Horus Heresy 3e Review: Blood Angels Sanguinary Guard

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are good.

Background.

These are the Ikisat who are also known as the Burning Ones. Their role is straight forward enough: guardians of Snaguinius - or on occasion of commanders who were held in favour by the Primarch or his heralds. In effect then, when a commander is accompanied by these men, he has the full backing of the Primarch as these Seraph will sacrifice themselves for the commander or Primarch to live. 

Strengths. 

More jump pack marines, but this time with 2 wounds, WS=5, and all armed with perdition weapons. 

There are a variety of upgrades available, and I think the full squad melta bombs on a full squad are an absolute steal. Paragon blades and inferno pistols all have their place as well. The best upgrade is, however, the banner. You should be taking the legion standard.

Weaknesses. 

I am a bit torn on the utility of combat shields for these marines to be honest. 

Builds.

5 Seraph, Legion Standard, Paragon Blade (235points). 

I feel there's no point to the unit unless you are taking the legion standard, and then a paragon blade comes a close second. 

10 Seraph, Melta Bombs, Legion Standard, 2 Paragon Blades, 2 Inferno Pistols (495 points).

In the realm of very costly in terms of points, but the cost is understandable. This is the ultimate escort unit minus the combat shields (20 points upgrade for that all round, so something to think over) and you should be able to pull things off by speed and positioning. 

Hours Heresy 3e Review: Contemptor-Incaendius Dreadnought

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are good.

Background.

Contemptor dreadnoughts with jump packs specially manufactured by the Mechanicum on Baal's first moon under the treaty of Anvillus. Being blunt: some dreadnoughts have jump packs - get over it. 

Strengths. 

Let's just revisit the core premise here. It is a dreadnought. WITH A JUMP PACK. 

In third edition, this amounts to a few things. It has a base move of 8. It can deep strike. It also has a special rule of a boost pack which enables it to gain the anti-grav type during a Rush. Hence not quite what an infantry man with a jump pack would be. But that is okay!

The paired talons of perdition weapons are solid and come with aflame 2 as well as AP=2 and are hitting at S=9. This is excellent. The melta and assault cannon upgrades are worth considering too.

Weaknesses. 

You are getting what you pay for, and it is expensive to be clear. But consider the cost of a regular dreadnought - let's say invariably 170 and above - combined with a dreadnought drop pod which would be 100 points, and you can see that the price here isn't actually bad at all!

Builds.

Contemptor-Incaendius Dreadnought, two melta guns (220 points).

I like the melta gun replacements for the heavy flamers as they provide excellent threats. 

Contemptor-Incaendius Dreadnought, two Iliastus assault cannons (230 points).

Slightly longer range threat as you close the gap for close combat. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: The Angel's Tears

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are good.

Background.

There exist a range of attitudes toward destroyer units among the legions. There are those that simply do not use them (Salamanders) to those that regularly use them without remorse (Death Guard), and various shades of shunning, and occasional use in-between. For the Blood Angels, they use them, but only when Sanguinius calls for it. These then are the Angel's Tears: Destroyers for the Blood Angels, also called Erelim, and part of the First Sphere like the Crimson Paladins. They have given up their names and identities whilst they serve in this manner.

Strengths. 

Destroyer assault squads with twin volkite serpentas and rad grenades. 

The vanguard (3) rule is excellent here and might swing games. Firestorm ensures that their volleys are not snap shots either. 

Upgrades include the Erelim grenade launcher that has poisoned and phage on toughness which is excellent. Legacies give further options including rotor cannons for causing statuses and Iliastus assault cannons. 

Weaknesses. 

Expensive given that they only have 1 wound each and a 3+ save to keep them alive. Very much glass cannon territory if not played intelligently. 

Builds.

5 Erelim, Arch-Erelim with thunder hammer (165 points). 

The baseline entry. 

5 Erelim, Arch-Erelim with inferno pistol and thunder hammer, 2 rotor cannons, 2 assault cannons,  (230 points). 

Note the use of the inferno pistol here. I'd like melta bombs here too, but can't seem to get them in Third Edition. 

