Sisters of Silence. 

They come equipped with a paragon blade which is the best part of it. With WS=5 they will be hitting, but only at S=4 with critical on a 6+. 

They do cause fear though which is great, and have native precision at 6+ along with the usual hatred against malefic and psykers. 

They are also light infantry which has uses of its own.

Weaknesses. 

What really stands out to me here is the sheer lack of customization! There are literally no choices to make and no build variants. This is poor form to say the least. 

Builds.

As noted above, there are no builds to discuss. Boo. 

Mid-Heresy World Eaters Assault Squad - Angry Marines Looking Angry

In the years after the Drop Site Massacre, the World Eaters slowly began changing their colours. This was, according to lore, done in two steps or two different manners, depending what you believe (and I would note that the canon is always ambiguous in the grim dark future, so don't flame me!). The first is that they chose to replace the blue of their armour with red paint. The second was the sheer accumulation of blood that turned the armour disgusting red anyway. Seriously: why don't these marines undertake basic hygiene? They must smell really bad by thus point. My guess is that they destroyed the servitors that would have done the spring cleaning by this point for fun. 

Here are five of those marines all armed with bolt pistols and chain axes, as befits a World Eaters assault squad. The painting follows my usual grime laden prescription. This includes white spray paint undercoat and base coat. Using Guilliman contrast paint in most of the recesses to show wear and accumulation. Mephiston red as the base coat and red contrast to fill it in. I have added Nuln Oil to the approach on top of the contrast - most especially on the painted red parts (shoulders and jump packs). Then comes the fun part. Sponge applied black for explosive wear and tear, selected scratching. The flicking red contrast paint on to the miniature. This is especially effective on the white parts of course. Following that, blood for the blood god applied where it needs to be: in the largest accumulation of the red splatter, and around the chain axe heads. 

Some of the marines are more restrained and allow just a few spatters to do the talking. Others are much more grim and covered in the stuff. They look well on their way to total red berserkers. Which to me, is the point. 

The mind flip here is the question of "what if they are loyalist after all". I like that tension a lot. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Jenetia Krole

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars. The witch bane is well worth the points as a high commander. 

Background. 

The "Soulless Queen" herself -- Knight commander of the silent sisterhood and a sinister figure to say the least. The background fluff suggests she was legend prior to the Battle of Prospero with the Thousand Sons and that she stalked many battlefields like some deathly spectre hunting down psykers galore for the Emperor (or even at the Emperor's behest). 

Strengths. 

With WS=6 and BS=5, Krole presents a severe proposition for opponents to deal with along with 4 wounds and 2+/4++ saves. The advanced characteristics are all 10s except willpower which is a 12. 

She is armed with an archaeotech pistol which is nice, and the Sword of Oblivion. The sword gives S+2 which is needed here for S=5 and also have AP=2 and 2 damage. Critical hitting and duellist's edge round out a rather unique weapon. 

As the Souless Queen, she has a gambit named for that which gives a focus bonus equal to the difference in willpower. Ouch on the whole! She also has a bunch of extra rules like hatred against psykers and malefic which will help her out, along with causing fear and precision all the time. Don't forget Ex Oblivio as well. 

Finally, I think its worth noting that she is also light infantry. 

Weaknesses. 

T=3 is the real issue with Krole. This is terribly mortal. Eternal warrior will help keep her alive, but you will also need to either transport her, or screen her effectively (preferably within a unit as well). Opposing players would be well advised to gun her down before she reaches their lines. Especially Thousand Sons. 

Builds.

There are no builds to discuss.

Horus Heresy 3e Review: The Silent Sisterhood Rules

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars. Situational and average rules.

The Anathema Psykana Army List is very limited to say the least. There are only a few units - we will review these distinctly - which does not give a lot of flexibility. As they are also Talons of the Emperor, they can be allied to a main Custodes force, which is reasonable, or any other Loyalist force. 

The Silent Sisterhood can also be the primary detachment. In which case the army gets one bonus reaction point so long as you have someone with the Investigatus Militant trait (which is essentially either Jenetia Krole, or a Knight-Centura -- undoubtedly a player will have one of these in a primary force!). 

