ISSUE 36

4th October 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

Even the most sadistic race in the galaxy needs a leader with a good battle-plan – and who better than the glorious new Succubus or Archon to lead your Dark Eldar’s realspace raids? These new single-frame plastic miniatures are overflowing with devious character, and Adam talks to Jes Goodwin about them later in the issue.

Dan, meanwhile, puts himself into the spikey boots of an Archon and gives us his thoughts on how to play your games of Warhammer 40,000 with the disturbing mindset of a near-immortal sadist who survives on the suffering of others. (We’re hoping he can shake off the role by the time the next tea break rolls around – it’s his turn.)

All of which leaves me to say I hope you enjoy the issue. And as for next week... well, there are portents everywhere. A sickly moon waxes in the night sky, the vile buzzing of flies fills our ears and we all feel a bit ill. What can it all mean?

Jes Bickham - White Dwarf Editor

The Archons are the rulers of the Dark Eldar Kabals, vicious and cunning souls who have risen through the scheming and machinations of Commorragh. When a Kabal goes to war, it is the Archons who lead it, using guile to ensure the raid is successful.

In Dark Eldar culture nothing is given, and this is especially true of the status and power of the Archons. These are the masters of the Kabals who have risen to their elevated standing by walking a path of murder and deceit. The reward for their scheming and treachery is a position at the pinnacle of Commorrite society – for as long as they can maintain it, at least.

The new Archon model is a plastic Citadel miniature that evokes the hauteur and arrogance of the Dark Eldar perfectly. One of the principle roles of the Archons is to command the Kabals’ forces in battle, coordinating realspace raids and leading by example where the fighting is thickest. They will usually fight shoulder to shoulder with their fellow Kabalites or sometimes under the protection of a retinue of Incubi. An Archon’s status affords him the finest wargear available. His armour is fashioned in the same way as other Kabalite Warriors, but with an ornate flair visible in the etched detail on each armour panel.

He stands in a statuesque pose upon an outcrop of rocks, a scenic basing element that also has a grisly skeletal carcass beside it. The Archon’s arms and head are also completely compatible with those on the Dark Eldar Kabalite Warriors and Wyches. This means you can mix and match wargear if you want to – something modellers and converters will no doubt be keen to explore.

Above, left - The Archon’s armour is decorated with inscribed whorls, the extra embellishment making a statement about the Archon’s status as a lord of Commorragh. A pair of gilded meat hooks also hang from stolen spirit stones at his waist.

Above, right - The Archon’s scarred face, visible between his crossed huskblade and splinter pistol, tells of a lifetime of bloodshed and cruelty.

Above - Draped over the Archon’s shoulders is a tattered cloak of flayed skin that has been crudely stitched together. Each panel on the cloak represents a prized kill in battle. Judging by the colours on display, this Archon has been warring against the Tau and Humans recently. If you have a regular opponent you’ll probably want to find out his preferred painting scheme for skin for your own cloak…

The Wyches are the greatest fighters in the Dark City, bloodthirsty gladiators whose lavish displays of violence sate the soul-hunger of the masses. Succubi are the pinnacle of this warrior sisterhood, sublime killers who have perfected the art of close combat.

The Wyches live for the exhilaration of slaughtering their foes in bloody melee. Whether in the arenas of Commorragh, where their murderous displays succour the frenzied masses, or battlefields across the galaxy, where they can test their bloody skills against the greatest warriors in the galaxy, the Wyches yearn for the next challenge.

The Succubi are the ruling elite of the Wych Cults, a rank taken only by ritual combat against the previous incumbent. This means that Wyches are led by their finest fighters, bloody-handed maidens whose beauty is eclipsed only by their skill at arms. Every Wych in a Cult looks up to the Succubi with a mixture of envy and awe, eager to learn from them and share in their glory, but also longing for the day when they can challenge for their title.

Every Succubus is a master of melee fighting, favouring weapons that allow them to demonstrate their grace and skill with every kill. The new plastic Succubus model is armed with both an agoniser and an archite glaive – the former being a toxin-soaked whip that causes nerve-endings to burn out with pain and the latter a polearm with a powered blade. Like all Wyches, the Succubus is clad in a form-fitting wychsuit, but hers boasts further embellishment, with a trophy rack. She also wears a short fur-draped cloak that looks suspiciously like it has been taken from a Clawed Fiend.

Above, left -The Succubus’s hair flows out behind her, lending her a stunning sense of motion as she sprints into battle.

Above, right - A trophy rack, complete with an impaled skull, juts from the Succubus’s back, along with a flesh hook that trails along mirroring the momentum of her hair.

Above, left -Wyches wear minimal armour so as not to impede their movement. Even so, the few plates of armour on the wychsuit have gilt details, reflecting the Succubus’s enhanced status.

Above, right - Archite glaives are favoured by the Wyches in the gladiatorial arenas of Commorragh, where they can be wielded with sweeping flourishes. A single sweep of the powered blade is enough to neatly bisect a foe, even one wearing power armour.

Crafters of flesh and creatures of nightmare, the Haemonculus Covens of Commorragh are among the greatest horrors of the galaxy.

The Haemonculus Covens are involved at every level of Dark Eldar society. They are the masters of flesh-craft and lords of regeneration, and through their efforts the Dark Eldar stave off death and avoid damnation. They are also depraved killers, determined to unleash their creations upon the galaxy.

Haemonculus Covens is a supplement for Codex: Dark Eldar that delves into the history and identity of the mysterious Covenites. From the Nemesines who obsessively seek out the perfect ways to kill all living creatures to the Black Cornucopians whose sense of entitlement leads them to collect specimens from around the galaxy, each Coven is a sinister and cruel organisation with motivations of its own. This background serves as a fascinating primer for those who want to collect a Haemonculus Coven army, which is what the latter portion of the book enables. There you find rules for a Covenite force, along with Warlord Traits, some unusual wargear, a Covenite Detachment and plenty of formation datasheets and scenarios for you to enjoy.

Haemonculus Covens is also available for your preferred digital device in both eBook and enhanced iPad formats. For more information on these check them out at: www.blacklibrary.com/games-workshop-digital-editions

When the Serrated Suns Chapter of the Word Bearers Legion journeyed into the Eye of Terror, they were changed forever. They became the first offerings in the great pact with Chaos, the Gal Vorbak, and on the soil of Isstvan V they sealed their bargain with blood.

