Felix, Author at Felix's Gaming Pages

Mil Mi-24 Hind Helicopter

Earlier this year I went to the Musée royal de l’armée et de l’histoire militaire or Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History in Brussels.

In the aircraft displays was this former German Air Force Mil Mi-24 Hind Helicopter. Was part of the East German Air Force, and was transferred to Germany on reunification in 1990. They were retired in 1993.

The Mil Mi-24, famously known by its NATO reporting name “Hind,” is a formidable Soviet-designed attack helicopter that uniquely blends the roles of a gunship and a low-capacity troop transport.

Introduced in 1972, its distinctive silhouette, often likened to a “flying tank” or “Crocodile,” quickly made it an iconic symbol of Soviet military power. The Hind is characterized by its heavily armored cockpit, robust airframe, and stub wings that not only provide lift but also house a diverse array of weaponry, including machine guns, rocket pods, and anti-tank missiles. While primarily designed for close air support and anti-armor operations, its ability to carry up to eight armed troops in its central compartment gave it a versatility rarely seen in Western attack helicopters. The Mi-24 saw extensive combat, most notably during the Soviet-Afghan War, where its resilience and firepower made it a feared asset, cementing its legacy as one of the most successful and enduring combat helicopters ever built.

Arvus Lighter 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. 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

There were quite a few Arvus Lighter models on display at Warhammer World.

Some of these are the original resin Forge World models, but there was also some examples using the new plastic kit that was released for The Horus Heresy. The main differences between the resin and plastic models are in the engine cowling and around the cockpit. Otherwise these are very similar models.

I have the new Horus Heresy plastic Arvus Lighter on my workbench.

North American AT-6D Texan

I recently went to the Musée royal de l’armée et de l’histoire militaire or Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History in Brussels.

The North American Aviation T-6 Texan is an American single-engined advanced trainer aircraft, which was used to train pilots.

The AT-6D is a later version and was used by the Belgian Air Force between 1946 and 1961. This AT-6D was on display at the museum.

Early War Monsters delayed

I was pleased to hear in the Battlefront preview video in December 2024 about their new releases.

Back in 2011 I wrote this after the release of the Mid-War Monsters.

I do hope that we see future “monsters” for Flames of War, there are some nice concepts and ideas out there for both Early-War and Late-War.

In the Battlefront preview video it was announced that Battlefront would be producing some Early War ‘Eavies. The preview included glimpses of the British TOG and the French Char 2C, see some photographs in this post.

Alas in a recent video announcement, the release of these massive tanks was said to be delayed. However we did get to see some photographs of painted versions of these monsters.

This is the French Char 2C.

This is the British TOG.

Alongside these we saw some British A13 cruiser tanks, infantry, artillery, and the delightful Light Tank VI.

For the French we saw the Char B1 bis.

These will (I suspect) be all plastic kits. I’ve been waiting well over ten years now for these monsters, I can wait a little longer…

In the original preview video there was also mention of a German super heavy tank, but it was not identified in the review, I suspect it might be the Großtraktor that was built by Krupp and entered service in 1935. However despite seeing some nice PzKpfw I tanks and PzKpfw III tanks and variants, no mention was made about the German tank…

Though we did hear about a 1960s version of Team Yankee called Checkpoint Charlie, sounds interesting.

Early Imperial Fists Predator

This Imperial Fists Predator was on display at Warhammer World.

It makes use of the first plastic Rhino kit. The additional parts are metal, including the sponsons and the turret.

Here is another view from an earlier visit to Warhammer World.

Photographs of my Imperial Fists Deimos Pattern Predator.

Belgian Army Renault FT-17 Light Tank

I recently went to the Musée royal de l’armée et de l’histoire militaire or Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History in Brussels.

They had a Belgian Army Renault FT-17 Light Tank on display.

The Renault FT or Automitrailleuse à chenilles Renault FT modèle 1917, inexactly known as the FT-17 or FT17, was a French light tank; it is among the most revolutionary and influential tank designs in history. The FT was the first operational tank with an armament in a fully rotating turret, and its configuration with the turret on top, engine in the back and the driver in front became the conventional one, repeated in most tanks until today; at the time it was a revolutionary innovation.

