Horus Heressy 2e Review: Deathwing Companion Detachment

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are good, and very unique within the entire game which makes them a great choice for what they are able to do. 

Background.

Devoted to their legion and sworn to protect their leaders even unto taking the death blow for their praetors. The companions are the longest serving veterans of the Deathwing and come with a variety of unique upgrades. 

Strengths.

The Death Sworn Companions rule is mighty indeed and allows the player to ignore precise shots and strikes, along with the sniper rule, as well as letter the controlling player allocate wounds. This rule alone makes the unit worth taking. 

The Deathwing retinue rule means they only are allowed in play alongside a master of the legion and cannot be taken on their own. This is fine.

It is worth talking about their unique upgrade here as well: the Cytheron Pattern Aegis -- at the expense of dropping a bolt gun. The basic way to use them is as a 4+ invulnerable against shooting, or a 5+ against close combat. But when "deployed" at the end of a movement phase by 2 or more members of the squad, then entire squad gets this benefit along with imposing I-1 at the price of not being able to themselves attack. This is mainly worth it, but also worth thinking about how to optimize for this choice. 

Weaknesses.

A truly unique unit of veterans in the entire game. The WS=5 and W=2 combined with artificer armour is just the icing on the cake, let alone the refractor field for the Oathbearer. They can even take jump packs!

Builds.

5 Companions, all with Terranic Great Swords, 2 Cytheron Pattern Aegis (195 points).

There are lots of ways of configuring this unit. I like the great swords for their sheer audacity. The two aegis are for the initiative drop when required - it won't always be needed and you can keep these guys alive for a while due to being able to allocate wounds. Getting expensive for 5 models though, but worth it still. Take a legion vexilla to taste. 

Horus Heresy 2e Review: Dreadwing Interemptor Squad

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are good, but you are competing for an elites slot for these guys. 

Background.

When you want a job done, and that job is no less than the complete and utter annihilation of the problem, these are your men. They leave no trace of anything behind, and won't probably even remember themselves. The Lion's ultimate sanction all told. 

Strengths.

Do you like plasma? What about plasma burners? How about an upgrade to a plasma incinerator which is just like the above but with a torrent? If so, this is the squad you are going to adore. 

Beyond this they also get stubborn, counter attack, and bitter duty which helps them on some occasions. 

Weaknesses.

The elites slot is already full. You may struggle to get this squad in there, but could do if you focus. You also don't need a full squad, but 5 bodies still only has 5 wounds and thus they are not durable when combined with their regular 3+ power armour save. You will really want a transport to get into position and then unleash. Good luck though, this squad will be a priority target if your opponent knows what they are facing off against. 

Builds.

5 Interemptors, 1 plasma incinerator, Praefectus with artificer armour and 1 phosphex bomb (150 points).

There are multiple ways to configure the unit, but I feel a low body count is best. Even a "naked" squad will serve well, but I suspect the optimal use is an alpha strike / plasma-cide tactic which argues for keeping the points cost low. 

Horus Heresy 2e Review: Inner Circle Knights Cenobium

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are good, but there's probably only a couple of orders that you are going to take. 

Background.

There are wheels within wheels, and there are orders within the Dark Angels. The Inner Circle Knights Cenobium are those orders militant within and dedicated to unique martial skills. 

Strengths.

The plasma casters that they carry as standard are effectively flamers with breaching, but what is really cool are the standard terranic greatswords. These terminators come as standard with 2 wounds and WS=5, but the preceptor has an amazing WS=6 which blows away much of the competition. 

Not only can they take the hexagrammaton upgrades, but they get their pick of Orders as well. 

Augurs of Weakness: Get a bonus against AV=11 or higher. You will want Iron Wing and some hammers here. But note there are better tools in the box for tank hunting than these guys - this is a bit of a waste.

Icons of Resolve: Ld+1 when charged is not worth taking. Skip this.

Slayers of Kings: Re-rolling of 1's to hit against WS=5 or higher or in a challenge is hilarious. Take with death wing. Don't forget Terranic Greatsword bonus. Take this almost every time!

Hunters of Beasts: I'm a bit neutral on the worth of re-rolling to wound rolls of 1's against T=5 or higher. I mean, if you know you're facing lots of beasts, then yes sure. But otherwise probably not quite worth it.

Reapers of Hosts: A+1 against they have base to base contact with more than one enemy is cool. Take it if you're not wanting Slayers of Kings. Great against horde armies, of course.

Breakers of Witches: re-rolls against deamons, psykers, and corrupted is highly situational. Of course, if you know you're against daemons of the ruinstorm, it is a no-brainer. Thousand Sons will hate you for it too. As will plenty of Word Bearer armies, and certain Sons of Horus builds. 

Weaknesses.

Lots of points cost here, and they can not sweep!

Builds.

