The Warhammer Community just dropped the first in a five-part series of faction focuses for the new edition of The Horus Heresy: Age of Darkness, starting with the Loyalist Legions.
Today’s piece features insights from playtester Matt, who outlines the major changes coming to the Loyalist forces, especially their new “Rites of War” system, unique unit mechanics, and more layered scoring methods. If you’ve been wondering how the Legions loyal to the Emperor will function this edition, this summary has everything you need — without skipping a beat.
New Rites of War: A Total Overhaul
First up: the Rites of War have seen a major evolution. They now represent the entire rules framework for each Legion. This includes Legion Tactica (overall army-wide mechanics), Gambits (unique one-use duel mechanics), Advanced Reactions (powerful once-per-game moves), and Detachment tweaks. That’s a big jump from the old system, which just shifted Force Org slots or unlocked some units.
For example, the Space Wolves’ new Hunter’s Strike Tactica gives them +2″ to any Set-up Move. It may sound small, but it helps them close the distance and skip the long walk into bolter fire — perfect for a melee-first Legion.
Then you’ve got the Raven Guard’s Decapitation Strike Gambit, which lets a character make a surgical first attack in a Challenge. If that hit and wound both land, you get to follow up with the rest of your attacks. If you flub, though, you get nothing — high risk, high reward.
Game-Changing Reactions
Advanced Reactions are once-per-game rule-changers, and some are brutally thematic. The Dark Angels’ Vengeance of the First Legion lets one of their units re-fight a combat right after finishing one. That’s especially juicy on elite melee units like Inner Circle Cenobium or Deathwing Companions. It’s the kind of ability that can turn the tide when used smartly — one big second wind at the perfect moment.
Detachments and Prime Upgrades
Detachments are no longer just a tool for min-maxing. Every Legion now gets an Auxiliary Detachment by default, and some have access to an Apex Detachment, which leans into their thematic playstyle. Think of this as a refined Force Org tweak that adds flavor without locking you out of units.
Then you’ve got Prime upgrades, which apply flavorful enhancements to basic units. The Imperial Fists Castellan, for example, is a Centurion who’s been retooled into a frontline heavy weapons commander — solid stats and solid fluff alignment. It’s exactly the kind of unit upgrade the system needed to make vanilla units shine.
Top Units and Characters
Matt puts the Legion Centurion at the top of his must-have list. In past editions, they were a cheaper alternative to more powerful characters. Now, they’re essential — offering real mechanical value and tactical flexibility. That’s a big win for fluff lovers and competitive players alike.
Next up are the Medusan Immortals for the Iron Hands. These guys are walking tanks. With shields, the Expendable (2) rule, high Leadership, and great Cool ratings, they’re rock-solid holding units that feel like they’ve walked straight out of the lore.
And of course, no list would be complete without Sigismund. The Imperial Fists legend is back and better than ever, boasting WS7, five Attacks, and a custom Gambit to enhance his Crit chance. He’s a monster in Challenges — and with how much better dueling feels in this edition, you’ll want him leading the charge.
More Nuanced Victory Scoring
One of the quiet stars of the new edition is the overhauled scoring system. Now, objectives have varying values and some units come with rules like Vanguard (X) or Line (X) that shift how you earn Victory Points. This adds much-needed depth to the endgame and rewards smart army design over simple unit spamming.
The key takeaway? Loyalist armies aren’t just diverse in theme — now they’re diverse in function, too. Whether you want to field a hard-hitting counterattack force, a defensive line, or a raiding force built for precision strikes, the new rules give you the tools.
Final Thoughts: Loyalist Depth Without Bloat
If this is a sign of what’s to come for the rest of the factions, we’re in good hands. The new Rites system integrates lore, mechanics, and list-building in a smart, flexible way. Between the bespoke unit upgrades, deeper scoring, and flavorful reactions, the Loyalist side feels more like a faction of desperate heroes than ever before.
And that’s fitting — after all, these are the Legions who stood their ground while the galaxy burned around them. Tomorrow we’ll see what the Traitor Legions bring to the table — but for now, the Emperor’s finest are looking sharp.
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