Tabletop Update Summer 2025

One last 3-round tournament for the second edition of Horus Heresy, as the third edition is out today. I played Alpha Legion into Iron Hands, Questoris Knights with Salamanders allied, and Solar Auxilia with Raven Guard allied. #HorusHeresy #AlphaLegion #HydraDominatus #WarhammerCommunity

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— countelmdor.bsky.social (@countelmdor.bsky.social) July 26, 2025 at 11:59 PM

 

The Horus Heresy: Age of Darkness has just had it's third edition rules release. I got together with the local Heresy aficionado crew this past weekend to celebrate the sendoff of the second edition with a three-round Rogue Trader Tournament, RTT in the parlance. These are casual events, especially in this game system and with this crowd, who are all in it to make cool armies and bash them together on the neoprene field of battle.

Right now, just about all of my hobby energy is going toward Heresy (aka 30K). I am doing some long-awaited revamping of my White Scars army to feature era-appropriate armor on the infantry as they will probably be my main focus for this edition, at least in the foreseeable future. I ended up spending nearly all of second edition building and playing my Alpha Legion, and for the most part they are in a good place now to be back-burnered in favor of my first love. 

More updates on hobby progress to come.

Alpha Legion Mission Accomplished?

Kratos Heavy Battle Tanks for my Epic scale Alpha Legion. #LegionsImperialis #AlphaLegion #HydraDominatus #PaintingWarhammer #WarhammerCommunity

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— countelmdor.bsky.social (@countelmdor.bsky.social) January 12, 2025 at 8:18 PM

With those Kratos painted, I now have a solid 2,000 point Alpha Legion list for Legions Imperialis that I could run at Adepticon this year. This may be the last I paint in AL colors for either Epic or 28mm scale, since I have pretty much what I need on that side, as well. For further Epic scale Astartes I am planning one formation of White Scars, and another of perhaps Iron Warriors or another legion. I am finding playing the game, tracking formations can be difficult when everything is painted the same colors.

So, next up, a second Reaver Titan for my Legio Ignatum force for Adeptus Titanicus!

End of 2024 Hobby Recap and Looking Ahead at 2025

Never did post the second hastily painted Leviathan Siege Dreadnought I did for my Alpha Legion recently. #HydraDominatus #HorusHeresy #PaintingWarhammer #WarhammerCommunity

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— countelmdor.bsky.social (@countelmdor.bsky.social) December 19, 2024 at 9:17 PM

Another sprue of Solar Auxilia Infantry done. #LegionsImperialis #SolarAuxilia #Epic #WarhammerCommmunity #PaintingWarhammer

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— countelmdor.bsky.social (@countelmdor.bsky.social) December 29, 2024 at 7:35 PM

Final hobby project of 2024 done! That makes 4 Solar Auxilia Infantry sprues painted. Will it be enough? For the Emperor/Warmaster! (delete as appropriate). #LegionsImperialis #SolarAuxilia #HorusHeresy #PaintingWarhammer #WarhammerCommunity

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— countelmdor.bsky.social (@countelmdor.bsky.social) December 31, 2024 at 12:16 PM

I've finished my recent work on my Alpha Legion in 28mm scale, for the Horus Heresy tournament at the beginning of December.  I had forgotten to post the second Leviathan Heavy Siege Dreadnought until a later date, however.

Since then, thinking about what I need to get painted for the next big thing, it's all come down to more models for Legions Imperialis. The Storm Eagles I posted previously are a part of that effort. I need them, specifically, to fill out an Aerial Assault Formation for my Alpha Legion in Epic scale, which I think is roughly 8mm, rounded up. Games Workshop says it's 1/4 scale of Age of Darkness, which is commonly referred to as 28mm scale, but is actually a little more "heroic" than that, in how certain features of models are exaggerated for aesthetics. Regardless, I have Alpha Legion forces in both scales. 

I also have Solar Auxilia in Epic scale, and the infantry bases shown here are the last of those I had unpainted around the house. I'm not sure I'll use them much except for games around the house for practice or potentially to demo the game at my local store, but I had the army from buying the initial launch box of the game, and I'd bought an additional kit of them, as well. Those are all painted, now. All that remains are my 10 aircraft for the faction. Those should be fairly quick to paint at some point, though.

For now I am painting 3 Questoris Knights, again at Epic scale. In my first game to learn the system I had fun moving my Acastus Knight Porphyrion around shooting stuff. I think this scale might be the best way to play with Knights and Titans (I'm sure it is for Titans, albeit using Adeptus Titanicus rules).

