I wanted to write a review about another WFRP scenario today. However I am not reaally in the mood. I would, however, like to talk about various, role-playing stuff.
I had a really nice day yesterday. Played a great game of Horus Heresy in the early Sunday morning, and it also helped me reconnecting with some old friends and colleagues. I discovered that I kind missed most of them, and would like to rekindle our relationship.
Then, in the evening hours, I joined a nice meeting with a good friend of mine, as well as a few other people (whom I never met before, but who all turned out to be great) in a park. We had a few beers, ate some good food and chatted about role-playing games. We are all long-time, hardcore TTRPG enthusiasts and so swapping stories from around our (many) tables was a real treat. I swear, this hobby truly brings out the inner storytellers from people. Interesting thing that I discovered over the years, is that even realtively new role-players tend to quickly become proficient in lengthy, engaging conversations, not necessarily focused on the hobby itself. It seems that regularly training your mind, getting into character, and helping build fictional worlds, really makes wonders wih our confidence, oratory skills and the willingness to share various passions with other people. Wonderful stuff.
Almost as wonderful as this splendid Gotrek and Felix art by Laszlo Kiss!
We talked about our decades of rolling dice. Of how we greatly enjoyed some systems, while being sceptical about others. I mentioned at length how much I enjoy challenging my players, making them earn their victories and not going lightly on them, when their characters make serious mistakes, while at the same time greatly rewarding them for their ingenuity. My friend speaks about the time he went on various RPG conventions overseas, mainly in the UK and USA, back in the 90s and early 2000s. Back then it was really hard for Polish people to do something like that. Travelling was expensive and getting a US Visa took time. Yet he still managed to follow his dreams and make them come true…
I love meetings like that, not only because it’s great to hang out with my friends and other cool people, but also because I always learn something new about the hobby that I cherish so much. It’s what I always said – when it comes to role-playing one should have an open mind. Be willing to learn new things, discover new ideas and approaches to gaming. It’s ok to not agree with everything, just as I did yesterday on quite a few topics (player characters’ mortality and the “Forever GM” syndrome being some of them), but in the end we should at least listen to others’ opinions and accept that they are also valid.
Of course as long as they’re not hurting anyone at the gaming table, but that’s rather obvious I think.
Look I know that this post is kind of a ramble. It’s just… From time to time I just want to unwind, share my innermost thoughts with you, my dear readers. Pour my the inner workings of my churning brain onto virtual paper, that’s all. I felt the need to do that and now that I did, I feel much better.
Next time I’ll surely present you with another review of a Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay scenario. I also have something special reserved for the latter part of this year. After all 2024 marks the 10-year anniversary of “It always rains in Nuln”! This calls for a celebration, I think. Or at least a very lengthy, cool and unique post.
Thanks for reading through this middle-aged man’s chaotic thoughts. You guys and gals are the best. Take care.
The newest battle game from Games Workshop just dropped and it looks like we’ll be getting a proper role-playing version as well!
Ok so before I’ll continue here’s the official info from Cubicle 7:
This was taken from their official Facebook account
Now that we have that out of the way, let me answer my very own question: do we really need a TOW RPG?
No, no we do not.
Warhammer: The Old World started out strong, is already super popular with fans, both old and new, and is generally doing fine. Cubicle 7, who are the current custodians of the WFRP franchise, announced that they will be making an official role-playing, tie-in game. You know, exploring that unique era of the Old World, thrusting heroes into a completely new setting and surroundings…
Oh wait, yeah. That’s not the case is it now? TOW takes place roughly 200 years before the “modern times” of Warhammer Fantasy. Sure the Empire is still fractured, Archaons hasn’t yet started doing his whacky, evil shenanigans and, apparently, lots of factions are just sitting with thumbs up their asses, doing nothing, but… it’s still the classic setting of the venerable Old World. Sure the Colleges of Magic haven’t yet been established and Magnus the Pious is but a young lad, but still – this is practically the same setting as the one we have in WFRP. From the broader perspective, there are incredibly few, major changes to the Warhammer World as a whole.
Why am I mentioning this? Because I can’t, for the life of me, imagine how exactly will the TOW RPG differ from Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, theme-wise. I just can’t. People are suggesting that, given it’s based solely on the new hip battle game, it’ll be more “heroic”. More over the top. I am sorry but WFRP 4th edition is already filling that niche rather nicely. It’s the most heroic and bombastic edition of the game, where the PCs are practically unkillable murder machines, given the skills, combos as well as the sheer ammount of rerolls at their disposal. Plus the relative “safety” of the era in which 4e is set, makes a much better setting for this style of gameplay. Warhammer: The Old World is set during a hard time for the Empire, as well as other countries. Internal fractures, the unease concerning Chaos, Skaven and the Undead – all of those are factors which bring a sense of unease into mind. Sure the world might feel fine right now, but underneath something bad is going on and everything hangs by a thread.
Sure, you can say that in the times of 4e the feel of the world is exactly the same. However, maybe because of the overal presentation of this edition, I always thought that the Empire and surrounding regions were relatively calm, peaceful and even prosperous. Coincidentally this feeling worked well with the general style of 4e. Light, uncomplicated for the PCs, almost jolly at times. A perfect backdrop for some heroic style-gameplay. But the Old World circa 2276? Nah, don’t really think that it’s not a right setting for any sort of high fantasy approach to role-playing.
This picture perfectly sums up the entire 4th edition of WFRP (art by Sam Manley)
But for me the biggest gripe comes from the fact that C7 announces yet another game, while the current iteration of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay is in such a poor state. Not only are the rules simply bad – clunky, placed across mutliple books and PDFs, but also the content itself leaves a lot to be desired. There’s no info about any new major campaign. Now that yet another version of the abused “The Enemy Within” is mercifully finished, we don’t even know if there’ll be another, big adventuring module in the near-ish future. There are no book about Chaos, the Undead or the Skaven (no, the few pages in TEW don’t count). We need more city sourcebooks - where’s Nuln? Sure, Altdorf and Middenheim are covered but… that’s not enough. Oh and don’t even get me started on other nations and lands. There’s Lustria, sure. But what about Ulthuan (supposedly in the works), Naggaroth, Albion, not to mention the more familiar places like Tilea, Estalia and Kislev.
