Switch Theme:

What is 30k? (An Introduction)  [RSS] Share on facebook Share on Twitter Submit to Reddit
»
Author Message
Advert


Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:
  • No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
  • Times and dates in your local timezone.
  • Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
  • Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
  • Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.
If you are already a member then feel free to login now.




Made in gb
Dispassionate Imperial Judge






HATE Club, East London

Hurrah, there's a 30k Forum on Dakka! But it's apparent that some 40k players have never really looked into 30k, what it is, and how to start it. Hence, this handy beginner's guide to playing games in the time of the Horus Heresy.



WHAT IS 30k?

The Horus Heresy (30k) is a collection of books and miniatures by Forge World which allow you to play games during the galaxy-wide civil war of the Horus Heresy, when the nascent Imperium tore itself apart. The action is set 10,000 years before the events of 40k - in the 31st Millennium, which is why we call it 30k.

It's best to think of 30k as an expansion to Warhammer 40,000. The basic rules of the game haven't changed, and it's still played with the current (7th Edition) Warhammer 40,000 rulebook. Pretty much all the basic rules are intact, and will be familiar to anyone who plays 40k, including rules for Flyers, Superheavies, etc. The differences lie in the army lists, missions and force organisation. 30k has it's own set of army lists, balanced against each other. Each of the Forge World Horus Heresy books adds more units and lists to the game, and when the army grows to a decent size, FW release a 'Red Book' of the whole army - kinda like a Codex.

Each HH book also includes missions, which can be linked into campaigns - each book mostly tells the story of a complete campaign. The Force Organisation is also much simpler - most armies have a single Primary Detachment and can include a Lord of War and an Allied Detachment, but that's it. There are no Formations in 30k. Lord of War can represent single giant war machines, but could also represent squadrons of smaller vehicles, and are limited to 25% of the army's points total.

In addition to the regular 'Age of Darkness' FOC, there are a few variants you can use to represent, say, a defending army or a large war machine and it's escorts, all listed in Book One - Betrayal.



HOW DOES IT PLAY?

Well, quite a lot like 40k, but with some interesting differences. The game is intended for a 'standard size' of around 2000 to 2500 points. This sounds like a lot, but there are also a lot more Lords of War in 30k and squad sizes tend to be much larger, so you can get through games quite quickly.

Despite the amount of super-heavies, most 30k players would say that it feels a lot better balanced than 40k. This is, in part, due to the fact that a lot of players are using variants on the same list (Space Marines!) and that there aren't as many armies yet. However, units themselves seem better costed, there are less auto-take super-units, and FW tend to release their rules as experimental PDF downloads which then, later, get incorporated into a HH book with slightly modified rules - which shows there's some proper testing going on!

Due to the narrative nature of a lot of the missions and the modelling aspect, 30k also feels a lot more fluffy and less hard-competitive than 40k, which is a big draw to many players. There are still lots of list-building conversations, and lists can be tweaked just as much as in 40k, but since the armies start off on a more even level, you're less likely to play a game which is an auto-lose.



WHAT ARMIES CAN I PLAY?

Legiones Astartes

All 18 legions use the Legiones Astartes: Age of Darkness Army List Red Book as a base, so you'll need that to play. Each legion then has a series of special rules that change how their forces function, and add new units and characters (including their Primarchs). These legion-specific rules are found throughout the different books, as various Legions are brought into the story. Alternatively, most of them can be found in the Legiones Astartes: Age of Darkness Legions Red Book - this is updated every so often so the most recently-released Legions may not be in it yet.