10 Erelim, Arch-Erelim perdition weapon, all with heavy flamers (365 points). 

The anti-horde build. It won't make you many friends, but it is very nice. 

10 Erelim, all with Iliastus pattern assault cannons (450 points).

Dakka till you drop. Again, you are not making any friends here. The price is too steep realistically as well. 

10 Erelim, Arch-Erelim with power fist, all with Erelim grenade launchers (365 points). 

 I really like this build as well. Might get you slightly more friends for being fluffy, but don't count on it.

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Dawnbreaker Cohort

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are great.

Background.

The Dawnbreakers are the elites of the assault squads for the Blood Angels. They are known for accompanying Sanguinius himself in dawn raids as they sprinkle down from the skies to liberate long long human colony worlds from xenos and tyrants alike.

Strengths. 

High movement, WS=5 and armed with the falling star power spear. This does impact (SM) and breaching whilst bringing AP=3 to the table. You can exchange this in Legacies with a pair of equinox blades to get an extra attack which might be attractive, but I'd value the spears higher. A couple of perdition weapons might also be desirable for the Aflame rule here. 

Alongside this, they come armed with grenade dischargers (frag and krak) which are a great shorter ranged weapon for when they charge in.

And charge in they are very likely to. They have deep strike natively as you would expect with jump packs. They also have Set the Sky Aflame. You cannot be targeted by interceptors over 12 inches away when you deep strike. This is very strong indeed. 

Rounding this off is the fact they have a 2+ save and 2 wounds each which explains their higher points cost, but they are still worth it. 

Weaknesses. 

Not many, but I would recommend a character being attached to them.

Melta bombs for 25 points for the entire unit are good for larger units, but not as great for smaller ones. 

Builds.

10 Dawnbreakers, Melta Bombs, 3 Perdition Weapons (315 points).

A baseline build (you could go smaller) that is effective and strong. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Crimson Paladins

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are rather good.

Background.

These men are the guardians of the halls of the Primarch, also known as the Keruvin. Like others in the first sphere, they give up their identities and adopt new names. In battle, they are the "anvil" (not my words, I emphasize, but their role is not dissimilar).

Strengths. 

Terminators with power swords and power shields. They are very likable and the miniatures have the rule of cool.

The Coriolis pattern power shield is an interesting one. It reduces the wound characteristic of incoming blows by 1 to a minimum of 1. This is excellent. Moreover, when they are outnumbered, they gain feel no pain. This is bumped to a maximum of 4+ when more they are outnumbered by more than a factor of two. 

Native deepstrike is also impressive, combined with Line (1) and WS=5 plus the ability to take different upgrades thanks to Legacies. 

Weaknesses. 

I like the models, and when well painted, they OBVIOUSLY survive longer. I won't be taking any questions on this point. Not sorry. Love the models and sculpt. 

They will need to either use that deep strike more seriously, or have a transport solution. Unless you're just holding a key walkway or objective or similar. 

Builds.

5 Paladins, Exemplar with grenade harness (230 points). 

A baseline build for pure close combat. 

10 Paladins, Examplar with grenade harness, 2 Iliastus Assault Cannons, 2 Chain Fists (490 points).

Maximal build with good ranged fire power. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Aster Crohne

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.5/5 stars rounded up. The rules are good.

Background.

In a nutshell, Crohne is a natural born survivor. Massacres, bloody battlefields, and slaughters untold, this is a marine who just gets through everything and still looks good doing so. He is also an old-timer, and therefore somewhat shunned by the rest of the legion whose methods have changed since Sanguinius took over command. Despite this, he is a loyalist through and through even if in the modern 30k scene the ninth legion seems like the wrong fit for him (it used to be a great fit, but the legion demeanour changed).

Strengths. 

An Officer of the Line (2) is attractive here as a foot slogging infantryman. His stat line is fairly typical of a consul.

He comes with 2 hand flamers which are reasonable and the Saiphan Shard-Axe which yields an incredibly strong breaching of 4+ with A+1, S+1, and AP=3. This is strong, but you just need a transport solution for him. 

