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New Horus Heresy Starter Set & Full Releases: FIRST LOOK

gw-first-look1The new Horus Heresy Starter box and separate releases are here as hobbyists can lock in pre-orders for them starting this weekend. 

Get those hobby dollars ready if you want any of these new releases from Games Workshop that will go up for pre-order with your favorite retailers on Saturday, June 4th, 2022, around 1 pm EST!

New Horus Heresy Starter & Releases: FIRST LOOK

It looks like the new Horus Heresy release date will be two weeks after pre-orders go live according to GW:

Pre-order product that will be delivered from 18/06/2022.

Warhammer: The Horus Heresy – The Age of Darkness

Warhammer The Horus Heresy – The Age of Darkness

 

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You get a mammoth 54 plastic miniatures – that’s two Legion Praetors, 10 Cataphractii Terminators, 40 highly customisable Tactical Space Marines in Mk VI power armour, one Contemptor Dreadnought, and one Spartan Assault Tank. This is the basis of two substantial forces, or one incredibly mighty army – and all but the Terminators are completely new models.

This box is massive, even if you only look at the miniature count, but there’s even more packed into the set.

There’s a 336-page hardback rulebook filled to bursting with everything you need to know, including extensive background information on one of the richest science fiction settings in the world, as well as comprehensive rules for this tactically rich tabletop wargame. There’s also a 36-page construction guide for all your lovely new models, introductory army lists for all the models you get in the box, and two four-page rules reference sheets.

You’ll need rules to play, and with this being the new edition update, it’s the perfect time to jump in head first!

It doesn’t stop there. You also get 20 six-sided dice, one six-sided scatter dice, two blast templates, one flame template, two classic-style red plastic measuring sticks, and a transfer sheet for good measure. In short – it’s huge.

 

The Age of Darkness pre order bonus

And that’s not even all! If you order the set directly from the Games Workshop webstore, you’ll bag yourself an exclusive reaction token and card set (while stocks last). That means eight metal tokens and a deck of eight cards to keep track of the game’s six Reactions and two Advanced Reactions detailed in the main rulebook.

A nice bonus for paying full price for Horus Heresy Pre-orders from Games Workshop online, these freebies are a useful addition for collectors and gamers out there.

Liber Astartes 

Liber Astartes

This weighty 344-page hardback tome is unstintingly comprehensive, cramming in everything a Loyalist general requires to field a Loyalist Legiones Astartes army in games of Warhammer: The Horus Heresy. There are shared profiles for many units common to every Legion, plus unique rules for the nine, including Unit Profiles, Warlord Traits, Rites of War, Wargear, Faction Abilities, and Unique Reactions. It is available in English, French, and German.

Compilations of new rules are always handy especially if you’ve already decided which side you’ll fight for in Horus Heresy!

The Liber Hereticus

The Liber Hereticus

This 352-page hardback contains the full roster, rules, and background for all nine Traitor Legions, so you can wage war for the glory of the Ruinous Powers. It includes shared unit profiles, plus unique units for each Legion, as well as Warlord Traits, Rites of War, Wargear, Faction Abilities, and Unique Reactions. It is available in English, French, and German.

Legiones Astartes Special Weapons Upgrade Set 

Legiones Astartes Special Weapons Upgrade Set

When a bolter and chainsword won’t do the business, the Tactical Squads of the Legiones Astartes turn to special weapons, forming Legion Tactical Support Squads. With six varieties to choose from in this comprehensive set of upgrades, no battlefield conundrum will go unanswered. This set contains 10 weapons each of six types – flamers, plasma guns, meltaguns, rotor cannons, volkite chargers, and volkite calivers.

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It’s always great to upgrade your models, but with rules attached to them, you might need to pick this up to make your list as efficient as possible.

Legiones Astartes Heavy Weapons Upgrade Set (Missile Launchers and Heavy Bolters)

Legiones Astartes Heavy Weapons Upgrade Set (Missile Launchers and Heavy Bolters)

Sometimes you have to bring the really big guns, and that’s where this set of 10 missile launchers, 10 heavy bolters, and associated arms comes in. These are fully compatible with the Mk VI Tactical Squad, allowing you to build them into a Legion Heavy Support Squad to hammer away at hard targets.

