Category: news

Sad news, Elizabeth Sladen dies

Sad news today, Doctor Who actress Elizabeth Sladen who played Sarah Jane Smith has died aged just 63. Sarah Jane Smith was the Doctor’s companion in the 1970s playing opposite both Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker; however she came back more recently to play opposite David Tennant and in new spin off series, the Sarah Jane Adventures she also got to meet Matt Smith’s Doctor.

My own memories of Sarah Jane Smith are from the Genesis of the Daleks where she meets Davros and encounters the Daleks.

Sad news indeed today and my sympathies go out to her family.

Nice collection

Nice collection of 28mm vehicles for use with a Very British Civil War.

My Very British Civil War project is in danger of reaching fruition as the heady combination of great miniatures, cracking vehicles, and scenics all approach the state of being finished with the alluring promise of much gaming ahead.

See more photographs and more explanation. Some very inspiring work and has got me thinking about going into this era myself. 28mm certainly sounds like fun, but also tempted to use 15mm and my Flames of War miniatures.

Here come the Jokaero

Well I didn’t see that coming…

We are seeing the return of the Jokaero to the Warhammer 40000 universe.

Jokaero are heavyset, orange-furred apes with retractable fingers and toes, similar in appearance to the orang-utans of ancient Terra. Yet this primitive appearance is completely misleading. Jokaero are technosavants without peer and have an instinctive understanding of machinery and technological systems. So great is their skill that they can customise almost any weapon or equipment, giving a group of Henchmen more powerful weapons, better protection or even both at the same time. While outwardly they appear to be unarmed, Jokaero digital weapons can prove to be deadly, whether they choose to use a powerful laser, a flame thrower or a devastating melta weapon.

First seen in the original Rogue Trader Warhammer 40000 rule book, this is the first time an actual miniature has been released. Reminding me slightly of the Librarian from the Discworld novels I think this miniature, as well as working with the Grey Knights and Inquisitors, would also be a handy model to have to use with the Rogue Trader RPG.

They come from the skies…

The Grey Knights are about to descend upon us….

We are about to see the imminent release of the new Grey Knights from Games Workshop and on the GW website is a real taste of what we can expect in this revamping of the Grey Knights. The models are now available to pre-order.

As well as lots of new plastic models, the main difference is the change in emphasis from Daemonhunters to Grey Knights in the new Codex. Previously the focus of the older Codex was with the Inquisition and entourage, with the Grey Knights very much there, but their role was supporting an Inquisitor. From the rumours and recently released pictures, what we will see in this new Codex is the focus now been on the Grey Knights. This Codex is about the Grey Knights and their weapons of war.
As expected the Stormraven is a key part of any Grey Knights force, but we also see some new and interesting models, particularly the Nemsis Dreadknight.

Its powerful weaponry will happily tear through any enemy army, both at range and in assault.

As a 4-Wound Monstrous Creature with the same save as a Terminator armour, the Nemesis Dreadknight’s adamantium-alloy skeleton also lends it incredible durability.

I like it and I don’t like it… probably something I need to see in the flesh (plastic) to see what it really is like. Reminds me of the older Eldar War Walker model.

These new releases may be the impetus I need to finish my own Grey Knights force.

Forge World Big Trakk Concept

One of the nice things about talking to the Forge World designers, whether it be at GamesDay or the Forge World Open Days is seeing how they move models from ideas and drawings to concepts to finished product.

This Ork concept vehicle based on the Ork Trukk eventually became the Big Trakk.

Forge World Big Trakk Concept

The other side was more of a half-trakk opposed to the full tracked side here.

If you compare it to the Big Trakk model you can see how the model evolved.

Forge World Big Trakk Concept

Flames of War – Battle of the Bulge




One other line in the news from Flames of War caught my eye and that was a reference to the Battle for the Bulge.

Following on from Italy we will be heading into the Bulge at the end of the year as well as creating another set of compilations for the Christmas season as we did last year with D-Day.

It would appear that as they did with the D-Day compilations, late in 2011 we will see a similar compilation for the late war. I don’t know what new releases we will see, but we did get a few new releases for D-Day so we may see some new ones for the late war.

I would like to see two tanks in particular, the M24 Chaffee and the British Comet. These tanks are currently not in the FoW range.

M24 Chaffee

The Light Tank M24 was an American light tank used during World War II and in postwar conflicts including the Korean War and with the French in the First Indochina War and war in Algeria. In British service it was given the service name Chaffee, after the United States Army General Adna R. Chaffee, Jr., who helped develop the use of tanks in the United States armed forces.

Tank, Cruiser, Comet I (A34)

The Tank, Cruiser, Comet I (A34) was a British cruiser tank that first saw use near the end of World War II. It was designed to provide greater anti-tank capability to Cromwell tank squadrons.

Tank, Cruiser, Comet I (A34)

It was armed with a 77mm HV, a derivative of the 17 pounder, with the result it was one of the few British tanks with the firepower to challenge late war German designs.

I would also like to see some Late War Monsters in a similar vein to the Mid War Monsters that we have seen before. As well as the German Maus, King Tiger II and E series, we could on the allied side see the Centurion and M26 Pershing. There are also the T29 and T30 US Heavy Tanks that could also be fielded.

T29 Heavy Tank

Talking of Monsters, some Early War Monsters wouldn’t go amiss either, the French Char 2C would be one example.

So a fair bit to look forward to for Flames of War in 2011.

Return to Vietnam

Flames of War will be returning to Vietnam…

Last year in Wargames Illustrated we tried something new and let a charge of enthusiasm for an exciting period, led by Pete, culminate in our first attempt at adapting the Flames Of War mechanics to other periods. The result was a wonderful success and with so many people getting excited about both the idea and the period we realised that it could not simply be a one-off. What we have decided to do is bring you Vietnam part II this April with a following instalment each year. The rolling plan has us adding to the forces, models and how it can be played. This has made us realise that Flames Of War Vietnam has become our second period and it will receive ongoing support.

Phil takes us back to a Vietnam in WI282 to bring you the armour and new helicopters for the US and the big guns for the PAVN. Rather than just taking up space in WI we decided to include the 48 page intelligence handbook as a bonus with WI so that everything you need to play is now its own book as well as being free. Phil being the excellent chap he is did not only get you new lists but included everything from the first outing we made to Vietnam so this booklet really has everything you need to play.

Read more

There are going to be a range of new models too, including tanks and the M113 APC with variants.

Quite like the models. Not so sure I will be buying into the era though. Apart from NVA and Vietcong infantry, the US seem to have all the firepower and armour (as they did in Vietnam). Then again I did enjoy Full Metal Jacket and Platoon, so maybe…