As the Ghost of Saiph with a natural talent for survival, he has evens chances of coming back with 1 wound when he gets removed for the first time in a game. This is nice without being over-whelming. 

Weaknesses. 

Could do with an extra attack if I'm honest and AP=2 for more stars from me, and the lack of a jump pack might result in him not being selected too often. 

Overall.

The Shroudmaker is in good form for third edition and provides a nice choice for those wanting Officer of the Line slots at a reasonable points cost and comes with a special axe that really works to chew up enemy wounds. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Dominion Zephon

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are good, and I've gone for 4 stars here due to Officer of the Line. 

Background.

With his career in the Blood Angels cut short thanks to a Xenos blade, Zephon was sent to Terra as one of the Crusader Host. His new bionic limbs didn't integrate with his remaining flesh initially. Until Land himself too an interest in Zephon. Land fixed up his bionics just in time for the siege of Terra where he rejoined his legion whole heartedly.

Strengths. 

The jump pack combined with a WS=6 makes for a potent combination for any commander. He comes with rad grenades as standard which will give him an edge where needed. 

He has two volkite 10 inch range pistols called lament and grief which can do some good damage largely through their S=6 and 6 shots total which is impressive. Meanwhile, the Spiritum Sanguis provides AP=2 and S+1 with reaping blow to make him effective in close combat. 

Nicely, he gets Officer of the Line (2) here which is amazing in third edition and the reason that I've bumped his star rating up to 4/5. This is the reason you'll take him along with that jump pack. Eternal Warrior rounds it out very nicely. 

Weaknesses. 

Costs more than Raldoron, but you do get a jump pack!

Overall.

Zephon has gone from an interesting if fluffy character in second edition, to an almost automatic include in third edition thanks to the combination of jump pack, rad grenades, effective short range shooting and solid close combat, combined with Officer of the Line and Eternal Warrior to create a commander who really does justify his costs and his place in the Siege of Terra. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Chapter Master Raldoron

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are solid, but crying out for a jump pack!

Background.

All the legions have their legends - especially the duelists and close combat brothers. Eidolon and Lucius for the Emperor's Children. Corswain for the Dark Angels. Sigismund for the Imperial Fists. Even the Alpha Legion has something of a duelist in Dynat. Raldoron serves an equal purpose for the Blood Angels and his name is writ large in the annals of the Great Crusade. 

Strengths. 

WS=7 is strong for a non-primarch named character. The rest of the stat line is very reasonable and praetor levels. 

He comes with the Encarmine Warblade which gives AP=2 and a valuable 2 damage with S+1, impact on AM and also critical hitting. This will cause some serious damage. 

The has Archein of Wisdom which enables him to learn from his enemies (as a gambit). This gives you a bonus for your focus roll equivalent to the number of successful hits made against you last strike step. This is very nice for taking the focus win!

Weaknesses. 

Not many realistically for what you are getting here. I would recommend a transport solution since he sadly doesn't come with a jump pack and this is the biggest negative here. 

Overall.

Very reasonable for the points cost!

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Sanguinius

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

5/5 stars. Excellent!

Background.

Much can be said about the Primarch's background. He has a fame that is the equal of Horus, and arguably should have been selected as the Warmaster over Horus, not that he actually cared for that role or accolade. He had the gift of foresight, much in the same way as some of his brothers (e.g., Night Haunter), not that that helped him too much. He also has wings and was not considered a mutant to be destroyed. He was glorious. Enough said.

Strengths. 

I want to pause first and just note to readers the movement rate of 16. This alone is impressive. Factor in WS=8 and you have a serious contender for top threat level in the Heresy. 

The rest of the stat line isn't actually that impressive with 6's literally everywhere else (12 in leadership of course, and 10 in the other advanced stats). But his weapons make up for this. 

The Blade Encarmine gives S+1, critical hitting, and impact (AM). Or you can swap it out for the Moonsilver blade (duellist's edge at 1) and the Spear of Telesto (S+3, AM-2, IM-1 with armour bane and shock for suppression). You can't really go too wrong either way to be very honest except that the Moonsilver blade is only AP=3. I'd actually favour the spear simply due to making his relative strength 9 and taking the negative modifiers against. 