As for the main perk, their Divisio Tactica is Anathema. This means that they are immune to psychic damage and warp damage. They cannot be targeted by friend or foe for blessings or curses. All damage from things like psychic powers and perils of the warp is simply ignored. End of. Further, if someone tries to wound them with a psychic weapon or immaterium weapon, then they only do so on a 5+. 

The command choices also have Ex Oblivio which forces perils of the warp tests on enemies who are psychic or malefic at the end of a combat round which is extra tasty. But also extra situational. 

Overall, this is - as you would expect - an anti-psyker, anti-daemon, and anti-sorcerer army. They could do well against certain builds (notably daemons, Thousand Sons, certain Word Bearers, and others). But against more regular armies like traitor Death Guard who might shun psykers, their only boon is realistically the additional reaction point. Hence I would give them a much higher star rating against certain armies, and a much lower one most of the time. Which is why I've given 3/5 stars overall as a bit of a compromise position. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Ares Gunship

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars. Lots of firepower.

Background. 

This is a flyer that has been in use since the Unity wars on old Terra. The firepower alone was enough to make the Chancellor of the Antipodean Penninsula (wonder where that is?) capitulate and surrender to the Emperor. 

Strengths. 

Armour of 13 all round with a terrific movement rate of 18 and 12 hull points.

The main attraction here is the armaments:

Twin Arachnus Storm Carronade (anti armour option at S=10 with 2 shots; or six lots of S=7) at long range;

Neutronium Magna-Caster Cannon (S=10 template with hellstorm, breaching, phage on T and cascade) at much closer range;

Two Infernus Fire bomb Clusters (limited shot with large pie plates at S=6 to cause panic).

On top of this there is also the Eclipse Shield. 

There is a bit of a dichotomy between the long and short range weapons, but players will honestly get used to it. 

Weaknesses. 

The Ares is mildly over-costed to my mind. 

I would actually almost prefer the Orion Drop Ship if you had to choose between these super heavies. 

Builds.

There are no builds to discuss.

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Orion Assault Dropship

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars. A good flying super heavy transport!

Background. 

Specifically created for the Custodes. This is a drop ship that can carry a whole load of them into the fight, precisely where they need to be and fend off on-coming attacks whilst scouring a landing zone simultaneously. 

Strengths. 

With armour values of 13 all round, this is a tough flyer that will keep going thanks to the 12 hull points. The transport capacity is a very impressive 26 with an equally impressive movement rate of 18. 

The craft comes with an Eclipse Shield. This gives a 5+ shrouded save against shooting attacks, but only once it suffers a penetrating hit. And only until it returns back to the aerial reserves. 

For amaments it sports a twin Arachnus blade cannonade, two twin lastrum bolt cannons, and two spiculus missile pods. These provide 12 S=6 shots per turn which is excellent. 

Weaknesses. 

The points cost says "Super Heavy". It has also had a bit of a downgrade compared to second edition wherein it pumped out even more shots per turn. It is still good, but it is now certainly on the core gambit side of things for your army. In other words, plan around how you will play the Dropship!

Builds.

There are no builds to discuss.

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Caladius Grav-Tank

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars. The rules are average. 

Background. 

Hailing from the dark age of technology, this grav tank combines the anti-gravity technology of a bygone age with the ability to bring a strong weapon to the middle of the battlefield. A mobile weapons platform that the Iliastus accelerator cannon would later be retrofitted to other vehicles for. 

Strengths. 

Armour of 13 on the front and sides with 7 hull points makes for a strong tank with a respectable movement rate of 14. The BS is significant here with 5. 

The Iliastus accelerator cannon gives S=9 with 4 shots and breaching with is attractive for a multi-role deployment. 

The Arachnus blaze carronade gives S=10 but only 2 shots and Ordnance on damage with armour bane. Clearly this is the anti tank duty. But note that the burst fire mode is still respectable for anti-infantry. I would therefore advocate this build over the accelerator cannon. 

Weaknesses. 

