Army Profile: Carlos' Imperial Guard (video)

Slick here. Today we have the first in our army/player profile video series to share with you! This video looks at the Imperial Guard army one of our local gamers has been collecting for around 20 years! Comments welcome!

Dark Vengeance: Designing the Hellbrute (video)

GW is showing off the minis from the Dark Vengeance starter set. This particular video features the Hellbrute in all its glory and really showcases the increasingly higher level of detail they are achieving with each new release!

News: Dark Vengeance Unboxing

Hey guys, Slick here again. This video has been making the rounds today as a store in Germany got the Dark Vengeance starter early! Very cool to see this on the sprues!

Forgeworld: Deimos Pattern Predator

Something cooking? The new Deimos pattern Predator from Forgeworld is! This predator variant is the Mechanicus' attempt to copy the Blood Angels' Baal Predator. While it can have the same type of loadout as the Baal, the Deimos also has the option of taking the cool Magna-Melta. You can check it out at Forgeworld's site!

Deimos Predator

Below is a pic from the Forgeworld site to whet your appetite:

(Pic from Forgeworld, all rights theirs)

40K News: Forgeworld Horus Heresy Rumors

Slick here again. There are some new rumors circulating the interwebs regarding the upcoming Horus Heresy releases from Forgeworld! These rumors are from the ever reliable Harry and RogueStar from Warseer.

Some exciting tidbits that are being revealed include:

- rules for Primarchs and the legions
- multiple books covering the entire Heresy

With GamesDay UK not too far away now, we should see some exciting revelations from that event. Prepare your wallets!

News: Dark Vengeance Video

GW has dropped a fairly lengthy video for the new Dark Vengeance starter box with plenty of closeup shots of the box contents and all of the amazing new minis! Check it out below:




I plan on getting at least one of the starters. What about you guys? - Slick

News: Made of Steele (Dystopian Wars)

Spartan Games keeps on adding to the alliance nations. This time the Dominion of Canada is revealed and they are getting the equivalent of a walking John Henry robot!

From the Spartan site:

We had a lot of fun developing the iconic Federated States of America John Henry Class Robot, a particularly fun model to make. At the time it was discussed that a ‘walking’ version of him would be a fun model to design.

As discussions grew Alliance Nation models it was agreed that the Dominion of Canada could have a walking robot, and so the Steele Class Assault Robot was born.

Design wise it was essential that we distinguished the two robots in our own manner. Being an Allied Nation the Dominion of Canada does not necessarily have access to cutting edge propulsion technologies required to make a robot fly, and may not be able to afford to fuel the thrusters for prolonged combat. This new version is relegated to beating feet with the grunts, though standing over two hundred feet tall his strides make quick work of closing the distance between him and the enemy. In addition, it has an exciting new weapon choice; the flamethrower.

This robot is a little shorter and can clearly be identified as a simpler implementation of the same technology that went into John Henry. As such, its simpler style shows it as an older model lent or sold to the Canadians as the FSA trundle on with their own developments in massive robot technology.

The final product is not only an exciting new variant of the flying robot we all know and love, but a terrifying addition to the battlefields of Dystopian Wars.

Will you be adding this to your FSA arsenal? If it is anywhere near the power level of the John Henry, this will further reinforce the FSA's dominance in Dystopian Wars...

BREAKING: DreadBall Kickstarter is up!

Mantic is moving things along with their DreadBall game with the Kickstarter page for it now live! Here is the latest info about the game directly from the latest Mantic newsletter:

"Dreadball is a two-player sports board game set in our Warpath universe where two coaches compete to outscore each other and win at all costs.

The game comes complete with a fantastically detailed full-colour pitch, two complete teams, a roster pad to keep a record of your team’s development ( yes – league play is included) plus counters, event cards, and dice – all packed in a beautiful high-quality box.

We're launching DreadBall throughKickstarter where with the help of the community we hope to be able to include the referee figure, alternative sculpts and more players in the box, as well as create new teams, introduce new expansions and create a strong community so you’re always supported!

We’ve got a great range of rewards including Striker! where you get the game, two extra teams, MVPs and loads more besides!

Not only this but we’ve created a number of limited edition “Early Bird” specials just for you guys allowing you to get Striker! at a reduced rate – a little thank you from us for getting in early - but once the first 100 have gone, they’re gone.

Those of you who supported the Kings of War Kickstarter – of which all of the August shipments are now being dispatched - know that we pack our rewards full of goodies and this Kickstarter will not be any different. If we can surpass our goal then Jack andStriker! will be getting very tasty indeed!

