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Horus Heresy Closer Look: The New Mark IV Armor

By Rob Baer | November 10th, 2015 | Categories: Horus Heresy, Warhammer 40k

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Now that the new Heresy core set it hereit’s time to take a look at those AMAZING brand new plastic Mk.IV Maximus Legionaries!

Today we wade into the three sprues making up a ten-man squad of Mk.IV Maximus marines.  This is a kit as important to the game as the Astartes Tactical Squad.  Let’s get started!

Special note: These are all high resolution images, click to see all the details.

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Mk.IV Maximus Armor (World Eaters)

 

Here is a long shot of just the 30 Mk.IV Maximus marines, and a sample page of the thick and detailed assembly guide for all of the minis within.  You could really consider this shot to be the reincarnation of the classic RTB-01 kit that started it all!

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That is LOT of bits – click to zoom in – this image is quite large.

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Three sprues that make up the 10-marines. Front view.

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Three sprues that make up the 10-marines. Back view.

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Assembly Instructions – Sample Maximus marines on the back cover.

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Assembly Instructions – Partial Maximus marines assembly options.

OK, some things to start off with.  The sprues have a LOT of options on them – even more than a Legion Tactical squad from the Forge World Horus Heresy armylist can field.  You get all ten bolters, plus the full set of options for the sergeant from the Legion Tactical squad. But then you also get the heavy and special weapons!  As these are used in a very different way in Legion lists, these are apparently here as a gift and will be quite valuable bits as they are the early Heresy versions of these.

I would assume the folks will collect these and swap them with each other to enable you to make Legion Special Weapon and Heavy Weapons Squads, which are identically armed with the same special or heavy weapons, in a manner similar to Eldar Aspect Warriors.

Close examination of the bits reveals GW really went all out. EVERY helmet and breastplate are subtly different – with no repeats. There are 3 different versions of the back powerpacks, 5 different shoulderpads, and a wide range of pouches, holstered pistols and grenades (see upper right page of above image).

Finally you can’t love the Heresy and not love bonding studs!  You get bonding studs on 4 shoulderpads, and over half of the legs on either kneepads or lower leg plates.

These are fully posable models and appear to be compatible with the current multipart 40K Astartes ranges.  This will allow amazing conversions and mashups with the Space Marine and especially the Chaos Space Marine ranges.

Weapons included are:

Ranged Weapons

10 bolters

1 combi-bolter (plas,melta,flamer options)

8 bolt pistols (1 handheld, 7 holstered)

1 plasma pistol

1 plasmagun

1 flamer

1 meltagun

1 heavy bolter

1 missile launcher

Close Combat Weapons

2 powerfists (open and closed fist)

1 lightning claw

1 power sword

1 chainsword

10 combat knives

Misc Weapons:

11 Frag/Krak Grenades

1 Meltabomb

~What Legion will you play?

Pictures Used By Permission of BoLS Interactive.

 

About the Author: Rob Baer

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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.