WFRP 4th editions has been out for almost 6 years and it lacks a lot of essential content. It’s clear that Cubicle 7 simply don’t have the manpower to work on so many titles and consistently produce regular updates. Now they want to add another game to their roster while telling us that it won’t affect WFRP. I have no reason to believe that. In fact I would be very surprised if what C7 claims will turn out to be true.
There are also the enigmatic reasons as to why they’ve decided on this course of action. Did Games Workshop forced them to develop a TTRPG as a support product to their, newly released, tabletop strategy game? Maybe they wanted to jump on the bandwagon and capitalise on the huge popularity of TOW? But if that’s the case then this doesn’t really make much sense, does it? Before they’ll give us anyting, Warhammer: The Old World won’t be “new” anymore. Hell, it might go the Horus Heresy 2e way and become a sad, stale game with broken rules and few real updates (but gorgeous minis). There are so many questions here and I can’t really guess any of the correct answers to them. Nor why Cubicle 7 decided on that move in the first place. One of the more interesting theories that I read, stated that it’s because of the actual sales. Apparently, when it comes to role-playing games, only the core books sell well. Everything that comes after them doesn’t really generate any reliable profit. I never heard met with that theory before, but I must say that it’s really interesting and does make sense, in my opinion.
As for the game itself… If it’s going to be decent I may give it a shot. Hell I will probably buy the core rulebook anyway, just because it’ll still have that sweet, sweet Warhammer Fantasy label attached to it. Ok, the “Old World” label, but you know what I mean. I have no idea what kind of system it’ll use, whether the classic D100 or maybe something else. I can’t say if it’ll be more akin to the WH40K RPGs that C7 are also producing – Wrath & Glory and Imperium Maledictum. Hell, if they want to go the “heroic” rout, then why not make it like their Age of Sigmar TTRPG - “Soulbound”? There are so many questions here. All I can say is that I think this move is a mistake, even if the final product will turn out fine. We don’t need another RPG set in the world of Warhammer Fantasy, especially if it’s “so close to home”, if you get my meaning. Maybe if Cubicle 7 decided to make a game about the actual founding of the Empire, or the Sundering, or the fall of dwarven realms – maybe then I would be more thrilled about actually getting something new, fresh and innovative. As for Warhammer: The Old World TTRPG… I didn’t ask for this. No one did.
Hey, at least I get to use one of my favorite memes of all time!
So the newest, hottest title from Games Workshop just dropped. The Old World is here. Also the End Times happened, did you know that?
Am I excited for it? Yeah, kinda. I am a huge fan of Warhammer Fantasy and even though my enthusiasm for it is not as strong as it used to be, this fascinating world is still near and dear to my heart. I was genuinely sad to see it go with the End Times, and I was ecstatic when Creative Assembly revealed that they’ll be making a trillogy of Total War games based around this setting. For some reason I was hoping that CA’s initiative might culimante with GW actually bringing back Warhammer Fantasy.
And it did, kinda.
Oh hell yeah!
The Old World, at least according to certain rumors, happened because lots of people fell in love with the setting after playing the Total War: Warhammer trillogy, as well as Vermintide games by Fatshark. They were all like: “where can I get some sweet, sweet High Elves minis and rules to use them on a table?”. Imagine their surprise when they discovered that the game on which the wildly popular TW:W franchise was based is no longer here, replaced by Age of Sigmar. Suddendly Games Workshop realised their mistake – there are people, aside from the “old guard”, who are massively interested in a dead franchise. They want to experience it. They want to play it, but there’s no way for them to enjoy it “officialy”. The only way for their wishes to happen was eBay hunting and paying attrocious prices for 2nd or 3rd-hand models, drowned in thick paint and with probably a few important bits missing.
So Games Workshop, being the company that it is, decided that they want to capitalise on the huge attention that the Warhammer Fantasy world was getting. Cue the “Old World”, a brand new WFB experience… except that we’re not calling it “Warhammer Fantasy Battle” anymore. No, no – it’s a completely different thing. Set a few hundred years before the End Times (which happened by the way, in case you missed it) and offering a plethora of brand new models, as well as some timeless classics, it tells the tale of eternal fight of good vs evil…
Wait, what? Good vs evil? In my Warhammer? What the hell?
This, ladies and gentlemen, is how you miss a friggin’ point…
Yeah the Old World… it’s not Warhammer Fantasy. And yes, I am aware that I’m repeating myself here. But it’s really not. First of all there’s the clear divide on “good vs evil” which was always a rather alien thing when it comes to this setting. There was simply no good guys/bad guys division here. Everything had different shades of gray. Sure, the Empire and Bretonnia were bastions of civilisation and progress (at least the Empire was!), but they were also xenophobic, racist, militaristic to the extreme and treating the majority of their citiznes like shit. The Warriors of Chaos, Kurgans, Hung, the Norse and other tribes, were bloodthirsty and savage marauders, no doubt about that. However they were also closer to the “natural powers” of the world, often had a strange sense of honor (Lord Mortkin anyone?) and sometimes, just sometimes, could even be seen as those who are right in a given situation. Really, the only truly vile factions were the Druchii and Skaven, and even then only by a slight margin. The Dark Elves fought for their “birthright”, while the rat-men acted like, well, gian rats! Multiply, devour everything in your path, conquer, move on. Yeah they were a right bunch of furry bastards, but they acted according to their nature.
Now we have the Tomb Kings on the side of evil. Tomb Kings. Yeah, let that sink in. The “true neutrals” of Warhammer Fantasy, the guys who just want to be left the hell alone, who only act violently when their borders are threatened or their relics get stolen. They’re “evil” now.
Fuck right off. Seriously. I understand that it’s easier from the marketing standpoint (same with the new, “improved” Bretonnian colors), but it’s completely at odds with the lore, spirit and the general idea of this given faction. Naturally the Old World had to introduce a couple of lore changes – it takes place a few hundred years before the “current” era (and the End Times, which happened by the way), but I don’t think this was the right deicison. Same with classifying Orcs and Goblins as “evil”. Likewise I would never dare call “Bretonnians” with their horrible way of treating their lower class as “good”, but what the hell do I know, right? I’m just a consumer.
