Forgeworld New Releases - Mk IV Assault Squad and more!

Forgeworld has released more new, cool Space Marine models.  The Mk IV Assault Squad armor joins the Mk II and Mk V versions previously released.  The Terminator Weapons set for the Tartaros Pattern Terminator Armor includes the first ever separate combi-weapon sets so should be a big seller for converters.

From Forgeworld:

MK IV SPACE MARINE ASSAULT SQUAD (product code : 99590101254)

The MkIV Space Marine Assault Squad contains five multi-part resin Space Marines clad in MkIV ‘Maximus’ pattern power armour. Containing the most advanced systems and offering exemplary protection, the assault variant of MkIV armour features an unusual jump pack design that uses a single thruster combined with smaller manoeuvring jets. This kit also contains bolt pistols, chainswords and a variety of grenades and pouches. Models designed by Will Hayes. These models are available to pre-order now for despatch commencing from Friday May 25th.

SPACE MARINE TERMINATOR WEAPON SET (product code : 99550101253) 

The Terminator Weapons Set, designed by Will Hayes, comprises two Tigrus pattern combi-bolters, a thunder hammer, a storm shield, a power axe, a power maul and a pair of lightning claw attachments, as well as a right-handed power fist to enable the pair of weapons to be built. The kit also contains three differently posed left arms and four different optional combi-weapons: two flamers, two plasma guns, two auxiliary grenade launchers and two melta guns.

This fantastic upgrade kit can be used in conjunction with our recently released Tartaros Pattern Terminators to produce Space Marine characters clad in this type of Tactical Dreadnought armour.

With some conversion work these weapons can also be used to convert Chaos Terminators and both Imperial and Chaos power armour-clad characters from our wide range of variant Space Marine infantry and the plastic Terminator kits available from Games Workshop. The set is available to pre-order now for despatch from Friday May 25th.

TIGRUS PATTERN BOLTER SET (product code : 99550101252)

There are many types and patterns of the mighty and iconic boltgun used by the Adeptus Astartes, and the Tigrus Pattern Bolter is one such variant. First discovered in the depths of Forge World Tigrus, the STC data for this sleek weapon was quickly disseminated throughout the Imperium before the outbreak of the shadowed Horus Heresy. This noble bastion of Mars suffered irreparable damage at the hands of the Traitor Legions, yet the bolters that bear its name continue to see service in the 41st Millennium; revered and honoured as ancient relics of Mankind’s lost glory. 

 

A Worthy Cause and a Contest!

May is National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month: http://www.cff.org/GetInvolved/CFAwareness/

Koridon over at Dakka Dakka is proposing a miniature figure painting challenge to help raise awareness about Cystic Fibrosis.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/447166.page#4233013

His girlfriend has CF and he wanted to do something to show his support by spreading awareness about cystic fibrosis and the progress being made toward a cure.

He wants to show people with CF that the gamer community supports the finding of a cure or treatment, even if it is just us modeling and painting.

Basic rules:

1) Any infantry type unit from any game system out there(40K, WH fantasy, WM, Hordes, Infinity, etc.)
2) Main colors are purple and gold; you can mix any other colors in as you wish
3) The symbol for cystic fibrosis is a rose and you mush have a rose on the model somewhere
4) You have until the end of May to get your model done and a photo of it sent to koridon to be put up on a voting page
6) One model per person
7) You may show wip pics but no painted ones

He plans on having all photos voted on without names and his girlfriend will pick the one she likes as the winner.

People are starting to post their wip pics, so please stop by and check them out HERE. It might even get you interested in joining in on the fun.

Jacqualine47 has just announced that winner of the best painted model in this challenge will be receiving as a prize two of Space Corsair's Female Space Marine Conversion Kits - that's enough to convert 10 Space Marines. Second and Third place will each receive a single Female Space Marine miniature (requires another company's arms, weapon, and backpack to assemble)

"These prizes are being offered in the loving memory of Phil Gunther, a friend of mine with whom I attended Origins and GenCon for several years before he passed away in 2006 of Cystic Fibrosis. Phil was a wonderful person whom touched the lives of many people. Winners, PM me after the challenge with your mailing address and I will send out your prize."

We're hoping that prize support will drum up some interest in participating. Details on the kit are available in Space Corsair's blog here: http://battlesuits.blogspot.com/

Optionally, if you want to donate your model you can send it to koridon and they will raffle it off at the fair there. Those who want to do so can PM him for his mailing address.

