Reviews: Traitor Legions - The Black Legion

Next on the list for Traitor Legion reviews is the Black Legion

Content sourced via the Combat Phase podcast and SpikeyBits

Black Legion

The Black Legion is a Traitor Legion of Chaos Space Marines that is the first in infamy, if not in treachery, whose name resounds as a curse throughout the scattered and war-torn realms of humanity. The Black Legion was once one of the 9 First Founding Legions of Space Marines who turned Traitor to the Imperium during the Horus Heresy in the early 31st Millennium. The Black Legion, at that time still known as the Sons of Horus, became the primary instrument of its Primarch, the Warmaster Horus, to overthrow the Emperor of Mankind and seize control of the Imperium in the name of Chaos.

What makes a Black Legion Detachment?

To be a Black Legion detachment, much like what we saw in the Wrath of Magnus there are a number of restrictions:

• The army can have none of the Chaos Space Marine unique characters, with the exception of Abaddon.
• All models that can purchase Veterans of the Long war (VotLW) must do so, but for free.

So what do I get for being a Black Legion Detachment?

If your detachment is a Black Legion detachment then you get the following special rules:

• Endless Hatred: Units with VotLW gain Hatred, however against Armies of the Imperium they can re-roll to hit in every round of combat.
• First Among Traitors: Chaos Terminators and Chosen are troops
• This is awesome. While Chaos Terminators aren't game breakingly good, being able to take them as troops is a good start.

Black Legion Warlord Traits

These are effectively just a copy paste from the Black Legion Codex Supplement.

1. Black Crusader: Warlord and Friendly units within 12" have Prefered Enemy Space Marines
2. Eye of the Gods: Warlord can reroll Chaos Boon / Gift of Mutation rolls, but must accept the 2nd result.
3. Gift of Balefire: Warlord may make a shooting attack using the following profile: Template, S4, AP5, Assault 1, Soul Blade, One Use Only
4. Unholy Fortitude: The Warlord has the It Will Not Die special rule
5. Soul Eater: Melee weapons To Wound rolls of a 6 have the Instant Death special rule
6. Chosen of Abaddon: The warlord and friendly units within 12" of the Warlord have the Stubborn special rule

Black Legion Relics

These are just a copy paste from the Black Legion Codex Supplement

• Crucible of Lies (25 Points): -1T but re-roll invulnerable saves of 1
• Eye of the Night (75 Points): Once per game, in place of shooting you can make a shooting attack with range infinite, S5, AP4, Heavy 1, Large blast, haywire, maelstrom, ignores cover.
• The Hands of Darkness (50 Points): Instead of regular close combat attacks you may make a single SX2, AP1, melee, armorbane, flesh bane, instant death
• Last Memory of Yuranthos (30 Points): Psyker only, gain 1 mastery level, gain the spell Sunburst from the Pyromancy Discipline, declare range, 12" Range and Warp Charge 2, 18" Range and Warp Charge 3 if perils using boosting the range, do not roll on the Perils of the Warp table, simply remove from play as a casualty.
• The Skull of Ker’ngar (40 Points): Eternal Warrior and Adamantium Will
• The Spineshard Blade (30 Points): S user, AP3,  melee, demon weapon, Quicksilver (+1 Initiative)

Black Legion Formation Based Detachment (FBD)

• Heralds of the Black Crusade: All non-vehicle units cause Fear and have Crusader
• Speartip Strike: Units arriving from Deep Strike can roll for reserves from turn 1 on a 3+. The Warlord and his unit can auto-pass their Turn 1 Deep Strike reserve roll.

Core Choices:

• Black Legion Warband: As per Black Legion Codex Supplement
• Hounds of Abaddon: As per Black Legion Codex Supplement

Command Choices:

• Bringers of Despair: As per Black Legion Codex Supplement
• Cyclopia Cabal: As per Black Legion Codex Supplement
• The Chosen of Abaddon: As per Black Legion Codex Supplement
• Lord of Legion: 1 of the following; Abaddon, Chaos Lord, Sorcerer, Dark Apostle or Daemon Prince

Auxiliary Choices: 

• Lost and Damned: As per Traitor's Hate
• Helforged Wrack: As per Traitor's Hate
• Daemon Engine: As per Traitor's Hate
• Heldrake Terror: As per Traitor's Hate
• Cult of Destruction: As per Traitor's Hate
• Fist of the Gods: As per Traitor's Hate
• Raptor Talon: As per Traitor's Hate
• Terminator Annihilation Force: As per Traitor's Hate
• Spawn: As per Traitor's Hate