Ok but what about the models? Are the new sculpts nice? Is it a good idea to bring back a bunch of 10+ years minis for people to buy in this day and age? After all there are so many great, and free, 3D sculpts nowadays, readily available for practically anyone. Personally I don’t mind Games Workshop cleaning out their warehouses from old stuff. Sure, some of those models look really dated but they also have this unique charm to them. I look at the old Men-at-Arms and Yeomen minis and can’t help but smile. Same with the classic Tomb Kings Ushabti. They’re great! As for the new stuff – it rocks. I’m 100% serious, there’s no irony here, just my genuine feelings. New Warhammer: The Old World models are friggin’ gorgeous. Bretonnian Foot Knights and Tomb Kings Necrolith Bone Dragon are probably two of my favorite new sets for now, at least before the Empire will enter the fray!
Those models are certified sexy!
Unfortunately this is GW we’re talking about here: you know, two steps forward, one step back and all that jazz. The fact that there are so many factions that will not only get no new models, they will also not recieve a rerelease of their old stuff! What armies I am talking about. Oh, you know, just some minor ones like SKAVEN AND VAMPIRE COUNTS, to name just two. There are more, of course. Ogre Kingdoms, Lizardmen of Lustria and Dark Elves are also getting the shaft here. Not only that but they will also recieve the “legacy rules”, similar to certain models and factions in the Horus Heresy. As a long-time HH player I can tell you one thing with 100% confidence – these kind of rules suck ass, major time. They’re poorly tested, lazily written, weak and nonsensical. They make models and even whole armies borderline unplayable. I have no doubt that introducing them in the Old World will make the armies using them A-tier trash. Oh and Games Workshop will almost certainly not update them over time, and at least try making them of similar quality to the “official” ones. To add insult to injury the lore reasons why those armies are not included properly in the main game are just dumb. Like Vampire Counts are sleeping, apparently. They got tired, you see, the poor little things. And I guess the Dark Elves of Naggaroth randomly decided to stop raiding other civilised lands? Yeah, right. I call big fat bullshit on that one.
Really this last thing is probably the biggest red flag for me. I don’t mind different bases too much (3D-printed converters exist) as well as the fact that, just like with the Heresy, the books needed to play the game are huge, cumbersome and hard to carry (not everyone likes digital prodcuts or has a tablet to use them). I don’t even mind the incredibly childish, juvenile and pathetic reminding us that, yes, the End Times happened and Warhammer Fantasy Battle is not returning. We’re getting the Old World and then, if we want more fantasy-themed goodies, it’s Age of Sigmar time. Nah, it’s the fact that so many cool, awesome and interesting armies got sidelined, that is just bizzare to me. It’s also really hurtful. I own a very large Empire army, which I plan to use in Old World. That said I also recently started a Vampire Counts force, and now it’s… well, a 2nd-category citizen of sorts. Feels bad man. Feels disrespectful.
Even Abohrash feel dissapointed and you really DON’T want to dissapoint that guy!
That and the fact that sometimes when reading the Old World articles on Warhammer Community, I have a feeling as if Games Workshop… doesn’t really want this game. That its creators didn’t wanted to get involved with it in the first place. Like their hearts are not really in it, not 100%. Which is a shame because the premise, despite all the End Times nagging, is interesting. Especially for a Empire player, with the fact that during this period Sigmar’s realm was divided into multiple smaller principalities, all ruled by a different “Emperor” or “Empress”.
At this point all I can say is this: I wish Warhammer: The Old World all the best. I hope that it’ll prove to be a huge success and that it’ll bring the fascinating world of Warhammer Fantasy to the fore once again. I can’t wait for the future Empire releases, both new and old ones. I will certainly purchase all of the books even if only for their lore sections. That said the official Old World art is sweet as well, and there’s a brand new, tie-in novella by Graham McNeill titled “Lords of the Lance”. It tells a story of a Bretonnian coalition mounting a dire expedition into the Land of the Dead itself – the terrifying Nehekhara!
So let’s rise our glasses to the success of this game. As I mentioned in the title, I am cautiously optimistic. Come on Old World – prove me right. Prove to me that you are a worthy successor of one of the best tabletop games of all time. Sigmar willing, it shall be so.
Do it for him!
Until next time!
Xathrodox86
P.S. Whine time again, but I have to: fuck me, but some of those old models are pricey! I understand that there are lots of people willing to buy them, myself included, but those prices are… insane. Simply insane.
P.SS. I nearly forgot to mention the fact that the End Times happened. Did you knew that?
It’s 1:30 AM, I am dead tired and I am here to show you the rest of my Horus Heresy White Scars collection.
Well, the most spicy elements of it, at least. Last time we had Qin Xa, the OG Land Raider Achilles, a few jetbikes and more! Now it’s time for more speed-obsessed goodies. Prepare yourselves!
Just as before, all of those models were painted by my good friend Tomasz. He also took every single one of the pictures that you can see here.
First is my last (I know, I know) Kyzagan Assault Speeder. I own 3 of these wonderful machines, but only this one was painted by Tom. Kyzagans are awesome, versatile vehicles with great damage potential. Given the lackluster performance of White Scars in Horus Heresy 2.0, I am fielding these speeders almost every single time. One of the few legion-specific units, they never dissapoint.
I switched the originals pilots’ heads for the ones from the OG White Scars upgrade set from Forge World. I think they fit perfectly!The ammount of details on Kyzagan is insane. Such a fantastic sculpt…Two Reaper Autocannons, Kheres Assault Cannon and two Hunter-Killer Missiles – this speeder is STACKED!The 40K axe transfer represents one of the lesser Vth Legion’s Brotherhoods
It’s not all about speed and maneuverability, you know. Sometimes you need to bring out the big guns. The heavy stuff. The large, chonky piece of ceramite and adamantium. Heeeeere’s Subutai! Named after one of Genghis Khan’s warlords and once belonging to the treacherous Word Bearers, this Mark IIb Land Raider always delivers.