The Gal Vorbak are towering monsters of warp-strengthened flesh fused with power armour. Once Adeptus Astartes of the Word Bearers Legion, an ill-fated journey into the Eye of Terror from Cadia left them changed. They were the first Space Marines to be gifted with possession by the Daemons of the Warp, a great prize bestowed upon them by the Dark Gods in a demonstration of their true power. In the aftermath of this great change, these once-Space Marines changed their name. No longer the Serrated Suns, they became the ‘Blessed Sons’ or Gal Vorbak. They were now the ultimate shock troops in the armies of the Word Bearers Legion. Able to tear ordinary Space Marines limb from limb and shrug off shots that would kill their brothers twice over, they would remain a curse upon the galaxy ever after.

Forge World have recently finished work on these new Gal Vorbak miniatures. The set includes five different models, including a Dark Martyr as their champion, and they are available to order now.

Forge World produce highly detailed resin models from the worlds of Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000. Visit www.forgeworld.co.uk to learn more.

Louen Leoncoeur has long ruled Bretonnia, a prince born and a king destined but never once a man to have taken his birthright for granted. Read on and ye shall see…

Phil is one of the Design Studio’s background writers and has worked on Codexes and army books from Warhammer Armies: Vampire Counts to Codex: Eldar.

Louen de Couronne was marked for greatness from birth. The firstborn son of King Louis IV, he had a gleam in his ice-blue eyes that a lifetime of battle has still not dulled. As a child he won the hearts of the Royal Couronne court with his playful and charismatic nature, though his place has always been in the field rather than upon the throne.

Before Louen had seen his sixteenth winter, his father King Louis IV had declared a full-scale Errantry War into the distant southern states of Araby. Against the wishes of his mother and the noblewomen of the court, the fiery young prince insisted he would not sit idly by. He took up a plain but well-made sword and a stout metal shield, he swore the Knight’s Vow and rode out upon the midnight-black warhorse Equille.

“It is my sacred oath to ride on the holy crusades of Bretonnia.

When the clarion call is sounded, I will ride out…”

- The Knight’s Vow

Louen’s insistence that his fellow Knights Errant should treat him the same as any other comrade was quickly undermined by his obvious prowess. The prince was tireless in battle, a passionate and indomitable fighter who cut down the sorcerous warriors of Araby day after day, pausing only at dawn and dusk to pray for the Lady’s favour. Louen’s fellow knights could not help but look to him as a leader. Reluctantly at first, but with galvanising effect, the young prince led Couronne’s knights to victory upon victory.

Louen’s father was justly proud of his son, but feared that pride may take him before he found true wisdom. Louis granted Louen the degenerate kingdom of Richelie, on the outskirts of Bretonnia, as reward for his efforts. Taking the vow of the Knight of the Realm, Louen took his duties to the blasted heaths of Richelie extremely seriously. He drove off incursions of Beastmen, greenskins, Skaven and worse at the head of a ramshackle army held together by nothing more than sheer force of will.

His sorest test as a Knight of the Realm came one cold and misty Geheimnisnacht, when Louen dreamed that the Lady bade him take up his sword in defence of the land. Upon climbing to his keep’s highest tower, he saw a shifting, moaning tide of the dead approaching his fiefdom. Knowing that even the bravest peasant would quail at such witchcraft, Louen rode out alone. At the head of the Undead horde rode a grim figure armoured in ornate crimson plate mail, flanked by skeletal knights.

Louen did not hesitate, lowering his lance and smashing through the ranks of the Undead chevaliers before wheeling to engage the dark lord in single combat. The two duelled until the sky became pale, and Louen dealt the deathblow just as the sun crested the horizon. The army of the dead collapsed into the marshes, averting what would have been a major invasion.

After that night Louen’s dreams began to lapse into a pattern. A beautiful, pale maiden drifted through his consciousness, beckoning him night after night. He told his father of the dreams, and King Louis solemnly bade his son search for the Lady’s blessing.

“…I shall ask for nothing in return.

Inside I must die so that I may grow anew…”

- The Questing Vow

The prince left the dukedom once more, travelling the length and breadth of the Old World. His quest lasted many years, and his glorious deeds are recounted by bards across the land to this day. Yet it was his darkest hour that was to seal his fate as chosen son of Bretonnia.

Louen uncovered the treachery of the magister Myldeon, orchestrator of the Undead invasion that had haunted Richelie. Whilst hunting the Necromancer at the fringes of an ancient lake, a bearded and bloodied Prince Louen was overcome by an army of the dead. Thirsty and exhausted, he was driven into the lake’s ice-cold waters by a press of corpseflesh. He stumbled and went under the water, though as he was pulled down by his armour he found himself in a strange spirit world beneath. Set upon by the lake’s monstrous guardian, he slew the beast, only to then give in to his own exhaustion.

Louen opened his eyes to find himself in a strange mirror-court beneath the lake, domain of the Lady herself. Impressed by the prince’s deeds in defence of the land, the Lady gave him her favour, gently planting a feather-light kiss upon his lips. From that day forth, Louen has been the most blessed of all the Lady’s champions, the liquid light of her favour running in his veins like amber blood.

Upon reaching the lake’s surface once more, Louen Leoncoeur attacked, riding at the head of an army of the mirror-lake’s own spirit-knights, those stolen sons of Bretonnia who had been taken by the Lady in their youth. Louen hunted Myldeon with renewed vigour, smashing his way through the Undead throng to smite the Necromancer.

When Louen eventually returned to Couronne, he was a man transformed. None recognised the bearded, silver-haired man that strode into the court, though birds and animals flocked to him. After the citizens recognised him as the young prince, jubilation filled the streets, for during the long years of his quest his father had sickened and wasted away. Reunited with the trappings of royalty he had forsaken as a Questing Knight, Louen took the post of Duke of Couronne until his father finally succumbed to old age. In the year IC 2500, he was crowned Louen Leoncoeur, King of Bretonnia.

Louen Leoncoeur still rules justly and well, though by the span of mortal life he should have died decades ago. When news of the coming of Archaon came from Karl Franz’s Empire, Louen was quick to act, declaring an Errantry War and mustering his armies. For the first time in centuries, the flower of Bretonnian chivalry rides uncontested through Axe Bite Pass, led to war once more by their idol and their king. But omens gather and already the land itself seems to whisper “It will not be enough…”

“While I yet draw breath, the lands bequeathed unto me

Shall remain untainted by evil.

