Horus Heresy 2e Review: Salamanders Armoury and Psychic Powers

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4.5/5 stars, and rounded down. The rules are strong.  

Artifice and Flame. The Salamanders are noted artisans within the background. Here they can master craft any of their weapons (1 per character for a small points cost) which is solid enough. In addition they can exchange heavy bolters for dragon's breath heavy flamers. 

Dragon's Breath Weapons. With a nice amount of S in each weapon, the key difference to base weapons is the modification of the Wall of Death rule to grant 1d6 hits instead of 1d3. These things are deadly when used right. 

Dragon Scale Storm Shield. The key difference between the Salamanders and other legions is arguably the upgrade available to shields. This turns their terminators in cataphractii armour into 3+ invulnerable saving throw monsters. This is massive, and keeps the Salamanders alive even better than their base legion rules. This is the main reason I am giving 4.5 stars out of 5 to the Salamanders here.

Mantle of the Elder Drake. Battle Hardened for a good amount of points. Its not quite as good as it was, and its not eternal warrior. But it gets close. 

Psychic Discipline: Fury of the Salamander.

This psychic discipline is used with the Awakening Fire rite of war and grants 2 abilities. The first is Salamander's Fury which changes open terrain into difficult terrain, and difficult terrain into both difficult and dangerous within a bubble. This is a magnificent power, but comes at the price of having to stay still and not do much else. The second is Elemental Horror which is a glorious template attack at S=7 with pinning, deflagrate, shell shock and psychic focus to boot. Take with a unit of heavy flamers and you will make exactly zero friends. 

Overall.

No special consul for the Salamanders, but the slight nerf to the base rules is more than made up for with a very strong armoury which even the average player will know what to do with and the average opponent might arguably struggle with. I am liking the Awakening Fire rite of war for the Salamanders in particular right at the moment.