Horus Heresy 3e: Rhino

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4.5/5 stars, rounded up. More expensive in third edition than previously, but still effective. 

Background.

It is your quintessential armoured transport. In numbers they are great. Easy to maintain and easy to repair. And very much available in all your friendly STC shops today! 

Strengths. 

You have here a carrying capacity of 12. That is the main function of this vehicle. This is a full squad of ten, plus a commander, and maybe someone like an apothecary. This is about ideal. 

Oh, you will want a havoc launcher too (but I'm biased about havoc launchers, I freely admit). 

Weaknesses. 

AV=10 on the rear remains a key concern for rhinos. But. They do have auto repair on a 4+ which is very nice. Don't forget the smokescreen as well. I bet I cannot be the only player to systematically forget the existence of this one. 

Builds. 

Rhino, Havoc Launcher (65 points).

My personal favourite set up. Can't like - I love the havoc launcher. One ping from this every turn is solid enough. A fleet of rhinos with this very cheap upgrade is more than annoying to any enemy. And you get stun as well. There's nothing not to like about havoc launchers! So good!

Rhino, Dozer Blade, Search Light (70 points).

You will need the odd search light here and there in a mechanised army, and on a rhino or two is excellent. The dozer blade is also situational, but once in a while it'll really pay off. 

Rhino, Pintle Combi-Melta, Hunter-Killer Missile (80 points).

A rhino to add to your anti-vehicle complement. Getting expensive here. Shoot the missile on turn 1 and hopefully you have more than just this one elsewhere in your army to finish the job?

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Damocles Command Rhino

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

2.5/5 stars, rounded up. Its okay, but pricey and vulnerable. 

Background.

Advanced comms contained in a rhino to allow your on board commander to watch the flow of battle and better react to it. 

Strengths. 

Stat line wise, this is a rhino with a transport capacity of a measly 6. 

It does get auto-repair and some pintle bolt guns that can be upgraded. 

What shines here is the Command Vox Relay and the Mobile Command Vehicle upgrades. The former let's you manipulate reserves by +1. On a successful intelligence test, you can also apply Line (1) or Vanguard (1) to your faction on the battlefield. This is cool when played well. The latter meanwhile lets you take that intelligence test using anyone on board. Which is why you will want a smart person on board. 

Weaknesses. 

Fundamentally, it is an expensive rhino with (presumably) an expensive HQ choice inside for the intelligence tests. They will therefore either be stuck hiding in cover or on top of an objective all of the game to get the bonuses throughout, or late game charging up the field in a last moment charge for their on board men. It takes some finesse and guts to play this vehicle but it isn't impossible in third edition. Its just the fact that early game, this rhino will be a target and unlikely to survive long if your opponent knows what it can do. 

Builds. 

Damocles Command Rhino, Havoc Launcher, Search Lights (130 points).

The havoc launcher has always been a staple of my lists that run rhinos. It is cheap enough to take, and long range enough to be a mild annoyance and threat. The Search Light is more optional, but can help you sometimes at the expense of being a big bright light itself. You should probably take the search light on a very basic rhino to be honest, so you should see this as optional here. But don't skimp on the havoc launchers - take one on every rhino and you can thank me later. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Morlock Terminator Squad

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.5/5 stars, rounded up. Special Request review for the Iron Hands from the Legacies.  

Background.

Even Ferrus Manus had his personal guards. These were terminator armoured men from the Avernii Clan and had responsibility to guard him in his Anvilarium and on the battlefield. They failed. However, those that were stationed elsewhere or miraculously survived Isstvan went a little bit mad on the vengeance - even more so than the rest of the Iron Hands. 

Strengths. 

If you know you will be fighting against the Emperor's Children without Ferrus on the table, then these men all gain Hatred of the Emperor's Children thanks to the Fate of the Gorgon special rule. This makes them really shine, but otherwise is highly situational. 

They have T=5, W=2, and WS=5 along with a leadership of 10 from the sergeant which is really nice. They are strictly better in the advanced characteristics department compared to ordinary Cataphractii terminator retinues to be honest. Eternal Warrior (1) is very nice to have overall and this is fundamentally why they cost slightly more than comparable squads. They are probably just worth the extra points in my opinion, but for smaller points value games where you are worried about squeezing every point of value then ordinary Cataphractii might have an edge. 

There are plenty of different builds available for the Morlocks as well. We will explore a sample of them below. 

Weaknesses. 

No real models available but you will want cataphractii terminators as the base and undertake kit bashing therein. That said, I've also seen some Indomitus terminators designated as Morlocks and they look very cool as well. 

They are, as you might imagine, slow and purposeful, and therefore you ideally want a transport solution for these terminators as well. They can also only ever be used for Loyalist Iron Hands. I suppose that is not a surprise to anyone!

Builds. 

5 Morlock Terminators, 4 Graviton Guns, Augmentor with Graviton Shredder, Nuncio-Voc, Legion Standard (350points).

Already expensive, but I do like the graviton load out version of the squad who can take care of their own conditions and make it into combat as well. Take some chain fists to taste or upgrade to artificer power axes for free all round if you want. 

5 Morlock Terminators, 4 Volkite Chargers, Augmentor with Volkite Culverin, Nuncio-Vox, Legion Standard (305points).

The volkite heavy version of the above squad. Cheaper as well, but potentially less deadly at range?

5 Morlock Terminators, 3 Chain Fists, 2 Artificer Power Axes, Nuncio-Vox, Legion Standard (325 points).

Focus here is more on the close combat rather than the shooting. I actually prefer the graviton squad with a couple of chain fists if you have the points cost available, but it is getting very expensive if you do that. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Iron Circle Maniple

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.5/5 stars, rounded up. Superb body guards for Perturabo after he found his sons wanting. 

Background.

Perturabo found that his Iron Warriors bodyguard was, shall we say, lacking after the Battle of Phall. Released from his oath to the Emperor, he designed and released his own automata to replace those body guards. A product of his genuine genius applied to war, these machines became known as the Iron Circle and would see use as body guards and front line troops accompanying the Primarch and other Praetors of the legion into battle. 