We hope that together we can make the best miniatures sports games possible. Please pledge your support and spread the word - we appreciate any help we can get!"

So what do you guys think? Is Mantic just making a copy of BloodBowl or will there be more to DreadBall? - Slick

Breaking: Mantic's Dread Ball preview

Mantic is expanding their lineup again with a venture into BloodBowl-esque territory with their upcoming DreadBall game which looks like a more futuristic take on football. Orx and humans appear on the pic below. From Mantic:

"Good Moooorning Sports Fans!!!

In association with VitaCarbs StimShake(tm) – the stimulating ‘shake that gets you up in the morning - we are quickly approaching the most highly anticipated, most excruciatingly exciting, most positively exhilarating event of the year – the season-opener of DreeeeeaaaaadBaaaaallll, beamed live to you by DBCN!

Get ready for the new season of the galaxy's greatest sport!"

What do you guys think about Mantic's latest board game?

Breaking: Forgeworld Horus Heresy Trailer!!!

The latest Forgeworld newsletter has a nice little teaser video for the upcoming Horus Heresy releases!




Will you build a heresy era army? - Have at it folks!

BREAKING: 40k Dark Vengeance Prices

Dark Vengeance prices have been revealed as well as the limited edition version of the starter set. The limited edition gets you a special interrogator chaplain!

DARK VENGEANCE PRICES

Warhammer 40,000: Dark Vengeance (English) - Special Edition 49 Fig Box, Rulepack, Dice, Measures, Templates 1-Sep-12 $107.00 USD $128.00 CAD

Warhammer 40,000: Dark Vengeance (English) 48 Fig Box, Rulepack, Dice, Measures, Templates 8-Sep-12 $99.00 USD $119.00 CAD

Who's in for a starter box?

Sneak Peek: Kingdom of Denmark

Slick here again with one more update from Spartan Games. Yet another allied nation is being previewed, this time the Kingdom of Denmark. Rather than going big, this nation packs a bunch with a specialized small ship, their Korsor Class Minelayer!

From the Spartan site:

"Whilst the Kingdom of Denmark has neither the wealth nor the power to defeat the great naval fleets that take pride of place in the militaries of the other Great Powers, the nation has nonetheless managed to defend its shores in spite of its tenuous position, sandwiched between the Russian Baltic Fleet and the seemingly invincible Britannian Navy.

In no small way this safety is the result of the Danish navy’s on-going efforts to deny access to its native waters. This has not been achieved by investment in great fleets of Dreadnoughts or battleships, but in a far more modest weapon – the naval mine. A simple, metal shell, holding upwards of a ton of Sturginium-enriched dynamite. It is a simple danger to even the mightiest of vessel.

This weapon is put to sea by Denmark’s little saviour, the Korsor Class Minelayer. Although only a small ship, comparable to the Frigates of other nations, it has proved an invaluable war machine since the outbreak of the war. Armed with an automated mine laying rig, these ships manoeuvre in large numbers, denying entire swathes of the battlefield to the enemy, forcing them towards bottlenecks where the Allied-Danish fleet can fight them on an equal footing.

Although specialist in its role, it also pulls its weight as a combat vessel in its own right. By virtue of its design and powerful engines, the Korsor can make a great turn of speed. This, combined with its single powerful 10” deck gun, make it a aggressive raider in the tight confines of the Baltic Sea."

Could we see a specialized defensive fleet for the game? Have at it guys!

Sneak Peek: Feared by all

More Spartan previews are out. This time the Dindrenzi get another addition to their already formidable arsenal, the Syracusia Class Invasion Ship!

A pic from the Spartan site:

 It looks like this ship will interact with Firestorm Invasion in some manner. More information as it develops.

Will you be picking up one for your Dindrenzi fleet?

Tournament Coverage: TippCon 2012 (pic heavy)

Slick here again. Today we're sharing some pics from this year's TippCon 40K tournament. Enjoy!

BREAKING: Spartan Announces Dystopian Legions!

Spartan Games has a very ambitious couple of years planned with the launch of Studio Sparta, expansions to their core games and now the launch of another new game planned for this coming October called Spartan Legions!

Dystopian Legions is Spartan's first foray into a full 28mm scale game and is set in the Dystopian Wars setting. The game promises fast and brutal combat and will feature some of the vehicles from the Dystopian Wars range but at this larger scale. Get ready for some truly giant tanks and walkers! You can read more about it via the Spartan site:

http://www.spartangames.co.uk/games/dystopian-legions

Below are also some pics featured on Spartan's website:

What do you guys think about Spartan Legions?

