Horus Heresy 2e Review: Legion Tactical Support Squad

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4.5/5 stars. I rounded up, so help me. The rules are excellent.

Background.

In the Heresy Days before the year 40,000, and before tactical squads routinely took special weapons, there were the legion tactical support squads. They bring to the battlefield bolt gun replacements, with flamers being the basic weapon, and all sorts of others available. 

Strengths.

I will freely confess that I love the support squad. The ability to take a squad of melta guns, or plasma guns, and so on and so forth is insanely good. When 30k was first released, I mentally compared this squad to the likes of Eldar aspect warriors (e.g., fire dragons). Indeed, this is probably the best analogy I still have. These squads are specialized, but will find use on almost any battlefield depending on what your target is exactly.

Weaknesses.

They are a support squad. They don't fill compulsory elements of the force organization chart. This has not stopped me giving them 4.5/5 stars though. They also lack Line, but who honestly cares.

Difference to First Edition.

Neutral overall. Some builds are slightly more expensive points-wise here, but overall it is still about neutral to first edition.

Builds.

5 Legionaries, 5x Melta Guns, Vexilla, Nuncio Vox, Sergeant with Power Fist (195 points).

I used a similar build in first edition with my Alpha Legion to very good effect in many games. Equally, they did have infiltrate that helped. Here, take a rhino instead. Strictly the nuncio vox and vexilla could be got rid of since you are piling out of a rhino to take shots at enemy tanks at close range. Similarly the power fist can be ignored if you just want to cause melta damage. These changes make the points cost 160 points which is excellent. It only takes one to be lucky and get rid of the target. A very powerful unit all in all.

10 Legionaries, 10x Volkite Calivers (245 points).

Repeat after me: the rule for Volkite is to go big. The problem here is they are heavy weapons and therefore a static gun line (take a nuncio vox to taste). Hence think about whether a rhino and volkite chargers might be better (they certainly might, and would be cheaper -- 145 points this way, and the rhino added on won't even reach the same cost as the caliver variant which makes it well worth considering and leaves room for a power fist to boot).

5 Legionaries, 5x Plasma Guns (135 points)

Take a transport. Take a nunci-vox. Cheap and powerful plasma death. Recommended.

10 Legionaries, 10x Rotor Cannon (195 points).

Yes, they have low strength. That's not the reason to take them. The reason is pinning. Might get away with 5 marines here, but I fancy 10 in the squad to be honest.

10 Legionaries, 10x Flamers, Sergeant with Power Fist and Artificer Armour (170 points).

Never -- and I mean: NEVER -- under estimate the humble flamer. This squad in a rhino will make your best friend cry. I have seen two people who knew each other at a tournament get rather upset over this squad. It can be crazy good in the right circumstances. Doubles as a rather nice close combat option. And the wall of death reaction is outstanding.