Be they foul orcs, giants or mountain drakes

My foes shall fear my armies and my blade alike.

It is my sacred oath to lead wars of errantry and crusade

And to honour the duties of the King.

My love of the Lady shall be as a beacon, inspiring and bright

Even when darkness spreads its wings o’er the land.

All this I shall uphold as I become one with Bretonnia

Lest I join with her in death alone.”

- The King’s Vow

To lead a Dark Eldar raiding force is to command one of the most deadly armies in the galaxy. Superlative warriors all, the Dark Eldar are nevertheless fragile if used unwisely. To lead them you must think like an Archon, or risk being replaced by someone who can…

When they’re not politicking, assassinating or otherwise debauching themselves in the depths of Commorragh, the Dark Eldar can be found conducting lightning-fast raids into realspace. These raids are conducted for myriad reasons, ranging from the acquisition of material resources and slaves to more unusual, esoteric goals.

Like their Craftworld cousins, the Dark Eldar are few in number compared to the races that now dominate the galaxy. As a result, an experienced Archon will conduct his raid swiftly and violently, completing his nefarious mission and disappearing into the Webway before the enemy can get to grips with his precious Kabal. Not for them the uncoordinated brutality of the Orks or the honourable long-range combat of the Tau. This doesn’t mean Archons are cowards – far from it, they relish the taste of battle and the exquisite joy of inflicting pain as much as the next Dark Eldar – they just prefer to engage a foe they know they will defeat, not one they hope to.

Where the commanders of other races rely on big guns, tanks and overwhelming firepower to see the day, a Dark Eldar Archon conducts his war with speed and deviousness, making use of fast-moving craft such as Raiders and Venoms to outfox the enemy with high-speed manoeuvres, leaving them easy prey for the Warriors, Wyches and Wracks mounted on the balustrades. Should the Archon’s raid go entirely to plan, then not a single Dark Eldar need touch the ground, their feet unsullied by alien soil. This may seem like the Archon is being overly compassionate about his subjects’ wellbeing. He’s not. An Archon cares little about his warriors, but their deaths diminish his power, so it pays to be frugal with their lives.

Creating a fast-moving, pain-inflicting, torment-maximising Dark Eldar army is both incredibly easy and very characterful. Every Dark Eldar foot unit save the Mandrakes (who are already skulking somewhere on the battlefield) can take a Raider or Venom, enabling them to get into, or out of, the action quickly. Granted, Dark Eldar vehicles are notoriously fragile, but with the addition of night shields they become virtually impossible to target, their pilots jinking across the battlefield shrouded by flickering force fields and blankets of darkness, their craft shifting nauseatingly through the sights of the enemy’s guns. An arsenal of lascannons is all well and good, but they’re only useful if they can actually see their target to hit it.

This unparalleled level of deviousness enables you, the budding Archon, to advance your Dark Eldar Kabal virtually unmolested, keeping your fragile vehicles and their cargo safe from incoming fire. With careful manoeuvring, you should be able to pick and choose your fights, zooming casually away from dangerous units and engaging those more palatable. If you coordinate your attack well, your Kabalite Warriors need never disembark from their transport, for Raiders and Venoms are open-topped, enabling them to launch fusillades of poisoned crystal darts from the safety of their vehicle. This tactic really comes into its own with Kabalite Trueborn. Armed with tank-busting blasters and riding around in a Venom, they will make a mockery of enemy tanks. It’s a nasty tactic, but just the sort of thing the Dark Eldar would do. After all, they have absolutely no desire to die (She Who Thirsts is ever-vigilant) so they’ll do whatever they can to get their kicks without being killed in return. Honourable? No. Devious? Oh, yes.

Combat-oriented units such as Wyches, Wracks and Grotesques are a different matter entirely. Wracks get their kicks up close and personal and Grotesques are virtually insensible to pain, so getting them into combat is never a bad thing. Consider them expendable weirdos. After all, there’s plenty more in the Haemonculus laboratories, so expending their life energy is no big loss for most Archons (or even most Haemonculi, come to think of it). Wyches, on the other hand, are a little more fragile and should be treated with respect lest they chuck you in the arena for trying to get them killed unnecessarily. You can rely on the Wyches’ natural agility to keep them alive in combat, but sadly they’re not quite fast enough to dodge bullets, so keeping them in a Raider or Venom until the last moment is paramount. A devious Archon will have his pilots lead the enemy on a merry dance for a few turns until the battle is raging and the pain flowing freely before unleashing his Wyches to inflict death by a thousand well-placed cuts. Pulling off a ploy like this is a sensation to be savoured almost as much as inflicting pain. Almost…

You don’t have to be so considerate with all your warriors, though. Some, like Reavers and Hellions, are so obsessed with speed and violence that even the most ruthless Archon would be hard-pressed to keep these daredevils and show-offs in line. So don’t bother, let them run amok. While the core of your army plays out a carefully-orchestrated symphony of pain and destruction, your Hellions and Reavers can use their speed to harry the flanks of the enemy army. Reavers can use heat lances and blasters to take out light vehicles before pouncing on isolated foes – artillery and support units are especially tasty treats. Hellions, meanwhile, are great at dissecting infantry units piece by gory piece. By diving in and out of combat each turn they can maximise the carnage they cause while minimising the pain they receive in return. They’re not especially tough, but they’re a wonderful distraction from more valuable warriors.

So you’ve got your warriors in order, but what about your big guns? An Archon can’t command respect without guns to back up his actions, especially if a raid goes awry. Where other races rely on main-line battle tanks to punish the enemy from afar, a Dark Eldar Archon will employ aircraft, Scourges and Ravagers to do the same job. The Ravager has a reputation as a fearsome tank hunter, especially when equipped with dark lances, weapons that will make any tank commander quiver in his turret ring. Like all Dark Eldar vehicles it’s fragile and will likely come out worse in a prolonged shoot-out, so keep it moving and don’t let the enemy engage it. It’s too valuable an asset to lose. Scourges, meanwhile, are deliciously nasty. Perched high on a building, they can rain down fire (anti-tank or anti-infantry – your choice) upon their foes. They’re dependable warriors with a survival instinct so they should be able to look after themselves when the going gets tough.

