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The Horus Heresy #Short Story
Rules of Engagement
A Horus Heresy short story
As the Horus Heresy reaches Ultramar, Captain Ventanus of the Ultramarines must test his primarch's tactical genius against the most terrible of foes: other Space Marines.
READ IT BECAUSE
The first glimmerings of the Codex Astartes take shape as the Ultramarines begin to practice tactics that can be adapted to fit any foe. And Guilliman puts pen to paper and writes two words that will change the shape of the Heresy...
THE STORY
Roboute Guilliman has put the finishing touches to his great work - the Codex Astartes. This tome will show his Ultramarines how to deal with any tactical situation, no matter the foe. But as the Horus Heresy reaches Ultramar, Captain Ventanus of the Troublesome Fourth must test the strictures of the Codex Astartes against the one foe that the primarch never expected: other Space Marines.
A short story from the Age of Darkness anthology.
As the Horus Heresy reaches Ultramar, Captain Ventanus of the Ultramarines must test his primarch's tactical genius against the most terrible of foes: other Space Marines.
READ IT BECAUSE
The first glimmerings of the Codex Astartes take shape as the Ultramarines begin to practice tactics that can be adapted to fit any foe. And Guilliman puts pen to paper and writes two words that will change the shape of the Heresy...
THE STORY
Roboute Guilliman has put the finishing touches to his great work - the Codex Astartes. This tome will show his Ultramarines how to deal with any tactical situation, no matter the foe. But as the Horus Heresy reaches Ultramar, Captain Ventanus of the Troublesome Fourth must test the strictures of the Codex Astartes against the one foe that the primarch never expected: other Space Marines.
A short story from the Age of Darkness anthology.
ebook
First published May 1, 2011
About the author
Graham McNeill
323 books957 followersHailing from Scotland, Graham McNeill narrowly escaped a career in surveying to work for Games Workshop as a games designer. He has a strong following with his novels Nightbringer, Warriors of Ultramar, Dead Sky, Black Sun and Storm of Iron.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 5, 2024
April 2024 Re-Read using the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project Reading Order Omnibus XIII Imperium Secondus I Hope's Kindling (https://www.heresyomnibus.com/omnibus...) as part of my Oath of Moment to complete the Horus series and extras.
Not quite the start to a new omnibus I was hoping for, but this is a decent enough shirt story.
Roboute Guilliman pens his Magnum Opus and has his Legion put it through its paces, while indulging in some unbelievably intense LARPing.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, the military and tactics stories just aren't my favourite, but the foundational quality of McNeill's writing really had me intrigued for a while there. However, it's simply unpleasant and pointless to be in the head of an Ultramarine being shitty and racist towards his enemy/ allies as a way of the author trying to fake out the action is actually real. It's just unnecessary and made a pretty fine, I guess, story with great prose feel like a waste of my time.
Not my cup of tea.
Through using the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project (www.heresyomnibus.com) and my own choices, I have currently read 22.41 Horus Heresy novels, 13 novellas, 71 short stories/ audio dramas (including at least 3 repeats), as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, 13 Primarchs novels, 4 Primarchs short stories/ audio dramas, and 2 Warhammer 40K further reading novels...this run. I can't say enough good about the way the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project suggestions. I'm loving it! Especially after originally reading to the releases and being so frustrated at having to wait so long for a narrative to continue.
Not quite the start to a new omnibus I was hoping for, but this is a decent enough shirt story.
Roboute Guilliman pens his Magnum Opus and has his Legion put it through its paces, while indulging in some unbelievably intense LARPing.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, the military and tactics stories just aren't my favourite, but the foundational quality of McNeill's writing really had me intrigued for a while there. However, it's simply unpleasant and pointless to be in the head of an Ultramarine being shitty and racist towards his enemy/ allies as a way of the author trying to fake out the action is actually real. It's just unnecessary and made a pretty fine, I guess, story with great prose feel like a waste of my time.