Strengths. 

The stat line is interesting with a base of T=7 and W=4. Although their save is 2+/5++, they will suffer at the hands of lots of high strength ranged attacks coming their way eventually. So make the most of them whilst they last.

They are armed with twin shrapnel cannons which are great (don't forget the pinning aspect here - it works so well), graviton crushers (very strong and shock and armour bane are just icing on the cake), and the Karceri battle shield which halves the damage of incoming unsaved wounds. Then there is the Shield of the Iron Tyrant special rule which prevents their charge from suffering precision hits at range. This is very nice indeed. 

Weaknesses. 

Only Paragons or Command sub types can be accompanied by these robots, but you didn't expect anything less. They are really strong in conjunction with Perturabo and you need to simply choose your targets and move up to tackle them. The only problem really is with challenges since they won't be taking part. Unless you make Perturabo a coward which given his strong close combat finesse is not something you really want to do. They can handle themselves in a fair fight though. 

Builds.

The only real build option here is how many Iron Circle automata you want to include in a unit. You can have up to 6 of them in a single maniple. One is probably going to be very nice on its own, if only for ablative wounds and also ideal for small points value games to provide a decent challenge to an opponent. Two or sometimes three is about right for most other situations and you do get a points cost discount for additional ones over the first which makes my argument for 2 or 3 being the correct value stronger - at least in my opinion. 

More than that is overkill, or you are playing a large points value game (and if you are in a large points value game, just take 6 to accompany Perturabo and be done with it - if money is no object to your hobby!). 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Iron Havocs

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. An excellent choice from the Legacies list but slightly too points expensive to my mind.

Background.

The Iron Warriors raised the concept of heavy support squads to an art form. The Iron Havocs rain down heavy weapon support from range to saturate the battlefield with plentiful and deadly shots. 

Strengths. 

The major advantage of the Iron Havocs lies in them denying cover saves to their targets via the in-built Ferrum Occularis. Otherwise, they are literally identical to the main army list Heavy Support Squad option. 

They also (and almost uniquely) have access to shrapnel cannons as base which can cause pinning and also has shred. This can be powerful. 

Weaknesses. 

Firstly they are slightly more points expensive than otherwise I would have predicted. 

Secondly, I would have liked to have seen BS+1 at least for them being described as marksmen, but alas, their base BS=4 still. They don't have the equivalent of Tank Hunters from first edition either. Yet, they are still effective. 

Players therefore have to ask themselves how much they like denying cover saves to their opponents, and how much the plausibly might like Shrapnel Cannons which as a very interesting and powerful option at intermediate ranges. 

Builds.

10 Iron Havocs, all with Shrapnel Cannons, Sergeant with Augury Scanner (270 points). 

Maximum Shrapnel fire power, and the augury scanner helps with shrouded which is worth it the instant you come across shrouded in the game (trust me). Take a nuncio-vox to taste. This is possibly the only squad also worth taking a close combat weapon upgrade on the sergeant if you are thinking of a rolling wall of cannon fire? But you honestly don't want them in close combat - the weapon would just be a deterrent and probably ineffective. 

5 Iron Havocs, all with Las Cannons (210 points).

A full 35 points more expensive than a similar Heavy Support Squad. Yet for targeting dreadnoughts in cover it remains a lot more effective. 

5 Iron Havocs, all with Missile Launchers, Augury Scanner, Nunci-Vox (180 points). 

A strong squad that can tackle multiple potential targets and counters. 

5 Iron Havocs, all with auto cannons, Augury Scanner, Nuncio-Vox (205 points). 

Auto cannons remain an effective choice for the Iron Havocs as well. Tempting to increase this squad to full size to be honest - but only if you have the points available. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Tyrant Siege Terminator Squad

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4.5/5 stars, narrowly rounded down. An almost auto-include in an Iron Warriors force. 

Background.

The Iron Warriors may well have been a grim lot, but the Tyrant Siege Terminators knew this more than most. Hardened warriors of war, these men know the calculus and mathematics of warfare better than all and acknowledge that their fates may well end in death. Their duty is to push forth regardless of incoming fire and devastate the opponent. They break open fortresses, and generally lay waste to the battlefield thanks to the missiles that they carry with them. 

Strengths. 

As cataphractii terminators, they are slow and purposeful, but also come with firing protocols which enables them to fire their combi-bolters as well as their missile launchers. 

The tyrant rocket launchers have had an upgrade on second edition at the expense of pinning. The swarmer missile is 3 shots at S=5 with breaching. Whereas the breaker missile is 1 shot at S=9 and armour bane. Both are great.

In addition to this the sergeant (a.k.a. Siege Master) can be fitted with an omni-scope. This device renders cover saves ineffective. This is amazing for out-shooting a stubborn group of backfield ranged enemies when you really need it. 

Weaknesses. 

Honestly, there are not many draw backs beyond the points cost. They do have T=5 and W=2 to make up for this and come very highly recommended. So much so that they are pretty much auto-includes for almost any Iron Warriors all-comers force lists. 

Builds.

5 Tyrants, Siege Master with Omni-Scope and Grenade Harness (315 points). 

The baseline build and very effective.
Given that upgrades to chain fists are free, you can toy around with a few in a squad just to take on anything particularly heavy in close combat if you feel the need. 
Consider also the occasional combi weapon (graviton, distinegrator, and flamer are all nice for different reasons, and the overlap between them can be powerful. I'll illustrate this in the final build below). 

5 Tyrants, 5 Pairs of Lightning Claws, Siege Master with Omni-Scope and Grenade Harness (365 points).

Getting very expensive here. You will need a transport solution to make the most of this build.

10 Tyrants, 3 Combi-Distintegrators, 3 Combi-Graviton, Siege Master with Omni-Scope and Grenade Harness (650 points).

An almost fully upgraded squad. The overlap of disintegration and graviton is amazing here not least due to the special conditions that they can inflict. Choose your targets wisely. I actually really like the disintegration option here in third edition. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Warsmith

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. A perfectly good high command choice. 

