Category: warhammer 40k

Ultramarines Life Size Rhino

The last time I visited Warhammer World it was back in 2012.  Back then the  life size Rhino  was right in the middle of the car park. Now it’s by the entrance to the revamped and new(ish)  Warhammer World.

Life Size Rhino outside Warhammer World.
Life Size Rhino outside Warhammer World.

It was originally used as a promotional piece for the THQ Dawn of War video game.  THQ gave the Rhino to Games Workshop who then gave it a repaint in Ultramarines colours. Here is another view of how it looks today.

Life Size Rhino outside Warhammer World.
Life Size Rhino outside Warhammer World.

It has suffered a little from being outside and is slightly battered and rusty, but this does make it look more “realistic”. This is how it looked six years ago, slightly shinier.

Ultramarines Life Size Rhino outside Warhammer World
Ultramarines Life Size Rhino outside Warhammer World

And this is how it looked at GamesDay 2008.

Life Size Rhino

Eighth time lucky?

I was around and did buy the first edition of Warhammer 40000 way back in 1987. I went with Orks mainly as I had an Orc army in Warhammer (the fantasy version) and since then they have been the mainstay of my 40K gaming.

The last edition of 40K I bought was the fifth edition back in 2008 and for many reasons I stopped playing 40K and moved onto other systems and games. That is quite normal for me, I think I bought the fourth and fifth editions, but didn’t bother with the second or third editions of 40K.

At the weekend, Simon came over for a game and we tried out the eighth edition rules.

Warhammer 40K Eighth Edition Game

For a change and I think the first time I had actually used them on the tabletop I got my Cadian Kasrkin out and played with them.

The Kasrkin are elite troops of the Imperial Guard and are dedicated to the security of the Fortress World of Cadia from which they hail. Because they are elite special forces troops drawn from the same world as the existing Cadian Shock Troops Regiments of the Imperial Guard, the Kasrkin are officially classified by the Departmento Munitorum as the type of Storm Troopers known as Grenadiers because of their heavy weapons and elite tactical training. Their name comes from the title of the fortress cities of Cadia, which are called “Kasrs” in the native Cadian dialect of Low Gothic.

Cadian Kasrkin

I have ten of them, including a commander, a trooper with a Flamer and one with a Grenade Launcher.

Cadian Kasrkin

For the game we treated them as Militarum Tempestus Scions, as the new Indexes (Indices) have conveniently forgotten the Kasrkin.

As for who they would be fighting, Simon came along with his new Necrons!

Necrons

The game is very familiar to those who’ve played before. The main differences for me were the replacement of grids with a simpler table and the lack of templates. I like the abstract nature now of template weapons, it doesn’t change the impact of such lethal weaponry, but removes the fiddly placing of templates and potential cheesiness of moving figures around.

It’s a bit of an assumption that complicated rules means that the game is more “realistic”, as though las guns and robots are in anyway “realistic”.

Overall I really like this new version of the rules, they were simple enough to remember easily, and allowed for faster play, but also they provided for a fun game.

Ork Gunwagon

I’ve always liked the Ork Gunwagon, which was one of the first Forge World models that was released and was one of the first that I purchased. After a while Forge World started releasing them with bigger more powerful weapons.

This is a Forge World Gunwagon with Big Shoota

Ork Gunwagon

Another Forge World Ork Gunwagon, this one is armed with Big Zzappa

Ork Gunwagon

From the Display Cabinets at GamesDay.

Space Marine Vindicator

Space Marine Vindicator

The Vindicator is a Rhino-based siege tank that boasts the most devastating weapon in the Space Marines’ armoury – the demolisher cannon. The demolisher cannon is the weapon of choice amongst the Imperium’s armies when faced with dug-in enemy infantry in a dense environment such as a cityfight or siege. The terrific blast unleashed by the detonation of the huge demolisher shells can bring down building in which the enemy take cover.

Games Workshop have had a Vindicator model in their ranges for many years now. Originally a conversion article in White Dwarf back in 1989, it was followed up some years later with a Forge World resin conversion kit of the then new plastic rhino.

Space Marine Vindicator

Space Marine Vindicator

In 2007 Games Workshop released a new plastic Vindicator. Not to be outdone, in 2013 Forge World released the Demios Pattern Vindicator.

The Deimos pattern is an early type of Vindicator used by the Space Marine Legions during the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy, although many are still operational in the service of Space Marine Chapters in the 41st Millennium. A powerful assault tank, the Vindicator’s principal armament is a heavy-calibre demolisher cannon capable of shattering fortifications and breaching the armour plates of tanks with equal ease. It is invaluable in urban warfare as it can blast and shunt its way through barricades and obstacles, enabling troops following behind free passage through streets that might have otherwise swiftly degenerated into kill zones.

Legion Deimos Pattern Vindicator

A nostalgic throwback to the original plastic conversion from 1989, this is obviously a lot more detailed and sophisticated model.

The Vindicator has a long history in Games Workshop and the many variations providing an interesting insight to the design and development of Games Workshop as a whole. From the early days of simple conversions, to Forge World conversion kits, a detailed plastic kit and then a retro throwback.

Imperial Navy Arvus Lighter

I’ve always quite liked the Forge World Imperial Navy Arvus Lighter for Warhammer 40K.

Arvus Lighter, from the Forgeworld cabinets at GamesDay 2006.
Arvus Lighter, from the Forgeworld cabinets at GamesDay 2006

The Arvus is a small cargo shuttle commonly used to transfer supplies and small personnel units ship-to-ship or from fleet positions to planetary installations. While unarmed, the Arvus is capable of standing in as an assault boat, able to transport small infantry squads or boarding parties.

Arvus Lighter, BAT-21, from the Golden Demon cabinets at GamesDay 2006.
Arvus Lighter, BAT-21, from the Golden Demon cabinets at GamesDay 2006

This was very much a scenery item, or a scenario objective, something from which a narrative game could be played.

I am pleased to see it is still available from Forge World, these photographs were taken at Games Day 2006, and there are many Forge World models that are now no longer available.

Chaos Iron Warriors

This is a rather nice looking Iron Warriors Chaos Basilisk that was on display in Warhammer World in Nottingham back in 2007.

Chaos Iron Warriors

This is a rather nice looking Iron Warriors Chaos Vindicator (if somewhat badly photographed) that was in the display.

Iron Warriors Chaos Vindicator

Alongside in the same display cabinet  was this BaneBlade heavy tank.

Iron Warriors Chaos BaneBlade

Again very nicely painted and looks very menacing.

Part of much larger Iron Warriors army by Christian Bryne.

Ork Morkanaut

Ork Morkanaut

I wasn’t expecting to see new Ork stuff so soon, or has it been longer than I think since we last saw new Ork releases.

The new Ork Morkanaut certainly is a nice new design, that I quite like.

Ork Morkanaut

Personally built and piloted by an Ork Mekboy, the Morkanaut possesses all the lethal kunnin’ of Mork. Packed with glowy gubbinz from the Mek’s own workshop these mighty engines exist purely to cause carnage.

The Morkanaut’s main weapon is a profusion of worky gubbinz and zappy bits known as the kustom mega-kannon. It is also armed with two twin-linked big shootas, two rokkit launchas, a kustom mega-blasta and the Klaw of Gork (or possibly Mork).

Will I get one? Well I might once my Stompa eventually gets finished.