Salamanders Fire Drake Conversion

One of the only options that a Salamanders Fire Drake terminator can take is to replace their shield with a (forge crafted) heavy flamer. There are no resin parts for this, so a conversion is the only way forward at this point in time. 

Sitting in my bits box collection was a heavy flamer from the older chaos space marines range. I decided that I would use this for several reasons. This first is that it looks more ornamental than a regular flamer and that communicates "forge crafted" more readily than other alternatives. Secondly, what if this were a traitor Salamanders anyway (shudder!)? And thirdly, there's also the rule of cool. So I went with it.

The primary issue here is that the part needs to be shaved with some precision to make it flush with the shoulder and billowing drake skin comes down from the shoulder. This is straight forward if you can get hold of a good looking bit of resin to clip. Here I have used Right Arm Part B (hope that makes sense for anyone wanting to follow this pathway). I clipped off the hand and shield attachment, of course. Essentially getting rid of the elbow as well in order that the plastic heavy flamer could then be pinned into position.

My strong recommendation here is to do lots of dry fits and judgments by eye by holding the bits up against each other and seeing where to slice. I went slowly and took off less than was needed at each slice, slowly progressing toward a natural joint. Largely because putting back on bits that had too much chopped off it a severe problem! In terms of conversions, this is a reasonable one to execute, but it did require precision and patience. 

The base meanwhile is supposed to be lots of accumulated battlefield debris. Maybe from the drop site that they fought in. I like the outcome here, but haven't yet painted it. I have the rest of the squad to build first!

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Veteran Breacher Squad

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

Background. 

One of the main reasons that I bought the Journal Tactica on release day was to see the full extent of the Veteran Breacher Squads. These are offensive line breakers for Zone Mortalis or otherwise elite reserves for the legion, and rarer than the other veteran squads available. 

Strengths. 

Space marines with 2 wounds, 2 attacks, and WS=5. They come native with a 3+ armmour save and a 5+ invulnerable save which makes them almost ideal for Zone Mortalis short of a 2+ armour save - but that is what terminators are for and there is some worth in considering the relative points cost against that. 

Veteran (3) ensures that they will be on point to swipe at your enemies and get on top of their tactical objectives. The Leadership and Cool of 8 is also reasonable here. 

Players will want both the vexilla and the nuncio vox as the basic upgrades. 

As with other Veteran squads, the customization for this unit is really where it shines. The humble bolt gun can be swapped out by any member of the squad for a variety of options. 

Chainswords and Chainaxes are clearly nice to have here, and the chain axe in particular is very well suited to certain legions (looking at you Space Wolves and World Eaters) but all legions can have them. The Astartes Shotgun is nice for stun, but perhaps little else. It might be worth taking a couple per unit if you are so inclined. 

Volkite chargers are fine so long as you take them in number! Always with volkite: go big is the rule of the day. 

The melee swaps are good as well: charabal sabres are reasonable, but I'd honestly spend more points and take a power weapon, power fist, or lightning claw here instead. Or maybe a mixture of them all depending on your points value you have to spare. 

The one in five swaps are also tempting. The flamer is strong for Zone Mortalis, and perhaps more broadly as the Medusan Immortals show. Graviton is excellent, the las cutter also has its place. The melta gun likely calls for a more specific set up. Speaking of which, the sergeant can also have melta bombs (yes for specific builds), disintegration pistol (reasonable if you don't mind dying too), and a thunder hammer (yes!). The Vexilla and Nuncio Vox are automatic upgrades here as well. 

Weaknesses. 

The basic 3+ save is a mild concern offset by the invulnerable save. 

The points cost can also build up rapidly here and I advise watching how it might compare to a naked set of Tartaros Terminators at least. 

Builds.

5 Veterans, Vexilla, Nuncio Vox, 1 shotgun, 1 graviton gun, 2 power weapons, thunder hammer and disintegrator pistol for the sergeant  (195 points). 

An all purpose squad for throwing out statuses and taking on many comers. It is very expensive though. 

5 Veterans, Vexilla, Nuncio Vox, 1 shotgun, 1 flamer, Sergeant with thunder hammer (165 points).

A cut back version of the above with a flamer instead. 

10 Veterans, Vexilla, Nuncio Vox, 9 Volkite Chargers, Sergeant with thunder hammer (308 points).

Lots of Volkite. 

10 Veterans, Vexilla, Nuncio Vox, 2 Melta Guns, Sergeant with thunder hammer and melta bombs (310 points).

The melta set up. I'd suggest a couple of shotguns here as well just in case. And chain axes too because why not. 

10 Veterans, Vexilla, Nuncio Vox, 10 Power Weapons (355 points). 

Very expensive compared to raw terminators, but they do have the rule of cool it has to be said. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Veteran Despoiler Squad

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars. Extensive customization is available. 

Background. 

Elites and veterans who just love to get up close and personal. The veteran despoiler squad is armed with a breadth of tactical flexibility according to the background which ensures that they can be found in the thick of the battle - or highly prized for boarding actions in Zone Mortalis. 

Strengths. 

Space marines with 2 wounds, 3 attacks, and WS=5. These are veterans who want to be in close combat to get the most out of them. Ld=8 and Cl=8 round out the advanced characteristics. 

