HH 51 - Slaves to Darkness

[ZebraM]

Are we getting an Alpha Legion book as part of the siege-portion? It feels like Alpharius' appereance in this could have been handled by an off-handed remark or something and didn't actually require the presence of the AL Primarch unless its being done to tie-in with something else.

[b1soul]

"Alpharius"

[Lucien Eilam]

On the other hand there are the Iron Warriors and World Eaters which together don't have the strength to face a single Ultramarine Fleet. The Iron warriors are a completely spent force , used as cannon fodder to slow down RG. At least they had Pert portrayed as a serious threat and not a man-child.

 

Not every mention of a legion refers to the entire legion. They're fighting a galaxy-spanning war, spread out all over the place. The muster at Ullanor doesn't rule out more rendezvousing with them en route to Terra, or once the siege is underway.

 

It's not "the Iron Warriors". Perturabo took 11 ships and a single Grand Company with him, and made planetfall with half of it to confront Angron. The Ultramarines vanguard fleet alone was 20 ships, and even then the problem wasn't defeating that (none of those 20 was a match for the Iron Blood) – it was that it would delay them long enough for the full Ultramarines assault fleet following it to catch them.

 

They had supply issues and were spread thin. Resupplied and abandoning their stalling efforts to regroup, there's nothing to suggest they'd be a spent force. Note that after leaving Sarum, the guns of the First Grand Company are described as filled with ammunition. A pristine forge world, in thrall to the daemon spawned by the creation of the first weapon, who wants nothing more than to witness Perturabo destroying things, would presumably solve a lot of their problems.

 

The World Eaters haven't been a coherent, organised army for 40-50 books now and left nothing in orbit with their fleet. On their terms, they're devastating, but macro-bombardment cannon from orbit vs chainaxes wouldn't have been much of a fight, no matter how angry about it they were. Being present in strength was irrelevant in those circumstances. I'm sure they'll be much more of a threat at Terra.

 

Likewise, "the Sons of Horus" was the Vengeful Spirit and her escort fleet, not the entire legion, versus "five star forts, a beta nine-grade weapons platform, forty monitor craft and a battle group-sized fleet of warships". And caught by surprise, with their drives damaged from the unexpected warp translation, at point blank range. Not even Abaddon is present for most of the book.

[Scribe]

A finally worthy addition since which book?

 

Master of Mankind.

[TheRealMcCagh]

I thought this novel did a good job of showing just how self destructive Chaos is. Everyone has their own plans, and plotting betrayal even before the final battle. Multiple characters flat out say they don't care about the rebellion anymore, no one is really fighting for the same thing. There was also a pretty good line in there about how easy it was to be a traitor, any time they have to do something questionable they just redefine loyalty or brotherhood and then they can still say they did was was right. I thought this did a good job of giving a lot of information on certain characters and their motivations without really stepping on anyone's toes. I didn't quite get some of Volks passages and motivations, but I haven't read Tallarn, so maybe that would have helped. Overall I'd say this is one of the better books in the series.

 

Regarding how it seems like there won't be enough traitors for Terra: If I remember right, Dorn invested a ton of loyalist manpower in Beta-Garmon as well, so it's not like the traitors will limp there way past Beta-Garmon and find Terra fully loaded. Didn't Russ mention that putting so much at Beta-Garmon will mean Terra will be greatly weakened if the Traitors get through? And there should be plenty of Iron Warriors left, Perturabo only took a quarter of his legion with him to find Angron, half was sent to Ullanor, and the rest where meant to guard the flank and slowly pull back (I thought).

[1ncarnadine]

Loved this book. I've already reread several sections and I'm sure I'll go through the whole thing again, soon. 

 

SPOILERS: So, regarding Volk...

He was definitely the first Obliterator, right? This is actually super interesting. It implies the Obliterator virus is linked to Khorne, and the daemon of the first weapon in particular. But perhaps it's not a virus yet?

