Category: imperial guard

Painting the Aeronautica Imperialis Valkyrie Assault Carriers

I have finished painting my Aeronautica Imperialis Valkyrie Assault Carriers.

Typically seconded to the Astra Militarum, Valkyrie Assault Carriers deliver troops directly to the front, hovering in place to provide fire support, before blasting off to take on enemy aircraft. Versatile weapon hard points allow them to be kitted out to take on a wide range of ground targets and aircraft.

I had the boxed set of the Aeronautica Imperialis Valkyrie Assault Carriers, which I constructed and gave a white undercoat.

The models were then given a basecoat of Ushabti Bone. I wanted a lighter colour, knowing that when I shaded the models it would darken the basecoat.

 

I am not particularly happy about painting camouflage, but decided I would have an attempt on these models, partly to push myself in terms of painting, but also to make them look different to the Imperial Navy and Ork models I had painted. I also quite liked the scheme that was used on the GW models.

Now I am pretty sure they used an airbrush on their models, but I didn’t have an airbrush!

I used a stipple brush and Castellan Green to add the green camouflage. I made my stipple brush by cutting the bristles down on a normal brush to around 3-5mm. I didn’t want marked and clear camouflage, more of a stippled or airbrushed look. Paint is added to the brush and then I try and remove some (not so little as with drybrushing) but enough for coverage.

I quite like the effect and I think when shaded this will tone it down as well. Continue reading “Painting the Aeronautica Imperialis Valkyrie Assault Carriers”

Building the Aeronautica Imperialis Valkyrie Assault Carriers

Typically seconded to the Astra Militarum, Valkyrie Assault Carriers deliver troops directly to the front, hovering in place to provide fire support, before blasting off to take on enemy aircraft. Versatile weapon hard points allow them to be kitted out to take on a wide range of ground targets and aircraft.

I pre-ordered the boxed set of the Aeronautica Imperialis Valkyrie Assault Carriers.

These are quite fiddly models to make. There are quite a few small parts, such as the top of the cockpit and the engines. The rear tail assembly is also a bit of a challenge.

You need to ensure you have cleaned the pieces so that they fit neatly together, otherwise you will get gaps. Here are the four finished models on my workbench. I built two as Valkyrie Assault flyers and two as Vendetta Assault Carriers. The main difference between two flyers are the underwing ordnance.

Having constructed the models I gave them a white undercoat, using a white spray paint.

There are two versions you can build, the Valkyrie Assault Carrier with rocket pods or the Vendetta Assault Carriers with Lascannons.

See the Aeronautica Imperialis Valkyrie Assault Carriers workbench.

The Aeronautica Imperialis Valkyrie Assault Carriers have arrived

Out of all the new imminent releases for the next phase of Aeronautica Imperialis releases for Skies of Fire the one that I liked the most was the Valkyrie. So much so that I did something I rarely do, and pre-ordered the boxed set of the Aeronautica Imperialis Valkyrie Assault Carriers from Alchemists Workshop and they’ve now arrived… with a few extras.

I had not used Alchemists Workshops before, so was impressed with both their prices (good discounts), customer service and fast delivery (the parcel actually arrived yesterday).

As well as the Valkyrie Flyers I also got the new Aircraft and Aces Astra Militarum and Imperial Navy Cards and I also decided to get the Aircraft and Aces Imperial Navy Cards as well. I already have the Aircraft and Aces Ork Air Waaagh! Cards.

In the Aircraft and Aces Astra Militarum and Imperial Navy Cards you do get cards for the released Valkyrie and Lightning Fighter, but there are also cards for the Imperial Arvus Lighter, the Avenger Strike Fighters and the Vulture Gunship. We have seen pictures of all three aircraft, but t they haven’t yet been released.

Pre-ordered the Aeronautica Imperialis Valkyrie Assault Carriers

Typically seconded to the Astra Militarum, Valkyrie Assault Carriers deliver troops directly to the front, hovering in place to provide fire support, before blasting off to take on enemy aircraft. Versatile weapon hard points allow them to be kitted out to take on a wide range of ground targets and aircraft.

Out of all the new imminent releases for the next phase of Aeronautica Imperialis releases for Skies of Fire the one that I liked the most was the Valkyrie. So much so that I did something I rarely do, and pre-ordered the boxed set of the Aeronautica Imperialis Valkyrie Assault Carriers.

The set includes:

      • 4 plastic Astra Militarum Valkyrie Assault Carrier miniatures (can also be built as Vendetta Assault Carriers)
      • 4 Aeronautica Imperialis bases (each base designates the model’s front, rear and side arcs, has speed and altitude dials as well as a clear stand to connect the aircraft to the base)
      • 1 Valkyrie Squadron transfer sheet

Aeronautica Imperialis: Valkyrie Assault Carriers

The box comes with two sprue and there are two Aeronautica Imperialis Valkyrie Assault Carriers on each sprue.

