Alpharius wrote:Or, buy the game and realize that you might not be able to use the miniatures in 40K?
Seriously, this is a HUGE upgrade from the cardboard tokens that the original came with, in my opinion.
This looks to be a LOT of fun, and I can't wait for more details and, more importantly, a release date!

InquisitorFabius wrote:Why? Does Axis and Allies end the same way every game?

Platuan4th wrote:

infilTRAITOR wrote:This seems like wasted effort to me. Not gonna bother with this at all.

This seems to be the trend for those who didn't get to enjoy it the first time 'round.

Those of us who did, however, seem to be wetting ourselves in excitement.

infilTRAITOR wrote:
Instead of focusing resources and energy on what players need (and want)

Grinshanks wrote:

infilTRAITOR wrote:
Instead of focusing resources and energy on what players need (and want)

You are aware that its not GW that are releasing this?

infilTRAITOR wrote:

Grinshanks wrote:

infilTRAITOR wrote:
Instead of focusing resources and energy on what players need (and want)

You are aware that its not GW that are releasing this?

Well aware, thanks.

BrassScorpion wrote: I just went through the FFG pages on this game and didn't see a release date. I'm going to be checking back there regularly till I see one. If the list price on this is about $100 US then it's also worth checking Amazon.com for this because Amazon often carries FFG games when they are first released at a huge discount. I got Chaos In The Old World for 37% off the list price from Amazon and with free shipping.

Ozymandias wrote:Never played the original but this looks cool. I wonder if they will reissue Doom of the Eldar, that was one of my favs.

FFG wrote:Horus Heresy includes over 120 detailed miniature models including 10 plastic terrain pieces, and more than 200 cards to bring this sweeping conflict to life on a stunning map of the war-torn Terra.

We have an official pricetag - $99.95 USD

BrassScorpion wrote:The $99 re-release of Space Hulk proved that you can get that kind of money for a board game if the components are numerous and of high quality and I'm sure FFG was paying attention to that when they decided on the components and price for this Horus Heresy game.

Horus Heresy is a brand new board game that takes place in the grim darkness of the far future of Warhammer 40,000, one of the preeminent science fiction settings ever created. It is also without a doubt one of the most iconic environments of all time, having remained in active development for more than two decades, across a wide variety of media from tabletop miniatures games, board games, novels and more. The sprawling mythos, baroque aesthetic sensibilities, and dark gothic outlook are unmistakeable, and are enjoyed by legions of fans all around the world.

We at Fantasy Flight Games were honored to have an opportunity to contribute to this richly textured history. We chose to highlight the most pivotal and climactic moment from the Warhammer 40,000 canon, a seminal event that occurred in the Imperium of the 31st millennium. It is a tale that has also fiercely captured the imaginations of writers and fans alike, as it rings with grand, mythic significance!

I speak of the fall from grace of the great Warmaster Horus, once the greatest scion of the Holy Emperor of Terra, now turned heinous betrayer and intent upon the total destruction of the Imperium. The story is the stuff of legend, and for those who are interested in exploring further, we heartily recommend the phenomenal Horus Heresy series of novels published by the Black Library.

The game takes place during the apocalyptic final battle on the planet Terra, the birthplace of mankind and the heart of the Imperium. This is the last stand, for both sides.



As some of you may know, Games Workshop published an earlier board game by the same name, many years ago. This classic GW release served as inspiration as we considered how to approach these momentous events of the Horus Heresy, and specifically, the Battle of Terra. If perhaps you've ever seen the original board, you will recognize that the game map is very similar. We're proud to pay homage to the richness of this source material, while expanding the play experience in ways never imagined back when it was first in print.

As we move closer to the release of Horus Heresy, we'll continue to explore the game in more detail including a review of the forces available to each player, the order and initiative systems, and combat resolution. For today's article I'm going to set the stage for this monumental conflict, and describe the start of play of Brother Against Brother, the scenario recommended for first timers which roughly covers the events as described in the original stories.

Horus Heresy is not a game where players safely inch forward towards an eventual clash of forces. In this game, the battle is about to reach its peak. Horus' flagship, the Vengeful Spirit, has just moved into orbit around Terra. The Emperor has committed to this final stand against the traitorous forces of his once celebrated son. There is no compromise, nor time to consider alternate plans. The campaign against Terra will end soon, and only one side will be left standing.

After both players have finished placing their units on the board, it may appear at first glance that the ensuing conflict will be quite one-sided. A naive Imperial player might surmise their vast defenses are impenetrable, as most of the board will be filled with legions of forces loyal to the Emperor. However, Traitor players take heart for two events are going rattle the foundations of the Imperial player, and both take place before the first turn even begins!


The first action in the game is called corruption, when both players will begin to understand exactly how extensive the insidious spread of Chaos truly is. The Traitor player selects twelve individual Imperial Army units or Imperial Tank Divisions, and tests each one in turn. The heroic and steadfast Space Marines cannot be targeted as their loyalty cannot be questioned! They will fight without fear and to the death against Chaos and the dark powers of the warp.