As well as Legion special rules, your army also has the option to take Rites of War which change how it is organised (for example, making Terminators troops, or deploying entirely by Drop Pod). As well as the Rites that are available in the basic army list, each legion has their own special Rites of War to reflect their organisational differences. The Legions are:

- I - Dark Angels - additional Legion rules in Book Six: Retribution
- II - Emperor's Children - additional Legion rules in Legiones Astartes: Age of Darkness Legions
- IV - Iron Warriors - additional Legion rules in Legiones Astartes: Age of Darkness Legions
- V - White Scars - additional Legion rules in Book Six: Retribution
- VI - Space Wolves - additional Legion rules in Book Seven: Inferno
- VII - Imperial Fists - additional Legion rules in Legiones Astartes: Age of Darkness Legions
- VIII - Night Lords - additional Legion rules in Legiones Astartes: Age of Darkness Legions
- IX - Blood Angels - additional Legion rules in Book Six: Retribution
- X - Iron Hands - additional Legion rules in Legiones Astartes: Age of Darkness Legions
- XII - World Eaters - additional Legion rules in Legiones Astartes: Age of Darkness Legions
- XIII - Ultramarines - additional Legion rules in Legiones Astartes: Age of Darkness Legions
- XIV - Death Guard - additional Legion rules in Legiones Astartes: Age of Darkness Legions
- XV - Thousand Sons - additional Legion rules in Book Seven: Inferno
- XVI - Sons of Horus - additional Legion rules in Legiones Astartes: Age of Darkness Legions
- XVII - Word Bearers - additional Legion rules in Legiones Astartes: Age of Darkness Legions
- XVIII - Salamanders - additional Legion rules in Legiones Astartes: Age of Darkness Legions
- XIX - Raven Guard - additional Legion rules in Legiones Astartes: Age of Darkness Legions
- XX - Alpha Legion - additional Legion rules in Legiones Astartes: Age of Darkness Legions

In addition, you have various non-standard Astartes forces available:

- Shattered Legions - a mix of various Legions, found in Book Six: Retribution
- Blackshields - renegade or pirate Astartes without a Legion, found in Book Six: Retribution
- Knights Errant - individual agents who can be added to current armies, found in Book Six: Retribution

Mechanicum

- Mechanicum Taghmata - using the basic list in the Mechanicum: Taghmata Army List
- Legio Cybernetica - a variant of the above list specialising in robots
- Legio Reductor - a variant of the above list specialising in sieges and large war machines
- Questoris Knights - found in Crusade Imperialis: Army Lists

Imperial Army

- Solar Auxilia - elite Imperial Army formation found in Crusade Imperialis: Army Lists
- Imperialis Militia & Cults - low-powered but very versatile list found in Crusade Imperialis: Army Lists
- Army of Dark Compliance - a mix of Astartes and Army units fielded by the Warmaster, found in [url=https://www.forgeworld.co.uk/en-US/The-Horus-Heresy-Book-Six-Retribution]Book Six: Retribution[/url]

Others

- Talons of the Emperor - Elite forces from Terra, the Adeptus Custodes and Sisters of Silence are found in Book Seven: Inferno
- Daemons - using the 40k Codex: Daemons book. They can also be allies to Word Bearers or Cults, and have two Heresy-era special characters. Rumours are that Angelus, the next black book, will include full rules for 30k Daemon armies.



DO I HAVE TO USE FORGE WORLD MODELS?

Only if you want to! FW have a whole line of miniatures to represent the specialist units and armour marks of the 31st Millennium. However, a lot of the units in the regular GW range were around during the Horus Heresy, and the Legion list includes a lot of familiar faces. MK7 armour was just being rolled out at the time of the Heresy, as was the regular 'Indomitus' Terminator armour, and the Legion list includes regular 'Castaferrum' Dreadnoughts, Land Speeders, Drop Pods, Land Raiders and Rhinos. It's totally possibly (and fluffy) to build a Heresy army using the regular GW Space Marine range.

In addition to Space Marines, the Mechanicum has quite a lot of crossover with the 40k Adeptus Mechanicus range, and the Imperialis Milita list can be used to represent any sort of crazy human army, with plenty of crossovers with the 40k Astra Militarum range.