I always loved the classic FW design of the venerable Space Marine troop transport. When I got the chance to grab two for a very reasonable price, I didn’t even hesitated. The other one will go to my Thousand Sons, whom I’ll showcase in the future…
Heavy but sleek. Intimidating yet graceful. There’s something really cool in the White Scars’ color scheme. It almost makes any model more… subtle? Fast-looking? I can’t really explain it well…One of my favorite elements of this tank is the red lightning free hand motif on its roof!On its sides we can see Chogorian prayer script and invocations to the spirits of air, land and sea. Mostly air, if I had to guess…
Another tactical squad ready for combat! These boys are sporting the ever-popular MK 3 plates, with only the sarge having a mix of the classic Crusade and Iron-pattern power armour. As with their cousins from the last posts, these legionaries are armed with the newer Umbra pattern bolters, in the Seeker configuration. I just love the chonky ammo boxes and optic sights on my futuristic rocket guns!
The sarge’s power glaive was kitbashed from the 40K standard bearer arm and some funky, 3rd party blade bits. I think it looks neat!
Finally we come to the venerable Javelin Attack Speeder. This particular vehicle once belonged to the Night Lords, and still bears some of their macabre ornaments. A slight kitbash, I really like this model. Always felt that it’s quite unique! I have a total of 3 Javelins in my White Scars army, and just like with their younger cousins, they never failed me on the battlefield.
Not the House Terryn horse transfer on the left flank. Given the White Scars’ love for horses, I think it really fits the theme of the army!Some clever use of 40K transfers, some nice free hand motifs… Yeah, Tom can really make a model unique. I am damn lucky that he’s the one painting all of my Horus Heresy armies!
So there you go. Even more Chogorians for your viewing pleasure! This will be the last Horus Heresy post for some time. Next time I will return to Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. I promise.
Until next time! Hai Chogoris! Ordu Gamana Jaghatai!
I was supposed to write about WFRP today, but I am not really in the mood. Instead I want to share some more of my Horus Heresy models with you.
This time it’s my “main” army, so to speak. The largest Age of Darkness force that I own is from the noble Vth Legion. I don’t play them as much as I used to, given the poor state that they’re in, in the 2nd edition of the game, but… I still enjoy them a lot. I’ve started them back in the Autumn of 2019, when I was still mainly a Alpha Legion player. I was intrigued by the White Scars for some time, given how much I enjoyed their portrayal in Chris Wraight’s “Brotherhood of the Storm”, “Scars” and “The Path of Heaven”. When Tomasz, a good friend of mine (who also paints all of my minis, offered to sell me a few of his discarded Vth Legion minis, I did not even hesitated for a second.
Now, almost 4 years later, I have probably around 15,000 points of 30K-era Scars in my posession, almost half of them painted. I own about 40 bikes and 40 jetbikes, more than 200 hundred infantry, a plethora of tanks, flyers, and, of course, the Khagan himself. I am still not done with this legion. I need more terminators, a few super-heavies and… well, more stuff in general! It is a never ending journey, this hobby of ours, eh?
Anyway, without further ado, here are some of my Horus Heresy White Scars. Enjoy!
Oh, and as was the case with my Imperial Fists, all of these pictures were taken by Tomasz.
Qin-Xa in all his martial glory!This Alpha Legion dreadnough pilot is having the time of his life!I absolutely adore the details on this mini, as well as its pose!
First is Qin-Xa, 1st captain of the Legion, Master of the elite Keshig and Chosen of the Khagan himself. I got him two years ago, and he’s one of my favorite Warhammer models of all time. Dynamic, regal and with a unique style, not really found anywhere else in the heresy range – Qin is, as of now, a centerpiece of my army. This will surely change, when I eventually recieve my painted model of Jaghatai Khan!
Najahari Khan, commander of my rag-tag army, comprised of various Vth Legion Brotherhoods. Notice the use of the early version of MK7 Aquila power armour, issued to some of the loyalist officers on Terra, prior to the start of the Siege…I wanted to give his a real sense of dynamic movement and speed. I think that I managed to achieve this goal rather nicely!I know that Volkite Serpenta is not a optimal choice of pistol for a Praetor, but… I don’t care. I just love this guns’ design too much!
The commander-in-chief of my White Scars army is Najahari Khan. Born on Chogoris, he is the prime example of the new face of the Legion. Quick, fast and with a mirth sharp enough to kill – Najahari shares his command with Damasque Khan, a Terran officer who was once close with the Luna Wolves. After Horus’s betrayal, the Khagan sidelined Damasque in favor of Najahari, even though the former remained loyal to his liege!
This, of course, brought some friction between the two commanders. Given that they’re leading a force made from a couple of depleted Vth Legion Brotherhoods, the tensions are running high, even as Horus’s armada is getting closer and closer to the Throneworld…
Tactical Squad – the true workhorse of the Legions of old!
I have over 50 Tactical Legionnaires, 30 of them painted. Here’s a single squad of them, sporting the ever-popular mix of MK3 plates with some MK2 attachements (mainly helmets). They’re all packing new and fancy Umbra Seeker bolters with box magazines and chain bayonetes. My army was orignally supposed to be a recon company, and I wanted to showcase this by giving most of my infantry weapons with extended mags and optics. Because tacticool is cool!
VROOM!CHOOM!Damn, I love the design of the Scimitar Jetbikes so much…
White Scars love speed and they love their bikes and jetbikes. I have more than 40 Scimitar and Shamshir-pattern anti-grav vehicles in my army. Originally my Vth Legion force was supposed to be mainly infantry-based, back in the days of 1st edition. However a few good deals later I became a proud owner of a large ammount of jetbike-mounted Ordu warriors. Aaaand then came Horus Heresy 2.0 which hates bikes and jetbikes with a passion, making them some of the worst units in the entire game…
Good thing that I have so many infantry units, given howe well the White Scars are fielding them in the Sagyar Mazan Rite of War. Still, I miss the times when the Chogorian Brotherhood was a valid way to field the Vth Legion. Oh well, maybe one day bikes and jetbikes return to being good. A man can always hope, right?
Someone ordered some heavy-duty firepower?The OG Land Raider Achilles is an absolutely fantastic model!Check out the freehand Asian script on the doors of this ceramite-armored beast!
Speed and agility are not the only weapons in the arsenal of Jaghatai’s Sons! I have a small armoured detachement, comprised mainly of various Land Raider pattern-vehicles. The pride and joy of this steel-clad demi-company is a Land Rider Achilles. Not just any Achilles, mind you, but the original one, back from ye olde days of Forge World. Check out the bulky Multi-Melta sponsons, as well as the fearsome Quad Mortar, mounted at the vehicle’s front.
