Warhammer: The Horus Heresy – Legions Imperialis has been revealed, and the community is absolutely alight with questions. And, we’ve got answers.
Will we ever see Warhammer 40,000 factions?
Legions Imperialis is a new game which is set firmly in the era of the Horus Heresy, letting you recreate the biggest and bloodiest battles fought in the civil war that set the galaxy aflame. There are no plans to expand this game into Warhammer 40,000 at the moment.
Can I use my Adeptus Titanicus and Aeronautica Imperialis models?
Yes you can. Every Titan and Knight currently available for Adeptus Titanicus is in – including the upcoming plastic Dire Wolf Heavy Scout Titan. A good portion of the Aeronautica Imperialis range is in too, with Space Marine and Imperial Navy flyers standing by for strafing runs.
This being a Horus Heresy-era game, xenos craft from the Aeronautica Imperialis range will be sitting this one out. Additionally, as the Astra Militarum of the 41st Millennium wasn’t an entity during the Horus Heresy, Vulture Gunships, Valkyrie Assault Carriers, and Vendetta Assault Carriers will not be part of the game. These will be leaving the range soon, so if you want a fleet of tiny Xenos and Astra Militarum aircraft to call your own, pick them up now.
What’s With Those New Bases?
Units in Legions Imperialis have a new, thinner style of base. As the miniatures are much smaller, a classic Warhammer deep-dish base would create infantry squads on weird little plateaus. The new bases also have detailing on them, to represent the ruins of a 31st Millennium cityscape. They are circular with a 25mm diameter, and are designed to fit in the firing vantage points on top of our epic-scale buildings.
There will also be new bases for Titans and aircraft to match this style. Tanks, as a rule, don’t have bases in Legions Imperialis.
Do I Have to Rebase My Titans?
No, you don’t need to if you don’t want to, Adeptus Titanicus bases will be perfectly usable in Legions Imperialis. For Aircraft, again it’s up to you, but we believe that the Aeronautica bases might be a bit immersion-breaking, so we’d suggest that you pop them on a Legions Imperialis base for games using this system.
Will the Adeptus Titanicus and Aeronautica Imperialis Still be Supported?
Adeptus Titanicus and Aeronautica Imperialis are both fantastic games that dig into the intricacies of the specific forms of combat they represent. Legions Imperialis is designed to represent a massive combined arms battle on all fronts, and its rules for aircraft and Titans are more streamlined. Support for Adeptus Titanicus and Aeronautica Imperialis (in the Horus Heresy setting only) will continue, so you can continue to play these games alongside this exciting new epic scale game.
How Is Legions Imperialis Different from Adeptus Titanicus?
It’s very different. While both games use the same Titan miniatures, the play experience is worlds apart.
Adeptus Titanicus is a detailed game of Titan control, in which players have to carefully pilot their God Machines and balance limited resources with risks. Legions Imperialis is about grand strategy. You are playing a distant commander, directing huge armies. Titans are powerful assets, but the nuances of engine reactor control and shield maintenance are left up to others – you have a war to win!
What will epic-scale models be made of?
The majority of Legions Imperialis units are complete plastic kits. Just as in Age of Darkness, Adeptus Titanicus, and Aeronautica Imperialis, certain niche units and upgrades may be made in Forge World resin.
Which factions will be supported?
Right out of the gate, there will be releases and army list support for the Space Marine Legions and the Solar Auxilia. These will remain as the initial focus of the game, but as time goes on Legions Imperialis will expand into some of the more esoteric factions that participated in the Horus Heresy. But wouldn’t you know it, we can’t say which ones yet…
Are there more models coming?
You betcha. As alluded to in the reveal article, plenty more miniatures are in the pipeline for Legions Imperialis, with the first wave arriving within weeks of the launch box. We’ll be starting with those units common to all Space Marines Legions and Solar Auxilia forces, rather than Legion-specific specialists.
When Can I Buy an Epic Scale Primarch?
Wouldn’t that be something?
Has the scale changed since Epic 40,000?
Sort of. Your classic Epic games of yesteryear had a fairly inconsistent scale: tanks, infantry and Titans were only roughly proportionally in line with each other. Legions Imperialis, on the other hand, is far more consistent. Infantry is the same size in relation to vehicles as their larger Warhammer: The Horus Heresy – Age of Darkness equivalent miniatures would be. Generally speaking, the new models are much more detailed, and a little bigger.
Did I spot some new Terrain in that photo?
We think you did, yeah.
Can I use my old epic miniatures?
If you like. Over the course of Warhammer history, there have been more than a handful of games that feature small tanks and even smaller infantry battling between the legs of sky-scraping Titans. If you have these older models in your collection and want to use them, we’d suggest that you discuss it with your opponent before the game, so you’re all clear on what each model represents.
How Big is a Game?
The bigger the better. You can theoretically play a game of Legions Imperialis with a handful of troops and tanks, but that’s not really what it’s for. You’ll get the best experience with vast armies, where the actions of one squad, tank, or even a Titan, are just cogs in a vast strategic picture. In most games you’d ideally be looking for 100+ playing pieces on the table.
Is There a Full Army in the Launch Box?
The Launch box contains a mighty force, but by the standards of Legions Imperialis, it is a relatively small army.
As with most core sets, the armies in the Legions Imperialis represent a great starting point for a collection. However, this game is all about enormous armies clashing in truly monumental conflicts. You can – and should – ally the Space Marines (including fielding troops from several Legions at once!) and Solar Auxilia when mustering a truly mighty force, but for maximum effect you’ll definitely want to add units from the additional releases slated for the autumn.
Should I split my box with a friend, or keep it all for myself?
Only you can answer that… You certainly could split the contents and create a face-off between a Space Marine Legion and a Solar Auxilia force. But on the other hand, you can ally these forces as part of a larger army.
Most bigger armies in Legions Imperialis, will have elements from multiple factions: Space Marines, Solar Auxillia, Titans, Knights, aircraft and more, representing the combined-arms might of the Traitor or Loyalist warmachine.
That’s all we have time for today. Act fast if you want to buy any of the xenos aircraft or unsupported Astra Militarum units for Aeronautica Imperialis. You will still be able to enjoy the game with your existing collections, but support for models specific to the Warhammer 40,000 setting will be ceasing soon, and the relevant miniatures will be coming off sale.