Raptors Land Raider MkIIb

The Land Raider MkIIb is probably my favourite Land Raider variant. I do have one of them in my collection. I knew that if I was going to get a Land Raider it would have to be the Forgeworld MkIIB Land Raider. I did get one in the end at GamesDay 2006. Sadly it was retired from the range.

This Raptors Land Raider MkIIb was on display at Warhammer World in April 2026.

Raptors Land Raider MkIIb

The Mark IIb Land Raider Phobos is one of the earliest marks of the standard pattern of Land Raider, and it still bears similarities to both the Land Raider Proteus and the Spartan Assault Tank that served as the models for the design. The Mark IIb Land Raider Phobos is the only pattern of the standard Land Raider Phobos that uses the older armoured sponsons, as they do not allow the weapons they hold to fully rotate. This pattern of Land Raider is mostly extinct within Space Marine Armouries, having been replaced with newer marks and patterns of the standard Land Raider Phobos. However, some Chapters may still possess one or two as treasured relics of their ancient past.

Go to the MkIIb Land Raider Miniatures Gallery.

I wrote up some reflections on my MkIIB Land Raider, on the current state of the painting and what I needed to do next. In the end I went down a different route.

Constructing the Tallarn Deathstrike

On a recent visit to Warhammer World I picked up a Deathstrike kit. This is an online only model.

This Deathstrike is based on the Chimera APC hull and can either be built as a Deathstrike platform or as a Manticore multiple rocket platform. This was originally released back in 2010 and unlike many other vehicles that were based on Epic models, a version was never released by Forge World. The Epic version does have a much bigger missile, however that always looked like a strategic missile, rather than a battlefield tactical missile.

My plan is to paint this as a Tallarn Deathstrike to go with my Tallarn infantry.

The kit comes with two sprues, one for the hull and one with the specific components to convert the base Chimera chassis for the Deathstrike and the Deathstrike missile as well. As this kit can be built as a Manticore, there are additional components for that version as well.

The kit went together very easily. Though looking at the photographs I realised I left off the front hatch.

I left off the tracks to paint them separately, the same went for the missile. In theory the firing platform can be raised, but I am not sure if that will survive the painting process.

Troll Hag at Warhammer World.

This beautifully painted hideous Troll Hag was on display at Warhammer World.

Troll Hag at Warhammer World.

Troll Hags are loathsome creatures, far larger and more dangerous than their kin. The sight of one shambling from the water in pursuit of prey, their massive bulk glistening with pungent swamp slime, is truly terrifying.

I nearly bought this model on my recent visit to Warhammer World.

Plastic Somua S35

On the cover of Wargames Illustrated this month was a free plastic sprue from Battlefront, either a British Light Tank or a French Somua S35. On my magazine was the Somua S35.

This Somua S35 was on display at the Bovington Tank Museum.

I will probably try to recreate this camouflage pattern.

The Somua S35 was a French cavalry tank of the Second World War. Built from 1936 until 1940 to equip the armoured divisions of the Cavalry, it was for its time a relatively agile medium-weight tank, superior in armour and armament to its French and foreign competitors, such as the contemporary versions of the German Panzer III medium tank.

This is a nice little kit and it went together really easily.

The next step was a base coat of Wraithbone.

I took a photograph of the Char 2C next to the Somua S35 medium tank. The Char 2C was a huge tank in comparison.

Undercoating the French Char 2C

The Char 2C was developed during the Great War, but did not enter operational service until after the war. It was a heavy tank landship designed for the trenches of the First World War.

Battlefront announced that they were releasing models of the Char 2C. They were delayed for a while. However, in the end I pre-ordered a box, who wouldn’t.

You get three models in the box, these are resin kits with metal parts. After constructing the models, the next stage was undercoating the models.

After giving the models a white undercoat, I then gave them a base coat of Wraithbone Spray.

I think this might be lighter than I thought it would be. However I am planning to use a wash on the models. I am attempting to recreate this paint scheme.

The Char 2C is quite a big tank and I took a photograph of the Char 2C next to a Somua S35 medium tank.

The next stage will be the green camouflage pattern.

The Bretonnian Joust

I have always liked this jousting diorama, The Bretonnian Joust, by Dave Andrews which won the Open Competition in the 1996 Golden Demon awards. The level of detail is outstanding. There are hoof marks in the ground, created using clay. The manuscript on the back is handwritten.

Across the diorama are lots of figures adding to the story. The pavilion is made from foil, but is painted to look like cloth.

More photographs of Bretonnian miniatures and The Joust.

Undercoating the Snotlings

I’ve always liked snotlings, the snotling pump wagon is probably my favourite model of all time. On a recent visit to Warhammer World I picked up a box of snotlings. The box contains 28 individual metal snotling miniatures, which fill four bases to create mobs. There are some wonderful characters in the collection.

The first stage was cleaning the metal castings. I decided I would paint them on the casting sprue and then attach then to the bases.

I used some wooden pegs to hold the castings and make them easier to manage when painting and when drying.

I gave all the models a white undercoat using a Citadel White Spray.

The next stage will be to base coat them, I think I will use a contrast paint on these models.

Preparing the snotlings

I’ve always liked snotlings, the snotling pump wagon is probably my favourite model of all time.

On a recent visit to Warhammer World I picked up a box of snotlings. The box contains 28 individual metal snotling miniatures, which fill four bases to create mobs. What is nice is that there are no duplication of miniatures, so you have 28 unique models.

The first stage was cleaning the metal castings. I think I will paint them on the casting sprue and then attach then to the bases.

I decided to use wooden pegs to make them easier to paint (and to remain standing when the paint was wet).

I am thinking of getting some more to use on my Warhammer 40K Ork vehicles, but will paint these ones first.