warhammer world Archives - Felix's Gaming Pages

Sokar Pattern Stormbird

The Sokar pattern Stormbird is a dedicated attack lander. It has served as a high-durability orbital assault craft, a mobile bastion and firebase which could land a Space Marine strike force and withstand heavy ground fire while its cargo or troops and war machines disembarked to press the attack. One of the later patterns developed, the Sokar was the design precursor to the smaller Thunderhawk Gunship.

The Stormbird’s standard armament is four turret-mounted twin linked lascannon, three twin-linked heavy bolters, and a complement of six dreadstrike missiles. It is also equipped with particularly dense composite armour plating, and is further protected by a series of void shield generators which it can extend to protect disembarking troops and war machines.

Its cavernous transport bays can hold 50 fully armed Space Marines. Alternatively it can carry up to 5 Dreadnoughts, including the mighty Leviathan; Jump-pack equipped infantry; Rapier batteries; bikes; jetbikes; a Rhino armoured transport; or a mixed force of all of the above.

In the photographs you can see a Contemptor Dreadnought coming out from the side door.

A huge model that would make for an ideal objective for a game, though of course there are rules for using the flyer in games, but I think you would need a really large table…

This Sokar Pattern Stormbird was part of a airbase diorama at Warhammer World where there were all the different kinds of Space Marine Flyers.

Space Wolves Vindicator and Dreadnought

A Space Wolves Legion Vindicator and Dreadnought as they assault the enemy Thousand Sons Traitor Legion.

Space Wolves Vindicator.

These photographs are from the Burning of Prospero.

The Burning of Prospero, is the name of the full-scale invasion and planetary devastation of Prospero, homeworld of the Thousand Sons, by Imperial forces that mainly included the Space Wolves Legion, the Adeptus Custodes and the Sisters of Silence.

Another view of the Vindicator.

Thunderhawk Gunship

The Thunderhawk gunship is used by the Adeptus Astartes as their primary means of deploying forces for ground combat as well as their primary source of air support. The Thunderhawk gunship is often considered the lynchpin of any Space Marine Chapter, as it is able to fulfill many combat roles. The Thunderhawk is fully capable of functioning as an orbital drop ship, a heavy ground attack gunship, or as a bomber. The aircraft is able to quickly carry Space Marine forces from orbiting starships down into the midst of a battle, while at the same time providing supporting fire against enemy ground or air targets.

This model is one of the Forgeworld Display models. When you see it for “real” you realise how large the model is. I am not a great fan of the model, however I do quite like the Thunderhawk Transporter.

This Thunderhawk was part of a airbase diorama at Warhammer World where there were all the different kinds of Space Marine Flyers.

There were lots of nice touches in this diorama, such as the above Thunderhawk getting rearmed for its next mission, whilst Space Marines guard the landing pad. Around the airbase, there were squads of Space Marines marching , as well as vehicles moving around and into position.

Thousand Sons Legion Osiron Pattern Contemptor Dreadnought

This Thousand Sons Legion Osiron Pattern Contemptor Dreadnought was in the display cabinets at Warhammer World.

For many decades, the arts by which the powers of a psyker could be maintained medically into the half-life of Dreadnought sarcophagus internment eluded the Thousand Sons, just as it had many others of the Legiones Astartes who attempted the task. It was not until the mind of Magnus itself was focused on the issue, which he saw as part of the wider Librarius Project to establish firmly the place of the psyker within the Legiones Astartes, that a solution, albeit a difficult one, was created.

The use of a crowning psychometric barrier lattice for the living brain of the mortally wounded psyker was his answer, a device he named the ‘Osiron’. Difficult to construct and using principles few even among the Imperium’s foremost psi-arcanists understood, the Thousand Sons immediately began fitting it to the highly adaptable Contemptor Dreadnought chassis in their possession with startlingly powerful results.

Legio Custodes Orion Assault Dropship

Created as a dedicated assault dropship for the Legio Custodes, the Orion can carry a full task force of the Emperor’s Talons into combat. Protected by frontal armour superior to that of the Legiones Astartes Thunderhawk Gunship, its Arachnus heavy blaze cannon and Lastrum bolt cannon can swiftly clear a landing zone of hostile infantry and armour with brutal efficiency, allowing the units within to deploy before it soars back into the sky to unleash death upon any foe who dares approach.

This Legio Custodes Orion Assault Dropship was on display ay Warhammer World.

Storm Eagle

This Storm Eagle was in one of the display cabinets at Warhammer World. It is very much what I feel the Stormraven Gunship should have been.

A formidable gunship, the Storm Eagle mounts fearsome firepower for a vehicle of its size and is capable of transporting twenty Space Marines directly into the thick of an assault.

The exact provenance of the Storm Eagle is unknown, but it bears clear similarities to the Stormravens employed by the Blood Angels and Grey Knights. Certain sources place the principal manufacture of the Storm Eagle upon Tigrus and Anvilus IX, both primary-grade Forge Worlds that suffered catastrophic damage during the Horus Heresy. In recent decades the number of Storm Eagles in active service has begun to increase, especially amongst those Chapters known to have favourable relations with the Adeptus Mechanicus. This has lead some observers to believe that production has been restored at an as yet unknown location.

Sisters Of Silence Kharon Pattern Acquisitor

From the displays at Warhammer World.

Built to approach its targets silently and with utmost stealth, the Kharon Pattern Acquisitor is deliberately made to be a thing of mystery and terror when its presence is unveiled. Used primarily in a paramilitary role by the Sisters of Silence, it can suppress civilian resistance with lethal effect, its hellion cannon cutting through rampaging mobs and destroying makeshift barricades. Against greater threats, various payloads of missiles can be deployed, including sophisticated antipsyker warheads.

This is one of the strangest Imperial vehicles from Games Workshop. Almost too futuristic for the Warhammer 40000 Imperium, it would appear that in the Horus Heresy there was a much higher level of technology that was utilised by different forces.

Mars Pattern Reaver Titan

This huge Mars Pattern Reaver Titan was in the display cabinets at Warhammer World.

The Reaver Battle Titan is a frontline combat titan, designed for direct confrontation with the enemy. … Reavers primarily serve as vanguards for the Warlords, there to fan out and prevent the larger and slower Warlords from being flanked, so they can keep the enemy boxed into the Warlord’s field of fire.

Deredeo Pattern Dreadnought

The Deredeo pattern Dreadnought was in the displays at Warhammer World.

The Deredeo pattern Dreadnought is a dedicated heavy support frame, though it shares many core components and systems with the more general assault-based Contemptor class. Initially deployed in limited numbers to each of the Legions due to difficulties in its manufacture, its durability and firepower saw demand for the Deredeo pattern dramatically increase after the outbreak of the Horus Heresy.

Xiphon Pattern Interceptor

This Xiphon Pattern Interceptor was on display at Warhammer World.

With unparalleled speed and manoeuvrability, the Xiphon pattern Interceptor saw increasing service in the Legiones Astartes during the dark days of the Horus Heresy. Based on ancient designs, the void and atmospheric craft carried heavy armaments into battle, allowing it to destroy both air and ground targets with apparent ease. Its pair of twin-linked lascannon and Xiphon rotary missile launcher combined with the Interceptor’s speed and agility to make it a deadly opponent from which the enemies of Mankind could not hide.