Background.

The Iron Warriors had a lot of men that were very capable in the siege department. The Warsmiths were at the front of this skill set. Equally adept with robots or war machines, their skills rivalled the mechanicum. Perturabo himself bestowed the rank of warsmith on the most skilled practitioners. 

Strengths. 

The stat line itself is attractive with WS=6 and 5's in many other places short of Strength. Naturally, Intelligence here is also high. This helps tremendously with the Battlesmith rule to repair the kit on the move.

The equipment is attractive with a cognis signum (also intelligence based) to help with barrages. The cortex controller allows reactions where they might not otherwise be (hello robots). The servo arm is nice as it provides an extra hull point or wound back again. And the graviton crusher is very cool and appropriate for close up work. 

Weaknesses. 

There are hardly any options here in comparison to the regular praetor. Hence this is why I'm not giving 5/5 stars to the warsmith. It would also be nice to have a dedicated way to take robots alongside the warsmith (i.e., Lord of Automata) which almost makes the Iron Hands Iron Father a superior choice despite the strong similarities otherwise. 

This said, I am also reviewing the Warsmith in Power Armour option here as well which DOES have more build options [Legacies unit] at the price of a slightly worse stat line.

Builds.

Warsmith (165 points). 

The naked terminator option is strong. I'd place him with some barrage weapons if possible. But otherwise some Tyrants Siege terminators is also an option. 

Warsmith in Power Armour, Paragon Blade, Shrapnel Bolter (158 points). 

A nice build, and the shrapnel bolt rounds are very attractive. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Perturabo

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

5/5 stars. Perturabo returns with an excellent stat line and weapons to back it up.  

Background.

The Lord of Iron is almost as tragic as Kurze or Angron. Such a keen intellect, but no use for it on Olympia which was already an advanced civilization. Such a drive to build and make things, turned to destroying and pulling down fortifications. And a rebel home planet that he went back to and sorted out but felt that his father would never forgive him and therefore fell to the traitor cause. He is one that probably should not have fallen if he had better relations with those around him, better council, less brutal twisting of his fine mind, and just a touch of TLC; but that's the price that was paid. All I'm saying is that the Emperor could have just given him a hug and a pat on the head once in a while and he'd have been perfectly loyal. But no. That was too much. 

Strengths. 

As an upgrade, Pertruabo can take Forge Breaker - a desecrated version of Ferrus Manus' weapon of choice. This is worth it. The only real difference is D=2 here instead of D=3. But since you will be facing other primarchs who have Eternal Warrior (2) like Perturabo, this doesn't matter in all probability. Take. This. Upgrade. [It is also modeled on the resin miniature after all].

The stat line is powerful. T=7 with A=6 is very impressive. Add to that the Logos providing him with 2+/4++ and he's good to go. His ranged weapons are provided by the Logos Array and features 6 ranged shots with shrapel technology from Olympia at an impressive 30 inch range. They also shred and cause suppression. Now, if you do that math-hammer on these ranged shots, you are likely going to be taking out 4 standard (3+ armour save) space marines per turn. This is simply great. But if you haven't taken Forge Breaker, they also double up as point blank shots in melee. You don't want them though. You want Forge Breaker. Trust me. The AP=2 and D=2 from Forge Breaker is the deal clincher for me over the point blank Logos Array. 

His individual gambit in challenges calls on his men to simply gun down anyone foolish enough to challenge him. He won't waste his time like that. These are only snap shot though. This is good if you have some nearby plasma or melta shots that you want to expend on an enemy sergeant who is the fool for challenging Perturabo, but not another Primarch since you are giving up your own attacks to use it. Only use it for the foolish opponent really. 

Sire of the Iron Warriors grants prime slots to breachers and tactical squads if they fill up the primary detachment. Which they might well do in a fluffy manner. His influence is far reaching with his other ability which makes the army entirely expendable on Turn 1! Fluffy, and funny at the same time! Perhaps not as strong as other force multipliers out there, but its fine. 

Weaknesses. 

Perturabo is a strong primarch with no real weaknesses. As you would expect. 

Overall.

The points cost is right, but you will be wanting Forge Breaker as your upgrade. No excuses. Pay that extra points cost. Then figure out a transport solution. 

Perturabo is great at medium to close range with his Logos Array shots, and excellent in close combat. He really excels with the Forge Breaker in hand and can handle his brothers if you need him to in the main part (but many of the tougher primarchs will be a close call). 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Iron Warriors Legion Rules

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

5/5 stars. The bad guy poster boys for third edition, and they return with vengeance. 

Background.

Grim. Decimated. Arguably unloved by their gene sire. But also sturdy. Unrelenting. Pragmatic. Masters of machine and siege. Bitter through being used as little more than chattel and garrison troops. They brought their fury to both sides of the war and eventually conducted the most epic siege of the war: that of Terra itself. 

Armoury. 

Plenty of carry over from second edition here!

Graviton Crushers. Exchanged from a thunder hammer for free, there's probably little reason not to take this upgrade on commanders or champions to be honest. The addition of shock is nice and armour bane comes as standard.

Graviton Mace [Legacies]. Officer and Sergeant wargear for a very reasonable amount of points means this is also an almost automatic upgrade in many circumstances.  

The Unfavoured. The ability to make a unit Expendable is actually stronger than it sounds for a prime advantage for a unit. It is also very fitting for the Iron Warriors and surprisingly effective when combined with objective sitting or front line assault. Take your pick!

Shrapnel Weapons [Legacies]. Yes it should be been in the Liber. No, that's all I'm going to say. Any unit in the Iron Warriors can exchange their bolt pistols and bolt guns for shrapnel versions for a small points cost increase. The benefit of this is to cause pinning which cannot be overlooked. A few units upgraded like this are fine to take, but it remains true that sometimes you will want the pure fire rate of the regular versions. The cannon adds shred to this and appears under the Heavy Weapons Options (added on) for the legion, as well as sponsons and pintles where appropriate. Certainly worth considering for a heavy bolter heavy support squad. 

