bluntblade Posted March 31, 2019 Share Posted March 31, 2019 When did Alajos say that? All I remember is him reckoning that maybe twenty other warriors in the Legions could take him one on one, with nothing held back. And his talk with Sigismund, when both clearly see one another as a worthy match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkimaskMohawk Posted March 31, 2019 Share Posted March 31, 2019 But...that just proves my point even more. If he only thinks two people can even beat him in his legion, thats even worse. To him, vortigern has no shot at beating him, but we know vortigern can out duel Abe with ease. It's not like he's a blademaster from another legion who might not have a lot of attention like Lucius, xa, sharrowkyn or sanahkt. They're in the same legion, one where bladework is noticed. But back to the core discussion; every character can beat every other character (context permitting). And from what we're hearing, the fight is close; Jubal has a realistic chance of victory. It wasn't like abbadon rolled him in the same manner sevetar did to all the DAs on the invisible reason, thinking "why am I just so much better than this guy" . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluntblade Posted March 31, 2019 Share Posted March 31, 2019 (edited) I think you've forgotten the context of that line. When it's said that Vortigern and Telemachon could best Abaddon with relative ease, that statement is used to make the point that Abaddon, like Khârn, doesn't put anything like the effort in when he spars as he does when lives are at stake. When Abaddon fights for real, it's like when Khârn fights for real. Suddenly he is truly on the level with Sigismund, Sevatar et al. Edited March 31, 2019 by bluntblade Morovir, 1ncarnadine and betrayer41 3 Back to top Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Rohr Posted March 31, 2019 Share Posted March 31, 2019 Gentleman, we know if Abaddon could defeat Sigismund he can defeat anyone ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b1soul Posted March 31, 2019 Share Posted March 31, 2019 Here's the quote from Savage Weapons: Alajos was many things beside his rank of Ninth Captain: a loyal son; a dutiful knight; a gifted tactician; and a warrior with a head for the detailed logistics of planning and organising a crusade force. He was also one of the finest swordsmen in the First Legion, and had once lasted almost a full minute in a spar with his primarch. He suspected the number of Legiones Astartes warriors capable of besting him numbered fewer than twenty across all the Legions. Ezekyle Abaddon of the traitorous Sons was one; Jubal Khan of the Scars another; and Templar Sigismund of the Fists definitely another. As was Sevatar. His name joined the others, coursing through both sides of the Imperial Civil War, cheered by some, cursed by others. . . . In his own Legion, only two knights had managed to beat him in the sparring circles. One was Astelan, absent these past years from the Great Crusade. The other was Corswain, Paladin of the Ninth Order, bearer of the Mantle of the Champion. So it's unclear how Alajos, Astelan, and Corswain rank relative to each other. "Managed to beat" is fairly vague. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manchu warlord Posted March 31, 2019 Share Posted March 31, 2019 Alajos also featured in the Leman Russ: Wolf King novel as a key Dark Angels characters, with high prestige. Such development that builds characters well and praises them for their historical and heroic deeds, as well as pointing out that they are amongst the top 20th best fighters in legiones Astartes. Only to have them die out before we see much action about them... This is WH40k for yer... Hastur Sejanus can be another example of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b1soul Posted March 31, 2019 Share Posted March 31, 2019 I'm wondering whether ...this sets up the re-made Shiban to become the next Master of the Hunt? Still feel they should've kept Jubal around Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkimaskMohawk Posted March 31, 2019 Share Posted March 31, 2019 Alajos also featured in the Leman Russ: Wolf King novel as a key Dark Angels characters, with high prestige. Such development that builds characters well and praises them for their historical and heroic deeds, as well as pointing out that they are amongst the top 20th best fighters in legiones Astartes. Only to have them die out before we see much action about them... This is WH40k for yer... Hastur Sejanus can be another example of this. I agree; I think it's fine to build a character up a bit only to kill them off and make an impact. For alajos, it was to set the stage for sevetar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b1soul Posted March 31, 2019 Share Posted March 31, 2019 Yeah, Alajos died in the same short story in which he was introduced The later flashbacks in Templar and the Leman Russ primarch novella were good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluntblade Posted March 31, 2019 Share Posted March 31, 2019 And for Corswain too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DANNDANN Posted March 31, 2019 Share Posted March 31, 2019 I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere else but it could well have been; has anyone else thought that the unnamed Word Bearers chaplain, that works with Ahriman, might be Sargon Eregesh from the Black Legion series? