Call to Arms: Force Organization and Army Lists
We are now just a few short days away from the painting weekend challenge! Despite temperatures plummeting here in the UK, it’s definitely heating up within the hobby workspaces as we frantically finalise and prep the last of our models for the frenzied weekend of painting.
In painting our own Horus Heresy: Age of Darkness boxes across the weekend, we’ve naturally decided to build lists comrpised of the contents, likely to see battle across from one another imminently beyond the weekend’s completion. Despite the lists using (mostly) identical units provided each box, our choices of legions should help our armies stand with distinction against one another.
Chris - Imperial Fists, 2000 Points
Using the extensive variables you have available from the Age of Darkness of box, I wanted to ensure my list was both thematic, appealing visually and a good foundation for future purchases and releases for what's to come within the Horus Heresy range.
This box is ideal for stretching out the immediate necessities of your force, in the form of troop choices. I want this initial allocation of infantry to be my compulsory units in the form of a Tactical Squad and an Inductii Squad. An inductii Squad is here because not only is it a great excuse for a late Heresy unit to showcase the theme, but is also another Heavy Bolter for me to lay down from the walls.
Breachers are a great objective holder, who will likely get a Land Raider to ride in further down the line. The shields are also perfect for some painting and decal/transfer opportunity.
Meanwhile, the Contemptor Dreadnought is such an iconic unit in the Heresy and can be an absolute monster in the system’s current iteration. The Kheres is a great weapon and is bolstered by a Dreadnought Fist, just in case he needs to throw hand(s) at an opposing Dreadnought.
The Cataphractii are the beat-stick of this army. 10 of them, equipped towards anti-armour and anti-infantry slappage, are going to be inverted in their colour scheme. Their party bus in the form of the Land Raider Spartan will be the quintessential 'Magic School Bus' of doom with Lascannons and Heavy Bolters roaring.
The Heavy Bolter squad will kick back with the Castellan, raining down bolter fire on softer infantry targets across the board. The Praetor and his Command Squad will be “ladding it up”, running about the board with the bravado of a pride of lions, looking to fight whereever they're needed most.
Imperial Fists are fortunate to have access to an array of Rite of Wars, but none of them really fit in to what I want to achieve with this list. Even the generic ones aren't doing it for me. I may work towards a Templar Brethren theme later down the line, but we shall see. I already have my next 1000 points drawn up, consisting of just 4 models...
HQ:
Praetor (Warlord): Solar Marshal (Trait), Master-crafted Solarite Power Gauntlet, Vigil Storm Shield and Volkite Serpenta
Centurion: Castellan with Iliastus Assault Cannon, Artificer Armour, Chainsword and Bolt Pistol.
Command Squad (x5) in Power Armour including Standard Bearer. All with Bolters, bolt pistols and chainswords.
Elites:
Contemptor Dreadnought with Gravis Power Fist, Havoc Launcher, Kheres Assault Cannon and a Plasma Blaster.
Terminator Cataphractii Squad (x10) including Sergeant with Solarite Power Gauntlet, Legion Vexilla. 4 with Solarite Gauntlets and combi Bolters, 2 with Solarite Gauntlets and Heavy Flamers, 3 with duel Lightning Claws and a Sergeant with a Power Sword and Combi bolter.
Troops:
Breacher Squad (x10) with bolters, bolt pistols and a Vexilla. Sgt with Artificer Armour.
Tactical Squad (x10) including Sergeant with Bolt Pistol, Bolter, artificer armour. All with bayonets and a Vexilla.
Inductii Squad (x10) including Sergeant with a Chainsword, Bolt Pistol, Bolter and Power Armour. A Legionary with Heavy Bolter and a Legionary with Legion Vexilla
Heavy Support:
Heavy Support Squad (x5) with Heavy Bolters, including Sergeant with Artificer Armour and a Legionary with Legion Vexilla
Land Raider Spartan with 2x Lascannon Array, Flare Shield and Hull Mounted Twin-linked Heavy Bolter
Rite of War: None
The contents of one Horus Heresy: Age of Darkness box. We will each be painting a box across one weekend!
Kenny - Death Guard, 2400 Points
I’m leaning heavily into Death Guard theme and aesthetic with this list. Nearly every single model that can weild a Power Scythe has one, Rad Grenades and Toxin Bombs are aplenty. The list leans heavily into the foot-slogging troops of the Death Guard wading forward relentlessly to cut the enemy down in swathes, which is aided by the chosen Rite of War - The Reaping.
This means that my Veteran Squads and Heavy Support Squads can be fielded as Troop Choices as the bulk of the army. The Heavy Alchem Flamers act as a somewhat suicide squad to get as close and as quickly as possible to melt enemy infanty at the first opportunity. The Missile Launcher squad will work to rain down explosive force onto enemies at range, supported by the Siege Breaker to ensure any vehicles can be dealt with more reliably. In the context of using the contents of this box for my own forces and mirroring (within reason) my destined foe, the Siege Breaker doesn’t seem the most efficient choice. However, the prospect of laying siege to Imperial Fists sat behind their walls as the rest of the troops press on is too delectable an image to pass on.
The Cataphractii Praetor is an exclusion from the box, as mentioned in a previous article. I simply felt that this would be a more fitting inclusion than the second Praetor model included in the box. He’ll be accompanying the Cataphractii Command Squad, likely taking the Spartan as a dedicated transport. Frankly, if the Spartan wasn’t included in the box then I’d be enamored to have all units be foot-slogging, but a challenge is a challenge and I’m loathe to bed the rules any further!
HQ:
Praetor (Warlord): Cataphractii Terminator Armour, Power Scythe, Combi-Weapon with Grenade Launcher, Rad Grenades and Toxin Bombs
Centurion: Siege Breaker with Power Scythe, Volkite Charger, Rad Grenades and Toxin Bombs
Cataphractii Terminator Command Squad (x5) including Standard Bearer
Elites:
Contemptor Dreadnought with double Gravis Lascannon and Helical Targeting Array
Cataphractii Terminator Squad (x5) including Sergeant with Power Scythe
Veteran Squad (x5) including Sergeant with Artificer Armour, Power Scythe and Plasma Pistol
Troops:
Breacher Squad (x10) including Sergeant with Artificer Armour
Tactical Squad (x10) including Sergeant with Artificer Armour, Power Scythe and Bolt Pistol alongside Legion Vexilla, Augury Scanner and Nuncio-Vox
Heavy Support Squad (x10) with Missile Launchers including Sergeant with Artificer Armour alongside Augury Scanner and Nuncio-Vox
Heavy Support Squad (x5) with Heavy Alchem Flamers including Sergeant with Artificer Armour
Heavy Support:
Land Raider Spartan with 2x Lascannon Array, Flare Shield, Hull Mounted Twin-linked Lascannons and Searchlights
Rite of War: The Reaping
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