Tactica. 

The Bitter End is fluffy and appropriate and enables the Iron Hands warriors to ignore negative modifiers to Panic, Pinning, Stun, and Suppressive special rules (i.e., Leadership and Cool tests). In third edition this is nearly unrivaled. 

Gambit.  
Spiteful Demise arises since Perturabo instructed his men that death was not an excuse for incompetence. If you lose your last wound, you get to hit back with one S=6 D=2 attack that also has breaching. This is a great way to take your opponent out simultaneously or at least inflict an added bit of damage. Play when you are about to perish yourself. It requires a bit of finesse and timing, but when pulled off can be very impactful!

Additional Detachments. 
The Ironfire Cohort is a reasonable way to add in armour and support slots, at the expense of the armour slots having to be Arquitor Bombard units. I think this probably won't see too much play unless you are a fan of the Bombards?
The Hammer of Olympia is almost a "must" for Iron Warriors running Perturabo (sometimes) or a Warsmith (you will often want to). The added heavy assault and troops are great, but the added Prime slots can swing even harder in your favour here - especially Tyrant Siege Terminators.

Advanced Reaction. 
Bitter Fury can be activated when one of your units is shot at. It gives you an increased rate of fire (+1) at the expense of Overload (+1), and even the models that were killed by the incoming fire still get to shoot back. Powerful and impactful when played at the right time on the right squad. 

Overall, I am really, really liking the Iron Warriors in Third Edition. They are a slogging, non nonsense, shooting army that can also cause severe damage up close and personal when needed. The combinations of Shrapnel, Graviton, Hammer of Olympia, and the Tactica and Gambit are brilliant, but the oh so fluffy Unfavoured has to be a stand out for your strategies here. Choose wisely and time your advantages well, and this army can really perform.

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Tartaros Terminator Squad (and Tartaros Terminator Siege Squad)

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. As iconic as Cataphractii, but bizarrely split between 2 types of unit. 

Background.

The most advanced form of terminator armour was the Tartaros. It does not sacrifice the mobility of power armour, but instead adds the durability of terminator armour to create something new and formidable. 

Strengths. 

T=5 and W=2 alone make it attractive. The combinations of builds is excellent here, but restricted by the two variants, as below, which is a frustration. But you can work with this. They are just as expensive as Cataphractii though, so take advantage of the lack of Slow and Purposeful. 

Weaknesses. 

In comparison to the Saturnine and Cataphractii armour, the Tartaros variant lacks the 4+ invulnerable save and "only" has a 5+ one. In exchange, you get a better movement rate slightly, and a lack of slow and purposeful. It is a pity that sweeping isn't a thing in 3rd edition to be honest, but you can chase down your opponent at least in this build. 

What makes me slightly antagonised is the fact that there are two different entries for this squad. There is the regular terminator squad in the Libers. Then there is the Siege terminator squad in the legacy list. More than a bit infuriating for folks carrying over builds from second edition. 

Builds. 

5 Tartaros Terminators, 1 Plasma Blaster, 4 Combi-Weapons (200 points).

Take a mixture of plasma, flame, graviton, and melta to your taste on the combi weapons. You now have your terminator-cide squad all set up and ready. [Side note: flamer causes panic; graviton causes pinning; a mix of these is strong in third edition.]

10 Tartaros Terminators, 8 Pairs of Lightning Claws, 2 Heavy Flamers, Grenade Harness (395 points).

Heavy on the lightning claws, but you need a transport solution here. 

5 Tartaros Siege Terminators, 1 Plasma Blaster, 2 Chain Fists, 2 Thunder Hammers, Grenade Harness (205 points).
A personal favourite set up, now moved to Siege variant. 

5 Tartaros Siege Terminators, 5 Reaper Autocannons, 1 Thunder Hammer, Grenade Harness (240 points).
New for this edition - Siege Terminators get as many heavy weapons as they please. Might as well go big on the reaper autocannons here and see what you can do! I actually quite like this concept and am tempted to build a squad like this. But maybe not yet. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Indomitus Terminator Squad

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.5/5 stars. Not nearly as popular as Cataphractii, Tartaros, or even Saturnine now. But they have 2 key niche builds. 

Background.

Not as advanced as Tartaros. Not as protective as Cataphractii. Not as old as Saturnine. A compromise. A new design. And one that would ultimately last the next ten millennia due to lack of rare parts and being easier to produce.

Strengths. 

A break in to usual scheme of things to talk about an explicit Legacy unit that is criminally under used. You still get W=2 and T=5 here along with a tartaros like set of special rules. 

But let me be perfectly honest. There are 2, and only 2 reasons to take this squad over either Cataphractii or Tartaros. Those are:
(a) Storm Shields; and

(b) Proteus Assault Cannons. 

If you are not taking either of them, take one of the other terminator variants. End of. 

Weaknesses. 

Salamanders and Imperial Fists have special units that directly compete with the uniqueness of Indomitus terminator armour. Blood Angels if you count the Crimson Paladins too. Hence those legions should probably not bother full stop.

Builds. 

Two and only two builds here should be considered. 

5 Indomitus Terminators, 5 Thunder Hammers, 5 Storm Shields (230 points).

The thunder hammer plus storm shield combination nets you a 4+ invulnerable save and this squad is fundamentally the reason to take Indomitus terminators. It is the only way to get this kind of set up outside of dedicated units like within the Salamanders with regularity. Take with a transport or Warmonger teleport option and aim for objectives. 

10 Indomitus Terminators, 2 with Assault Cannons, Thunder Hammers / Chain Fists to taste (385 points).

The proteus assault cannon is the second reason to take this squad. You can only have 1 per 5 men though. Hence a full squad of 10 is required to take 2 of them. Thunder Hammers and Chain Fists are the same cost, so perhaps take an even spread, or slightly heavier on the thunder hammers. Good hunting. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Cataphractii Terminator Squad

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. Iconic and almost quintessential 30k squad. 

