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Aggradon Lancers are among the most aggressive cavalry known to the Mortal Realms, for their fearsome scaled steeds only become swifter and more ravenous as battle-frenzy overtakes their senses. A charge of Aggradon Lancers can collapse entire battlelines in a storm of predatory violence, riders and mounts alike lashing out with savage force and overwhelming ferocity.
The Panzer II was the common name for a family of German tanks used in World War II. The official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen II (abbreviated PzKpfw II). Although the vehicle had originally been designed as a stopgap while more advanced tanks were developed, it nonetheless went on to play an important role in the early years of World War II, during the Polish and French campaigns. By the end of 1942 it had been largely removed from front line service, and production of the tank itself ceased by 1943.
This one was on display at the Bovington Tank Museum.
When they first appeared, in 1936, the Panzer IIs were regarded as platoon commander’s tanks. They were also employed to give fire support to the Panzer I in combat with enemy tanks. However by 1940 they had been outclassed and were relegated to the reconnaissance role. This exhibit, an Ausfuhrung (or Model) F featured improved armour and was introduced in 1941.
This tank was captured by British forces in North Africa but it is shown in the markings of 1st Panzer Division at the time of the invasion of France in June 1940.
Another photograph of the Panzer II.
That was something I didn’t know until a few years ago that the German tanks in 1940 were painted grey and brown, I had always thought they were just grey. I personally blame Matchbox for this.
It was only after Blitzkrieg was released back in 2010 by Battlefront that I noticed the grey and brown camouflage scheme.
As recently as ten years ago the overwhelming consensus regarding early war German AFV paint schemes was that they were all painted in uniform overall panzer grey (Dunkelgrau – RAL 7021 – formerly RAL 46). However, in 2002 Tom Jentz and Hilary Doyle published an article based on primary sources stating all German vehicles at the beginning of World War II were painted in a two tone camouflage scheme of panzer grey with one third of the vehicle painted in a disruptive pattern of dark brown (Dunkelbraun – RAL 7017 – formerly RAL 45). The order to move to an overall panzer grey scheme was not signed until the end of July 1940.
Back in 2011, I blogged about finding the 15mm Zveda plastic model kit.
Though you can buy a resin version of the Pz II I was plesantly surprised to find a plastic 1/100th scale kit of the Pz II in a model shop for just £1.25. Bargain!
Made my Zveda, a Russian firm… I did manage to pick up three of them. I am going to make them up as PzKpfw IIs for the Western Desert.
Note that the cover art of the box is all grey too… but by the time of the invasion of Russia, all German tanks were grey.
This Sons of Horus Typhon Heavy Siege Tank was on display at Warhammer World.
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.
Slann Starmasters are amongst the greatest wizards in all the realms, ancient beings created to serve the unfathomable Old Ones. It is their cold and distant intellect that guides the Seraphon to carry out the Great Plan, deciphered from glimpses of a grand cosmic equation. A Starmaster may reshape reality itself with a languid gesture, wielding the energies of the stars to annihilate the enemies of true order.
This Char B1 was on display at Bovington.
The Char B1 was a French heavy tank manufactured before the Second World War. It was a specialised heavy break-through vehicle, originally conceived as a self-propelled gun with a 75 mm howitzer in the hull; later a 47 mm gun in a turret was added, to allow it to function also as a Char de Bataille, a “battle tank” fighting enemy armour, equipping the armoured divisions of the Infantry Arm.
Among the most powerfully armed and armoured tanks of its day, the type was very effective in direct confrontations with German armour in 1940 during the Battle of France, but a slow speed and high fuel consumption made it ill-adapted to the war of movement then fought. After the defeat of France captured Char B1 (bis) would be used by Germany, some rebuilt as flamethrowers or mechanised artillery.
It is a big tank, but only for 1940, by the end of the war heavy tanks were huge in comparison.
More photographs of the Char B1.
It is one of my favourite tanks, probably down to the Matchbox kit I got when I was younger.
I do have a 28mm Char B1 for Bolt Action which recently made its way onto the workbench to be made up as a FFI version used in 1944 and 1945.
There are some 15mm versions for Flames of War too.
This Black Templars Predator was in the display cabinets at Warhammer World.
The Predator, is the most common main battle tank employed by the Space Marines of the Imperium of Man. It is a more heavily armed and armoured version of the Rhino armoured personnel carrier.
This Space Wolves Predator was on display at Warhammer World.
This Blood Angels Land Raider Crusader was on display at Warhammer World.
The Land Raider Crusader is a variant of the standard Land Raider Phobos used by the Space Marines and the Inquisition. The Land Raider Crusader is rearmed to provide short-ranged, anti-infantry assault support for Astartes offensives. The Land Raider Crusader is intended to be an assault-based variant of the Land Raider that is a linebreaker without peer. The Crusader can smash through enemy formations, shrugging off small arms fire in order to disgorge a squad of Space Marines into the heart of the foe. In place of Lascannons, the Crusader is armed with Hurricane Bolters that cut down the first line of defenders before an assault is launched. A hull-mounted twin Assault Cannon adds to its formidable anti-infantry firepower, its Frag Assault Launchers suppressing the foe while the tank closes in. The Crusader also boasts an improved transport capacity by reclaiming the space normally given over to the Land Raider Phobos’ bulky las-power generators.
Black Templars Land Raider Crusader on display at Warhammer World.
This Blood Angels Whirlwind was on display at Warhammer World.
The Whirlwind is an adaptation of the Rhino design, a lightly armoured tank chassis armed with a multiple rocket launcher system capable of raining precision fire down upon enemy positions. Thanks to its target acquisition system, the Whirlwind is able to bombard hidden or entrenched targets with incredible accuracy, often from behind the safety of cover.
These Imperial Knights were on display at Warhammer World.
I am not confident exactly which models these are, and I don’t think one is available anymore.