Razorwing Jetfighters and Voidraven Bombers are where an Archon’s influence really becomes evident. They are the ultimate show of power and should be used as such. Immune to violent explosions, daring uppercuts and most gunfire, they can terrorise the battlefield with disintegrator cannons, dark lances, void lances and four different kinds of missile, not to mention the horrific void mine. They are the epitome of Dark Eldar warfare, striking fast and hard, disappearing at supersonic speed before the enemy can react. As long as you deal with anti-aircraft fire early, your flyers will dominate the battlefield. What better way to display superiority over lesser races?

So, do you think you’ve got what it takes to be a Dark Eldar Archon? Are your ready to lead your own realspace raid, or are you just a Kabalite minion teetering between addictions? You decide.

WEBWAY ASSAULT

There’s a piece of wargear available to the Dark Eldar that makes their lightning-fast raids even more terrifying: the Webway Portal. Most characters in the Dark Eldar army have access to these nefarious contraptions, which allow the character, the unit they’re with, and their transport vehicle to hide in the Webway, watching realspace through a flimsy veil until they’re ready to strike. By casting the jagged rune crystals into the air, the bearer can open a portal into realspace, arriving precisely where they want to.

The ability to arrive with such pinpoint accuracy is not to be sniffed at, the enemy suddenly surrounded by Dark Eldar units ripping their way into the material realm to strike at isolated units, bolster flagging battle lines, capture tactical objectives and get those sneaky shots on the rear armour of tanks, Dreadnoughts and Imperial Knights. Curse their pointy ears…

’Eavy Metal is our regular feature celebrating beautifully-painted Citadel miniatures. Curated by the members of the renowned ’Eavy Metal team, we feature their models along with those of select guests.

Aidan is a member of the Studio’s army painting team, and admits to having an obsession with using blue paint.

Aidan: It might sound strange, but I love painting blue. In fact, most of the models I paint in my own time are blue in one way or another. When I painted this model, I did so with two motivations in mind: the first was to try and settle on a colour scheme for a new army for myself, and the second was to challenge myself to paint it as neatly and close to perfect as possible.

Of course, it’s not really possible to do a perfect paint job, but I paid special attention to make sure every highlight was crisp and defined, with smooth transitions through colours. I also incorporated different textures on the model – not something that necessarily comes to mind with an austere Space Marine. The armour plates, the armoured flexible ribbing, the scratched silver of the bolt gun and the Space Marine’s face provided plenty of opportunity to experiment.

You might notice he has a gold hand – that came about as I was painting. I started to imagine there might be a story behind it. Maybe he was awarded it for valour or heroism? I’ve started painting a Captain model in the same scheme now, and he has a gold hand too.

Anja might be a mainstay of the elite ’Eavy Metal team, but she still finds a passion for painting in her spare time too.

Anja: When I paint models in my spare time I usually do so with the aim of having them as display pieces. I was taken with the Araloth model the first time I saw it, so it has been sat waiting for me to find the time ever since. I wanted to paint the model with a different palette, with an emphasis on bright colours.

While painting Araloth I kept the composition of the model in mind, I wanted it to be relaxing to look at, which means using colours in a sympathetic way. The trick with this is to choose a limited colour palette, which you can repeat across the model. Here the rich green and yellow are the dominant colours, with yellow on the bird’s feathers and Araloth’s armour plates and jewellery, while the green is on his armour plates, helmet and cloak. These are then lifted with focal points, such as his face (which is framed with the red horns on his helmet) and the silver blade of his spear.

Since this model is for my personal collection, I’ve mounted him on a small display base – I almost always keep my bases simple and unassuming, so the model can speak for itself.

To see more models chosen by the ’Eavy Metal team, be sure to pick up Warhammer: Visions, on sale on the first Saturday of each month.

One battlefield, four fully-painted armies, 13 Super-heavy vehicles and around 20,000 points of models: Dan explains how trash-talking, frantic last-minute painting, tactical bickering and dubious dice rolling led to his most epic Apocalypse game to date.

Dan’s fallen off the painting wagon this week and picked up his dice for an epic game of Warhammer 40,000: Apocalypse.

Regular readers will know that I love playing Apocalypse battles. There’s something inherently glorious about fielding your entire army all in one battle. Pride in painting so many miniatures, perhaps, or the sheer thrill of seeing them laid out before you, guns pointed enthusiastically at the enemy? A bit of both, actually, plus not having to choose who’ll be relegated to the subs bench. Everyone fights in Apocalypse.

Over the last year I’ve been lucky enough to play two Apocalypse games against Damien Pedley, whose impressive Imperial Guard army has been featured in the pages of both White Dwarf and Warhammer: Visions. Our first game was around 4200(ish) points, while our second hit the 5000-point mark, both of us painting new models between engagements. Having won one game apiece, we decided a tie-breaker was required, with two players a side and at least twice as many points on the table. Talk about escalation…

HOUSE TARANIS ON THE WARPATH

Led by the Knight Seneschal Metalus Imperius, House Taranis carved a bloody trail across the ruins of Spyral Prime. Having caused the deaths of numerous Fire Warriors, Battlesuits and even some of Shadowsun’s elite Stealth Suits, they shrugged off several turns of withering fire to engage the Knights of House Terryn in close combat. Caught between the two charging phalanxes, the Riptide Dyan tried to escape, but was pulverised by an appetiser of point-blank battlecannon shots followed by a main course of reaper chainsword. He didn’t stick around for dessert.

When the Knights finally got to grips with each other, the clash between Metalus Imperius and Sir Ranulf the Righteous resulted in the detonation of both war suits, the explosion claiming the lives of yet more innocent bystanders and stripping the paint off the remaining Knights. By the end of the battle, just one Knight out of the seven that started it remained standing.

Damien would be teaming up with the equally-talented painter Tommie Soule and his Space Wolves, while I would be fighting alongside my good friend Dan Hyams and his Dark Angels. As the date of the game drew near, the good-natured trash-talking and late-night painting intensified. Tommie finished a trio of Imperial Knights to join his Space Wolves, while Damien continued the monumental task of painting his newly acquired Reaver Titan. Dan had a Thunderhawk Gunship that he insisted on edge highlighting, while I started painting blue lines on my newly-built Super-heavy Tau tank (see over the page). Regular picture updates and cheekily derisive text messages were sent to spur each other on. The shot of Dan’s living room floor covered in green paint and PVA glue topped the list for funniest picture. The completed Reaver was undoubtedly the scariest.

