Cargo-8 Ridgehauler

The Necromunda Cargo-8 Ridgehauler was on display at Warhammer World.

The Guild of Coin rules the roads of Necromunda. They transport material between hives and, for a hefty price, they’ll even smuggle weapons and people. Crossing the arid, violent, and irradiated ash wastes is a risky business, so the guild employs convoys of Cargo-8 Ridgehaulers. These hulking vehicles are perfect for traversing the dunes thanks to their massive wheels and sturdy engines, hauling trailers of armoured containers and transport carriages across the Great Equatorial Wastes, but their true appeal comes from their modularity – it takes little effort to outfit one with enough guns to make it a mobile fortress, ready to repel gang ambushes and raids.

Cargo-8 Ridgehauler
Necromunda Cargo-8 Ridgehauler on display at Warhammer World

Back in January 2022 we were given a glimpse of a vehicle used in the Ash Wastes of Necromunda, though we had no idea what it was. It looked interesting though, I did like the concept of a land train running though the ash wastes and getting attacked by raiders.

There were echoes of Mad Max and Car Wars in all this. However at this stage this was a concept, and we got some idea about the vehicle from the drawings in the animation.

Then we found out that the land train was the Cargo-8 Ridgehauler.

Goods from the hive manufactories are ferried across the poisoned wastes on great land trains. There’s money to be made from protecting the Guild of Coin’s Cargo-8 Ridgehaulers, which are juicy targets both for the nomadic denizens of the Ash Wastes and for gangs of underhive bandits.

My reaction was a little muted to the reveal. It wasn’t quite what I was thinking it might be. It seems to have been built around the Munitorum Armoured Container and I am not sure if this works. Well I get that the background is about moving goods across the ash wastes, so need containers to move it.

We did get some additional trailers, but I really felt that this wasn’t the concept we saw in the original animation. I decided that this wasn’t a model I would buy. However, I still like the concept of an armoured land train.

Chronos Pattern Ironcrawler

Over on the Warhammer Community site they have provided us with a preview of the Chronos Pattern Ironcrawler for Necromunda.

Chronos Pattern Ironcrawler

With its tracked propulsion, the Ironcrawler can drive over anything – from sand and rocks to prone enemy gangers or Gun-smyths who’ve sold you dodgy merchandise. Its sealed cab keeps the driver safe from radioactive dust storms and radioactive gangers alike, for a true all-terrain vehicle. 

I do like this model and think it is a much better model than the Cargo-8 Ridgehauler. I was a bit on the fence with the Cargo-8 Ridgehauler and never bought one. Though they did bring out the trailer and the Promethium Tanks trailer, the concept didn’t really work for me.

I do like the Chronos Pattern Ironcrawler model, it has a realistic industrial feel to it. I can see this not just in the Ash Wastes, but also in games of Warhammer 40K. I quiet like the Necromunda range has some nice models that can add to the look and feel of 40K scenery and games.

Now with the Chronos Pattern Ironcrawler I am also thinking that this could make a good hauler for a land train. Then I got thinking about making some armed and armoured trailers for a land train. One option would be to add wheels instead of the tracks to the Chronos Pattern Ironcrawler, as the chassis looks the same as the Cargo-8 Ridgehauler.

Another idea I have thought about for the Chronos Pattern Ironcrawler is to paint it in JCB yellow as a piece of scenery. Though it is missing a dozer blade.

Will add this model to my ever increasing list of wants!

Revealed – The Cargo-8 Ridgehauler

Look what we’re getting…

Back in January we were given a glimpse of a vehicle used in the Ash Wastes of Necromunda, though we had no idea what it was. It looked interesting though, I did like the concept of a land train running though the ash wastes and getting attacked by raiders. There were echoes of Mad Max and Car Wars in all this. However at this stage this was a concept, and we got some idea about the vehicle from the drawings in the animation.

We now know from the recent announcement on the Warhammer Community that this vehicle is a Cargo-8 Ridgehauler.

Goods from the hive manufactories are ferried across the poisoned wastes on great land trains. There’s money to be made from protecting the Guild of Coin’s Cargo-8 Ridgehaulers, which are juicy targets both for the nomadic denizens of the Ash Wastes and for gangs of underhive bandits.

In March we were saw that the Ash Wastes were revealed in full at AdeptiCon. There was though no vehicle included in the game and I was a little disappointed by the look of the game, even with the quad bikes and buggies. There was also no sign of the Ridgehauler.

However the recent announcement of the Cargo-8 Ridgehauler gives us a much clearer view of the forthcoming model. You can certainly build a land train with the models.

My immediate reaction was a little muted. It wasn’t quite what I was thinking it might be. It seems to have been built around the Munitorum Armoured Container and I am not sure if this works. Well I get that the background is about moving goods across the ash wastes, so need containers to move it.

I guess we will get one model released, though I know I would like to see future expansions with additional trailers. 

So still a bit on the fence on this one.