Horus Heresy 3e Review: Justaerin Terminator Squad

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The classic Sons of Horus terminator squad. 

Background.

The Justaerin are the elite of the elite within the Sons of Horus. They are the literal embodiment of the tip of the spear that Horus was so fond of adopting and their purpose is simply that: the destroy the enemy heart and leave nothing standing in their wake..

Strengths. 

WS=5 and T=5 cataphractii terminators with 4 attacks to boast about and bane strike ammunition as standard. These are the elite soldiers kitted out with the best toys possible. 

There is some flexibility with builds available here, and they can have multiple battle field roles as a result. They are probably best used as the proverbial tip of the spear though. 

Vanguard (4) is really handy. It can literally swing games when played correctly. 

Weaknesses. 

The Justaerin don't really have too many weaknesses other than their sheer points cost. Even a basic unit costs like a land raider. And you will probably want the same to transport them I'd imagine. Short of figuring out a good deep strike method. It is interesting to note that they do NOT have Carsoran power axes as standard here. Equally, there's a good argument for not spending points value on these axes in third edition. 

Builds.

5 Justaerin, 1 with heavy flamer, 1 with thunder hammer (295 points).

A baseline entry squad with little to talk about. Grab a vehicle and go hunting. 

10 Justaerin, 2 Multi-Meltas, 4 Combi-Meltas, 2 Chain Fists (575 points). 

The free combi bolters are an entertaining option in third edition and can make a unit specialised without trying too hard. 

10 Justaerin, 2 Reaper Autocannons, 4 Power Fists (595 points). 

One for hunting down the enemy terminators perhaps. The combination of bane strike and the firepower of reapers should hit reasonable well, but the power fists are needed for that low AP. Take thunder hammers to taste. Lightning claws are a nice alternative for sheer volume of close combat attacks, but giving up bane strike (especially with the re-worked legion trait) is tough to do for these terminators.

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Dark Emissary

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

2.5/5 stars. Rounded up. The rules are acceptable. 

Background.

Eyes, ears, examples of the skills that Horus demanded of his traitorous allies, and executioners for those who fell short. The dark emissaries were sent by Horus to keep tabs on his allies and guide them along the required path.

Strengths. 

A relatively cheap command character for the Sons of Horus. The stat line has 4's and 5's in the places you might expect, with Leadership of 10 and Cool of 10 as well. 

He comes armed with a mere bolt pistol, a staff of dark authority, and a special rule called Eyes of the Warmaster. 

The Staff is essentially a power weapon with +1 for strength and critical hitting. It is okay overall without being overpowered. 

The Eyes of the Warmaster allows the character to join other factions (like other legion allies) and the leadership and cool are not lost here. This is fluffy and appropriate I think. 

In legacies, he can also be placed into terminator armour which is a solid enhancement and worth considering. 

Weaknesses. 

I want to like the Dark Emissary more than I do. He is very fluffy, but ends up being just a bit niche. Even the humble bolt pistol lacks bane strike here sadly (and the only way to get it is to exchange a bolt gun which he doesn't have - take the terminator option with the combi bolt gun and you have a deal though!). You could upgrade to a plasma pistol I suppose. 

Overall.

A cheap character. A fluffy character. He should be doing more than he is. I want a single instance of him within other traitor forces, but there's no point in doing so unless you really want to be as fluffy as humanly possible. Other characters are strictly better and do more. He's honestly a bit of a drag on resources for the third edition force organization chart. Can't see him being played as even the fluffy players will struggle to slot him in without a lot of soul searching. 

[Author's note - This is the final entry for characters from the Sons of Horus! This legion has far too many playable characters in comparison to other legions now - command and high command are bloated.]

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Maloghurst The Twisted

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

3/5 stars. The rules are okay. 

Background.

Equerry to the Warmaster himself, Maloghurst was almost killed in earlier action which left his body shattered and earned his moniker. With little left but to serve his Primarch, he became ever more the shrewd operator and trusted on the battlefield to carry the icon of Horus and thus also became known as the Bearer of the Eye. 

Strengths. 

A reasonable stat line, but with reduced movement as you might imagine. 

He carries the Icon of the Warmaster into battle. This provides +1 to Line and Vanguard for the unit he is attached to. This is actually really nice and can pivot his use in games entirely - and possibly help to win.