The final tally of Super-heavies was seven Imperial Knights (four on our side, three on theirs), a Hellhammer, a Shadowsword, a Praetor Assault Launcher, my converted Tau tank, a Thunderhawk Gunship and a Reaver Titan. Our Apocalypse battle was going to be a bloodbath.

As I said earlier, one of the greatest experiences of an Apocalypse battle is putting your whole collection down on the table. Seeing Damien’s Titan looming over the ruined city of Spyral Prime surrounded by an army of baying Space Wolves was a sight to behold. There’s nothing quite like seeing four fully-painted armies arrayed against each other. All the hard work, late night painting sessions and ‘gonna kill ya, you dirty alien scum’ emails were worth it. Tommie and Damien won the roll-off to see who would go first. Team Dan shared a nervous glance.

Something you realise early on in an Apocalypse battle is not to be precious about your models. In the opening salvo, my Imperial Knight, Klorian Saiche, became the unlucky target of an excessive amount of firepower. An Inquisitorial Land Raider, a Leman Russ Tank Squadron and the Shadowsword, Iron Saint, opened fire. Amazingly he survived on a single hull point. Until the Titan, Danol’s Retribution, shot him with its laser blaster. His loss was mourned, but Dan’s Dark Angels suffered much worse, whole squads of Deathwing falling to the Reaver’s guns.

DEATH FROM THE SKIES

The arrival of Dan’s Thunderhawk Gunship, Lion’s Fury, sparked an impromptu round of laughter as we realised the base he’d made for it was too big to fit among the claustrophobic city streets. In the picture to the right, it’s actually perched on a Skyshield Landing pad.

The shooting phase was no laughing matter for Damien, though, when the Thunderhawk’s laser blaster ripped a massive chunk out of the Reaver’s carapace. Its glory was short-lived, however, and it was set upon by a fleet of Vendettas aimed, dart-championship-style, at it by Damien. Unable to shake its more nimble attackers, Lion’s Fury roared past Danol’s Retribution, aimed its laser blaster at the exposed rear armour of the Iron Saint and blew it to smithereens with an impressive coup de grace. Lion’s Fury was lascannoned out of the sky the following turn.

Though our Tactical Objectives included a couple of easy wins and the ludicrously unachievable Secure Objective 3, which sat between the Titan’s legs (it’s marked by the dice in the picture below), Dan and I agreed that killing the Reaver would be much more fun. Dropping from the sky, my Battlesuits commenced their deployment. Normally my units arrive with uncanny accuracy, but this battle saw my scatter dice behave entirely out of character. Fortunately, my Battlesuit Commander and his bodyguard arrived next to Danol’s Retribution and set about melting it with their fusion blasters. Or would have, had I remembered its many void shields. The arrival of the Thunderhawk, Lion’s Fury, saw the balance redressed, while the Tau and Dark Angels punished the Space Wolves with long-range firepower. Kudos goes to the Knights of House Taranis, who walked through an unholy amount of fire as they crossed the city. It’s epic scenes like this that create the greatest anecdotes. Tommie will dine out on this one for months to come.

The constant joking, commiserating and congratulations were a big part of the game for us. Dan’s face when he found out the Thunderhawk couldn’t jink all the lascannons aimed at it was priceless. Damien, meanwhile, lamented the loss of the heavily trash-talked duel between Tank Commander Pious Korren and Longstrike that we’d agreed on before the game. It was called off when a shot from one of the House Taranis Knights went so wide of its mark (another Hammerhead) it hit Longstrike, blowing the front of his tank off. Pious Korren’s honour would have to wait for another day. I, on the other hand, was still staring in confusion at my dice, which insisted on rolling 6s to hit, but 1s to penetrate, with suspicious consistency.

INTRODUCING THE SWORDFISH

I’ve always wanted to create a Tau Super-heavy tank, something akin to the Imperial Guard Shadowsword. Over the last few months I’ve spent hours staring at the half-built chassis, trying to figure out where to put the engines and how to fill the gaps in the bodywork. Ork vehicles are so much easier to convert…

The other problem that came up was naming it. Tau tanks are often given a fishy moniker by the Imperium – Devilfish, Hammerhead, Orca, and so on – and I wanted to continue the theme. While the provisional name of ‘Cuttlefish’ amused me greatly, it didn’t sound heroic enough for a Super-heavy tank. In the end I picked the Swordfish, renowned for their long weapons.

It proved its worth in its first game, too, its guns the final nail in the coffin of Danol’s Retribution of the Legio Invigilata.

As with most Apocalypse battles, the carnage was greatest in the middle turns, when everything was in range to shoot or charge. Rockets, missiles and mortar shells continued to rain down on our lines, Damien and Tommie concentrating their firepower on the Battlesuits leaping about in the middle of the battlefield. Somehow Shadowsun survived and proceeded to bag herself a Knight before the two Knight Houses clashed. The monumentally violent fight led to the deaths of most of them and a chain reaction of explosions that devastated both armies. The climax to the battle, though, was undoubtedly the deaths of the big ’uns. Shot down by an Irritation of Vendettas (that’s the collective noun, by the way), the Thunderhawk crashed into the turret of the Hellhammer and exploded. Minutes later, Danol’s Retribution was once again melta’d by my now badly-wounded commander and finished off by the Swordfish. The resulting explosion was catastrophic and hilarious in equal measure.

The end result of our day of gaming was four entertained, thoroughly worn-out hobbyists, Tommie and Damien winning with 13 victory points to 8. We’d laughed, we’d mock-cried, we’d joked and rolled dice. We’d all lost favourite models and newly-painted ones, while simultaneously writing sagas, battle honours and grudges for the ones that survived. So, what next? An even bigger battle, I guess…

The Citadel Hall of 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, Citadel miniatures designer Mike Fores brings up a very hot topic.

SCULPTED BY SEB PERBET
NOMINATED BY MIKE FORES

As a Citadel miniatures designer himself, the ever-cheery Mike Fores knows great models.

