Tag Archives: Horus Heresy

How to Paint – Legion Imperialis Blood Angels Infantry

May 6, 2025 Declan and Eeyore Leave a comment

Blood Angel Space Marines for Legion Imperialis

On it’s release I bought the starter set for Legion Imperialis and the Space Marine Infantry have been in a partial state of painting since.. so this week I started (and finished) them. So back to our occasional series: How to Paint Legions Imperialis Blood Angels.

Legion Imperialis

Legion Imperialis is a small scale (ie tiny models) where you can: “Play out huge, cinematic games set in the Horus Heresy, where the full might of the Space Marine Legions clashed in world-shattering internecine conflict.”

it is the spiritual successor to Titan Legions, Space Marine and Epic 40k.

Blood Angels

There are already a lot of possible armies to play in Legion Imperialis although 18 of them are Space Marines! I have chosen to paint mine as Blood Angels as this is my army in Horus Heresy (28mm) and Warhammer 40k.

They are known for their close combat abilities but for this I have painted up the troops in the Legion Astartes: Infantry box set – except the Contemptor Dreadnoughts. In Legion Imperialis the Blood Angels can (sometimes) fight twice in close combat.

Pictures

2 Plasma Tactical Support Legionaries & 2 Missile Launcher Heavy Support Legionaries

2 Legion Terminators & 2 Assault Marines

How do they play?

Legion (Space Marine) armies in Legion Imperialis have some tough options and some great infantry. The Tacticals are very difficult to move from buildings (although destroying the building is a great option), whilst the Missile Launchers have two firing modes giving great versatility.

The Terminators and Assault Marines play best into the Blood Angels special rule. Fight twice (sometimes). And the Deep Strike for the Terminators is a great way to get them near the enemy. But be careful – Deep Strike is dangerous in Legions Imperialis.

But, if you are expecting this to take a lot of points… then think again. Infantry is cheap in LI… so all this is a little less than 200 points. The suggested game is 3,000 points so there’s a lot more to get.

Paints Used

Blood Angels are red – even in Horus Heresy. So I’ve gone for a scheme using Mephiston Red as the base. This makes a little more towards 40k, than to 30k (where they should be a little more vermillion). However I have followed the same paint scheme as my Horus Heresy 28mm army.

When painting infantry in Legion Imperialis I do – where possible – paint on the sprue. And so I have done this for all these models.

Starting with an undercoat of Black, and then drybrush the entire sprue Leadbelcher. It’s then time to pick out the armour, and for my Blood Angels this meant Mephiston Red. As they are Legion (Space Marines) there is a lot of armour so the models are very red!

I then pick out the details – Abaddon Black for the cloths, Retributor Armour for elites & leaders, and Apothecary White for the Apothecary.

The bases are simple and two tone. They are painted with Balthasar Gold and Mechanicus Standard Grey. Given a wash of Agrax Earthshade. And then the Grey is redone with a highlight of Administratrum Grey.

So that’s How to Paint Legions Imperialis Blood Angels — graphic below.

Buying a Box?

This is a permanent fixture in the Games Workshop catalogue now. The box above is a ‘Legion Astartes Infantry’ box set. It also includes 4 Contemptor Dreadnoughts (not painted above). That all means – ask at your local FLGS or our affiliate links with Element Games, or Frontline Gaming (USA). They are £31.50 RRP.

— Declan and Eeyore

Black Library, Book Reviews, Declan Waters, Games Workshop, Warhammer 40k

Book Review – Valdor: Birth of the Imperium

May 1, 2025 Declan and Eeyore Leave a comment

A Horus Heresy novel by Chris Wraight

There are a few characters beyond the Primarchs that loom large within the Horus Heresy. The Emperor, Malcador and Valdor are three of them. And Chris Wraight takes us back to the beginning of the Imperium and the role of Valdor in it’s birth.

From the Book

Constantin Valdor. It is a name that brings forth images of heroism, honour and peerless duty. For it is he who commands the will of the Legio Custodes that most esteemed and dedicated cadre of elite warriors. He is the Emperor’s sword, His shield, His banner and he knows no equal. Clad in shining auramite, his fist clenched around the haft of his Guardian Spear, he is the bulwark against all enemies of the throne, within or without.

