It was starting to feel like an open secret that a new edition of Warhammer Horus Heresy – a grittier, more in-depth version of 40K set a millennia before – was on its way, and it seems like publisher Games Workshop agrees.
That's because it just launched a thoroughly tongue-in-cheek page called 'The Horus Hearsay.' This poses as a fansite dedicated to rattling off "all the rumours, rumblings, and hearsay on the Age of Darkness," complete with behind-the-scenes model shots and a lot of speculation. Wait, can it be speculation if you already know what's being teased? I'm not sure, but I dig it. This is one of the funniest ad campaigns Games Workshop has had for a while, and it gleefully leans into community speculation about the new edition of Warhammer Horus Heresy that's been flying for months.
As an example, it's at great pains to draw deliberately tenuous links whenever and wherever possible. A '2' token that's presumably an objective or action marker? Clearly a reference to those two lost Space Marine legions from the lore, it says. There's also a tag at the bottom of the page reading "this is a totally 100% legit Warhammer website." This is all good-natured banter, and I respect Games Workshop for committing to the bit because the new edition has been so heavily rumored. The cat's basically out of the bag. Why not have some fun?
There are some useful tid-bits hidden away amongst the humor, though. As a case in point, it seems as though we'll be getting push-fit models in whatever core/starter set is coming our way. The game has always been slightly harder to get into thanks to its reputation for being more complicated than Warhammer 40K, and it often makes use of expert resin miniatures rather than plastic ones. With that in mind, a more accessible spin on the game that lowers barriers to entry is no bad thing so far as I'm concerned.
Additionally, the Salamander legion being one of the poster children for this edition (complete with their signature flamers) is referenced multiple times. We also get a look at a brand new Dreadnought and Terminator line, the Saturnine. These have indeed been painted up as Salamanders, and I'm already dreading trying to recreate the lava effect on those shoulder pads.
It'll be interesting to see when the full reveal drops. We're due a livestream at the end of May, so presumably then. Either way, it'll be interesting to see how it compares to the Horus Heresy 2nd Edition starter set…
Want something to play while you wait for the new edition? Check out the best board games, or the best adult board games.