Or if you want to donate directly to cystic fibrosis research, please do so; every dollar helps:

http://www.cff.org/GetInvolved/ManyWaysToGive/MakeADonation/

Thanks for reading!

Max Mini shows off Steampunk Helmets

MaxMini has shownoff photos of its upcoming "Steampunk" helmets, which are perfect for your Custodes conversions.  Check out all the Max Mini models and conversions on their site.

Check out Max Mini on Facebook.

Loken

Chapterhouse Releases Tau Head Sculpts

Chapterhouse Studios has just released 6 new head sculpts that are compatible with Games Workshops Tau Crisis Battlesuit model. Two separate kits, set #1 and set #2 are available for purchase for $4.00.

From Chapterhouse:

Each set comes with 3 different heads and a sprue of antenna for further customization - components come as unpainted pewter. These have been specially designed to fit on necks of the Battlesuit models with nothing but superglue, no modifications are necessary. 

Set # 1 can be ordered here.

Set # 2 can be ordered here.

40K Cosplay - China Dominates!

A group of cosplay fanatics in China did these amazing 40K cosplays last year.  I have been meaning to post this for a while as I was blown away, especially by the Terminators.

Sisters of Battle

Sisters and Seraphim

Sister Repentia

Blood Angel Terminator

Terminator with Assault Cannon and a Space Marine with Heavy Bolter

Blood Angel with Sister of Battle

Vostroyan

Mechanicum Enginseer

More Mechanicum Enginseer!

More Flyer Rumors...Tau, Orks, Nids!

Stickmonkey from Warseer has become the most reliable source of rumors lately and he posted some great stuff on the upcoming flyers from Games Workshop.  40K is about to get a lot more interesting.

You can see the whole thread here. (I hate sending people to Warseer since it is the cesspool of 40K Forums and has megalomanical moderators, but they do have the best rumor section).

From Stickmonkey

To feed some actual rumors in here.

Wave 1 in June is as bow has revealed. But i am expecting the de bomber before end of summer along with a tau and chaos sm flyer. The csm flyer is likely w the codex so the other two may have "something" with them.

The tau flyer as I've heard from 3 sources is named after a snake, not a fish. Has a networked marker light like item/weapon that can stack. 4 missiles. Options for rail guns or some gattling cannons. No transport.

Orks still have another flyer that is ready for release. And its in the codex.

Eldar get nothing until their codex. As others have stated.

Tyranids harpy has been done fore some time, but its looking like itll be held onto for a while longer. Rumor is another nid wave release with the spore later... 

......

Harpy was designed as a dual kit, but I haven't seen the final version. It was supposed to make a ground based unit as well.

It doesn't make sense because of that to be a "flyers" kit release. Plus they have additional Finecast characters done and the new redesign of one unit i still cant reveal.

Deffkoptas are 3 to a box with all options. They are bigger than the box set versions. But not by much. 

As always thanks to Stickmonkey for his constant info.

Loken

The Titan Manufactorum

Spyros Kypriotis (Who goes by Tsipis) has made a name for himself in the Apocalypse community by building Warlord Titans and selling them on eBay.  He goes by The Titan Manufactorum and he took time to chat with Apocalypse40K.

1)  When and how did you get into gaming?

I got into the world of gaming, like many gamers, with collectible card games about 15 years ago. Magic The Gathering was brand new back then and, like all things brand new, it was pretty exciting. Living in an island in Greece meant that there wasn’t much in the way of stores to support the game/hobby so I made do with whatever was within arm’s reach. Soon after, I got into role playing games which was also something entirely new and exciting for me. I was lucky that I happened to find like-minded people in an, otherwise, stagnant society in terms of gaming. If you read that abysmal article from that Greek newspaper a few months back, you have a pretty good idea of what the social paradigm in Greece regarding gaming looks like...

Through all this interaction with various games, a couple of White Dwarf magazines had gotten into my hands and, being a teenager, I was really attracted to the models, the scenery - the entire thing really. Unfortunately the price for getting into war gaming was really prohibiting to my budget back then. It was then that I realised how much money I was spending on Magic the Gathering, sold my cards, bought a small Ork army and never looked back. 

2)  What games do you play? If you play 40K, what armies?

