ISSUE 12 - 19th APRIL 2014

Editor: Jes Bickham
jes@whitedwarf.co.uk

Assistant Editor: Matt Keefe
mattk@whitedwarf.co.uk

Senior Staff Writer: Adam Troke
adam@whitedwarf.co.uk

Staff Writer: Daniel Harden
dan@whitedwarf.co.uk

Production Lead: Rebecca Ferguson
rebecca@whitedwarf.co.uk

Digital Editor: Melissa Roberts
melissa@whitedwarf.co.uk

Lead Designer: Matthew Hutson
matt@whitedwarf.co.uk

Designer: Kristian Shield
kris@whitedwarf.co.uk

Designer: Ben Humber
ben@whitedwarf.co.uk

Photo Editor: Glenn More
glenn@whitedwarf.co.uk

Photographer: Erik Niemz
erik@whitedwarf.co.uk

Photographer: Martyn Lyon
martyn@whitedwarf.co.uk

Distribution Lead: Andy Keddie
andy@whitedwarf.co.uk

Publisher: Paul Lyons
paul@whitedwarf.co.uk

Now here’s a thing. Week in and week out, the White Dwarf team are bedazzled by loads of ace new miniatures, but this week’s excitement has come from a slightly more unusual quarter. The mad scientists in the Games Workshop Hobby Products team have unveiled a brand new range of tools for your delectation and delight, and they’ve caused Dan and Adam to explode with enthusiasm just as much as, say, the recent Astra Militarum miniatures.

Modelling, after all, is a central part of the hobby, and as enjoyable a thing to do as painting and gaming, There’s little in life as satisfying as snipping components off a sprue. The new Citadel Fine Detail Cutters makes this activity even more fun – head to your local Games Workshop store for a hands-on go. They, along with all the other new tools, have been designed specifically to work with Citadel miniatures and they’re terrific fun to use.

And with that, I’m off to assemble my third Imperial Knight… enjoy the issue!

Specifically crafted to clip Citadel miniatures off their plastic frames, the Citadel Fine Detail Cutters are an essential piece of equipment for any hobbyist.

As tools go, the Fine Detail Cutters are surely the best-looking ones out there. The body of these new cutters is made of stainless steel while the long handles are crafted from anodised aluminium, making them lightweight and extremely durable.

The cutting jaws are incredibly fine, with the blades slightly overlapping to produce a shear, enabling you to cut through plastic more easily and accurately than ever before. This means you can get really close to the components on the frame when removing them, making cleaning them with the Mouldline Remover or files much quicker. They are also handy when doing conversions, as the blades can cut through thicker components just as easily. DH

The handles have been designed with comfort in mind. They’re longer than those of their predecessors, meaning you need minimal force to cut with them and their curved, smooth-edged design means that holding them, even for extensive clipping sessions, will be a comfortable experience.

The knife is a popular tool, useful for cleaning models, removing fine components from the sprue, and cutting parts for conversions.

The Citadel Knife is a solid, square-edged piece of equipment made from anodised aluminium. It’s easy to hold, immensely durable and, because of its square edges, won’t roll off the table when you’re not using it. There are five scalpel-style blades in the set, which have a universal fitting, making them easy to replace when they get worn out. The cutting blade can retract and lock into the body too, making it exceptionally safe to use when you’re working on your miniatures. DH

Plastic kits occasionally come with a mouldline around the components. This tool is ideal for removing them quickly and tidily.

Specially designed for use on Citadel miniatures, the Mouldline Remover is the ideal tool for cleaning up miniatures for assembly. The head is made of rigid stainless steel and has two sides – one straight, one curved – perfect for scraping away excess plastic on a miniature without cutting into it. A smooth scraping motion is normally enough to clean up a component quickly and neatly. Like all our tools, it’s designed to be used by both left and right-handed hobbyists. DH

If your models have gun barrels that need drilling out, look no further than the Citadel Drill as this handy piece of equipment is perfect for coring your cannons.

Like all the new Citadel Tools, the Citadel Drill has been designed specifically for use on Citadel miniatures. It is a sturdy, hand-held piece of equipment crafted from anodised aluminium. It’s designed to be used in one hand, the pommel resting in the palm while the fingers twist the drill.

There are two finger grips, one towards the pommel for smaller-handed hobbyists and one closer to the drill head for people with larger hands. While the drill is primarily for drilling out gun barrels, it’s also perfect for making bullet holes in your scenery and tanks and armoured warriors. Simply choose the calibre of bullet (i.e. the size of your drill bit) and pepper your models with holes. DH

The drill comes with three drill bits: 1mm, 1.5mm and 2mm, affectionately known as lasgun, bolter and heavy bolter size. The chuck has two openings, one for the 1mm bit and a second, larger one for the 1.5 and 2mm bits. With the bit sitting in the chuck, the drill head can then be tightened to ensure a really snug fit.

Whether you’re filling gaps or sculpting additional details with Green Stuff, make sure you pick up the Citadel Sculpting Tool Set.

There are three tools in this set: two sculpting tools made of stainless steel and a flexible plastic spreader. The sculpting tools, co-designed by miniatures designer Michael Anderson, feature four ends that can be used to create a wide range of effects, from chainmail and beards to capes and faces. The plastic spreader is for applying Texture Paint to bases. One end scoops out the paint, while the other is thin enough to spread it around the base without getting it on the model’s legs. DH

Whether you’re building models straight out of the box or working on a conversion, the Citadel File Set is ideal for cleaning models.

Designed to buff and polish as much as file away, these new files are perfect for smoothing plastic components. The surface texture is a fine grain, enabling you to file down models without losing the details. The coarse file (gold end) is for use on large models such as tanks, while the finer one (brown end) is for intricate work such as the trims on Space Marine shoulder pads. Each features a flat and a rounded side, enabling you to smooth both concave and convex surfaces. DH

The Citadel Tool Set contains every one of the new Citadel tools, from the Fine Detail Cutters to the Sculpting Tool Set. Presented in an exclusive canvas wrap emblazoned with the Citadel logo, you’ll always have the right tool for the job.

This gorgeous set of tools contains all of the new Citadel Tools – the Fine Detail Cutters, Knife, Drill, Mouldline Remover, File Set and Sculpting Tool Set – and comes complete with spare blades for the knife and alternative drill bits for the drill.

The tools are presented in a canvas wrap that unfolds to reveal individual pouches for each tool, plus additional slots for storing brushes and other equipment alongside them. The tools fit snugly in their pouches and each is protected by a canvas flap to ensure they don’t knock against each other when packed away. The wrap is secured with a sturdy pop fastener, which ensures your tools won’t fall out, no matter which way up you hold the wrap (or how vigorously you shake it to try and make them come out).

The Citadel Tool Set is limited to just 1000 sets worldwide and is available exclusively in Games Workshop stores and select independent stockists. (Remember that age or other restrictions may apply owing to the inclusion of a knife in the set.) DH

Archaon, Lord of the End Times, is one of the most terrifying warriors of all time. His story starts here.

By Rob Sanders

Paperback | 416 Pages

When it comes to the champions of darkness, there really are none more feared than Archaon, the Lord of the End Times, the Everchosen. This novel tells the first part of Archaon’s story, from his life as a child, through his adolescent years and life as a Templar, to his blood-splattered elevation to a Champion of Chaos.