5 Inner Circle Knights Cenobium, 1 Legion Vexilla, Preceptor with Grenade Harness (290 points).

There's honestly not many other builds to consider. Add extra bodies to taste. Swap out a greatsword for a thunder hammer (perhaps 1 only) if desired otherwise retain those greatswords all round.

What Colour Should Iron Warriors Plasma Be?

Chat - help me out with a hobby question! I'm painting up a support squad armed with plasma guns for my Iron Warriors force. Question arising: what colour should the plasma be for Iron Warriors?

The miniature is a work in progress and categorically not complete, as can be seen from the image - no judgments on that please. But I've reached an impasse as I can't quite decided between the more obvious blues, greens, or even reds for the plasma coils. What do you think? I'd also like to have an internal "glow" where there are whites within the recesses and the colour burns out on the raised areas. A bit of a painting challenge, but I'm game. Just need to address the question of the colour first though. Recommendations welcome (as well as any tutorials that you think might help - or help other readers)!

Horus Heresy 2e Review: Lion El'Jonson

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4.5/5 stars, rounded down. The rules are very good!

Background.

The Lion was ever the ruthless pragmatist. Brought up on the death world of Caliban, he hunted fearsome monsters to their graves and learned that once he committed he had to follow through or perish himself. This attitude bled into his Dark Angels legion and made them a relentless force that destroyed the enemies of mankind without remorse. 

Strengths. 

The Lion does a little bit of everything. He applies some force wide buffs, while also being a significant personal danger. As Sire of the Dark Angels, he grants crusader (nice!) as well as a leadership buff to anyone who sees him - what a guy. The shooting reaction bonus is solid. He also gets to pick which hexagrammaton type he is every turn which is sublime. Keep him alive in turn 1 with dreadwing, and then move him to deathwing to get that +1 to hit when you need it most. You probably don't need the others?

His state line is beautiful and the envy of some other primarchs - WS=8 is triumphant for instance. He has a choice of weapons - the Lion Sword (which is a threat to everything) and the Wolf Blade (great for chewing up power armour blobs, but really its not as good a general choice as the Lion Sword - so take that instead). The armour allows a re-roll of the first failed invulnerable save per player turn which is cool. His side arm - the Fusil Actinaeus - grants blind with rending at 3+ making it one of the better weapons carried by the brothers. 

The point of the blade allows him to always charge 8 inches regardless, which will get him into combat plenty of the time. Hi choler also results in increased numbers of attacks when his wounds are reduced (up to A+2 at W=2). The stasis grenades meanwhile are cute and impose I-1 some of the time (but only usable once per battle). 

Finally, he also has adamantium will at a 3+ level which is remarkable.

Weaknesses.

He is not the best of his brothers in combat. Horus, Ferrus, and others are strictly better than him. I would place him in the upper half, maybe even in the top third (NB: math hammer still to be fully worked through). He is not a massive army buffing primarch either - but that crusader buff sure can be potent. He does a bit of both and well enough to get away with a lot of things. He is worth the points cost - although they are a bit steep at first glance, do pay them gladly! - and will serve you well. 

Overall.

Take him.

Difference to First Edition.

As with first edition, The Lion is something of an all-rounder who is able to be a bit of everything ranging from buffing his army through to being a close combat monster. In this regard, little has changed, and perhaps this is not surprising given that The Lion was published in First Edition comparatively recently (he was the final primarch to be released with a miniature and rules, after all). Sure, some things have changed here, but overall he feels about the same to me in the context of second edition. 

Horus Heresy 2e Review: Paladin of the Hekatonystika

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

5/5 stars. To my mind, this is arguably the best legion specific consul upgrade in the game which is why I'm giving the maximum number of stars. 

Background.

The keepers of secrets of the Dark Angels legion and those who acquired battlefield knowledge. They are steeped in symbols and are initiates of the orders of this labyrinthine legion that even the Alpha legion would be proud of!

Strengths.

Gain an Order like the Inner Circle Knights, along with WS=6 and maximum leadership, stubborn and adamantium will. They also get a very valuable Terranic Greatsword for free. 

Yet again, this is a swiss army knife character for the swiss army knife legion. You really won't go wrong for what you're getting.

Weaknesses.

None really for the points cost you pay. This is very much strictly better than a legion champion. You just have to choose the battlefield role you want for them and select the Order accordingly. May I recommend perhaps Reaper of Hosts as the default to grant A+1 when already in combat - this is a great bonus all round. All the choices can work though. 

Builds.

Paladin in Tartaros armour with Terranic Greatsword, Grenade harness (110 points).

Fairly generic and yet also gets the job done. Could easily be a Cataphractii armoured terminator as well if you wished. 

Paladin with Jump Pack, Terranic Greatsword (110 points).

A very nice and deadly consul to place with your assault squads. Similar can be said of bike mounted versions.