New Solar Auxilia Box Set Revealed for Horus Heresy

If you’re a longtime Warhammer 40K fan and well versed in the dense lore of the Horus Hersey, chances are you’ve heard of the Solar Auxilia before. And if you’re new to their ranks, now’s the perfect time to discover these elite soldiers, who formed the backbone of humanity’s defenses during the early days of the Imperium of Man in the 31st century.

These once forgotten warriors have been called back into action in the form of the new Solar Auxilia Battle Group, a box set expansion for Horus Hersey that was recently announced by Games Workshop at the annual Las Vegas Open gaming convention.

So just what can fans expect from the return of these loyal sons of Terra? Below we break out all the details.

What’s included in the new Solar Auxilia Battle Group box set?

This latest expansion for The Horus Hersey features a solid mix of infantry, armor and mobile scouts. It’s a fantastic option if you’re thinking of starting a new Solar Auxilia army and some of these units could also be ported over to an existing Warhammer 40K Imperial Guard army.

• 20 Solar Auxilia lasrifles Troopers: These can be broken out into two squads or combined into a single unit if you prefer larger formations. Their durable Void Armor also adds a surprising amount of resilience considering they aren’t genetically augmented like Space Marines.
• 1 Auxilia Troop Master: The head of the Line Command Section, this master of war is adept at strategy and tactics and is essential for maintaining control of the battlefield.
• 4 Solar Auxilia Veterans: Backing up the Line Command Section are these elite veterans, who handle communications, provide added security for the Troop Master and, of course, wield the sacred banners of the 31st century’s Imperial Army.
• 10 Veletaris Storm Section troopers: The elite troopers have training and equipment beyond the standard Cohorts of the Solar Auxilia. They deploy with powerful Volkite Caliver thermal ray weapons and wield vicious Storm Axes for use in melee combat.

• 1 Dracosan Armored Transport: This vehicle can carry 20 troopers in its heavily armoured hold. Its standard weaponry includes a double-barreled gravis lascannon, but it can also give up half of its transport capacity to mount a devastating demolisher cannon. It also includes your choice of support weapon, with a heavy flamer, heavy stubber, or multi-laser with hunter-killer missiles.
• 1 Aethon Heavy Sentinel: First seen in the Legions Imperialis box set, this reconnaissance vehicle features solid armor plating and a heavy rocket system. Its standard central mount weapon is a multi-laser, but this can be swapped for other guns including autocannons, heavy incinerators and volkite culverins (for use against infantry) or lascannons and melta-lances (for use against vehicles).
• 1 Leman Russ Battle Tank: A familiar sight to Warhammer 40K fans, this old school Leman Russ battle tank features a unique design to the Horus Heresy and you choice of four different turret weapons: a battle cannon, a vanquisher cannon, a gravis lascannon or a gravis autocannon. You can also customize the model to become a Leman Russ Assault Tank, which features your choice of demolisher cannon, volkite macro-saker or executioner plasma cannon.
• 1 Malcador Tank: This heavy vehicle boasts a surprising speed given its size, but also comes equipped with twin-linked lascannons, searchlight and smoke launchers for added strategic versatility on the battlefield.

Notably rules for all of these vehicles and infantry units are included in the Liber Imperium: Forces of the Emperor Army Book, with the exception of the Aethon Heavy Sentinel, which will have new rules released from Games Workshop before the Solar Auxilia Battle Group set’s launch.

Who are the Solar Auxilia?

The Solar Auxilia were among the most elite, disciplined and well-equipped forces of the Imperium of Man during the late 30th and early 31st Millennia, and formed the backbone of the early Imperial Army.

Known for their exceptional military prowess, they were considered second only to the genetically and technologically augmented Space Marines. The Solar Auxilia’s uniqueness lay in their ability to adapt to different environments and battlefields, and the strong military culture which they replicated across hundreds of worlds and legions (something which continues into the 41st millennium among the ranks of the Imperial Guard).

During the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy, the Solar Auxilia formed the backbone of the Imperium’s forces and, as humanity’s forces expanded throughout the galaxy, were essential in protecting the fledgling Empire against both external and internal threats.

When is the Solar Auxilia Battle Group Box Set Coming Out?

Currently there is no official release date, although the set is expected to come out sometime in the spring of 2024. It’s possible this date may get moved out as recent manufacturing issues have lead to Games Workshop to begin plans for a new Warhammer Factory and to retool their IT infrastructure in the wake of ecommerce slowdowns on their website and accusations of scalpers taking advantage of their queue system.

The Solar Auxilia Battle Group box set expected to be a limited release, so once it’s gone it likely won’t be available anytime again in the future. The product will, however, be available online and in-store both from GW and third-party retailers, so you’ll probably want to get yours as soon as possible once the official release date has been announced.

How much is the new Solar Auxilia Battle Grop Box Set?

While the exact price has not yet been confirmed, if it’s anything like past products for the Horus Hersey (such as the Age of Darkness box set), we’ll likely be looking at an MSRP of around $310 USD (£245.00) if you order it directly from GW – although this has not been officially confirmed.

Third-party retailers, however, typically knock 15 to 20% off GW’s standard price, so you can likely expect to pay less if you are able to get your hands on it from your local hobby store or other online retailer.

Final Thoughts

It’s great to see the Solar Auxilia getting their moment in the sun, and this box set looks like a fantastic option if you’re looking to build out a new Imperial army or augment an existing Horus Hersey force. Notably, the vehicles included (particularly the Leman Russ) could also easily be ported over to an existing Imperial Guard Warhammer 40K Army, offering a bit more bang for your buck.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on this new box set in the days ahead and provide more information as it’s available. In the meantime, you can learn more about the Solar Auxilia Battle Group on the Games Workshop website. Below is also a reveal video, which shows the new models in action.

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