Felix, Author at Felix's Gaming Pages

Constructing the Legions Imperialis Arvus Lighter

I’ve always liked the Arvus Lighter. I did think about getting some resin versions for Aeronautica Imperialis. I was pleased to see the plastic versions for Legions Imperialis and they did go on that awfully long wants list. Visiting Jadlam Toys and Models in Glastonbury I was browsing and saw they had a box of the Legions Imperialis Arvus Lighters on sale at 33% off. Bargain, so I bought the box.

The Arvus Lighter is a solid and reliable workhorse shuttle, affectionately referred to as ‘Little Pig’ among air crews. The Solar Auxilia employ these durable craft as unarmed combat transports, to insert officers and specialists into a war zone with pinpoint accuracy.

In the box you get eight aircraft, across two sprues.

Alongside with flying bases and a transfer sheet. With appropriate bases they can also be used in Aeronautica Imperialis.

I am planning to paint some of them using the same painting method as I did with my Valkyrie transports. The others will be in a different Imperial scheme.

The models did feel like they would go together easily.

There are quite a number of parts for what are very small models.

However when photographing them for this post, I noticed that I hadn’t managed to get the parts together tightly on all the models, so they might need some additional work before undercoating.

So after sorting out the gaps, I will give the models a white undercoat.

Dreadfleet revisited

Back in October 2012 I made a visit to Warhammer World.

In the display cabinets at Warhammer World was a set of Dreadfleet.

Dreadfleet was a limited edition game from Games Workshop released the year before in 2011 that was set in the Warhammer Fantasy world. One player takes command of the Grand Alliance which is composed of the greatest pirate captains, whilst the other commands the Dreadfleet, a force composed of undead captains and their skeleton crews.

Dreadfleet is a boxed game for two (or more) players that includes everything you need to make war on the turbulent seas of the Warhammer world. At your command are two fleets of ships – the Dreadfleet led by the Vampire Count Noctilus, aboard his gargantuan sea-hulk the Bloody Reaver; and the Grand Alliance commanded by the Pirate Captain Jaego Roth, who recently stole the Heldenhammer – the pride of the Imperial Fleet, and one of the largest galleons to ever sail the high seas.

As your ships engage in furious battle, it’s down to you, the fleet captain, to make important split-second decisions. Do you bring all guns to bear on the closest enemy warship, or do you sail into position for a furious broadside? What happens when the warship catches fire, or worse, the powder kegs ignite? Exactly how much punishment can your warship take before it sinks without a trace? Are those Undead seagulls or flying piranha fish? And, when all else fails, do you have the courage to ram your foe, board their ship, and engage them in a duel to the death?

These were really nicely painted models. I did quite like the concept of Dreadfleet, however I didn’t get a copy. It reminded me very much of Man O War, a game I did buy but only played a few times.

Now with Warhammer Old World back on the shelves, I do wonder if at some point in the future we might get a new fantasy naval game. Another possibility could be a re-release of Dreadfleet, though a new edition of Man O War with new miniatures would be good as well.

Constructing the Centurion Mk3

One of the Clash of Steel Starter Sets have been on my wants list ever since I found out about them at the beginning of the year. I ordered Operation Unthinkable boxed set containing the British and German tanks.

There are 17 tanks in the box, of which four are the Centurion Tanks. They can be constructed as a range of variants. For this model I went with the Mk3. I did think about the Mk1 initially, but I think I will model two Mk3 tanks and two Mk1 tanks.

This is the GF9 finished model.

This is the sprue

There are various parts to the model, however it goes together very easily.

The finished model prior to a white undercoat.

Blucher Class Dreadnought

Gebhard Leberecht von Blucher was a famous Prussian Generalfeldmarschall (Field Marshall) who was known for his rather direct military tactics. ‘On it like Blucher’ is a term synonymous in the Prussian military for taking the fight to the enemy. The designers behind this Dreadnought certainly took this to heart. FOUR powerful Primary turrets rain death on enemy targets and row after row of Tesla Coils rip into enemy vessels.

