Within the Horus Heresy game system, the armies are obviously a pivotal aspect. Your hordes of bolter-wielding super-soldiers, squadrons of super-heavy tanks and everything inbetween. However, something to never be underestimated in your games is the impact of a small handful of key models - your HQ characters. These units can have a profound impact on your armies and games in general. In this article, we'll be shedding some light on the characters we'll be painting for our charity weekend and the narrative role that they play.

Kenny - Death Guard

Haldek Garraro

Unit and Wargear: Praetor (Warlord): Cataphractii Terminator Armour, Power Scythe, Combi-Weapon with Grenade Launcher, Rad Grenades and Toxin Bombs

Barbarus-born, Haldek has worked tirelessly and ruthlessly to achieve the position that he holds today. Whilst the Death Guard operate on a mostly horizontal structure, achieving the rank of Praetor has given Haldek an incalcuable sense of pride and duty for his role and his legion. Hulking in his Cataphractii Terminator armour means that mobility is sacrificed for pure staying power and Haldek revels in this. In fact, it bolsters his sickening, favourite ritual within battle. Each mighty step is like a colossal footfall, the drop of each foot resounding like a landfall. In this, if you listen carefully beyond the crushing tolls of each step, you can hear the sound of counting coming from Haldek's raspy, damaged throat. It is unknown whether he's counting down to the demise of an enemy for some sense of anticipation and the inevitable reward of the kill, or whether he may be using it as some sort of sordid warning to those nearby that you have mere seconds to live, sowing the seeds of dispair as he draws near.

Dragos Molor

Unit and Wargear: Centurion: Siege Breaker with Power Scythe, Volkite Charger, Rad Grenades and Toxin Bombs

"Are we there yet?" probes Dragos, his combi-bolter itching against his battle-plate aboard the war-room of the Barbed Mace battle cruiser.

Ever impatient, the Siege Breaker finds himself once again shifting, fidgeting within his power armour, yearning for the ever-familiar and comfortable aspects of battle. The splattered mires littered with spent shell-cases and body parts, the sound of distant autocannon fire, the all-too-rehearsed musical composition of a crescendo in reverse as a victor encroaches and drowns out the song of their opponent.

"Patience, Terran-born. You'll have walls within your sights soon enough." responded Haldek with his gutteral speech, somehow the only response amongst the crowded yet hushed room.

Dragos would sometimes find Haldek's speech difficult to discern, but he got the crux of it most times. Condescending remark regarding his birth, relatively useful information, then maybe a sign-off if he was in a particularly good mood. Despite this, Dragos was pleased to hear what he did as, predictably, he was all too keen to lay eyes upon the fortifications of the enemy legion. The thrill of the fight began to course through his body anew with the sheer thought of decimating the walls hiding the enemy Astartes. Cracking these defences open and allowing the Death Guard to pour in like a virus brought a most crooked smile to the Siege Breaker, masked by his rebreather.

Closing his eyes and inhaling deeply, as if perfectly timed, the preparation sirens began to wail in time with his exhaled breath. The itching of his combi-bolter stopped, and the fidgeting was replaced with a singular and deliberate drive as Dragos rose to his feet and proceeded to his landing craft for disembarkation.

On the left, Dragos Molor (Siege Breaker). On the right, Haldek Garraro (Cataphractii Praetor).

Chris - Imperial Fists

Deredas Paguth

Unit and Wargear: Preator (Warlord), Artificer Armour, Volkite Serpentia, Master-crafted Solarite Power Gauntlet, Vigil Storm Shield. Solar Marshal Warlord Trait.

Terran born and Great Crusade veteran since the days before Rogal Dorn was found by the Emperor, Deredas has waged what he calls the ‘Still War’ against every enemy feasible. His ability to analyze battlefield assets and advantages, alongside the singular purpose of dismantling enemy forces make this Captain a force to be reckoned with. Once the Warmaster turned from the Emperor’s light, Deredas adapted his strategies instantaneously to combat this threat from within, and his assigned five battlegroups became a knuckle upon his fist against the traitor hordes. Assigned to the defense of Terra in the prelude of the attack on Beta-Garmon, he has assigned his squads and armored columns to sectors of the Imperial defense at the personal behest of the primarch himself. His black Solarite Power Gauntlet, painted so in echo of the grief the Heresy has caused in the Imperium, along with his custom pattern Vigil Storm Shield sees him become the impenetrable bastion, as well as the siege weapon, as and when it is required.

Vazeus Alaegrius

Unit and Wargear: Castellan (Centurion), Artificer Armour, Illastus Assault Cannon, Chainsword, Bolt Pistol and a Retractor Field.

Castellan Alaegrius stands behind the parapet, his Illastus Assault Cannon whirring down as steam hissing from the barrel’s edge in the drizzle of weeping Terra. The swathes of craters, ruined vehicles, and countless dead before the walls stretched to the horizon of a setting sun, underneath a blood moon that has no right being there.

”Lord Castellan, the enemy is in full retreat.” voxed Sergeant Norvus of the Heavy Bolter Squad assigned under his command. The vox was laden with the sound of weapons being retrieved, reloaded and ammo feeds unlocked and replaced.

”For now, Sergeant. Captain Paguth is out there cleaning up the remainders, we wait here for his return and reassignment.”

Vazeus and his cohort have been holding this mile stretch of enforced and ordnance soaked rockrete for 20 days solid. Enemy charges occurred in interims of 5 hours, occasionally 3, as waves of abhuman cultist, traitor astartes and nightmarish abominations crash to them akin to the ocean waves of ancient Terra upon the rocks. The Imperial Fist defenders held, but were suffering. They were down to 68% combat efficiency from their initial deployment, ammunition was starting to run concerningly low, and the enemy Titans began to land upon the surface. With all the might, loyalty, discipline and, dare they say it, ‘Faith’, their bolters will prove no worth against the Legios Titanicus of Horus.

”Incoming, Castellan!” Crackled the distorted vox from Captain Paguth. As the distant din of weapons fire and the unmistakable crack of bolter fire began to wash over the defenders. “We are heading for our Land Raiders and headed for your position. Await our return.”.

”Orders received, Captain. Keep your heads down.” said Alaegrius, as his assault cannon began whirring in rotation, the belt fed ammo tracker on amber… maybe even orange, signaling a low munitions’’’. The enemy warriors entered vision, and then weapons range, and more thunder was added to the storm consuming Terra across it’s entire surface.

Thanks very much for reading! There’s still time to donate towards our fundraiser in order to help support the Doorways Derby charity. You can find our JustGiving fundraiser page here.

Call to Arms: Army Warlords and Leaders