forge world Archives - Felix's Gaming Pages

Reflecting on the MkIIB Land Raider

The Land Raider is an Imperial main battle tank and troop transport which serves as the “armoured fist of the Space Marines.” Available to the Space Marines, the Traitor Legions of the Chaos Space Marines and the forces of the Inquisition and Adeptus Mechanicus, it is one of the most resilient and iconic armoured vehicles in the galaxy.

The Land Raider’s heritage predates even the founding of the Imperium of Man, yet it remains the single most destructive weapon in the Adeptus Astartes’ arsenal.

The Mark IIb Land Raider Phobos is one of the earliest marks of the standard pattern of Land Raider, and it still bears similarities to both the Land Raider Proteus and the Spartan Assault Tank that served as the models for the design.

The Mark IIb Land Raider Phobos is the only pattern of the standard Land Raider Phobos that uses the older armoured sponsons, as they do not allow the weapons they hold to fully rotate. This pattern of Land Raider is mostly extinct within Space Marine Armouries, having been replaced with newer marks and patterns of the standard Land Raider Phobos. However, some Chapters may still possess one or two as treasured relics of their ancient past.

I got a Forge World MkIIB Land Raider and was originally painting it up as a Grey Knights Land Raider in desert camouflage.

For the basecoat I used the old Foundation Paints from Games Workshop, specifically Tausept Ochre.

This was taking it’s time, so I decided that I would try using Citadel’s spray gun to base coat the rest of the Land Raider. However due to thinning the paint too much I didn’t get the result I hoped for. I did give it a second coat, and then lost interest in finishing the model like my other Land Raider. So, it got put into storage.

However having liked the paint scheme I was using on my Deimos-pattern Rhino, I decided that I would find the model and paint this Land Raider in the same scheme.

The Land Raider does have a fair amount of Inquisitorial and Grey Knights iconography on the model, but I have decided to leave it on. I also noticed that there is a part missing the, the hull top front bolters. I will have to find where I put that piece.

The first thing I did was spray the underneath of the model with Citadel Zandri Dust.

The rear view.

Next stage is to decide what to do next.

See the full Mark IIb Land Raider workbench.

Detailing the Repressor

The Repressor tank is often used by Sisters of Battle as transport, and by the Adeptus Arbites in an anti insurgency role. I said in a blog post back in 2004 “I do like this model and I am intending to get one to use with my Daemonhunters army as a transport for the Storm Troopers”. I did get one that Christmas as a present. Though I actually 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.

Having sprayed the model with Citadel Zandri Dust. I started the detailing, using Leadbelcher on the weapons and the exhausts.

I need to add more detailing

Painting the Grot Bomb Launcha Mk II

The Forgeworld Grot Bomb Launcha is probably one of my all time favourite models. I already have a workbench feature on that Grot Bomb Launcha however I did get another model of one at GamesDay 2005.

I found the chassis of this one in of the boxes with my Land Raiders.

I gave the model a spray of Citadel Zandri Dust.

Now I just need to find the rest of the model!

Refreshing the Repressor

The Repressor tank is often used by Sisters of Battle as transport, and by the Adeptus Arbites in an anti insurgency role.

The Repressor is an Imperial armoured personnel carrier (APC) based on the standard Rhino chassis. The Repressor is used by both the Adeptus Arbites as a riot control and crowd suppression vehicle, and by the Adepta Sororitas as an infantry transport during intense urban battles. The Repressor uses an extensively converted Rhino chassis; the transport compartment has been greatly expanded upon, a raised roof featuring firing slits for the passenger’s weapons has been added, a large dozer blade used to plow through debris and rioting mobs is attached to the front of the vehicle, and the vehicle possesses a small forward cupola-mounted turret.

I said in a blog post back in 2004 “I do like this model and I am intending to get one to use with my Daemonhunters army as a transport for the Storm Troopers”. I did get one that Christmas as a present.

Though I actually 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.

I was using Tausept Ochre as the base coat, though as you can see the basecoat wasn’t covering the black undercoat very well.

At one point I decided that I would try using Citadel’s spray gun to base coat the rest of the Repressor. However due to thinning the paint too much I didn’t get the result I hoped for. It was really at this point it got put away.

However having liked the paint scheme I was using on my Deimos-pattern Rhino, I decided that I would paint the Repressor using the same method, but not necessarily the bright yellow of the Rhino.

The first thing I did was spray the model with Citadel Zandri Dust.

This certainly covered the model well, and looked better than the Tausept Ochre paint.

The next stage will be the detailing in Leadbelcher before shading the model.

Reinforcements

I saw over on the Warhammer Community site a new (plastic) model of the Predator will be released. This Predator is based on the Deimos-pattern Rhino.

Although not as fast as the Sicaran, the Predator is a reliable ‘everytank’ for the Legion on the go. Instead of a complicated custom chassis, it’s built on the shoulders of the Deimos-pattern Rhino, providing armies with a dependable armoured fighting vehicle that can be easily modified and repaired as necessary.

