Review: Ultramarines Marneus Calgar, Cato Sicarius, Victrix Honour Guard & upgrades

In the past, the Ultramarines have often been given somewhat stepmotherly treatment when it comes to model support compared to the other big four chapters. Not anymore. Alongside newly redesigned characters such as Marneus Calgar in Terminator Armour and Cato Sicarius, we’re also taking a look at the brand-new Victrix Honour Guard and the Ultramarines Upgrade Set in this review. Courage, honour, and high-res sprue images!

All the new Ultramarine models will be available for pre-order starting Saturday, 25 October 2025. The pre-order period lasts two weeks, with the official release date set for 8 November 2025.

Marneus Calgar in Armour of Anilochus

Marneus Calgar in Armour of Antilochus marks the fourth incarnation of the Ultramarines’ Chapter Master. After crossing the Rubicon Primaris and donning Gravis armour, his latest model returns to the aesthetic of Calgar’s third version, clad once again in Terminator armour. The small box contains a single sprue, a 50 mm base, and an assembly guide. The RRP is a rather outrageous £34 / 43.50 € / $55.50.

Patreon bonus content: Ultra high-res, uncompressed versions of these sprue images (plus the backsides of the sprues) can be downloaded here.

Calgar himself is a monopose model with no alternative options, not even a helmeted head like in his previous sculpt. The Chapter Master stands atop a scenic base featuring the remains of a Romanesque column and part of an Ultramarines Ultima relief. Visually, I really like the pose, it’s far more natural than the awkwardly raised power fist of the Gravis Calgar. My only gripe is the face: the jawline feels a bit exaggerated and drifts too far into the transhuman look of Space Marine physiology. I preferred the face sculpt of the Gravis version.

But what we really need to talk about is the brash price of this miniature. For some reason, Calgar costs £5 more than the recently released Lysander and Caanok Var, both of whom are also clad in Terminator armour (see my review here). Yet the sprue sizes are identical. The Gravis version of Calgar was only £6 more expensive and included two additional Victrix Guard models. That said, the Marneus Calgar with Victrix Guard kit has now gone out of production and is no longer available from the Warhammer webstore. You’ll only find remaining stock at our independent retail partners.

Plastic Cato Sicarius review & unboxing

The new plastic reinvention of Cato Sicarius also comes on a single small sprue, packed in a small box with a 40 mm base and an assembly guide. The RRP is £29.50 / 38 € / $48, again pricier than Lysander and Caanok Var, and identical to Chapter Master Azrael.

Patreon bonus content: Ultra high-res, uncompressed versions of these sprue images (plus the backsides of the sprues) can be downloaded here.

The details of his artificer armour are heavily inspired by his previous model, now upscaled to Mk X plate. The Victrix helmet he holds in his hand is also a nod to his earlier sculpt. This time, however, he raises his Tempest Blade to the sky while striding down fragments of Macragge-style stairs. The model is monopose, though two bare heads are included: one with a stern expression and one shouting.

Unfortunately, the designers didn’t include an option to build Sicarius wearing his helmet. As the hand holding the helmet is attached to part of the cloak (part 8), changing this is a quite complex conversion. And unlike Calgar, Sicarius’ cloak is made up of several pieces, which can leave visible seams that should ideally be filled.

Ultramarines Victrix Honour Guard review

The Ultramarines Victrix Guard, previously only available in the now out-of-production Marneus Calgar with Victrix Guard box, is being re-released as a standalone unit. The contents are similar to those of the Dark Angels’ Inner Circle Companions or the Blood Angels’ Sanguinary Guard: three models on 40 mm bases, spread across a medium and small size sprue, plus an assembly guide. The RRP is £38.50 / 50€ / $65.

Patreon bonus content: Ultra high-res, uncompressed versions of these sprue images (plus the backsides of the sprues) can be downloaded here.

The kit includes three distinct bodies:

• Model 1 can be built either as a Chapter Champion or a regular Guard. The Champion has an extra set of greaves (parts 14 and 15), an additional chest and waist plate (parts 20 and 16), a right arm with power sword and scabbard (parts 22 and 23), shoulder pad with ornamental cord (parts 19, 17, and 21), two left arms (bent or outstretched, parts 25 and 26) with power sword (part 24), and a helmet with plume (part 18).
• Model 2 can be built either as a Chapter Ancient or a regular Guard. The Ancient has an extra cape (part 35), additional shoulder pads (parts 34 and 36), a right arm with large sculpted banner (parts 37 and 38), an ornamental cord (part 39), an extra bare head with laurels (part 40), the spare left arm from the Champion (part 25 or 26), and a power sword (part 33).
• Model 3 is a regular Guard.