Looking forward to building these.

As I said on Twitter I do wonder if we will ever see tanks and infantry in this scale for Adeptus Titanicus? Well this Valkyrie does show what is possible.

 

Leman Russ Main Battle Tank

The Leman Russ is the main battle tank of the Astra Militarum, and is also the most widely deployed tank in the Imperium. The tank is named after the Space Wolves Primarch, Leman Russ. Far from a sophisticated vehicle, the Leman Russ was designed and built with reliability and versatility in mind. It can survive the worst the galaxy can throw at it, and can run on almost any combustible liquid fuel.

This Steel Legion Leman Russ Main Battle Tank was on display at Warhammer World.

Leman Russ Main Battle Tank
Steel Legion Leman Russ Main Battle Tank at Warhammer World

See more photographs of the Leman Russ Main Battle Tank in the Miniatures Gallery.

Elysian Tauros Venator

This Elysian Tauros Venator was in the displays at Warhammer World.

The Tauros is a light, sturdily built, all-terrain utility and tractor vehicle used on many Frontier Worlds. Its rugged drive axles are individually powered by high-yield galvanic motors that allow the vehicle to maintain its speed even when some of its wheels may be damaged or destroyed. The Tauros and many similar vehicles have also been used by Imperial exploration teams and sometimes by brigands, marauders, and rebel factions.

The Tauros is even used as a light attack and reconnaissance vehicle by the Elysian Drop Troops regiments of the Imperial Guard. The Elysian Drop Troops have modified the Tauros for airborne operations, stripping off any unneeded weight so that it can be carried into battle by their Valkyrie Sky Talons.

The Tauros comes in two standard variants: the four-wheeled Tauros Rapid Assault Vehicle which serves as a long-range scout vehicle, mounting potent anti-personnel firepower in the form of either a Heavy Flamer or Tauros Grenade Launcher, and the six-wheeled and more heavily armed and armoured Tauros Venator.

Elysian Tauros Venator
Elysian Tauros Venator at Warhammer World

The Tauros Venator variant is armed with a Twin-linked Multi-Laser for anti-infantry work or a Twin-linked Lascannon for anti-vehicle duty.

I have a Elysian Tauros Assault Vehicle on the workbench which I prefer over the six wheeled version.

I didn’t realise that Forge World had stopped making their Elysian models, which is a pity.

Imperial Guard Hellhound

The Hellhound is a flame-thrower tank of the Astra Militarum that is based upon the Imperial Chimera armoured transport chassis. Its main weapon is the Inferno Cannon, also known as the “Dragonfire Thrower,” which is a large Flamer that projects streams of burning Promethium at range, making the Hellhound well-suited to close-range fire support missions such as countering enemy melee units that attempt to assault Imperial armour and driving dug-in enemies out of cover.

Imperial Guard Hellhound, from Forge World
Imperial Guard Hellhound, from the Forge World displays at Warhammer World.

See more photographs of the Imperial Guard Hellhound.

Valkyrie from the Catachan 22nd Airborne Assault Group

The Valkyrie Airborne Assault Carrier is a heavily armed Imperial Aircraft with VTOL (Vertical Takeoff Or Landing) capabilities, used to ferry special forces such as Storm Trooper Squads and Drop Troop Regiments such as the Elysian Drop Troops and Harakoni Warhawks to and from combat zones.

Catachan Valkyrie

The Valkyrie, like most of the Imperium’s aircraft, is piloted and operated by the Imperial Navy, with a pilot, co-pilot and two door gunners. Valkyries are provided in joint operations for use to the Imperial Guard on an as needed basis, with pilots reporting directly to the regiment’s senior officer.

This example has been painted to reflect the regiment’s identity and colours. Some Valkyries have been so successful with certain regiments, that they are permanently assigned to them. One such regiment is the Catachan 22nd Airborne Assault Group.

Militarum Tempestus Valkyrie

The Militarum Tempestus, also known as the Ordo Tempestus, is amongst the most rigidly codified of all Imperial organisations, for its troops form the elite backbone of the Astra Militarum, serving as its special operations units. Though the Ordo is technically a sub-faction governed by the Adeptus Administratum, it enjoys a far greater amount of autonomy than the Imperial Guard regiments that often fight alongside it.

Alongside the Taurox Prime vehicles the Militarum Tempestus also use the Valkyrie Transport. The Valkyrie Airborne Assault Carrier is a heavily armed Imperial Aircraft with VTOL (Vertical Takeoff Or Landing) capabilities, used to ferry troops, such as the Tempestus Scions,  to and from combat zones.

This Militarum Tempestus Valkyrie was on display at Warhammer World.

Militarum Tempestus Valkyrie