Horus Heresy 2e Review: Legion Command Squad

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are very good and this squad is highly customisable. Almost 4.5/5 stars really. 

Authors Note.

For this entry, I am combining the artificer power armour command squad, the legion cataphractii command squad, and the legion tartaros command squad for simplicity. 

Background.

Regardless of the type or mark of armour worn, legion command squads are the personal body guard of a praetor or consul and highly trained and disciplined warriors. More than this, they carry the banner of the legion itself into battle which in turn serves as a rallying point for the men of the detachment. 

Strengths.

All variations of command squads take the legion standard into battle. This grants Ld=10 in a small bubble, along with the extremely valuable Line rule. 

Beyond this they are all chosen warriors and and serve as the personal retinue of a commander. The terminators come with extra rules such as inexorable which is nice to have. All have 2 wounds each which will help with survivability, but not against all things. Finally worth noting is the bonus pip in WS which suggests that if possible this squad should be melee orientated. 

The customisability of this squad is very high - most especially for the artificer power armour squad. They can serve almost any role a commander wishes and echo the armaments of the commander himself where required. 

Weaknesses.

The points cost can climb quickly enough for a command squad, but this is also not unexpected. Protecting the standard bearer is a must since the key rules for the banner will fail if the bearer perishes. 

Difference to First Edition.

Neutral to slightly improved. Overall the rules are broadly comparable realistically. Certainly there won't be much difference in how a player controls them on the battlefield.

Builds.

There are lots of options here and the builds below are only given to provide a flavour of what might be possible or desired. 

Command squad with 9 members, 8 bolt guns with chain bayonets, 1 power fist (224 points).

Foot slogging and/or take a rhino. 

Command squad with 9 members, all with jump packs, 3 power fists, 6 pairs of lightning claws (298 points).

Fly into action with the jump packs and start ripping things up. Replace the lightning claws with as desired. 

Command squad with 5 members, all with combi-meltas (171 points).

Take with a Damocles rhino and go vehicle hunting?

Command squad, all with jet bikes, 1x nuncio vox, 3 power weapons (195 points).

Fast moving and hard hitting when required. Add more members to taste. 

Cataphractii command squad with 5 members, 5 combi-plasma, 5 chain fists (320 points).

All round killing. 

Tartaros command squad with 5 members, all with twin lightning claws, 1x grenade harness (225 points).

Take with a land raider and get stuck into combat as soon as possible.