Nearing the end of the wars of Unity, Valdor’s courage and purpose is put to the test as never before. The petty warlords and tyrants of Old Earth have been all but vanquished, and the Emperor’s armies are triumphant. What now for the nascent Imperium and what fate its forgotten soldiers, its Thunder Warriors and armies of Unity? A new force is rising, one which shall eclipse all others and open the way to the stars. But change on Terra is seldom bloodless and for progress to be ensured darker deeds are necessary.

Review

Valdor has always been part of the story of the Imperium, but the Horus Heresy has allowed Chris Wraight to give him a lot more background here, and – crucially – background of the Birth of the Imperium.

This is a story from a time in the Warhammer 40k lore of which not much is written. The Emperor has conquered Old Earth, but not all the denizens of the planet are convinced this is a good idea… and the Emperor doesn’t do weak or bloodless.

I was recommended this book some time ago and added it to my To-Read pile on Goodreads. … Why did I wait? … It’s a great addition to the story of the Imperium and in particular that thorny transisition from Thunder Warriors to Space Marines.

Thunder Warrior – John Blanche / Games Workshop

I don’t often say a book is essential reading, but Chris Wraight has got a story here that fits this bill. And he writes well, as well! Go out there and buy it, now!

Declan & Eeeyore

Check out the full list of Book Reviews we’ve done on Woehammer here

We always encourage people to shop at local bricks and mortar stores, but if your friendly local book store doesn’t have this available, we have a UK Amazon affiliate link & a USA Amazon affiliate link for which Woehammer receives a small commission.

— Declan & Eeyore

Black Library, Book Reviews, Declan Waters, Games Workshop

Book Review – Lorgar: Bearer of the Word

April 3, 2025 Declan and Eeyore Leave a comment

Horus Heresy: Primarch series #5 by Gav Thorpe

The 5th Novella in the Primarch Series brings us to The Bearer of the Word – Lorgar. We’ve reviewed a few in this series already – this is number 11! There have been no ‘timing’ issues yet with stories ruined.

Cover picture of Lorgar: Bearer of the Word by Gav Thorpe

From the Book

Most devoted of all the primarchs, it was Lorgar who first fell to the lure of Chaos. Once known as Aurelian, this golden son of the Emperor of Mankind found himself an outcast because he worshipped his father as a god. Humbled before the ruins of Monarchia, chastened and brought low, Lorgar yearned for deeper meaning. He found it in the power of Ruin and thus began the descent into heresy. His fate had not always been so. On Colchis, his adopted birth world, Lorgar was not always the zealot, though his path would be nurtured by the priest Kor Phaeron.

Review

Gav Thorpe has always been a great writer and has had significant success since leaving the hallowed pages of WD.

And with Lorgar: Bearer of the Word; he smashes it out of the park! This is the book I was hoping all the Primarch books would be. It’s the origin story of Lorgar. How he is found on Colchis. When he is adopted by Kor Phaeron. And how he is manipulated / prepared for greatness by the priest.

The descriptions of the desert, his challenges, the treatment of Lorgar by Kor Phaeron and his reaction as a young child were expertly written and very believable. Many of the Primarchs had tough upbringing on their new homeworlds, but it is fair to say Lorgar’s wasn’t the easiest.

The action is mostly set on Colchis. There is the occasional flash forward to Lorgar burning his chapter’s books after censure by the Emperor. However, fortunately, this is a tiny part of the novella so doesn’t distract from the story being told.

A must read for me in the series – great work from Gav Thorpe.

Declan & Eeeyore

Check out the full list of Book Reviews we’ve done on Woehammer here

— Declan & Eeyore

Black Library, Book Reviews, Declan Waters, Games Workshop

Book Review – Roboute Guilliman: Lord of Ultramar

March 20, 2025 Declan and Eeyore Leave a comment

Horus Heresy Primarchs #1 by David Annandale

The 1st Primarch novel (novella) takes us to the Ultramarines and their Primarch – Roboute Guilliman.