Mike: It is my pleasure to nominate the Ogre Firebelly to the Hall of Fame. It’s a model I have been enamoured with since I first saw it, and the billowing cloud of flame and smoke spewing from the Firebelly’s mouth. That fire is so striking it’s obviously the first thing that your eye is drawn too, and a large part of why I am nominating it. Over the past few years Seb has earned himself a tremendous reputation for creating billowing smoke and gaseous shapes, and with this model he once again created something striking, a graphic rendering of fire and smoke that looks just right.

It’s not enough that the Firebelly is breathing flames, however. There’s a built-in sense of narrative in the model that helps to portray the story behind the Firebelly. From the volcano sculpted onto his gut-plate to the elements of the beetle that hint at the rites a Firebelly must undergo, the model is loaded with cool imagery, an impressive feat for an Ogre who is two-thirds naked!

Left - “The way the Firebelly is breathing flames up into his hands looks amazing,” says Mike. “I love how the flames look as though they are enveloping his fingers.”

Right - “The roiling cloud of smoke is supposed to look like the smoke bursting out of a volcano,” says Seb. “Is it wrong to admit I spent hours studying images of volcanic eruptions? There are some stunning pictures out there.”

Seb Perbet has had his models nominated to the Hall of Fame before, including Deathmaster Snikch and the Skaven Screaming Bell.

Seb: I am honoured Mike chose to nominate the Firebelly. The idea for the miniature came about through conversations with the team writing the Ogre Kingdoms book. We loved the idea of their pilgrimage to the Fire Mouth to beseech its power. The image that came to my mind when we discussed it further was a strong, physical Ogre, his flesh bared to the raging heat of the volcano.

The Ogres who seek the Fire Mouth’s blessing must first catch and kill a massive fire beetle, so I made that a part of the model. The Firebelly wears the beetle’s face hanging from his gut-plate, and a claw from his hammer. Speaking of the hammer, I designed the head of it to look like an igneous rock, something taken from the slopes of the Fire Mouth as a reminder of its power. The cloud of fire is obviously the focal point of the model, and the part I am most proud of. I relish the challenge of sculpting something new and difficult, and this part took me to all manner of pictures of gouting flames and volcanic eruptions for reference. It is intentionally graphic in its representation of fire, capturing a permanent image of something that lasts just a moment.

By combining the new Archon, Succubus and Haemonculus models with spare parts from the Kabalite Warriors, Wyches and Wracks you can unleash a host of fantastic conversions and weapon options. We explore how to go about it here.

In light of the two new plastic characters released this week we were keen to explore their compatibility with the Kabalite Warriors, Wyches and Wracks. The short answer is they work fantastically well together! Each of those kits comes with a multitude of spare parts, from heads and back banners to alternative guns and melee weapons, and many of these parts are compatible with the new characters. Whether you are looking for a particular piece of wargear to help your hero vanquish your foes (blaster pistols are especially good against heavily-armoured foes, for instance) or you just have a favourite piece of wargear you want to use, there are plenty of options available.

The trick with any of the conversions you can see on these pages is to plan ahead before you use any glue and take your time test-fitting the pieces (try fixing them into place with Blu-Tack to get the pose just right). We haven’t used anything more complex than a pair of fine detail cutters, a knife and some Plastic Glue: Thick.

The Archon with the huskblade and blaster pistol is a very simple kit bash indeed (1), only the blaster pistol (from the Kabalite Warriors kit) and the scarred head (from the Wyches boxed set) have been added – no cutting or sculpting was required, the parts just fit into the spaces perfectly.

Our two Succubi were just as straightforward to convert as the Archon. The first one (2) has been built as normal, except with the agoniser left off, and replaced with the blaster pistol that comes in the Wych kit. The second Succubus (3) has had both of her weapons swapped out for a shardnet and impaler, along with her head. You can actually use almost any Dark Eldar head – just test the fit first.

For the Haemonculus (4) we have taken advantage of the many spares in the Wrack kit to give him a liquifier (for dissolving the enemy) and an electrocorrosive whip.

Finally, our second Archon (5) shows how, with a little kitbashing, you can use parts from the new Archon to customise your leader; in this case, into a female Archon. See ‘Cut and Shut’ opposite for more.

HOARDS OF PLASTIC

An age-old maxim among collectors and modellers is ‘never throw anything away’. Now, we’re not advocating keeping a mountain of unused sprues under your bed, but if you have some useful left overs on a plastic frame, clip them off and keep them in a bits box for later. It’s a simple matter of putting them in any old spare box – or arranging them by type in an organiser like a fishing tackle box.

FILLING THINGS IN

Sometimes you’ll notice a join in a kitbash or conversion that isn’t quite seamless. This is easy to fix. Paint a little Liquid Greenstuff into the affected area, and it will create a smooth repair on the gap.

CUT AND SHUT

If you want to use the Archon’s cloak on a different body (such as a female torso as we have here) you’ll need to make a small cut on the inside to remove the lip, as shown here.

This doesn’t ruin the existing Archon model – with a couple of snips to the back of the torso you can make another fantastic model, like a Sybarite or Dracon.

Paint Splatter provides handy tips and stage-by-stage painting guides for the week’s key releases. This week, we show you how to paint a Dark Eldar Archon from the Kabal of the Poisoned Tongue.

The Dark Eldar Archon shown in this guide is part of the Studio army – the Kabal of the Poisoned Tongue. The model’s armour is predominantly black, so a solid undercoat of Chaos Black spray is essential, providing the basecoat for both the Archon’s armour and his undersuit.

As it’s the largest area of the model, the armour was painted first, followed by the cloak of flayed flesh. The cloak was painted with several different skin tones to represent the different races captured, enslaved and peeled by the Archon. If you’re a particularly cruel Archon, you can taunt your regular opponents by painting the patches on your Archon’s cape the same way they paint their warriors’ skin. Green patches for Orks or blue ones for Tau, for example.

To make the huskblade stand out as an unusual and deadly weapon, it was painted a different colour to the rest of the bone on the model. Reikland Fleshshade was applied around the hilt of the blade at the back and the top of the blade at the front, giving it an unnatural, gory sheen. It was then highlighted as normal along the edge to make it look sharp and deadly. The spot colour for the Archon is the red of his topknot, a colour used across the whole army to unify all the models. It also helps draw the eye to the model’s face – the focal point of the model.

