Legions Imperialis – The Solar Auxilia

The second force within the new Legions Imperialis core set is the Solar Auxilia. Similar to the Legiones Astartes, we have the Infantry set available as part of the first wave. The Baneblade / Hellhammer will be covered in an article of its own.

So today, we will look into the Solar Auxilia Infantry (incl. Charonite Ogryns and Aethon Heavy Sentinels), as well the Leman Russ and Malcador which are currently exclusive to the core set.

Each of boxes cover two identical sprues at a RRP of 40 EUR / 30 GBP. Decals are only included with the vehicle kits. Let's start with the Infantry.

The spread out shows it, we have two sprues, a bag of flat 25mm round bases and an instruction leaflet but no decals (those are only included with the vehicle sets). A total of 104 miniatures is spread across both sprues.

Each sprue covers

• 4x Charonite Ogryns (2 bases)
• 2x Aethon Heavy Sentinels (2 bases)
• 10x Auxiliaries with Flamers (incl. 1 Sgt, 2 bases)
• 10x Veletarii (incl. 1 Sgt, 2 bases)
• 1x Auxilia Cmdr Squad of 5 (with Lord Marshal, Banner bearer and 3 Veterans, 1 base)
• 1x Tactical Cmdr (to replace Lord Marshal for lower Cmd Base, 1 base)
• 20x Auxiliaris (incl. 1 Sgt, 1x Proclaimator, 1x Vexilarius, 4 bases)

This sprue is included twice, in the Infantry or Core boxed set, giving you a total of 104 miniatures for the start. Unlike with the Space Marines, where some units were split across two sprues, you have no optional parts in here, with the exception of the Auxilia and Tactical command. Similar with the Astartes, some of the options available to the units in 30k are not part of Legions Imperialis (yet), but as the army list is shorter / more compact compared to the Legiones Astartes, the items you are missing out is less.

As the Solar Auxilia are a rather recent addition to the lore of Warhammer, so we don't have comparisons to the older ranges like Epic 40k or Space Marine.

The mount of detail on these is quite impressive, and they handled the limitations of injection moulding (undercuts) the infantry models in my opinion better than with the Astartes.

In the past, Epic used bases with inserts. This has changed with Legions Imperialis and the models have small "hills" between their feet as a connection point to the flat bases. In Space Marine in 1991, we had square bases with 5 inserts, the Epic 40k from 1997 had long strips with inserts.

Beside the regular Solar Auxilia Infantry, we have the Charonite Ogryns, one of the few abhuman forces within the Imperium. Altered biochemically and cybernetically to make them even more aggressive und useful as assault troops, these are 4 miniatures per sprue, with two different designs. If you are not familiar with these, I've added the 28-32mm scale version from Forge World as the first picture for comparison.

And an entire new unit are the Aethon Heavy Sentinels. Not available in 28/32mm

The question about scale has been asked multiple times. It is difficult to put a proper scale to it, regarding of 1 to X scale or  X mm, as it is not 6mm, 1:300 or what ever. It is simply 25% of the current 40k scale. They don't mix well with old Epic scale, (especially as these changed scale quite often and weren't consistent regarding the size of infantry and vehicles towards eachother) and if you want to scratchbuild something, take the 40k measurements (which are somewhere between 28 to 32mm) and part them by four.

This means it is in scale with the Adeptus Titanicus or Aeronautica Imperialis range as well, as they are currently repacked with the new iconography.

Similar to the Astartes tanks, Predator and Sicaran, the two Imperial tanks are currently exclusive to the core set, but we will see the release of the Leman Russ as a box of 8 and Malcador as a box of 4 in the near future.

Let us start with one of the work horses of the Imperium, the Leman Russ. Please note, this is the Solar Auxilia variant of the Leman Russ tank and this does not have the option for sponsons. A lot of other vehicles, for example the artillery used this chassis during the Horus Heresy, as the Chimera chassis was developed later.

Beyond that, we see the Leman Russ with Mars Alpha Pattern hull and Ryza Pattern turret in this sprue, including the trench rails we have seen with the Deathkorps of Krieg.

The unit starts at 4 and can be upgraded to a squadron of 10. Each sprue covers four hulls and four turrets, so unlike with the Predators or Sicarans, you can't build both variants. You do however have enough bits to build all of them with the Battlecannon or Vanquisher Battle Cannon. There are no options for the Gravis Lascannon or Autocannon in the rules or in this sprue. For the hull you have the option between Heavy Bolters and Lascannons. Autocannon, Multilaser or Heavy Flamer aren't available. I assume that we will see variants like the Demolisher, Executioner or Incinerator later either in plastic or in resin by Forge World.

The trench rails are semi-optional, as you will have to close/cover the connecting areas. Like the other tanks these come with optional tank commanders and even pintle mounted weapons.

I really like the design of these and find them reasonably priced at 8 per box, giving you a RRP of 5 EUR per tank.

The second tank for the Solar Auxilia is the Malcador, which comes of two per sprue, giving you a total of four tanks in the later individual boxed set.