Constructing the Panzer IV/70

The Panzer IV/70, was a German tank destroyer based on the Panzer IV chassis, it was armed with the 7.5 cm Pak 42 L/70. Officially, only the L/48-armed vehicle was named Jagdpanzer IV. The L/70-armed vehicle was named Panzer IV/70.

This is the GF9 finished model.

This is the sprue. It has the parts to make the L/48-armed vehicle as well.

The first stage was constructing the hull and tracks.

Then the main weaponry was added and the side armour.

Next stage will be a white undercoat.

Constructing the King Tiger

The Tiger II (or as was informally known to the Germans who fought in it, Königstiger), was a 70 tonne heavy tank.

This is the GF9 finished model.

This is the sprue.

As with the other Operation Unthinkable models, it was quite simple to construct.

The next stage will be a white undercoat.

Ork Rukkatrukk Squigbuggy

Born from the greasy ingenuity of Snakebite Orks with a canny eye for battlefield economics, the Rukkatrukk Squigbuggy wasn’t initially conceived as a weapon of war, but rather a mobile snack bar for the speed-addicted Speed Freeks. Imagine ramshackle, rattling pens on wheels, teeming with edible squigs, keeping pace with the thunderous advance of Warbikers, buggies, and Trukks. Above the din of engines, the Squigbuggy crews, all toothy grins and booming voices, would hawk their squirming wares.

For a hefty bag of teef exchanged mid-chase, a lucky (or perhaps unlucky) customer would have a choice squig launched directly into their waiting hands – or even their cavernous maw – courtesy of the vehicle’s ingenious Squig Launchas. However, legend, thick with the pungent aroma of squig and Orkoid mishap, whispers of a pivotal moment. It was when a particularly ferocious Attack Squig, mistaking the launcha for a new burrow, was accidentally fired into the face of an unsuspecting Ork. In that instant of unexpected carnage, the true, brutal potential of this mobile menagerie of mayhem was violently unleashed.

Rukkatrukk Squigbuggy

Now, the rumble of a Rukkatrukk Squigbuggy signals more than just lunchtime. These ruggedly built vehicles, instantly recognizable by their bellowing engines and the chaotic mass of squigs and Orks clinging to every surface, now muscle their way to the forefront of any Speed Freek advance. They unleash volleys of their living, close-range artillery, turning enemy ranks into a squirming, panicked mess. The Squigbuggy, once a purveyor of battlefield snacks, has evolved into a fearsome engine of destruction, proving that even the humblest beginnings can lead to gloriously violent ends.

Rukkatrukk Squigbuggy on my workbench.

Constructing the T28 Super Heavy Tank

I decided I would add to the game by ordering the other Operation Unthinkable set, which contains American and Soviet tanks.

The T28 super-heavy tank was an American super-heavy tank/assault gun designed for the United States Army during World War II. It was originally designed to break through German defenses of the Siegfried Line and was later considered as a possible participant in the planned invasion of the Japanese mainland.

This is the GF9 finished model.

This is the sprue.

The kit was relatively easy to construct.

The next step will be a white undercoat.

Constructing the Tortoise Heavy Assault Tank

There are 17 tanks, two of which are the Tortoise heavy assault tank.

The Tortoise heavy assault tank (A39) was a British heavy assault gun design developed during the Second World War, but never put into mass production. It was developed for the task of clearing heavily fortified areas such as the Siegfried Line and as a result favoured armour protection over mobility.

This is the GF9 finished model.

This the sprue.

Constructing the model was quite simple, though initially I wasn’t quite sure about how to affix the tracks.

I did think about adding some extra weight to the model, but couldn’t find the weights I had bought in the past for this purpose.

The next stage will be a white undercoat.

Constructing the ISU-130

I decided I would add to the game by ordering the other Operation Unthinkable set, which contains American and Soviet tanks.

The ISU-130, is a tank destroyer based on the IS-2 chassis armed with an 130mm S-26 gun.

This is the GF9 finished model.

This is the track sprue.

The kit also allows you to build the ISU-122 and ISU-152 variants as well. As there are five kits I think I will mix and match the different variants.

Firstly I went with the ISU-130. The kit was relatively easy to construct.

The next step will be a white undercoat.