Rob Sanders portrays the characters brilliantly, the megalomaniacal, self-obsessed Be’lakor proving immediately entertaining. Archaon’s transition is also well-handled, his passion and arrogance replaced by cold, hard, calculating logic. It’s not all character-building though, for when Archaon swings his sword, Terminus, you feel every blow. It’s constant, devastating and engrossing violence. DH

STORM OF VENGEANCE

Our friends over at Eutechnyx are proud to announce the release of Storm of Vengeance for PC, iPad, iPhone and Android tablets and phones. Storm of Vengeance is a lane strategy game that gives you command of Dark Angels or Orks in a battle for Piscina V.

Adam got a chance to play an early version of the game this week.

Surrounded on all sides by aliens, traitors and daemons, the armies of the Imperium wage endless war in the battle to survive. Alone, each of these forces is mighty, but in a hostile galaxy, humanity’s survival depends upon their fighting together.

Adam is a bit obsessed with the Imperium of Mankind, and is quite hard to separate from his favourite model, Inquisitor Rex.

The Image of the Imperium at war is a striking one; it’s the lifeblood of the Warhammer 40,000 universe and one that has stood literally at the forefront of the game since its inception. Every edition from Rogue Trader up to the present day has featured a scene depicting Space Marines locked in desperate battle.

My favourite pieces of Warhammer 40,000 art have always been the ones that show the full might of the Imperium arrayed against the horrors of the galaxy. When I was much younger, I first saw an illustration of a regiment of Imperial Guardsmen trudging forwards into battle, one carrying an archaic banner into battle. In the distant background, Titans pour death into the enemy, Space Marine Land Raiders distantly visible beneath them. For me, this is the essence of the Imperium, and of Warhammer 40,000: the Space Marines are mighty, but few, and their numbers cannot easily be replenished. The Astra Militarum is vast, but all too human. The Houses of the Imperial Knights are ancient and powerful, but the technology upon which their mighty armoured suits are founded is all but lost. The Imperium is vast, but if it is to survive, it must stand together.

The background of Warhammer 40,000 is replete with examples of epic battles and gruelling campaigns that pit the combined might of the Imperium against the horrors of the galaxy. The repeated wars on Armageddon and resistance to the Black Crusades were all fought by combined forces of Space Marines, Imperial Guard, Knights, Titans, Sisters of Battle, and countles others. Codexes, army books and Black Library novels all provide stirring inspiration. Apocalypse War Zone: Damocles, for instance, depicts the epic struggle of an Imperial army group arrayed against the Tau Empire. Space Marines from the White Scars and Raven Guard end up fighting alongside Catachan Jungle Fighters and Imperial Knights of House Terryn to the bitter end.

What makes that story so compelling is the interaction between the Imperial forces, both the rivalries and loyalty, and the willingness to sacrifice for each other in the heat of battle. What I find so inspiring is that it’s now possible to bring these incredible alliances to life on the tabletop.

In my own collection, I have several Imperial armies which I often combine parts of. The Dark Angels are my favourite Space Marine Chapter, and my Dark Angels army is the largest part of my collection, but even so they rarely go to war on their own. Since Codex: Inquisition came out a few months ago, my Warhammer 40,000 alter ego, Inquisitor Rex, can now march into battle alongside them. I’ve also got several squads of Steel Legionnaires and accompanying tanks, a strikeforce of Minotaurs Legion Space Marines, a Grey knights detachment and an Imperial Knight. In my mind, there are stories that link all of these warriors together, and when I play games with them it’s all a matter of recreating those narratives on the tabletop.

So, how do you do that? Well, the easiest way is just to do it: speak to your opponent, come up with a scenario and a narrative behind it, choose your forces, and play your game. There’s no reason it needs to be more complicated than that but, of course, there are other ways, too.

There’s already a lot of latitude to include different Imperial forces as part of your army. Alongside your Primary Detachment you can include an Allied Contingent, an Imperial Knights detachment, an Inquisition Detachment, a Lord of War detachment from Escalation, fortifications and any number of datasheets.

Dan Harden says the way to do it is with a game of Warhammer 40,000: Apocalypse. “In Apocalypse Games, all the restrictions on Primary Detachments and allies are waived,” he says cheerfully. “Restricted only by the models in your collection, you even have the freedom to join forces with your friends for truly massive battles. In my group of friends there are Astra Militarum armies, Space Marine armies, an Adepta Sororitas force and even a Warhound Titan. When these combine, it’s like bringing the background to life.”

The next question is what kind of allies do you want to take. Essentially there are two reasons you might take allies: the rule of cool and the need for a tactical advantage.

The rule of cool does what it says on the tin: include the models you like the most, creating the stories you think are the most exciting. You might have such an army on a force from a famous battle, or on a tale built around one of your characters. My concession to the rule of cool is including the noble Inquisitor Rex whenever I can. He’s not there to win me games (he seldom survives), but I imagine he’s me on the battlefield and that’s a lot of fun.

The other side of the coin is choosing units that give you some kind of tactical edge. Each of the different armies of the Imperium have certain weaknesses that can be addressed by the strengths of others. This speaks for itself, really, but here’s the key thing: it still needs to be characterful, and it should be; the rule of cool and tactical advantage go hand-in-hand. The very essence of the Imperium is that it must fight together if it is to survive, and that is what’s so much fun: making the image of humanity’s many defenders fighting desperately alongside one another your own. AT

IMPERIUM ASSEMBLE

The armies of the Imperium are vast in scope and scale, from the countless billions of the Astra Militarum to the isolated and clandestine Inquisitors. Here’s a list of the various Codexes, supplements and expansions that provide more Imperial reinforcements for your collection:

Codex: Space Marines

Codex: Dark Angels

Codex: Blood Angels

Codex: Space Wolves

Codex: Adepta Sororitas

Codex: Imperial Knights

Codex: Astra Militarum

Codex: Militarum Tempestus

Codex: Grey Knights

Codex: Inquisition

Sentinels of Terra

Clan Raukaan

Dataslate: Reclusiasm Command Squad

Dataslate: Tyrannic War Veterans

Dataslate: Astartes Storm Wing

Dataslate: Legion of the Damned

Warhammer 40,000: Stronghold Assault

Warhammer 40,000: Escalation

Warhammer 40,000: Apocalypse

War Zone: Damocles

War Zone: Damnos

War Zone: Pandora

FROM THE ANNALS OF TIME

This is the image of the Imperial Guard advancing into battle that caught my eye when I was a wide-eyed 10 year old. Even now, 25 years later, I’m still inspired by the feeling that it’s the whole Imperium fighting alongside each other, from the fragile mortality of the lowly Guardsman to the might of an Imperial Titan.ing that it’s the whole Imperium fighting alongside each other, from the fragile mortality of the lowly Guardsman to the might of an Imperial Titan.

FAMOUS ALLIANCES

Scattered throughout the history of Warhammer 40,000 there are countless examples of Imperial forces fighting together against the foe. Here is a short list of some of the best examples.

The Reign of Blood
The lunatic Master of the Administratum, Goge Vandire tries to bend the Imperium to his will. Eventually his heresy is crushed by a combined force of Adeptus Mechanicus, Imperial Fists, Soul Drinkers, Fire Hawks and Black Templars Space Marines.

The First War
for Armageddon
The Space Wolves, Grey Knights and Astra Militarum crush a Daemonic Invasion of the Hive World by the Daemon Prince Angron and a coterie of Blood Thirsters.

