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.
Those of us who have been playing Warhammer 40K since it was first released will recognise this model from Forge World. It is of course a resin version of the original original Land Raider that was released back in 1987 following the release of the 1st edition of Warhammer 40,000, Rogue Trader.
Land Raider Proteus on display at Warhammer World
Mechanicus tech-savants believe that the Land Raider Proteus is a precursor to the Phobos pattern vehicle now found amongst the armouriums of the Adeptus Astartes. Bulkier and faster than the Phobos, ancient and forgotten data-looms describe the Proteus as a forward assault vehicle, commonly fielded in Explorator missions during the dawning days of Mankind’s fledgling galactic empire.
Named for the ‘Great Beast’ of Ancient Terran myth, the immense Typhon Heavy Siege Tank was developed by the Mechanicum alongside the Spartan, with which it shares a basic chassis design.
The Typhon’s primary armament is the massive Dreadhammer cannon, and was created in response to a request from the Primarch Peturabo, master of the Iron Warriors. He demanded a Legiones Astartes war engine that could rival the great batteries of the Imperial Crusade Army in firepower, but manoeuvre and deploy at the speed of a Space Marine force.
One of the heavy artillery units available to the Legiones Astartes is the Medusa, which carries a short ranged but extremely powerful siege mortar capable of breaching all but the thickest walls. When a breach has been secured, the Medusa will then rumble forwards to support the assault, levelling buildings with a single shell.
A variant of the Sicaran battle tank introduced towards the end of the Great Crusade, the Sicaran Venator is a purpose-built tank destroyer. It mounts the fearsome neutron laser system and the atomantic arc-reactors required to power it. The neutron laser is a formidable anti-armour weapon, and is capable of penetrating any known armour. The combination of mobility, protection and firepower being highly valued by the Space Marine Legions.
This Forge World model was on display at Warhammer World.
I do like these retro models. Very nostalgic reminds of those early days of Warhammer 40K, which shows how old I am, because I do remember those days. I bought Rogue Trader when it came out.
Legion Glaive at Warhammer World
The Glaive Super-heavy Special Weapons Tank is a variant of the Fellblade. Armed with a Volkite Carronade, it is designed to destroy xenos beasts and incinerate enemy light vehicles at a single sweep.
While the Glaive has been issued to all eighteen Legiones Astartes in limited quantities, the Salamanders and Dark Angels have long been noted to field Glaives as a matter of course; the XVIIIth Legion’s artifice is more than sufficient to maintain and replicate the arcane Volkite technology, while the provenance and honour of the Ist Legion means that their war matériel and weaponry are ancient indeed.
The siege of Volganoff was originally displayed at Games Day 2010 and was then put into place at Warhammer World in 2015. By 2020 the display had been reduced to focus on the heart of the battle.
On my most recent visit to Warhammer World, January 2020, the life size Rhino was still guarding the entrance to Warhammer World.
On a previous visit to Warhammer World back in 2012, then the life size Rhino was right in the middle of the car park. When I went in July 2018, it was (as it is now) by the entrance to then revamped and new(ish) Warhammer World entrance.
THQ, who had commissioned the Rhino for their Dawn of War video game “gave” the Rhino to Games Workshop who then gave it a repaint in Ultramarines colours.
I always liked the original Space Marine Land Speeder, which a version, the Proteus Pattern is available from Forge World.
Legion Javelin Attack Speeder with Missile Launchers
Larger and more heavily armoured than the common pattern of Land Speeder, the Javelin Attack Speeder is a nigh-irreplaceable relic of a bygone age of technological mastery. Gravitic nullification plates, the secret of whose production and maintenance have long since been lost, allow the Javelin to mount an array of heavy weaponry more akin to a heavy tank destroyer than a nimble Land Speeder, allowing them to make pinpoint strikes on enemy armour or infantry with devastating lascannon or missile barrage. Those Chapters of Space Marines whose histories stretch back into the grim days of the Imperium’s founding may, if they are fortunate, still possess a few justly revered Javelins within the sanctified depths of their armouries.
This version is similar to that original, but reminds me of the plastic Epic version.