Guardsman, or Militarumen as they are probably now known, have never really interested me inWarhammer 40,000. The footsoldiers themselves might be the closest thing to ‘good guys’Games Workshop’suniverse has. They’re human, which makes them relatable. They’re conscripted, which gives them a level of innocence. Their commanders are terrible people, but the average Joe on the ground? They’re just trying their best to avoid getting eaten by giant bugs or murdered by their own officers.
I’ve always thought of theAstra Militarumas the army for historical wargamers who want to buy into a big brand wargame. Cadians just look like modern day soldiers, Catachans have that Vietnam/Predator vibe, and Death Korps of Krieg take design inspiration from all manner of World War 1 uniforms. The only Militarum force that caught my attention was the Vostroyan Firstborns, likely thanks to their resemblance to Russian Cossacks.
Anyone who’s read myexplanation of localisationwill understand my affinity for Russian literature and culture.
The latest Militarum force to get the 32mm treatment is the Solar Auxilia. More proto-Guard than a regiment like Cadians or Catachans, the Solar Auxilia existed 10,000 years ago, during the time of the Horus Heresy. But here begins 40K’s strangest lore brainwave: the 31st millennium was the Age of Technology, the golden era for the Emperor’s armies. As such, forces then should look more futuristic than their ‘modern’ counterparts, which have been worn down and held back by ten thousand years of war.
But that’s not often the case. Take Mark 3 armour, for example, which looks archaic compared to the Mark 8 or 9 of 41st millennium Space Marines. The same goes for the Solar Auxilia. The models look cool, don’t get me wrong, but they’re clearly intended to look older, as if the modern Militarum units evolved from them. In thereality of 40K lore, modern forces should be looking to emulate them.
Narrative dissonance aside, the Solar Auxilia Battle Group is a great box of miniatures. You receive 20 Auxilia, who can be formed into one large or two smaller Rifle Sections, an Auxilia Troop Master with four veterans who form a Command Section, an Aethon pattern Heavy Sentinel, a Dracosan Armoured Transport, and a Leman Russ. It’s a lot of bang for your buck, and a good tasting menu for the range.
The box isn’t very useful if you want to make a working army, as in both 30K and 40K, most players would want to min-max, either going for a horde of troops or an armoured platoon of tanks.
As someone who doesn’t want to play Militarum in either system, I’m looking at this box for conversion parts. My only other pseudo-Militarum force wasconverted into a guard of honour for my knightly house, combined with plenty ofCities of Sigmarbits from theAge of Sigmarrange.
My eyes are immediately drawn to the Command Squad. Their pennant is almost Roman in style, like an Imperial Vexilla, and the bodies come with moulded details of Aquilas and laurels. The old school lasguns might fit myDark Mechanicus Skitarii, and the extra gubbins like scanners and vox units are the perfect upgrade to any unit.
The highlight for me is the armoured Sentinel. you may almost feel its big, bulky frame belching smoke, leaking oil, and creating reverberations on the battlefield with every thunderous footfall. I don’t know if I’ll use it for some messed-up Mechanicus creation or as a part of my knightly house – olde timey Armigers, anyone? – but it’ll definitely get used somewhere.
Perhaps I’m the wrong audience for Solar Auxilia, and I’m sure many people are excited to get their hands on the models in plastic for the first time. The kits are clearly made up of interesting pieces, bits I want to spread across all my armies, but the finished article doesn’t ignite anything within me. That’s alright. Not everything has to be for everyone. I’m just crossing my fingers Games Workshop looks at Vostroyans next.
Games Workshop provided the models featured in this article.
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