From the book:

Long before the coming of the Imperium, the realm of Ultramar was ruled by Roboute Guilliman, the last Battle King of Macragge. Even after learning of his true heritage as a primarch son of the Emperor of Mankind, he strove to expand his domain as efficiently and benevolently as possible, with the XIII Legion Ultramarines as his alone to command. Now, facing a rival empire on the ork-held world of Thoas, Guilliman must choose his weapons carefully – otherwise his dream of a brighter future could be lost forever.

Do like ‘Practicals’, or is your Google Search locked on ‘Theoreticals’? If you can answer yes to these questions then this is the book for you… but it does get grating. I get that this is how we know we are dealing with the Ultramarines, but it probably didn’t need repeating quite so often.

That gripe aside, Roboute Guilliman is on the Ork held world of Thoas where there are strange pyramids, which appear to have been built by humans before or during the Age of Darkness. The Orks just want to kill Ultramarines, but Roboute Guilliman also wants to answer the question of what happened to the humans who used to live on Thoas.

He has recently put a new Chapter Master in charge of the 22nd Chapter of the Ultramarines… someone from outside the Chapter – against the tradition established. In doing this he also sidelines the Destroyers which form a large portion of the 22nd Chapter. This decision causes descent within the Chapter, and his refusal to deploy the Destroyers causes additional friction.

The balance of the 22nd Chapter are left as rearguard against the Orks, and in fighting a Pyramid is destroyed… causing significant damage to the Ultramarines.

Annandale does a a good job of telling the story, and Guilliman comes across as a true combat beast, besting all the Orks that try to kill him, whilst investigating the reason for the lack of Humans on the planet. It is an interesting story — but I struggled too much with the ‘Practicals’ and ‘Theoreticals’!

Check out the full list of Book Reviews we’ve done on Woehammer here

— Declan & Eeyore

Black Library, Book Reviews, Declan Waters, Games Workshop

Book Review – Visage

March 10, 2025 Declan and Eeyore Leave a comment

A Horus Heresy short-story by Rich McCormick

Visage was released in 2023 but re-released in the free ‘Black Library Celebration 2025’ anthology available in English, German & French either from a local Warhammer store or free from Black Library with most purchases.

This coincides with World Book Day (6th March), as as avid readers ourselves we will be marking this occasion by reviewing all 4 stories in the anthology – and encouraging reading of course!

From the book:

Following the Battle of Signus Prime, the indignation shown by Erebu, Dark Apostle of the Word Bearers, is met with brutal retribution from Warmaster Horus. After having his tattooed visage flayed from his skull, Erebus seeks the power of the the avatars of Chaos to restore his faith in the Dark Gods.

If you like your Grim Dark fiction to be very Dark and exceedingly Grim then this is one is definitely for you. Having someone flay the skin from your skull would kill most mortals, but Space Marines are made of stern stuff, and Erebus even more so.

Rich McCormick does well to show the insidious power and questions of the Dark Gods, as well as Erebus’ communications and discussions with them and – ultimately – where Erebus feels he fits within the Heresy of Horus.

However this is a strange story to chose for the first in this anthology (and indeed inclusion in it at all). World Book Day tends to be aimed at younger listeners and whilst this anthology isn’t directly related to that, it is released along the same time. To be fair to the chaps at the Warhammer store where I picked mine up he did say I probably shouldn’t be reading it to my daughter (2) who was with me at the time… so points there; but overall a strange inclusion in a taster set that parents may be picking up for their kids to see what the setting is about.

— Declan & Eeyore

Black Library, Book Reviews, Declan Waters, Games Workshop

Book Review – Rogal Dorn: The Emperor’s Crusader

March 6, 2025 Declan and Eeyore Leave a comment

Horus Heresy Primarchs #16 by Gav Thorpe

The 16th Primarch novel (novella) takes us to the Imperial Fists and their Primarch – Rogal Dorn.

From the book:

As the Great Crusade enters its sixth decade, the fleets and armies of the Emperor spear out into the galaxy to bring the Imperial Truth to thousands of worlds. Expansion has been swift, but must now be tempered with consolidation. Even so, the Emperor demands that the boundaries of the Imperium be pushed further into the unknown.