This particular Land Raider belongs to the decimated Brotherhood of the Red Sun. I love the weathering and battle damage, present on this model. As you might’ve already guessed, I prefer my Scars dirty and slightly beaten-up. Come on, how long would a white, pristine armour last on any battlefield?
That’s it for today. My White Scars hold a special place in my heart. Even though I’m more on the Imperial Fists and Thousand Sons side lately, I will always love “this silly Legion”, as the great Ilya Ravallion used to say.
The true definition of “Boss Lady”! (art by SteelWingSkar)
Hmmm, I think that I need to play a game of heresy soon. One in which the Vth Legion will ride again…
Until next time! Hai Chogoris! Ordu Gamana Jaghatai!
As you already know I’m a huge fan of the Imperial Fists. It wasn’t always so and there was a time when I thought that they were incredibly boring!
So what made me change my mind? A single short story by John French which showed me that the VIIth legion is much more interesting than I previously thought.
“The Eagle’s Talon” got released back in 2015 and I listened to it a couple of times since then (I like my Horus Heresy in audio format). It tells a story of a small strike force of Imperial Fists’ Recon Marines, stealth and infiltration specialists, sent to capture the titular “Eagle’s Talon”. This huge macro-transporter belonging to the Iron Warriors is transporting reinforcements for the traitors, fighting below on the dead surface of Tallarn. If Gamus aand his men can seize control fo the behemoth, they will be able to secure a victory for the hard-pressed loyalists. No matter the cost, the “Eagle’s Talon” cannot land on the surface of the planet.
Things are definitely getting spicy on the surface of Tallarn!
This short story is told in a number of vox recordings, with narration by an unnamed Iron Warrior adding his thoughts on the whole operation. The fact that the stoic and stubborn Imperial Fists decided to use three squads of infiltrators, despite not being known for not really utilising the “dishonorable” methods of stealth and subterfuge, shows how this war changed even the most hidebound of the legions. Necessity forced them to use the methods of assassins, and even though their brothers may think of them as such, Gamus, Theophon and Arcad are still loyal sons of Rogal Dorn, and will not stop in their duties until death takes them.
“The Eagle’s Talon”, despite its short length, is action packed and thrilling. The initial infiltration of the macro-transporter, sneaking through its interior, stealthy elimination of sentries – John French almost presents a World War II commando raid or an OSS operation with this story. The first time I listened to this audio, I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat. The fact that the three protagonists are pretty well fleshed out during such a short span of time is really impressive.
Gamus and Theophon are legion veterans, bitter and melancholic warriors who don’t believe that there’s any room for honour during the darkness of the Horus Heresy. Arcad became a legionnaire after the civil war begun. The fact that he still clings to the old ways, believing in traditional virtues, gives them hope. Even so, during their critical mission, all notions of honour and compassion should be non-existent. Only the success matters, for if the “Eagle’s Talon” is not capturerd, then the battle for Tallarn will be lost.
As with every story focusing on the Imperial Fists, the theme of sacrifice is very strong here. What will the loyalists be able to sacrifice to achieve victory? Is this war really worth fighting for, if the loyal legions and thier allies will inevitably have to stoop to the level of their enemies? Where is the thin red line between those who fight for the future of humanity, and those who wish to see it subjugated to the will and whim of the traitorous Warmaster? French always had a nack for writing this sort of stuff in his books, and “The Eagle’s Talon” is no different. After finishing it I was left with lots of question in my turbulent, emotion-filled mind. To see the despersation of the Imperial Fists, the necessity for sacrifice in order to achieve victory, which often seemed impossible…
This story made me realise that sometimes those who seem to be most bland, stoic, boring and emotionless, are those who actually struggle the most with their choices. Choices that often carry the heaviest of consequences. John French perfectly enacpsulated this in his work, as he often does. Of all the current Black Library writers he is definitely one of my favorites. Man has a real talent for showcasing the more serious stuff in books which are mostly about transhuman warriors shooting each other with miniature rocket launchers.
“The Eagle’s Talon” really changed my opinion on the Imperial Fists, which was cemented by the “Praetorian of Dorn”, one of the best books in the entire Horus Heresy series. Of course (surprise, surprise!) it was also written by John French. Now, many years later, I have a huge VIIth legion army that is still growing, and I’m having a blast every time I am fielding them against my friends’ many armies. I have Mr. French to be grateful for that. He is clearly very passionate about the Imperial Fists, as every time he’s writing about them, they are presented in a fascinating way, stoic, humorless and stubborn, but also flawed, doubtful and often questioning their nature, and their place in the Imperium of Mankind. It’s not easy to describe giant posthuman warriors in an interesting, engaging way, but John French always manages to do this without any problems. For this I will always consider him one of my favorite Black Library authors.
Oh, and in case you missed it – read/listen to “The Eagl’es Talon”. It’s more than worth it. It can be bought as a standalone audiobook or in the “Eye of Terra” anthology.
Time for the second round of my VIIth Legion army showcase. This time it’s all about troops, tanks, flyers and… super heavies.
I love the Imperial Fists. There is something about this legion that just resonates with me. Maybe it’s their culture, maybe it’s their stubborness and sheer, bloody determination to achieve victory no matter the odds. I don’t really know why but I just really enjoy collecting and fielding them on the table, not to mention reading about them.
Last time I showed you, my dear viewers, part of my late-heresy VIIth Legion force. Now it’s time to present you with the rest. The second edition of Horus Heresy really did the Sons of Dorn justice and deploying them against the Emperors’ many foes is alwasy fun and entertaining. So let’s take a look at what else my 35th Cohort of the Imperial Fists has to offer, shall we?
Oh and just a quick note from me – these photos were all made by the excellent Tomasz, who also painted all of these models. He made a tremendous job and I will always be grateful to him for it.
The whole (command) squad looking fresh!
Let’s start with some good, ol’ gun pigs… or should I say bolter pigs? Tactical squads are the bread and butter of every legion, and Imperial Fists’ sure know how to use them. With the whole VIIth getting a +1 to hit with all bolt and auto weapons, even their most basic of troops are more than viable on the field.
Did someone ordereder Fury of the Legion?
Black and yellow suits these guys really well, in my humble opinion. Red trims signify the slight nod towards my own country, Poland.