I suppose it would be good to prep some of those Auxilia aircraft soon, also, especially to run in practice and learning games head of Adepticon, where I plan to play in a Legions Imperialis event. I do also need to brush up on my Adeptus Titanicus play, since I plan to play that there, as well.

Tanksgiving and a Stealth Primarch

This Repulsor is good enough for Administratum work. #RadixPraetorians #40K #WarhammerCommunity #PaintingWarhammer

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— countelmdor.bsky.social (@countelmdor.bsky.social) November 20, 2024 at 9:42 PM

The Final Configuration, I’m told, is one title he goes by. He won’t tell me his name, oddly enough. #AlphaLegion #HydraDominatus #HorusHeresy #WarhammerCommunity #PaintingWarhammer

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— countelmdor.bsky.social (@countelmdor.bsky.social) December 5, 2024 at 11:22 AM

Alpha Legion Roll Deep

 

I’ve painted 11 Rhinos and 4 Spartan Assault Carriers to add to my Alpha Legion for Epic scale battles. #LegionsImperialis #HydraDominatus #30K #HorusHeresy #WarhammerCommunity #PaintingWarhammer

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— countelmdor.bsky.social (@countelmdor.bsky.social) October 16, 2024 at 9:18 PM

With these additions to the Legions Imperialis force, I can field a full 2000 point list of Alpha Legion with one Titan for support. I am also given to understand that Rhinos can be pretty useful even when empty of their cargo.

I've painted a bunch of Lil' Legions to this point, but still have yet to play a game, though I have done a good amount of list building. With luck I'll be able to attend Adepticon in 2025 and get some games in there, if not before. 

They are Alpharius

 Long story short: 

I added a bunch more infantry to the Alpha Legion force! #LegionsImperialis #HorusHeresy #AlphaLegion #HydraDominatus #PaintingWarhammer #WarhammerCommunity

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— countelmdor.bsky.social (@countelmdor.bsky.social) Aug 27, 2024 at 1:28 PM

I'm not sure what I'll work on yet, for my next project. Could be more Alpha Legion, though.

Echoes of Betrayal part 2

This weekend was the Echoes of Betrayal pt 2 event at Mindtaker Miniatures in Vancouver, WA. I played two rounds, taking 2 heads and 2 wins with my Alpha Legion Headhunter Leviathal army list. First against Iron Warriors! #30K #HorusHeresy #AlphaLegion #HydraDominatus #WarhammerCommunity

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— countelmdor.bsky.social (@countelmdor.bsky.social) Jun 17, 2024 at 1:30 PM

Game 2 was against the corrupted Word Bearers, in which my Seeker and Headhunter squads worked together to snipe Argel Tal out of the large unit of Gal Vorbak possessed marines he led. For the Emperor… #30K #HorusHeresy #HydraDominatus #AlphaLegion #WarhammerCommunity

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— countelmdor.bsky.social (@countelmdor.bsky.social) Jun 17, 2024 at 1:34 PM

The Bluesky posts there basically say it all, but I am very proud of the showing my Headhunter Leviathal pulled out at the second of these events I brought it to. The first was a bit of a bust because I had to leave after only one game in which we only really played a couple of rounds, and thus didn't get the chance to really prove the list. 

In a nutshell, it's designed to kill the enemy's Warlord, the model at the head of their army, for extra victory points to add to the game end tally. Most of those will come from smart primary objective play, but the points of Slay the Warlord are enough to put me over the top in the event of a draw or near draw. 

It's also just a real Alpha move, a real PsyOp, and entirely thematically consistent with the lore of my army, the Alpha Legion, who thrive on sneaky, underhanded mind games they use to supplement their already prodigious capabilities as a straight up Space Marine Legion.

Pics from my game vs Dark Mechanicum over the weekend. #HorusHeresy #30K #AlphaLegion #Warhammer #HydraDominatus

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— countelmdor.bsky.social (@countelmdor.bsky.social) Apr 30, 2024 at 1:04 PM

Pics immediately above from Echoes of Betrayal part 1 in which I played against Mechanicum.

Alpha Legion vs Space Wolves 12/18/22

I got in a game at the local club against Space Wolves the other night. We played the mission War of Lies on a Dawn of War deployment at 3,000 points.