The Master of Mankind tasks four primarchs with the dangerous mission of securing the worlds of the Occluda Noctis – hundreds of star systems on the far side of the Northern Major Warp Storm, whose warp-churning presence casts a shadow on the guiding light of the Astronomican and blinds even the Emperor’s psychic sight. Rogal Dorn leads his Imperial Fists directly into the heart of this cosmic twilight. Isolated, battling a foe the likes of which nobody has encountered before, Dorn must use all of his strategic genius and irresistible will to conquer the darkness in the name of the Emperor.

Not many of the books in the Horus Heresy have four Primarchs, and even fewer of the Novellas so it strange that the author has chosen to do this for a book pertaining to be about one Primarch.

Dorn clashes with Lion El’Jonson about how to fulfil the Emperor’s commands and how to bring The Night Crusade to a successful conclusion. The Lion does not come out well in these discussions, and Dorn definitely comes across as the ‘better’ Primarch (by which I mean more competent and able to lead his men).

Dorn leads his fleet and Chapter into the darkness of The Night Crusade and is able to outflank, and out plan his enemy, despite them having a seemingly impossible ability to navigate between star systems without going through the Mandeville Points.

Dorn uses all the resources at his disposal, augmenting his Navigators with his Librarians to break through the long night.

I very much enjoyed how everything tied together, although the battle sequences are much shorter than other books and the novella format was perhaps too short for the story that Gav Thorpe wanted to tell. But all that said, it is a very good addition to the Primarchs series.

— Declan & Eeyore

Games Workshop

Hobby Update – Hobby & Life Goals 2025 – February Update

March 2, 2025 Declan and Eeyore Leave a comment

Back at the beginning of the year, I following Peter’s example and provided a list on Woehammer of what I was planning to do in 2025… now 2 months in I thought I’d take a look at how I am getting on.

Goals for 2025

A list of all that I was aiming for is below, with the proviso that I was never going to do all of it… but it is good to be kept honest.

Hobby Goals

Sell un-needed toys.
I think I’ve done really well here – I’ve made a little money (and re-invested it back into Necromunda books, and toys) and now can mostly fit the stuff I still want to sell into a 4×2 Kallax – a definite improvement but still more to do. I’m taking a break for now because Ebay and other second hand selling is draining!
This has really helped my WoePoints and I am currently at -198 points (negative is good).
Paint Necromunda Cawdor Gang
More on this in a future article, but I have 7 painted and another 11 assembled and undercoated so making good progress. We are hoping to have our first game at end of March so I need to make a little more progress.
Finish Legion Imperialis box set
Not re-started the painting, but everything I have finished is now magnetised and in it’s own Really Useful Box!
Finish Age of Darkness (Horus Heresy Box Set)
Horus Heresy is in the same position as Imperialis, but I also got to see a training game in person…. so thank to Andy & Pete for that!
Progress on my Necromunda tiles
I have finished all the tiles and am now thinking about how to mount them so that I can down as well as up. We also had our first game on the tiles and with them packed full of terrain it felt like we were playing Necromunda ‘right’!
Progress on my Warhammer 40k Diorama (Blood Angels v Tyranids)
None made yet!
Organise my collection – Really useful boxes, magnets, and shelves
I have magnets for a lot of my small scale armies and my Bolt Action Soviets and it’s really helping with the organisation. I’ve managed to gain a cupboard outside my office as well which is helping providing stacking space
Complete my hobby & work table in my home office
No progress yet!
Update Woehammer more often!
I think I’ve done well here, with 14 articles published (this is number 15!), another 8 scheduled and even found time to add some commentary to our Top Three Lists.
Keep Reading
Helped by Audio books on the commute into work, I’ve finished 8 books this year, primarily from the Primarchs series – I’ve even reviewed most of them for Woehammer so check out the Book Review Archive.
Follow the ’30 minutes hobby a day’ aim
I’ll leave you with a picture for this one!

A colourful Jan & Feb with lots of hobby done (Blue is blog and dark pink is wargaming)!

Boardgame Goals

10 x 10 challenge – play 10 games 10 times each
No games completed yet, but 28 of my plays so could contribute to this, so on target
Play 365 games (including wargames)
Surprisingly I’m on target with this having played 66 games to end of February. There’s some long ones in there as well, so I’m not making up the numbers entirely with quick to play games!
Play 35 games I own
Have played 6 of my own games at least 3 times this year, so on target as well. We’ve re-found a few gems but also identified a couple that should be sold so it’s worthwhile so far
Write some reviews for Woehammer
I’m struggling to develop a format I’m happy with here, but I’ll take the plunge soon I promise, under the premise that nothing is good on the first attempt!