List of 40k plastic kits that can be used in 30k:
Spoiler:
- Rhinos (plus Predators, Vindicators, Whirlwinds, but not Razorback, Stalker, Hunter)
- Drop Pod
- Land Raider (only the base variant, not Crusader or Redeemer)
- Dreadnoughts (not Ironclad)

- Terminators (certain weapon restrictions apply - Assault Cannons and Storm Shields are restricted to specific legions)

- Regular Marine parts in Mk6, Mk5 or Mk4 armour - various bits are found throughout the Marine and Chaos ranges.
- MK7 armour is contentious - generally it shouldn't be used but parts of it were being developed at the time and certain legions had access to some around the time of the Sieege so use with caution!
- Most Character models in variant or artificer-style armour.

- Land Speeders (MK7 crew are contentious)
- Bikes (as above)
- Attack Bikes (as above)




CAN I USE MY 40k XENOS ARMY IN 30k?

Um..maybe. 30k doesn't yet (and may never) include any rules for Xenos armies, and many things like the Inquisition and Sisters of Battle didn't exist in the 31st Millenium. The rules are so similar that you'll probably be fine playing your Orks/Eldar against a 30k list, but since the lists are balanced to work in different worlds, one side may be a bit over or under-powered. Generally, people recommend that, if you do, you use the Age of Darkness FOC method of building the army, rather than the special 40k Formation/Detachment method, So it's certainly possible, but up to the players themselves if they want to try it.



WHAT DO I NEED TO START?

- A regular 40k Rulebook, dice, tape measures and templates.
- The Red Book or HH Book which contains your army list. All these books will contain the relevant Force Organisation info.
- If you want to play a campaign, any of the HH Books.
- The current Heresy FAQ, available at http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/resources/fw_site/fw_pdfs/Horus_Heresy/Horus_Heresy_7th_Edition.pdf



This message was edited 19 times. Last update was at 2017/03/25 11:58:00


   
Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut



Orlando

You might also note, Lords of War are limited to no more than 25% of your total force and may not be taken under 2k at all.

Infantrymen do not die, they go to heaven and regroup. 
   
Made in nl
[MOD]
Decrepit Dakkanaut






Cozy cockpit of an Imperial Knight

Also, it is worth noting that if you want to play against a 40k army in this setting, it pays off to have both sides use the Battles in the Age of Darkness rules. Meaning, you leave out things like Unbound armies, special formations and detachments, instead sticking to the force organisation chart, bringing the 40k armies on a more even level with their 30k counterparts and offering a more fair game.



Fatum Iustum Stultorum



Fiat justitia ruat caelum

 
   
Made in gb
Rampaging Reaver Titan Princeps





Warwickscire

Also, with Samus and Corbax you can take Daemons as a primary detachment in age of darkness games
   
Made in us
Ship's Officer






I was going to start a new thread asking these very questions. Glad you beat me to it, this was very helpful!

Also, this thread should be stickied. (EDIT: Yaaay, I did something! )

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2015/12/17 07:23:10


Ask Not, Fear Not - (Gallery), ,

 H.B.M.C. wrote:

Yeah! Who needs balanced rules when everyone can take giant stompy robots! Balanced rules are just for TFG WAAC players, and everyone hates them.

- This message brought to you by the Dakka Casual Gaming Mafia: 'Cause winning is for losers!
 
   
Made in us
[DCM]
Dankhold Troggoth






Shadeglass Maze

 Xca|iber wrote:
I was going to start a new thread asking these very questions. Glad you beat me to it, this was very helpful!

Also, this thread should be stickied.

Yep a few folks were asking for an intro like this

And done!
   
Made in us
Fiery Bright Wizard






Idaho

I like the post! My only issue is the way you went about daemons and xenos.

Daemons, I'd say, have ) 0 reason working against bringing them (their own HQ/LoWs and being allies for 2 separate armies)

Xenos is a more wishy-washy subject. the game usually works well, more so in the favor to the 40k xenos army. It also helps that Orks, 'Crons (early tomb worlds are possible ), and Orks all haven't changed in ~10,000 years. the only issues pop up with Nids (who can be explained as early arrivals, megarachnics/ bestial xenos), and Tau (who can only be explained as advanced Xenos)

Beyond that though, this is probably gonna help out a lot of people.

