aeronautica imperialis Archives - Page 2 of 9

Painting Big Tiny Planes

I have been working on my Grot Bommers for Aeronautica Imperialis.

The Grot Bommers are one of my favourite planes from Aeronautica Imperialis.

The diminutive Gretchin have long been enthusiastic supporters of Ork aviation, whether gleefully pushing bombs out of open bays, crawling into tight spots to fix engines, or acting as spotters and even gunners on ork planes. It doesn’t take long before they become obsessed with flying just like their bigger kin, begging for their own turn on the control stick. Some enterprising Ork meks decided this arrangement could be mutually beneficial, and created guided missiles that could be flown like a tiny, gretchin-sized airplane. Fitted with a short-burn rocket engine and stuffed with unstable explosives, some rabid grots are happy to climb aboard just for the (short-lived) thrill of speed and freedom. They’re loaded into the wings of specially-fitted Grot Bommers, and launched in support of the Air Waaagh!

Having constructed the models I gave them a white undercoat. This was then followed by a base coat of Blood Angels Red contrast paint.

I did quite a thick coat, though reading round the use of contrast paints, two or more thinner coats would have been better. Something to do in the future with future models and contrast paints. I am even tempted to repaint my Adeptus Astartes flyers.

After touching up bits of the model that I had missed, I then gave the models a drybrush of Astorath Red dry paint to bring out the highlights and this actually toned down some of the dark patches I had by using the contrast paint.

I am liking progress so far.

Painting Tiny Planes

I did some more painting of my Asuryani Flyers.

These are the Asuryani Flyers (though I think of them as Eldar Flyers) that came with the Wrath of Angels boxed game.

You get three Nightwing fighters, in the Wrath of Angels boxed game, you also get three Phoenix Bombers.

I had given the models a base coat of Ork Flesh contrast paint. After touching up bits of the model that I had missed, I then gave the models a drybrush of a green dry paint to bring out the highlights.

Got a copy

Managed to get a copy of the Aeronautica Imperialis Companion.

The perfect addition to your games of airborne combat in the 41st Millennium is here in the form of Aeronautica Imperialis – Companion. This expansion collects new rules, aircraft, and factions, along with existing content previously found within White Dwarf magazine, allowing you to field squadrons from the Necrons, Asuryani, and Adeptus Astartes. Experience a deeper dogfighting experience with detailed expanded damage rules, new Ace abilities, and the challenges of limited ammunition. Novice and experienced commanders alike can use these rules to revolutionise their Aeronautica Imperialis games across a suite of new matched play scenarios.

I had planned to buy it from my local gaming shop, but they didn’t get any in. I had also tried a gaming shop in Birmingham, but I was a week early. I tried a few retail branches of Games Workshop as well, but they weren’t stocking it or had sold out (I didn’t ask). I did consider ordering it online, but at both full price and having to pay P&P I was a little hesitant.

In the end I managed to pick up a copy from Dark Sphere in London. Excellent.

Asuryani Vampire Flyers for Aeronautica Imperialis

Was really only yesterday that we had the announcement about new Necron flyers for Aeronautica Imperialis. Today was have another Forge World Aeronautica Imperialis released announced, this time for the Asuryani.

We will be getting the Vampire Raider and the Vampire Hunter.

The Vampire Raider is a large Asuryani atmospheric craft, but its speed and agility belie its size.

Armed with twin-linked shuriken cannons and a nose-mounted scatter laser as standard, it can put out an impressive 17 shots at close range, all while carrying its load of jump troops to their drop site.

I love the mention of jump troops, part of me with my wishful thinking, is we will see those jump troops in a expansion of ground forces for Adeptus Titanicus (a future Epic or Space Marine game). The rational realist in me says, no, won’t happen.

The Vampire Hunter is a similar craft, it though replaces the Raider’s troop compartment with phoenix missile launchers, meaning it’s the ideal heavy ground attack bomber.

It’s also armed with a twin-linked pulsar instead of the shuriken cannon, making it absolutely deadly at long range.