Other Goals

Get to 90kg weight goal (stretch goal 85kg) – currently 96.5kg
It’s still the winter in the Northern Hemisphere, so there’s no way I’m weighing myself yet!!
Walk 3 million steps (I did just less than this in 2024)
I have done 400,000 steps so far which is a little behind schedule but ahead of where I was last year – so I’m happy with progress here as well
Repair my bicycle and get back to cycling regularly during summer
No progress
Spend more time with friends & family!
Friends have definitely helped with my board game and Necromunda playing and we’ve also got some free childcare as an excuse to see family. I’m definitely feeling settled in after my house move last year.

How are you getting on with your Goals?

— Declan and Eeyore

Black Library, Book Reviews, Declan Waters, Games Workshop

Book Review – Lion El’Jonson: Lord of the First

February 27, 2025 Declan and Eeyore Leave a comment

Horus Heresy Primarchs #13 by David Guymer

The 13th Primarch novel (novella) takes us to the Dark Angels and their Primarch – Lion El’Jonson.

From the book:

Each primarch is an exemplary being, derived from the Emperor’s own genetic stock to embody a facet of His personality. Their powers are unfathomable, but only one of them is the First. Lion El’Jonson is the paragon of what it is to be a primarch. His Legion, pre-eminent for most of their long history, typify the virtues of temperance, pride, and martial excellency that the Lion embodies. They are the Emperor’s last line and final sanction. They are His Dark Angels.

Now, while the Emperor gathers His mightiest sons for an assault on Ullanor Prime, the Lord of the First instead draws his Legion to the farthest reaches of the known galaxy, seeking to subdue a single rebellious world. Is this but another example of the Lion’s infamous pride, or is there more afoot amidst that graveyard of empires that is the Ghoul Stars, more than the Lion will share even with his own sons?

One of my favourite things in the novella’s and books of the Horus Heresy is hearing about the different alien species the Emperor’s sons meet alien species that will never appear in a rulebook and will never have miniatures. This freedom allows the authors to explore alien species without limitation.

The enemies facing Lion El’Jonson and his Dark Angels are facing the Khrave who are able to take over the minds of weaker species… but in the Dark Angels – and The Lion – they may have finally met their match.

The Khrave are well written, spooky and scary and use psyker powers in some extreme ways – they definitely add peril to the book as the human elements of the Dark Angels fleet and Imperium army cannot be trusted to stand alongside the Space Marines – and so they must fight the enemy – and those members of the fleet/army taken over by the Khrave – on their own.

Guymer also throws in scenes between the Lion and the Emperor – it is always interested to read above the Emperor in these books – and this definitely adds flavour to the Dark Angel’s Primarch…

However the way they kill the Khrave – using weapons only they have access to – is characterful but always leaves the question ‘why not against Horus then…?’ and this is a question I found difficult to overlook.

Overall it’s a good book, with a well written and described enemy which is let down a bit by a disappointing ending.

— Declan & Eeyore

Book Reviews, Declan Waters

Book Review – Blood of Hercules

February 20, 2025 Declan and Eeyore Leave a comment

Villains of Lore #1 by Jasmine Mas

A sarcastically funny, dark fantasy romance reimagining of Hercules from Amazon bestselling author Jasmine Mas.

From the book:

I’m struggling to survive in a Titan infested world where Spartans, immortals from twelve royal families who have god-like powers and obscene wealth, rule over all. A shy-stammering foster child with nothing, I keep my head down, cover my scars, and focus on excelling in school. At least, I try to. Then it happens.

My blood test reveals I’m part of the powerful elite. I’m one of them. A Spartan.

Forced to attend the Spartan War Academy, I undergo the most harrowing test of all time to see if I have what it takes to be an immortal. There’s just a few problems. Achilles and Patro are my scary mentors. Kharon, the ferryman of death, and Augustus, the son of war, are my terrifying professors. Also, I’m pretty sure either someone’s stalking me everywhere I go, or my sanity’s slipping––I have a bad feeling both are true.