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mc warhammer Posted March 31, 2019 Share Posted March 31, 2019 Here's the quote from Savage Weapons: Alajos was many things beside his rank of Ninth Captain: a loyal son; a dutiful knight; a gifted tactician; and a warrior with a head for the detailed logistics of planning and organising a crusade force. He was also one of the finest swordsmen in the First Legion, and had once lasted almost a full minute in a spar with his primarch. He suspected the number of Legiones Astartes warriors capable of besting him numbered fewer than twenty across all the Legions. Ezekyle Abaddon of the traitorous Sons was one; Jubal Khan of the Scars another; and Templar Sigismund of the Fists definitely another. As was Sevatar. His name joined the others, coursing through both sides of the Imperial Civil War, cheered by some, cursed by others. . . . In his own Legion, only two knights had managed to beat him in the sparring circles. One was Astelan, absent these past years from the Great Crusade. The other was Corswain, Paladin of the Ninth Order, bearer of the Mantle of the Champion. So it's unclear how Alajos, Astelan, and Corswain rank relative to each other. "Managed to beat" is fairly vague. yeah, just because you beat someone once doesn’t mean you can do it twice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonreaper666 Posted March 31, 2019 Share Posted March 31, 2019 Have we not learnt by now that it’s pretty futile to try and rank the characters by their melee prowess based on what’s written in the books, when power level can be variable to suit what the story needs and other inconsistencies like that? For example, unless I missed him anywhere, Vortigern was first in Black Legion, which was written quite a while after Savage Weapons (that’s where Alajos makes that claim right?) Abaddon is mentioned to be middling in sparring/duels, and I’m pretty sure a similar thing is said of Khârn in Betrayer, but that doesn’t stop them being killing machines in a real fight. Characters power levels are hard to rank when the needs of the story, authors interpretations and the situation of the battle can all have an effect on the battle. Plus, yes, the White Scars had a rough time in the Heresy and lost a lot of their ‘champions’, but then they did spend a large chunk of the Heresy as a hit and run force behind the enemy lines, which isn’t much of a safe environment, and I’m sure most/all of the Legions lost a lot of their command structure and well known marines. It just happens we’ve seen more of that with the scars, or cared more when it happens because of the writing (the three loyalists at Istvaan 5 must have lost many of their leaders and champions, I just don’t particularly care because they’ve not been written like the Scars). Doesn't help that some characters become OP after the Heresy like Abaddon or Khârn. In the current timeline, Abaddon will curbstomp anything weaker than a Primarch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluntblade Posted April 1, 2019 Share Posted April 1, 2019 That's not becoming OP, really. Being Warmaster of Chaos or the favoured of a Chaos God understandably adds some wallop, not to mention millennia of practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izlude Posted April 1, 2019 Author Share Posted April 1, 2019 I also just finished reading it and I echo what many have said. This has to be (IMO) his best book to date and clearly the opener for the Siege. I was hooked from beginning to end. It is so obvious how much background research went into this and how it all tied in so well. Some of the things that stood out for me: 1. Scale: It is hard for me to imagine the shear scale of the void battles, not hundred but thousands of ships. I try to imagine battlefield Gothic on a magnitude of 100000000. I remember a comment that Forrix was even overwhelmed with the logistics of such a battle. I think French did a great job conveying the scale and the feeling everything was on the line. One thing that French did so well IMO is that neither side had the clear upper hand, it was great to see both sides give as good as they got! Even though there was a sense of both sides being able to predict the other's move, there were other events that occurred that neither side predicted. I also appreciate the way French skipped to different POVs and that he was lining up all the actors for the book's finale, it worked very well in the end. I know in Tallarn (to contrast and compare) he kept it narrow to 1-2 POVs which worked well in terms of being stuck in a tank and that sense of dread but in terms of conveying the shear scale of the largest tank battle it didn't work in that way so I am glad he took a different approach for this book. 2. Loken and Mersadie arc: I actually was surprised how much space this took and honestly wondered where it was going in the story. Obviously to avoid spoilers won't say how it ended but I think having this was very fitting given how this was started in book 1 so having this arc and the way it played out in retrospect was very appropriate. It also tied in nicely with the overall events. 