Author: Felix

Kettenkrad

This Kettenkrad is on display at the Bovington Tank Museum.

The Kettenkrad SdKfz 2 started its life as a light tractor for airborne troops. The vehicle was designed to be delivered by Junkers Ju 52 aircraft, though not by parachute.

The vehicle had the advantage of being the only gun tractor small enough to fit inside the hold of the Ju 52, and was the lightest mass-produced German military vehicle to use the complex Schachtellaufwerk overlapped and interleaved road wheels used on almost all German military half-tracked vehicles of World War II.

 

Rukkatrukk Squigbuggy

The Rukkatrukk Squigbuggy is a type of Ork attack vehicle. The first Rukkatrukk Squigbuggies were invented by enterprising Snakebites in order to feed Speed Freeks on the move. Mobile pens full of edible squigs, the vehicles kept pace with the warband’s Warbikers, buggies and Trukks while their grinning crews hawked their wares at the tops of their lungs.

Once a suitable bag of teef was slung across to them by a hungry driver or passenger, choice Squigs were loaded into the Rukkatrukk’s Squig Launchas and fired into the hands — or even waiting gobs — of the hungry customers. Legend has it that it was only after a rabid Attack Squig was accidentally stuffed into the launcha and fired into a luckless Ork’s face that the true potential of this mobile murder-menagerie was realised.

Nowadays, Rukkatrukk Squigbuggies are often seen muscling their way through their fellow Speed Freeks as they roar towards the front lines. Easily identified by their rugged construction, the throaty roar of their engines, and the anarchic masses of Squigs and Orks riding aboard them, these vehicles employ their close-range living artillery to wreak havoc amongst the enemy ranks.

See the workbench feature on my Ork Rukkatrukk Squigbuggy.

Deffkilla Wartrike

This Ork Deffkilla Wartrike was on display at Warhammer World.

What is lacks in armour, it makes up for in speed. Deadly scythes on the wheels can cause massive damage to all those who fail to get out of the way of this mean trike. Though the rokkit engine afterburner on the back means that they won’t have enough time to avoid the beast of a trike.

The riders aren’t protected, but why worry, when you can just charge into the enemy forces.

Panzer III

This Panzer III was on display at Bovington.

The Panzerkampfwagen III, commonly known as the Panzer III, was a medium tank developed in the 1930s by Germany, and was used extensively in World War II. The official German ordnance designation was Sd.Kfz. 141. It was intended to fight other armoured fighting vehicles and serve alongside and support similar Panzer IV which was originally designed for infantry support.

However, as the Germans faced the formidable T-34, more powerful anti-tank guns were needed, and since the Panzer IV had more development potential with a larger turret ring, it was redesigned to mount the long-barrelled 7.5 cm KwK 40 gun.

The Panzer III effectively swapped roles with the Panzer IV, as from 1942 the last version of Panzer III mounted the 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24 that was better suited for infantry support.

Production of the Panzer III ceased in 1943. Nevertheless, the Panzer III’s capable chassis provided hulls for the Sturmgeschütz III assault gun until the end of the war.

Imperial Fists Astraeus Super-Heavy Tank

This Imperial Fists Astraeus was part of the Assault on Zybos diorama at Warhammer World.

The Astraeus is a super-heavy tank, similar in form to the smaller Repulsor transport in use by the newly created Primaris Space Marines. It mounts a formidable array of weapons, designed around a pair of immense macro-accelerator cannon. Providing a stable firing platform for these temperamental weapons are banks of enhanced repulsor plates, allowing the inexorable advance of the Astraeus to continue unhindered by hostile terrain or the vain defiance of the foe, while its layered void shields can shrug off even the most devastating weapon strikes.

Tiger 131

The Tiger was feared so much by the Allies, that most German tanks were referred to as Tiger tanks.

Tiger 131 is the world’s only running Tiger I tank. It was captured on 24th April 1943 on Point 174 on the way between Medjez el Bab and Montarnaud in Tunisia, by 142nd Battalion RAC and 2nd Sherwood Foresters.

Tiger I is the common name of a German heavy tank used in World War II, developed in 1942. The final official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. E, often shortened to Tiger. It was an answer to the unexpectedly formidable Soviet armour encountered in the initial months of Operation Barbarossa, particularly the T-34 and the KV-1.

The Tiger I design gave the Wehrmacht its first tank mounting the 88 mm gun, which had previously demonstrated its effectiveness against both air and ground targets. During the course of the war, the Tiger I saw combat on all German battlefronts. It was usually deployed in independent tank battalions, which proved to be quite formidable.

Doomhammer

This Imperial Guard Doomhammer was on display at Warhammer World.

The magma cannon of the Doomhammer is a smaller version of the volcano cannon, though its compact size allows for troop transport space within the hull. The Doomhammer is armed with a fearsome array of weapons – none more so than the mighty magma cannon on its turret. It can also be equipped with a pair of sponsons sporting a twin heavy bolter or twin heavy flamer, each capped by a lascannon turret!

Arvus Lighter

Various Arvus Lighter models were on display at Warhammer World.

The Arvus Lighter is a small, general purpose cargo shuttle that is widely used by the Imperium of Man for many tasks, both in space and on the surface of planets. The Arvus is commonly used by both Imperial Navy warships and Imperial merchant vessels, including Rogue Traders.

This Arvus Lighter was part of a Necromunda diorama.

The Arvus is just one of many types of small, void-capable shuttles used by the Imperium. The Arvus is piloted by a single pilot, and is not equipped with any weapon systems, in fact, the Arvus possesses only the most basic navigation equipment, external sensors, and proximity alarms.

The Arvus has a powerful engine that allows it to carry heavy cargo to and from a planet’s surface.