Series 2 Space Marine Heroes are available at my friendly local game shop, so let's take a look at a blind box from the new set and compare it to one of the Series 1 offerings!

Series 1 was made in blue plastic, and the artwork depicts them as members of the Ultramarines Chapter. No, they weren't named for their color scheme, because that would be too silly for the grimdark sci-fi 40K universe, and the name came before Matt Ward made them the Mary Sue faction of ultra-exceptional super-marines. It's because they are headquartered in the Ultramar sector. The new Series 2 set is made from red plastic and the art has a Blood Angels theme instead. However, neither set has any raised chapter badges molded in, so buyers can paint these models however they see fit.

Inside each box is a plastic frame, instructions specific to the included model, and a card for their simple Space Marine Heroes Battle Game.

The Series 2 box is bigger, and the price tag unsurprisingly slightly higher, because these new models are Terminators. No, not like from the classic Arnold Schwarzenegger movies. Terminator armor, AKA Tactical Dreadnought Armor, is a more advanced form of Space Marine power armor that allows its wearer to bear heavier weapons and sustain for greater damage at the expense of some speed and mobility. This particular model is equipped with a storm bolter and a power fist, making him a bog-standard Termie. However, he looks very cool, and in Kill Team, this is one of the loadouts I want if I add Elites to a Space Marine team.

The molds are clearly well designed, and mold lines are nearly nonexistent. The connections between parts and frame are very thin, and can be easily broken by hand without harming the model, but I recommend using flush cut clippers and cleaning up the plastic surface with a file or emory board for the best results. There was also an odd contour to the right shoulder pad that I filed down, and I suspect it was a necessary design compromise for the mold process.

Fit is generally superb, and I recommend dry-fitting the assembly. Glue what isn't solid, and leave whatever stays put on its own. I added glue to the foot pegs to connect them to the base only to find the fit was too snug, and it jammed before aligning properly thanks to the glue setting. I had to trim and file to make it fit right. I glued the head in place to help connect the front and back halves of the marine body, amd I left off the arm assemblies until after I start painting.

Poctured below is a side-by-side lineup of both new heroes and a leftover snap-fit old-style Space Marine. Those from the 5th Edition Assault on Black Reach starter set have the Ultramarines chapter symbol and squad mark molded into their shoulder pads, while those from a small snap-fit squad box have no markings.

The red terminator is properly imposing in stature. The blue standard space marine is also posed dynamically. Both stand on detailed sculpted bases depicting battlefield terrain in detail. The old marine looks squat and slightly silly in comparison, and he uses an old slottabase for his design, although the tab could be clipped off for an aftermarket scenic base. If space marines are bought in a normal multi-part squad box nowadays, they are better posed and don't use slottabases, but this guy was the best for a snap-fit comparison. The heroes are scaled slightly bigger, and have far better proportions to my eye.

Due to my health and the outdoor humidity, priming and painting will have to wait. However, there are plenty of better painting tutorials out there anyway, including at the official Space Marine Heroes site.

The Emperor Protects.