Bane strike ammunition in a bolt gun and a regular issue power sword round out the character.  

Weaknesses. 

Mal's days of glory in single combat are over. Over. He doesn't have to take part in challenges. And no one would blame him. 

Overall.

The points cost here is average for what you are getting. Yes, there are some draw backs overall. But they are tolerable. He is also certainly fluffy for the Sons of Horus. No denying that. But he's probably not your first pick for a command character either. That Line +1 rule is very tempting though, even if it is kept on the back lines. 

Praetor Challenge: Word Bearers vs World Eaters

On a near airless moon, Lorgar leads his mutated followers against Angron and his crazed World Eaters! But what should they do?

It is the Word Bearers to play. The set up is as see at the start of the Word Bearers movement phase. 

Word Bearers:

1x Angron. [He has a summoning reading for a unit of 5x daemons - NB]. Unwounded. 
5x Gal Vorbak. 1 of them is down to 1 wound remaining. 

World Eaters:
1x Leviathan Dreadnought with grav flux bombard and storm cannon. 2 wounds remaining. 

1x Angron. 4 wounds remaining. 

6x Tartaros terminators. 5x Lightning Claws [1 has 1 wound remaining], and 1x Praetor with Paragon Blade (counts as) with 2 wounds remaining.  

The dreadnought LITERALLY is sat on top of an objective. Not that many of the participants seem to care!

What is the best play for the Word Bearers?

Internet kudos points await! (Only redeemable with your own friends when you boast to them about Warpstone Flux's Praetor Challenge ;).

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Vheren Ashurhaddon

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The Either continues our leader heavy exploration of the Sons of Horus. 

Background.

Vheren really didn't like it when the Sons of Horus were falling to the ruinous powers. He just wanted his legion back to being simple humble reavers and traitors - and to hell with warp spawn. So he chose to invade Cthonia and take it back for the greater glory! Aside from that, he perfected the reaving warfare technique that many would later aspire to and generally held the terrans of his legion in disdain.

Strengths. 

A praetor level character with WS=7 here. 

He comes with a pair of bolt pistols that can be fired as the Bane Strike Fusillade. This gives you four shots at S=5 and with breaching. This is great, but the range is obviously short. The Axe Serpentis is reasonable and gives you critical hitting with AP=2 built in. The gain in initiative is also good to have.

He also has a vexilla to round out his character which is fitting given how he rounded up his men to his own (no chaos traitor) banner I suppose. 

Weaknesses. 

In truth, Ashurhaddon doesn't really have anything special about him beyond the stat line WS enhancement and the unique equipment. No special rules to be seen here sadly. A bit of a missed opportunity to make him more characterful in my opinion. 

Overall.

You are paying a good increase in points value for the extra pip in WS combined with that vexilla and special equipment. I suspect you probably would have the vexilla elsewhere in a retinue squad if you had the option. Other than that, Ashurhaddon is a very reasonable character and extremely fluffy for the attempt to re-take Cthonia for the Sons of Horus. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Tybalt Marr

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The Either continues our leader heavy exploration of the Sons of Horus. 

Background.

Tasked with hunting down the rogue elements of the shattered legions, Marr got embroiled in a three year campaign against non other than Shadrak Meduson of the Iron Hands. He succeeded in the end, but it cost a lot of men and time to do so. 

Strengths. 

A praetor level stat line, but with a sword that helps him stand out. The Culling Blade grants an entertaining combination of breaching, critical hits, and poisoned to allow him to fell many of his erstwhile loyalist cousins with ease. The bane strike bolt gun is merely the icing on the cake here. 

Hatred against the Shattered Legions is an interesting special rule to have, and clearly situational yet also very appropriate. 

Weaknesses. 

A fairly solid character overall with no general weaknesses, but obviously might not be everyone's proverbial cup of tea, but I like him. 

Overall.

Fluffy to be very clear. His hunting down of the Shattered Legions is well depicted here and his Culling Blade entirely appropriate. The points value for Marr is also spot on for what he does. There's little not to like, except for the fact that the Sons of Horus are over-run with character choices. Hence I suspect Marr will be seen only in fluffier elements of the Sons of Horus who have been tasked with anti-shattered legion duties, which for me is a bit sad.