Author: Felix

Aeronautical Imperialis at Warhammer World

With the release of Legion Imperialis, we saw the retirement of Aeronautical Imperialis. Well a Horus Heresy version of the game was retained.

In the display cabinets at Warhammer World there were a few Ork Aeronautical Imperialis models on display.

In the Ork Air Waaagh! on display, was the huge Forge World Mega Bommer, some Dakkajets, and a Grot Bommer.

There was also a Grot Bommer.

Alongside the Orks were some of the Tau models.

I really like the Aeronautical Imperialis models and have a fair few Ork models on my workbench. It’s a pity it has been retired and we’re not going to see any new Xenos models for a while.

See the Aeronautical Imperialis Miniatures Gallery.

Churchill IV

The Tank, Infantry, Mk IV (A22) Churchill was a British infantry tank used in the Second World War, best known for its heavy armour, large longitudinal chassis with all-around tracks with multiple bogies, its ability to climb steep slopes, and its use as the basis of many specialist vehicles. It was one of the heaviest Allied tanks of the war.

The IV, the most numerous Churchill produced, was virtually identical to the III, the largest change being a return to the cheaper cast turret, keeping the welded turret’s “clean” squarish shape. A tank telephone was fitted to the rear of the tank for communication with infantry.

This Churchill IV was on display at The Tank Museum.

This Churchill has serial number T31579. It was originally built in 1941 as a Mark I or Mark II, then converted to a Mark IV. Its wartime service is unknown, but afterwards it was converted into a ‘Twin ARK’ bridging vehicle.

It was restored back to its wartime configuration by The Churchill Trust and loaned to The Tank Museum in 2018.

It is painted in the markings of 3 Troop, A Squadron of the North Irish Horse.

Deimos Vindicator Laser Destroyer at Warhammer World

This Legiones Astartes Ultramarines Deimos Vindicator Laser Destroyer was on display in the cabinets at Warhammer World.

Deimos Vindicator Laser Destroyer at Warhammer World
Deimos Vindicator Laser Destroyer at Warhammer World

The Vindicator laser destroyer array is a devastating weapon, capable of unleashing a torrent of laser energy that can tear through the armor of even the heaviest enemy vehicles. It was first fitted to the heavily armored Deimos pattern Vindicator chassis during the dark days of the Horus Heresy, when several Legions fielded this variant as a mainline battle tank. The Vindicator laser destroyer proved itself to be an able tank hunter, time and again destroying enemy tanks and other armoured vehicles with ease.

After the Horus Heresy, the Vindicator laser destroyer array remained in service with Space Marine Chapters. It is still used today, and remains one of the most feared anti-tank weapons in the Imperium’s arsenal. Vindicator laser destroyer arrays are often deployed to support infantry units, providing them with the firepower they need to break through enemy armour and fortifications.

 

Bloodbowl Gnomes

A new team for Bloodbowl has been announced, the Gnomes. They were revealed back at the beginning of March.

Bloodbowl Gnomes

Gnomes are avid Blood Bowl fans who usually stick to their own secluded burrows, but every once in a while a team will enter the ‘big’ world and make a name for themselves in the leagues – usually through the popularity of their adorable woodland compatriots rather than any actual skill or success. Whether it’s a Beastmaster working alongside a ferocious goose to shore up their team’s line of defence or a speedy fox sprinting downfield with the ball in their mouth, Gnomes make use of many furry friends to fill in where their short stature can’t compete. Then if that isn’t enough to secure some touchdowns, their mastery of illusions and capricious tricks surely is.

In the original Forces of Fantasy for first edition of Warhammer Fantasy Battle there was a Gnome army and you could even get a few Citadel miniatures as well.

Now I don’t play Bloodbowl, well I played first edition (the one with card players), but I quite like the concept of the team.

I like the use of animals in the team as well.

Bloodbowl Gnomes

Tempted.

AEC Armoured Car Mark II

This AEC Armoured Car Mark II was on display at The Tank Museum, it is armed with a 6 pounder gun. AEC Armoured Car is the name of a series of British heavy armoured cars built by the Associated Equipment Company (AEC) during the Second World War.

AEC tried to build an armoured car with fire power and protection comparable to those of contemporary British cruiser tanks. The first version used the turret of a Valentine Mk II infantry tank complete with the 2 pounder gun. Subsequent versions received a 6 pounder or a 75 mm gun in a custom-built turret.

The AEC came about following British experience in the Western Desert against Italian armoured cars. British armoured cars were only armed with light and heavy machine guns and the army was fitting captured Italian and German 20mm or larger autocannon to have enough firepower when meeting enemy reconnaissance vehicles.

The Mk I was first used in combat in the North African Campaign late in 1942, where a few vehicles were reportedly fitted with a Crusader tank turret mounting a 6 pounder gun. The Mk II and Mk III took part in the fighting in Europe with British and British Indian Army units, often together with the American-supplied Staghound armoured car.

Bommerz over da Sulphur River

This was on display at Warhammer World.

In Bommerz over da Sulphur River you can take the part of the Ork Fighta-Bommer pilots, screaming down to smash the vital bridges. Or you can command the heroic Imperial defence, pouring a devastating stream of flak and laser fire at your attackers and directing the counter-attack of your brave but outnumbered Thunderbolt Interceptors. It included several aircraft miniatures from the Warhammer 40k Epic line.

I never bought the game, however the concept sounded fun.

StuG III at the Tank Museum

When I visited Bovington last year they had a StuG III on display.

It had been on display at The Imperial War Museum Duxford, but was returned to the Tank Museum at Bovington in December 2019.

Here David Willey discusses the Sturmgeschütz III Self-Propelled Assault Gun, better known as the StuG III, Germany’s most numerously produced fully tracked Armoured Fighting Vehicle of the Second World War.

This was a late model StuG III supplied to Finnish forces. Has Saukopf gun mantlet introduced February 1944. It is the only vehicle left carrying original ‘waffle pattern’ zimmerit.

StuG III

The final and by far the most common of the StuG series. The Ausf. G used the hull of the Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. M. Upper superstructure was widened: welded boxes on either sides were abandoned. This new superstructure design increased its height to 2160mm. Backside wall of the fighting compartment got straightened, and ventilation fan on top of the superstructure was relocated to the back of fighting compartment. From March 1943, driver’s periscope was abandoned. From May 1943, side hull skirts (schurzen) were fitted to G models for added armor protection particularly against anti-tank rifles. Side skirts were retro-fitted to some Ausf. F/8 models, as they were be fitted to all front line StuGs and other tanks by June 1943 in preparation for the battle of Kursk. Mountings for side skirts proved inadequate, many were lost in the field. From March 1944, improved mounting was introduced, as a result side skirts are seen more often with late model Ausf G.

StuG III

Here is the link to the StuG III Miniatures Gallery. I also have a workbench feature on the Flames of War StuG III Assault Guns.

Blood Angels Legion Thunderhawk

Blood Angles Legion Thunderhawk

The Thunderhawk Gunship was a development of the later Great Crusade, designed to operate in atmosphere and void space as a flexible flying craft. It combines the roles of orbital troop lander, heavy gunship and medium bomber, and proved a highly successful addition to the fleets of the Legiones Astartes, scouring landing zones with its array of heavy weaponry before disgorging a payload of Space Marine infantry onto the battlefield. The Thunderhawk went on to become an icon of Astartes power in the air.

Thunderhawk Miniatures Gallery.