Copies and derivative designs were manufactured in the United States (M1917 light tank), in Italy (Fiat 3000), and in the Soviet Union (T-18 tank).

France still had several thousand First World War Renault FT tanks in 1940. Over 500 of them were still in service in independent bataillons de chars de combat (BCC) tank battalions in the front lines. Although adequate for infantry support, they were totally outclassed by German tanks in a mobile battle.

Unlike the French Army, the Belgian Army had withdrawn all FT tanks from front line service before World War II.

It is one of my favourite tanks, I have always had a fondness for this little tank, probably as a result of making that Matchbox plastic kit of the Renault and the Char B1 when I was young.

There was a Renault FT-17 at the Bovington Tank Museum.

As I am creating an Early War French army I got some of these little tanks for Flames of War.

Plastic Arvus Lighter on display at Warhammer World

On my previous visit to Warhammer World I took various photographs of the resin Forge World model which was on display. On my most recent visit in June 2025 I was able to take a photograph of the new(ish) plastic Arvus Lighter in the display cabinets.

Comparing the plastic version to the resin version there are some subtle differences.

The main areas are in the engine cowling and around the cockpit. Otherwise these are very similar models.

I have the new Horus Heresy plastic Arvus Lighter on my workbench.

Army of Grand Cathay

I made a visit to Warhammer World in June 2025, in the display cabinets were the new models for the Army of Grand Cathay for Warhammer Old World.

Charged with the defence of the Great Bastion, the Armies of Grand Cathay are experienced and battle-tested warriors. For centuries, they have kept the legions of the Ruinous Powers at bay. Though the Empire of the Celestial Dragon lies far from the nations of the Old World, Cathayan merchants have plied the ocean waves for hundreds of years, and vast armies of Jade Warriors and Lancers pledge to fight alongside or against the armies of the west in times of peril.

Since I started playing Warhammer Fantasy back in the 1980s I al ways liked the idea of a Cathay army, now we have the models. I really like the Cathayan Sentinel and the Sky Lantern.

Medium Mark A Whippet A347 Firefly

I recently went to the Musée royal de l’armée et de l’histoire militaire or Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History in Brussels.

The Medium Mark A Whippet was a medium tank employed by the British in World War I. Developed for fast mobile assaults, it was intended to complement the slower British heavy tanks by using its relative mobility and speed in exploiting any break in the enemy lines.

This Medium Mark A Whippet, A347 Firefly, was on display at the museum, and is still in its camouflage paintwork. It still carries battle damage from when it was hit on 17 August 1918.

Though originally envisioned with a rotating turret, the production model had an armoured housing for three to four 303 Hotchkiss machine guns, which could be relocated between four gun ports. Approved in June 1917, roughly 200 vehicles were produced starting in October 1917. Unlike the large crew of the Mark IV, the Whippet managed with a standard crew of three: a commander, driver and gunner. Given the gunner was responsible for manning both machineguns (which could point forward, left, right and rear), sometimes a second gunner was squeezed in.

I do think that this tank would make for a great base for vehicles for an alternative Great War. It could be converted into a turreted tank, or a self propelled gun. One other idea is to use the models for A Very British Civil War background. There are quite a few Great War tanks that could be used for a 1920s or 1930s civil war within the United Kingdom.

Imperial Guard Baneblade

This Imperial Guard Armageddon Steel Legion Baneblade was in the display cabinets at Warhammer World.

The Baneblade is the primary super-heavy tank of the Astra Militarum, and one of the largest and oldest armoured fighting vehicles in the service of the Imperial armed forces. The tank is a venerated Standard Template Construct (STC) design, with ten people needed to fully crew one. It is also one of the oldest STC designs in existence. They are often used as command vehicles by Imperial Guard commanders.

Bristling with armaments, a Baneblade is less of a tank and more of a rolling fortress. An unmistakable icon of the Imperium’s armoured supremacy, a single one of these super-heavy war engines can serve as the mailed fist of an Astra Militarum offensive, or as the unassailable lynchpin of even the most desperate of defences.

Baneblade miniatures gallery