I get given books at Christmas, but sometimes they sit on the shelf and get to my read pile, so last year I decided that I would read the ones bought for me. This is the first of those, and it would not be my normal go-to style – but it has Hercules, Spartans and a panolpy of demi-humans and Gods… so that’ll just fit straight into my interests – I hope!

I will admit to a minor level of trepidation with the title as greek heroes are more typically referred to by their Greek names, (and not Roman / Latin names)… so maybe Blood of Heracles, would be better… but a minor quibble so on to the book – and this is my first one with a content warning, but that’s the modern thing I assume.

Unfortunately, my initial (possible) optimism started to take a downward turn – the premise is solid – in a world where the Spartans conquered Greece and then settled in Rome (weird, but okay), the Titans have just returned and want to destroy all humanity.

Fortunately the Spartans have revealed themselves and they can teleport and fight Titans – but the Spartans are a dwindling race and their blood is running low. But they have a very greek solution, there are children around the world that have Spartan blood for ‘reasons’… they may be Zeus like reasons and sleeping with mortals. all children are tested, and those with Spartan Blood are sent to the Colliseum (… err…) to fight to the death so only 10 are left — not a great way to replace your dwindling population.

Our author (Alexis, written in the first person) is one of the ten and so joins her fellow survivors in a school/classroom where they learn about Spartan society and knowledge – although not really – and go on runs if they fail a test. Except they all have to do the run and some are killed on it.

If you’re confused, then so was I and I had the author’s words in front of me. There’s no logic to the process the new Spartans have to go through, there’s no Greek mythology other than the character’s names, and there’s no logic to how 2,000 years of Spartan society have resulted in the same society we have now – except for the destruction caused by Titans.

And then there’s the straw… the main character refers to one of her tutors as being ‘like Satan’… really??? Where did Christianity come from?

So a well deserved 1 star review – but not a ‘so bad it’s good’ type book. Save yourself then 400 pages, and leave this one on the shop’s bookshelf.

— Declan & Eeyore

Black Library, Book Reviews, Declan Waters, Games Workshop

Book Review – Mortarion, The Pale King

February 13, 2025 Declan and Eeyore Leave a comment

Horus Heresy Primarchs #15 by David Annandale

The 15th Primarch novel (novella) takes us to the Death Guard and their Primarch – Mortarion.

From the book:

Once, the Galaspar System suffered under the cruel regime of the Order. Billions of people toiled endlessly to enrich their masters, enduring short lives of poverty, squalor and fear. But Galaspar’s sins did not go unnoticed by the Imperium, and so Death itself sentenced the Order to annihilation.

Mortarion, newly uplifted to commander of the Death Guard, descended upon the world, and with him came a slaughter of untold proportions. The sheer brutality of Mortarion’s campaign left the Imperium appalled. Seeking to understand its horrors, two noble primarchs have come to Galaspar, summoning their brother to account for his actions. But the Pale King brooks no challenge to his methods, for when the scythe falls, it reaps a gruesome toll.

Part of the Primarchs (Horus Heresy) series sees Mortarion justify his methods in the compliance of Galaspar. Starting with Horus & Sanguinius who have come to underestand why Mortarion took such brutal measures and why so much of the population lies dead… being counted by those left.

Mortarion doesn’t justify his actions, but he does explain them; how a precision strike through the planets defences and assaulting a hive with a spaceship was the only way to cut the head off the Order.

Unlike some of the Primarch books this was primarily about Mortarion, and his role in the fighting for compliance – and it is better for it. The reader gets a real sense of how Mortarion think, plans, and acts in the face of a world run by the few, at the cost of the many.

I also loved the descriptions of the organisation of the hive, and fighting within it… this book would not be out of place in the Necromunda hives… albeit without the Noble Houses being defeated by Mortarion and the Death Guard. Who knew that 10,000 years after these events and Imperium would be replicating the very worlds that Mortarion fought to destroy.

A great addition to the series.

Check out the full list of Book Reviews we’ve done on Woehammer here

— Declan & Eeyore

Legion Imperialis

Blood Angels

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Paints Used

Buying a Box?

From the Book

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From the Book

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Goals for 2025

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