The Fall of Medusa V
Lord Marshal Graf Harazahn of the Vostroyan Firstborn and Captain Sicarius of the Ultramarines lead a massive Imperial War effort that denies Chaos the world at great cost. Although the planet is ultimately lost, the united efforts of the Imperium prevent it becoming part of a massive Chaos ritual.

The Sabbat Worlds Crusade
A massive Imperial force led by Warmaster Macaroth seeks to reclaim the Sabbat worlds from Chaos. The crusade army includes many Guard regiments, Space Marine Chapters and even a number of Inquisitors.

THE MUSTER OF CALTH

Glenn More has been steadily adding models to Warhammer 40,000 collection for several years now. As he has done so it has begun to take on a shape and narrative of its own.

“I initially started my Imperial army by painting some Ultramarines, simply because they are the epitome of what it is to be a Space Marine,” Glenn says. “As time has gone on though, the motivation behind my force has changed slightly. Reading some of the Horus Heresy novels by Black Library opened my eyes to the battles, allies and rivalries of the Ultramarines Chapter (then Legion), and gradually I’ve been adding models that hint towards some of that. The Astra Militarum army I have been slowly painting tanks for is themed after the Planetary Defence Regiments of Calth, so I’ve called them the Fists of Calth. So far I’ve got lots of tanks and a handful of infantry in the force.

“I also have a Grey Knights force, which I have always imagined fighting alongside other Imperial armies,” Glenn adds. “Grey Knights are where the Space Marines turn to when they need help. They’re especially fitting because I have a Word Bearers Chaos Space Marine army, who are of course the arch-nemesis of the Ultramarines. I figure that when the red-armoured hordes of the Word Bearers arrive, the righteous vengeance of the Grey Knights can’t be far behind.

“The most recent addition to my collection of Imperial models is the Firebrand, my Freeblade Imperial Knight,” Glenn says. “He’s a good example of how the narrative behind your collection can change and evolve through time. He bears the markings of my existing armies, with Grey Knights, Ultramarines and Imperial Guard iconography showing how he has fought alongside them in defence of Calth and the Realm of Ultramar.”

The Citadel Hall Fame is a collection of the finest miniatures in the world, nominated by the people who know best: the artists, figure painters and designers themselves. This month, ’Eavy Metal painter Simon Adams nominates the sneakiest Ork in the galaxy.

SCULPTED BY SEB PERBET
NOMINATED BY SIMON ADAMS

Simon Adams is a member of the Design Studio’s elite ’Eavy Metal Team.

Simon: My favourite Orks have always been the ones on the fringe of Orky kulture, like the Oddboyz or Flashgitz. The ones I enjoy the most are the Kommandos. They take the Blood Axes’ humorous attempts at militarism, with patchy camouflage clothing and misunderstood military equipment and tactics, and dial it up to eleven. So the first time I saw Boss Snikrot, he became a firm favourite of mine. That was several years before I was a member of the ’Eavy Metal team, but when I joined as a painter I happened to see copy of the Boss Snikrot model sat on the desk of fellow ’Eavy Metal painter Neil Green. The paint job Neil had done on the model really struck a chord with me. I’ve actually started painting a Snikrot of my own as a result of that.

If I had to pick a favourite part of the model, I’d say it was the way Snikrot is holding a finger in front of his lips, as if to shush a mob of Ork Kommandos. There’s something quirky about a burly Ork asking someone, anyone, else to be quiet.

Left: “Snikrot wears a mask to help him see in the dark,” says Seb. “This has two functions from a design stand point. First, it’s a nod to the black ops role he plays in the Ork army, while the second is that the multiple lenses give him a spider-like appearance, perfect for someone who is supposed to be sneaky and stealthy.

Right: “A few years before I did Snikrot I designed the Ork Kommandos,” says Seb. “I made sure Snikrot’s oversized backpack, grapple and grenades matched theirs.”

Not only did Seb Perbet sculpt Snikrot, he also designed Boss Zagstruk, who was released at the same time.

Seb: I feel honoured that Simon chose to nominate Boss Snikrot to the Hall of Fame. I had a lot of fun designing him at the time, and he’s a model I am still very fond of. I made him alongside another Ork character, Boss Zagstruk, and both of these emerged after some lengthy conversations with Phil Kelly, who was writing Codex: Orks at that point. We talked about what could make Snikrot stand out from other Ork Warbosses, he showed me the ideas he had for rules and wargear, and I went away and did the rest. The result is an Ork who defies many typical greenskin conventions. Because he’s an Ork, he’s muscular, but I’ve worked to keep the bulk down a little, so he’s a lithe, muscular killer as opposed to a hulking brute. I wanted to make him look sneaky, and did this by giving him pointier ears than other Orks, along with slender legs and a spider face mask. It’s curious how that effect works.

My favourite part of the model is chain of dog tags wrapped around his forearms. He has a number of grisly trophies, like the necklace of ears and string of skulls, but the dog tags were just fun to make, all from a single long roll of Green Stuff that I then sculpted into shape. AT

A fan of all kinds of diminutive fun, Dan Harden recently challenged Gareth Etherington (whose Ultramarines we featured in October’s White Dwarf) to play through all the scenarios from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Here he tells us how it went.

Gareth and his friend Cat Austin love playing The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Strategy Battle Game. But how will they fare against Dan’s tactical genius?

Dan: I love everything about The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, so when Gareth got in touch to show us the latest models he’d painted, I was instantly captivated. What started as a back and forth conversation about painting soon became a hobby challenge to paint more models for a day of gaming in Warhammer World. Then, one of us (I’ll blame Gareth) suggested playing through all of the scenarios in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Rules Manual. We had most of the models painted between us, requiring just a few more Hunter Orcs, Narzug and Fimbul the Hunter. I set to work on the Orcs and Narzug while Gareth raced to his local Games Workshop in Barnet, picked up Fimbul the Hunter, and painted him the same weekend. Cat, the store manager, was curious to see what he was up to so, on a cold February morning, they started their own journey to The Lonely Mountain (well, Nottingham).

The first scenario in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is Roast Mutton, in which Bilbo Baggins is captured by three Trolls and the Dwarves try to rescue him. Gareth was playing The Stone Trolls and went on the offensive, running them straight towards the arriving Dwarves. In this scenario, you can win by stuffing them into bags, which Gareth hoped would prove easier than fighting them in combat.

Utterly fearless, Thorin Oakenshield moved straight into a fight with William the Troll, backed up by Fili the Dwarf. Dwalin the Dwarf hefted his hammer and strode into a fight with the snot-drenched Bert the Troll, backed up by Kili the Dwarf and Dori the Dwarf, who was already swinging his flail enthusiastically. Cat’s first action was to call a Heroic Strike with Thorin Oakenshield. Bill the Troll is a formidable opponent and his high Fight value could swing the combat in his favour. Sadly, Gareth had the same idea and William the Troll won the combat, knocked all the Dwarves around him flying and threw Thorin Oakenshield into a sack. Meanwhile, Tom the Troll was busy fighting Gloin the Dwarf, who elected not to use a Heroic Strike, not realising that the Troll looming over him was a better fighter. Gloin the Dwarf was also unceremoniously stuffed into a burlap bag.

Fortunately, Dwalin the Dwarf was having more luck with Bert the Troll. His Heroic Strike took him to a whopping Fight 10, and he hammered away at Bert the Troll’s kneecaps with gusto, with Dori the Dwarf striking the killing blow. With Bert the Troll out of action, most of the Dwarves ganged up on Bill the Troll while Kili the Dwarf and Dwalin the Dwarf went to stop Tom the Troll from squashing Ori the Dwarf like jelly. Set upon from all sides, Bill the Troll was finally pulled down by six Dwarves just as dawn broke. Tom the Troll took a battering from Dwalin the Dwarf but remained standing, before turning to stone in the dawn light. The first battle ended in a draw.