ARMED AND DANGEROUS

We wouldn’t normally suggest painting a single miniature in sub-assemblies, but if you’re looking to do a top-notch job on your Dark Eldar Archon it’s worth painting his arms separately to make painting the armour on his chest easier.

The Archons and Succubi are the most powerful military leaders in Commorragh. At their command hundreds of skilled warriors readily take to the battlefield, eager to slay the foe and reap souls. We talk to Dark Eldar expert Jes Goodwin about the new models.

Jes Goodwin is the supreme Archon of the Dark Eldar, the mastermind behind them. Some say he spends the twilight hours ruling Commorragh with an iron fist. (Others, that he’s in the bar.) Wiser heads stick to asking him about the design of the Dark Eldar miniatures range.

“The new plastic Dark Eldar Archon and Succubus are something we’ve wanted to make for a while,” says Jes Goodwin when asked about the new models. Jes is the creative force behind the Dark Eldar and has sculpted many of the models in the range. “They are the translation of the original Citadel Finecast Archon and Succubus released several years ago, but in recreating them in plastic we have been able to re-envision them, and make them even more compatible with the other plastic models in the range, such as the Warriors and Wyches.

“Creating the plastic Succubus gave us the chance for a dynamic new take on the previous model,” Jes explains. “She needed to fit with the rest of the Wyches, who are a very agile bunch, full of energy and action. So the Succubus’s hair flows out behind her and she trails a barbed hook on a fragile chain. Even the tassels on her archite glaive and belt help convey her momentum. We also looked into the narrative of the model; the Succubus wears a pelt on her shoulders intended to be one of the many creatures the Wyches fight in their arenas in Commorragh – I’ve got to imagine that’s no mere lion. A Succubus would only commemorate a kill that sent the crowds wild with adulation; a Clawed Fiend, maybe? In the end, it all depends on how the model is painted, but my hope is people let their imaginations run wild.

“There are also smaller, subtle elements that tell you about the Succubi,” Jes adds. “Combat drug dispensers are aimed right into her bloodstream, where they can unleash the potent cocktail so it gets to work straight away. The left side of her body is more heavily armoured, so that’s what she presents to her foe as she duels, and her boots have razor sharp spurs on them – every part of a Succubus can be a weapon used to maim and kill.

“In contrast to the Succubus, the Archon is very static, as one might expect of a mighty lord surrounded by scores of his Kabalite followers. Across his body and armour are lots of small elements that tell you about his character too,” Jes says. “One of my favourites is that there is a trio of broken spirit stones, plundered from the corpses of fallen Eldar (I presume he killed them, but then, that is what lackeys are for). While the Dark Eldar don’t always fight against their cousins, they certainly won’t hesitate to sate their appetites on the soul within a spirit stone, if the chance presents itself, which is why these ones are cracked. Even after such a banquet, a spirit stone is a trophy no self-respecting Archon would turn down, so he wears them proudly. On that subject, we really must mention his cloak of flayed skin. This ugly patchwork might seem crude, but to the Dark Eldar it is a tapestry of victories and a visual insult to those the Dark Eldar fight against. You can imagine the horror as warriors recognise the skin tones, tattoos or even facial features of their comrades! It’s a gift to people who play games too – the Dark Eldar thing to do is to make sure when your Archon gets some kills, or you win a big victory, you paint a couple of panels in the colours of the slain. If you kill Orks or Tau, put some green or blue-grey sections in. Nothing says Dark Eldar like wearing a slain adversary into battle.

“It’s also worth noting we made sure to keep the arm and head joins on these models compatible with the Wyches and Kabalite kits too,” Jes adds, by way of conclusion. “Nothing should stand in the way of you kitting your leaders out how you want them.”

ELDRITCH ARTEFACTS

“When we were working on the Dark Eldar range I did a lot of brainstorming with my colleague Phil Kelly on the nature of their stranger weapons,” says Jes. “At first these were little more than names and vague concepts, but as I firmed up the design and imagery of the Dark Eldar they solidified from something ephemeral into the strange weapons you see today.

“Perhaps the most iconic of these weapons is the huskblade,” Jes continues. “Initially all we knew was we wanted a weapon that could completely desiccate its victim on impact, and we had the name huskblade. That triggered my design process, and I began work on the sword that eventually became the huskblade we’re familiar with now. What sets it apart is the material, a blade of bone, pitted and scarred like the remains of an old skeleton. It looks dry, frail and undeniably evil.”

Join us for a round-up of the week as we share comment, opinion and trivia on all the latest releases, plus other fun tidbits that have cropped up in the White Dwarf bunker. This week it’s all about Covenites, Armageddon and a very snippy weapon of the week.

THE SINISTER MOTIVATION OF THE COVENITES

Andy Clark and Simon Grant stopped by the Bunker for a chat about the new Haemonculus Covens book.

“The Haemonculus Covens represent the nightmare aspect of Commorrite culture,” says Andy. “Many Haemonculi follow dark pursuits, known as disciplines, that they devote themselves to perfecting. These are genuinely twisted obsessions that dredge the absolute limits of decency. The Scarlet Epicureans actively pursue the same hedonistic indulgences that led to the fall in the first place, believing that it is their duty and right to experience every sensation, especially deaths. By contrast, the Nadirists believe they can ascend to godhood, if only they could bleed enough horror into the world.”

“They have such a horrific character that they are a genuine pleasure to play with on the battlefield,” Andy adds. “They favour a style of play that represents their implacable, patient nature and their utter disregard for life – all life.”

“One of the things the Haemonculus Covens book does is unlock an army made entirely of Covenites, and it plays in a very different way,” says Simon. “Haemonculus Detachments use a modified Power from Pain table to reflect how gorging on pain affects them. We reckon a lot of Dark Eldar fans will find themselves fielding two detachments when they read the new book. A Haemonculus Coven detachment, complete with Scarlet Epicureans or Scalpel Squadrons, alongside a Dark Eldar army, with Kabalite Warriors, Wyches and so on. That way you’ll get the best of both worlds and all your Dark Eldar will be playing to their strengths.

“All these new rules enable you to recreate the things you imagine when you read about the Covens,” Andy concludes. “Whether on their own, or as part of a larger army, these monsters are now yours to command!”

