If you’ve been stomping around the Horus Heresy battlefields for any length of time, you know Dreadnoughts are a core part of any Space Marine Legion’s toolbox.
Leviathans are the go-to melee wrecking balls. Contemptors are the classic all-rounders. Deredeos hold the skies and backline. But now? The Saturnine Dreadnought is rolling onto the field, and it’s ready to take up that middleweight champion slot with a brutal mix of durability, firepower, and versatility.
For the lore-hungry and crunch-minded alike, this unit is more than just a chonky boi in cool armour—it’s a layered piece of design, both narratively and tactically. Let’s break it down.
Statline Breakdown – Tough, but Not Too Fast
Right off the bat, the Saturnine has Toughness 8 and 8 Wounds. That’s a pretty clear “good luck scratching this” message to most enemy units. Only dedicated anti-tank or high-strength weapons are gonna seriously dent this thing. It trades some mobility, clocking in at Move 6″, so don’t expect it to win any foot races.
Mental stats are impressive, as you’d expect from a Dreadnought sarcophagus housing a grizzled veteran. But the real kicker is its 4+ Invulnerable Save—a big leg up over the Leviathan, especially in the shooting phase.
What Makes the Saturnine Unique?
The Thermal Diffraction Field is the real tech edge here. It straight-up reduces the strength of incoming Las, Plasma, Melta, and Flame attacks. Those are the most common tools players use to handle heavy armour. So, if your opponent’s cooking with volkites or melta squads, they’re gonna have a rough day.
Even better, it also protects you from plasma overload damage when you’re juicing your own weapons. That’s a really nice touch and shows the design team thought about both realism and rules synergy.
Weapon Options – Boomsticks Aplenty
Here’s where things get spicy. At launch, the Saturnine Dreadnought comes armed with either:
- Disintegrator Cannons – S9, D3 damage, two shots each. They’re armour-busting tools that thrive against Dreadnoughts and elite infantry. While they don’t have Armourbane, the high damage output still shreds big threats.
- Heavy Plasma Bombards – Infantry hate these. Seriously. 5″ blast, indirect fire, and decent range means you’re shelling units from behind walls and cover. Blast weapons in Heresy feel great, and these are no exception.
Even more weapons are on the way in an upgrade kit or a new variant of the Dreadnought:
- Inversion Beamer – A large blast that hits like a truck at short range. Think AP2 and 3 Damage—perfect for clearing hardened bunkers or enemy elites.
- Graviton Pulveriser – Four Damage if the Dreadnought stays still. Four. That’s Leviathan-level hitting power with a very tactical trade-off.
And don’t forget the smaller weapon pairs that come standard. These include:
Both are template weapons and help prevent infantry from getting too bold. These do their job—burn or blast anything that tries to tie you up.
How Should You Use It?
At 340 points, you’re investing a serious chunk of your list into the Saturnine. But it earns its keep. Think of it as your anchor piece. You don’t want it in the middle of a melee grind. Instead, position it just behind your front line, where it can dish out damage but avoid tarpits or massed attacks.
It excels in mid-range firefights—the exact range bands where Heresy games usually grind down to a slugfest. That’s the Saturnine’s domain.
Final Thoughts – Is It Worth It?
Absolutely. If you like having tools that don’t just punch hard but also survive return fire, the Saturnine is your boy. It doesn’t replace the Leviathan—it complements it. You bring this when you want a forward firebase that takes real effort to remove and makes people regret every inch they advance.
For the lore lovers, it’s also a nice bit of Saturnine tech lore creeping into the Heresy. For magnetizers and hobbyists, it’s also very modular, meaning you can swap in different guns depending on your list. That kind of flexibility is rare in Forge World kits.
Get hyped—this is a serious addition to the game. You can sign up for the Warhammer Newsletter before June 29 for a chance to win a Horus Heresy prize bundle (Primarch mini included). More goodies are dropping soon, and this Saturnine is just the beginning.
So go on—build, paint, and blast your enemies with the power of Saturn.
And remember, Frontline Gaming sells gaming products at a discount, every day in their webcart!
