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Now we've finally seen some images of the actual models, what does everyone think? It would be nice to get more discussion going in this forum - it's pretty quiet (until someone asks a rules question!).

My immediate reaction is that they are 'okay' - they look as though they will do the job. I think they look better than the initial images we saw of the designs, although the painting on these models looks as though it was rushed. The poses they've come up with are a bit weird (some of them remind me of the curious poses that used to appear on 1/72 scale plastic soldiers - you'd look at them and wonder what they were doing). But it looks as though there is plenty of scope for assembling them with better poses. I'm glad they're designed to look as though they are standing on solid ground and not perching on terrain. There has been some comment about the apparent lack of weapon choices. The obvious answer is that there must be a weapon upgrade set in the works, although I'm not sure what that would contain. Power weapons and additional pistol weapons? They don't appear to be designed to be used as Breachers (the legs are too dynamic), so possibly any plastic Breachers will be based on the Mk III models. I'm guessing that the inclusion of the jump packs is the reason there are only 10 models in the box.

I couldn't see any indication of a release date. Given that GW seem to have designed them in a hurry (having unaccountably being caught out by the demand for assault troops), maybe they will put them out fairly quickly. There is also supposed to be a Command Squad in the works.

Arguably, the 'blandness' that some have mentioned is actually consistent with the HH aesthetic, which is more utilitarian than the 40k era. I've seen comments from long-term Heresy players that some of the newer models (such as the plastic Praetors) are too heavily decorated and don't suit that aesthetic. I think it was a conscious design choice to have that large, flat plate over the chest, and I think it works. You can always add some additional insignia there (whether it's a decal or something removed from another model).

 morganfreeman wrote:
Part of the point of 30k (imo) is that forces look different. They're professional soldiers who are embroiled in a bitter, desperate, and ultimately fairly short war. There's ideaology on both sides but the armies are, at their core, armies made up of soldiers first rather than religious zealots.

I don't pretend to be an expert on the Heresy fluff, but my understanding is that the look of Heresy-era equipment mostly pre-dates the Heresy itself. It's nevertheless true that it reflects a period before the pseudo-religious imagery took hold. IMO the more austere look of Heresy-era stuff is part of its appeal. GW slightly messed this up with the Primaris range, which (to my eyes) adopted a similar aesthetic, and further confused things by adopting the Heresy-era approach to unit organisation (with everyone in the unit basically equipped the same way). But they seem to be moving back to a better differentiation as the Primaris models take the place of the so-called firstborn.

 lord_blackfang wrote:
In 40k customization is at a personal level, dudes be wearing suits cobbled together from 10.000 years of salvage plus all the history of the previous and current occupant they wish to honour.

That's less of a thing in 40k now that everyone is adopting Primaris armour.

There is a lot of individual/unit level customisation in 30k as well - partly out of necessity, as the Heresy causes shortages and Marines resort to scavenging, and partly out of choice.

The new Assault Beakies are on pre-order next weekend.

Luke1993 wrote:
I dislike most of the new (infantry) GW sculpts.. i think it's because they make them digitally rather than hand-sculpted nowadays.
Most of them look soulless and sterile compared to the old stuff.
It's hard to explain but CAD miniatures usually break my immersion when looking at them.

I know what you mean, although I'm not sure why it is - maybe it's the way they're posed, as Blackfang suggests. However, I have found that a bit of customising puts life back into the models.

Jaxmeister wrote:
I think they're ok, they fill a gap but playing as IF I really want models equipped with close combat weapons and shields.

With the revised Mk III models out, there must be a Breacher upgrade kit in the works. The question is how long it will take.

Yes, those World Eaters are really nice. I also like the SoH, Iron Warriors and Dark Angels:

https://www.warhammer-community.com/2023/11/29/assault-marines-come-screaming-in-from-the-horus-heresy-studio/#gallery-10-3

In fact I like these so much I am tempted to do an assault-oriented DA army.

I have built my first unit of them as well. Mine have been modified as they will be a jump-packing Space Wolf Command Squad (2 of them have volkite chargers, which looks quite cool). They go together well, and are much easier to customise than the standard infantry. I am not entirely sold on the crouching poses, which tend to make them look smaller than the other models, but it's a small point.