Adeptus Titanicus – Mechanicum Questoris Knights Styrix and Magaera
Towards the end of the year we see a new release of Mechanicum Knights by Forge World. Along the regular Questoris Knights (and later upgraded kit) two new classes enter the epic sized battlefield of the Horus Heresy - the Questoris Knights Styrix and Questoris Knights Magaera.
These being Forge World releases, this means a few differences towards the regular Adeptus Titanicus range. Most present is the direct only availability, as Forge World is only sold through Forge World themself or at Games Workshop events (and at Warhammer World). But they overhauled their shipping costs, making availability through their online shop quite a bit more affordable. And the second difference compared to Games Workshops main range they are cast from resin and not injection mould plastic or finecast. But more on that further below.
Black Seas – Terrors of the Deep
Mantic Games just announced the Black Seas based Fantasy Spin-Off Armada, but Warlord Games already went for a bit of fantasy content for the Age of Sail game - with a set of legendary sea monsters, Terrors of the Deep.
This is a boxed set, that covers six different sea monsters casted from resin with the occasional metal bit to go along. The set includes a scenario booklet and stat cards for the six models. The booklet has the Bermuda Triangle scenario, along with the rules for the six models and a ghost ship (just repaint one of your regular vessels).
Aeronautica Imperialis – Arvus Lighter and Vulture Gunship
In the second wave of Aeronautica Imperialis Forge World supports the range with two new resin aircrafts, the Vulture Gunship for the Astra Militarum and the Arvus Lighter of the Imperial Navy.
These are multi-part resin (not Finecast!) kits, available only through Forge World. Each clamshell blister covers two flyers, along with the accessories needed for use in Aeronautica; flying bases, clear rod and status cards with profile. The inlay covers the assembly instructions as well.
Black Seas – Gunboat Squadron
I want to cover some of the smaller ships for Black Seas this week, and among the smallest models available are the Gunboats. They come with multiple ships per base and multiple base per pack, and are sold as a Gunboat Squadron for Black Seas.
A gunboat was would usually have a single mast and be armed with between one up to three cannons or mortars. They were designed to be used in the near-shore areas, on rivers and inland waters, therefore their compact build. As such they service as support for troops on land in such areas, along with patrol or guard missions. Napoleon ordered hundreds of these to be build for the planned invasion of England and had them armed with howitzers.
Mordheim – Luthor Wulfenbaum
Late last year, the Mordheim Facebook group surpassed the 10,000th member (and now has reached beyond 13k members) and for that occasion they planned something special.
"They" is a bit unspecific at that point, as Tuomas Pirinen, the author of the Mordheim rule set, took upon to coordinate this idea. And after a huge brainstorming, they decided to go with a special miniature, incl. rules and artwork.
With Artwork by John Wigley (who did part of the original Mordheim Artwork) and miniature design by Owen Matthew Aurelio, the project started, supported by Heresy Lab.
Bolt Action Centurion Mk III Heavy Tank
This is a review, that I was really looking for, as that tank is simply a must have for myself - the british Centurion tank! Warlord Games added the main battle tank to their range as part of the Korean supplement.
The Centurion was a successor of the cruiser tank line, with prominent ancestors like the Cromwell or Comet. These were proper tanks, but were no match to the heavy guns, the Germans could put into battle. So one of the requirements for a new, heavy cruiser tank, was that it had to withstand a hit from the feared 8,8 cm gun. They didn't solve that by giving it thicker armour, quite contrary, with 76mm the first prototypes of the Centurion Mk I had much thinner plates than a Churchill (101mm) or later Mk VII and VIII (152mm), but it was highly sloped, creating an effective thickness far above. Something the Russians brought into WW2 with the T-34 and was later picked up by others, like the German Panther tank.
Cruel Seas Kriegsmarine R-23 R-Boat
I've added the Fairmile D to my Royal Navy, so I needed a medium sized counter part for my Kriegsmarine. Something the R-Boat could take care of.
Similar how E-Boat was an allied term for Enemy Boats, R-Boat is a term for Räumboote (meaning minesweeper). These R-Boats were build already before the second world war, and saw service post-war for clearing naval mines.
Cruel Seas Royal Navy Fairmile D MTB 624
I had the Royal Navy flotilla from the starter set already increased with the Flower Class Corvette, but I was looking for a mid-sized ship, that could be used in smaller to medium battles and went for the Fairmile D MTB.
The Fairmile D Motor Torpedo Boat is a british MTB, that was built by Fairmile Marine. A Fairmile is bigger than the earlier MTB/MGB (Motor Gun Boats), for example the Vosper or PT Boat, but slower in speed. They were named Dog Boats, and were designed to combat the more advantaged E-boats by the German Kriegsmarine.
Cruel Seas M-Class Minesweeper
After the decision fell towards the Flower Class Corvette as the large ship of the Royal Navy fleet, I was looking for a fitting counterpart for the German Kriegsmarine. My choice went towards the German M-Class Minesweeper.
The Minesweeper was in competition with the Marinefährprahm (basically a landing ship) and the Vorpostenboot. The landing ship would be something to keep in mind, if I wanted to extend the Operation Sealion / Gigant towards Cruel Seas. The Vorpostenboot is an armed civil ship, similar to the armed trawler of the British and looked a bit to improvised to counter the proud British Corvette. So the decision was clear, it must be the Minesweeper, Minensuchboot M1940.
Cruel Seas British Flower Class Corvette
In extension to the fleets of the Strike Fast! Strike Hard! starter kit I chose a large vessel for both sides. For the British that was the British Flower Class Corvette.
Among the large British ships would have been a Landing Craft Gun or the armed trawler. The landing craft looked more like something for the pacific and the armed trawler was a bit too close to the merchant tanker, and this is a Corvette, a Corvette! So the choice was pretty clear.
Like us on Facebook
Follow me on Instagram
Categories
- events (170)
- fantasy (431)
- General (153)
- historical (546)
- Little Big Adventures (4)
- offtopic (5)
- reviews (368)
- science fiction (447)
- showroom (90)
- work-in-progress (332)
