After months of leaks, rumors, and a PR campaign where publisher Games Workshop decided “fuck with it, let’s have some fun” by making a tongue-in-cheek ‘fansite,’ the new edition of Horus Heresy has been shown off at last.
If you’ve been following Horus Heresy Third Edition gossip, the final product may not come as a surprise. As suspected, ‘Saturnine’ is the next core box and features a lineup of brand-new Terminators with shoulder-pads to make ’80s kids nostalgic, a previously-unseen – but massive – Dreadnought, and a core rulebook that revises existing mechanics without reinventing the wheel.
According to Games Workshop’s live stream reveal, we can expect to get our hands on the set this Summer. (If I had to guess, I’d assume July based on previous launches for the current Warhammer 40K/Age of Sigmar editions.) And to be frank, I can’t wait. I’ve spent a long time circling Horus Heresy, but the new edition’s rules are enough to tip me over into full “take my money” mania. It’s like a blast from the past; this is a grittier, more granular wargame that’s very reminiscent of the Warhammer I played growing up. Just look at the new ‘Tactical Status’ mechanic, which breaks down how units react to certain circumstances. The ‘Suppressed’ condition means that your troops are pinned down and disoriented by enemy fire, while ‘Routed’ shows that they’ve been so battered they need to fall back. Similarly, the Leadership stat has now been divided into other categories (Leadership, Willpower, Cool, and Initiative) that provide a better sense of your warriors’ strengths. Those with a high Cool score are able to keep calm under great stress, for example.
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This getting-into-the-weeds mentality sets Horus Heresy apart from the faster, more streamlined Warhammer 40K, and I dig that. In much the same way, I like how grounded its focus is. There are plenty of big personalities on these battlefields (just look at the Space Marine leaders, the Primarchs), but more focus is placed on the rank and file. The troopers in the trenches.
The narrative it’s chosen appeals in much the same way. This edition puts the Dropsite Massacre of Istvaan V front and center, and this is a cataclysmic event in the lore where multiple Space Marine legions were decimated after being lured into a trap by traitors. That’s why the Salamanders have enjoyed the spotlight for Saturnine, forming half of the boxes’s force; they were badly affected by this event, becoming one of the ‘Shattered Legions’ who never really recovered. It’s incredibly thematic.
Naturally, there’s nothing to say you can’t use those same models for different legions. While they’re dolled up in Salamander and villainous Iron Warriors colors for the Saturnine artwork, they’re usable in any army. Which is just as well, because the new units are particularly interesting. The Saturnine Dreadnought is one of the most dangerous units to walk the Horus Heresy battlefield to date, there’s a massive defensive cannon you can turn on foes to devastating effect, and those new Terminators pack an extra punch thanks to their ability to dual-wield incredibly heavy weaponry… and, you know, due to being practically impervious. You get fewer of them as a result, but I feel like they’re going to be straight-up vehicle killers.
Wondering where they came from? Lore-wise, there’s a good reason we haven’t seen or heard of these in Warhammer’s already-expansive canon; Saturnine gear is ancient tech that’s fiendishly difficult to make, and was only figured out by Salamanders Primarch Vulkan. Because he’s a team player, he distributed the plans for Saturnine armor throughout the Legions just prior to the Heresy. Considering how they’re now being used against him, I suspect he’s regretting that particular act of charity.
I’m sure we’ll get more details in the days to come, and it’ll be interesting to see how this compares to The Horus Heresy 2nd Edition starter set. However, no matter what, I’ll be there day one. God dammit, Games Workshop – you got me again.
For something to play until then, why not check out the best board games?
