The first audio drama in the Horus Heresy Primarchs series, Robbie MacNiven’s Perturabo: Stone and Iron sees the Hammer of Olympia leading the inexperienced 33rd Grand Battalion of the Iron Warriors into battle. Fighting against greenskins in support of their Imperial Fists cousins, the Iron Warriors are under close scrutiny by their primarch even as they follow his orders. Though his officers seem leery of the VIIth Legion’s efforts, Perturabo sees an opportunity to impart an important lesson to his sons using the Fists as his example.
It’s 21 minutes filled largely with cold indifference or sneering condescension from Perturabo (voiced with aplomb by Andrew Wincott), and an apt reminder (as if we needed it) of his character. If this was your first introduction to him, you’d have a pretty good idea of who he is and how he operates. Putting aside Perturabo’s natural unlikeability, it’s interesting to see the way he sees the Imperial Fists, how – before the bitterness has entirely sunk in – he still retains some respect for them…of a sort. It’s a story that works well in audio, even if it doesn’t absolutely make the most of the format, but it’s worth it just to hear Perturabo’s sneer. The git.