Warhammer: The Horus Heresy
What Is The Horus Heresy?
The Horus Heresy is a large-scale Warhammer game set during the civil war that shattered the Space Marine Legions ten thousand years before Warhammer 40,000.
Legion Warfare
Players build armies around Space Marine Legions, rites of war, characters, tanks, dreadnoughts, and narrative identity.
Historical Sci-Fi Wargame
The game has a heavier narrative and military tone than standard 40K, with battles framed around the Heresy era.
Legion Identity
Paint schemes, markings, armor marks, and unit choices help tell the story of your chosen Legion.
How To Play
- Choose a Legion or faction and decide whether you want loyalist, traitor, or narrative flexibility.
- Build a legal force using the army list and mission size your group is playing.
- Learn movement, shooting, assaults, reactions, vehicles, and special Legion rules.
- Play missions with narrative stakes, objective control, and cinematic unit clashes.
Game Modes & Formats
Most games can be played a few different ways. These are the formats and table styles players are most likely to see at casual nights, prereleases, leagues, and organized events.
Age of Darkness Battles
The Horus Heresy focuses on Space Marine Legions and the civil war that shaped the Imperium, with battles that feel grand, brutal, and narrative-heavy.
- Players build Legion forces with rites of war, characters, wargear, and unit choices that create a distinct army identity.
- Games reward combined arms, armor, infantry blocks, elite units, and knowing your Legion's strengths.
- The tone is often more historical-campaign than modern tournament meta, though balanced pickup games are still possible.
Zone Mortalis
Zone Mortalis brings the Heresy into tight corridors, ship interiors, and claustrophobic battlefields where positioning becomes lethal.
- Smaller boards and dense terrain make every doorway and line of sight matter.
- Elite infantry, breachers, dreadnoughts, and short-ranged weapons can shine.
- Excellent for cinematic campaigns and players who want brutal close-quarters battles.
Narrative Campaigns
Narrative Heresy campaigns let players recreate famous conflicts or write their own loyalist-versus-traitor saga.
- Campaign structure can track planets, war zones, relics, named characters, and escalating forces.
- Best for groups who enjoy lore, painting projects, and battle reports as much as winning.
- A strong campaign gives every game context before the first dice roll.
Escalation Leagues
Escalation play starts with smaller forces and adds units over time, helping players build, paint, and learn without being overwhelmed.
- Great for new Legion projects and returning hobbyists.
- Each round can introduce new unit types, vehicles, missions, or campaign rules.
- Keeps the local scene active while armies grow toward larger battles.
Pick A Legion You Love
Rules matter, but Heresy rewards long-term hobby commitment. Choose the story and look you want to build.
Reactions Matter
The reaction system makes timing important. Learn when to return fire, evade, or respond to an opponent's move.
Ready To Sit Down?
Bring your deck, bring your crew, or come solo and find a table. Check the calendar or ask staff what is on deck this week.