The points cost is a touch high, but I can see why that is. 

The option of the Neutronium cascade projector is probably not worth it for a long range tank. 

Just beware of your rear armour which is weak. 

Builds.

Caladius with Arachnus Blaze Cannonade (225 points).

My recommendation in the general case. 

World Eaters Assault Sergeant with Meteor Hammer, Painted in Mid-Heresy Colours

This miniature has been a long time to completion. A World Eaters sergeant, armed with a meteor hammer, and painted in the mid-Heresy colours. 

Originally, I was intending to paint this one in the classic blue and white colours and let the head conversion do the work to suggest the starts of the Butcher's Nails starting to bite. I had a change of heart the more that I stared at the conversion and thought that mid Heresy colours might be something not only more appropriate, but also a bit of a different challenge to pull off. 

The reds were done in Mephiston red for the base colour and gold trim. Nuln oil was liberally washed over them and highlighting done with the red dry compound. 

Then came the fun bits that I like so much about World Eaters. Liberal application of grime and blood. Guilliman flesh and nuln oil have been applied into the recesses. Black has been sponged on in controlled amounts to suggest at least some battle scuffing or nearby explosions. Contract red has been flicked on - literally using my finger nail to do the flicking (who needs to nail varnish when you have citadel paints?). This created the underlying splatter. Then blood for the blood god in among the red flicked splatter to provide a genuinely clumpy red and gore like appearance. The decals are from the standard Forge World range: the mid Heresy legion icon on the left shoulder pad, the numeral "XII" on the right. An assault symbol on the left knee, crossed chains on the right, and a command symbol on the chest (neither of these latter three being very visible). 

From this model alone, it is easy to get a good sense of how the World Eaters became all red due to the fighting the erupted thanks to the Nails. A few more battles and undoubtedly even the rear of the white armour would become redder and redder. 

The rest of the squad will follow this same approach!

Painted Iron Hands Breacher Sergeant

The breacher sergeant follows my established method for Iron Hands painting. Explicitly: under coated in black (spray can) followed by base coating in Eshin Grey. This is followed by washed of Nuln Oil and diluted black to give it a used and matte black colour whilst retaining some highlights. The silvers are done in lead belcher with Nuln Oil shading and dry brushed silver accents. 

What I think sets this painting scheme apart from many others is the white shield. I have seen Iron Hands (and indeed Raven Guard and Dark Angels) struggle to select accent colours well. Reds, Blues, Dark abyssal hues, and others beyond have all been used. But I always seem to come back to white as being a reasonable accent for generally black armour. There was another reason for this though: the decals. A good portion of the Iron Hands decals are black. And that doesn't show on a black background of course! Hence white is a favoured accent colour here by a long way. I think this has worked very well overall. I will shortly get the rest of the squad completed. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Pallas Grav-Tank

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars. The rules are solid enough. 

Background. 

The hunter killer grav craft employed by the Custodes. They're skimmers and they're rather fast and dashing. As you might expect, they are used for hit and run exercises which they are well able to perform.

Strengths. 

It is a grav tank with a movement rate of 16, 4 hull points and 11's on the side and back with 12 on the front. 

It comes with a twin Iliastus accelerator fusil as standard. Four shots at S=7 is solid without being outrageous and breaching helps. 

This can be upgraded to a Arachnus blaze cannon. This is more of a serious anti-armour option and does well. 

Weaknesses. 

For me, the points cost is probably about right to just a touch too high. This is fundamentally a weapons platform, but I can't help but think that Space Marines do this a lot better. 

Builds.

Pallas with Iliastus Accelerator Fusil (105 points).

Solid enough. Can be quite a distraction if not dealt with.

Pallas with Arachnus Blaze Cannon (130 points).

Anti-armour and effective. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Gyrfalcon Jetbike Sodality

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars. Custodes on jetbikes doing exactly what you think. 

Background. 

These are custom jetbikes designed specifically for the Custodes. Not only to take their mass, but also to provide some unique functionality for them as well. They are a screening unit as well as a fast response - and the models are really nice in my opinion as well. 

Strengths.

