Horus Heresy – Legiones Astartes Mk II Tactical Squad

Although we didn't have the opportunity to review the Saturnine boxed set for Horus Heresy on the blog, I wanted to supplement the coverage of the Assault Squad in Mark II armour by presenting the standard Tactical Squad.

I didn't want to skip the tactical squads after covering the Mark III Iron Armour and Mark VI Corvus Armour, especially since we still have to wait until we receive the Mark IV Maximus and Mark V Heresy pattern armour.

The Mark II Tactical sprue is slightly different to the other power armour sprues. Unlike the others, where you get a single sprue with the pieces for five models, this one has two sprues of the same size for ten models with a similar layout — just a small alteration. As you can see, the second sprue is nearly identical to the first, just rotated by 180°, with the Warhammer logo on the other side. The poses are identical, the heads are the same, and so on, for unknown reasons.

We get the same five tactical marines with bolters and bayonets as with the other sprues, but with Mark II armour and Phobos-pattern bolters.

The squad uses the same accessory upgrade as the others, including various grenades and pistol holsters. The sergeant has options for a plasma pistol and either a power claw, power fist or power sword. The helmet crest is the same, and there is a special helmet variant on the Mk II sprue with a pin to attach it.

In addition, the Saturnine set includes a new Veteran Upgrade sprue with batteries and a variety of disintegrator weapons. This sprue is included twice in the Disintegrator Weapon Upgrade Set and features ten disintegrator rifles, two combi-disintegrators, two disintegrator pistols, two disintegrator blasters, two heavy disintegrators and ten battery packs. To be honest, these feel a bit out of place as they are relics from the Dark Age of Technology. Originally used by the Thunder Warriors and Proto-Legiones Astartes during the Unification Wars, they were replaced by Volkite weaponry produced on Mars during the Great Crusade. Having these in such abundance is therefore a strange choice.

We are going to build a regular Tactical Marine and a Sergeant from the Mark II sprue. The marines are more or less all split in a very similar way, but they have different poses. For the sergeant, I used a spare chain axe from the Assault Squad set and gave him a disintegrator pistol instead of a plasma pistol.

As you can see in this picture, we have come a long way with the Mark II armour. While I like the overall update, I would have added the small triangular crest on the chest that the Forge World models used to have. Although the Mark II armour is the first enclosed power armour, its style and design still holds up next to its successors. The Assault Squad is a brutal and fitting upgrade to that armour pattern.

In my opinion, the armour pattern works very well with many legions. The Iron Warriors and the White Scars are a perfect fit, as are the Dark Angels and the Death Guard.

Conclusion

The latest boxed set of Saturnine introduces the Mark II Tactical Squad for Horus Heresy, providing enthusiasts with a unique variant that sets itself apart from previous tactical and assault kits thanks to its subtle design differences and consistent accessory options, not to mention its dedicated veteran upgrade. This release allows for diverse customisation, enabling players to build regular marines and battle-worn veterans. Additional flexibility comes from the inclusion of Disintegrator Weapons, which are somewhat anachronistic given their origins in the Unification Wars.

Overall, Mark II armour remains a strong visual and thematic choice, holding its own alongside newer patterns and lending itself well to various legions connected to the early phases of the Heresy. As it is the first proper Astartes armour, it makes a great base for Veteran Squads, and it can obviously be combined with the Melee Weapon Set or the various heavy and special weapon sets. At 67.50 EUR for a regular Tactical Squad of 20 marines, the price is reasonable, and you can either purchase a discount from an independent retailer or buy the sprues from one of the many resellers who split the Saturnine box. This allows you to assemble a Veteran Squad of 10, including the disintegrator weapons, for around 25 to 28 EUR.

• Production Quality: 5/5
• Design appeal: 4/5
• Options / Customization: 3/5 
• Value for money: 3/5
• Ease of Assembly: 4/5

Warhammer 40,000 and The Horus Heresy are brands by Games Workshop.