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Similar to the special weapons, these might prove to be an essential part of your Horus Heresy armies.

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Kratos Heavy Assault Tank

Kratos Heavy Assault Tank

Talking of hard targets, here’s the Kratos Heavy Assault Tank – a battlefield behemoth that’ll send your seven-foot sci-fi supersoldiers scampering for safety. It’s tough, fast, and positively bristling with arcane armaments, which you can customise to your dark heart’s content. There are three options for the turret gun, four apiece for the hull weapons and the sponsons, nine choices of pintle gun, plus dozer blades, searchlights, and gunners. Better yet, you can field this beast in squadrons of two.

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New tanks are always exciting, especially when they might be pretty good if they cross over to 40k as well!

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Deimos Pattern Rhino

Deimos Pattern Rhino

This valiant chariot is based on one of the earliest tank designs ever created by Games Workshop, albeit with a vastly improved kit brought bang up to date for the 3rd Millennium. It’s the perfect way to ferry your footslogging Legion Tactical Squads between objectives.

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This new rhino has some extra guns, but a mode of transport is also an essential part of any space marine list.

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Mk III Tactical Squad 

Mk III Tactical Squad

If Space Marines in Mk VI “Corvus” armour are simply too new-fangled for your tastes, these marines in Mk III “Iron” armour might just be sufficiently old-school. This is an existing set of plastic sculpts which has been repackaged for the new edition – but this time you get 20 highly detailed multipose Legiones Astartes in a single box.

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These “knight” looking marines are sweet, so they are definitely worth consideration, even if you use them as proxies in 40k!

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Mk IV Tactical Squad 

Mk IV Tactical Squad

The multipose plastic Mk IV Tactical Squad is also being rereleased for the glorious new edition of the Warhammer: Horus Heresy. Once again, you get 20 highly detailed Space Marines in “Maximus” armour ready to join your Legion and defend/conquer the Imperium of Man (delete as appropriate).

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Sporting the more iconic 40k look, these might be better for those coming from 40k to try out Horus Heresy and want something more familiar.

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Ahzek Ahriman

Ahzek Ahriman

The Chief Librarian of the Thousand Sons Legion was one of the most powerful psykers in the galaxy at the time of the Horus Heresy. Previously only available in the out-of-print Burning of Prospero set, Ahriman’s plastic model is being released separately for the first time – so any Thousand Sons commander can get the drop on the enemy by manipulating fate and redeploying units at the last moment.

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Old school (lore-wise) Ahriman looks sick, and might even make for some sweet 40k conversions too!

The Horus Heresy Legion Transfer Sheets

The Horus Heresy Legion Transfer Sheets

Make your new army your own with 18 separate transfer sheets – one for each Legion. Each of these contains more than 500 decals, including vehicle markings, script, and assorted infantry markings, tailored to your chosen side.

Transfer sheets are great because they are an easy way to personalize your entire force without too much of a monetary cost.

The Horus Heresy Legion Dice 

The Horus Heresy Legion Dice

Likewise, you can pledge yourself fully to your chosen Legion with one of 18 sets of themed dice. You get 20 six-sided dice in each set, in the colours of the corresponding Legion – one of which is a scatter dice. Each Legion has its emblem stamped on the 6 face.

Dice are also a great optional product, but even if you only play 40k, these legion themes are still applicable for you.

Here’s all the latest on the upcoming rules updates and points changes for Warhammer 40k.

Here’s the most up-to-date list of new Games Workshop bits from preview models that we should watch out for. Click on the gallery above to see dozens of Rumor Engines with new models still left to be revealed!

All the Newest GW Model & Rules Previews For 2022

Are you excited about the newest Horus Heresy offerings

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About the Author: Andrew Schrank

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Andrew Schrank

Job Title: Miniatures & Warhammer Hobby Staff Writer

Socials: Facebook

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.