The side arm, Infernus, is quietly great as well with 3 damage at AP=2 and melta. 

As a gambit, he has Angelic Descent for turn 1 only and when he charged (which you should be able to pull off with that movement rate). You gain a bonus equal to the Bulky rule of your enemy for the focus roll. This is excellent and potentially a winner against his brothers!

As sire of the Blood Angels, he gives prime slots when 4 troop slots are assault squads. That should be no surprise. You also get a deep strike reserves modifier of +1 once per turn which is very nice indeed.  

Weaknesses. 

T=6 is distinctly average territory for a Primarch. You will therefore need to win fights before you are killed. With W=6, you should be able to hold out, and with the focus bonus from the gambit you should be going for a big kill or similar on turn 1. He is a bit of a glass cannon perhaps, but can get the job done very well (hence my weakness comment here isn't actually much of a weakness, but I wanted to write something anyway). 

Overall.

High points cost relative to other primarchs, but also very much worth the cost. 

Horus Heresy 3e Review: Blood Angels Legion Rules

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. I almost gave a higher rating. The Blood Angels are strong in third edition when built and played as intended. 

Background.

To me, the Blood Angels are almost a loyalist version of the Emperor's Children (or maybe it is the other way around to some of you?). They have a predilection for art and the finer things in life, having hailed from the wastes of Baal. Their primarch's gene-helix raised them high but at cost. Vampires in all but name, they got bogged down at Signus by the Warmaster and after a little sojourn in the Unspoken Empire, made haste to Terra to defend the throne at incredible cost. 

Armoury. 

Inferno Pistols are a very short range melta shot with S=8 and a valuable AP=2. Great for causing damage on the way in, and as an accent to a melta-cide unit. 

Blades of Perdition are power weapons set on fire basically. Aflame causes a leadership penalty when hitting a target unit and this is certainly valuable for combat purposes. Worth taking. 

The Iliastus assault cannon is similarly nice and has a place in heavy support squads, veterans, command squads, terminators, predators and leviathans. Sponsons and pintles are similarly good quality for this cannon. Overload (1) is a risk if you use it on maximal, but that's the gamble. 

Revenants is a Prime Force Organization Slot upgrade that gives Fear (1). Handy in some circumstances and often a surprise to opponents who don't regularly play against Blood Angels to remind them that they eat others' flesh. You will be causing routs with this when combined with the Blades of Perdition and the Tactica below. 

Tactica. 

Encarmine Fury returns in third edition . You get a flat S+1 in the turn you charged. This is still solid, but not as good as first edition, and equal to second edition. 

Gambits.  
Thrall of the Red Thirst lets you ignore focus negative modifiers caused by wounds lost but you don't get outside support. Its a trade off that sometimes works, but not really a top pick. 

Additional Detachments. 
Revelation Host is very specific and fluffy: you get up to 2 assault squads and 2 dawnbreaker cohorts. 

Advanced Reaction. 
Wrath of Angels allows you to get closer to the enemy that shot at you. Take a full move toward them. Its that simple. Oh, and if you get very close (6 inches) force them to take a cool test or be pinned in place by your glory or vampiric disposition (delete as appropriate). 

I regard the Blood Angels as really rather good in third edition. The combination of blades of perdition, revenants, and encarmine fury is excellent. Layer on top of this wrath of angels to get you closer, and long range support from S=6 auto cannons with breaching and heavy (FP) and you have an army that can tackle most comers. 

Horus Heresy 2e Review: Aster Crohne

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. A strong centurion, but a little bit on the expensive side. 

Background.

Aster Crohne is a survivor who defies belief. A relic of the wars that tore Saiph apart, and one who was undertaking the Great Crusade prior to the rediscovery of Sanguinius himself. He stood apart from the main legion and never really rose in rank as he should have, finding himself in charge of the 94th company and the Inductii. 

Strengths.