Background.

Heavy protection combined with the ability to wield heavy weapons at the price of slowing its wearer. The trade off in protection versus movement is one that is central to the choice of terminator armour outside of Saturnine weaponry. 

Strengths. 

You are paying for a 4+ invulnerable save here at the expense of a movement limit, and slow and purposeful. That is the core trade off. 

In third edition, you get T=5 as standard along with 2 wounds each which makes them even more durable. I am surprised how "cheap" they are in terms of points cost. 

Weaknesses. 

Slow and purposeful and slower movement, but presumably you don't care. Also the rule of cool applies, so you really don't care. There really isn't too much of a strong downside, but I'd recommend thinking about transport or teleport options where you can. 

Builds. 

A selection of builds here, some more what I personally like and own, some that I've seen, and others that I just like. 

5 Cataphractii Terminators, 1 plasma blaster, 2 chain fists, 2 thunder hammers, grenade harness (205 points). 

One of my "go to" squads. I use this with my Iron Warriors regularly. Or exchange the plasma blaster with an autocannon for just a small extra sum?

5 Cataphractii Terminators, 4 with Twin Lightning Claws, 1 with Heavy Flamer and Power Fist, grenade harness (210points).

Another one of my Iron Warriors favourites. With the added bonus of panic thanks to the flamer in third edition! 

10 Cataphractii Terminators, 2 Reaper Autocannons, 5 combi-plasma, 2 thunder hammers, grenade harness (405 points). 

Very points efficient and superlatively deadly at medium range and close up. This has to be the favoured and baseline build. A sensible build even. For sensible players! 

12 Cataphractii Terminators, 12 Volkite Chargers, 12 Thunder Hammers, Grenade Harness (485 points).

Even in third edition, if you are going with volkite: go big or go home. Here I've taken the new squad maximum of 12 terminators. The thunder hammers are hilarious in numbers as well. You now just need a transport or teleport solution. 

5 Cataphractii Terminators, 5 Combi-Meltas, 5 Chain Fists (250 points).

Distraction Carnifex territory combines with a melta-cide attitude. Good hunting to you. 

Disintegrator Squad

We're now calling them disintegrator squads. Sorry, I don't make the rules, that's just the way it is herein!

Any how, here are the members of the disintegrator squad of 5. There's 4 standard rifles, and one heavy disintegrator. These marines will become part of my Salamanders shattered legion detachment. I'm very happy with how they turned out! One head is from the resin upgrade set which I rather like. 

Only now I need to purchase some more White Scar spray paint to get the undercoat done. Hopefully I have more than enough Warp Lightning contrast paint left to get them up to a good standard - the contrast paint works wonders for the Salamanders in my opinion!

Hours Heresy 3e Review: Saturnine Terminator Squad

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4.5/5 stars. I have rounded down due to the the overload danger and blowing themselves up!

Background.

I have raced ahead in the Liber to bring the Saturnine terminators review early to you dear readers since like me, some of you are wondering how to build these. Retonned to be an innovation of Vulkan who in turn gifted his knowledge to his brothers, the Saturnine terminator has long been in the lore. Here they have made a magnificent come back, although lacking the over head bolt gun (which was always odd looking, but hey, we're talking Saturnine anyway). For me, I actually LIKE the look of these new terminators and feel like Games Workshop has done a great job bringing them up to date so to speak. I also fully get why the community sees them as marmite!

Strengths. 

W=3 and T=6 is amazing. These terminators have superlative staying power and are competitively priced at 60 points each (although the usual points cost tax exists when forking out for the initial unit - the add ons are 60 points each).

The load outs are limited: plasma bombard, disruption fist (with or without particle shredder), and twin heavy disintegrator. The plasma bombard is excellent. You could use is with indirect fire with two bombard each and hold back. But I think mixing the plasma with the disruption fists is the way to go here. 

Don't overlook the shredder on the fists either. These template weapons are simply amazing!

Weaknesses. 

I want to like the twin heavy disintegrators. However, they are horrifically dangerous. Sure, they will melt to slag most things in the game. But with Overload (2), they will also melt the user as well!! Its a gamble to be very clear. And sometimes you will want to take that gamble. Two twin heavy disintegrators is really asking you to destroy yourself, so I'm not recommending that build. 

In all cases, remember that these terminators will also be fire magnets and you will need to think about them exploding as well on occasion!

Builds. 

Not too many builds here, but these are the more obvious ones. I deliberately EXCLUDE having 2 lots of twin heavy disintegrators as the risk tips the balance to early self destruction in my opinion - but for laughs I've included it at the end. This is your almost final warning!

3 Saturnine Terminators, all with 2 lots of Plasma Bombards (200 points). 

Sit back, and literally bombard your opponent off the board with near ranged impunity. A larger mob of these is massively deadly. 

3 Saturnine Terminators, all with twin heavy disintegrators and disruption fists with shredders (245 points).

High risk, high reward. There is very little that these terminators cannot handle. I would be tempted to add in extra bodies here, but haven't done the math-hammer to think about this statement in detail. 

6 Saturnine Terminators, all with Plasma Bombard and Disruption Fists with Shredders  (410 points).

Very points efficient and superlatively deadly at medium range and close up. This has to be the favoured and baseline build. A sensible build even. For sensible players! Which leads me into... 

6 Saturnine Terminators, all with 2 lots of Twin Heavy Disintegrators (500 points).
ONLY FOR LAUGHS - I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS BUILD. Super expensive in terms of points cost. Legitimately could be the most deadly thing in any given game short of a super heavy of some kind. Will categorically result in blowing yourself up regularly due to Overload (2). But it WILL absolutely handle nearly everything you might be worried about. The play style would be to simply teleport into position, open fire, and hope you survive and your target does not. Hilarious overall whilst not truthfully being recommended because you are not making any friends here, okay?!

