The new Journal Tactica: The Battle for the Signus Cluster – Assault on Kol is available to pre-order now. We sat down with the team behind the game to learn about the rules and background from the new supplement.
Warhammer: The Horus Heresy Team: The latest Journal Tactica takes us to the deepest reaches of the Ultima Segmentum and to the Signus Cluster. We’ve been here before, with the story of the Blood Angels battling against a daemonic incursion on Signus Prime, told within the pages of the novel Fear to Tread,* and also Book 8: Malevolence, a supplement to the first edition of the Horus Heresy game. These events, including the Battle for Signus Prime itself, are pivotal moments in the Horus Heresy and, as is fitting, will be returned to in due course. This time round though, the action is focused not on the crash landing of the Red Tear and the ensuing battle between the IX Legion and a daemonic incursion emanating from the Cathedral of the Mark, but instead the hitherto unknown events on the planet Kol.
Kol itself is recorded in the earliest records of the Signus conflict as a world scoured by the radiation of the Signus star and cored out by deep mines. These would later become subterranean military bases, home of the 606th Cohort of the Solar Auxilia, and deep hives that allowed the surprisingly large population to survive on the planet. The malign influence of the Ruinous Powers took hold within these tunnels and heralded the corruption of the entire system, the details of which you can read about in the Journal itself. In addition to the corrupted 606th Cohort, also known as the “Rad Serpents”, the key players in this phase of the war were a new caste of daemons.
Although it was unknown to the greater Imperium at the time, these manifestations were followers of the Chaos god Slaanesh.** Whilst Sanguinius led his Legion into the heart of the Signus System, battling at Holst, Ta-loc, and Scroltum on the way, a splinter of the Legion Custodes broke off to investigate Kol itself. They were led by a cadre of new commanders, suitably represented by two new Unit profiles within the Journal, both of which allow players to field specialised and strongly thematic Legio Custodes armies.
Ephoroi Venatari-Proconsul
First of the new Units is the Ephoroi Venatari-Proconsul. As the name suggests, this individual warrior can be selected to fill a Command Slot, therefore opening up new Detachments in a Legio Custodes army. This battle leader has a formidable Weapon Skill of 6, which is only bettered by an even more impressive Ballistic Skill of 7, to make the most of a brace of Kinetic Destroyers, and comes equipped with a Venatari jump pack, bestowing a healthy Movement characteristic of 14 and the terrain-hopping Antigrav Sub-Type. Options include the ability to exchange one Kinetic Destroyer for a very dangerous Vaultsword, with AP2 and Precision (4+), making them perfect for assassinations and beheadings of key enemy figures.
The Ephoroi Venetari-Proconsul is a powerful complement to any Legio Custodes army, but also adds the option of fielding an entire Venatari force, something that has never been possible before.
Hykanatoi Proconsul-Delegate
Second, we have the Hykanatoi Proconsul-Delegate, a subordinate commander of the Legio Custodes, once again filling the Command Slot. These individuals are capable of leading smaller forces of Custodes in the absence of a Shield Captain or Tribune and can take their pick from the Legio’s armoury, able to be equipped with either a sentinel warblade, a praesidium shield, or a guardian spear.
With a modest Weapon Skill 5 compared to other Legio Custodes command options, the Proconsul-Delegate clocks in at a mere 80 Points. These commanders are perfect to be used in smaller Horus Heresy armies, either as part of an Allied Detachment, or as part of a smaller force selected to a lower Points Limit than the standard of 3,000.
Both of the above profiles are for Units that are intended to be represented using kitbashed miniatures, and recommendations for the components to be used appear in the Journal Tactica.
Gyrfalcon Jetbike Sodality
Finally, an updated Unit Profile for the Gyrfalcon Jetbike Sodality is included, adding the additional option to equip Gyrfalcon Agamatus with the versatile arachnus volley cannon that is included in the recently released plastic kit. This weapon has two fire modes including Burst fire mode, with FP 3, RS5, and AP 3, and a Concentrated fire mode, with a reduced FP 1, a healthy RS8, and also AP2. Aside from this addition, the rest of the Unit Profile remains unchanged from the Liber Custodes book.
With these additions to the Army List, players will have greater flexibility when building armies of the Emperor’s finest, better representing the specific roles of the three Templii sub-divisions of the Legio Custodes.
Thanks, folks! Pre-order the Arcane Journal now, and come back later in the week to learn about the Daemons of Slaanesh Army list and take a brief delve into the Imperium’s understanding of the nature of daemonkind during the heresy.
* Grab the eBook and audiobook versions of Fear to Tread via the Black Library app.
** We’ll have more about Slaanesh Daemons in Warhammer: The Horus Heresy soon.