warhammer the horus heresy Archives - Page 2 of 22

Imperial Fists Kratos Heavy Assault Tank

The Imperial Fists, with their unwavering dedication to siege warfare and their role as the Emperor’s Praetorians, made extensive use of the Kratos Heavy Assault Tank during the Horus Heresy. This formidable vehicle, based on a design from the Unification Wars, perfectly embodied the Legion’s philosophy of indomitable offence and defence. Its thick ceramite armour and array of heavy weaponry—including the versatile Kratos battlecannon, melta blast-gun, or volkite cardanelle—allowed it to spearhead assaults and break enemy lines with a methodical and relentless advance. For the Imperial Fists, the Kratos was not merely a tank but a mobile fortress, a bastion of Imperial might designed to withstand the most brutal enemy fire and deliver overwhelming firepower in return, a reflection of their own resilient nature.

More photographs of the Imperial Fists Kratos Heavy Assault Tank from previous visits to Warhammer World.

Imperial Fists Kratos Heavy Assault Tank

Imperial Fists Kratos Heavy Assault Tank at Warhammer World

More photographs of the Kratos Heavy Assault Tank.

The Kratos’s role within an Imperial Fists army was primarily that of a “line-breaker” and “foe-hammer.” It was a vehicle designed to advance with their infantry formations, providing crucial fire support and acting as a bulwark against counterattacks. The Legion’s master builders and siege engineers would often customise these tanks with additional armour plating and dozer blades, further enhancing their durability and enabling them to clear a path through battlefield debris and fortifications. The Imperial Fists’ Kratos tanks were an integral part of their armoured columns, working in concert with other heavy vehicles to lay siege to enemy strongholds and grind their foes into submission, a testament to the Legion’s mastery of armoured warfare and their unyielding resolve.

How to paint the Horus Heresy Imperial Fists Deimos Pattern Rhino

A nice painting guide on how to paint an Imperial Fists Deimos Pattern Rhino.

The Deimos Pattern Vindicator is a heavily armored siege tank widely used by the Space Marine Legions during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy. A variant of the Deimos Pattern Rhino chassis, it sacrifices its transport capacity for a powerful, hull-mounted main weapon. The Vindicator is particularly effective in urban combat, where its primary armament—typically a demolisher cannon—can be used to destroy fortifications, breach obstacles, and clear out dense infantry formations. For the Imperial Fists, the Vindicator is a fitting choice, as their legion specializes in siege warfare and tearing down enemy defenses. In addition to the demolisher cannon, the Deimos Pattern Vindicator can also be equipped with a magna laser destroyer, turning it into a formidable anti-tank vehicle capable of taking on super-heavy tanks and even Titans. Both loadouts are highly effective and are complemented by the tank’s iconic dozer blade, which allows it to push through rubble and barricades with ease.

How I painted my Imperial Fists Deimos Pattern Rhino.

Imperial Fists Arquitor Bombard with Spicula Rocket System

Seen at Warhammer World, this Imperial Fists Arquitor Bombard is a prime example of the formidable heavy artillery used by the Legiones Astartes.

The Legion Arquitor is built to spearhead an assault, its reinforced chassis allowing it to operate on the front lines. This mobile fortress brings immense, short-range firepower to bear, making it the perfect tool for cracking enemy strongholds or obliterating dense concentrations of infantry and armoured vehicles.

This particular model is equipped with the Spicula Rocket System, a devastating weapon that unleashes a storm of unguided missiles. These rockets rain down in massive salvos, creating cumulative explosions that can decimate entire enemy formations in a single, cataclysmic volley.

Land Raider Proteus

The Land Raider is widely considered the best armoured fighting vehicle of its kind in the Imperium, serving as the main battle tank for the Space Marine Legions. It’s an incredibly powerful machine, with multi-layered composite armour and a reinforced hull that are nearly immune to even heavy weapons. This sealed vehicle can resist attacks from any direction and operate in almost any environment, from acid swamps to rad-deserts, without any performance issues. It can even function in the vacuum of space, meaning there is no battlefield where its armoured fury can’t be unleashed.

The Land Raider Proteus is a venerable and ancient pattern of battle tank dating back to the Dark Age of Technology, making it one of the most archaic yet revered vehicles in the arsenal of the Space Marine Legions during the Horus Heresy. Unlike its more modern Phobos and Crusader counterparts, the Proteus lacks the forward assault ramp, instead featuring a distinct, boxy hull and two separate variants: the Carrier and the Explorator. The Carrier is designed for close-quarters assaults, delivering its payload of a dozen Space Marines directly into the heart of the enemy, while the Explorator variant is equipped with a sophisticated augury web and dozer blade, allowing it to navigate treacherous terrain and act as a mobile command and scouting platform. Its powerful machine spirit is a hallmark of its vintage, granting it an uncanny durability and the ability to fire its weapons at different targets with a single command.

Fans who have been playing Warhammer 40,000 since its debut will recognise this model. It’s a new take on the original Land Raider, which was released in 1987 with the first edition of the game, Rogue Trader. Forge World previously released a resin version, but a new plastic kits was made available as part of The Horus Heresy product line.

Mastodon Heavy Assault Transport

Imperial Fists Mastodon Heavy Assault Transport on display at Warhammer World.