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Optae

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

3/5 stars. Ideal for small points value games where you want a bit of a minor threat. 

Background.

Lowly commanders entrusted with certain small scale actions. When the opportunity for promotion comes around, they will be sure to have tried to get as good a record as possible off the ground. They are well connected men who generally garner the respect of their peers. 

Strengths. 

These command options are great for small scale games where you want a bit of a boost or to pack a bit of a punch where you might need it. Kill Teams, Zone Mortalis, and similar might all benefit. 

Weaknesses. 

Candidly, you won't be taking Optae outside of small scale games. Hence their utility to you depends on how many points you are playing. If like me, you quite like smaller games that you can actually get finished over a lunch time, they're great! If you're gaming for the afternoon or the entire day, they won't get used. It is as simple as that in my eyes. I'd politely suggest a limit of 750 points to include them? And on top of this, they've lost the auto-rally thing they had going for them in second edition. Boo. 

Builds. 

I'm thinking here of lower points games especially and have tried to control the amount of points spent accordingly. Clearly you can spend more, but in low points value games, you want points efficiency as much as possible.  

1 Optae, Thunder Hammer (65 points). 

Not elegant, but is a great way to bring an obvious extra thunder hammer to a fight. And if you are in challenges, it might matter as well. 

1 Optae, Twin Lightning Claws (70 points).

Goes at higher initiative than the thunder hammer?

1 Optae, Jump Pack, Combi-Melta, Melta Bombs  (85 points).

Getting more expensive here, but worth it if you don't have another dedicated melta unit potentially. In the range of a Centurion might be better here?

1 Optae, Disintegrator Pistol, Bolt Gun with Chain Bayonet (57 points).

A great way to sneak in another man with a disintegrator weapon into a standard troops selection.  

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Medusan Immortals Squad

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.5/5 stars. Rounded up. They are now troops and much less pressed for space compared to second edition. 

Background.

Failures. Whether in the eyes of the Primarch, or due to the fickle whims of battlefield fate, and perhaps grievous wounds too great such that they need massive cybernetic rebuilds, these marines were cast into the Immortals Squad to earn some token of redemption. Pretty bleak stuff and just underscores the dark fury contained within this legion. And people wonder why I think the Iron Hands should have been traitors. They just suffer so much abuse. 

Strengths. 

Feel no pain due to cybernetic rebuilds as standard is solid here, and this is added to Expendable (2) in third edition to make them all the better. 

There is some customization available now that the Legacies have been released as well.

Of extra note is Cool=10 which is, of course, fluffy and fully justified. 

Weaknesses. 

They are fundamentally an upgraded breacher squad. You might not need these upgrades, but so what. The models have the rule of cool (quite literally!). Excellent for Zone Mortalis style missions, and excellent objective holders to say the least. 

Builds.

10 Immortals, 2 Flamers (180 points)

My favoured build for third edition, even though I played it in second. Panic your opponent. And highly useful for Zone Mortalis as well. Take a melee weapon on the sergeant to taste. 

10 Immortals, 2 Graviton Shredders, Thunder Hammer on sergeant (215 points).

Use with a land raider?

10 Immortals, 10 Volkite Chargers, Thunder Hammer on sergeant (205 points)

Lovely martian death rays. Handy for charging out of a vehicle with. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Gorgon Terminator Squad

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. Great terminators that flash brightly if you shoot them!

Background.

Ferrus Manus was busy at work prototyping some awesome stuff before his untimely demise. This included the Gorgon terminator armour set which converts kinetic and electromagnetic energy hitting them into bright flash of lights to dissipate. Unfortunately, it also required the users to be permanently bonded to the armour. This was not a problem though for the Iron Hands because they were already pretty grim dark and down with cyber enhancements. 

Strengths. 

Feel no pain as base reflects in a fluffy manner the sheer bionics and replacements needed to wear this armour. Vanguard (3) is very nice indeed. 

If they have suffered a volley during the combat phase then they will flash with their unique ability if they pass a saving throw. This inflicts Suppressed on a failed cool test which is fair.

The stat line is reasonable with 3 attacks base, T=5, and a good willpower oddly. Thanks to the legacies release, they also have their full range of options back (seriously, this should have been in the liber in the first place). 

Weaknesses. 

The points cost can rapidly build up if you let it. The squad is worth their points overall though. 

Builds.

6 Gorgon Terminators, 2 Graviton Shredders, 2 Chain Fists, Vexilla (295 points). 
Your baseline all comers entry - nice for transport killing and getting to their contents as well! Notably cheaper than 2nd edition as well in points cost.  

9 Gorgon Terminators, 3 Reaper Autocannons, Vexilla (395 points).

Ranged work. Exactly the same points cost as second.

5 Gorgon Terminators, 3 pairs of Lightning Claws, 1 Heavy Flamer, Vexilla (245 points).

Short range, but oddly more expensive than second edition. 

5 Gorgon Terminators, 4 Combi-Plasma, 1 Plasma Blaster, Vexilla (260 points).
Plasma-cide squad. Possibly a distraction carnifex to be honest. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Iron Father

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. A solid high command choice, but a pure praetor can be better depending on your army list and favoured play style. 

Background.

Unlike the artisans of the Salamanders, the Iron Fathers of the Iron Hands cared little about aesthetics and more - much more - about brutal efficiency. Off the battlefield, they are also used by the clans of the Iron Hands to settle any internal disputes and are thus considered outside the usual structure as a vital advisor. 

Strengths. 

You gain a few things over a regular praetor. This includes battlesmith which is very nice, a servo arm, augury scanner and cortex controller. Feel no pain is also nice.

Arguably the core reason to take them is for the Lord of Automata special rule. For this, you gain one extra slot in the force organisation chart that must be filled with Castellax battle automata maniple. This is very nice and fitting. 

Legacies update: a power armour version can be taken instead of the baseline terminator option. 

Weaknesses. 

They cost differently to a praetor, and generally the cost is worthwhile. It just depends on whether this is your play style or not. 