When he loses his last wound he will be put back into reserves with one wound on a 4+. This only happens on the first time, but it is a great fluffy rule that helps him stay in the game. 

His warlord trait is directly associated with the 94th. It gives Inductii sweeping attacks as well as A+1 when making successful charge. This is in addition to the usual Fear rule that Blood Angels Inductii have and overrules (at least from reading the rules) the lack of sweeping assaults which is good news for the Blood Angels player. The additional movement reaction is solid. Aster can also join Inductii units which is obviously a good thing.

His weapon of choice is a S+1 AP=3 axe that also rends which is great for dealing with enemy blobs of tactical marines. The two hand flamers are also good, to be clear. 

The stat line is basically a consul centurion with an extra wound which is good.

Weaknesses.

Obviously as he's not a Praetor, he does not have Master of the Legion. This isn't so good. He's well suited to leading Inductii though, so that's a plus. 

We also need to acknowledge the points cost here as well. It is on the high side, and you will also need a transport for maximum effectivess.

Overall.

A fluffy character with rules to suit. He's going to be wanted as a Judicar (Centurion) to lead Inductii, but that's it. Good for small points value games that involve Inductii, but in higher points value games I would want to just be using him for his ability to slice and dice. The Blood Angels are not short of other ways of doing this though!

Horus Heresy Review: Chapter Master Raldoron

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. I am a fan.

Background.

All the legions have their legends - especially the duelists and close combat brothers. Eidolon and Lucius for the Emperor's Children. Corswain for the Dark Angels. Sigismund for the Imperial Fists. Even the Alpha Legion has something of a duelist in Dynat. Raldoron serves an equal purpose for the Blood Angels and his name is writ large in the annals of the Great Crusade. 

Strengths. 

I like the stat line combined with the S+1 AP2 shredding murderous Encarmine Warblade. He is a force to be reckoned with for close combat and the WS is especially attractive. 

Standing out here though is the warlord trait that allows him to select the core traits, or any of the loyalist traits of loyalist legions (with the exception of the Dark Angels funnily enough) since he likes to read a lot. This kind of swiss army knife is reminiscent of Alpha Legion shenanigans, and I can't help but like it. Sorry. 

Weaknesses.

I rather like Raldoron. As with other close combat monsters, he does need to get there, and this is where characters like Dominion shine a bit better thanks to the jump pack. The lack of jump pack might be an issue for some Blood Angels builds, but its tolerable. I see Raldoron as an almost default commander to take and he will be equally effective in large and small points games. 

Overall.

Embed in a big unit and go hunting. Strong outcomes will likely follow. 

Difference to First Edition.

Neutral.

Horus Heresy 2e Review: Dominion Zephon

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.5/5 stars - rounded down. The rules are good enough.

Background.

With his career in the Blood Angels cut short thanks to a Xenos blade, Zephon was sent to Terra as one of the Crusader Host. His new bionic limbs didn't integrate with his remaining flesh initially. Until Land himself too an interest in Zephon. Land fixed up his bionics just in time for the siege of Terra where he rejoined his legion whole heartedly.

Strengths. 

Master of the Legion with an ability to come back from the dead once per game based on a die roll. Not bad really. More than this, he can choose a Legion Destroyer Squad as his retinue. This is fine, but not outstanding. 

I like the S+1 and AP2 sword that he wields which in conjunction with his rad grenades spells trouble for his opponents. The pistols are fine with a nice 6 shot deflagrate.

Weaknesses.

I don't know folks. I want to like him, I really do. I just think other HQ selections are better. Sorry. 

Overall.

I think he would be great in smaller points value games where he is leading close combat armies backed up with destroyers and Angel's Tears. Honestly, he's actually a quality choice for the Blood Angels player, and I personally speaking don't like facing off to him. Otherwise I suspect at regular points values and higher games other HQ choices are more attractive (Raldoron coming soon...!). 

Difference to First Edition.

Neutral.

Horus Heresy Review: Contemptor-Incaendius Dreadnought

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are good.

Background.

Contemptor dreadnoughts with jump packs specially manufactured by the Mechanicum on Baal's first moon under the treaty of Anvillus. Being blunt: some dreadnoughts have jump packs - get over it. 