Notice the trophy Iron Warrior helmet on the Vexillarius…There’s only a single legionary who’s not wearing his helmet. Hopefully this won’t bite him in the ass… or the head, in the future!
Aside from the two tac squads, I also have a tactical support squad armed with volkite calivers. I usually proxy them as volkite chargers, since they’re better overall, in my opinion.
CHOOM!That Daemonette sure has a good time, eh?
The sarge is made with parts from the Imperial Fists’ command squad. I love VIIth Legion bits from Forge World. They’re some of the best in the whole game.
Troops are cool but they need transports. Let’s check out some Rhinos and the famous Land Raider of the 35th Cohort – the “Tribune”!
Mars-pattern Rhino, plain, simple and durable. Just like the Fists like them…I have a total of 3 Rhinos for my VIIth Legio force. This one can turn into a Command variant with a simple roof swap!
Now let’s hop inside the quintessential metal bawks!
“Tribune” reporting for duty!The MKII driver with a bionic limb is a nice touch. Legion vehicle crews were usually wearing older patterns of armor, as well as having various cybernetic prostheticsIt’s a miracle what a few bits and bobs from Forge World can do to an older model like this one…Notice both the Templar cross and the Cog Mechanicum (Opus Machina), present on the engine block
Tranpsorts are nice and all but sometimes it’s all about striking fast and hard. Few vehicle in the Astartes armoury exemplify this doctrine bettern than the Sabre Strike Tank. Fast, rugged and sporting a mean anti-vehicle weapons combo, this particular tankette is a small (but vicious) threat to every single armored enemy asset on the field of battle.
Neutron Blaster and multi-melta – a nasty combo indeed!I love the fact that this tank is crewed by a single Space Marine!
Finally there’s the big beast itself. The “Nomine Imperator” Falchion Super Heavy Tank Destroyer proved itself on a number of battlefields, felling scores of enemy vehicles. It particularly likes to destroy the Cerberus Heavy Tank Destroyers but is not too picky when it comes to its targets!
Goddamn, do I love this brick of resin so friggin’ much…Sticking with the Fists’ general theme of enjoying all sorts of bolt weapons, this crew member wants to get closer to his enemis so he can shoot them with his Tigrus-pattern weapon!
We shook the ground with the boots and threads of our yellow and black-clad warriors and their war machines. Now let’s take to the skies on the wings of fury! My Imperial Fists’ have a number of fliers at their disposal, from transports to intereceptors, to, finally, super heavy assets!
Let’s start with a tried and true air-to-ground support. This is my VIIth Legion Fire Raptor Gunship.
This model won me so many battles that it’s crazy!Here he can be seen taking a short (but well deserved) break fro refuelling and rearming…
Next there’s the Xiphon Pattern Interceptor “Terra Vult”. In Horus Heresy 2.0 this model has one of the most broken Reactions of them all, essentialy guaranteeing the destruction of any enemy flyer, entering the combat space. Nasty!
This aircraft looks exceptionally well in black and yellow, wouldn’t you agree?Getting some strong Battlefleet Galactica vibes from this baby…The undersides of its wings also sport the Imperial Fists’ symbols. You’ll need to take my word for thatFinally there’s the base. It has some unfortunate Ultramarine remains, probablt casualties from a joint operation against the traitors!
Now it’s time for the Anvillus Patter Dreadclaw, or as I like to call it: “Dorn Delivery System”. This bad boy usually acts as a ride for the Primarch and his bodyguards.
As much as I love this model, transporting it to games is a real pain in the ass!
Now it’s time for the big bird itself! The “Blade of Perdition” is the Legion Thunderhawk Gunship of the 35th Cohort. It also acts as the Primarchs’ personal transport, in times when the Aetos Dios is not available. It has yet to see the field of battle, but for now it occupies the place of honor in my living room.
Somebody ordered some overwhelming ammounts of firepower?“Heard you were talking shit”The etched brass on its sides and nose is OOP. I was lucky to get it second hand, when I bought the bird!A nice closeup of the side hull and winfs. Notice the cheeky bird motif on the vehicle’s tailThe back is as equally impressive as the front! This Gunships’ engines are enormous!In the typical Imperial Fists style the ornamentation is scarce but put in just the right places. Also since this is Lord Dorn’s transport (at least sometimes), it doesn’t really have any Templar insigniaThe base is, I kid you not, solid concrete with some Imperial Knight bits put on top. The rod emerging from it is 100% steel. The whole thing, model and base, weights almost 8 kilograms!
So that’s it. This was a journey showcasing my Horus Heresy-era Imperial Fists. I can’t really emphasize how much I enjoy this army. I’ve played with them a lot. In fact of all my 30K armies the VIIth were fielded most often and will continue to do so in the future (sorry White Scars). I will never tire of this faction. Everything about them resonates with me, and I’m glad that the Age of Darkness convinced me to give these guys a chance. I’ll never understand why some people find them boring, but oh well – it’s always a matter of personal preference, right?
Anyway next time we’ll take a look at some WFRP scenarios. Ok, probably just a single one, but still – I need to remember what really kickstarted this blog in the first place, right?
No, not the bloody End Times articles. Don’t you even dare suggest that!
“Primarch-Progenitor, to your glory and the glory of Him on Earth!”
I decided that today is the day when I’ll showcase my first Heresy army – the noble 7th Legion Astartes, the Imperial Fists!
I’ve been a avid fan of the Horus Heresy since 2008. When the game was finally released, back in 2012, I dreamed of having even a single army. Alas back then I didn’t have the funds to make my dream come true. Fortunately a couple of years later, in 2018, I met a bunch of fantastic, passionate people in Warsaw, who took me in and showed me how to collect, build and play this game. Now, more than 5 years since then, I own 9 fully playabe Horus Heresy armies… and I don’t intend to stop. I’m participating regularly in our monthly torunaments, drive to other cities to game there, teach new people and borrow them my armies… I’m living the heresy dream.
Even though I started with Alpha Legion, all the way in 2015-2016, I since made the noble White Scars my main HH army. That was until the middle of 2021 when I bought (and then expanded) a sizeable force of late-heresy Imperial Fists.