In the second scenario, The Chase, Thorin’s Company are joined by Radagast the Brown, who tells them they are being pursued by Azog and his Hunter Orcs. The Dwarves must get to the other side of the board to escape before the end of Turn 12.

Our cunning plan was to put Gandalf the Grey and Radagast the Brown at the front and advance as fast as possible using Heroic Marches. Gareth set up Fimbul the Hunter and Narzug at the north end of the board as his ‘second wave’ while Azog led another party of Orcs in from the west. The two Wizards promptly sprinted forward and cast Terrifying Aura, which we hoped would make it harder for Azog’s Orcs to charge them. Sadly it didn’t and Azog piled into the fight. Despite being blasted from his saddle by a Sorcerous Blast, a single Hunter Orc charged Thorin Oakenshield to keep him busy while Azog thundered into Dwalin the Dwarf. Bellowing a challenge, the Dwarf miraculously won the fight and dealt Azog a flurry of terrible blows, leaving him reeling. Sadly, the same could not be said of Thorin Oakenshield who, despite calling a Heroic Fight, failed to kill his opponent.

With the battle raging back and forth, Azog made the most of the confusion and rode away from Dwalin the Dwarf, circling the better fighters to get at the weaker members of the group hiding at the back while his expendable Orcs tackled the hard-hitters at the front. Narzug arrived with reinforcements and slammed into Fili the Dwarf, though quickly found himself outclassed and knocked from his saddle.

It wasn’t until turn seven that the Dwarves picked up momentum. Having spent much of the battle on the floor or being charged, the two Wizards finally cast their spells, Immobilising both Azog and the newly-arrived Fimbul the Hunter. Gloin the Dwarf stepped up and smashed Azog from his saddle, while Thorin Oakenshield and Dwalin the Dwarf charged a paralysed Fimbul the Hunter and buried him in the mud. Having bested the Orcs, the Dwarves made for the board edge, though sadly only seven escaped in time. The Orcs won Game 2.

After a lunch of Lembas bread, we settled into our last game of the day, Flight to Freedom. We’d opted to skip The Capture (Scenario 3) because we wanted to see the Dwarves in action against The Goblin King. Having played this scenario before, I knew how important it was to get the Dwarves armed and off the platform before they got bogged down. While Dwalin the Dwarf and Fili the Dwarf ran at the outraged Goblin King, Thorin Oakenshield led the rest towards the weapon pile. Amusingly, Dwalin the Dwarf held his own against the blubbery Goblin and pushed him back into his throne, punching him (remember, he’s unarmed) repeatedly. Nearby, Thorin Oakenshield shoved the Goblin Captain off the platform, handed the Dwarves their weapons and led them down the walkways. Gandalf the Grey arrived, far too conveniently for Gareth’s liking, right next to the Goblin Scribe and promptly toppled him into a chasm, reducing the number of Goblin reinforcements. As the Dwarves piled across the bridges towards him, he set about blasting everything nearby into meaty chunks in an effort to keep the path to freedom clear.

While the Dwarves made their escape, Dwalin the Dwarf held back and trapped The Goblin King against his throne. Still unarmed and roaring like a loon, the Dwarf killed The Goblin King where he sat before steaming through several intervening Goblins to catch up with his fellows. With Goblins in front and behind the Dwarves, Gandalf the Grey failed his Sorcerous Blast. The Goblins surged forwards and pushed Kili the Dwarf off the bridge, his brother simultaneously pushing Grinnah the Goblin off the other side. With escape in sight, Gandalf the Grey led the Dwarves forward. But did they escape? Well, my fellow adventurers, that’s a story for another time… DH

ONE SMALL STEP FOR A HOBBIT

Dan: Playing through the scenarios in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is great fun, though incredibly tense. You can play each scenario as a standalone game, but you can link them together for an even more nail-biting adventure. After each game you roll to see if you regain the Might, Will, Fate and Wounds used/lost earlier in the campaign. Use too many early on or fail to get them back and you could end up going into the next fight at a severe disadvantage. Being stingy with them is just as dangerous, though, as you could miss out on valuable opportunities to use them. Being hardcore hobbyists, we chose to play through the scenarios this way. My tip is to use expendable characters (such as Radagast the Brown) as much as possible and burn through their Might, Will and Fate instead of that of the Dwarves. Of course, Gareth had no such concerns as the Evil side have plenty of time to recuperate between their battles.

TO MIGHT OR NOT TO MIGHT…?

Cat: In the first scenario Thorin’s Company battle the Trolls, all of which are better at fighting than the Dwarves. Heroic Strike comes in handy here, because you can add D6 to your Fight value, giving you a better chance of winning the combat. However, the Trolls also have Might points, so they can use the same ability. And, if you use Might to boost your Fight value, will you have enough spare to boost your To Wound rolls (because you’re going to need 6s). It’s a dilemma that caught us out several times.

IT’S US OR THEM

Gareth: In the second scenario I won pretty much every Priority Roll. Even with Balin the Dwarf’s tactical wisdom, Dan and Cat just couldn’t win it back and were forced to make a lot of Heroic Moves to get their charges in before I did.

Dan: This did mean that we used up Might Points at a furious pace. A cavalry model gets an extra Attack on the charge and we couldn’t have the Orcs getting the upper hand and knocking our warriors over. Azog was especially terrifying as the White Warg is also a character in its own right. Having seen our plan, Gareth used many of his Might Points to challenge our Heroic Moves and, more often than not, won the roll-off.

Gareth: The White Warg and Azog have three Might points each, that’s a serious stash to contend with. Kili the Dwarf and Radagast the Brown spent at least three turns on the floor having been repeatedly run over by Hunter Orcs on Fell Wargs.

BRAVE WARGS?

Dan: When a cavalry model dies, their mount normally flees the battlefield, desperate to escape the carnage. Sadly, Fell Wargs are more feral and hungry for slaughter, however, and Gareth consistently, not to mention annoyingly, passed almost all their Courage tests to keep them on the field.

Cat: The dice must have been rigged! Every fight we rolled 1s, every Courage test Gareth rolled 6s, something was definitely going on. I think the only time he failed was when Fimbul the Hunter tried to charge Radagast the Brown, who was still surrounded by his Terrifying Aura. Admittedly, that was pretty funny as Radagast the Brown just ran past him, Immobilised him and left him for Thorin Oakenshield to deal with.

WE NEED LONGER LEGS

Cat: From a psychological point of view, playing as the Dwarves was really scary. The Stone Trolls in the first scenario are huge, and there are three of them! I really didn’t think we would stand much of a chance, but a few Heroic Strikes later and we saw Bert the Troll tumble to the ground, proving it could be done. In the second scenario you really get a sense of fear and urgency, there were Hunter Orcs and Fell Wargs everywhere and they just kept coming. That escape point seemed a mighty long distance away for a Dwarf, and having to fight wave after wave of Orcs slowed them down to the point of no return. I was content with the moral victory of killing Azog and the White Warg.

The Dwarves had a tough time dealing with the masses of Goblins in the third game. Gareth was merciless in his assault and never hung back. Great tactical play.

