The return of epic-scale games is here with Horus Heresy: Legions Imperialis, which brings back Warhammer 40k miniatures on a smaller scale.
The Games Workshop Not Warhammer 40,000 Preview was on July 4th weekend, with reveals for five games and again, definitely not 40k.
Games Workshop Not Warhammer 40,000 Preview Online
The new edition of a little game called Warhammer 40,000 has just been released, with revamped rules and a massive box filled with new miniatures. It’s all quite exciting! This release has garnered a lot of attention, but believe it or not, there are other Warhammer games out there. It’s now time to lavish some much-needed attention onto these other systems and settings, from the Mortal Realms to the Age of Darkness, with a jam-packed Not Warhammer 40,000 Preview – coming this weekend!
Starting at 9am EST this is one of the better times for a preview across the world we’ve seen in a while. In contrast, the west coast of the USA will have to get up quite early.
Warhammer 40k Epic Returns As Horus Heresy Legions Imperialis
Here is the latest on Horus Heresy: Legions Imperialis from Warhammer Community.
Warhammer: The Horus Heresy – Legions Imperialis is an all-new game set at the time of the Horus Heresy. While your standard 3,000-point battle of the larger-scale Age of Darkness constitutes a slice of a larger engagement, Legions Imperialis is that battle in full, with dozens of tanks and hundreds of infantry striving for supremacy and advancing to battle between the legs of Knights and Titans. It’s battle on a new scale.
The game deploys in August, with a huge Core Set containing a massive collection of exquisite epic scale miniatures, alongside a rulebook, dice, tokens templates, and measuring sticks.
The launch box arrives in August of 2023, five years after the launch of Adepticus Titanicus, which kicked off the push to this new scale.
There are a whopping 223 miniatures in the box, split between Space Marines, Solar Auxilia, and Titans. That’s 106 Space Marine infantry and walkers, five Space Marine tanks, 104 Solar Auxilia infantry and walkers, six Solar Auxilia tanks, and two Warhound Titans with brand-new plastic weapon options.
This is undoubtedly a massive release, with tons of plastic minis to get us started gaming again at an Epic scale!
There are also two squads of Assault Marines for rapid combat manoeuvres, two units of Support Legionaries with plasma guns and two with missile launchers, all backed up by two bases of five Legion Cataphractii Terminators.
So let’s take a closer look at each of these tiny models that are all scaled with both the Adepticus Titanicus and Aeronautical Imperials line at approximately 1:4 the size of a Warhammer 40k miniature!
It’s honestly insane how good these look while being so tiny, massive credit to the Warhammer team that did the paint job on these display models.
For heavy support, the Legiones Astartes have four pleasingly chunky Contemptor Dreadnoughts with a power fist and either twin-linked lascannons or Kheres assault cannons. You also get two Sicaran battle tanks and three Predators to round out the armoured offering, each with a choice of turret and sponson weapons.
Both tanks come with a choice of cupola options – they can be either closed down or feature a Space Marine driver or gunner, just like the full-sized miniatures!
As the lifeblood of epic, heavy support is a super huge factor when building and playing Epic, so these kits are fantastic additions and will be seen a ton!
The Solar Auxilia are the well-trained and well-equipped defenders of the Emperor’s interests, who overwhelm their foes with superior numbers and an abundance of armour – though notably, many turned traitor along with Horus. They get two bases that can build either a Solar Axuilia Legate Commander or an Auxilia Tactical Command Section, eight bases worth of lasrifle-toting Auxiliaries, four units of Auxiliaries with flamers, four units of Veletarii shock troops, and four bases of ferocious Charonite Ogryns.
While they may not get focused on much, ordinary humans are still in Horus Heresy and 40k, making their inclusion here a welcome sight.
This box introduces a never-before-seen unit for the Solar Auxilia, the Aethon Heavy Sentinel, these walkers patrol ahead of the main body of a force to scout enemies and engage them with multi-lasers and missile launchers.
Four of these accompany four Leman Russ battle tanks and two lumbering Malcador heavy tanks, each with a choice of main battlecannons and hull-mounted weapons. These also come with various cupola options, just like their Space Marine counterparts.
Again, armor is a centerpiece to the hype of playing at an epic scale, so seeing the iconic Lemun Russ or the new Aethon Heavy Sentinels is a huge positive for the game!
As if that weren’t enough, the box also features two Warhound Titans with a new plastic weapons frame, including ursus claws, a natrix shock lance, a volkite eradicator, a missile pod with a choice of swarmer or shudder missiles, and an incisor pattern melta lance. The box also contains two new lower-profile bases that fit with the urban battlefield aesthetic of the rest of the bases in the box.
Personally, the larger titans like Warhounds are the reasons most hobbyists seem to want to play the Epic scale. We had already seen some of this new smaller-scaled base in March when Games Workshop accidentally published a picture of a Warhound on it.
Regardless, it’s insane seeing the behemoths stride across the field, and it’s easier (and hopefully more affordable) to do so in epic rather than in normal 40k or Horus Heresy!
These miniatures are just the beginning – plenty of additional releases are planned for Legions Imperialis, and eventually most of the armoury for both the Space Marine Legions and the Solar Auxilia will be available. Soon you will be able to create vast armies and conduct war on the scale you’re read about in the Horus Heresy books.
Don’t forget that in the preview stream, GW also mentioned that Aeronautica and Titanicus models are all in the correct scale and will be usable in Legions Imperialis! So if you play those games, getting started in full Epic scale games may be even easier!
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About the Author: Andrew Schrank
Andrew Schrank
Job Title: Miniatures & Warhammer Hobby Staff Writer
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About Andrew Schrank: Over the past 15 years, Andrew has played all the games, including tabletop and video games, and immersed himself in the associated lore. Andrew joined the Spikey Bits team in 2018 and covers the Warhammer hobby and tournament scene, along with the latest in tabletop miniatures, each week.
Aspiring diplomat, Lord of Fluff, and Master of Ice Hammer, He loves Star Wars, Chaos Undivided, and Gundam. During his free time, he hunts Platinum trophies on PS5 and reads international news. On weekends, Andrew plays commander and cEDH games, often with unique strategies that push the limits.
He believes each day presents a new opportunity to grow and be challenged.