Suspect that like the Necron flyers, this will be a single kit with the option to build either version.

Unlike the Necrons I may actually order these models to go with the Eldar, sorry Asuryani, flyers I already have on my workbench.

The Necrons are flying in

So announced today for pre-order next week (from Forge World) are some nice new Necron flyers for Aeronautica Imperialis.

Each set contains two planes buildable as either Night Shroud bombers or Doom Scythe fighters. The former possess speed and manoeuvrability akin to the fighters of lesser races, dropping deadly doom spheres with unerring accuracy, while the latter shred rival interceptors with a powerful death ray.

The kit allows you to either model. The Night Shroud is akin to the fighters of other forces.

The Doom Scythe is a heavier aircraft armed with a powerful death ray.

Though I like the look of the models, I think this is a purchase I will probably either leave to a later date, or not make at all.

Also announced is the Aeronautica Imperialis Companion.

Bringing in rules from across various sources and White Dwarf along with new rules, means this is a book I probably will buy.

Painting the Thunderhawk Gunship

Designed to operate in both planetary atmosphere and the cold void of space, the Thunderhawk Gunship combines the roles of orbital troop lander, heavy gunship, and bomber into a single, brutally effective aircraft. Sturdy and well-armoured, Thunderhawks deliver their Adeptus Astartes passengers into the very heart of raging battle, and provide fire support with a truly fearsome array of weapons afterwards. These iconic vessels have come to be feared as the harbinger of doom by the enemies of the Imperium of Mankind.

I picked up an Aeronautica Imperialis Adeptus Astartes Thunderhawk Gunship from my local FLGS. Construction was actually quite simple and I found the model was easily put together.

I am painting my Adeptus Astartes Thunderhawk Gunship as a Grey Knights Thunderhawk as discussed in this blog post. First though I gave the model a white undercoat. I then started painting the model with a basecoat of Basilicanum Grey contrast paint. Unfortunately I finished the paint pot before finishing the model.

So I popped out to my FLGS to buy a new pot of Basilicanum Grey. I then finished painting the model.

Undercoating the Thunderhawk Gunship

I picked up an Aeronautica Imperialis Adeptus Astartes Thunderhawk Gunship from my local FLGS.

Construction was actually quite simple and I found the model was easily put together.

I will be painting my Adeptus Astartes Thunderhawk Gunship as a Grey Knights Thunderhawk as discussed in this blog post.

I gave the model a white undercoat.

Going grey with the Adeptus Astartes Flyers

As with my Asuryani Flyers the next stage after giving the Adeptus Astartes models for Aeronautica Imperialis a white undercoat was to think about the colour scheme. I have the models from the Wrath of Angels and I now have a Thunderhawk as well. I did think about Ultramarines blue, then Salamanders green, but in the end decided on painting them up as Grey Knights. Forge World had a display of a Grey Knights Thunderhawk at a GamesDay event which is what inspired me.

I think this could work, however they used a grey colour scheme rather than the metallic finish of the Grey Knights themselves.

So I gave the Storm Eagles a basecoat of Basilicanum Grey contrast paint.

I did the same with the Xiphon Interceptors.

The next stage will be that heavy dry brush and then a lighter dry brush to draw out the highlights and make the models look more like the Forge World Grey Knights.

After that it will be detailing the hull (with red), the engines and weapons.

Going green with the Asuryani Flyers

These are the Asuryani Flyers (though I think of them as Eldar Flyers) that came with the Wrath of Angels boxed game.

You get three Nightwing fighters, in the Wrath of Angels boxed game, you also get three Phoenix Bombers.

So the next stage after giving the Asuryani Flyers for Aeronautica Imperialis a white undercoat was to think about the colour scheme.

My Ork flyers are red and yellow, so decided I wanted something different to that. My Imperial Navy flyers are dark blue, and again I wanted to avoid duplication. So what was left on the colour wheel was potentially green.

I did quite like this Eldar colour scheme from the GW displays at Warhammer World and Games Day.