I’M GETTING A TASTE FOR BEING EVIL

Gareth: During the first game, I really enjoyed seeing the Dwarves rush to save Bilbo Baggins, it was really cinematic. Playing as the Trolls, I got off to a great start by stuffing Gloin the Dwarf into a bag but it quickly went downhill from there.

I continued my role as the evil player for the second game, this time commanding Azog, Narzug and Fimbul the Hunter. Splitting my force into two waves proved to be a sound tactic as Azog’s group bogged down the Dwarves for most of the game, the second wave of Hunter Orcs and Fell Wargs stopping them from escaping in the last turn. Despite the early death of The Goblin King in the third battle, I felt I still did a great job flooding the gantries with Goblins. That was, until Gandalf the Grey arrived and used Sorcerous Blast to send flaming Goblins flying through the air like one of his firework displays.

WARRIOR OF THE MATCH

Cat: Dwalin the Dwarf never failed to impress, his mighty hammer battering anyone who stood in his way. He then went and killed The Goblin King, adding him to his long tally of deceased evil. Epic!

Dan: Dori the Dwarf would be my choice. He’s not as strong or powerful as other members of Thorin’s Company, but he still has three Attacks and a flail. He came in really handy in Goblin Town where he whirled around decapitating Goblins with every strike.

Gareth: Azog all the way. I never realised how powerful he was until we played that game. He is a machine. His stock of Might means you’ll almost always get the charge with him.

Over the past several weeks the ranks of the Astra Militarum have swollen with new miniatures and a pair of Codexes. Stunned by the reinforcements, Adam Troke and a selection of pundits look at what it all means for collectors.

Adam’s army of Astra Militarum Steel Legionnaires has been very excited about all the reinforcements coming their way.

A couple of months ago, I wrote about the age of the Monstrous Creatures, and how the latest Tyranid Codex has given rise to armies with more monstrous backbone than ever before. Well, the rumbling advance of the Astra Militarum has caused us in the White Dwarf bunker to stop and examine exactly what this all means for collectors of the Imperial Guard.

Having played a fair few games recently, both with and against the Astra Militarum, I’m increasingly convinced that the great strength of the army as it stands now is the capacity to grind down any foe with withering firepower. That might seem obvious, but bear with me. You see, having the biggest hammer on hand doesn’t mean you’ll hit the right things. I was part way through a game against my brother-in-law when the realisation dawned on me.

Mark’s Astra Militarum army had within it absolutely everything needed to wipe me out under most circumstances: a squadron of Leman Russ Eradicators to hunt down my Dark Angels, lascannon-toting Armoured Sentinels stalking the ruins, going after my fortifications, his airborne Tempestus Scions in their Vendetta transport patrolling the skies. The only problem Mark faced was that he deployed line abreast in his deployment zone, covering all angles. I split my army into two chunks and went for his flanks. Consequently, the central core of his army found itself unable to get to grips with my forces for much of the battle, ultimately handing me what had seemed at the outset a somewhat unlikely victory. As the smoke cleared, my Dark Angels victorious, Mark made a crucial observation: “The problem was I let myself get strung out, and ended up limply swatting instead of delivering a hammer blow.” More importantly, it led him to an ominous conclusion: “I won’t be splitting up next time,” he said. And that’s it in a nutshell.

The strength of the Astra Militarum is the firepower to level any foe, but massive firepower won’t usually carry the day by itself – it’s all about the correct and timely application. An old maxim from Tactica Imperium covers my point nicely. “Identify your target. Concentrate your fire on it to the exclusion of all else. When it is destroyed choose another target. That is the way to secure victory!”

While other armies in Warhammer 40,000 have the capacity to rival the Imperial Guard for firepower, the balance between powerful war machines and expendable infantry is what gives the Astra Militarum its edge when it comes to the art of long-range annihilation.

Armies such as the Eldar or Tau resort to hit-and-run tactics and springing ambushes, but in most cases (Tempestus Scions air cavalry being an obvious exception) the Astra Militarum gain victory through a relentless, grinding advance. This is not pretty; it’s a vicious, merciless advance that doesn’t stop until everything in its path is dead. With that in mind, I advocate organising your Astra Militarum army into three ‘cohorts’: fire support, objective grabbers and bulldozers.

Fire support elements remain at the rear, which doesn’t mean they need to remain static on your baseline, just keep them from the frontline and don’t expose them to unnecessary attacks. From there they can spend the battle merrily pouring lead into the enemy.

The bulldozers should lead the charge, advancing steadily. Typically, these are your Leman Russ battle tanks (which can advance and fire all their guns) and Hellhound squadrons (to root the enemy out of cover) and Bullgryns with slabshields. If you field Leman Russ Squadrons, consider upgrading one to be a HQ tank; the Tank Commander orders provide a real advantage in the shooting phase, especially if you need to split your fire or reduce the impact of incoming fire. A Baneblade, with its massive array of guns is also an excellent bulldozer.

The trick with these bulldozing units is to keep firing and moving, so you can control as much of the battlefield as possible with your objective grabbers. This last cohort use the bulldozers as cover, moving forwards in transport vehicles or on foot. They can add their firepower to the chorus of destruction but their main role is to seize important objectives once the bulldozers have swept them clear. In a perfect world, your Tauroxes and Chimeras will disgorge infantry squads onto objectives already bludgeoned clean of enemy units while the Leman Russ or Hellhounds form an armoured cordon around them, keeping the enemy at bay.

It’s worth pointing out that this tactical division into cohorts is quite separate from the usual Force Organisation Chart (which of course such armies still follow), and can also be applied to all manner of Astra Militarum armies. The key is structuring your deployment and your advance to make the Astra Militarum’s advantage in terms of sheer firepower really count. Do so, and victory is just a matter of time. AT

COMBAT DOCTRINES

While it’s impossible to cover all the possibilities of an Astra Militarum army in a single article, I believe we will see three main Astra Militarum forces in the future:

The Infantry Horde

This army is the province of madmen and statisticians. That said, there’s tactical merit in swarming the enemy in unstoppbale numbers, using the Voice of Command to keep Guardsmen fighting at peak efficiency and Commissars to instil an unbreakable resolve. The only way to defeat this army is to kill in vast quantities. It works best if every squad has specialist weapons.

The Tank Company

Now you can have a Tank Commander as an HQ, the long-held dream of an all-armoured army is available. With a solid phalanx of Leman Russ as the Vanguard, and Armoured Fist Squads trailing behind to claim objectives, this is an uncompromising way to wage war, and against an unwary foe it can be devastating. Do not skimp on anti-air power, however, since the majority of tank-borne weapons use blast markers, and thus cannot protect you from flyers.

Combined Arms

The stereotypical Imperial Guard army, with a mixture of Infantry Platoons, Auxilla and some armoured support, has tremendous tactical merit, and can be adapted to any mission. While infantry hordes might struggle in the open, and tanks will wallow in dense terrain, a combined arms force can tackle every situation if you apply it correctly.

THE PROGENIUM ELITE

I think the single biggest difference maker for collectors of the Astra Militarum has to be the addition of Tempestus Militarum Scions platoons within Astra Militarum armies, and the opportunity to field a complete elite army with Codex: Militarum Tempestus.