Custodes on jetbikes are cool - and I won't be taking any questions about this at the current time. 

Movement rate of 16 ensures that they get to where they need to be rapidly and with an extra wound compared to the foot slogging variety as might be expected. 

They are armed with a lastrum bolt cannon which is very nice for the rate of fire, and a solarite power lance as standard. The lance on the charging strike is significant with S+5 (for S=10) with impact on attacks, critical hitting, and armourbane. In defensive strike mode, they are much less to write home about. Hence strike fast and early to cause damage and get out of there if you think you will need back up. 

The cannon can be swapped out for the adrathic devastator (which is okay, but not amazing) or a twin corvae las pulser which is great for the armour bane action. 

Weaknesses. 

Why has the name changed from Agamatus since the other two editions? I am unclear.

This is fundamentally an expensive unit that does exactly what you would expect. You will want to clear your target in one strike though, so my advice is to field a few more than the base unit provides. Take las pulers to taste. 

Builds.

5 Jetbikes, 2 las pulsers (370 points). 

Shoot to explode a transport (like a rhino), then charge in to finish them all off. Take more pulsers for land raider purposes. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Venatari Sodality

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5 stars. I want to like it more, but I just feel other options in the army are superior. 

Background. 

Custodes who have proven themselves in the Blood Games (which seems to be a game of tag designed to test the emperor's defences) can take up the mantle of Venatari. So long as they also have an aptitude with the flight technology of their power armour as well. Typically found in the rafters of the Imperial Palace, they swoop down from high to the battlefield to pick their targets. 

Strengths.

I like the models and I may be in a minority to say that. 

The attraction here is the movement rate of 14 combined with the potential to deep strike in or outflank. Firestorm also means that they don't have to make snap shots for volley attacks which is good. 

For equipment they come with the Tarsus Buckler as standard which gives S-1 to incoming volleys or overwatches against them. This is very nice. The Kinetic Destroyers are excellent with breaching at 5+ and S=7 with 3 shots, but at very close range only. They can certainly whittle down an enemy squad before a charge. Or, upgrade to the Ventrum Lance and have a good close combat attack with AP=2 and S+1 with precision and a very limited shooting attack at S=5 to cause stun. And the Neutronium Cascade Mines are an interesting option with S=9 and 3 damage with a slew of special rules including armour bane and detonation to help with destroying tanks or immobile structures. 

Weaknesses. 

Melta bombs are gone and effectively replaced with the Neutronium mines. They're okay, but I did prefer the melta bombs. 

I'm not sure what this unit should do. The base build is a close range shooting option. The melee version is fine, but I prefer a guardian spear for all round purposes. 

Builds.

3 Venatari, Neutronium Mines (195 points).

Distraction carnifex territory or maybe neutronium-cide anti-tank. Difficult to tell. Eliminate a rhino and shoot the transported squad I guess. 

3 Venatari, all with lances (165 points).

Perhaps a better all round build, but lacking in shooting. Again, very much a distraction carnifex that an enemy has to deal with or it will cause some damage. I prefer this configuration. Add Neutronium to taste. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Coronus Grav-Carrier

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars. The rules are average for the points cost. 

Background. 

I personally have always liked the grav-craft since they were first depicted in Rogue Trader. The Coronus carries on this tradition by having the grav-craft be in use by the Legio Custodes. The wider background shows that the craft was an upgrade to the Jocasta design employed in the Unification Wars. Of course, the other grav-craft are based on the Coronus design and have improved it whilst maintaining the goal of being fast an able to deploy into zones that other vehicles might find tough.

Strengths.

As a heavy transport, it has a carrying capacity of 14 which is reasonable overall. But remember that your regular Custodes has Heavy (2). 

The movement rate is 12, which is okay. The armour is 13 with 11 on the rear and 8 hull points which means it is mid-range in terms of survival. 

On the plus side, it does have auto-repair at 3+ and is an assault vehicle with deep strike as standard which is excellent. The armaments are also very reasonable with a turret Arachnus blaze cannon (amazing with S=9 in concentrated mode!), and a twin lastrum bolt cannon which is S=6 but with only AP=4. 