The Traitor player will draw a bombardment card for each target unit, and refer to the symbol at the bottom of the card to discover to whom that unit is loyal. Each unit's loyalty may only be jeopardized once during this opening phase, and the number of corruption tests allowed will vary for each scenario.

If upon revealing the bombardment card you find an Imperial Eagle, that unit will continue to fight in the name of the Holy Emperor. If the card displays the Chaos star, the unit has actually switched its allegiance, and will immediately have its grey Imperial base swapped for a black Chaos base for easy identification. That unit is now under the full control of the Traitor player!

At this point, the board will probably look quite different. Some regions that previously represented Imperial strongholds will now contain a mix of loyal and Traitor units, which will quickly escalate into combat at the start of turn one. Other areas will be completely under the control of Chaos, likely forcing the Imperial player to reconsider their plans.

Once the corruption step is complete, there is but one final action the Traitor must take before the first turn begins in earnest, that is to order a barrage of orbital bombardments in an attempt to decimate Imperial units or blow through the protective plasteel walls of their fortifications.

You will draw upon the same deck as before, except now you will refer to the top of the card to resolve the attack. Each bombardment must be declared as either a precise or reckless strike, which will impact both the accuracy and effect of the attack. A precise bombardment will hit more often than a reckless one, but the reckless bombardment will occasionally cause tremendous amounts of damage. As with corruption, each scenario will divulge how many bombardments are available to the Traitor player at the start of play. If you're playing Brother Against Brother, the Traitor player makes four attacks.

The corruption and the bombardment mechanics do a remarkable job of setting the stage for a mind-blowing finale to a cataclysmic confrontation. Every time I play, I marvel at how much I feel like I'm part of this final, epic showdown. We are thrilled to be producing this game, and cannot wait until you have had a chance to join in the fun!

I'd like to close with a personal letter from Alan Merrett, the IP Manager for Games Workshop and one of their longest serving employees. Thank you Alan for your dedication and support, for granting us the opportunity to create this game, and for the years of hard work you've put towards the development of this fantastic setting.


In 2004 I wrote a preface to 'The Horus Heresy Volume 1: Visions of War' an art book by the Black Library (Games Workshop's fiction publishing imprint) in which I gave a brief outline of the publishing history of the Horus Heresy and made reference to the amazing fan support and enthusiasm it has enjoyed over the years. The art book featured pictures taken from the Sabertooth Games collectible card game the 'Horus Heresy CCG' – the background story of which was a real labour of love for me and for FFG's own Steve Horvath who was the project lead at Sabertooth at that time and my main collaborator on the project. Sadly that game is no longer being published but it was the catalyst for GW to continue working on the Heresy in some other ways.

'Visions of War' was merely the first of what ended up being a series of four art books covering the Heresy and they have been subsequently reprinted as a single work entitled 'Horus Heresy - The Collected Visions'. In addition to this the Black Library has been producing a best-selling line of novels detailing the Heresy in hitherto untold depth. Since the release of the first novel these books have enjoyed unprecedented popularity amongst the fans of the Warhammer 40,000 universe and continue to feature strongly in the sales charts.

My 2004 preface singularly failed to mention one small piece of Horus Heresy history. This was the release in 1993 of 'Horus Heresy' – a board and counters wargame by Jervis Johnson. This was the second in a short series of Games Workshop games launched under the rather unimaginative 'Wargame Series' label. Despite critical and commercial success the series ended with game number three as Games Workshop increasingly focussed its efforts on the miniatures and tabletop wargames that it is most known for. The game 'Horus Heresy' seemed destined for oblivion. That is until FFG stepped forward!

This new game from FFG pays obvious homage to the original 'Wargame Series' effort but has been dusted with all-new FFG magic. The game board has clear similarities to the old game but a new set of rules and a raft of new components, including some really terrific playing pieces, mark this new game out as something a little special.

Alan Merrett
Games Workshop
2009

Horus Heresy is a board game that pits two players against each other to recreate the most famous battle of Warhammer 40,000's rich history, in which the Warmaster Horus's betrayal of the Emperor comes to its climax. Taking the side of either traitor or loyalist, players control a fearsome array of units, including the Emperor and Horus themselves. Brother fights brother, and the universe hangs in the balance!

Alpharius wrote:Awesome!

So it isn't just a 'reprint' of the old game, but a newer version, a 2.0 so to speak?

Nice!

Heresy is set during the apocalyptic, final battle that determines the fate of the Imperium at the time of the 31st millennium, and sets the stage for the Warhammer 40,000 universe we know today. In the canonical version of these events, the Emperor personally brought the battle to the Warmaster's flagship, resulting in an epic clash between father and son. At its end, Horus lay dead and the Emperor nearly so. His broken body has remained entombed within the Golden Throne for ten thousand years, not dead, yet not entirely alive.

Horus Heresy the board game will return you to this pivotal moment in the history of the Imperium and sets the very fate of the Emperor and Horus in your hands. How will you command on that fateful day?