 

Rampant speculation and musing ahead:

So some authors have mentioned in interviews and comments that Chaos Undivided, like actually truly undivided daemons, are exceedingly rare to almost non-existant. So something I like to mull over is to what powers Lorgar and Perturabo owe the majority of their souls to upon their ascensions. StD gives me the impression that Khorne actually has a pretty strong claim over Perturabo, which makes sense! His rages, for one, and a lot of things the Iron Warriors Legion do would directly resonate with the Blood God. Bloody sieges, human chattel, industry bent to destructive purposes, and of course there's Kroeger. I'm not saying the Iron Warriors as a whole are all about Khorne, either, just that it seems like Khorne has more sway over the Legion than the other powers.

 

Now, what about when multiple powers lay claim to one soul? We've seen this to be the case with Abaddon and Horus. But ADB's Black Legion also showed us another great example of when multiple powers lay claim to one soul, in Thagus Daravek. He's been empowered by both Nurgle and Tzeentch, normally diametrically opposed. I'm just wondering if the powers that lay claim to Perturabo might also be a split, like Daravek? And I'm assuming it would be Khorne and Nurgle for Perturabo; a blend of Chaotic forces that could lead to something like Volk's Obliterator curse becoming a demonic viral strain. Perturabo certainly does bear a lot of bitterness, isolation, and despair, and those veer into the realm of Nurgle in my mind.

 

It could also be cool for there to be daemonic viruses out there that are wholly outside the influence of Nurgle, so maybe that's still what's going on with the Obliterator Virus. But I think there's probably a need within BL itself to clarify the mechanics of this stuff for its own internal consistency, and maybe we're starting to see the fruits of those discussions.

 

also goddamn is Zardu Layak great in this holy cow. I bet model sales of Zardus from FW see a big spike in the next few weeks

[m_r_parker]

I'm really glad people are getting to experience this book without too much spoiling online. Hopefully those waiting for Saturday to pick up a physical copy will get the same experience too.

 

 

also goddamn is Zardu Layak great in this holy cow. I bet model sales of Zardus from FW see a big spike in the next few weeks

 

As much as I loved the Zardu Layak parts, I think this also highlights how far Lorgar has come since Monarcharia. He's no longer the weakest of the Primarchs, or even just the first priest of Chaos, he's actively trying to take charge and lead from the front even if it's at the expense of his brothers. The ending of the novel leaves a big question mark over the Word Bearers going forward to the Siege (similarly the Alpha Legion too) and I'm anxious to see how that plays out.

 

Plus I love how John French puts the differing methods of following the path to Chaos down on paper, and even though each character has their own method of trying to balance things out it all comes to the same conclusion - everyone loses. 

[Fire Golem]

Just finished it, loved it. Definitely one of the best entries in the series.

[b1soul]

@Scribe

 

Let's see...after MoM, we got Crimson King, Ruinstorm, Old Earth, and Wolfsbane

 

Yeah, can't say I disagree

[Marshal Loss]

I was particularly pleased with how French dealt with the Luperci. After Wolfsbane, where Haley just turned them into generic possessed (bleh), Slaves to Darkness gave them their character back. FW will be giving 'generic' possessed rules for 30k sooner rather than later, but I really hope that the Luperci get a unique kit and set of rules, because they're so much fun to read about, well beyond normal possessed.

 

There was a slight retcon with Tormageddon, as well. In Vengeful Spirit, he is described as so:

 

Yet it was Grael Noctua who had experienced the most profound change. Horus saw the twin flames burning within him, one darkly gleaming and malevolent, the other bruised and subjugate.

