Coming in hot for the New Year, the Skitarii Battle Group begins the 2026 Heresy release cycle. Our thanks to Games Workshop for sending us a preview copy to review.
Skitarii Battle Group - Credit: Games Workshop
For many years, the Heresy Community has wondered when we will get a proper Skitarii unit. They are in the books (heavily) and are everywhere in the 41st Millenium but likely for a variety of reasons, we never got a playable unit. Sure, Secutarii exist and some Militia rules let players use the models found in 40k, but finally, we have our own and I’m a big fan.
Even better, the Vultarax has crossed to the land of plastic which I am absolutely excited to finally get my hands on one (or maybe more in the future). One of my favorite models in the Heresy, I can’t wait to throw Status Effect after Status Effect at my opponents.
Vultarax Stratos-Automata. Credit: Pendulin
A rules write up on these models and the related Journal, The Skitarii Conclaves can be found here.
The Models
Skitarii Battle-Pilgryms
If anyone has worked through the trials and tribulations of building Tech Thralls, I’m thrilled to share that these are a breeze. Similar in parts to a Space Marine, you have 3-4 pieces that combine to make the primary body of the infantry followed by 2 arms that slot cleanly into place, from there the weapons slide right in.
Skitarii Battle-Pilgrym Sprue - Credit: realSnice
Like most modern Games Workshop plastics, I recommend building the entire set a pose at a time and with 4 “poses” you can roleplay a Manufactorum assemblyline each set of 4 models to make the 16 model squad. You can reasonably knock out the entire unit in an evening (or between conference calls for those who work from home). But you have to be careful in how to glue the robes together or you can get some nasty creases in where the pieces meet. Sprue glue or very thin plastic glue is your friend here.
My only true complaint though is that posing is limited with each “pose” being locked into a single option. While obvious, I also love a little bit more freedom in how I build my models. DO NOT clip out all the parts from the sprue in advance or you will be in for a frustrating evening, spending more time figuring out which part goes with which than actually building them.
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Similarly, options are limited but come in the form of the heads where you have two styles - spikey helms or human-ish heads with a variety of minor differences between them. There are also some grenades that you can glue to their waist. Every Skitarii wields a Voltlock Arquebus but you can make a Skitarii Ordinator (Sergeant) that has a Voltlock Handgun and Power Sword. Ultimately, you can make a single unit of 16 or two units of 8.
Battle-Pilgrym Marshal
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The Battle-Pilgrym Marshal follows a similar format to the regular Skitarii but has a variety of wargear options. You can choose a Auctorit Sceptre, a Corposant Stave, or Phase Claw as a melee weapon alongside a Voltlock Handgun (photographed) or Archaeotech Pistol. The kit permits any combination of weapons possible so long as you choose one pistol and one melee weapon. On a single sprue, this kit reminds me of the 40k character blisters and I wonder if we will start to see these on the shelf in a similar style of packaging.
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Vultarax
realSnice: Logically, the Vultarax is the most complicated kit in the box and takes a full evening or two to complete (or at least that’s what it took me). Despite the complexity, the kit builds easily and all the parts slide right together. I’m never a fan of GW’s flying bases so I’m waiting on some third party options to get here before I finish this one (I apologize in advance for an incomplete paint job but will again update the article when this is done).
Vultarax WIP UPDATE COMING - Credit: realSnice
You have a couple different tentacle tip options and the missile pods detach or could be glued in a variety of positions. The one thing to keep in mind is that when building, make sure you are conscious of how you position the turbines so that the model looks right. Beyond that, this kit is extremely straight forward.
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Pendulin: I'll normally be the first one to dunk on flight stands, but it actually works pretty well on this model. It has a nice, ball-and-socket-with-peg design that lets you pose it on the flight stand to a pretty significant degree.
And as mentioned, the kit is moderately complex, but it's legitimately pretty fun to build. I'm all about painting though, and for that, this model absolutely delivers.
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Vultarax Stratos-Automata. Credit: Pendulin
Nice curved panels that give you plenty of room for weathering, good spindly bits underneath for washes, pronounced rivets for easy highlights - all the details you could want in a Mechanicum model.
The only frustrating part I hit was on the two turbines: the four walls look interchangeable at first glance, but they absolutely aren't. Even if you are paying close attention, it's easy to mix them up, which will result in a some annoying filing and cutting to get things to fit. It's not the worst, and the top of the turbine will cover any uglier parts, but it's something to look out for.
Show Your Colours
realSnice: Like my past Mechancium articles I’m leaning on Medder’s great -aROs">Mechanicum speedpainting video. I largely followed the recommended colors with an inclusion of more desaturated violets into the mix and a couple washes to help leaning into a Dark Mechanicum style. I also swapped out a few Army Painter (AP) metallics for ProAcryl. Below is what I ended up using if you wanted to try something similar:
- Greens:
- Basecoat of (AP) Evergreen Fog
- Highlight (AP) Forest Faun
- Edge Highlight (kinda, its not a constant one as mentioned in Medder’s video) (AP) Mossy Green
- Green Cloak (AP) Blighted Green
- Desaturated Violets:
- (AP) Blanched Berry
- (AP) Moldy Wine Highlight
- Washes:
- Entire model is washed with (AP) Grim Dark Shadow
- Metals:
- (ProAcryl) Dark Copper
- (ProAcryl) Dark Silver
- (AP) Mithril
- Effects:
- (AP) Radiation Glow
- (AP) Data System Glow
- Basing
- (AK) Dark Earth Diorama
- Krautcover Kodama Woods and a.tale.of.grimdark flock mixed. 66/33%
- Base Rim - Monument Hobbies Satin Black
Pendulin: I'm a simple man, so I only used eight paints for this whole thing.
Vultarax Stratos-Automata. Credit: Pendulin
- Prime black, then airbrush Vallejo Metal Color Duraluminum
- Armor panels
- Vallejo Game Color Charred Brown: Paint a couple thing coats
- Vallejo Game Color Nocturnal Red: Stipple on with like 90% coverage
- Vallejo Game Color Scarlet Red: Stipple on with about 50% coverage
- Vallejo Game Color Bloody Red: Stipple on and cover about 30%
- Brass details: Scale75 Victornian Brass
- All the metalics: Wash with Nuln Oil, then Agrax Earthshade
- Go back and highlight details with Duraluminum, or drybrush with a silvery metalic of your choice!
End of Line
This box has really brought back motivation to my Xana-aligned Dark Mech. I’m thrilled to see Skitarii make it properly into the Horus Heresy and think these will become a mainstay unit for many players. I love having the Vultarax in person and overall this seems like a no brainer box set for any Mechanicum player or those with interest in a small allied detachment.
Battle-Pilgrym Bros - Credit: realSnice
I do wish there was a bit more room for conversion and customization but I have no doubt that the community will whip together some great conversions with these kits. The “human-ish” heads from the Skitarii seem lovely for some Iron Hands/Iron Warriors or Tech-Marines and I have no doubt that we will start to see them used as such (I certainly will be).
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