I love role playing games and will probably never stop playing them. I went through a number of systems (naturally started from AD&D) but have come to embrace GURPS for its sheer realism and freedom. I started playing miniature wargames with Warhammer 40k back in 1999 and soon after went to Warhammer Fantasy Battles. Between different editions I went back and forth between the two, depending on which one appealed to me the most. Nowadays my Orcs & Goblins are dust collectors in a forgotten shelf somewhere in my house as 8th edition disappointed my gaming group.

Warhammer 40k is probably the hobby that takes most of my free time. Playing, painting, converting, talking about it. Space Orks was my first army and by far the one that appeals to me the most. Through the years I have come to collect Imperial Guard, Tyranids and Space Marines, but I mostly see them as “NPC’s” for my Ork adventures!

3)  You make 40K scale Titans that you sell on eBay.  How did that start?

I love building stuff. Through the years I have built so many terrain pieces that it’s ridiculous. With every project I work on, about half way through I come up with a way to improve on it or simply make something even more exciting and challenging. Most of the time that means something bigger and more complex...

One day I was talking about making a 40k imperial fortress for our upcoming Badab War IA9 campaign and one of my friends pointed out that a friend of his owns a CnC foam cutter. Having no idea what that was, I went to see it. Minutes after I saw it working I realized it was the perfect tool to build Warlord and Emperor Titans. The level of detail that could be achieved was just about right for models of that size.

However several challenges came up through the multiple iterations of designs that followed which only forced me to delve into more techniques, such as resin casting and 3d printing.

4)  What Titans do you make?

I am currently building Warlord and Emperor Titans, both Imperial and Chaos variants.  There is an Ork Gargant somewhere in there too, but that is proving quite difficult to document.

5)  What are your Titans made of?

The main material is extruded polystyrene. This gives a good solid base for such a large miniature. It keeps the cost and weight down and gives the model a surprisingly high strength. At such a large size a lightweight construction and a robust build are more important than hardness of material. Furthermore, Imperial Titans are inherently unbalanced with their high volume on the upper body. Again, a lightweight construction means that the model is easier to balance. My first few titans would slowly lose balance as the weight of the upper body gradually ate its way through the superstructure. Many a night I woke up in horror from a cataclysmic crashing sound coming from my gaming area, as the Warlord titan I was working on would eventually topple over. It was then that I realized that a light weight construction was paramount.

The polystyrene parts are given more strength with a wooden skeleton meaning that the parts are nicely and firmly attached. Various plastic and resin cast parts are then added for detail. More resin parts are gradually added.

6)  Are the Titans made to order for each customer?

Absolutely. Apart from some standard options, like weapons, symbols, LED’s and scenic bases, I am open to all kind of customizations. I have had requests for minor things like an extra exhaust here and there, and major things like a full Nurgle titan (which was a blast working on!). Full painting is also an option, and I am looking to increase the options offered even more.

7)  How tall are your Warlord Titans and how did you decide on the size?

I am glad you asked that! I can’t tell you how many times I have been told that my titans are way too small - every time having to lay out all the data which concludes the correct size of Imperial Titans.

My Warlord Titan is 23” tall while my Emperor is 32” to the battlements and 44” tall to the highest spire. Let me explain how that size was deduced.

The first clue is, fittingly enough, the Apocalypse rulebook itself. On page 124 we can see a Warlord titan sketch with a Warhound and a guardsman for size comparison. We already know that the Warhound model is 10” tall (approximately 250mm) and after some measuring and math the Warlord sketches comes up at 22.5” tall.

Many Warlords out there are around 3 feet tall which, from my experience, is the case for several reasons.

A)     Lack of research. Modelling projects, as all design projects, need to be worked on paper first otherwise you run the danger of not being consistent and accurate. Throw in the fact that making something bigger rather than smaller is easier and you get a lot of oversized titans...

B)     Titan class confusion. Really a subcategory of the previous reason, but many people confuse Warlord Titans with Emperor Titans (which are actually around 3 feet to the battlements). Throw in the artists who often don’t take scale into account and draw humongous titans, add a pinch of heroic scaling, which makes vehicles smaller so that the miniature men stand out better, and again you get titans that don’t fit on tables.

C)     Common sense. Even if you have absolutely no information on those titans, it only takes a bit of common sense to understand what the size of a Warlord should be. A Reaver Titan is 16” tall, has 6 structure points, 4 void shields and has 3 weapons (2 arm weapons and 1 less powerful carapace weapon). Granted the Warlord has slightly more powerful arm weapons, but in any case the power difference is not that great. If the Warlord was indeed twice the height of the Reaver (making its volume around 8 times greater) it wouldn’t simply have 3 more structure points, 2 more void shields and one extra carapace weapon!

8)  What is next for you?

The past couple of months have been pretty exciting. I have managed to expand what first started as a hobby into a business. That being said I am going to concentrate on Titanic scale models. Resin bases, scenery, upgrade kits and ofcourse the Titans themselves. I am currently designing a Knight Titan variant which I hope to be able to produce en masse as a full resin kit. Also, gradually more resin parts will decorate my Warlords with the help of 3d printing. However, what is probably more important, is to have my website up and running soon.

What I am most excited about, however, is an international gaming convention I am planning. Living in Corfu, a beautiful Greek Island in the Ionian Islands, I am planning a Warhammer annual tournament/convention which will combine summer holidays with gaming. This project is still in an early stage, but being in a country with tourism as its main industry, it is easier to find support in the form of professional expertise and funding. I hope to be able to run the first Titan Manufactorum annual gaming convention next summer.

Thanks to Tsipis for taking the time to chat with us!  You can check out his eBay auctions here.

Loken

6th edition Rule and fluff changes are HUGE!

Tastytaste over at Blood of Kittens is the man when it comes to rumors.  He has been breaking great stuff for a couple of years now and the site is THE place to go if you are a rumor monger.  So here is the latest and it is BIG.

Interestingly, TastyTaste insists that the leaked 6th edition is fake.

"That leaked 6th edition pdf was and is still a complete fabrication."

More importantly, the Fluff will continue to evolve, a fact I love.  And this time there are big changes in the fluff.  The galaxy is tearing itself apart, but there is hope.  Let's see where the story is going!

From TastyTaste:

Let us start with 6th edition fluff progression.

The Imperium is fracturing and the Space Marines are starting to separate themselves from the Lords of Terra. The heretical and xenophobia has gotten to a tipping point causing many chapters to take actions against the “best wishes” of many in the Imperium.

A discovery of galactic importance has happened.

At a time before right before the Horus Heresy the Emperor had intrusted Roboute Guilliman in the protection of one Xenos race that was completely immune the temptations of Chaos and would prove the ultimate key to the destruction of Chaos. The Horus Heresy ended such plans. Fast forward today with discovery of these lost correspondences, it is believed by the Ultramarines and others that the Tau are that lost race. So now instead of being charge with their destruction the Astartes are the Tau protectors.

Rules changes

• Every unit gets a 6+ save vs. all Psychic Powers.
• Random Charge Lengths are in
• Pre-measuring is in.
• Random Battle field effects are in.
• All armies can purchase buildings for placement on the battlefield.
• Psychic powers are selected during deployment. (except Grey Knights)
• Deployment and Missions types have doubled.

Get ready for the Big one..

ALLIES ARE BACK IN

That is right allies are back in and this will be according to fluff and will have certain restrictions. So for instance Tyranids will not have any allies. Tau with all Space Marine Chapters. Necrons with Blood Angels. Imperial Guard with Space Marines. Chaos Space Marines with Demons. If it fits the fluff it will be done.

This is just to get you guys started.

Expect more to come out as we get closer to the impeding release of Warhammer 40k 6th edition.

Oh again forgot to mention in the CSM rumor post to add that Oblit options will be even more expansive with close combat load out available.

Well, thanks again to Blood of Kittens and TasteTaste for his work here.  For me, this is all good news.  Having played 40K for 14 years, I love teh fact that they are moving things and changing the fluff.  And what is the  big discovery?

Loken

40K Flyers Revealed - Necrons, Orks, Space Marines!

Well, Beast of War released interesting info on the upcoming Flyers release from Games Workshop.  Looks like Warhammer 40,000 is indeed embracing Flyers in 6th edition, though whether that means new Apoc-like Flyer rules, or just skimmers is unknown.

The release will be 6 aircraft, with the two Necron Flyers we were expecting, THREE Ork flyers and the Space Marine Storm Talon.

Here is the summary:

Flyer Rules:

Necron Flyers look just as depicted in the codex.

