Fire Raptors Incoming!

I had the recent fortune of receiving my Fire Raptors before xmas. Quickly did I push aside all my other projects to start on them.

After cleaning the parts up and dry fitting them together half a dozen times I spent some time straightening some of the parts. Compared to the Storm Eagle, the Fire Raptors are a much easier kit to work with. You can see where Forgeworld has learnt from the Storm Eagle and fixed several issues with the new variant.

I still needed to spend a lot of time ensuring the parts glued together straight and both the models required a lot of work with a hair dryer whilst I assembled them

The end result is some very nice looking gunships to add to my Imperial Fists Legion!

All going to plan I will have these painted over the holiday break

There are still a lot of issues surrounding getting the top wings to align properly with the engine uprights above the intake. I had to shave 1mm off mine to get the overhang acceptable. Oddly it was only on the right hand side where I had this problem, and on both models. The actual engine support measures 1mm shorter than the same part on the left hand side which was weird. Not sure whether its shrinkage, bad casting, warpage or compression...

The Fire Raptor includes the wash board covers on the main body engine covers now. The downside here is you cannot use them to cover up any gaps. This was the hardest area to get right. I spent a few hours with the hairdryer getting the engine brackets straight and lined up with the top cover struts.

It all looks symetrical now however I did have to break off the left engine and reposition it to get it level, leaving a small gap between the fuselage and engine.

You can see the internal bracing inside the aircraft here. Oddly it dosnt quite reach to the roof thus missing out on another contact point to strengthen/straighten it with.

I drilled out the barrels and vents on the main guns. This reminds me of the A10 Warthog!

You can see the gaps between the engine and fuselage here. They are only small but will require some greenstuff work to get right

These next three images show the landing gear pods complete with the most unsightly gaps. These have groves that they recess into ensuring they are positioned right, yet dont fit!

Maybe I just received a bad set but both my gunships have the same gap. Nothing a bit of green stuff wont fix however.

Overall, the kit is giant leap forward in assembling over the storm eagle. It appears that Forgeworld have listened to their customers and made improvements to the kit assembly.

It still suffers alot from being a plastic/resin hybrid kit. I noticed that the top rear fuselage/engine cover had shrunk 1mm when compared to the plastic front top. This is what caused me the most issues with getting the sides straight, engines level and wings aligned.

At least I did not have to call up and order replacement parts (as I have done for my last 5 orders!). The kit itself should still be approached as an expert level thanks to those long sides and the alignment issues.

The one recommendation to Forgeworld to improve this kit would be to increase the thickness of the fuselage sides (similar to the Landraider Proteos) and to just skip the 5 or so plasic bits and cast it all in resin.

Hopefully I have no such issues with my Fellblade when it arrives. I know this has very long straight sections as will. 

Grave Wardens + Forgeworld Jigsaw - take two

More Death Guard goodness...

Alone among the Legiones Astartes, the Death Guard make free and frequent use of alchemical weapons. These are deployed by specialised units outfitted in modified Cataphractii Terminator Armour; the Grave Wardens being the most renowned and feared of these harbingers of death. 

Designed by Keith Robertson, the Grave Wardens are a five man multi-part kit fitted out in modified Cataphractii pattern Terminator armour that features alchemical weapon canisters and projectors. In addition, they are equipped with assault grenade launchers and power fists, as well as an optional heavy flamer and combi-weapon. These models are available to preorder now and will be despatched from the 3rd January.

Also the second part to the second attempt at the jigsaw for this year...

Definitely World eaters!

Forgeworld Jigsaw - take two

Forgeworld are having another go at the holiday jigsaw since the three parter was spoiled before it was even released...

This time we see a leg of what appears to be at first glance a world eater...

Forgeworld Holiday Jigsaw Revealed!

So Forgeworld continues with their traditional holiday Jigsaw, however this year with an unusual twist, but not of their own doing. 

Some crafty wee wafer out there has got his hands on the full puzzle mere moments after the email from Forgeworld went public with the first part...

So who is it? Definitely a Death Guard character, so my money is on Typhus. 

Toughest Girls of the Galaxy Kickstarter - Another picture dump

Raging Heroes have provided us with another huge picture dump of the next batch of 3D computer sculpts. Whilst they all look amazing, I am starting to tire of the concepts and would much rather see some finished product in my hands...

The full post can be found here

For the mean time, enjoy all the pretty pictures

Lorgar has arrived

Long known, but now finally released, the latest in the Horus Heresy Character series...

Reunited with the Emperor, and at the head of the Word Bearers Legion, Lorgar Aurelian conquered, not simply through stratagem, overmatching power or simple brute violence, but by the subtle craft of exaltation, liberation and example. In his literal interpretation of the meaning of the Great Crusade, however, he and his Legion strayed from the path that had been set out for them. 

For his failings, Lorgar received only disdain, contempt and censure from his siblings and father. His greatest success, Monarchia, was rendered to dust and ashes at the command of the Emperor, who sought no worship from his son, only swift victories to hasten his works. With his beliefs shattered, anger and resentment set in and Lorgar began to secretly accept new, darker truths. Both betrayer and betrayed, it was he who would set the stage for the nightmare of the Horus Heresy. 

Lorgar, designed by Edgar Skomorowski, is an incredibly detailed multi-part resin model armed with Illuminarum and clad in the Armour of the Word. The newest edition to our Horus Heresy Character Series, Lorgar stands atop a scenic base depicting ritualistic trappings and inscriptions. You can see a video of Edgar talking about how he approached designing the model of Lorgar here.

Rules and background for the Primarch Lorgar Aurelian and his Legion can be found in The Horus Heresy Book Two: Massacre.

You can find the video here