Weaknesses. 

I would really like to have seen the movement rate be higher. In second edition it was 16, so this is quite a bit of a loss in my opinion. The access point is on the rear, which is also where the AV=11 armour is located. 

Don't take it for deep striking purposes if you already have an Arae Shrike elsewhere in the army as you will compete against yourself for getting your army on the board. Instead, think of it as an enhanced and very much upgraded rhino for your Custodes. I'd actually begin with it on the board to make best use of the blaze cannon!

Builds.

There are no builds to discuss.

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Telemon Heavy Dreadnought

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars. Great model with good rules, and lots of points too. 

Background. 

Hand crafted by the Emperor himself (well -- at least one part of the armour is), the Telemon is an exceptionally rare beast. Only the most remarkable Custodes gets to be interred, and the order would sooner the dreadnoughts remain unoccupied than some lesser Custode pilot it. Truly a waste of resources!

Strengths.

The stat line has S=9, T=8, W=8 which make it very durable (and also a fire magnet for the most high strength enemy fire power). The 2+/4+ save only adds to this. 

It comes with a Spiculus missile launcher which gives suppressive and breaching with 6 shots at S=5. This makes it very good for anti-infantry work. 

The options are then:

Telemon Caestus - a great S+3 fist with AP=4 and an incredible 3 damage (4 if paired). Great for anti-armour thanks to armour bane, but also has critical hitting and shock. I'd be tempted to take one if you feel you can catch a tank. It comes with a build in neutronium cascade projector which is an excelletn S=7 template with breaching, phage on Toughness, as well as the interesting annihilation cascade which gives you a chance at more penetrating hits. I suspect this isn't going to hurt much except the rear of a rhino though (or similar!).

The Arachus Storm Cannon is amazing. I'd take it. It has S=9 (going down to 6 if in a burst, but with more shots) and AP=2 and 3 damage. Two of these is deadly. 

The adrathic desolator is something that doesn't know where it sits. Great for rending, but you already have plenty of anti-infantry options and it only gives as many shots as the storm cannon but at a lower strength. Could be excellent against multi-wound enemies though. 

The Iliastus accelerator culverin is the rapid tracking option with S=9 and breaching. I like this almost as much as the storm cannon.  

Weaknesses. 

Intelligence has been reduced to a remarkable 3!

It also explodes and costs a dreadful amount of points. 

Builds.

Telemon, Caestus, Arachus Storm Cannon (385 points).
This is what I would regard as a standard build.

Telemon, Caestus, Iliastus accelerator culverin (380 points).

Another very nice option that switches out the cannon for the rapid tracking of the culverin.  

Telemon, 2 Iliastus accelerator culverins (390 points).

Rapid tracking shooting platform. I actually prefer one fist here to be very honest, but 2 culverins can still work. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Contemptor-Galatus Dreadnought

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars. Great model with reasonable rules. 

Background. 

The best way to describe this dreadnought is as an anchor point. Armed and armoured with some of the best technology in the Imperium and a pilot who was possible a great friend of the Emperor himself, the Galatus is intended to be a power house for the slaughter of any enemy of the Imperium from within or without.

Strengths.

Superb with S=8, T=7, 6 wounds and 5s in WS and BS. 

The Gravis Praesidium Shield is excellent for not only providing a 4+ invulnerable save, but also granting the Shield trait which can be overlooked. 

The Warblade is reasonable overall. It has a template panic flamer built int, along with an AP=2 and 2 damage close combat profile that gives reaping blows as well as being aflame. This will be more than enough to take on 2 wound terminator enemies for instance. 

Weaknesses. 

The main detriment here is that compared to a space marine dreadnought with a Gravis Power Fist, the Galatus is actually weaker. It shouldn't matter all of the time - to be clear - but what it ultimately means is that the Galatus is fundamentally anti-infantry. And the rest of your core army can likely do just as good a job at that. For this reason alone, I am giving the dreadnought a middle of the range 3/5 stars. 

Builds.

There are no builds to discuss.