Horus Heresy 2e Review: Crimson Paladins

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are good.

Background.

These Blood Angels are the guardians of the halls of the Primarch. In battle, they serve as the bulwark -- or an anvil unit if you prefer. They are the men that the enemy will smash against and be found wanting. 

Strengths.

Two wound cataphractii terminators are inherently good. They really excel in close combat though rather than at range. Their special rules give them feel no pain in close combat when outnumbered which improves by one pip when outnumbered by a factor of two. For the purposes of being outnumbered, they use bulky (2) which shouldn't come as a surprise. Impressively, their shields reduce the to wound rolls of incoming attacks by 1 which is great. Sunset blades are nice to have here as well.

I will also mention here that I am a genuine fan of the sculpt of these models. Surely that also means that they last longer on the tabletop, right?! [This is where my followers will comment that first time use of such units always consigns them to be eliminated fast - this appears to be an underlying law of nature as well?].

Weaknesses.

They need to be in combat to shine. And for most of the game. They can serve well as tar pit units, but the lack of reliable AP2 is a concern for if the player really wants them to function as hammer units (they are demonstrably anvil units). 

Difference to First Edition.

Improved (note they have 2 wounds here). The points cost is also somewhat reduced.

Builds.

3 Paladins, Exemplar with perdition blade. (145 points). 

I regard this as the baseline build. Probably best used with a character or as a sneaky tar-pit. Feel free to add extra bodies if you're confident of not losing the feel no pain rule.

5 Paladins, Exemplar with perdition blade, 1 with heavy flamer, 2 with sunset blades, 2 with power fists (250 points). 

A better, fuller, close combat squad. Take grenade harness to taste, or replace the heavy flamer with a plasma blaster if preferred. 

5 Paladins, Exemplar with perdition blade and grenade harness, 1 with assault cannon, 2 with sunset blades, 2 with power fists (265 points). 

Slightly shooty with still excellent close combat possibilities here. More expensive than necessary though, as a regular legion terminator squad is arguably better for this role.

Note that I do not provide a squad of 10 example here. The reason for this is the concern about losing the feel no pain rule. Of course, this advice can easily be ignored and size 10 squads fielded no problem, and with good effect. But I feel that the feel no pain rule is such a boon with this squad.