Tempestus Scions are a very different prospect to the dog-faced infantry that fill other Imperial Guard armies. When a Militarum Tempestus force takes to the field, it’s not as some menial part of a meatgrinder offensive or an accident of deployment by some faceless adept in the Departmento Munitorum. When the Scions go to war it’s as a mission elite, to achieve something lesser men cannot. That gives a very different feel to your game of Warhammer 40,000, and lends it the feeling of a special operation. There’s a sense of purpose to an Airborne Assault or Ground Assault Formation as you move your warriors onto the battlefield.

From a tactical standpoint, deploying a large number of Tempestus Scions presents not only different opportunities for you, but also headaches for your opponents. The actual difference a 4+ Carapace save makes over a 5+ Flak armour save is profound, and the stopping power of a hot-shot lasgun is so good that even Adeptus Astartes must take heed. Add into that the special weapons they can take (two per squad is a frightening ratio, especially if you choose your weapons to suit you foes: flamers for Orks and Tyranids, plasma guns for armoured troops and melta guns for tanks).

My regular gaming buddy, a man known only as Accountant Ben, has an army made exclusively of Tempestus Scions already, and I can almost hear him making whooshing sounds with his Valkyrie Assault Carriers as I write. I predict airborne offensives are in my Dark Angels’ very near future.

MEAT GRINDER

Here’s an example of a 2000-point Astra Militarum army divided into cohorts, as discussed on the left:

Fire Support

Hydra Battery
3 x Hydras: 210pts

Bulldozers

Leman Russ Squadron
2 x Leman Russ, 1 Leman Russ Vanquisher with Tank Commander: 465pts

Leman Russ Squadron
2 x Leman Russ Demolishers with heavy bolters, 1 Leman Russ Punisher with heavy bolters and Commander Pask: 640pts

Objective Grabbers

4 x Armoured Fists. Veteran Guardsmen with 3 plasma guns and Chimera APC: 680pts

THE DARK MILLENNIUM

Andy Clarke wrote much of the background in Codex: Astra Militarum. His own Imperial Guard force has a strong focus on the whackier, more arcane elements.

The blunt instrument that is the Imperial Guard can at first appear monolithic, but Andy Clarke thinks the key to understanding their nature lies in embracing some of the real oddities.

“What I mean by that,” he says, “are all the crazies in the Imperial Guard structure, such as the Ministorum Priests, Techpriest Enginseers and Psykers. Their presence brings the Dark Millennium to the tabletop, and happily it also raises the ordinary Guardsman to something more than he would otherwise be. The War Hymns of a Ministorum Priest are a life raft of faith for the beleaguered Guardsman. Pass a Leadership test with your Priest and you can grant your squad a re-roll for saves or rolls To Wound in combat. That can make all the difference when your Guardsmen get into the fight. If you’re a tread head (read: tank aficionado) a couple of Techpriest Enginseers can keep you in the fight. Mark my words, Regimental Specialists are the future.”

FORWARD, FOR THE EMPEROR!

Simon Grant is part of the dedicated team that create the rules for our Codexes. He’s got a keen eye for dastardly tactics, and cunning ruses on the tabletop.

“I’ve learned to fear all-infantry armies recently,” says Simon Grant, when asked what he thought the additions to the Imperial Guard presaged. “It’s not uncommon for my Space Wolves to face a horde of 200 or more Cadian Shock Troopers, and the ratio of heavy and special weapons is daunting.

“Many people like to refer to the lowly Guardsman as a ‘meat-shield’ or ‘cannon-fodder’ but I maintain that with sufficient numbers they can conquer any odds,” Simon says. “When you take an army built up entirely (or mostly) of infantry, your priorities shift slightly, and the focus of your tactics must be about using the right units for the right task, and maintaining iron discipline with your Command Squads. If you keep your formation close enough to your Company and Platoon Commanders, Voice of Command will have your warriors firing more shots (and the difference between 20 shots and 30 per turn can be very telling across the course of a game), or it can give your heavy weapon teams Tank Hunter or Monster Hunter or maybe even remove cover saves. The horror I have felt as a Colonel ordered the Tempestus Scions aiming at my Grey Hunters to ‘Fire on My Target!’ stays with me now – no cover saves against an AP3 volley? Yuck.

“The only downside to an all-infantry army is that it takes a certain mentality to pull it off,” Simon adds. “I think most hobbyists like to imagine their individual models all have the potential to be heroes, but when you are sending in waves of Guardsmen with the understanding that they are going to die painfully, heroism goes out of the window. If it helps, the background is full of characters with the attitude it takes to get the job done under those situations. Colonel Schaeffer never hesitated to send men to their deaths, however meaningless they appeared, and Colonel Chenkov of Valhalla forged his career on the ‘drown ’em in bodies’ doctrine.”

With the release of the new Citadel tools, designed specifically for use on Citadel miniatures, there’s never been a better time to go back to basics. Adam speaks to the designers of the new tools about the importance of cleaning up your models.

Tom Hibberd is the designer of the new Citadel tools, and has spent the last few months working with hobby guru Dave Andrews to create the a tool set designed specifically for Citadel miniatures.

Something any veteran of the Games Workshop hobby will attest to is the importance of preparing your models properly before you start assembling them. “Thoroughly cleaning up your Citadel miniatures is how you get the best final results,” says Dave Andrews. “There’s nothing more frustrating than rushing to get a plastic component off of its frame, and damaging it through carelessness. Similarly, if you’ve ever discovered a mould line part way through painting a miniature, you’ll know how annoying that is too.”

“The first thing you need to do is cut all of the components you need away from the frame,” says Tom Hibberd. “To cut the pieces away, position your Fine Detail Cutters alongside the piece you want to remove, with the flat side facing the component. With the new Citadel Fine Detail Cutters you can get really close to your component. Once you’re in position, squeeze the cutters firmly together.”

“A good piece of advice is to clip smaller components such as aerials or spears out first,” Dave adds. “These are always the most fragile parts. To get them off without snapping them, clip at the smallest gate (the piece of plastic connecting the part to the sprue) first, as the larger gate will support the part better.”

“Once you’ve clipped the parts away, you can start cleaning them up properly. The first thing you need to do is remove any tufts left over from cutting the parts from their frame,” says Tom. “The Citadel Hobby knife is the tool for the job – the blades supplied with it are wickedly sharp, so it’s a simple matter of carefully slicing this carefully away, without gouging into the model. Do this by placing the component on your cutting mat and, holding the piece firmly, slice with the knife away from your body and fingers, downwards into the mat.”

“After you have cut away the tufts, you’re going to need to clean up any mould lines on the model. These are caused in the manufacturing process, so they’re perfectly normal. They’re also really easy to get rid of,” Tom says. “The Mouldline Remover is designed to scrape away these unsightly ridges on your model. To do this, place the Mouldline Remover on the component and scrape the straight edge along it. You should notice the mouldline shaving off easily. The advantage to using a Mouldline Remover is that it has none of the associated safety risks of using a knife, and it’s also less likely to shave off details such as rivets by mistake.”

Next, with your components removed and mouldlines cleaned away, it’s often worth cleaning up any unsightly marks left from where you have removed the tufts. “Use your Citadel File Set to buff these away,” says Tom. “Within the File Set there are two different grades of file. The one with the gold-tipped handle is for removing heavier detritus and is usually the file you use first. Use it by placing it against the abrasion and rubbing gently back and forth in a polishing motion. While doing this, you’ll generate a little dust. Rub this away frequently with your thumb or give it a good blow so you can see exactly what you’re doing. After you’ve smoothed it off, use the file with the brown tip to buff it to perfect smoothness.”

