Tag: Caramel’s reviews

As his first review for the new year, Caramel wanted to talk about Warhammer – The Horus Heresy: Age of Darkness Rulebook from 2022. As usual, Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.

Sprinkles: So Caramel, You had already reviewed the core ​​book for Warhammer 40000. What are the differences between the two?

Caramel::Well, in Warhammer lore the Horus Heresy is 10000 years earlier. So the time is around 30000, not 40000.

S: And why does this difference matter?

C: Well, now in this time, there is a civil war between humans and humans, mostly space marines versus more space marines, but they have cool armor, and best of all, tanks, and mechs.

S: Ahh, I understand why you like this now.

C: Yes, I’m a simple bunny.

S: But Caramel, in 40K, too, there was perpetual war. 

C: Yes, but in 40K, there are aliens too. In The Horus Heresy, it’s mostly between humans and humans. This is the background they give in the web page for the book:

The Imperium stretches across countless worlds, a newborn empire on the brink of ultimate victory. Yet at the peak of this golden age of conquest, the galaxy has been plunged into an Age of Darkness. Horus Lupercal, Warmaster of the Emperor’s armies, has turned against his gene-father, and the eighteen Space Marine Legions, once united in a Great Crusade to consolidate all Humanity beneath the Emperor’s banner, are riven by betrayal. This is the Horus Heresy – the bloodiest conflict Humanity has ever known. Civil war on a galactic scale, in which superhuman soldiers clad in advanced armour turn devastating weapons upon those they called brothers. Where do your loyalties lie?

S: So the Imperium is powerful but maybe not yet as spread around the universe, and the story is more about an internal struggle? 

C: Yes, basically, and the political issues with the God Emperor of Mankind being betrayed by his sons, like a certain Greek titan.

S: Ooh, I see, you are referring to Kronos and his sons, right?

C: Yeah, I am. I’m a smart bunny, too.

S: I never doubted that Caramel! But in your review of the 40K book, you told us that humans still worship the God Emperor. So does this mean that he will prevail?

C: Well, he doesn’t actually like religions, he is apparently old enough to have seen what it does. But he is a perpetual, or a being that is reborn, so, yeah, he was apparently also, I think Caesar, or something.

S: Again, this is very depressing. To have an autocratic leader who hangs around for ten thousand years of perpetual war. 

C: No comment. Except a tiny one: he isn’t there after the Heresy; he sort of dies, but doesn’t.

S: Hmm. I think you have been reading those other books about the Horus Heresy, right? 

C: No comment. I plead the fifth.

S: I have a sneaking suspicion we will be ending up with reviews of some of those books, too. 

C: Maybe, I plead the fifth again.

S: Okay, let us not go too far into speculation of that sort. Let us get back to this rulebook. So then the main types of warriors you can play with in this Horus Heresy world are different then, right? You do not have the same kind of warriors, I am assuming.

C: Yes, and no, some chapters of space marines still use the same types of armor and weapons, but have primaris versions, so larger and faster, but not really.

S: So, what are the chapters of this book about? I’m guessing there are rules in it.

C: Oh, yeah, so, the book starts off with a quote by Horus Lupercal to set the stage:

I never wanted this. I never wanted to unleash my legions. Together we banished the ignorance of Old Night, but you betrayed me. You betrayed us all. You stole power from the Gods and lied to your sons. Mankind has only one chance to prosper. If you will not seize it, then I will. So let it be war, from the skies of Terra to the Galactic Rim. Let the seas boil. Let the stars fall. Even if it takes the last drop of my blood, I will see the galaxy freed once more. And if I cannot save it from your failure, Father, then let the galaxy burn!

Then the book explains what the Horus Heresy game is, and then explains the types of space marine armor one might see during the Horus Heresy, but it is missing most of the terminator plates, or any of the tanks or dreadnoughts, but should I tell you what armors types it does talk about?

S: No, I think I had my daily dose of Warhammer today. 

C: Aw, one can never have too much Warhammer! 

S: I know you think so. 

C: Me and many other bunnies around the world! 

S: Okay, that is true. So now you have some figures that are from this world and some from the 40K era, right?

C: I have some space marines, but they work for both games; it all depends on whether or not my friends let me.

S: I see. And I also noticed that you have been reading the lore like it is real history basically. You have a solid grasp of the timelines and what happens when and you know so many details… 

C: Yep. I know it’s fiction, but it’s cool fiction.

S: Reminds me of the Foundation series Midnight started to review. That, too, envisions a whole future history of a galactic empire. 

C: Huh, maybe, but Warhammer sort of also changes the perspective of ancient beings, like necrons, aeldar and orks, who are all older than most of the universe. Then there are the old ones: frog men who are older than the entire galaxy.

S: Hmm, so it is more mixed in with fantasy than pure sci-fi, maybe? 

C: Yeah, I can see that.

S: Okay, cool. I am glad we talked about all this. I was wondering about The Horus Heresy, and this helps me get up to speed a bit about all that. So let us wrap up this review. 

C: Sure. I think I should probably go to sleep. 

S: Yes, I think that is a great idea. As we wrap it up, what would you like to tell our readers?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!