I’ve been a fan of the Fists’ since I listened to the short story by John French titled “The Eagle’s Talon”. Their stoicism, pragmatism and nobility hit all the right chords with me. Dorn, while being an unlikable prick, is probably the greatest primarch of all, with will, dedication to duty and unwavering loyalty towards his father and the Imperium that he helped build. Oh and let’s not forget about Sigismund, the biggest badass of all the Astartes EVER. I mean, the Black Knight, right? Who defeated every single chaos champion during the Siege of Terra. How awesome is that.
If you don’t know this story… you’re seriously missing out!
The only thing that I don’t really fance about the Fists is their pure yellow color scheme. Maybe because I’ve never seen this color done 100% right? I dunno. Anyway, it wasn’t such a big deal in the case of my army, beacuse my friend did (and still does, since he’s painting all of my minis) them in the black and yellow. The only proper color scheme which the heresy-era VIIth Legion should be wearing. Again, of course only in my opinion.
So I wanted to share a couple of photos of my Imperial Fists. They’re the army that I’m playing most often nowadays. They’re very solid in Horus Heresy 2.0 with great rules, a killer primarch (seriously, Dorn is a BEAST) and some excellent models to boot. The new Evander Garrius mini might be my favorite IF release of all time. I mean, just look at him! He oozes menace, discipline and duty.
I am seriously in awe of this model and the level of detail it has!
So without further ado here are some of my heresy-era Imperial Fists. Enjoy!
Oh, and just FYI – these pictures were taken by my good friend Tomasz, who is also painiting my minis for me… because I suck at painting. Seriously, you should see some of my old work. It’s horrendous. For real.
One of my favorite photos of my VIIth Legion army!
This picture showcases the majority of my Fists rather well. As you can see my force is mainly black, with yellow and red elements. Lore-wise this detachment is the 35th Cohort of the legion. This, coupled with red pauldron trims, is a direct reference to Polish army from the September campaign of 1939.
This army is mainly composed of new recruits, inducted after the start of the civil war. They’re being led by veterans of the Unification Wars and Great Crusade. Those of them who survived the heresy eventually became the first Black Templars, serving under the old Legion’s OG First Captain Sigismund (who also commanded them during the Great Heresy!).
Godhammer-Pattern Land Raider “Tribune” together with some command squad boys!Tactical Squad, Castraferrum Dreadnought and some light armour…One of my favorite Forge World models ever made – Fire Raptor Gunship!Kassimir, overall commander of the 35th Cohort of the VIIth LegionSome subtle Polish themes are present on his cape, as well as his plastron. Also note the Imperial Fists’ symbol put on his, well, fist. Or rather Solarite Power Gauntlet if we want to be more specific!His duty is never done…
Of course no heresy-era Imperial Fists army can be complete without Sigismund, First Captain of the legion and the greatest warrior amongst all the Astartes of the 31st millenium!
Behold: the baldness of doom!This model is crazy well done. Forge World really did ol’ Sigi justice“I must become… THE WALL!”
Rogal Dorn is my favorite of all the primarchs. His miniature is glorious. Stoic, unyielding but also full of boiling energy and controlled fury. Ave Praetorian!
Of course I had to glue his base wrong…
Check out the crazy details on his armour!Tomasz added subtle symbols to Dorns’ cape. I think they really add a lot to his character!I’ve decided on the Emperor’s Children as the traitorous dogs infesting Lord Dorn’s base. It’s a direct nod to Dan Abnett’s excellent “Saturnine” book from the Siege of Terra series!I’m also probably the only person who added frag grenades to this model. I’ve never seen anyone else gluing them on this primarch’s figurine!
First elite slot goes to my beloved Tartaros Terminator Squad armed with Vigil Storm Shields andPower and Chain Fists!
The fact that Imperial Fists can take Storm Shields on their termies is beyond awesome. These handsome gents were given shields from the Forge World’s Black Templars’ upgrade kit.
Black and yellow looks SO good on these models. Also note that all of them are Unification Wars veterans!Legion veterans reporting for duty!
I also have four legion vets ready to dispense some justice. Most of my army has the newer marks of armour, but these elite warriors continue to wear their MK3 Iron plate.
The unfortunate XVth Legion marine is having the time of his life, being a part of the base of one of these warriors…
Probably one of my top 5 favorite miniatures in my Imperial Fists army – the Apothecary. Notice the templar-themed tabbard
Forge World-made Apothecaries are excellent sculpts. I’m glad that I have one of them in my Fists’ force.
I think that the yellow of this medics’ pauldron works really well with white of his armour and black of his tabbard!Keep the banner high!
The only metal miniature in my Imperial Fists’ army is this banner bearer. Originally assigned to the command squad, I am thinking about using his as the Herald Consul. Tomasz slightly converted him by adding a few plastic bits here and there (tabbard, Tigrus-pattern bolter, the key on his belt). The standard is fully magnetised and the red trim, as well as the small shield on his chest, are both direct nods towards this army’s Polish-themed inspiration.
The back of the cloth is also detailed… slightlyThe herald is also armed with a sheathed power sword and, apparently, he recieved a marksman’s commendation from his superiors!
Ok, that was part 1 of my Horus Heresy-era Imperial Fists army showcase. Next time I’ll be glad to show you my troops, armor support, flyers and… super heavy assets! I love heresy, always did and always will. This setting is incredibly rich, well-written and fascinating. I am very happy to be able to partake in its richness for several years now, and even doubly so with my beloved Imperial Fists army. Hopefully I’ll be able to continue doing so for many, many more years to come.
I’ll definitely showcase more of my Horus Heresy collection in the future, but for now I bid you farewell.
Another year is behind us. I have a lot of projects set for 2023…
Let’s take a look at all of my TTRPG groups and, finally, at my various tabletop miniatures projects.
First of all I wanna talk about my oldest gaming group (13+ years and still going!). Last year I’ve managed to finally conclude my Hunter: The Reckoning chronicle of 11+ years. It was great to close the lid on this part of my RPG life but I am already aching for more Hunter. In 2023 I plan to continue the adventures of this group, this time in a completely new setting – the Middle East and Asia! I hope that my players will be down for that and I am kinda intimidated by the ammount of background lore that I’ll need to explore, not to mention writing the whole thing. Still, my passion for Hunter: The Reckoning as well as this particular group is immense. I know that at some point my return to this setting is simply unavoidable.