Strengths.

Its a contemptor. With a jump pack. Okay, I acknowledge that I already wrote that in the background, but its also a massive strength too. No harm in repeating it here then! 

The jump pack can function either as a deep strike, or can be used to make a shock attack which grants a movement increase along with hammer of wrath (2) which is splendid. Neither of these modes are game breaking, but they are very powerful. Considering the cost of a dreadnought drop pod, the price paid for this contemptor is well worth it in my opinion. 

Finally, the Brutal (2) rule on the talons of perdition makes this monster powerful - especially with shred. But the temptation will be to replace them with Gravis power fists for Brutal (3) and more strength instead. I could go either way on this choice. The melta and assault cannon upgrades are entertaining enough to consider. 

Weaknesses.

Rules as written: I cannot make up my mind whether one gravis power fist and one talon of perdition is permitted? Thoughts welcome.

Difference to First Edition.

Neutral.

Builds.

Incaendius with 1 of each Talon of Perdition and Gravis Powerfist, 1 melta gun (210 points).

All round build. I prefer the melta over the assault cannon simply due to the fact that this should be a close range dreadnought threat rather than a longer range dakka threat. 

Horus Heresy 2e Review: The Angel's Tears

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are good.

Background.

Some legions avoid destroyer squads altogether (e.g., Salamanders). Other embrace them (e.g., Death Guard). Many see them as a necessary evil, while others have their own take on the unit. The Blood Angels come under that final category and the Angel's Tears are only used at Sanguinius' behest when utter annihilation is called for. 

Strengths.

Essentially these squads are much like destroyer assault squads but with two volkite serpentas and chainswords as their baseline. As with that squad, they come with counter attack, stubborn, and bitter duty. 

The question can be asked about how they truly differ then from the destroyer assault squad. Part of the answer is improved Ld, the other part is some different load outs that they can take. Most obviously, the Angel's Tears Grenade Launcher with is assault 3 with rad phage and flesh bane. Nasty. More over, every model can take this upgrade (or other upgrades) which serves to add to the customisation possible. 

Weaknesses.

I rather like this squad, and for what it does, it is worth taking instead of regular destroyer assault squads in my opinion. That extra pip in Ld is very valuable. The only real draw back is lack of access to phosphex. Shrug?

Difference to First Edition.

Roughly neutral, but the points cost is somewhat increased for smaller sized units.

Builds.

5 Erelim, Arch-Erelim with artificer armour and thunder hammer (185 points). 

The baseline entry. 

5 Erelim, Arch-Erelim with inferno pistol, artificer armour, thunder hammer, 2 heavy flamers, 2 assault cannons, melta bombs all round (245 points). 

For taking out transports and their content. Note the use of the inferno pistol here. 

10 Erelim, Arch-Erelim with artificer armour and perdition weapon, all with heavy flamers (325 points). 

The anti-horde build. It won't make you many friends, but it is very nice. 

10 Erelim, Arch-Erelim with artificer armour, all with Iliastus pattern assault cannons (360 points). 

Dakka till you drop. Again, you are not making any friends here. 

10 Erelim, Arch-Erelim with artificer armour and power fist, all with Angel's Tears grenade launchers (380 points). 

I really like this build as well. Might get you slightly more friends for being fluffy, but don't count on it. 

Horus Heresy 2e Review: Crimson Paladins

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are good.

Background.

These Blood Angels are the guardians of the halls of the Primarch. In battle, they serve as the bulwark -- or an anvil unit if you prefer. They are the men that the enemy will smash against and be found wanting. 

Strengths.

Two wound cataphractii terminators are inherently good. They really excel in close combat though rather than at range. Their special rules give them feel no pain in close combat when outnumbered which improves by one pip when outnumbered by a factor of two. For the purposes of being outnumbered, they use bulky (2) which shouldn't come as a surprise. Impressively, their shields reduce the to wound rolls of incoming attacks by 1 which is great. Sunset blades are nice to have here as well.

