Inferno Overview: The Thousand Sons

Howdy Guys and Girls :)

With Inferno in hands I would like to do an overview of it's contents regarding the Thousand Sons Legion - from fluff to artworks, rules and upcoming models.

The Fluff

As with the other legions featured in the Black Books - you get the full history of the Legion, from it's founding 'till the Burning of Prospero.

The XVth Legion was born quite late - Terra was already unified, Luna was taken and the first-born Legions had started to bring the rest of the Sol System to heel. Storms marked the creation of the Legion and the start of the Great Crusade, later known as The First Tempest.

It's said that the Emperor himself has selected many of the first recruits, an honour done to almost no other Legion. Although the implantation rates were high, only a thousand warriors - a fully operable initial pattern Legion induction - knelt before the Emperor and made their Oaths of Eternity. The Master of Mankind bade his "Thousand Sons" to rise, and at that exact moment the storms surrounding Terra broke.

Something that's quite obvious once you read through the background section - the XVth Legion always were some kind of outcasts. As soon as it was clear that they had more psykers than other Legions some wanted to disband them. On Ostrastis, the first Millenial of the IIIrd Legion withdrew when a company of the Thousand Sons joined the mustering. During the Colgren Campaign, the Dusk Raiders refused to look at, listen to or speak to any of the Thousand Sons, and even Horus voiced concerns.

Once the Flesh Change started to manifest and kill more and more legionaries the same voices called out again, calling for them to be disbanded. While some saw it as mercy, given to a great Legion dying in decay and shame; others wanted them to be obliterated, purged - cut from the Imperium like cancer - yet the Emperor refused.

It was Magnus who saved his sons, but again they numbered just 1.000 warriors.

Even reunited with their Primarch, a few of the other Primarchs - especially Mortarion and Corax, wanted to see them censured. The Librarian Project was the only spark of hope for them, and even that was ended by the Edict of Nikaea.

Legion Organisation

Once reunited with Magnus, the Legion was re-organised into a pattern of his own design named as "The Pesedjet".

The full panoply of the Legiones Astartes was represented, from Heavy Support Squads, to Destroyers and Jetbikes. Yes, they were a Legion of psykers - but they also were still Space Marines. Their line companies were called Circle, and all Circles were part of one of the nine Fellowships.

They favoured the mechanised tactical squad, with mobile speeder and flyer reconnaissance units. Frontline units prefered the Land Raider Proteus, with the Rhino beeing used for second line and support duties. Instead of wasting their basic troops in attrition-based warfare they adopted the use battle-automata (some of their own design) as shields and vanguards.

In addition to the core structure of the Legion, there were also five cults - Pavoni, Raptora, Corvidae, Athanean and Pyrae, aswell as three Red Orders - Order of Ruin (basically the siege makers, logistical specialists and planners), Order fo the Jackal (temple guard and Apothecaries) and the Order of Blindness - Scouts and Destroyers.

The book has some great colour arts again - I'll give you a few examples:

The Rules

Just a little overview - it's probably the best to get the book for the full rules (it's awesome - order it as soon as it's available!).

As you would expect with the XVth Legion, you are able to upgrade all your HQ's, veteran units and Terminators to psykers or brotherhoods of psykers. They have access to all the psychic disciplines except Malefic Daemonology.

You have to select a Cult Arcana for each of your units - based upon the five big cults. This buffs them when they use fitting psychic abilities (for example Raptora with Telekinesis), and also gives them a new special rule (for example Pyrae get Hammer of Wrath.). I think this is very fluffy and awesome, but may end up as "cookie cutter builds" that are the "best" for specific units.

Now some of you may think what the downsides of the XVth legion are? Well, one of it is an immediately Pinning test for every unit in your force if you suffer wounds from a Perils of the Warp test. Ouch!

Special units are the Osiron Dreadnought - a psychic HQ contemptor with mastery level one and access to a force blade; Castellax-Achea Battle Automata Maniples as heavy support (they need no techmarine, they are more like puppets instead of classic robots); Sekhmet Terminators who can have either Tartaros or Catpahractii armour; Khenetai Occult Blade Cabals - temple guardians with two force swords with an inbuild buff mechanic (the more the better); and last but not least the Ammitara Occult Intercession Cabals - the "hidden one" scouts.

Special Characters are Ahzek Ahriman (who can get a command squad with brotherhood of psykers), Magister Amon aswell as Magnus himself (who is a psychic beast, as you would expect!).

Upcoming Models

As you may have seen on our weekender coverage - there's actually a lot of upcoming Thousand Sons stuff for the next weeks and months. For completion's sake I will add all the stuff that got previewed so far:

An upgrade kit for Cataphractii Sekhmet Terminators. The guy in the middle wears actually Tartaros pattern and may be released seperately. I love the idea of a simple upgrade kit and these guys should look great next to some plastic Scarab Occult Terminators. Also - their hats rock!

Another cool upgrade kit. The Khenetai Occult Blade Squads are part of the Ordor of the Jackal. They are basically the guardians of the great temple pyramids on Tizca. I will need 10 of these guys atleast!

The Osiron Contemptor-Dreadnought will be a full kit including the force blade. We may also see an Æther-fire Cannon upgrade for him and heavy support squads.

My favourites - the Castellax-Achea Battle-Automata. Love the design - sadly Forgeworld said they have currently no plans for more achea sub-pattern robots - looks like I'll have to get some plasticard!

The big guy himself - Magnus should be released at Warhammer Fest in May.

That's all from me for now - I hope you enjoyed the article. If you have any questions, just ask them in the comments below. I will now start to work on my first Thousand Sons model - a Contemptor Mortis Dreadnought!

Regards,
Lady Atia