 

Yet in Slaves to Darkness:

 

Not for the first time Maloghurst wondered at the nature of the daemon he had helped draw into Grael Noctua’s flesh. He had helped create the creature, providing the body in which it could walk the world, but he had not bound it to his will. The Luperci that he had created were creatures of twin souls, mergers of Legion flesh and daemon-thing, hybrids of being. Tormageddon was not that. As far as he could tell, nothing remained of the hosts it had taken. All that remained of Grael Noctua were the traces of his features beneath the daemon’s touch. And the daemon itself… It claimed to be a thing formed from the husk of dead Torgaddon’s soul, a revenant born of the culling of the Legion at Isstvan, from the warp ripples created by that act of betrayal. Was that true? Could that be true? Maloghurst had doubts enough not to trust it, even though Horus had exalted it by placing it in his council. Who did the daemon serve, and to what end?

 

A very interesting (albeit minor) change. It could be explained as a transition, but I am more inclined to interpret it as a retcon. I'm very keen to see what happens with Tormageddon in the final stage of the conflict, and as with his brothers in the Luperci, I fervently hope he receives rules and a model.

 

The most bittersweet moment of the book for me was the death of (major spoiler)

 

Maloghurst. Slaves to Darkness built nicely on what we've seen of him before, and he is very much the driving force behind this (brilliant) novel. I thought it was a good death for him, although I am sad to part with one of my absolute favourite characters.

 

While I thought it was well done, I had really hoped to see this particular character survive to 40k, and somehow play a role in ADB's Black Legion series. Not necessarily a major one, but the dynamic of...

 

Maloghurst, Horus' most loyal servant, in a world without his Primarch,

 

...would have been a very interesting one in the new reality being forged in the wake of the Horus Heresy. How would he have reacted to what Abaddon tries to do? To the death of his legion, and the (actual) death of his Primarch? We'll never know, but it's interesting to contemplate.

 

I have a lot of other thoughts on the SoH in this book, but don't want to post more spoilers, so I'll save that discussion for now.

[mc warhammer]

the name tormageddon makes me think of an old mel brooks film

 

 

i can't shake the image of him abandoning the vengeful spirit at the seige of terra and screaming

 

"i'm tormageddon outta here!"

[nagashnee]

Book was great, a genuinely worthy addition to the HH series ( which has too many weak links), that dealt with a super interesting aspect of the setting. 

 

Only real issues were as others have said numbers, which to be fair GW and BL suck at since day one to present so its not a shock. The traitors are simply losing too much too fast across the board.  Not counting ridiculous level losses like the death guard in the salamander book. They seem spent and broken already, and this is both pre siege and pre scouring. Now if BL had actually looked at the role mortals and the army played in the heresy this would not be as bad, as they could have greater focus on them when they want to bring up numbers/armies, and to the credit of this book it does do this IN SPACE, with a plethora of different vehicles and factions mentioned ( and i loved every single one).

 

The other issue was the Ultramarines, book after book they seem to be everywhere, with enough ships and numbers to just do what they want. Counter attack from ultramar? Sure! Follow the Lion and Sanguinius with a equal size force? Sure! Pop up pretty much anywhere and challenge gloriana class vessels and their support fleets? Why not! This could have been dealt with easily by having one of the fleets be dark angels. Tho at least the boarding team was IX legion.

 

The last third felt a little rushed, with many events and interactions which could have been fleshed out a little being hurried along, but nothing jarring. 

 

 

 

All in all a great, fun and interesting book.

[Lucien Eilam]

I noticed Ekaddon gets his pistol cut in half and his hand blown off in chapter 14. It seems to have grown back by chapter 15. Such is the power of Chaos.

 

The other issue was the Ultramarines, book after book they seem to be everywhere, with enough ships and numbers to just do what they want. Counter attack from ultramar? Sure! Follow the Lion and Sanguinius with a equal size force? Sure! Pop up pretty much anywhere and challenge gloriana class vessels and their support fleets? Why not! This could have been dealt with easily by having one of the fleets be dark angels. Tho at least the boarding team was IX legion.

 

In this book at least, the Loyalist legions were pretty logical. Those were the legions locally present.