I will also mention here that I am a genuine fan of the sculpt of these models. Surely that also means that they last longer on the tabletop, right?! [This is where my followers will comment that first time use of such units always consigns them to be eliminated fast - this appears to be an underlying law of nature as well?].

Weaknesses.

They need to be in combat to shine. And for most of the game. They can serve well as tar pit units, but the lack of reliable AP2 is a concern for if the player really wants them to function as hammer units (they are demonstrably anvil units). 

Difference to First Edition.

Improved (note they have 2 wounds here). The points cost is also somewhat reduced.

Builds.

3 Paladins, Exemplar with perdition blade. (145 points). 

I regard this as the baseline build. Probably best used with a character or as a sneaky tar-pit. Feel free to add extra bodies if you're confident of not losing the feel no pain rule.

5 Paladins, Exemplar with perdition blade, 1 with heavy flamer, 2 with sunset blades, 2 with power fists (250 points). 

A better, fuller, close combat squad. Take grenade harness to taste, or replace the heavy flamer with a plasma blaster if preferred. 

5 Paladins, Exemplar with perdition blade and grenade harness, 1 with assault cannon, 2 with sunset blades, 2 with power fists (265 points). 

Slightly shooty with still excellent close combat possibilities here. More expensive than necessary though, as a regular legion terminator squad is arguably better for this role.

Note that I do not provide a squad of 10 example here. The reason for this is the concern about losing the feel no pain rule. Of course, this advice can easily be ignored and size 10 squads fielded no problem, and with good effect. But I feel that the feel no pain rule is such a boon with this squad. 

Horus Heresy 2e Review: Dawnbreaker Cohort

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4/5 stars. The rules are good. I like them a lot, even when playing against them. 

Background.

Dropping from the sky to act as Sanguinius' tip of the spear, these Blood Angels are an elite cadre of assault troops bred on the liberation of human cities and settlements from the grips of xenos and false beliefs. Naturally, they also drop from the skies at dawn like angels, hence the name. 

Strengths.

Two wounds each is fabulous here. Combined with the artificer armour and jump pack, I would expect to be paying slightly more than we are, hence I think they are points cost effective here for the main part. 

The armaments are sound enough with a choice between the falling star power spear or the sunrise and sunset blades. Both can shine in different cases, and the choice between them is down to personal preference for most players, but of course there are trade offs. The grenade discharger is just the icing on the cake, while the Setting the Sky Aflame modifier to Ld for pinning when they deep strike is not only fluffy but something to take maximum advantage of. 

Weaknesses.

Reliance on AP3 and rending can be an issue here and the squad risks being tarpitted and then killed by terminators. Given the deep strike and potential other choices for the army though, they remain a reasonable tool in the Blood Angel's arsenal. 

Difference to First Edition.

I am going to suggest slightly worse. The lack of reliable AP2 is notable. But the points have been brought down. 

Builds.

5 Dawnbreakers, Champion with Perdition Weapon (155 points).

My baseline build. Potentially good first turn damage. NB: first edition cost for this was 230 points by comparison. 

5 Dawnbreakers, Equinox Blades, Champion with Perdition Weapon (175 points).

Another baseline build, but this time taking advantage of the sunrise and sunset blades. 

10 Dawnbreakers, 4x Equinox Blades, Champion with Perdition Weapon, Melta Bombs all round (325 points).

A bit of a maximum build. The melta upgrade is cost efficient with 10 members and shouldn't really be taken on a squad any smaller. 

Horus Heresy 2e Review: Sanguinius

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

5/5 stars. The rules are excellent.

Background.

Sanguinius makes a splendid return in second edition looking and feeling everything like the Angel that he is. Even if those wings of his are not the greatest thing on the table top (they are), then the rules are fab. Of course, the background has an ill fate in store for him later on in the civil war, but during all stages of it, he was an inspiration to all who witnessed him and remained untainted by the challenges of chaos thrown around him. Why would the Emperor not appoint him as Warmaster?

Strengths. 