3. Warp: One of the highlights for me was how French tied in the warp so well with not only the Emperor but this sense of magnitude that transcends the physical world. The traitors utilized this as a weapon in terms of mobility and attack on multiple fronts which clearly gave them an advantage. I'll add more thoughts later but wanted to get some thoughts out while fresh in my head 1ncarnadine, Manchu warlord, Wulfburk and 2 others 5 Back to top Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gongsun Zan Posted April 7, 2019 Share Posted April 7, 2019 After all the ups and downs of the Horus Heresy, Solar War has brought back that excitement I first felt when I first read Horus Rising. There's so much to take in, but nothing feels rushed or glossed over. The standout at the moment to me is Abaddon, but I'm going to need a second read to gather all my thoughts on this book. 10/10 Flawless execution from John French. Wulfburk, Fire Golem and 1ncarnadine 3 Back to top Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karden00 Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 Can’t bloody wait. When’s this out to all of us plebs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petitioner's City Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 Can’t bloody wait. When’s this out to all of us plebs? The Siege of Terra: Solar War (The Horus Heresy) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1784969265/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_eEVQCbRRQ43YN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelborn Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 Hardback around 1st of May, if I remember correctly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DukeLeto69 Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 Can’t bloody wait. When’s this out to all of us plebs? The Siege of Terra: Solar War (The Horus Heresy) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1784969265/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_eEVQCbRRQ43YN That says paperback but at that price it must be the hardback? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkChaplain Posted April 8, 2019 Share Posted April 8, 2019 Definitely hardback. The paperback is listed separately, at the regular large format trade price, due in late November. Amazon generally has BL titles ~a week after BL/GW themselves release them, and they would not launch the paperback within two or three weeks of the regular hardcover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indefragable Posted April 9, 2019 Share Posted April 9, 2019 Neat tidbits. Thanks for sharing, all. Does at any point it do the generals pushing little plastic icons across maps thing and give us an order of battle for both sides, with who’s playing what position? I am curious to see what “the plan” is on both sides and how it works (or doesn’t) throughout the course of the battle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbienw Posted April 9, 2019 Share Posted April 9, 2019 (edited) Absolutely loved this book, it was both epic and brilliant. The only question i had after reading it was where was the Imperator Somnium (the emperors flagship)? I would have expected it to have gone to terra when the emperor went back after Ullanor, guess it is off somewhere else though. Edited April 9, 2019 by Robbienw Wulfburk 1 Back to top Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huggtand Posted April 9, 2019 Share Posted April 9, 2019 A really good read. I personally would have loved a little more time dedicated to the build up. It felt like we where skimming the different actions to much. For me I would rather spend more time with fewer things then the opposite. The only thing that´s bring me out of it sometimes is the scale thing. The solar system feels a bit cramped in the book, when the distance between anything in reality is ridiculous large. I know that warhammer space battles are a copy of age of sails battles, but it would be really nice if the authors could convey the huge distances and 3D actions also Cant wait for the next one Marshal Rohr 1 Back to top Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aa.logan Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 I took my time with this; a chapter or two a day. I usually try to do that with big exciting books I’ve been looking forward to for ages, and for once managed to restrain myself- not due to a lack of quality, just tiredness from starting a new job. I’m not always the biggest fan of French’s writing, but when he’s good, I think he’s really good. The Solar War is *excellent*. Loads going on, great respect for the previous events in the series and sets everything up nicely for it to continue. The LE is lovely, but has anyone else found the binding towards the end around the colour plates to be a bit loose? Im super careful with my books,so for this to be starting to go already is a bit of a pain... Xisor 1 Back to top Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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