Is that a plastic Spartan? Holy cow if all these photato pics are any indication a new Horus Heresy Starter set is incoming and may be in plastic as well!
Rumors have been flying that the new Maloghurst miniature may be plastic, and herald in a new plastic starter set for the Horus Heresy in 2021! People thought we could hear an announcement at Warhammer Fest, but obviously, this was not the case.
GW likes to release big things like new edition rules or starters in the summer or fall, so we still have about 6 months until we could see any potential release. It would also make sense we could see this during Black Friday, especially if this is plastic and coming from GW and not Forge World.
Not to mention the fact that both 2015, and 2016’s Black Friday releases were both Horus Heresy Box sets.
One thing that this rumor has going for it is that GW never actually said new Maloghurst model was going to be from Forge World, so there’s a chance this could actually be a plastic kit like we say 5 years ago.
This in turn means there’s a chance Maloghurst could be the first mini for a new starter set for Horus Heresy.
While we don’t really have a ton to go off yet, there are a few big keys leading to the possibility. First, the Legion dispatch is going to be an ongoing series, second, the mini really looks like it’s plastic, and third, they haven’t had a new starter or anything to really grow the game system in a long, long time.
The previous starter set, Prospero Burns sold for $150 and came out in late 2016, nearly 5 years ago!
Considering they are basically two editions behind 40k in terms of rules, the timing is right to give the game a revamp. But some people love the idea that it’s a much different ruleset. Since the Legion dispatch is going to be an ongoing series, it would make sense for them to introduce a bunch of new minis, then release them all at the same time.
Industry insiders have been telling us here at Spikey Bits that something “very cool is on the horizon” for Horus Heresy, but with all the external factors affecting product releases worldwide, it’s hard to even say when we may see it.
Traditionally GW releases new big-box game starters for sci-fi lines around Black Friday in November, just like with the last two HH box sets. So perhaps all this is a build-up to either summer or late fall release in 2021.
Again, this is all conjecture, but it sets the stage for these pictures that were just spotted on Reddit:
RUMORS: New Plastic Horus Heresy Starter Set Pics Spotted!
What appears to be pictures of a new Plastic two-player Horus Heresy set featuring a Contemptor Dreadnought along with a Spartan Tank have surfaced on Reddit.
Note that these are photos of images on a monitor which are probably legit “leaks”. (we say leaks in quotes because many hobbyists have their doubts that GW is not leaking images intentionally to follow up with cheeky announcements to build hype for their products).
And why wouldn’t they? It’s literally worth millions of dollars in sales for them to do so…
Back to the details, from these images, they look to be Mark VI Corvus armor (affectionately called “Beaky”), and Umbra bolters both of which appear different from the current resin Forge World ones.
The Spartan appears to be plastic just because nothing is warped or misfitted as that tank is known for just being a bad build in general. Note the mold lines going down the center of the treads, and the gaps in the front hatch etc…
The new kit appears to have no mold lines and “gaps” or notches in the front of each tread linkage…
Compared to the scale of the existing plastic Cataphractii terminators (which may be included in this new box) the legionary Space Marines almost look to be on the same scale as the last two marks of plastic armor kits.
Lastly, there appear to be two hero models to look forward to in the kit who are on what appears to be 40mm bases.
While we wait for the official announcement from GW, here are the contents of the Betrayal at Calth, pictured above, which may prove to be similar to what will come in this new box from these leaked images.
- 30x Tactical marines MK IV Plate
- 5x Catapharctii Terminators 1x
- Contemptor with Lascannon, Melta, Assault Cannon and CCW
- 1x Captain Aethon
- 1x Kurtha Sedd
- 2 Dice Command Decks
- 42 playing cards
- 4-piece hex-board
- 49pp rulebook
Looks like happy days are coming again to Heresy!
How many of these boxes will you try to buy, or is it time to split one with a friend?
Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group, and make sure you enter the latest monthly giveaway for FREE today!
About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