I’ll never get tired of this game…
For now we are playing Vampire: The Masquerade Revised. I’m a player at the moment, but soon will take the manthe of the GM once again. I can’t wait to sick some nasty night critters on my players.
My second group, the one that I started at the end of 2016, is also invested heavily in the Classic World of Darkness. Since February last year we’ve been enjoying the, slightly forgotten, Project Twilight. It’s a game about mortal goverment agents facing off against the myriad inhabitants of the World of Darkness. First chapter took part in 1992’s New Orleans. Now we’re in Los Angeles, in 1996. The party, this time portraying a bunch of NSA agents (previously they were in the FBI), is investigating a living weapon that managed to escape a top secret goverment facility. Will they succeed? I hope so. We’re only at the beginning but already my players are having a blast. The third chapter, which we’ll probably start somewhere around Autumn, will center either around New York or the Appalachia region. Only time will tell.
I wish that this title would be more popular among the TTRPG enthusiasts. It deserves more love!
Finally there’s my third group! Yes, three groups… I’m a master in time management. Anyway with those guys we’ve been enjoying RPing together on Roll20, since the middle of 2015, give or take. For years we’ve been exploring the Old World and other places available in Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. Two large campaigns and almost a dozen scenarios later we’ve decided to switch things up a bit and now are enjoying some good, old Delta Green. We’re just ending our second operation and after that… we plan to return to Warhammer. I guess you can’t beat the classic. I will run the classic 2nd edition (the best one in my humble opinion). Still haven’t decided on the potential scenarios but I’d like to take it easy. Nothing world-shattering, just a bunch of chumps travelling the outdoors of the Old World, and trying to stay alive! Oh and if they’ll be able to earn some coin, then all the better!
Time to hit the road again… and watch out for Beastmen!
There’s also the case of tabletop miniature games… Well, in 2023 I intend to enjoy even more Horus Heresy and Warhammer Fantasy Battle! I want to finish my (still very basic) Kislev-themed Vampire Counts army for 6th and 8th editions of WFB. For the Age of Darkness my two Warhound Scout Titans will be assembled and painted in the colors of Legio Astorum, to fit my main army – the noble White Scars. Jaghatai Khan always had good relationship with this Titan Legion and I want my two God-Machines to sport its noble colors. Hopefully, by the late Summer of 2023, I will have both of them assembled and painted to a very high standard. Other than that there will be, of course, many other modelling projects. More tanks, more infantry, more flyers, the entire Mechanicum army… I’m not done with the Horus Heresy yet. Not by a long shot.
One day… I will have a Warlord Titan. One day…
Oh and there’s still the case of collecting the remaining figurines from my Spectre Miniatures’ wishlist, as well as grabbing the starter set for Black Powder Red Earth 28mm.
Yeah, I may be well in over my head… and I don’t care. I’m having waaaay too much fun.
So here’s the short summary of my hobby goals for 2023. Will I be able to accomplish them all? Hell yeah! Why make plans if you’re not planning to get them done? I’m positive that this year will be very special when it comes to my hobbies and passions, and I wish all of you the same. Stay dedicated, passionate and awesome and… have a great year of 2023!
Enough with WFRP, World of Darkness and Delta Green – let’s talk about the Age of Darkness!
I’ve been playing Horus Heresy regularly since 2018. I’ve been obsessing about it since “Horus Rising” hit the shelves, back in 2006. I currently own 7 armies for the game, including my beloved White Scars and Imperial Fists. Regular monthly tournaments, friendly games (2-3 times a month) and reading everything I can about the system and, more importantly, its lore, became an intrinsical part of my life.
So now I want to present to you a set of my favorite Horus Heresy photos, straight from the hundreds of games which I participated in. Each one of them is a wonderful memory and I’d love to share them with you, my dear readers.
Let the Galaxy Burn!
1. Imperial Fists face off against the traitorous World Eaters, while receiving help from… Iron Warriors?
Talk about allies of convenience!
2. My Thousand Sons managed to conjure the ultimate warp predator. Will he remain loyal or turn on his erstwhile summoners?
“Can I swat?”
3. The Imperial Fists clash with the Talons of the Emperor, deep in the bowels of a decrepit Star Fort. These “Blood Games” turned out to be especially brutal and merciless, even if all of the fighting was 100% simulated!
To the bitter end…
4. More Imperial Fists (blood love this legion!). This time we have the VIIth Legio Falchion being assaulted by Leman Russ himself! The Lord of Winter and Ruin and his Varagyr retinue didn’t even left a burned-out husk for the Sons of Dorn to salvage.
One good D-blast is all I need…
5. Sevatar, First Captain of the Night Lords, looks incredibly stylish (and evil!), while also preparing to skin alive lots of Corpse Emperor’s followers. What a guy!
“Death to the False Emperor!“
6. The mocked-up combat between the Imperial Fists and Talons of the Emperor continues! The Silent Sisters are incredibly nasty when faced against your standard tactical marines. Mortals they may be, but their power swords and hard Vratine Armour make them more than capable of cutting transhuman warriors with ease!
These ladies mean buisness!
7. Primarch Magnus the Red and his elite Sekhmet Terminators prepare to deal with venerable Lucas, ancient Dreadnought of the 35th Cohort of the Imperial Fists.
Spoilers: Lucas didn’t survived this encounter…
8. “Guys, our dad is watching. Magic ’em up!”
This is probably one of my all-time favorite Horus Heresy photos!
9. Rogal Dorn takes a moment mid-battle to congratulate his Chaplain on a job well done. M.31, colorized.
“So anyway this heretic starts talking shit to me. Can you imagine that?!”
10. My beloved Acastus Knight Porphyrion aids Magnus the Red and his sons in combat against the World Eaters. In HH 1.0 Porphyrion almost always paid back its hefty point price. Plus it’s a bloody fantastic model!
Also: can you spot the remains of a XIIth Legions’ Dreadnought?
So there you have it, a small photo album (of sorts), presenting some of my favorite Horus Heresy 1.0 moments. I can’t wait to start playing Age of Darkness 2.0 and gather even more, even better gaming moments with this brand new edition. To those of you who are also HH players – I wish you the same thing.
It always rains in Nuln 