US Army "Bolter"



The US Army has released details of their new infantry weapon the XM-25. It is a very futuristic looking weapon.
xm25_002
Once you take of the camo, it still looks very futuristic. Something out of ALIENS or Starship Troopers.
xm25_001
One of the interesting features of the gun is that you can program the rounds and they can explode “over” a target, meaning that cover is a thing of the past!

The system launches 25mm programmable rounds which can explode over a target.
If the Soldier “wants to get that round in the window … what’s he’s able to do with the high explosive round is he’s able to laser designate the building and the round will then fly through the window and explode inside the room,” Lehner said.
Aboard the XM25 is a laser rangefinder that can measure the distance to the target and place an adjusted aim point on a targeting screen. The system then allows Soldiers to choose to over-shoot the measured distance so the round will explode inside the building. The targeting computer programs the round to explode at the designated distance. The system allows Soldiers to hit targets they cannot see, because they are hiding behind walls, inside buildings or behind natural obstructions.

Read more on the XM-25 from the US Army Press Release.

Das Book

FW218

Managed to pick up a copy of Das Book for Flames of War, which was recently released.

Das Book is the Flames of War field manual for the consummate WWII general. With all the tools and tactics you need to play a one on one engagement with a friend or enter the tournament arena and destroy your opponent’s forces. Know your enemies strengths and weaknesses, understand the missions and objectives, learn how to use the terrain and fortifications of the battlefield to your armies best advantage.

I thought the book was very good value at £6 and what with all the extra rules and stats will be very useful once I have finished painting my Flames of War models and start gaming.

A5 in size it fits well with the rulebook from the Open Fire starter set.

Still tempted though to buy the hardback version of the rules. It costs £30 from Hobbycraft where I bought the Open Fire set and £30 from the main Flames of War website, but the Flames of War Rulebook on Amazon (and sold by Amazon) for just over £20.

Undercoating the Stompa

I decided that I would before any black undercoating, I would give my Stompa a light white undercoat. This would then enable the black to adhere properly. Having done that, I gave the Stompa weapons a black undercoat.

So was the main close combat arm.

The head with the face mask attached was also undercoated black.

The Grot Turret also got a black undercoat.

Basecoating another Trukk Flatbed

Basecoated the flatbed of another of my Ork Trukks. This time with Humbrol Dark Brown.

This flatbed is kept simple, unlike my other Trukk. The flatbed was kept simple, no sides, no rollbars and no ramps. I do quite like how this looks, fast and speedy.

Here is how the Trukk looks with a Kannon.

See the workbench feature on this Ork Trukk.