Author: Felix

Flames of War – British Shermans

These Sherman tank miniatures come in the Open Fire Flames of War starter set.

The Shermans come all in resin with separate turrets and metal main weapons. If you buy the Shermans individually they come with metal (or plastic) tracks.

These are very nice models. The gun barrels were fixed by superglue. However I kept the turrets separate so they can move freely during the games.

I did like the fact that these are three different castings, and not three copies of a single casting. You can see that from the rear, front and turret stowage.

See the full workbench feature on these Sherman tanks.

Panzerkrieg Normandy – Warhammer World War Two

There has been some interesting commentary in Wargames Illustrated recently on a new release forthcoming from Warhammer Historical of a set of World War Two rules, Panzerkrieg Normandy.

At Old Glory 2010, the report says…

The table with the most buzz this year was Operation Goodwood 1944 – a demo game being run by the local Derby Wargames Society. The table was impressive in itself, but the fact that it was being used to playtest the forthcoming Warhammer Historical 20mm WWII ruless (Panzerkrieg Normandy – working title) made it really interesting. Author Warwick Kinrade was on hand with a first draft of the rules, and of course, the main question leveled at him from show-goers was – “when will it be available?” a vague “not before Christmas” was given in reply.

Another quote attributed to Wargames Illustrated, but I couldn’t find it myself says:

The Historical Wargamers Group, in association with Wargames Illustrated, held another successful event at Warhammer World on 24 – 25 October, WAB players from around Europe did battle across several campaign settings and attendees were treated to a bonus surprise appearance when Warwick Kinrade of Forgeworld demonstrated the forthcoming Games Workshop World War II game.
Warwick ran through a game in which a British Battlegroup stormed a German held position in Normandy circa 1944 – the British sector in Normandy being the focus for the rulebook. The game is designed for 20mm figures although it will work equally well with 15mm (adjustments will be necessary for 28mm). Interestingly the game seemed to owe little to the well-known Warhammer game system.

The game is still work in progress with a release date of “next year – hopefullyearly on” planned. The core rulebook will be supported by further supplements, which will include more army lists and (further down the line) more threatres of the war).

To be honest this doesn’t surprise me as in recent years we have seen a huge growth in 28mm World War Two figure ranges. However the fact that they are aiming the rules at 20mm (well probably 15mm) to me shows how successful Flames of War have been and that they want to get into that particular market! Well possibly.

Adding the Big Trakk Tracks

The next stage was adding the tracks. These have been numbered on the sprues and this is the order around the wheels that they go.

The largest pieces of track I had were quite warped, but immersing them in hot water allowed me to get them nice and flat. The key I found in placing the track was to get the largest piece flat attached to the rear cog.

I managed to get the right side track to fit. It was quite a struggle to get the bits underneath the rear flatbed in, but it all came together in the end.

And now the left…

The workbench feature on the Big Trakk may help anyone else putting one of these kits together.

Gallery of photographs of the Big Trakk.

Stormraven, not just for the Blood Angels

Well if this photograph of the back of the Stormraven box is real then the Blood Angels are not the only Space Marines that can use the Stormraven.

As you can see the box has a Grey Knights painted version with lascannons.
Now to be honest I have never been one to follow GW’s doctrine to the letter, if I like a model and want to use it in a particular way then I will (and usually I will ask my opponent’s permission too). If you like the model, I would say buy it and paint it in the colour of your chapter (or legion). Yes it may be “problematic” if you wanted to use it in a tournament, but for me gaming it about gaming and not competitions. Just because a rulebook says that I can’t use a model, doesn’t mean that I can’t use that model. The Warhammer 40K universe is very big and despite the Inquisition, I am sure that in some depths of the universe there are Space Marine chapters and Imperial Guard units using stuff that according to doctrine they shouldn’t. Where needs must and all that.

Actually if you go far enough back in time you can find in old copies of White Dwarf Imperial Guard units using Land Speeders and Rhinos – that was in the days when GW made very few plastic kits and there was no Forge World. So it made sense for all the forces of the Imperium to use the scarce plastic kits available. Alas today where we are awash with plastic kits, GW can now make kits for single chapters that “can’t” be used by others.

So, if you want to use the Stormraven for your Imperial Guard or your chapter of Space Marines, then go ahead and do so. You’re not going to kill the fluff if you do.

Thinking though that one of these Stormravens would make a nice Inquisitorial transport for my Inquisitor – and we know that they would have access to them…

Flames of War – Open Fire

Open Fire! has been carefully designed for someone who has never heard of Flames Of War before, or has seen the 256 page rulebook and not known where to start. Open Fire is not a simplified set of the Flames Of War rules, but rather a complete introductory box for a new player!

Open Fire Starter Set

Really nice idea and perfect for me.

16 page full-colour introduction booklet.
3 detailed American Sherman tank miniatures.
2 detailed German StuG G assault gun miniatures.
3 American dice.
2 German dice.

I think what surprised me was unlike the blisters I had seen the tanks were all resin rather than resin hulls and metal tracks.

Time to start painting…