“Drilling the barrels out is a really good way of completing the look of your models. Larger guns, such as bolters and Ork shootas, really benefit from this. To do it, you first need to make a guide hole to ensure that your drill hole is straight. Using a drawing pin, press into the centre of the gun barrel. This stops your drill bit from slipping around as you are getting started. If you don’t do it, you can find yourself ruining the gun barrel entirely.

“The Citadel Drill is essentially a pin-vice drill, and you operate it by holding it firmly against the component you are drilling and rotating the barrel clockwise. You don’t need to push hard to drill plastic or Citadel Finecast – the cutting lip is more than sharp enough to bite into these materials and you should find it sinking into the material in no time.” AT

CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY

“The new Citadel Fine Detail Cutters have been designed so that you can cut closer to the components and get a cleaner finish than ever before,” says Tom. “If you look closely you’ll see the jaws overlap slightly, which means they will actually shear in the same way as scissors. A new set of Fine Detail Cutters will feel quite stiff. After a bit of use, they’ll loosen up nicely to provide a smooth shearing motion.”

One beneficial side-effect of this design is that you don’t need to put as much pressure into each snip, so you’re not likely to send a component pinging off across the room.

INTELLIGENT DESIGN

The genius of the Mouldline Remover is that it is very safe to use, and yet doesn’t sacrifice any efficiency. It’s hard to overstate how handy that is in a world where just the act of carrying a knife in public can land you in hot water.

“There are no cutting edges or blades with the Mouldline Remover, too, so you don’t have to worry about cutting yourself,” says Tom. “Similarly, there is a dramatically reduced risk of blade chatter on your components, which is ideal for keeping your miniature in tiptop condition. It is also far less likely to chop off detail or create gouges than a knife.”

Correct Extension

Moulded onto the side of the Citadel Knife are clear directions as to how far your blade should be extended. When the blade is in the correct position you will hear and feel a little ‘click’ which helps you know it is locked into place. Follow these to help prevent injuries.

1 - This is the blade locked symbol. Push the lever to this symbol to keep the blade locked safely away. Always reset the blade to this setting when it is not in use.

2 - This is the cutting symbol. Only ever cut with the knife if the blade is locked into this setting. Always check it is firmly in place by rubbing the lever with your thumb before putting any pressure on the blade.

3 - This is the blade removal setting. Only extend the scalpel blade this far if you intend to remove it from the knife.

UNDER 18?

The Citadel Knife is not for sale to anyone under the age of 18. If that’s you, don’t panic. You can still get excellent results without using a knife to remove the plastic tufts. Place your Fine Detail Cutters as close to the component as possible when you remove it from the frame, and then use the gold-tipped file to rub down any tuft left over straight away.

Though this method takes a few moments longer, the results are just as good, and with a lot less risk of either hurting yourself or accidentally chopping bits off your model.

BLADES AT DAWN

The new Citadel Knife has learned the lessons of several generations of hobby knives to become the best tool for the job Games Workshop have ever released. It comes equipped with five superb quality scalpel blades, which is sharp enough to slice through small pieces of plastic and Citadel Finecast with ease.

Not only is the blade concealed within the handle when not in use (which is a useful safety consideration), the square design means that it won’t roll about wen you set it down on your workstation and the blades are easily replaced (should you run out) at any arts and crafts shop.

CITADEL KNIFE: ALL CHANGE

Whenever you are using a Citadel Knife, it is important that you keep the blade sharp and in good condition. If you let it get blunt, you risk it slipping as you make cuts, and that’s risky. Instead, if your blade gets old and notched you need to replace it. That’s fairly simple to do, but you must do it safely or you risk cutting yourself. Remember: the blade in a Citadel Knife is very sharp, even when old and notched. You must be responsible with it, especially when you are removing it for disposal.

First, get the tools you need ready. You should use a pair of pliers to remove the blade without risking your fingers. Next, extend the blade out to its maximum, so you can see all of it. Keep hold of the handle with one hand, with your thumb on the button, and then, holding your pliers in the other hand, grip the scalpel blade with the pliers. Keeping firm hold of the knife, lever the blade upwards slightly (not hard, you don’t want to snap it) and then pull it away from the knife. As you do this, you’ll notice the scalpel blade comes away. Once you’ve removed it, dispose of it responsibly – do not leave it lying around dangerously.

Paint Splatter provides handy tips and stage-by-stage painting guides. This week, we look at using Texture Paints to get quick and effective results when basing your collection.

Citadel Texture Paints are designed to give striking results on the bases of your Citadel miniatures, with a minimum of fuss and bother. To apply them either use an old paint brush, or the new spatula in the Citadel Sculpting Tool set. The spatula is especially good – it’s a little flexible, has a small enough tip to get into small areas, and can be wiped clean.

To use it, scoop some Texture Paint out of the pot (1), and then spread it evenly around the base (2). It’s a bit like icing a cake. Finally, use the spatula to ‘pucker’ the Texture Paint a little, so that it isn’t too smooth (3).

GRASS TUFTS

The Citadel range includes a number of ways to add extra detail to your bases. Applying Middenland Tufts or Mordheim Turf to your bases is really easy, and makes them look much better.

To apply these tufts to your models only requires two stages. First, place a dab of PVA Glue on the spot where you want them to sit on the base. Secondly, press the tuft down firmly onto the glue and hold it for about twenty seconds. Once it is fixed in place, put the model aside to dry for a few hours.

You only require one or two tufts per base to get a really great effect.

Join us for a round-up of the week as we share comment, opinion and trivia on the all latest releases, plus other fun tidbits that have cropped up in the White Dwarf bunker. This week we look at Hunter Orcs, the fighting forces of the Imperium and Administratum paperwork.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE ADEPTUS ADMINISTRATUM

The Imperium is a colossal, galaxy-spanning empire of unimaginable complexity and grandeur. Behind the scenes, the Adeptus Administratum fight to keep the paperwork in order and ensure everything runs smoothly.

Sadly this rarely, if ever, happens and it is a miracle that anything ever gets done. When an adept runs out of ink for his cyberquill he needs to fill in a form to get more, though without ink that makes the process very difficult and he could be waiting months, if not years, for a refill. Inboxes overflow, often stretching into kilometre-long trails of paper that would make even a work-shy office temp feel productive. A cartographer could spend his life creating a planetary map, little knowing the world was sentenced to Exterminatus over 1,000 years previously. Worlds have been known to renounce their fealty to the Imperium with the news of their treachery may be lost in paperwork for hundred of years before someone notices. By the time action is taken the world may already have been re-conquered, which has resulted in several friendly fire incidents over the millennia. And don’t ask about the Administratum filing system, because even the curators have no idea how it works.

FIRSTBORN OR FIRST TO DIE?

Dan: Having read Adam’s Hammer of the Emperor article, I wanted to chip in with my thoughts. My Vostroyan army consists mainly of Infantry Platoons, all heavily upgraded with wargear. Every tank has sponsons and every Command Squad is tooled up. My Commander even has a power fist (not that he lives long enough to use it). My friend Luke ‘the Captain’ Mannering is the total opposite. His Commander has a laspistol, his tanks just have turrets and hull guns and his squads have a flamer if they’re lucky, leaving him with points to spend on more units. He wins far more games than I do. Is quantity superior to quality, I wonder?

ADEPTUS IMPERIALIS

THE FIGHTING FORCES OF THE IMPERIUM

While the Adeptus Astartes, Astra MIlitarum and Adepta Sororitas are the main fighting forces of the Imperium, there are many others.