Instead of Line, the veterans have Vanguard (3) which all but ensures that they want to be charging and denying the enemy any objectives. 

Players will want both the vexilla and the nuncio vox as the basic upgrades. 

Beyond that, there is serious customization to be had here. Any model can have a legion sergeant melee weapon for their chain swords. This gives free chain axes at a basic level, but a squad full of power weapons is highly tempting as well - despite the obvious points cost implication. Pairs of lightning claws are also nice here too. 

The chainsword and bolt pistol can also be swapped out for heavy chain swords and heavy chain axes all round. The World Eaters thank you. Otherwise, you can have combat shields or legion pistols. Both are viable, and I particularly commend the hand flamer here for Zone Mortalis. 

Disintegration pistols are interesting here too as options, if you want a real glass cannon build at short range. 

Weaknesses. 

The basic 3+ save is a concern. 

Builds.

5 Veterans, All with Twin Lightning Claws, Vexilla, Nuncio Vox (165 points). 

Effective so long as you get in combat.

5 Veterans, Combat Shields, Power Weapons, Vexilla, Nuncio Vox (175 points).

Invulnerable saves and power weapons are great. 

5 Veterans, 2 Disintegration Pistols (1 on sergeant), 2 hand flamers, 1 power fist and 4 chain axes, Vexilla, Nuncio Vox (155 points).

Very much recommended for Zone Mortalis. 

5 Veterans, 5 Heavy Chain Axes, Vexilla, Nuncio Vox (140 points). 

World Eaters and Space Wolves will like this thematically. But every legion can take it regardless!

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Auxilia Combat Technician Section

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5/5 stars, rounded down. The rules are valuable for the Combat Decryptor in a Zone Mortalis game, but will be wasted on other battlefields.

Background. 

These mortals are combat technicians who don't usually see contact with the front lines as their specialisms are likely too valuable to be risked. But when they are called forth, they provide non-Mechanicum-sanctioned means to interrogate vox transmissions and ensure their cohorts advance without technological interference.

Strengths. 

The reason to take this unit is the Combat Decryptor. In short, this device gives the unit battlesmith and Intelligence=9 for the purposes of making the Bypass Cogitator Zone Mortalis Advanced Reaction. This in turn opens and seals doorways and is a superlatively valuable part of Zone Mortalis play. Hence this unit is probably going to be vital to the Solar Auxilia in such scenarios, but wasted in most other battle spheres. 

Weaknesses. 

They are very mortal here with T=3, 1 wound each, a 4+ save, and very poor leadership of 6 (or 7 for the Prime). 

That said, they are cheap enough. My recommendation is multiple small units and to use them early, and perhaps as a screening unit later on. 

Builds.

5 Technicians, all with las rifles and blast chargers (35 points). 

Cheap and cheerful. Take multiple squads of these depending on the points value of your game. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Veletaris Raider Section

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5/5 stars, rounded down. The rules are quite good.

Background. 

These are Veletaris who have access to unusual close combat weapons that ordinarily are not contained within the Principia Bellicosa. Perhaps they grabbed them from the elites of the rogue traders or similar. 

Strengths. 

The customisation here is interesting. Indeed, there is even a designers note suggestion conversions using regular Veletaris storm sections with added Necromunda weapon bits swapping. 

The standard breaching shot gun is solid at S=5 with stun, but it is a short range weapon fundamentally. This can be swapped for a boarding shield and storm maul instead. This might be a good thing to help keep them alive a little bit more (even against bolt gun fire) whilst the shock maul gives a valuable breaching at S+2 (i.e., S=5). Shield wall advanced reaction might be a good thing to have in Zone Mortalis too. 

The vox interlock is almost a given, and the vexilla may be wise to also take. 

Weaknesses. 

With T=3, one wound, distinctly average leadership, and a 4+ saving throw, the unit is not going to last long if you don't play wisely. The points cost is reasonable though, but can add up with the shields. 

Despite the name, the breaching shot gun does not providing breaching!!

Builds.

10 Raiders, Vox Interlock, Vexilla (95 points).

The breaching shotgun build. 

10 Raiders, Vox Interlock, Vexilla, All with power mauls and boarding shields (135 points).

Probably what most players will ultimately go for. I actually like the look and feel of this unit, even if they aren't going to last long compared to space marines. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Castellax Infernus Maniple

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars. The rules are hot!

Background. 

Built especially for the close quarters of Zone Mortalis, the Infernus configuration of the Castellax replaces the usual melta weaponry with purging incinerators and flamers that are well suited to vaporize entire tight corridors of enemies. 

Strengths. 

The purge incinerator is a template weapon with S=6, breaching and panic. Strictly better than a heavy flamer, but still not with the valuable AP=3 for dealing with space marines. It does, however, have AP=4 which makes it very effective against mortal squads. 

The power blades are good as is the phased refractor shields which augment the already good T=6 and W=4 with a space marine like saving throw. Vanguard and firing protocols round this out. 

Weaknesses. 

No real long range threat. This is a pure flame build with excellent close combat potential. Although I like the incinerator, I did wonder if the multi-melta might still have been preferable? I'm on the fence. 

Builds.
There are no options here to discuss other than the number of Castellax to use in the unit. These extra bodies don't come with a discount, so I'd suggest taking whatever your points cost or build aesthetic wants or needs.