Not my cup of tea.
Through using the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project (www.heresyomnibus.com) and my own choices, I have currently read 22.41 Horus Heresy novels, 13 novellas, 71 short stories/ audio dramas (including at least 3 repeats), as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, 13 Primarchs novels, 4 Primarchs short stories/ audio dramas, and 2 Warhammer 40K further reading novels...this run. I can't say enough good about the way the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project suggestions. I'm loving it! Especially after originally reading to the releases and being so frustrated at having to wait so long for a narrative to continue.
July 30, 2026
This book is indeed little of a value for overall HH, however if you chose to read about Ultramarines that would patch some gaps for sure
April 18, 2022
A good insight into the character of the Ultramarines and how they differ from some of the other legions. Not essential reading for the HH series.
December 7, 2025
Not the biggest fan of this one. While this one plays a role in giving some perspective into what will become the Codex Astartes, this one was a little confusing of a read and the twist wasn't really worth it.
What you as the reader thinks may be a quick series of vignettes of major battles within the Heresy turns out to be a very emphatic training exercise of hypothetical war scenarios for the Ultramarines. The final lines between Remus and Guilliman are impactful, but otherwise this one feels inconsequential and not interesting enough to recommend outside of having the desire of the "read everything from HH" approach I'm taking.
What you as the reader thinks may be a quick series of vignettes of major battles within the Heresy turns out to be a very emphatic training exercise of hypothetical war scenarios for the Ultramarines. The final lines between Remus and Guilliman are impactful, but otherwise this one feels inconsequential and not interesting enough to recommend outside of having the desire of the "read everything from HH" approach I'm taking.
September 11, 2023
Dažādajiem Horusa atbalstošajiem leģioniem ar pārsteiguma elementa palīdzību ir izdevies gūt neskaitāmas uzvaras, brutālas un nežēlīgas Imperatora lojālistu sakāves, bet pēc vairākiem stāstiem no ‘’slikto’’ tēlu nometnes, rodas jautājums, vai nesaskaņas un neuzticība pašu rindās nenovedīs uzurpatora Horusa centienus pie nozīmīgākās sakāves.
https://poseidons99.wordpress.com/202...
https://poseidons99.wordpress.com/202...
June 5, 2022
Essentially this is just a series of combats with an explanation at the end. The combat sections were relatively well written but the main interest is in those last few pages. One of the weaker entries in the Age of Darkness anthology.
May 8, 2022
Kinda meaningless and weightless, but not offensively so.
July 22, 2022
Action packed short story - the end has an unexpectedly nice twist.
December 12, 2024
A nice little tale that gives insight to the Ultramarines. Nothing emotional or profound to be felt in this one. As average as it gets.
January 19, 2025
Some cool talking scenes with Rouboute guilliman but not much else had me entertained.
Collected in age of darkness anthology.
Collected in age of darkness anthology.
May 27, 2025
Confusing until the end and then even still confusing. Nice to see the beginnings of the Codex Astartes though.
September 1, 2025
Just like the simulations!!!
August 9, 2025
The Codex Astartes is put to the test. Primarch Roboute Guilliman seeks to craft the perfect text on warfare, but will it carry his sons to victory?
A fun little story especially for those with a good knowledge of the 40k Era.
A fun little story especially for those with a good knowledge of the 40k Era.
March 21, 2016
The story is broken up into a series of engagements, all of which focus around the Ultramarines putting the Codex Astartes into place. It is an interesting short, and is probably the best I have read of the Ultramarines thus far in the Heresy. The short's last battle is against the Sons of Horus, and there is no doubting the Sons of Horus' ability as the best warriors of the crusade. The battle ends and so the training is finished. Rowboat talks to Remus about how the Codex Astartes is a useful tool, but is not to be used to dictate every battle scenario. They must also use their own thoughts and do what they think is right. Which is NOT how things go in the 41st Millennium!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews