Many of us have been hoping to see the Chaos Legions given proper recognition for years but I think that even the most enthusiastic expected at best to see some rules, ‘legion tactics’ and special issue wargear to differentiate one collection of spiky marines from another (and indeed something of this nature appears to be scheduled for release in the next few weeks). To actually see them come snorting and braying onto the tabletop at last however is exciting beyond words. As a result, the Thousand Sons faced the devastating Burning of Prospero, where they were nearly annihilated by their own fellow Space Marine Legions. Overall then it’s fair to say that these models have grown on me to become my favourite thing in the box – a tough choice given that I’m a huge fan of Iron Armour and Sisters of Silence alike. Regrettably Horus’s initiative was telling him to listen to Lorgar who was full of talk about evil gods in the Warp and how we should listen to them instead and how the Emperor had never loved them anyway (this being a rough summation of the path from loyal son to traitor that actually takes three whole books to play out).

Behold the awe-inspiring arrival of Magnus the Red, as the very fabric of reality quakes beneath his descent. It’s a risky business taking on a classic but all the iconic features are still in place, from the sweeping antelope horns to the instantly recognisable facemask and staff. He will serve the Lord of Ruin, guarding him even to his own death, for without Kell the long millennia will close about him like a cage, Mazzakim’s path narrowing down to a single road which he is cursed to see, rolling out ahead of him, down the unbroken aeons of eternity. Hello escapees of the wastelands of the internet Forum, SaltyJohn here from TFG Radio to bring you a break down of Magnus the Red, Daemon Primarch of the Thousand Sons.

With all these special rules and the ability to harness Warp Charges on a 2+ you’d think he would be nigh unstoppable.

Planning for the potential seize, or running into Coteaz, would be of utmost importance for this list.GW have also released rules to allow players to field Custodes and Sisters of Silence in 40k, an interesting development as neither is an active military force in the modern Imperium. The kit also contains three different faces, unusual for a unique character (apart from politicians which come with two as standard) but perfect for Magnus who was capable of transforming his appearance and looked different depending on who was looking at him. Since then, the Daemon Primarch Magnus the Red has been seen leading his legion during the Terran Crusade, and attempting to summon a horde of daemons during the days of the Dark Imperium. It is not known what his ultimate goal is – but chaos, devastation, and deep mysteries always walk alongside him. After all the Emperor is known to have made a pact with the Chaos gods in exchange for the knowledge required to make the Primarchs in the first place.

Its early in the Heresy (in fact it’s arguable that this is where the first shots were fired) so there’s no danger of getting ahead of the popular Black Library series. You could always bring an Allied daemon detachment with a herald + grimoire and give him a 2++ from that as well (assuming you don’t fail which would not be good). Yet it was the Corvidae he studied most avidly, using their powers of precognition to plumb the depths of what is yet to come.

What the symbols around it might mean however remains unclear (I’ll admit my first thought was to dig through symbolic alphabet for the Dark Tongue of Chaos in The Lost and the Damned but to no avail). Finally, as a mighty Daemon Prince, Magnus the Red had become the Crimson King in form as well as name. Strange, ornate and archaic these are everything the elite troops of the Imperium should be, and the release of these models represents another voice tempting me away from Chaos and into the arms of the Imperium. Always he seeks knowledge and always one secret dances just beyond his grasp for Tzeentch has bound him into a web of lies and the key to his freedom is forever out of reach. In fact it was generally reckoned that Magnus was the best wizard that had ever been, with the possible exception of the Emperor who was also very good at magic (alongside science and having big ideas).