Horus Heresy 2e Review: Clade Eversor Assassin

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.5/5 stars. Rounded down. The only assassin worth taking to be candid with you.

Background.

Implanted with sensors. Beefed up on training. Administered with frenzy in chemical form. Held in a state of uncaring wrath. Drop inserted from orbit. If Khorne had an assassin it would be an Eversor. In fact, the loyalists of the Imperium are luck to have them. I guess its just an expression of the grim dark nature of the empire of man. 

Strengths.

At I=6, these assassins are going to be striking before anyone else gets a look in. But when combined with the tactical displacement special rules, they also move very far indeed. In tandem with infiltrate and scout, its an assassin that will work (even with an escort). 

The Frenzon cocktail will increase their attacks by 3, at the price of causing a (savable) wound on 1's to hit. Use it on your first charge to take out a critical target or unit, and then choose whether to use it again. 

The executioner side arm is nice in the sense it provides and option between a bolt pistol and a needle weapon. The latter causes pinning which is tasty. Meanwhile you get a choice between a power sword or a neuro-gauntlet. Fleshbane, shred and rending are a great combination if you don't fancy the power sword. You're basically paying S-1 for those extra rules whilst maintaining AP=3. Hence you can even chase 2+ armour saves occasionally. But really: this assassin is made for taking out marine squads. And it can certainly do so with ease. I'd be tempted to charge it at a heavy support squad or tactical support squad for full effect. 

Weaknesses.

The extra wound compared to other assassins is nice to have here, but they are still squishy. You're also going to have to play tactically around incoming firepower when you charge. My thought is to ensure you get another unit to charge first at the target.Oh, and then they die, they also explode, just for added measure, thanks to biological overloading. Yay?! 

Builds.

There are no builds available to discuss here. This is, however, the most functional assassin for the points cost being paid and comes recommended by me. Its also very grim dark for the loyalists among you.

Background Work: Updating the Review Summary Page

I have been making some progress to attacking the updates to the Horus Heresy 2e Summary Page as a background task.

Added: 

Mechanicum - Titans - Secutarii - Knights (all flavours) - Cults Abominatio - Siege of Cthonia 

I acknowledge there's more updates to be done from earlier in 2024. These are on my radar, but I will need a bit more time to get everything in place! Keep reminding me folks! Hope that you enjoy these reviews and get things out of them even when you disagree with my assessments.

Horus Heresy 2e Review: Clade Callidus Assassin

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️

2.5/5 stars. Rounded down. I want to like it more. 

Background.

The narrative is that this individual can be the cause of chaos and confusion on the battlefield thanks to the polymorphine potion. If you've ever played Dungeons and Dragons, then you'll know that this substance is the future equivalent of a polymorph self spell. The assassin then poses as enemy commanders (or similar) to sow said chaos. 

Strengths.

The polymorphine substance itself means that the assassin cannot be targeted by shooting, charges, or similar until he/she/it/they have shot. This is, of course, awesome! However, balance this up against the ranged template weapon and players will immediately want to use it. The syanptic disruptor removes all saves on a natural 6, which although unlikely, has a reasonable chance with a template. 

Similarly the phase sword also removes saves and damage mitigation. But it is only at S=3 - but notably has AP=1. 

What really stands out is the reign of confusion special rule that forces the enemy to re-roll a successful seize the initiative roll. This can be great, but let's be honest: the odds of this happening in the first place are not fantastic. 

Weaknesses.

Run around the board and use your phase sword until you are tempted to shoot at things? Sure. That'll work a little bit. But it isn't great since you want to be using your neural shredder template. 

What I do find interesting is the whole seize the initiative thing. Imagine a loyalist Alpha Legion recon rite of war combined with this. It could - potentially - be glorious, at the expense of making no friends. 

Builds.

There are no builds available to discuss here. I really like the Callidus, and wanted to give more stars out of five, but unfortunately not able on this occasion. Maybe on a good day I would give 3/5 stars?

Horus Heresy 2e Review: Clade Culexus Assassin

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️

2/5 stars. Not quite good enough except if you're facing daemons or psykers.

Background.

You have the pariah gene? Well, this is the clade for you!

Strengths.

The Etherium ensures that enemy firepower only comes at the model as snap shots. This is excellent and ensures that they get where they need to be. Or better: their unit gets to where it needs to be.