Bonus WS on the charge for his sons and movement reactions bonus, coupled with those amazing wings make him not only a good beat stick, but also as swift a (unmounted) primarch as we will find. Although his armour is standard, and the bonus to combat resolution is solid, his main strength lies in his armaments. 

Infernus is terrific for a side arm with assault 2 and melta (albeit one shot) can ruin an opponent's day with ease. The blade encarmine is sufficiently powerful to tackle most foes, including his brothers, while the replacement for this of the Spear of Telesto and the Moonsilver Blade provide access to AP1 and S=10 coupled with bonus effects against psykers and daemons. 

Weaknesses.

The stat line features a lot of 6's. Not in WS, mind you. Just everywhere else. It is important to note this as often you will need higher S (Spear of Telesto), or to rely on your 2+/4+ armour save when taking incoming wounds. Brutal weapons will especially hurt him. But you shouldn't care too much about this: Sanguinius is simply great.

Overall.

He's Sanguinius. He is awesome. He should have been the Warmaster. [I may also be biased.]

Difference to First Edition.

Neutral to slightly worse overall I think?? He seems to have lost a few buffs. I preferred the bonus S and I on the charge from first edition. 

Horus Heresy 2e Review: Blood Angels Armoury

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

3/5 stars. The rules are average. 

The Fires of Heaven. The ability to take inferno pistols instead of plasma pistols is a nice touch and one that I can see many Blood Angels players opting for. Yes, it does have a short range, but it can come in handy beyond just tank busting.

Perdition Weapons. For a very small points cost increase, exchanging power weapons for perdition weapons is probably a no brainer -- the addition of Brutal (2) is excellent for the price.

Iliastus Assault Cannon. One of a couple of legions to be able to take this upgrade, getting assault 4 with rending is a nice way to upgrade flamers and will be tempting, but there's that pesky malfunction rule on these otherwise great weapons. Should be fine though.

Overall.

There's no special consul for the Blood Angels and I feel they miss out in this department compared to other legions. The armoury is sound enough otherwise, without being mind-blowingly amazing. I do like the perdition weapons a lot myself. 

Horus Heresy 2e Review: Blood Angels Traits and Rites

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.5/5 stars. Rounded down. The rules are average. 

Warlord Traits.

Three traits are present for the Blood Angels legion: a loyalist only, an all-rounder, and a traitor only. 

Encarmine Paladin. For the Loyalists, this is an anti-traitor trait. He gets Fear (1) against traitor armies which increases to Fear (4) as he wins combats. An extra assault reaction rounds this out. A solid trait overall and a rule that is unusual to see outside the Night Lords. 

Paragon of Unity. The all rounder trait grants Ld+1 to all Blood Angels in line of sight to him, or the unit he's joined. Nice, and comes with a bonus assault reaction.

Thrall of the Red Thirst. Must charge within 12 inches, but gets +2 attacks on the charge, including for the unit he is a part of. Straight forward and no messing. Feels very World Eaters, and rightly so. Bonus movement reaction is solid here as well. A great traitor choice and one I can see having a lot of play.

Rites of War.

The Day of Revelation. This is a deep strike army configuration which grants a gaurenteed deep strike on a turn chosen out of turns 2, 3, or 4. Other units gain fearless until the nominated turn. There are some rules about placing a marker for the first model, along with restrictions such as no subterranean assault and a jump pack for HQs. Very fluffy, very appropriate, and very Blood Angels that we know and love.

The Day of Sorrows. Crimson paladins as non compulsory troops with Line, stubborn on objectives, and a triggered Heart of the Legion plus Hatred (everything) make this a solid choice at the price of always accepting and giving challenges (as if you wouldn't) and having to charge if reduced below 50%. An aggressive rite to be clear, and one that can work very well, and can also be wasted if an opponent knows to just clear out units one at a time. 

Difference to First Edition.

I like what has happened here for the warlord traits. The traitor one especially seems to be quite powerful and will work well in concert with either rite. The loyalist one is fine, and the all rounder is solid. The rites themselves feel familiar and overall I think we are still going to see more days of revelation than days of sorrow on the battlefield. But who knows: those crimson paladin models sure are cool.