Sneak Peek: Copernicus Ore Refinery Ship

More previews coming from Spartan Games seemingly every day. The latest is an interesting ship for Firestorm Armada in the form of an ore refinery vessel. This looks like it could make a cool objective for a game or even a decent addition to your fleet. Some more information from the Spartan site below:

From the Spartan site:

"The Copernicus Class Ore Refinery Ship is a common sight in the asteroid fields and planetary belts of a thousand systems across the galactic sector.

The ship was designed by Hawker Industries more than seventy years ago, and has been in constant production and service ever since. In this time the design of the ship has gone virtually unchanged, just as has the job that it carries out. Small mining fleets of Copernicus Class ships arrive at a location, usually an asteroid or planetesimal, and begin the heavy industrial task of strip-mining it in its entirety.

The Copernicus mounts a powerful front array of torpedo tubes that it uses to systematically blast apart its target over a period of days, before sitting back and watching the dust settle. Once it is safe, the mining fleet can then move in amongst the debris, syphoning off any and all valuable ores and materials.

After they take their fill, the mining fleet sets course for a planet or trading hub to sell its hard earned bounty. En route the fully automated refinery plants on-board each ship conducts the complex process of extracting the valuable ores and elements from the debris that fill their holds, readying it for sale on arrival.

Such profitable enterprises will, of course, bring with them an extensive number of risks, as Corsairs, Raiders and Marauders are always looking for a free meal! Although these sorts have been known to strike terror into the hearts of the merchant armadas of the galaxy, it is often a different case for the hardy crews of the rugged Copernicus Refineries, who have long learnt that their mining torpedoes can make a mess of more than just space-rocks."

Sneak Peek: Protecorate of Belgium!

Spartan Games just keeps rolling out the updates lately. Here is the latest allied faction to make splash - The Protectorate of Belgium! Their first unit is a land ship which looks fairly similar to the Republique of France land ship at first glance.

From the Spartan site:

"The Liege Class Land Ship is more akin to a giant steam-powered fortress than the Land Ships of the other Great Powers. Although less mobile than its contempories, the Liege more than compensates with the considerable firepower it can unleash from its pair of turrets and gargantuan rotary mortar.

The Liege Class is the pinnacle of flexible defensive strategy. It is heavily armoured against incoming fire, and has multiple Ack Ack batteries to repulse aerial aggression. The Liege is even designed to embed itself into the earth once it has found an optimal position. With its ground clamps firmly in place, the Liege becomes a stable, unshakeable firing platform, allowing even greater accuracy with its formidable weapons.

As such, it finds its greatest use to be forming a solid battle line, around which the rest of the Belgian forces can operate. Against these fortresses, their enemies can hurl countless resources with little hope of breaking the defensive formation."

Will you be adding the Protectorate of Belgium to your forces?

News: Spartan Games unveils Studio Sparta

Slick here again. We just got a little gem of an email from Spartan Games today unveiling their latest endeavor Studio Sparta! The website for it is already live and they have revealed the long lost Firestorm Invasion all set for release along with an alien Invader faction for Dystopian Wars as well as a Goliath figure for Uncharted. With the recent release and general buzz about Dropzone Commander, one has to wonder if this in any way pushed up the timetable for the release of Firestorm Invasion.

http://www.studiosparta.co.uk/default.asp

What do you guys think? - Slick

(Image from Studio Sparta, all rights theirs)

Hobby Update: Blood Angels Dreadnaught Drop Pod (wip)

Hello all, Slick here with aBlood Angels update. I decided to tackle the Drop Pod I won from the recent 40K team tournament. I built it with the intention of using it as a Dreadnaught Drop Pod so I left all of the internal 'stuff' out of the pod itself. FW does make a Dreadnaught Drop Pod but it's also rather expensive. The exterior is more or less finished I just have to add some 'Death Company' markings to it and touch up a lot of areas. The interior still needs some work, specifically the storm bolter and adding hazard stripes to each ramp. 

What do you usually deliver with your drop pods?

Starter Box Revealed!

Slick here. The floodgates are open and there are previews galore floating around the web of the 6th ed 'Dark Vengeance' starter box contents! Below are some that have been revealed. (Pics from DakkaDakka)

Some more closeup pics were posted on Warseer here.