I'll never be able to repay CA for making GW realize that The Old World was a cash cow, left to die in a field.  
   
Made in us
Regular Dakkanaut




Where would I find the overall rules for 30k, or generic legion army lists/units? I have a red book that contains rules for specific legions (ie sons of horus or Salamanders), but what/where are the units that are generalized for every legion?
   
Made in us
Ancient Venerable Black Templar Dreadnought





Where ever the Emperor needs his eyes

riburn3 wrote:
Where would I find the overall rules for 30k, or generic legion army lists/units? I have a red book that contains rules for specific legions (ie sons of horus or Salamanders), but what/where are the units that are generalized for every legion?


You'll need the other Red Book presently out for the Space Marines, The Crusade Army list.

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/en-US/The-Horus-Heresy-Legiones-Astartes-Crusade-Army-List
   
Made in us
Regular Dakkanaut




Awesome thank you!
   
Made in us
Ancient Venerable Black Templar Dreadnought





Where ever the Emperor needs his eyes

No problem.
   
Made in nl
[MOD]
Decrepit Dakkanaut






Cozy cockpit of an Imperial Knight

FW has released an up to date FAQ for all books now: http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/resources/fw_site/fw_pdfs/Horus_Heresy/Horus_Heresy_7th_Edition.pdf



Fatum Iustum Stultorum



Fiat justitia ruat caelum

 
   
Made in us
[DCM]
Dankhold Troggoth






Shadeglass Maze

Nice! It would probably make sense to edit that link and the one for the main book into the bottom of the OP. What do you think, ArbitorIan? I'll add it on if you don't get to it
   
Made in gb
Dispassionate Imperial Judge






HATE Club, East London

Actually, I should probably add some links and images to all the correct books. Will get onto it as soon as I have a second!

   
Made in us
[DCM]
Dankhold Troggoth






Shadeglass Maze

Just a poke about the links, ArbitorIan . Let me know if you need anything!

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/01/18 17:49:51


 
   
Made in gb
Dispassionate Imperial Judge






HATE Club, East London

 RiTides wrote:
Just a poke about the links, ArbitorIan . Let me know if you need anything!




Sorry for the delay - go ahead - I won't get it done in the next few days!

Thanks!

   
Made in us
[DCM]
Dankhold Troggoth






Shadeglass Maze

Well the reason for the poke is I don't actually know what books things are located in - I'm interested in this sticky from the perspective of a 30K newbie

I don't think there's any rush, just didn't want it to fall off the radar in case you'd forgotten
   
Made in us
Ancient Venerable Black Templar Dreadnought





Where ever the Emperor needs his eyes

Poking, so that Blood Angels, Dark Angels, White Scars, Shattered Legions, Black Shields and Knight-Errants can be added to the list.

Horus Heresy Book Six: Retribution

Edit, also Istvaan Campaign Legions book should probably be replaced with Age of Darkness Legions.

https://www.forgeworld.co.uk/en-US/The-Horus-Heresy-Book-Six-Retribution

https://www.forgeworld.co.uk/en-US/The-Horus-Heresy-Legiones-Astartes-Age-of-Darkness-Legions

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2016/04/06 05:12:45


 
   
Made in gb
Dispassionate Imperial Judge






HATE Club, East London



Done!

   
Made in us
Fiery Bright Wizard






Idaho

2 things

1) knight errant, not knights templar

2) I would still say that daemons are now 30k, 40k, and age of sigmar. they have 2 specific armies that can be battlebrothers, they have 2 HQs specific to 30k, and it's not like daemons have changed

I'll never be able to repay CA for making GW realize that The Old World was a cash cow, left to die in a field.  
   
Made in us
Fresh-Faced New User





In 2 and a half years, no one has pointed out that Emperor's Children are III Legion, not II Legion. Sorry OP.
   
 
Forum Index » The Horus Heresy
Go to: