Over on the Warhammer Community site is an interesting article comparing the new Legions Imperialis miniatures with Epic miniatures of old.
The new Legions Imperialis models are much bigger than the Epic versions. This probably means that it will be challenging to use any Epic models alongside the new ones. Many of the models were pretty much underscale anyway.
One mistake in the article is that they mention plastic Leman Russ tanks
On the left is an adorable family photo, depicting three generations of the Leman Russ. At the front in green is an old metal version from the Space Marine-era in the mid 90s, joined by a plastic model (we think) from Epic Armageddon. The new Legions Imperialis Leman Russ kit also builds Leman Russ Vanquishers, pictured on the right with a smaller plastic version below it.
These plastic models were in fact resin models from Forge World. Here they are advertised in the Forge World catalogue.
I had a few, but as they didn’t match the metal Epic 40000 models I had, so I sold them on eBay.
One model I got many years ago, well in 2006, was a Forgeworld Razorback the one with the much bigger turret, which I much prefer over the plastic kit version that you could get in the shops back then. I recently retrieved it from storage and decided that I would try and finish painting it.
I took some photographs of the Razorback on my desert scenery tile.
There is still some work to do with this model, but I am pleased I have made progress and nearly finished it.
I like how the Inquisitorial iconography has turned out on the model.
It’s a pity that, that range has been retired. I found some more resin purity seals and a spare Rhino frontal armour plate in one of my bits box.
The Repressor tank is often used by Sisters of Battle as transport, and by the Adeptus Arbites in an anti insurgency role. I started building and painting this model back in 2007, I recently retrieved it from storage and decided that I would try and finish painting it. I realised I had made quite significant progress and it wouldn’t take too long to finish it off.
Having sprayed the model with Citadel Zandri Dust over the existing Tausept Ochre base coat and black undercoat, I started the detailing, using Leadbelcher on the weapons and the exhausts. The next step was painting the iconography and purity seals. I then gave the model a wash using Citadel shades. I then did some additional shading using different shades. The next stage was some drybrushing, for this I used Citadel Zandri Dust. I also took the time to brighten up the purity seals and other iconography after it was dulled down by the shades and washes. I added the tracks.
There is still some work to do with this model, but I am pleased I have made progress and nearly finished it.
Wartrakks are Ork tracked vehicles that are modified off the versatile warbuggy design by Mekboyz. Essentially a Warbuggy mounted upon a sturdy track unit, a Wartrakk sacrifices its speed for the ability to traverse rough terrain such as a ruined city and deliver heavier firepower. Wartrakks wield either a twin-linked Big Shoota or Rokkit Launcha.
This model was originally designed for Gorkamorka, and then became part of Warhammer 40K with Codex Orks.
I have added an Ork glyph to the frontal armour plate.
I was looking for something else when I found my Forge World Ork Mega Dread. I had got so far with it, I am surprised I hadn’t got around to finishing it off.
I bought mine at GamesDay 2009 and purchased it with two Killkannons as I didn’t think much of the Rippa-Claw, it looked flimsy in comparison to the model as a whole.
The construction process started off with the body, then the legs and the thighs. The legs were then attached to the body. The weapons were put together and then attached to the body. After constructing the model, it was undercoated. After basecoating the model, I gave the model a wash. The next stage was giving the model more washes….
I now need to think about what to do next. I think the model is quite dark.
I will certainly add some metallic paint and rust to the engines on the back of the dread.
I have had a Mark IV Forge World Grey Knights Dreadnought on my workbench for a while. After getting some weapon arms for the model. I gave the main model a black undercoat and started base coating with a metallic paint. The weapons I had given a white undercoat. Getting it out from storage, I decided to almost start again and gave the model a base spray of Leadbelcher. I gave the model a wash of Nuln Oil Shade. For the next stage I used some Citadel Leadbelcher. I took a large brush and gave the model, what I would call, a heavy drybrush. I then did a lighter drybrush of various silver paints.
I did intend to paint the base for the model next, but upon checking the workbench feature for my Grey Knights, I realised that I needed a paint I didn’t have. For my Grey Knights I painted the flocked (well sanded) bases with Bestial Brown and then drybrushed with Bleached Bone. I bought a pot of Mournfang Brown. I used this to paint the base of the Dreadnought.
I didn’t have any Bleached Bone either. I drybrushed the base with Citadel Ushabti Bone, which is a replacement for Bleached Bone.
There’s slightly bittersweet news for Warhammer 40,000 fans today, as some long-serving miniatures will be retiring from the range – both classic Space Marines, and a selection of Forge World kits.
I do accept the retirement of Forge World resin models, those where models have been replaced by plastic kits, or those where the models are no longer in the codex or the rules. That I get.
What makes me a little saddened and disappointed was this comment in the article:
There will still be Forge World units for Warhammer 40,000, but the focus for them will be on the really big stuff – like Titans, and other kits that we can’t reasonably produce at that scale (yet!). When we add new units in future, they will almost always be in plastic – and there are a lot of plastic kits on the way over the next few years!
I like the idea of new plastic kits, but where I think they are missing the trick is to use Forge World not only to produce those big kits (that they won’t do in plastic) but to produce two types of kits that would enhance and expand the Warhammer 40000 game.
The first of these is new units, those that add real variety to the armies you can field. A past example of that was the Grot Mega Tank. Another example was the Grot Tanks.These were not in the main Ork Codex, but certainly added something different to an Ork army. I liked how there were not just four models in the pack, but the way the models were designed, you could build them in a variety of ways.
I guess the reasoning here is not just about the range of models, but the need to provide rules for these types of models as well.
The second kind of model I think they should produce are variant units. I have in my own collection for example the Ork Halftrakk which is a variant Trukk. I think there could be a range of variant models that would enable for some armies a more varied and cosmopolitain look. This would be critical for some armies, such as Orks, but also Genestealers, Chaos, Tyranids, and others.
Reflecting on Orks, I would like to see a much wider range of buggies for example different kinds of Snazzwagons. I like what Forge World did in the past with the Battlewagon (now the Bonebreaka).
I did like the Imperial variants that Forge World produced as well. I much prefer my Forge World Razorback compared to the plastic kit at the time.
I guess though that Forge World will still be making new resin models for The Horus Heresy. Though this will mean Imperial (and Traitor) units only and not Xenos stuff like Orks!
Classic tanks from the Forge World range return to the Horus Heresy at the Games Workshop webstore, upgraded with new plastic sponson sprues that make it easier than ever to add weapon variety to your armoured companies.
The various resin models, such as the Mastodon Heavy Assault Transport, will now come with the sponsons sprue that is available now with the plastic releases that we have seen.
There is an implication here that future Horus Heresy releases may now be resin models. Especially as the only preview we have seen over recent months has been the Vindicator.
Though that may also mean that the Legion models we have seen, will now be supplemented with plastic releases for other Horus Heresy forces, such as the Solar Auxilia.