The Mastodon was one of the heaviest assault transports in the arsenal of the Legiones Astartes during the Great Crusade, and is still found in the armouries of the Space Marine Chapters of the 41st Millenium. Its cavernous assault bay, capable of housing almost half a Company, is protected both by thick layers of ceramite armour as well as crackling void shields. It also mounts a fearsome siege melta array, allowing it to breach even the most formidable defences with ease, as well as an array of secondary weaponry intended to defend the vehicle as it approaches its target. Unleashed only against the most fearsome of enemy redoubts, there are few obstacles that can stay the wrath of this relic of the Imperium’s bloody birth.

The Mastodon is heavily armed and armoured, carrying 40 Space Marines, and even Dreadnoughts, safely to the heart of battle. Whilst embarked, the warriors within will defend their immense transport, turning the sponson weapons on any enemy brave or foolish enough to come close. It’s Siege melta array can easily destroy fortifications, and makes short work of armoured vehicles, whilst its Skyreaper Battery will tear through any airborne threat with ease.

Reflecting on the construction of the Arvus Lighter

One of the reveals at the World Championships Preview back in November was a plastic Arvus Lighter for The Horus Heresy. I ordered one from my FLGS.

The Arvus Lighter is a small, general purpose cargo shuttle that is widely used by the Imperium of Man for many tasks, both in space and on the surface of planets. The Arvus is commonly used by both Imperial Navy warships and Imperial merchant vessels, including Rogue Traders. The Arvus is just one of many types of small, void-capable shuttles used by the Imperium. The Arvus is piloted by a single pilot, and is not equipped with any weapon systems, in fact, the Arvus possesses only the most basic navigation equipment, external sensors, and proximity alarms. The Arvus has a powerful engine that allows it to carry heavy cargo to and from a planet’s surface

I like this model, though released for The Horus Heresy, I suspect it would make a great model for, not just Warhammer 40K, but also Necromunda. One of the additions to the plastic version of the Arvus Lighter model is a rear ramp gunner.

With most of my models I constructed them fully and then paint them. This is okay for many of my models, but I have with a few undertaken some part-assembly, then painting before putting the whole model together. One example of this on my workbench is the Typhon Heavy Siege Tank where I painted the tracks, sponsons and main weapon separately before putting them together.

Having reflected a bit more on the Arvus Lighter model, I have decided I will model the interior and have the ramp gunner as well.

I realised as I looked at the sprues and the instructions that I would need to paint some of the interior just for the pilot, and if I was going down that road I might as well do all the interior. As painting the cockpit and the canopy would mean having sub-assemblies anyhow.

I also want to add detail to the inside of the Arvus Lighter, which already has some details in terms of seating. I will add additional equipment, straps and personal equipment to enhance the model.

So I will do some partial assemblies and then put the model together at the end.

There will be the sides, the base of the flyer with the cockpit, and the top superstructure with the wings and the engines.

I will model the Arvus Lighter with the undercarriage down, so that as well as using the flying stand, I can also use the Arvus Lighter in a landed mode. Though in this instance I might need to model the ramp gunner so that he can be removed. As he is shooting downwards, and this would look out of place when the Arvus Lighter is landed.

I am also going to go with the camouflage scheme I used with my Aeronautica Imperialis Valkyrie transports.

Arvus Lighter at Warhammer World

There were quite a few Arvus Lighter models on display at Warhammer World.

Some of these are the original resin Forge World models, but there was also some examples using the new plastic kit that was released for The Horus Heresy. The main differences between the resin and plastic models are in the engine cowling and around the cockpit. Otherwise these are very similar models.

I have the new Horus Heresy plastic Arvus Lighter on my workbench.

Plastic Arvus Lighter on display at Warhammer World

On my previous visit to Warhammer World I took various photographs of the resin Forge World model which was on display. On my most recent visit in June 2025 I was able to take a photograph of the new(ish) plastic Arvus Lighter in the display cabinets.

Comparing the plastic version to the resin version there are some subtle differences.

The main areas are in the engine cowling and around the cockpit. Otherwise these are very similar models.

I have the new Horus Heresy plastic Arvus Lighter on my workbench.

New photographs of The Fall Of Outpost Sigma-12

I made a visit to Warhammer World in June 2025. One of the displays at Warhammer World was this Horus Heresy battle, entitled, The Fall Of Outpost Sigma-12.

Traitor forces breach the Imperial Fist’s last defensive lines at Outpost Sigma-12 on Cthonia. Undermined by the Sons of Horus’ subterranean onslaught, the Loyalists are determined to fight to the last in the name of the Emperor. They ultimately reap such a toll of Traitor lives that any victory won was a hollow one. This battle would be one of the last fought during the Horus Heresy, for shortly after its bloody conclusion Horus launched his assault on the Emperor’s Palace on distant Terra.

I recently blogged about the Sons of Horus miniatures in that display. On my most recent visit to Warhammer World, I took some more photographs of the display.

The Sons of Horus at the Fall Of Outpost Sigma-12

One of the displays at Warhammer World was this Horus Heresy battle, entitled, The Fall Of Outpost Sigma-12.

They ultimately reap such a toll of Traitor lives that any victory won was a hollow one. This battle would be one of the last fought during the Horus Heresy, for shortly after its bloody conclusion Horus launched his assault on the Emperor’s Palace on distant Terra.