Aeronautica Imperialis – Wings of Vengeance
Keen eyes have spotted the Logo of Aeronautica Imperialis in one of the teasers by Games Workshop published on Warhammer Community. This Saturday the new Wings of Vengeance starter kit for the updated 2019 version of Aeronautica Imperialis was released.
Updated? Yes. Aeronautica Imperialis is not a novelty as you might think and not a Specialist Games revival either. The game was developed by Forge World back in 2006, written by Warwick Kinrade, who went on to write historical rules nowadays (among other publications, the Battlegroup series and the first Armies of Germany supplement for Bolt Action). Forge World was heavily focused on heavy and super heavy gear for the Warhammer 40k range back in the day, especially for the Imperial Guard, as many of the team back then, came from a model building background and brought in a lot of experience and knowledge from the tank design into those resin kits. But they didn't just do tracked vehicles, but aircrafts as well. Playing dogfights with thunderbolts and marauder bombers in 28mm would be or is incredible fun, but you would need a gym (and deep pockets to buy a squadron of Forge World aeroplanes) to run such a game. So scaling that down to 6mm (the common epic scale within 40k until the release of Adeptus Titanicus), would make sense.
Naval and nostalgic wargames
To continue the preparation of more Oldhammer, it is time to strip some plastic. I showed you the Rhino the last time, as well as some stripping of metal parts. Now we move on to the next level of complexity, larger kits and more fragile materials. Get a properly sized container and get on to it. I'll keep you posted in the next Rhino and Oldhammer posts.
Oldhammer Space Marine Rhino Part 1
A Rhino is probably one of the, if not the, most sold vehicle kits from the Warhammer range. It has been around far before the 2nd edition of Warhammer 40k and as the kit lending its chassis to a couple of further Space Marine vehicles quite numerous.
When I got to know the kit in the late mid 90s, it came in a compact blue box, containing the four sprues and four decal sheets, that gave you the basic rhino. Of course, the cover showed the armoured personnel carrier in the colours of the Ultramarines. The posterboys of the Imperial Space Marines.
But of course, there were more Space Marine chapters than just the Sons of Macragge back then. A lot more. And thus the box showed the Rhino in service of the Blood Angels and Space Wolves as well, including minor variants you could build from the kit.
Oldhammer Chaos Space Marine Terminators
Back in July 1996 in the English speaking market the Codex Chaos was released, and with it the poster-boy of Chaos, Abaddon the Despoiler. A bit later, in february 1997 in Germany.
The release was followed by the Chaos Terminators in blisters and a boxed set of 5 in August 1996, followed by the special weapon blisters a month later and the champion in october. For Germany that all came postponed, in march and april 1997. If you want to look up these novelties in the White Dwarf, that would be the german issues #14 to 16 or UK/OZ issue #199 to 201. The English magazine is much thicker and covers additional content.
Adeptus Titanicus – Acastus Knight Porphyrion
The latest addition to the Adeptus Titanicus range is a Knight class unit, the Acastus Knight Porphyrion.
The Acastus pattern is a new knight pattern and among the most heavily armed and armoured of all the Knight chassis in service, as such it rivals the Scout class Titans in size and power. It has no history in the old Titan Legion / Epic games, as the Acastus pattern was just introduced with Horus Heresy Book 7 Inferno, to the lore of Warhammer 40,000. With its bulk and firepower it is argued, that a single scions mind is even capable to properly control it, and strains even the most will-powered pilots.
Painting tricks for optical effects
In the last article I talked about how my painterly aspirations first developed in such a way that I wanted to reach a pro level. However, this was rather the beginning of my journey as a hobbyist and my preference has shifted a lot in the meantime.
One thought was pivotal at that point: How do I perceive the models when I first see them? In my youth I was strongly influenced by the painting style you could see on the packaging, in rule books, or at that time in the White Dwarfs - most hobbyists call this `Eavy Metal style, after the studio team that painted the models for Games Workshop. I realized that I wasn't really striving for the hyper-realistic style often seen at painting competitions, but rather the `Eavy style, because the models had met my eye in this way and my mind automatically judged whether I liked or didn't like them.
This cartoon-like style is basically quite easy to achieve as long as you learn some brush control. The basic principle remains the same, even with high class paintwork: A midtone, or "the basic color" is chosen. This is shaded and then highlighted with distinctive accents in the more edgy areas.
Warhammer 40,000 – Rukkatrukk Squigbuggy
Let's finish the industrial vehicle theme with a Buggy, the Rukkatruck Squigbuggy, that will be de-orcified within this building review. The Squigbuggy was introduced along with a couple of other new orc vehicles on the Speed Freeks release.
The Squigbuggy isn't the first Ork vehicle that I convert, I did some work on the Battlewaggon and the Ork Bomba. I bought it last year, it was one of four vehicles not exclusive to the Speed Freeks kit back then (the Kustom Boost-blasta and Shokkjump Dragsta would only be available through the boxed set). With the latest price update it is now 40 EUR, like the other medium sized ork vehicles.
Warhammer 40,000 – Goliath Truck and Rockgrinder
A themed week on industrial vehicles without mentioning the most obvious one, the Goliath Truck and Goliath Rockgrinder, wouldn't be complete. So here it is.
I have been really looking forward to show you this kit. Ever since it was released, it is on my watchlist and I really like the design they went with on the revamp of the Genestealer Cult. Through the industrial mining look, the Cult fits very well with one of my favorite settings within 40k, Necromunda. The suits, the gear and the other vehicles have such a strong connection and make for such a great themed army. With that said, this is probably the one where you have the least amount of work to bring it into a non-combatant role (if you want to).
Warhammer 40,000 – Skorpius Disintegrator and Dunerider
With the updated Apocalypse rules for Warhammer 40,000 the Adeptus Mechanicus receives a battle tank and armoured transporter of their own, the Skorpius. It can be build either as a Skorpius Disintegrator or Skorpius Dunerider.
I'll cover a couple of vehicles this week, as announced in an earlier post, not with Apocalypse in mind, but the idea of using and partly converting these kits into industrial or utility vehicles, to be used in the 40k setting, like Necromunda or Inq28 (or a special Kill Team mission), or general sci-fi games.
Into the weekend, on my way to TableTopia
As covered in the article on CONflict two weeks ago, I'll be taking a summer break on events after this weekends TableTopia. But you'll find the event coverage on the blog on sunday, maybe late saturday.
If you're following me on instagram or facebook, you might already know, that I have some promo material for Munchkin Warhammer 40k, that I recently reviewed on the here. Pegasus Spiele sent me bookmarks and the For the Emperor cards. Want some? If you see me at a show or convention, ask me and I'll give them out as long as stock lasts. Beginning today at Aschaffenburg.
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