In case you missed it, our first preview describes the state of affairs at the very start of the game. The Emperor and his loyal forces have chosen to make their stand at the Imperial Palace, and are prepared to hold off the impending attack at all costs. The Warmaster Horus has just brought the Vengeful Spirit into orbit above Terra, first calling into action the traitors hidden in the midst of the Imperial forces, and following up with a fierce orbital bombardment across the landscape. The battle then begins in earnest!
As we've already noted, Horus Heresy has been designed without dice, instead using elegant card mechanics to drive all the action forward. We have already seen one deck of cards in use at the start of the game where, rather than rolling dice and referring to multiple charts, the Traitor player simply draws a card to resolve each corruption attempt or orbital bombardment. Not only does this keep the game moving smoothly, but it does so while offering a richer set of results. Each card deck in the game acts as much more than a simple random number generator. These cards introduce thematic and narrative elements that have a direct impact on play, while adding an entirely new layer of balanced game mechanics that offer an experience that you're going to love.

We'll explore how these card-driven mechanics make for a more exciting and challenging game in the coming weeks, especially with regards to long-term strategic play versus the short-term tactical rhythm of combat. Before we can dive deeper we need some context for how units are represented on the battlefield, and learn a bit about how they are put to use during the game.

Whether taking command over the collected armies of the Imperium or of the Traitor legions, you will have control over two types of troops: units and heroes.

A unit is one playing piece but it can represent an entire battalion or division. Remember that the scale of this conflict is so huge that a single piece may represent hundreds or thousands of individual combatants. The Battle of Terra was an apocalyptic battle of near-imaginable proportions, which would be impossible to represent on a figure-for-figure basis. As an example, both an Imperial Tank division and a gibbering Daemon horde are represented on the map by a single playing piece. Half way through your very first game you will come to know the full weight of command as you find yourself scanning across the war-ravaged landscape, issuing orders to your collected forces as they edge ever closer towards the enemy to do battle, or as your Chaos Thunderhawk flights land planetside to deliver reinforcements to the fray.



Every unit in the game is assigned a Roman numeral designating its combat rank, a statistic which represents the unit's overall effectiveness in battle, which ranges from I - IV. Rather than referencing a stat sheet during combat, each playing piece displays a number of points equal to its rank directly on the figure's base. The combat rank of each unit will play a direct role in what actions become available as it enters combat, as well as how much damage it can take.

Let's consider one of the units we've seen already, the Imperial army. This group of soldiers are the meat and potatoes infantry available to the Imperium, and while plentiful, do not offer much in the way of exceptional combat or defensive prowess. All Imperial army units have a combat rank of I.

On the other side of the scale, the Emperor was responsible for creating the Adeptus Astartes, commonly known as Space Marines. These genetically-altered, super-human warriors have been engineered to be superior in every way to a normal human being. Those Space Marines standing honorably with the Emperor have spurned their traitorous brothers and remain unshakeable in their devotion to the Imperium as its principal defenders. Each Space Marine unit, whether loyalist or traitor, is assigned a combat rank of III.

In addition to commanding its units, each side also has available a number of Heroes– exceptional individuals who will play a decisive role in the impending battle. The most significant of all are the two god-like beings that hold supreme command over each faction, namely the Emperor and Warmaster Horus. In fact, you can win immediately by eliminating your rival commander, an act that is surely much easier said than done.

Heroes differ from units in that they are not assigned a combat rank, as their advantages are unique. Each player has a reference sheet available that lists all their Heroes' abilities. Also special cards are drawn from the Hero combat deck when they are part of a battle, and even the damage sustained by each Hero is tracked individually on a Hero damage track printed right on the game board.



In a future article we will look deeper into what Heroes offer in play, especially the Primarchs of both loyal and traitor Space Marine chapters. Far beyond simply acting as leader, these demi-gods of war stride forth across the field accomplishing tremendous feats outside the realm of mortal men, and inspiring their legions forward into battle whether in the name of the Emperor or the Warmaster Horus.

The Primarchs were the creations of the Emperor himself, and represented his greatest achievement before the fall of Horus to the powers of Chaos. Until that schism, the collected legions of the Adeptus Astartes, led by their Primarchs, were the Emperor's primary force for reuniting humanity during the Great Crusade. Now brother fights against brother in a cataclysmic battle for the future of the Imperium. Their special abilities will often turn the tide of a battle, pushing one side or the other to a decisive victory. Their influence on the battlefield can not be overlooked!

Now that the stage has been set, check back over the coming weeks for more in depth looks at the game mechanics, including combat tactics and combat resolution, the ebb and flow of initiative, and much more. Until next time!

Morathi's Darkest Sin wrote:Oh my fething G.. *faints*


Yeah I'll be buying this baby, one of the many games I used to love, but where lost when I sold all my stuff for that one year I dropped out of the hobby in 96-97.

Looks awesome.

ph34r wrote:The minis look decent, especially considering how many of them you get, it's just a shame that there is nothing that can be pressed into service in 40k like Space Hulk's models.