Ork Dakkajet:

BS 2
10/10/10
Twin-linked Dakka Guns
Aerial Assault
Supersonic
Waaagh! plane - can fire twice in the turn you call Waaagh!
Strafing Run - BS 3 vs everything but jump infantry and skimmers
Fighta Ace upgrade - BS 3 against everything

Ork Burna Bomma

 

BS 2
10/10/10
Aerial Assault
Supersonic
Waaagh! plane - can fire twice in the turn you call Waaagh!
Burna Bomb - Similar to a Scorcha (S5 AP4)
S7 AP1 bomb in the movement phase?
Burna Missile - S5 AP4 small blast, ignores cover, one use
Grot gunner on one weapon

Blitza Bomma

 

No information

Space Marine Stormtalon Gunship 130pts
 

BS 4
11/11/11
Supersonic
Aerial Assault
Ceramine Plating
Escort Craft - Attach the Storm Talon to a unit in reserves to deep strike, and it automatically arrives from reserve 6" away from the deep striking unit
---Specific caveat banning you from attaching the Stormtalon to another Stormtalon in reserve
Special rule where it can hover in place for a turn to gain BS 5
--No Transport Capacity--
--No Melta weapons or flamers--
Twin-linked heavy bolters, can upgrade to twin-linked Lascannon
Twin-linked assault cannon
Potential upgrade to add Typhoon missiles
Skyhammer Missiles S7 AP 4

Here is an interesting anaysis from BoLS poster Wildcard:

It isn't clear to me if those Skyhammer Missiles were one-shot missiles (and how many are there) or a weapon of choice like the rest of the listed weapons. For the sake of this post, i am gonna assume them to be 4x one-shot missiles

Now, with the special rule to hover on the spot for a turn to get BS5, that would mean:

1x TL Lascannon

2x Krak Missile (from typhoon ML)

1-4 Skyhammer Missiles

All hitting on a 2+ 

Seems like its a deepstriking / alpha strike last resort when you absolutely need to harm that vehicle / MC 

That kind of firepower in one salvo will seriously threaten most MCs easily forcing them to take armor saves / invu saves / cover saves, or best case scenario, no saves for it to take at all!

3 shots that needs 2+ to hit, 2+ to wound and ignore armor from most MCs

Add up to 4x 2+ to hit, 2-3+ to wound AP4 shots and that MC is most likely going down 

So, cool new editions for 40K and more toys for my Crimson Templars Army.  I am very happy!

Loken

Space Marine Flyer - The Storm Talon

OK, Just a Storm Eagle, how boring!  :-)

Count on Beasts of War to bring late breaking rumors.  Tonight on their video program "Turn 8", they will be revealing news about the Flyers coming your way from Games Workshop.

"Tonight’s show is all about the new… wait for it… Space Marine Stormtalon… the Necron Doom & Night Scythes… plus the new Ork Biltza-Bommer, Dakkajet and Burna-Bommer! and we expect these bad boys to hit the shelves, perhaps around June 2nd?"

So while I will be out watching the Marvel Marathon at the local theater (All 6 Marvel movies culminating in "The Avengers"), I will certainly watch this when I get home!

Now, what is even cooler than another Space Marine flyer, is the Ork flyers we will see.

The Most Amazing Land Raider Ever!

Jim Wappel is one of the best 40K painters in the country.  If you doubt me, check out his website.  This Land Raider was entered in the Crystal Brush last year and Jim used it in his 40K army at Adepticon.  It really is spectacular and so I felt the need to show it off!

Puppets War Shoulder Pads & Heavy Bike

Puppets War has proven to be the most prolific Resin accessory manufacturer after Scibor.  Their head swaps are pretty cool, and they do everything with 3D modeling, allowing them to promote what they are doing before they even start casting.  

Now they are releasing photos of their upcoming shoulder pads.

And the recently released with VSE Motorcycle with Heavy Weapon

More on their website.

Loken

eBay Spotlight - Thousand Sons Army

My buddy Joel has listed a huge and beautiful Pre-Heresy Thousand Sons army on eBay.  he converted every model and followed the fluff in A Thousand Sons.  Each unit is for sale individually and they already have some action.  Check them out here.

There are 13 lots.  Here are a few:

Magnus and his HQ Honor Guard

Zealot Miniatures Jet Bikes

 

Fellsword Shadowsword Conversion

I know Joel and you can bid with confidence. 

Loken