How To Make Wargames Terrain by Nigel Stillman, Games Workshop, 1996. This is a compilation of some of the simplest methods for building the type of terrain seen in 1990s White Dwarf. Stillman uses an effective teaching style, keeping the basic projects very simple then showing variations that can add more complexity. This volume was inspirational for a generation of terrain builders who were able to reproduce the classic green wargaming table with inexpensive supplies -- lots of recycled cardboard and masking tape -- then go on to develop their own ideas. The book's main downside is what I call the "English Heritage site" design style, with ruins surrounded by perfectly manicured lawns and no rubble.

Warhammer and 40K are referenced in the table of contents, but not on the book's covers. I wonder if this is one of the last products GW made for "wargames" instead of for "the Warhammer hobby (TM)."

MS_Paints recently pulled this book off the shelf and built his way through a table full of 90s-inspired projects straight from its pages:

Mortarion

by GJDoran

Meme Creator: Chaotic Voices - Art: Grimdorables

Contemptor-Achillus & Contemptor-Galatus Dreadnoughts

Hyeah... 😔

These new models are so good

I'm a dedicated marine man, but I might get one or two golden 'nanners just so I can have them

Couldn't post pics for a hot sec cause my phone was dying, but here's a thing I worked on while that was getting solved! Captain of the fourth company, Nasos Medea, master of the fleet. This is a fun little mini for my BFG admiral for the hounds of terra, since I'm actually collecting the minis to make their fleet.

In the least surprising reveal, the next alternate build for the Legion Fellblade is upon us. Expect to see the rest of the variants make their way into big scale sooner rather than later.

What is actually surprising (although it shouldn't be, because there's an Epic version of it) is the new Whirlwind. This version of the rocket battery is actually a throwback to Tony Cottrell's original scratch build, before it was even a standalone kit.

There's a fair bit of Forge World influence to the forthcoming kit, with a number of design cues reminiscent of the Reaver's Apocalypse Launcher, but it's nice to see the classic kit get its flowers.

While I do appreciate additional skittle sculpts to flesh out the Mechanicum range – especially given the business decision to clearly differentiate the 30k and 40k ranges – the misproportioned legs on the new Skitarii Battle-Pilgryms is a miss for me. They look less like augmetic prosthesis and more like cosplay stilts. To really sell it, they should have shortened the thighs and calves to more clearly indicate the full limb replacement.

On the bright side, I suppose that means that you can effectively cosplay as a Skitarii Battle-Pilgrym. Less good, I will not be able to look at the grimdank spelling and not instantly misread it as Battle-Pygmy.

The Custodes update has been pretty reliably rumored for a while now, but it's still astonishing to see the sheer scope of the release - it's actually faster to list the kits that weren't updated (the Pallas, Telemon, Aquilon Terminators and Gyrfalcon jetbike [I wouldn't count on the Orion getting a plastic kit any time soon]).

What's most interesting to me is the update to the basic Custodian Guard squad. These models were brand new for Burning of Prospero so aren't even that old, and those were widely considered to be faithful adaptations of the Visions of Heresy art at that time, but these new miniatures look like they leapt right off the page.

The Contemptors Galatus and Achillus are both home run adaptations of the Forge World kits and the inclusion of additional decorative parts akin to the Astartes Dreadnoughts is going to be a huge benefit to anyone that wants to run more than one. Likewise, the Caladius and Coronus both look to be pretty close to 1:1 to their respective resin kits.

I am not crazy about the changes to the Venatari, though. The simplified armor and overtly rocket-propelled flight pack (the originals looked more like Swooping Hawk wings and, I think, were meant to suggest a similar method of operation) is a miss for me, so much so that I wonder if these weren't originally intended for 40k and got pressganged into the Horus Heresy range.

And that's just the first wave of releases - we can still reasonably infer the remaining resin kits, a Sagittarii and alternate spear upgrades for the Custodian Guard squad, and the entire lineup of Sisters of Silence all still somewhere off in (the grim darkness of) the future.

And I still haven't given up hope that there'll be a Contemptor-Exemplar upgrade kit some day.

Fatemaster

Custodian Guard

Shield Captain

Kharseth the Aethyrmancer

I wanted embiggened Firstborn, but not like this.

The new Red Corsairrs are super premium, though. Great updates to the classic armor mark elements in a way that compares favorably to the Primaris Space Marines' Mk.X Tacitus suits.

Not fully sold on the upgrades to the standard CSM Legionaries, which looked small to start and have been done no favors by the cult legion scale creep. Curious to see them side-by-side.

Venatari

Prince Yriel

Red Corsair Raiders