My opponent was proxying some 40K models, but from what I recall his list was like this:

Geigor Fell-hand

Hvarl Red Blade

Varagyr Terminators x10

Grey Hunters/Stalkers (not sure which) x10

Another unit of the above

Contemptor Dreadnought

Leviathan Dreadnought

2 Land Raider Spartans

Sicaran Battle Tank

He won the roll off to choose to deploy first and go first (unles the other player can Sieze the Initiative), but let me have the first turn. I infiltrated my Headhunter Kill Team, but not very far up. I knew he would be coming my way, and I wanted to keep some range to let them hopefully do their thing and take out a character.

In the first turn, I destroyed his Sicaran with my Spartan, and killed a few of his Troops with my own Sicarans. I think I shot at his Leviathan but didn't ping off any wounds with the Kratos. I got confused regarding my Kratos about whether I had paid the points for Flashburn shells (I had), so I didn't use those, and so the Kratos was weaker against the Leviathan and Spartans on the other side than I would have liked. From now on I'll remember that yes I definitely have paid for the Flashburn shells every time I field the Kratos tank. 

Later on, I went to fire at his Spartan with mine and mine was immobilized by a Return Fire reaction. It slipped my mind that this reaction was not actually possible (only defensive weapons can be used when a vehicle reacts), but we made good on it later on when he gave me a freebie reaction with my Spartan under similar circumstances. He even let me target something out of my firing arcs.

The play of the game has to go to his use of his Advanced Reaction. When I moved up a squad of Veterans to make use of the 9" Rapid Fire range of their Banestrike bolters, he reacted allowing a unit to first make an Initiative move toward me then a charge, in my Movement phase! 

We wrapped the game up early after only 3-4 rounds of the 6 this mission states, because it was getting late. We talked through what might have happened if we carried on, and while he was confident I would have taken out his Dreadnoughts, and thought I had a chance to win (as VP seemed close), I think it would have come out in his favor once my remaining Line units were wiped. I was already down to almost no answers to his heavier units, and without the scoring units, he could have had it sewn up, I think.

I guess this way I don't have to count it as a loss, though! 2-0-1 for the Alpha Legion, so far.

Lessons learned:

It's hard to go into lists with 2 Spartans and 2 dreadnoughts. I don't know if tooling up more for them is the right answer yet, though.

Always take the Flashburn shells on the Kratos.

Heart of the Legion is very good, make sure to use it. Evade's 5+ Shrouded roll is also very good.

Graviton (from my Contemptor's palm gun) can make charging difficult since it leaves behind a blast area of difficult/dangerous terrain. Charging through difficult terrain means a -2 to the roll, and those chargers fight at Initiative 1 in the following combat.

Watch out for that Space Wolves advanced reaction! 

Alpha Legion vs Word Bearers 12/10/22

Last night at the Ordo Fanaticus club in Portland I had my second game out with my Alpha Legion, playing The Horus Heresy.

I played against a guy called Gregor, whose Word Bearers army I had played once before, with my White Scars, a few months back. Indeed, I recognized a few of the units he brought along this time.

He was running a list like this:

Warmonger Consul

Moritat Consul

2x Tactical squads

Tactical Support squad with plasma guns

Reconaissance squad with shotguns

Gal Vorbak big unit of 6

Ashen Circle unit of 10

Contemptor Dreadnought

2x Sicaran battle tanks

My list was this:

Delegatus Consul

2x Tactical squads

Veteran squad of 7

Veteran squad of 5

Cataphractii big unit of 10 in a

Land Raider Spartan

Headhunter Kill Team of 10

Contemptor Dreadnought

2x Sicaran battle tanks

Interesting coincidence that we both brought 2 Sicarans. At least one Contemptor seems like a given, with how good they are in this game. We were playing at 2500 points. I have a little over 3000 painted, but Gregor didn't have quite that much done and wanted to maintain a certain standard in that regard.

You can see much of his deployment below.

We were playing the mission Tide of Carnage on the Search and Destroy deployment map.

I won't do a play-by-play report here, but only some of the highlights.

I began deployment and took the first turn, and started my Headhunter unit infiltrated and scouted very close to his lines, aiming to take out his Support squad with the plasma guns. I managed to take out 7 of them in the first turn, and caused the remaining 3 to flee. Then, when it was his turn and he was going to try to take out the remaining Headhunters not killed by Return Fire, I used Smoke and Mirrors, the Alpha Legion advanced reaction, to redeploy them 12" away and out of sight! 