The Adeptus Arbites are the law enforcers of the Imperium. Combining the role of judge, jury and executioner, they ensure the civilian population obey the law at all times. They are often deployed alongside other Imperial forces in the defence of their home planets.

The fighting forces of the Adeptus Mechanicus are known as Skitarii. These formidable techno-soldiers are barbaric in the extreme, many of them augmented beyond recognition to fulfil their battlefield role. They can often be found marching alongside Titan Legions and Imperial forces.

The Imperial Navy consists of thousands of starships, and transports many Imperial armies to their battle zones. They also provide aerial support for Imperial forces such as Thunderbolt Fighters and Marauder Bombers.

STORM OF VENGEANCE

New this month from Eutechnyx is the Storm of Vengeance lane strategy game for PC, iPad, iPhone and Android. Adam was first to get his sticky mitts on it…

Adam: Storm of Vengeance combines the famous story of the Ork invasion of Piscina V with a tense lane strategy game. You win by defending attack lanes with your warriors (you can be Dark Angels or Orks) and destroying enemy bases. The further into the game you get, the more weapons and wargear you unlock. Within minutes of being handed the tablet, I was immersed in trying to wrap my head around calling in reinforcements and mastering the strategies the game offers. It’s available on a most platforms, and even supports cross-platform multi-player. Bring it on!

LIFT THOSE KNEES UP!

When Dan, Gareth and Cat fought their battles in Middle-earth, one member of Thorin’s Company got a lot of exercise.

“Many of the Dwarves have special abilities,” says Dan, “but they need to be close to another model to make them work. Bombur the Dwarf can raise the spirits of a friendly model by moving into base contact with them, restoring a point of Will on a 4+. At first he spoke words of encouragement to Gandalf the Grey, but then ran to help Radagast the Brown after a particularly magic-heavy turn. Then Oin the Dwarf started using his Will to prognosticate, so the chunky Dwarf staggered off to help him. Then he ran to Balin the Dwarf, who was using his Will to try and steal priority. Bombur the Dwarf was totally worn out by the end of the game.”

Notes from the worlds of Warhammer. This week: tools of the 41st Millennium.

SERVO-ARMS

The Servo-arm is the ubiquitous lifter tool used by Enginseers and Techmarines. While primarily designed for holding heavy objects, it’s also pretty handy at crushing limbs, windpipes and any other body parts that can fit between its jaws.

MAGNA-GRAPPLE

Normally mounted on aircraft, the magna-grapple is used for moving heavy metal objects such as equipment crates and vehicles. The Blood Angels have taken this one step further and equipped their Dreadnoughts with them, enabling them to magnetically lasso armoured targets from a distance.

NARTHECIUM

This surgical tool is used by Apothecaries to tend to their wounded Battle Brothers. Unlike most first aid kits, which include plasters and a sling, the Narthecium has a chainblade and a drill, both essential for cracking open a Space Marine’s armour. It’s fortunate that Apothecaries are highly skilled at battlefield surgery, for a Narthecium in anyone else’s hands would almost certainly result in injury to both the operator and the patient/victim.

MEK’S TOOLZ

Whether it be a hammer or an advanced piece of techno-gadgetry, an Ork Mek takes great pride in his toolz. While they can be used for fixin’ stuff, a Mek generally uses them for hitting things.

THE BLADES OF REASON

These are very specialised tools designed to inflict as much pain and suffering on an individual as possible to make them repent. It takes the form of a barbaric-looking multi-tool, except that all the functions have been replaced with blades. Lots of blades.

Gareth Etherington’s three must-have paints are the ones he used for the skin on his Goblins. Working over a Skull White undercoat, he washes the whole model with Carroburg Crimson. Once dry, he drybrushes the whole model with Eldar Flesh followed by a second drybrush of Pallid Wych Flesh. His tip is to make sure you get most of the paint off the brush when drybrushing, or the Goblins will end up looking streaky.

HEAVY BURST CANNON

“It’s a massive six-barrelled rotary cannon,” exclaims Dan. “What’s not to like about it? Like many Tau inventions, the Earth caste created a beautifully destructive weapon, fitted it to a massive battlesuit and almost immediately thought ‘I wonder how we could get more bullets out of this?’ I love the idea that nova-charging the heavy burst cannon increases its fire rate to a virtually uncountable number of rounds a minute. It may irradiate the pilot, but it’s all for the Greater Good, right?”

Inspired by the Dwarf release earlier in the year, Michiel Coppens painted this Dwarf Dragon Slayer, available from Forge World. The Slayer’s skin was painted with a basecoat of Cadian Fleshtone, which was shaded with Bugman’s Glow and Rhinox Hide. Michiel then highlighted it through Screaming Skull up to Ceramite White before mixing reds and purples around the Slayer’s nose. The iconic orange crest was basecoated with Doombull Brown, shaded with Agrax Earthshade and highlighted with Troll Slayer Orange. According to Michiel, the scenic base was “made from tree bark and things I found in the forest.”

If you’ve painted a miniature you think is worthy of a place in White Dwarf then why not send a picture to:

team@whitedwarf.co.uk

If it’s something we can use, we’ll be sure to get in touch.

The White Dwarf team is a font of hobby knowledge, a metaphorical repository of useful facts. If you have a question about Warhammer 40,000 or Warhammer, need a bit of painting advice or you’re after a few tactical tips, drop us a line: team@whitedwarf.co.uk

QUESTION

I’ve been having a debate with my friend about whether Space Marines are immortal. Can you settle this for us?
- Craig ‘getting on a bit’ Carleton

GROMBRINDAL SAYS

Ah, to be immortal. Think of all things you could get done! You could wipe the greenskins off the face of the earth, burn the Skaven from their tunnels, give the Elves a spanking and show humans how to build things properly. But I digress. Here’s Phil Kelly to tell you more about Space Marines:

Phil: We’ll probably never know if Space Marines are immortal as they tend to die in battle. Commander Dante of the Blood Angels is over a thousand years old and still going strong, so there’s evidence that they can live a very long time. Remember though, even when a Space Marine dies his progenoid gland is given to another Space Marine, so in a sense he never truly dies. It’s all quite poetic.
- Grombrindal (and Phil)

GIANT VICTIM

This poor unfortunate is from the Warhammer Stonehorn kit. He’s the perfect captive for any number of dioramas. “If one of your opponents collects Empire,” says Kris Shield, “you owe it to yourself to paint this guy in the colours of their army.”

Having accepted Gareth’s hobby challenge to paint some new miniatures for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Dan has spent the last few weeks painting a warband of Hunter Orcs led by Narzug. He chose three main skin colours for them – green, beige and grey – but used the same highlight colour, Karak Stone, on all of them to tie them together. Narzug is unique among the unit, his skin a ruddy brown to make him stand out from the crowd. Gareth, meanwhile, set about painting Fimbul the Hunter and a unit of Hunter Orcs on Fell Wargs. As Azog’s chief lieutenant, Gareth wanted to make Fimbul the Hunter stand out, so he painted his Warg black in contrast to Azog’s White Warg, and his armour a bright, gory red. Gareth also converted a banner for his warband using a length of brass rod and Green Stuff.

Above: Dan’s Orcs have tribal tattoos on their faces, which Dan painted on with Administratum Grey.

Above: Gareth painted the Fell Wargs before the riders, completing the messy process of drybrushing their fur before moving on to the neater task of painting the Hunter Orcs.

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