Builds.

1 Iron Father, Terminator Armour, Thunder Hammer (185 points). 

A straight forward set up. Take the cyber familiar to taste. 

1 Iron Father, Power Armour, Paragon Blade, Combi-Grav (175 points).

Expensive, but sound overall. Graviton Pistol might be better (upgrade to plasma pistol). Again, take the cyber familiar to taste. 

Horus Heresy 3e: Legacies of the Age of Darkness Released!

 

Your armies are saved.

Praise the Omnissiah! For the Emperor! Hail the Warmaster!

Finally. I say this with an immense amount of relief. 

The Warhammer Community has today released the Legacies of the Age of Darkness pdf. 

Clocking in at a whopping 207 pages, this document has, in greater part, saved third edition, in my biased opinion.

From my initial reading of the pdf, I think I can safely say that everyone's armies are now fully playable for third edition of Horus Heresy. To be clear, I have not read all 207 pages yet. That'll happen in due course. But as of today, I am very confident in my above statement that everyone's armies are now saved and fully playable. And they've also re-introduced key things like bike-mounted Praetors in the same tome. I'll have to update my earlier reviews even!

The panic over having illegal builds for our armies is over. I'm happy. It didn't have to go down like this in the first place, but the right thing has now been done. And relatively swiftly and accurately too. Well done Games Workshop. 

I will cite two explicit examples from my own forces. 

Case A: World Eaters Sergeants and Caedere Weapons. 
In Second Edition, it was the case that squad sergeants could pay a small points cost to take a Caedere Weapon. This was no longer the case for Third Edition upon release. This is now corrected. As part of the updated Armoury for the World Eater: Any Model with the Command, Champion, Specialist or Sergeant Sub-Type may have its power weapon exchanged for one Caedere weapon for +10 Points per Model.

I have already modeled and converted Falax Blades on my assault squad sergeant (see image to the right). He hasn't been playable under Third Edition until this moment. I am very, very relieved. 

Case B: Raven Guard and Mor Deythan Weapon Choices. 
In Second Edition, it was the case that the entire squad had access to combi weapons, and some also had access to melta guns. Again, in Third Edition this was not the case upon release and Mor Deythan seemed doomed to only have the resin that they were sold with. This is also now corrected as below [points cost excluded]:

Additional Raven Guard Unit Options
Mor Deythan Squad Add the following additional options to this Unit Profile: 

Any Model in this Unit may have one of the following selected for it: Charnabal sabre or Power weapon

Any Model in this Unit may have its Nemesis bolter exchanged for one item from the Legion Combi-weapons list. 

For every three Models in this Unit, one Model in this Unit may have its Nemesis bolter exchanged for one of the following: Plasma pistol / Volkite charger / Flamer / Plasma gun / Meltagun / Missile launcher

The Mor Deythan Shade in this Unit may have melta bombs selected for it.

Once more, my converted Mor Deythan with melta guns and combi-meltas (see image below) are now totally playable once more. This is more than a relief considering the time expended and cost in putting these models together. Very, very happy once again. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Shadrak Meduson

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

3/5 stars. The rules are average and a regular praetor may serve you better?

Background.

The master of the shattered legions returns to third edition with his regular panoply of war. Whole books in the Heresy series have been written about him (or maybe the Alpha Legion impersonating him).

Meduson made his escape from Isstvan and re-forced the remnants of the Iron Hands, Raven Guard and Salamanders into a new fighting force. They became guerrillas, deploying behind enemy lines and fighting as a flexible force that took advantage of each of their legion's strengths. All the while hunted by Tybalt Marr and the Emperor's Children. 

Strengths. 

The 24 inch bolt gun, Storm's Wrath, comes with breaching in third edition and FP=3. Meanwhile the Albian Power Gladius is at S+1 and AP3 which is nice, but likely you will be fighting against 2+ armour saves which you need to keep in mind. 

Battlesmith is nice to have, as is the servo-arm that Meduson comes with as standard. 

Weaknesses. 

Although he is high command and has the status of a praetor, his stat line is strictly worse than that of a praetor. Explicitly in WS and A. Keep this in mind for challenges. 

Overall.

I hope that the Shattered Legions rules for third edition will make Meduson more attractive. As he currently stands, he is strictly worse than a regular praetor, costs probably slightly more than you would hope, and is mid-range - able to do shooting and melee reasonably, but truly excelling at neither (slightly better on the ranged shots to be fair). You're taking him for the additional reaction point from Master of the Legion, the shooting, and presumably what will be re-forged Shattered Legion rules. Otherwise take a different Praetor level character such as an Iron Father or a genuine Praetor. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Ferrus Manus

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

5/5 stars. The first Primarch review in third edition is an excellent one. 

Background.

The Gorgon. The Great Iron Father. And also the first Primarch to be betrayed and perish at his brother's hands during the opening phases of the Horus Heresy. Ferrus Manus is a tragic figure, yet he is also a stern and uncompromising leader of the Great Crusade and Primarch to the Iron Tenth; The Iron Hands. To me, it remains a surprise that the Iron Hands stayed loyal to the Emperor. They were so close to Horus that many in the legion displayed the Eye of Horus on their armour. They also had a surprisingly close relationship with the Emperor's Children. The man himself is noted as a craftsman whose equal might only be found in Vulkan. And of course, he had a highly unusual physiology himself with those silvery hands and eyes. He prized physical strength above all things and despised weakness. The kind of excess that caused a fall from glory for his brothers.

Strengths. 

I want to firstly note Forge Breaker. This is a AP=2, D=3 war hammer that slams opponents around with an additional critical hit on 5+. Although his lower initiative when using it might prove a problem in challenges, the native +3 on strength is simply amazing. This weapon alone will win you challenges. 

His individual gambit in challenges will set his toughness to 8 for the following strike step. This is an almost must-do gambit and potentially in the first round as well. 