My units of Veterans again proved their worth in this game by twice slaughtering opposing squads more than twice their size of Tactical marines. Their high Weapon Skill and power swords make them slice through regular infantry like butter.

Gregor reserved his Warmonger with Gal Vorbak to deep strike, as well has his Moritat with Ashen Circle. In both turns when one of these units arrived, I got off a double Interceptor reaction. There was minimal effect into the Gal Vorbak, just because they are so tough, but the Ashen Circle were substantially damaged. Augury Scanners giving free additional Interceptor uses might be a bit much!

I did learn from one mistake I made this game. It was neigher the pic above or below this line, though. They were both good plays.

When his Gal Vorbak appeared in my backfield, I knew I had to deal with them immediately.

I used Interceptor against them, as I mentioned. The template on them is from my Contemptor's Graviton gun.

Here's my mistake: deploying my WS4 Cataphractii Terminators to charge into the WS5 Gal Vorbak.

My Terminators did very little to them in combat, and ended up losing the combat, falling back, and being swept by the Gal Vorbak! I lost 7 unscathed Terminators with little in return aside from perhaps roadblocking the Gal Vorbak's way into my nearby Tactical squad.

When the Ashen Circle and Moritat arrived from reserves, they scattered and landed on dangerous terrain, which, combined with my two Interceptor reactions, immediately killed 8 of 10.

In the end, with my Cataprhractii fled, I cut down the Gal Vorbak with ranged fire from my Sicarans, Spartan, and Contemptor, then used the dreadnought to charge and smash the enemy Warlord, the Warmonger consul. Here is where we ended the game, after my fourth turn.

A few takeaways from this game:

1) Veterans are still very good value for points, particularly into WS4 infantry. Mine are extra good because they have Banestrike bolters (Alpha Legion) and I also pay for power swords on them, which does make them expensive. Worth it, though.

2) I should probably run them with either a character in each squad, or vexilla at the least, since they top out at Ld 8.

3) The above, but doubly so, for my Cataphractii. They are mostly Ld 7.

4) Never ever ever ever fight against a unit with higher WS

5) Coming in from reserves is very risky in a world of Augury Scanners giving units free Interceptor reactions to no limit.

Alpha Legion vs Iron Hands 09/29/22

I'm writing about this game well after the fact, but at the end of September there was originally to be a small RTT, or Rogue Trader Tournament, which in Warhammer-speak refers to a small casual tournament event, usually only over a single day.

Well, a few people had to drop out for one reason or another and suddenly the tournament was off. The organizer had become an acquaintance since I'd attended a previous tournament though, and was going to be at the store that day anyway, so he said he'd be glad to play a game against my new Alpha Legion force anyhow.

If I recall, we played at 2500 points. He had an Iron Hands army featuring a unit or two of Veterans, a unit of Scouts, a Spartan, a Leviathan, a unit of backfield artillery whose name escapes me at the moment. Rapier Batteries, I think they were. Or perhaps some Iron Hands variant. Oh, and he had some Terminators.

I remember his Terminators giving me some trouble by deep striking into my backfield early on. I had to peel off my Contemptor from his planned advance up the board to go back and deal with them.

In this game I put my Headhunter Kill Team in some central ruins on his side of the board, and they ended up getting wiped out without doing too much for the cause but being targets.

My Contemptor did do well though, killing the deep striking Terminators.

My veterans also did pretty well, getting a Rhino kill on one hand and later a Spartan on the other.

Phospshex from the enemy Leviathan dreadnought.

Spartan vs Spartan showdown.

He had some infantry in the Rhino carrier there that got out to fight my Veterans.

The Rhino was a wreck at this point, with his guys climbing over it.

All the while my Kratos kind of languished in the middle of the board, unable to get many notable targets. Eventually his Spartan blew it up with a lucky Lascannon shot.

Almost don't even bother trying to fight a Contemptor with Terminators. You'll likely lose pretty decisively.

Terminators on Terminators however, is very winnable.

The Veterans with my Praetor and Contemptor maneuvering around another wrecked Rhino to finish off a Scout squad.

My Cataphractii Terminators walking into battle against his Indomitus Terminators, with some Phosphex going off on my unit of Veterans.

A well-place Melta bomb did for the Iron Hands Spartan. Hydra Dominatus!

The endgame Terminator scrum.

As you can tell, my memory of this game is patchy after two and a half months. It was a win, though. Not bad for a first outing with a new army. Hopefully the first of many to come.