The Legiones Astartes: Champions of the Imperium
The Legiones Astartes remain the core of the game. Each Legion is more distinct than ever before, with their cultures, tactics, and combat doctrines deeply woven into the new edition’s rules. Whether you favour the siegecraft and unyielding defence of the Imperial Fists, the savage ambushes of the Space Wolves, or the stealth and precision of the Raven Guard, each Loyalist Legion has new tools to feel truly unique on the tabletop.
The new edition continues to support highly flexible army building, allowing players to create infantry-heavy hosts, armoured spearheads, or rapid strike forces with ease.
Rites of War: A Complete Overhaul
One of the biggest updates in the new edition is the expanded Rites of War system. These now encompass a Legion’s entire suite of special rules and thematic upgrades:
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Legion Tactica: Core rules that define your army’s playstyle and special advantages.
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Gambits: One-time tactical ploys that can swing critical moments in your favour.
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Advanced Reactions: Once-per-game abilities that can turn the tide of a key phase.
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Detachments: New Force Organisation slots, such as Auxiliary and Apex Detachments, help you add thematic units without sacrificing flexibility.
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Prime Upgrades: Unique upgrades that apply a Legion-specific twist to standard units, making them feel even more authentic to the background.
These changes ensure that each Legion plays differently and rewards players for leaning into their strengths and narrative style.
New Units and Heroes Refined
Core units and iconic characters have received meaningful updates to make them stand out on the battlefield. The humble Legion Centurion is now a vital cornerstone for army building, not just a point-efficient buff. Elite units like the Medusan Immortals of the Iron Hands now play like the relentless shock troops they were always meant to be.
Named heroes have also been enhanced. Champions such as Sigismund, the First Captain of the Imperial Fists, now come with custom Gambits, powerful stat lines, and special rules that make them truly shine in the new Challenge system.
Deeper Scoring and Tactical Gameplay
Victory Points scoring has seen a major evolution. Objectives can now vary in value, encouraging flexible plans rather than static lines. New unit keywords like Vanguard (X) and Line (X) create more nuance in list building and objective control. This depth rewards players who craft balanced armies and use every phase of the game to outmanoeuvre their foes.
A Strong Start for Loyalist Commanders
With the new edition of The Horus Heresy, the Loyalist Legions stand ready to defend the Imperium with fresh tactical options, unique force structure tools, and meaningful ways to represent their iconic histories on the battlefield. Whether you favour determined last stands, lightning raids, or armoured hammer blows, there’s a Loyalist Legion to match your preferred style of war.
Stay tuned — tomorrow we’ll turn to the Warmaster’s chosen and examine how the Traitor Legions have been reforged for the Age of Darkness.
