The Space Marines just got a tasty double drop.
Fresh White Scars and Iron Hands kits land with brand new rules. Consequently, both Chapters score bespoke Detachments and character datasheets. Additionally, each gets a dedicated Combat Patrol download to jump straight in. As a longtime player, I can already hear the engines and the auspex pings.
Spearpoint Task Force: White Scars Hit First, Hit Again
Suboden Khan leads the White Scars as a Spearpoint Task Force, and it screams tempo. Crucially, the detachment lets you Charge after Falling Back or Advancing, so you keep fighting on your terms.
Moreover, Suboden’s Wrath of the First Khan kicks in after he deletes a unit in the Fight phase, letting his unit make a Normal move up to 6 inches if it is no longer in engagement. Therefore, he bounces from kill to kill like a lightning fork.
Importantly, the support rules amplify that pace. Withdraw and Regroup can yoink a unit into Strategic Reserves for snap redeploys. Meanwhile, Spear Thrust and Sabre Swing lets a unit pick either Lance or Lethal Hits for the phase, and if it is Mounted you get both. Consequently, Outriders and other mounted threats become brutal first strikers or cleanup crews. Additionally, Suboden’s Skilled Riders smooths advancing behind cover and sets up explosive charges, so terrain feels like a launch pad rather than a wall. Finally, his polearm profile is built to skewer Infantry, Monsters, and Vehicles, which keeps list building flexible.
Hammer of Avernii: Iron Hands Lock, Grind, and Recalculate
Caanok Var’s Iron Hands remix the 1st Company Task Force into the Hammer of Avernii. Critically, the detachment rule Recalculating lets you pick a new Oath of Moment target once per battle round after the current target dies, provided Caanok Var is on the field and can see the next victim.
Consequently, your damage focus never idles and your guns always have purpose.
Durability and board control also spike. The Steel Font Enhancement brings back a slain Bodyguard model every turn, which drips value across a game. Furthermore, several Stratagems now explicitly include Dreadnoughts alongside Terminators, Bladeguard, Sternguard, and Vanguard Veterans. Therefore, walker heavy builds feel supported rather than sidelined.
The Dominator Beacon is the gem, letting a chosen elite or Dreadnought unit lock an objective so it stays under your control even if you move off it until the opponent claims it. Moreover, Caanok Var himself is half scalpel and half calculator. His Cold and Calculating grants Lethal Hits against Vehicles and Sustained Hits 1 against everything else to his unit, while his Cerebrex Logic Engine helps decide when and where the crucial fights happen. Consequently, he turns a veteran brick into a mission winning tool rather than just an anvil.
Boxes, Patrols, and Where to Get the Rules
Both characters arrive alongside new boxed sets and fresh Combat Patrols. Additionally, the Space Marines Faction Pack now includes the two Detachments plus full rules for Suboden Khan and Caanok Var. Moreover, each Chapter has a separate Combat Patrol download to pair with the new models. Suboden Khan is initially exclusive to his Combat Patrol, so plan purchases accordingly. Finally, everything hits stores on Saturday, and the downloads page has the full rules packet ready to grab.
Summary
White Scars push the pace with charges after movement and a lethal bounce turn from Suboden Khan. Meanwhile, Iron Hands play the long game with target swapping Oaths, objective anchoring, and Dreadnought inclusive tools. Consequently, one detachment rewards constant motion while the other rewards precise pressure and board control. Additionally, both heroes bring signature abilities that reshape their armies without boxing you into one build.
If you love velocity, Spearpoint will feel like pure jet fuel. If you like inevitability, Hammer of Avernii turns every bolt into a plan. Therefore, pick your flavor, download the rules, and get painting before the dice start flying. I am calling it now, because this weekend belongs to roaring bikes and stomping sarcophagi.
And remember, Frontline Gaming sells gaming products at a discount, every day in their webcart!