I like the kit and retro yet modern look they have achieved with the kit. Well Forge World did do that ten years ago… This is of course a plastic version of that Forge World resin kit. The Forge World kit was of course inspired by the original plastic Predator model which used the original Rhino model.

The kit comes with a range of weapon choices.

I might get one to add to my Rhino.

Plastic Deimos-pattern Rhino

I was pleased to see that one of the new Horus Heresy releases announced at Warhammer Fest today was the Plastic Deimos-pattern Rhino.

Hot on the heels of the RTB01-esque Mark VI Space Marines comes the classic look of the Deimos-pattern Rhino. It will be easier than ever before to roll out a fully mechanised army for Warhammer: The Horus Heresy.

I like the kit and retro yet modern look they have achieved with the kit. Well Forge World did do that ten years ago… This is of course a plastic version of that Forge World resin kit.

This release of the new plastic kit really feels like Games Workshop going full circle. The Plastic Deimos-pattern Rhino is of course a homage to the original plastic Rhino from the 1980s, which was Games Workshop’s first tank kit for Warhammer 40000 Rogue Trader. This will be a different kind of kit though.

Of course that kit when released the fluff allowed the Rhino to be used by the Imperial Guard. You can see this in this camouflage schemes for the then plastic Rhino kit, which was published to help people paint their new models.

So wonder how many people will buy the plastic Deimos-pattern Rhino for their Imperial Guard armies?

Some more variations. I do like the way that (back then) Space Marine chapters used camouflage on their vehicles.

So will we see a plastic Land Raider Proteus as some point in the future? Well it wouldn’t surprise me if we did.

Plastic Land Raider Proteus perhaps?

With the announcement of the plastic Spartan Land Raider Assault Tank it got me thinking, will we also a plastic Land Raider Proteus?

There is a resin model from Forge World currently available.

It wouldn’t be too much of a step to have a plastic kit of this Land Raider? Essentially the Spartan is a stretched Land Raider.

It would mean producing a new hull for the plastic tracks, but that would mean replacing potentially one sprue with another.

Of course this would mean returning full circle to the original plastic Land Raider model which was released in 1988, well nearly.

Plastic Spartan Assault Tank

Over on the Warhammer Community site they have revealed a new plastic Spartan Assault Tank .

The mighty Land Raider is a design that has stood the test of time ever since Arkhan Land dug it out of the catacombs on Mars – but what’s a Legion Praetor to do when their prized Terminator squads can’t quite squeeze into its armoured hold? They reach for the Spartan Assault Tank – and now, with a stunning new plastic kit, you can too.

I do quite like the new model, the retro vibe, I might get one.

Also known as the Land Raider Spartan, this armoured carrier was designed to punch through the most overwhelming enemy defences and deliver a knock-out blow of massed Astartes infantry. It became a common assault vehicle during the Great Crusade, where its nigh-impervious chassis could shrug off regular anti-tank weapons as it ferried up to 26 Legionaries – or 13 Terminators – into the fray, with a surprising turn of speed for its size.

Of course we have had the Forge World resin version for some time now, though this has been deleted from the Forge World store.

This was based on a conversion from White Dwarf 119.

The article in White Dwarf had instructions for the conversion of a Land Raider and a Rhino into two new Imperial vehicles. One was the Spartan, Terminator Battle Tank using the kit parts with the addition of plastic card or cardboard. and an Imperial Tank Hunter utilising the remainder of the parts from the two kits.

The article also had an overview of the Spartan Assault Tank.

Horus had thrown around the captured Adeptus Mechanics city of Aries Primus. This was then the second city of Mars and the largest single source of war munitions in the Imperium. With the city in Horus’ hands, the besieged Earth stood no chance against the forthcoming attack from his Rebel forces. Only by recapturing Aries Primus and its weapons factories could Earth’s hard-pressed forces be resupplied. Horus had ordered a defensive plasma ring to be constructed around the city and called it the Ring pair can shoot against targets on that of Death. Without vehicle transport, even the Terminators were unable to get through. The Imperium had lost most to hit with each pair – so either both of its armoured carriers in the first battle for Aries Primus, and facilities to replace them were meagre. So, taking what spare parts and production facilities were available elsewhere, the Spartan and vehicles much like it were hastily devised. Although many died attempting to cross the Ring of Death, it was eventually penetrated and destroyed, and the city was carried thanks to the devotion and sacrifice of the Terminator Suicide Squads. The Spartan design proved so successful that it was refined and retained as a standard part of Imperial equipment.

The Spartan is a special conversion based on the well known Land Raider. The extra luggage space and open-top main hatch are designed to accommodate the extra bulk of Space Marines wearing Terminator Armour. The Spartan is armed with two sets of twin lascannon, exactly as the standard Land Raider, and it is provided with an additional forward facing heavy bolter and rear facing bolt gun. Both these hull-mounted weapons are designed to be operated by a Terminator standing in the Spartan.

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.