Horus Heresy: choose your legion

The biggest question for anyone looking to get into the new Horus Heresy game is: which legion will you pick?

There’s 18 legions to choose from, both loyalist and traitor. I think a few key questions will make getting to the best answer for you more easily, and leave out the indecision.

Which legion’s story appeals to you?

The Horus Heresy is a tale more than anything else. If you’re gong to to get into the game, then choose a legion whose part in the tale most appeals. Is it the raw fury of the World Eaters? The brotherhood of the Sons of Horus? The stoic defiance of the Imperial Fists? The shadowy past of the Dark Angels?

Of the 18 legions, whichever ones you think of first are ones to think about and consider for the second question.

Does painting this legion appeal?

Once you choose your legion, you will be spending a long time staring at their models through various stages of the painting process. The Age of Darkness box alone gives you more than 50 models to paint. No matter how much you like their story, you also need to be prepared to sit and paint their scheme for hours. The legion’s colour scheme should appeal to you, at least. Don’t pick the Salamanders unless you’re happy to model draogn scales and write XVIII over and over in tiny writing.

The Horus Heresy website has a painted example for each legion. Beyond this each legion offers its own individual touches you could incorporate into your painting, from the lightning and skulls of the Night Lords to the knighthoods of the Dark Angels, and more besides. Think about how the story of the legion that most appeals might transfer to the experience of painting them. Does it lend itself to a cool basing scheme you’ve always wanted to try? Questions like this will inform how eager your paint brush will be to touch your models once you have them.

Does the legion’s play style appeal?

This third and final question only applies to the gamers. If you’re more of a painter/modeller type your question is already answered and you don’t need this one.

If you plan to bring your legion to the tabletop, it can be worth looking through their rules to check they have access to the tactics and weaponry you most want to use. The legions had access to similar equipment, but used them different and emphasised different tactics.

Legion summaries

Over the past few weeks Warhammer Community has published a summary of each legion by way of introduction. If you are still musing over your options, I have linked the pages below so you can ready more.

Alpha Legion (XX)

Blood Angels (IX)

Dark Angels (I)

Death Guard (XIV)

Emperor’s Children (III)

Imperial Fists (VII)

Iron Hands (X)

Iron Warriors (IV)

Night Lords (VIII)

Raven Guard (XIX)

Salamanders (XVIII)

Sons of Horus (XVI)

Space Wolves (VI)

Thousand Sons (XV)

Ultramarines (XIII)

White Scars (V)

Word Bearers (XVII)

World Eaters (XII)

Choose wisely!