forge world Archives - Felix's Gaming Pages

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.

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.

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

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.

Sokar pattern Stormbird for Aeronautica Imperialis

I have in previous blog posts discussed what possible future aircraft we coud see for Aeronautica Imperialis. In the first of the discussion pieces I went through prospective models, and I followed this with an updated version back in May when the Wrath of Angles boxed set was announced.

One model I mentioned was the Stormbird. Having recently constructed the Aeronautica Imperialis Thunderhawk Gunship I was reminded of the Stormbird and did start to think about if we would see an Aeronautica Imperialis model.

Stormbird is a catch-all term that refers to a series of various super-heavy dedicated attack landers that were once used by the Legiones Astartes as their primary means of deploying forces into combat. Stormbirds also served in air support and general planetary transport roles during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy eras in the late 30th and early 31st Millennia.

Forge World have released a 40K scale model of the Sokar Pattern Stormbird, which is a huge (expensive) resin kit. I have seen the model at Warhammer World and it is one big model

The Sokar Pattern Stormbird was one of the later patterns of Stormbird developed during the Great Crusade and was used as the design precursor to the smaller, more widely produced Thunderhawk gunship.

The Sokar pattern Stormbird is a dedicated attack lander. It has served as a high-durability orbital assault craft, a mobile bastion and firebase which could land a Space Marine strike force and withstand heavy ground fire while its cargo or troops and war machines disembarked to press the attack.

I could see Forge World making and releasing a Sokar Pattern Stormbird in resin for use in Aeronautica Imperialis, though such a large model may be problematic from a rules perspective. The Thunderhawk Gunship is not as big as the Sokar Pattern Stormbird and even that looks like it might be problematic from a gaming perspective, as it might be too big for the board.

This then got me thinking about other large flyers and that they would have similar issues.

In the olden days I am sure Forge World would have just gone ahead and produced a model, as they did with the Epic scale Thunderhawk Transporter they did for the original release of Aeronautica Imperialis which was shown off at GamesDay 2006.

They (appeared) to be more independent back then, now they seem part of the planned release cycles.

So will be see a Sokar pattern Stormbird for Aeronautica Imperialis from Forge World, I actually don’t think we will.

See the Sokar Pattern Stormbird 40K scale Gallery.

Grey Knights for Aeronautica Imperialis

I have been thinking about is what colour to paint my Adeptus Astartes models for Aeronautica Imperialis.

I have the models from the Wrath of Angels and am seriously considering getting a Thunderhawk as well.

I did think about Ultramarines blue, then Salamanders green, but now thinking about painting them up as Grey Knights.

Forge World had a display of a Grey Knights Thunderhawk at a GamesDay event.

I think this could work, however they used a grey colour scheme. A lot of Grey Knight vehicles were also painted in this scheme.

Inquisitor Rhino next to Inquisitor Land Raider — Inquisitor Rhino next to Land Raider

When I started thinking about painting my Aeronautica Imperialis models I was thinking painting them the same colour as Grey Knights.

Giving the models a base coat of Leadbelcher and then washes and detailing.

Now reflecting on the excellent Forge World models I am now thinking of following that scheme on the Aeronautica Imperialis models.

It also got me thinking that I could add some Inquisitorial Storm Troopers Valkyrie Transports to the force as well.

A Storm Troopers Valkyrie Transport which is part of Mike Sharpe's superb Space Wolves army, which was on show at GamesDay 2006. — A Storm Troopers Valkyrie Transport which is part of Mike Sharpe’s superb Space Wolves army, which was on show at GamesDay 2006.

Add another boxed set of those to the shopping list.

I will also need to think about rules, either using the vanilla rules, or doing some tweaking.

Belicosa Volcano Cannon

Saw this on the Warhammer Community site, Forge World are going to release a massive Belicosa Volcano Cannon for the Warbringer Nemesis Titan.

The massive Warbringer Nemesis Titan is set to receive one of the most powerful weapons found outside a starship: the mighty Belicosa Volcano Cannon. This resin kit from Forge World is designed to fit perfectly with the plastic Warbringer Nemesis Titan.

Think I might pause making my Warbringer Nemesis Titan and see if I can get hold of the Belicosa Volcano Cannon.

So now what’s next for Aeronautica Imperialis?

Back in July 2020 I wrote a speculative piece about future releases for Aeronautica Imperialis and some personal preferences for models. I had written the post after finishing painting my Valkyrie Assault Carriers which had been released alongside there Skies of Fire boxed set which contained miniatures for the Tau and the Astra Militarum.

I started to think about which models I would get next, and that got me thinking what we have seen that still needs to be released and also what could be released in the future and what I would like to see in the future as well.

Since that article was published we have had some new releases for Aeronautica Imperialis from GW and resin models from Forge World.

Forge World released the Vulture Gunship and the Arvus Lighter in August 2020.

Continue reading “So now what’s next for Aeronautica Imperialis?”

Orc Rogue Idol at Warhammer World

This is a Forge World Orc Rogue Idol at Warhammer World. When I first saw this model, I wasn’t too sure, but the more I look at it, the more I liked it.

When greenskin tribes gather for war, foetid effigies depicting the Orc gods Gork and Mork will be constructed. Using rock, dung, old battle trophies and other detritus, these ‘statues’ are intended to bring the favour of Mork (or possibly Gork) to the Orcs and Goblins mustering in their shadow. Some are no more than a heap of stones or no larger than a chapel door, but when a Waaagh! is brewing they can grow to immense proportions, and become so infused with the greenskins’ lust for battle that they are roused into life and will lumber forth to crush and bludgeon the enemy.

If a Waaagh! is subsequently defeated, or the concentration of greenskin magic dissipates, the idol will lapse back into immobility. However, when a Storm of Magic rages across the Warhammer world these gigantic devotions to the greenskin gods may rise up again as a Rogue Idol, mindlessly attacking all in their way until the storm blows its course.

I really like the modelling that has been done and the use of scenic materials to make it really look like it is just stones that are drawn together by magic.

I did think that it could be a good model for a Feral Ork army for WH40K.

Forge World Imperial Guard Bombard

A Forge World Imperial Guard Bombard in the display cabinets at Warhammer World.

The Bombard is a powerful Imperial mobile artillery piece that mounts a Heavy Siege Mortar on a Leman Russ tank chassis. It is amongst the most powerful and largest artillery pieces in use by the heavy artillery and siege artillery companies of the Imperial Guard.

More photographs of the Imperial Guard Bombard.

Forge World Imperial Navy Avenger Strike Fighter

A Forge World Imperial Navy Avenger Strike Fighter in the display cabinets at Warhammer World.

The Avenger is a dedicated strike fighter, intended to conduct high-speed, low-level attacks on ground targets, with armoured vehicle formations and high-value strategic assets such as munitions dumps forming its principal prey. The Avenger Strike Fighter boasts firepower that exceeds most other Imperial aircraft of its size, and its particular reputation as a tank-killer is due to the Avenger bolt cannon it carries.

The Avenger is an ancient design, believed to originate on Ancient Terra sometime during the Age of Strife. It was adopted by forces loyal to the Divine Saint Sebastian Thor during the bloody wars of faith and schism now called the Age of Apostasy. Its effectiveness is such that it is now a staple of any Imperial Navy air support mission, holding a glamour of holy import in the wider Imperium. The Avenger is often specifically requested by the Adeptus Sororitas should they require close support in their purgations.