Horus Heresy: Top 10 Most Needed Model Releases
These Horus Heresy models that *fingerscrossed* GW is actively designing and putting into production have the greatest need for plastic conversion.
“A friend in need, is a friend indeed”
I wanted to take a minute here to talk about my wishlist of Horus Heresy models that *fingerscrossed* GW is actively designing in plastic and putting into production. Some of these are essential to an army and have always been resin casts from Forge World, making them expensive and scarce to the wider community outside of the UK. In some cases without having these pieces army construction is impossible without proxies, kitbashes or simply waiting for them to restock. Below are my picks for the models that have the greatest need for plastic conversion.
10. Legion Scimitar Jet Bikes
This is one of those bread and butter staples for a few of the Legion armies, most notably White Scars. Its hard to fathom the payment you would need to drop in order to build a full bike army in Horus Heresy without having these come out 3 to a box in plastic. While they did lose a step in the move from HH 1.0 to HH Age of Darkness (2.0) they are still incredible in certain army builds. Their speed and mobility make up for their lack of toughness.
9. Rapier Batteries
In Age of Darkness there are few things for the points that do as much as the rapier batteries. While some legions take better advantage of these 2 man artillery pieces, each legion can definitely use them to effect. If they did release this kit I’d love to see all the available weapon options included along with the 2 man squad to operate it.
8. Custodes Aquillion Terminators
Given that 30k Custodes do not yet have access to their 40k Allarus variant in Horus Heresy and may not get it with the new release, I could see GW rushing these to shelves to meet demand for the upcoming Liber Imperium release. Ideally GW will package these as a 10-man box with all available weapon options similar to Tartaros or Cataphractii terminators. One of the hickups now is that you have to deal with 2 different kits that each come with half of the available weapon options. If you wanted to mix and match any of the weaponry you’d need to buy 1 of each kit.
7. Mechanicum Thallax/Ursurax Multi Kit
This is a pretty easy one. Thallax are a key unit for many Mechanicum armies. They are an all around great Troops choice with line, which makes them invaluable. They are also absolutely necessary for Cybernetica armies. I could see releasing them with their standard loadout and including 3 plasma or melta guns. Making this a dual-kit would be well received and give veteran players a shot at getting some different or hard to come by units in plastic that share similar components.
6. Mechanicum Myrmidon Secutor/Destructor Multi Kit
With how well the Myrmidon cult made out in the new Liber Mechanicum its only natural that they should get duel kit box in plastic so would be adepts could assemble and field Secutors or Destructors. I could see 10 bodies with the ability to go with the shooty or melee variants.
5. Custodes Guardian Weapon Upgrade Kits
As we rapidly approach the release of Liber Imperium and stand at the precipice of Custodes dominance i think it only right and propper to give them a plastic upgrade kit for all of their Custodes Guard armory. I’d like to see the pyrite, adrosite and sagitarium bits made available and potentially something to denote Hecteran guards, different heads or plummage, a highly visible widget…something.
4. Solar Auxilia Dracosan Armoured Transport
Remember those fun Start Collecting boxes that would give you an HQ, Infantry Unit and Transport Vehicle? They came in many flavors, Space Marines, AdMech, Imperial Guard and of course Scions among others. I’m a deep believer in those boxes and started many an army with them in my table top career.
I think that Horus Heresy could use something similar for the lesser played armies, Solar Auxilia being one of them. Not only does the Dracosan Armoured Transport look awesome, but it had the unique feature of having firing points so troops could shoot from the vehicle as it moved around. It offered a thick shell for a very nougatty center.
3. Solar Auxili Tercios Infantry
Having only seen a Solar Auxilia army a handful of times in my Horus Heresy gaming career I think they are due a plastic infantry kit release. It would encourage people to take up collecting the army and bring the cost down on a very expensive part of the force. The Solar Auxilia is an entirely unique army to Horus Heresy and arguably one of the coolest aesthetics across the entire line. Its a shame many players will likely not see them without a plastic release.
2. Mechanicum Triaros Conveyor/Karacnos Assault Tank
At the crux of any army is the ability to pack up your troops in a transport and move them across the battlefield so they can hopefully make it to their destination mostly intact. For this reason this list is full of various transports. Without much access to Deep Strikes. Let’s help the Mechanicum out.
1. Legion Assault / Despoiler Marines
One of the glaring holes in the Legion lineup is the distinct lack of close combat marines available in plastic. To help fill out those thirsty troop and fast attack slots I’d love to see some MK5 Assault Marines. For the multitude of close combat oriented armies these are a must have unit. Blood Angels, Space Wolves and World Eaters can use this unit to devastating effect.
Final Thoughts
Thus far I’ve been pleased with the output of Games Workshop in developing and producing true to original Horus Heresy plastic kits. While every kit has been Space Marine Legion affiliated it does give me some hope that we’ll start seeing the more story adjacent armies begin to get some love and attention. The most critical pieces that haven’t made the transition to plastic so far have been the core line troops and transports that create the basis for many armies.
Imagine a world without easy access to Rhinos, Spartans and Tactical Marines and I’ll get a taste of what Mechanicum, Custodes and Solar Auxilia are currently facing. While I don’t think that every model is going to make the transition to plastic I think the community is ready to support different factions and the game as a whole when access to models is easy, they are priced appropriately and there is stock.
Did I miss any of your Heresy favorites we NEED in plastic?