A unit of Malcador tanks is at least two 2 tanks large and can be upgraded up to a total number of 6 per squadron. The sprue gives you three options for the upper hull (as it is a fixed turret) with the Battle Cannon, Twin Lascannon and Vanquisher Battle Cannon, along with a lower hull mounted Demolisher Cannon, Autocannon, Lascannon or Heavy Bolter and sponsons with Autocannon, Lascannon and Heay Bolters. There are enough bits included to have both tanks in the same load out. This is one of the most complete options covered, as we are just missing the heavy flamer and multi-lasers for the hull and sponsons.

The Malcador comes with trench rails as well and is a clever kit, with lots of small pieces.

If you convert the upper guns, you could probably magnetize them, but it's not intended from the start. Similar to the other tanks, we have a cupola, which can be closed or opened, and optional tank commanders and pintle mounted autocannon.

A brief showcase and scale comparison of the tanks included in the core set.

How to build an army of the Solar Auxilia? The core rules provide you with three formations: Solar-Auxilia Sub-Cohort, Solar Auxilia Armoured Company and Solar Auxilia Pioneer Company. We went with the Solar Auxilia Sub Cohort:

HQ - Legate Cmdr 16 Points
Support - Charonite Ogryn (4) - 50 Points
Core Auxilia Las Rifle (4) - 30 Points + Auxiliaries with Flamers (4) - 24 Points
Core Auxilia Las Rifle (4) - 30 Points + Veletari (4) - 24 Points
* Vanguard - Aethon Sentinel (4) - 60 Points
* Battle Tank - Malcador Detachment (2) - 165 Points
* Battle Tank - Leman Russ (4) - 175 Points

Unlike the Demi-Company of the Legiones Astartes, this is a valid formation with a total of 574 Points. That's 25% more than the Astartes can come up with. You would have access to an Strategic Asset with the Warhound, but at 330 Points it is too expensive to be included in the 30% Allied Contingent.

The army lists in the core rulebook are limited and many items that you would expect, are missing. In case of the Solar Auxilia it is a bit weird, that the only transport options are airborn with the Arvus Lighter. This means the initial first wave gives you rules for:
Command, Lasrifle Tercio, Auxiliaris (optional with Flamer), Veletarii (with Power Axes), Ogryn Charonites, Rapier Batteries, Tarantula Batteries, Aethon Heavy Sentinel (new unit), Leman Russ (Regular, Vanquisher, without sponsons), Malcador (Regular, Vanquisher, Twin Lascannon), Baneblade/Hellhammer and the Arvus Lighter (Transport). Seems a bit short? Well, it is, but the "full scale" army list isn't as extensive as for example the Astartes options. A few options from the Aeronautica range were included, Auxilia Thunderbolt, Avenger Strike Fighter, Lightning Fighter Squadron, Auxilia Marauder Bomber Squadron (with options for Pathfinder, Colossus and Destroyer).

Still this means we are waiting for some more options, of which the Medusa, Basilisk and Stormhammer have already been previewed. The few missing, of which I feel the transport options are among the most crucial, are:
Dracosan (Transport), Aurox (Transport), Leman Russ with Gravis Las- or Autocannon, Leman Russ Demolisher, Auxilia Basilisk, Valdor Tank Destroyer, Malcador Infernus and Stormhammer.

Conclusion
I was a bit surprised that we got the Solar Auxilia as the human or non-Astartes, as I thought the Imperial Army / Militia would be more flexible and maybe appeal to more people. But I guess, as much flexible as you are with the Astartes kits being able to cover 18 different legions, the Solar Auxilia are a broad common denominator, as you have hundreds of cohorts, sharing the same equipment, where as the early Imperial Army and Militia were more different.

I had trouble finding proper lore on the Solar Auxilia, as this is rather thinly spread, even in the 1st Edition 30k books. But that is not a problem, more a question of taste. With this - at least in my opinion - the overall conflict moves towards late heresy and the Solar War. Beyond that, the core book does not provide you with that much of information either. It is rather focused on the Astartes forces, where each of the legions has a small legion specific coverage, but for the Solar Auxilia there is nothing similar, not even for the more known ones, like the Cthonian Headhunters, Lords Marshal's Own or Saturnyne Rams.

The detail on the miniatures and on the tanks is amazing, very well done. Especially the Malcador is a blast and you will be impressed by the other releases, like the Baneblade. While the price for the Leman Russ is reasonable, the Malcador is tough at 10 EUR per model, as it is not that much larger than the Leman Russ. But as I expect the Marines to be far more sought after, I assume that you will have an easy time acquiring Solar Auxilia halves from the boxed sets. And I hope for a quick release of the Dracosan or Aurox, as the current solution via Arvus is a bit expensive with an Forge World model at 20 EUR per blister of two and you need a few of those in case you plan to transport a Sub-Cohort.

You have a lot of aerial options, but no formation like the Astartes Aerial Assault, but I assume that we will see something like that maybe in the next book.

With the Alliance rules you can choose Astartes or Strategic Assets, for example at 3,000 points that would mean 900 points for Knights, Titans and Legiones Astartes, maybe Ultramar Auxilia, a Garrison Force of Ultramarines and a Knight Household as a themed army, or the Cthonian Headhunters with Sons of Horus and some Traitor Titans of the Dark Mechanicum.

The Horus Heresy and Legions Imperialis are brands by Games Workshop.

The reviewed product item was provided by the manufacturer.