 

The Iron Warriors were attempting to delay the Ultramarines, so when Perturabo left that battle he was pursued by an Ultramarines fleet. The Vengeful Spirit had just left Beta-Garmon, where they'd been fighting Imperial Fists and Blood Angels, so they were later engaged by a fleet of Imperial Fists and Blood Angels.

 

A Dark Angels fleet actually would have been "popping up everywhere", because I don't think they were involved in the warzones either primarch was departing.

[nagashnee]

I noticed Ekaddon gets his pistol cut in half and his hand blown off in chapter 14. It seems to have grown back by chapter 15. Such is the power of Chaos.

 

The other issue was the Ultramarines, book after book they seem to be everywhere, with enough ships and numbers to just do what they want. Counter attack from ultramar? Sure! Follow the Lion and Sanguinius with a equal size force? Sure! Pop up pretty much anywhere and challenge gloriana class vessels and their support fleets? Why not! This could have been dealt with easily by having one of the fleets be dark angels. Tho at least the boarding team was IX legion.

 

In this book at least, the Loyalist legions were pretty logical. Those were the legions locally present.

 

The Iron Warriors were attempting to delay the Ultramarines, so when Perturabo left that battle he was pursued by an Ultramarines fleet. The Vengeful Spirit had just left Beta-Garmon, where they'd been fighting Imperial Fists and Blood Angels, so they were later engaged by a fleet of Imperial Fists and Blood Angels.

 

A Dark Angels fleet actually would have been "popping up everywhere", because I don't think they were involved in the warzones either primarch was departing.

Actually the book makes great note that the way Perturabo left COULD not be followed, that it was a insane should not have work but for chaos sorcery. Also followed by who? Did the besieging fleet just drop the siege to do what? Chase a fleet they could not beat the first time around? 

 

To me it was clearly a second fleet. I mean in one of the cases the book even notes that loyalists SHOULD not be this far deep into Horus controlled space. So having it be part of the Lions or Guilimans behind the lines fleets, rather then some insane into the warp follow on from the Ultramar counter attack makes even more sense.

 

As for the Lion, you do know that he is currently in the traitors bases killing their dudes right? With a plot device that means he can go pretty much anywhere at will. He is literally written in such a way atm that he CAN appear anywhere and is actively hunting traitors behind enemy lines. 

 

As for the the blood angel engagement i specifically noted how pleased i was that another legion got some screen time.  And i thought they were boaded when they fell out of the warp onto the loyalists rather then pursued by anyone? The book begins with the slaughter of the titandeath complete, so they should NOT be any loaylists left to pursue anyone, especially in the numbers needed to engage a gloriana lead fleet. 

[ZebraM]

 

I noticed Ekaddon gets his pistol cut in half and his hand blown off in chapter 14. It seems to have grown back by chapter 15. Such is the power of Chaos.

 

The other issue was the Ultramarines, book after book they seem to be everywhere, with enough ships and numbers to just do what they want. Counter attack from ultramar? Sure! Follow the Lion and Sanguinius with a equal size force? Sure! Pop up pretty much anywhere and challenge gloriana class vessels and their support fleets? Why not! This could have been dealt with easily by having one of the fleets be dark angels. Tho at least the boarding team was IX legion.

 

In this book at least, the Loyalist legions were pretty logical. Those were the legions locally present.

 

The Iron Warriors were attempting to delay the Ultramarines, so when Perturabo left that battle he was pursued by an Ultramarines fleet. The Vengeful Spirit had just left Beta-Garmon, where they'd been fighting Imperial Fists and Blood Angels, so they were later engaged by a fleet of Imperial Fists and Blood Angels.

 

A Dark Angels fleet actually would have been "popping up everywhere", because I don't think they were involved in the warzones either primarch was departing.

Actually the book makes great note that the way Perturabo left COULD not be followed, that it was a insane should not have work but for chaos sorcery. Also followed by who? Did the besieging fleet just drop the siege to do what? Chase a fleet they could not beat the first time around? 