The regular Guards have several interchangeable components:

• 3 arm assemblies consisting of right arm with axe, shoulder pad, cape, and ornamental cord (parts 7 to 10, 43 to 45, and 52 to 53), compatible with all three bodies
• 3 sets of left and right knee and shin guards (parts 4 and 5, 29 and 31, 48 and 50), fitting all three leg sets (plus the additional armour plates for the Champion)
• 6 Aquila helmets in two slightly different designs (3x part 57 and 3x part 8)
• 3 right arms with boltguns (parts 11, 42, 55)
• 3 left shoulder pads (parts 12, 41, 56) (plus 2 extra pads for the Champion and 1 extra pad for the Ancient)

As you’ve probably gathered by my breakdown, the Victrix Honour Guard kit is exceptionally modular and versatile. It’s particularly impressive that the designers managed to make the right arms and capes fit all three bodies seamlessly. There’s very little to criticise. The casting quality is crisp as ever, and the intricate details on the banner are sharp and well defined. Assembly is also straightforward, though where the cloaks drape over the right shoulder pad, a noticeable seam appears due to the two-part design. I would have liked a few more bare heads (though I suppose that’s what the upgrade set is for), and the shields from the previous Victrix Guard models are missing. The included head for the Ancient, however, is wonderfully expressive and looks a little less stocky in person than in the painted ’Eavy Metal version. On the plus side, there are six Aquila helmets included (three more than you need), which is great news for the bitz box.

Ultramarines Upgrade and Transfers unboxed

Last but not least, we have the Ultramarines Upgrade and Transfers Set. Its contents and price point (RRP £23 / 30€ / $35) match the recent upgrade sets released for the Blood Angels, Dark Angels, and Black Templars: two small but different sprues, plus a small A6-sized transfer sheet. By comparison, the previous Primaris Ultramarines Upgrade Set included just a single sprue in the smaller clampack format.

Patreon bonus content: Ultra high-res, uncompressed versions of these sprue images (plus the backsides of the sprues) can be downloaded here.

This upgrade set includes:

Heads:

• 8x Bare heads (which can be used in both Tacticus and Phobos Armour)
• 4x Tacticus helmets

Shoulder Pads:

• 6x Phobos shoulder pads 
• 9x Tacticus shoulder pads 
• 3x Bladeguard Veteran shoulder pads 
• 5x Gravis shoulder pads 
• 3x Aggressor Squad shoulder pads 
• 6x Terminator shoulder pads 

Terminator Alternate Components:

• 1x Helmet
• 1x Bare head
• 1x Terminator armour hood and torso
• 1x Storm bolter barrel
• 1x Tilting plate
• 1x Power sword arm

Weapons and Accessories:

• 1x Combat blade arm
• 1x Sheathed combat blade
• 1x Empty sheath
• 1x Pistol holster
• 1x Set of pouches

Vehicle Icons:

• 6x Ultima symbols 
• 2x Ultima symbols with wings 
• 4x Large Ultima symbols

Transfer Sheet:

• 1x Ultramarines Upgrade Transfer Sheet

In terms of both the quantity and selection of shoulder pads, this is the best Ultramarines upgrade set to date. The included transfer sheet also features some lovely new designs, highlighted with fine details and genuine gold printing.

If I had one gripe, it would be the abundance of rather generic bare heads. I would have preferred more helmets and Ultramarine-themed details such as rosaries and plumes instead. A few of the larger Ultima symbols for vehicles without laurels would have been a nice addition too.

Where to get

You can find the latest GW releases at our 🇬🇧/🇪🇺 partner stores Wayland Games, Element Games, and Firestorm Games, at 🇩🇪 Taschengelddieb and PK-Pro, and at 🇺🇸 Noble Knight Games with a welcome discount of up to 20% over RRP. Using our links helps to support Tale of Painters at no additional cost to you, so thank you very much for using them!

I hope you found this review helpful, feel free to leave a reaction or comment below, or post your questions here or discuss on our Discord channel.