Our friends at Slitherine are putting the finishing touches to an amazing new turn-based strategy game for PC, Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon. This in-depth strategy experience recreates the 2nd War for Armageddon, and lets you fight through a huge branching campaign including 30 major scenarios, from the Orks’ first landing to the desperate battles to liberate the planet from the greenskins. With an absorbing campaign, including missions that evolve in the midst of battle, and units that can take their hard-earned experience into successive encounters, Armageddon is a real tactical treat. The game also features online multiplayer via Slitherine’s play by email system and a comprehensive mission editor. Check it out on Steam or go to www.slitherine.com for details of the special limited edition.

Above, left - Armageddon is played on a beautifully-detailed hex grids, with maps for the famous war zones on Armageddon.

Above, right - In the game you can fight alongside the famous heroes of the war, such as Commissar Yarrick and Chapter Master Tu’Shan shown here.

UNIT OVERLOAD

The game features more than 300 units, representing the Steel Legion, Space Marines and Ghazghkull’s Orks.

The Steel Legion are weak individually, but the might of their tanks, such as this Stormblade, is to be feared.

Although they have many strange and deadly vehicles, the Orks rely on strength in numbers in battle.

Three Space Marine Chapters joined the 2nd Armageddon War: Ultramarines, Blood Angels and Salamanders.

This little gem is from the Empire Greatswords kit. We reckon it’s the skull of a long-dead comrade they can’t quite let go of. It’s also a really good head for a champion in a regiment of Skeleton Warriors.

Notes from the worlds of Warhammer. This week: knights.

WHITE WOLVES

One of the most famous Orders of Knights in the Empire are the infamous Knights of the White Wolf. Ferocious warriors who wear pelts from the eponymous white wolves into battle, these knights are worshippers of the ancient god Ulric, the same god Sigmar was said to worship in his day. Heavily bearded and muscled, the White Wolves consider strength and skill at arms the greatest of virtues. In battle they fight from horseback, smashing skulls with blows from their heavy cavalry hammers.

QUESTING KNIGHTS

For nobles of Bretonnia there is no cause more righteous than a quest to find the sacred grail. Many Knights of the Realm will give up their lands and holdings and set off to seek the grail, inspired by a vision of the Lady of the Lake. For the duration of their quest (which can last years, if not decades) the knight vows to answer any call for aid, to travel tirelessly and to forsake wealth and the traditional weapons of knighthood. Instead, Questing Knights take up massive two-handed swords, with which they will fight brigands, monsters or armies until their search is done.

BLOOD KNIGHTS

The fell order of warriors known as the Blood Knights once hailed from the infamous Blood Keep, where they served the murderous will of Walach Harkon. Vampires all, they are considered by many to be the most dangerous knights in the world. Walach and many of his warriors were last sighted riding north on Nagash’s orders, against the Chaos hosts assailing the Empire. Some say their allegiance has now changed.

This classic Space Wolves standard bearer, with beautifully hand-painted banner, is the handiwork of the talented Rafael Mattick. Rafael calls his army the Sons of Russ, and has based their colour scheme on the front cover of the previous edition of the Space Wolves Codex. “Rather than use one of the Great Company symbols, I have gone for the motif of a wolf skull with crossed bones behind it. You can see that icon displayed on lots of Space Wolf badges,” he explains. “I had to do a lot of trading to get enough of those shoulder pads to do the whole army, though. The alternative was to paint them by hand.”

If you’ve painted a miniature that 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.

Since we started covering the Dark Eldar a couple of weeks ago, Adam has been busily building and painting models of his own. This small squad of five Dark Eldar is his first offering, with a colour scheme based on the Kabal of the Black Heart. “While I have taken my lead from Asdrubael Vect’s Kabal, I’ve tried to put in a little difference, with the magenta spot colour,” he says. “My long-term plan with my Dark Eldar is to create a faction led by No’Akei. Known as the Daughter of Pain, she was one of Vect’s most valued lieutenants, until she tried to usurp him. In my mind, I have an idea of creating an army of misfits and rogues who have sprung her from Vect’s dungeons, and are now plotting a rise to power from the depths of Low Commorragh.”

In Designers Notes, Jes mentioned that the Succubus’s fur cloak represents a wild animal slain in a Wych arena. Aidan Daly, who painted one of the Studio Succubi, offered this thought: “In a galaxy full of weird creatures, you can pick any colour, as long as it contrasts with the rest of your Wyches,” he says. “For this Succubus, I imagined a bright orange and yellow beast. I started with a Jokaero Orange and Averland Sunset basecoat and then added mottles.”

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

A QUESTION OF GRIP

Hello Grombrindal. I’ve read several times in painting articles and guides that it can be a good idea to paint a model in sub-assemblies. When I am painting, I normally hold the model by its base to keep the model clean of fingerprints. How do I paint sub-assemblies without getting it messy?
- J. Banfield

GROMBRINDAL SAYS

Good question, youngling. I have fingers fatter than a brace of boar sausages, so any advantage in painting is welcome. My advice on this is, if possible, to drill a little into the component so that you can mount it on a piece of wire (such as a paper clip). Always drill in such a way that you won’t be able to see the hole when the model is fully assembled, and use a tiny spot of Super Glue: Thin to keep it in place. The bottom of heads, joints on wrists and barrels of guns are all good places. You can then stick the wire into a cork or pin vice while you paint.
- Grombrindal

There’s no doubt that the Mad Dok is best known for his inspirational efforts in the operating theatre, but he’s also got a dirty great big power klaw that he uses for improvised surgery on the battlefield. A massive bionic attachment that extends from his lumpen and scarred torso, Grotsnik’s ‘snippa’ is the ‘no anaesthetic’ option, capable of chopping a Space Marine’s head off with a single piston-powered clang. Something even keen eyes might miss, however, is the built-in ’urty syringe between the upper blades, with a needle as thick as an Ork’s thumb!

This Eldar Crimson Hunter was painted by White Dwarf’s own Matt Hutson, as part of his Craftworld Telennar army.

“Recently there was a ‘Hero Challenge’ here at Games Workshop HQ, and for it I painted an Eldar Farseer,” Matt says. “By the time I was done, I was all fired up to paint some more models for my army, so I kicked off with the Crimson Hunter. It’s such a good kit, I can’t believe I didn’t do it sooner. Although much of the plane is in the traditional crimson, I had to inject some of the Telennar orange into it. I always like to make sure that the models in my army have unified colours.”

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