The Age of Darkness Descends on West Allotment — Iron Warriors vs Blood Angels in Horus Heresy 3.0
- Stephen Ramsey
- May 10
- 4 min read
Friday night at West Allotment Wildlings had something for everyone, and one of the most eye-catching games of the evening was a learner game of Warhammer: The Horus Heresy — Age of Darkness 3rd Edition, kindly hosted by our friends at DNL Models. On one side, a stunning Iron Warriors force in traitor silver and hazard stripes. On the other, the noble Blood Angels in their iconic deep red. The result was one of the best-looking games we've had on the tables in a long time.
What Is Horus Heresy: Age of Darkness?
If you've never encountered the Horus Heresy before, here's the short version: it is the definitive civil war of the Warhammer universe. Set ten thousand years before the events of Warhammer 40,000, it tells the story of the moment when the Emperor's greatest general — Horus Lupercal, Warmaster of the Imperium — turned against his father and plunged the galaxy into war. Eighteen Space Marine Legions, each containing hundreds of thousands of superhuman warriors, chose their sides and went to war with one another in a conflict of truly apocalyptic scale.
The game itself — now in its third edition, known as Age of Darkness 3.0 — is a large-scale miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop. The 352-page hardback rulebook covers everything from core rules and advanced principles through to Tactical Statuses, Reactions, Psychic Abilities, Vehicles, and full army building. It is a game of staggering tactical depth, played with some of the most beautifully detailed Space Marine miniatures Games Workshop have ever produced.
The Iron Warriors — Traitor Siege Masters
The Iron Warriors are the IVth Legion of Space Marines, led by the cold and bitter Primarch Perturabo. Where other Legions sought glory on the battlefield, the Iron Warriors were the Emperor's siege specialists — the force that cracked open any fortress, breached any wall, and reduced any stronghold to rubble through sheer methodical firepower and grinding attrition. Their Legion motto says it all: "Iron Within, Iron Without."
When Horus raised the banner of rebellion, the Iron Warriors joined him — not out of love for Chaos, but out of bitter resentment at being endlessly deployed to thankless, grinding sieges while other Legions won glory and praise. At the Drop Site Massacre on Istvaan V, they turned on their brothers. At the Siege of Terra, it was Perturabo himself who commanded the assault on the Imperial Palace, directing the most devastating bombardment in human history. They are cold, relentless, utterly professional, and deeply menacing — and their models look absolutely incredible on the tabletop.
And very well painted they were on Friday. The Iron Warriors force on the table was a genuine showstopper — the kind of army that draws people over from across the room for a closer look. The classic silver armour with hazard-stripe detailing, careful weathering, and that grim, utilitarian Iron Warriors aesthetic brought to life by someone who clearly knows what they're doing. Brilliant work.
The Blood Angels — Angels of Death
Facing them across the table were the Blood Angels — the IXth Legion, led by the angelic Primarch Sanguinius, described even by his brothers as the most noble and beloved of all the Emperor's sons. Where the Iron Warriors are cold and utilitarian, the Blood Angels are passionate, ferocious, and hauntingly beautiful — warriors who paint their armour in deep blood red and march to war with the fury of angels.
The Blood Angels remained loyal throughout the Heresy, and Sanguinius himself fought at the defence of the Eternity Gate during the Siege of Terra — one of the most heroic last stands in the entire Warhammer lore. He knew his own death was coming, his psychic foresight having shown him the moment Horus would end his life, and he marched to it anyway. It is one of the most tragic and powerful stories in the entire Warhammer universe. On the table, in their deep crimson armour, the Blood Angels are a stunning sight.
A Learner Game Hosted by DNL Models
Friday's game was run as a learner game — a friendly introduction to the Age of Darkness rules for anyone curious about getting into Heresy. It was kindly hosted by the team at DNL Models, our local independent hobby store and great supporters of the West Allotment Wildlings community. If you haven't visited them yet, DNL Models are based in Byker, Newcastle, and stock a fantastic range of wargames, miniatures, and hobby supplies — well worth a visit. You can find them online at www.dnlmodels.co.uk.
Learner games are a brilliant way to get into Heresy — a game that can look daunting on the shelf but is genuinely very accessible once someone walks you through the core principles. Friday's session was exactly that: relaxed, friendly, and a great chance to get a feel for the rules, the forces, and the sheer spectacle of Space Marine Legions clashing on the tabletop.
📌 Demo Night — 22nd May at West Allotment Wildlings
If Friday's game has piqued your interest, here's some brilliant news: DNL Models will be running a dedicated Horus Heresy demo night at West Allotment Wildlings on Thursday 22nd May. This is your chance to get hands-on with the game in a relaxed, no-pressure environment, with guidance from people who know the rules inside out.
Whether you're a complete newcomer to Heresy, a 40K player thinking about crossing into 30K, or just someone who wants to push some of the most spectacular Space Marine models ever made across a tabletop — this demo night is for you. Come along, pick up some dice, and find out what all the fuss is about. We'll see you there.
A big thank you to DNL Models for bringing this along and hosting such a great learner game. The Horus Heresy is one of the most immersive and lore-rich wargames out there, and events like this are exactly how a new community of Heresy players gets started. Don't miss it — 22nd May at West Allotment Wildlings. Visit dnlmodels.co.uk to find out more about DNL Models.
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