Horus Heresy: The Legions Rule Changes
How did your favorite Legion’s rules fare in Forge World’s latest Horus Heresy update?
The Horus Heresy Age of Darkness Legions Red Book contains rules for 13 Legions, it’s a big resource. Some people already have this book but I want to go over the changes and why you might want to consider buying it. First off, this is in a smaller, codex size, versus the huge campaign books.
The Horus Heresy Legiones Astartes: Age of Darkness Legions $49.50
It’s got the good-looking graphics and the silver leaf foil. I’m not going to do a deep dive in but I’m going to go over the new things. If you don’t have it, this is an auto-buy IMHO.
30k hobby superstar Garro has compiled this list of new changes to the 13 legions contained in this book.
Emperor’s Children
- All models with the LA rule gain +1 initiative on the charge.
- Sonic Shriekers are now -1WS to enemy models in base contact which aren’t immune to fear. Affects the full length of the combat (not just first round), not just if you charge.
- Phoenix Terminators are WS5
- Phoenix Terminator Sergeant now have 3 attacks
- The Cacophony weapons are heavy2, previously heavy1
Iron Warriors
- Iron Circle added, elites choice, single unit can be taken as a command squad to Perturabo. said unit gains a minor buff of their choice from a list.
- Tyrant Seige Terminator squads now heavy support choices
- Iron Havocs are BS5
Imperial Fists
- Phalanx Warder squads ‘shield wall’ rule fixed, now confers +1WS instead of +1I.
- Dorn’s chainsaw has ‘unwieldy’ replaced with ‘reaping blow’ (see DG section)
Night Lords
- ‘From the Shadows’ confers 5+ cover save, use to be 6+
- ‘Talent for Murder’ confers +1 to hit and wound, use to be just to wound
- Terror Squads gain ‘precision strike’
- Sevatar has his additional psyker rules from the FAQ added to his profile, also gains precision strike
Iron Hands
- no changes
World Eaters
- ‘Blood Lust’ is now on a 4+ rather than a roll of a 1.
- ‘Incarnate Violence’ replaced with may re-roll 1’s to wound on the turn they charge
Ultramarines
- no changes
Death Guard
- May re-roll dangerous terrain tests, regardless of what the terrain is.
- Instead of forcing successful rolls to wound with poison and fleshbane, DG get FNP(4+) instead
- Power scythes lose unwieldy and the ability to replace attack value with number of enemy models in base contact with the following ‘reaping blow’: -1 initiative, if in base contact with more than one model at their initiative step, they gain +1 attack
- Grave Warden toxin rule replaced with ‘poison(3+)’ on death cloud and grenade launcher
- Deathshroud can be taken as a HQ or elites choice, plus as a command squad for a Terminator Praetor or Mortarion.
- Mortarion’s scythe is no longer unwieldy, replaced with ‘reaping blow’.
- Mortarion’s witch spite only affects malediction powers affecting him or his squad
Sons of Horus
- Gain ‘Death Dealer’ to their legiones astartes rule, +1BS if shooting at an enemy within 12″ with a pistol, rapid fire or assault weapon, doesn’t effect snap fire, overwatch or fury of the legion shots.
- Justearins Terminators start off at 255pts for 5 men, may still take upto 7 additional men. They now have 2 wounds
- Abaddon has precision strike
Word Bearers
- rules unchanged from Tempest
Salamanders
- no changes found
Raven Guard
- Mor Deythan are 10pts more expensive at base cost (additional men are still same price)
- All Dark Furies have raven talons by default, no price increase
- Dark Fury sergeant gains ‘precision strike’
- Kaedes Nex gains precision shots
Alpha Legion (or are they?)
- Saboteur’s sabotage attack now AP3 against things with a toughness value, and AP2 against vehicles
- Saboteur can no longer take a jump pack
- Headhunters come with combi-bolters as standard, may upgrade them to combi-weapons for the same cost as terminators can.
- Headhunters replace ‘preferred enemy’ with ‘precision shots’
Hopefully, if you’re a Heresy player this helped out some with your legion. Now if you play Dark Angels, Blood Angels, White Scars, Wolves or T-Sons you’ll be waiting awhile for a red book compilation. However the first three legions I just mentioned are currently available in Book VI: Retribution