The medusan carapace give access to a bunch of ranged weapons that cover pinning, shock, and panic which makes Ferrus Manus an excellent inflictor of conditions. 

As Sire of the Iron Hands, he can grant prime slots to breachers and tactical squads if they fill up the primary detachment. But more importantly, all infantry in the first turn gain feel no pain to allow them to better take an even greater beating at the start of the game which when combined with their S-1 effects to incoming firepower makes them amazingly stable. 

Weaknesses. 

As a primarch, Ferrus Manus has no real weaknesses. With the ability to go to T=8 in one challenge round, and T=7 otherwise, he is a beast. Battlesmith is just the icing on the cake. 

Overall.

An excellent character and army wide boost. Excellent in challenges as well. Ferrus Manus is truthfully a combat beast. It is a good question as to whether he regularly wins against his beloved brother, Fulgrim, in challenges. Fulgrim has the initiative on him though and lots of attacks. Yet he will be hard pressed to damage Ferrus Manus with his T=8 gambit and lack of critical hits on his own blade. In return, Ferrus Manus will hurt Fulgrim for sure. Its a knife edge challenge that may come down to gambits employed and who gets the charge. Difficult to predict but arguably Ferrus Manus has the edge in S and T most of the time and should win statistically in my personal opinion. 

His points cost is also in the high bracket for Primarchs. This is well justified give his army-wide boosts and his potential in combat. He really is up there in terms of the sheer damage that primarchs can dish out. Overall then, a very, very worthwhile Primarch to take. 

World Eaters Praetor / Centurion Conversion

For my growing World Eaters detachment, it is clear that I need Praetor or Centurion to make the force a little bit more rounded by opening up the force organisation chart for third edition. This conversion is what I came up with. 

The body is from the newer range of Khorne Berzerkers, but carefully chosen so that there are zero symbols of Khorne or Chaos anywhere on the miniature. It certainly communicates the character that I am aiming for here. The mace (power maul, or potentially a paragon weapon for a praetor) comes from the Age of Sigmar and is from the Storm Cast range itself. Specifically, a Stormcast Eternal Reclusian two handed mace. The tricky bit here is the right shoulder which needs significantly shaved down in order to fit a shoulder pad over it. The other arm lacks a shoulder altogether and I had to substitute a regular power armour arm to fill in the gap to the elbow. The shoulders here are one from the Berzerkers range (left shoulder pad) which features on the World Eaters symbol, and one from the chaos terminators range (right shoulder pad) which is a blank for me to apply a transfer later on. 

For the head, I have a commander's helm from the Mark II range of the Saturnine boxed set. The base is rounded off with some off cast bits from the old scenery range which I've sawed down to fit on a regular 32mm base. The backpack is an old fashion chaos space marines backpack which is a nod to the forge worlds associated with the traitors - i.e., Anvilus.  

Skyhunter

A bit of a hobby day today, and first off the table is a skyhunter. 

This particular chap is going to be an Emperor's Children squad sergeant. The build was very simple overall - and remarkably this is also the first sky hunter that I've assembled. I've put the multi melta in place for the weapon as I wanted a squad that could ride up and try to pop tanks up close and personal. In third edition, this is more challenging, but I still like the concept of doing this (that, and the low AP from second edition for plasma cannons has long gone now sadly). The left arm for the sergeant is from the new Warhammer 40k Emperor's Children range and features a jagged power sword which looks suitably vicious. The head meanwhile is from the older chaos space marine range. Overall, the vibe I'm going for is one of pre-fall Emperor's Children who might just be toying with some of the lighter range of excess that the legion would later be known for. Obviously the base needs work yet, and painting is yet to come, but I think the dynamic and the features are communicating the right ideas here for me. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Iron Hands Legion Rules

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

5/5 stars. The Iron Hands return to third edition as strong as ever. 

Background.

As always with a new edition, the first legion that I always focus on are the Iron Hands. The simple reason is that this is the legion that I benchmark all others against. And more than this, they are one of the toughest legions out there in the previous editions, able to weather onslaughts of firepower thanks to their special rules. 

Armoury. 

The third edition contains some old staples, and some new entries. 

Armatus Necrotechnika returns with the ability to self-repair Iron Hands vehicles at 5+, but can also gobble up the remains of any casualties to boost this. Very handy, if a bit grim. 

Artificer Power Axe is an interesting one representing Medusan technology. Shred and Breaching are a good bonus for this weapon.

Graviton Pistols are nice and affordable upgrade for command and champion characters to have. 

Legacies update: Graviton shredders and guns now also appear in the special weapons chart, and Gorgon terminator armour can be selected by pretty much all command and high command choices. 

The Iron Clad adds an extra dreadnought who becomes a champion sub type if you fill a Prime Slot of a command role. This is nice as it thematically represents those Iron Hands who just wanted to keep on fighting. 

Tactica. 

The Iron Hands keep the -1 to wound of incoming firepower from previous editions via The Gorgon's Scales. This is, of course, their core strength and why facing off against them is so difficult in the early turns at range.

Gambit.  
Double the normal bonus for the focus roll from Outside Support thanks to Legion of One - the Iron Hands became very self-sufficient after Isstvan. Meanwhile, their opponents can only gain +2 as the maximum from Outside support. 

Additional Detachments. 
The Spearhead Phalanx is an excellent auxiliary option bringing in three slots (albeit that the heavy transport has to be a land raider or spartan - no problem with that - in addition to the tanks and terminators). 
The Medusan Vanguard meanwhile is an apex detachment that brings terminators, a dreadnought, and more at the price of the command slot here being a Praevian. No problem at all with that and very fluffy.

Advanced Reaction. 
Spite of the Gorgon allows you to fire back at full BS at a unit charging them. The cost is Overload (1) and no reactive volley. This is very reasonable, but obviously the overload is an issue. 

Overall then, an excellent and solid suite of rules that encourages shooting and survival of the incoming shots. The gambit is reasonable without being outstanding, and the armoury is sound as well. A worthy benchmark for other legions to be measured against indeed.