 

To me it was clearly a second fleet. I mean in one of the cases the book even notes that loyalists SHOULD not be this far deep into Horus controlled space. So having it be part of the Lions or Guilimans behind the lines fleets, rather then some insane into the warp follow on from the Ultramar counter attack makes even more sense.

 

As for the Lion, you do know that he is currently in the traitors bases killing their dudes right? With a plot device that means he can go pretty much anywhere at will. He is literally written in such a way atm that he CAN appear anywhere and is actively hunting traitors behind enemy lines. 

 

As for the the blood angel engagement i specifically noted how pleased i was that another legion got some screen time.  And i thought they were boaded when they fell out of the warp onto the loyalists rather then pursued by anyone? The book begins with the slaughter of the titandeath complete, so they should NOT be any loaylists left to pursue anyone, especially in the numbers needed to engage a gloriana lead fleet. 

 

The Ultramarines are still roughly double to size of any other legion currently active (I think the Iron Fists might come the close-ish cause they have seen that much fighting yet) so it's not that strange for the Iron Warriors fleet to run into a seperate Ultramarines battlegroup that were pursuing the World Eaters post Shadow Crusade.

[bluntblade]

Plus most Loyalist Legions had a fleet or two (and some Traitors too) out of touch when the Heresy started and only entered the game later.

[Morovir]

I think it's important to note that it's not just the Ultramarines, but the Ultramarines and all of the loyalists that they have gathered together, with examples given in the book being elements of the Shattered Legions, loyalist Mechanicum forces, Rogue Trader fleets and members of exiled Jovian war-clans, if I remember correctly, with Guilliman basically gathering all the forces that he can find as he marches on Terra.

[TheRealMcCagh]

There was a blurb at the end about the traitors sacrificing 10% of their slaves to the Gods, but then later mention only 80,000 were killed. Does this mean there is less than a million slaves total between the six traitor legions at Ullanor?  Doesn't that seem like a minuscule amount of slaves?

[nagashnee]

There was a blurb at the end about the traitors sacrificing 10% of their slaves to the Gods, but then later mention only 80,000 were killed. Does this mean there is less than a million slaves total between the six traitor legions at Ullanor?  Doesn't that seem like a minuscule amount of slaves?

Yes....and no. Most traitors at this point would still be free people, who turned on the emperor, traitors but not slaves. The legions went evil with full crews and support staff, Actual slavery would not be that widespread or needed yet, and i cant see many legions jumping on it .  I see active slavery really booming in the scouring and afterwords, when new recruits, bases and training become scare, with trained crew and bodies for the grinding become unavailable by any other means.

[Biscuittzz]

Well I'm only one chapter into the book and it seems the Vengeful Spirit will need a new bridge crew anyway 

[bluntblade]

I think it's important to note that it's not just the Ultramarines, but the Ultramarines and all of the loyalists that they have gathered together, with examples given in the book being elements of the Shattered Legions, loyalist Mechanicum forces, Rogue Trader fleets and members of exiled Jovian war-clans, if I remember correctly, with Guilliman basically gathering all the forces that he can find as he marches on Terra.

Everyone get hoping that Hibou Khan is somewhere in there. Heck, maybe the "Death Eagles" IIIrd Legion loyalists.

[b1soul]

Ah yes, my boy Hibou should've finished the job with Aximand the traitor

[Marshal Rohr]

John French is an absolute mensch and this book might be his best work yet (and I’m including Crimson Fist here too ;) )

[Kelborn]

What does "mensch" in English mean?

 

It's human in German but I never saw it being used in English...

[Mellow]

According to Leo Rosten, the Yiddish maven and author of The Joys of Yiddish, a "mensch" is "someone to admire and emulate, someone of noble character. The key to being 'a real mensch' is nothing less than character, rectitude, dignity, a sense of what is right, responsible, decorous."[2] The term is used as a high compliment, implying the rarity and value of that individual's qualities.