The Animus Speculum is a template force and psy-shock weapon that also rends. Very handy for close and frank exchanges of views with daemonettes. The life drain of just being near the pariah is also a good thing which grants them AP=2. 

Of course, force weapons and psyker powers cannot affect the Culexus either which is very strong. Fear and psyk-out grenades round out what should be a good unit. 

Weaknesses.

Squishy. They're just so squishy. And if your opponent is not a daemon player, or a psychic strong force, then this is a bit of a waste perhaps. 

Builds.

There are no builds available to discuss here. The Culexus is very situational and maximum utility depends on uncertain enemy unit compositions. Hence 2 stars. But look, give them 4 stars against daemons and Thousand Sons, or certain Word Bearers builds, etc. 

Horus Heresy 2e Review: Clade Vindicare Assassin

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

3/5 stars. Expensive, but gets a bonus star for the rule of cool. 

Background.

These are the marksmen (and women) supreme. They position themselves with a good vantage point and then pick out their chosen target to be taken out at range. And that range is incredibly large. 

Strengths.

BS=8 means that you won't be missing much. This is backed up with the trajectory auspex array which ensures that the model's shots are not impacted by any modifier to range or rolls to hit - this is immense. 

The rifle itself - dubbed "Exitus" - gives one heavy shot at AP=2 and combines rending and murderous strike. Strictly, this makes the Vindicare a better shot than most Primarchs. 

Weaknesses.

He won't be taking out multi-wound models with invulnerable saves (at least, some of the time), so the Vindicare will likely be targeting squad sergeants, special weapons operatives, and similar. To be clear: the Vindicare is not going to be able to assassinate a Primarch - the rate of fire here is too low, and the strength only moderate. If it were S=8 and had something to negate invulnerable saves then this would be an amazing pick. As it is, the model suffers something of the same fate as Exodus in the Alpha Legion - a notably good marksman, but points cost inefficient. 

Builds.

There are no builds available to discuss for the Vindicare. I'm awarding 3 stars here instead of 2 simply because of the rule of cool. In small points games, the Vindicare will be great. In higher points, its doubtful. 

Horus Heresy 2e Review: Divisio Assassinorum Rules

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️

2/5 stars. I want to like the assassins in 30k a whole lot. Unfortunately, they don't live up to their points cost, nor are they available to traitors in the same form.

Clade Operatives.

The first special rule sees these assassins take up a HQ slot in an army that generally must also be of the Loyalist allegiance. Although this makes sense, the traitor players have little to go for here. Moreover, the HQ slot is already over-subscribed, so the assassins need to earn their keep - which they generally do not sadly. They also become distrusted allies which is not fantastic, but demonstrably fluffy. 

Advanced Reaction: Tactical Displacement.

The advanced reaction of the assassins is very similar to the Alpha Legion rules, but on steroids. In the shooting phase, the assassin can move up to 2xI when this is triggered - and it can be triggered once every shooting phase rather than once per game. This is great, and can move the unit out of range of shooting! Of course, there may well be more than one unit firing their way. 

Weaknesses.

Even though they have infiltrate and scout, each assassin is points cost intensive, force organization chart slot intensive (they are also a support squad), and frankly very squishy. They need to get where they should be quickly and in once piece in order to do their special moves. And presumably get squished quickly thereafter. 

I want to like them. But unfortunately, I can't see them being played regularly outside of friendly competitions where the rule of cool applies. 

Forthcoming Plans for Reviews and Hobby

Welcome back!

In terms of plans for the next little while here on Warpstone Flux, these are the relative priorities.

Reviews.
We will be tackling the assassins next for the Horus Heresy second edition reviews. This will be followed by the contents of the Beta-Garmon book. I'll interleave some of the older "legacy" units as and when I can fit them into the schedule - I know a lot of people were keen to see me review those as well. 

Hobby. 
I will be focussing on the World Eaters allied detachment that I have been planning for a long time. This was started before the break, but I want to get them wrapped up well before the year is out. Beyond that, there's some Iron Warriors that need rounding out, and I intend to "dabble" in some Black Shields. 

eBay. 
I'll be getting back to selling some items on eBay as well soon enough. Check them out when I get chance to list them. Selling older miniatures and parts I don't need helps me fund the next exciting projects and purchasing of the new codexes (ahem) Horus Heresy books!

More to come in due course!