Holiday Parade of Space Marines

In celebration of a the holiday season, a new codex and a raft of new models for the iconic Warhammer 40K army, Gunslinger Games announces 'The Holiday Parade of Space Marines!'

Interested hobbyists are encouraged to participate by submitting a Tactical Space Marine model from their chosen chapter, whether of GW creation--Ultramarine, Black Templar, Blood or Dark Angel, Space Wolf, etc--or the player's own--a 'DIY' or 'Do it Yourself' chapter. Gunslinger will devote space in their display case to these power-armored representatives of the thousand chapters of the Adeptus Astartes through November and December, with opportunity for hobbyists to vote for their favorite. Anyone may submit one of their Space Marines, and anyone may vote in the Parade--no purchase necessary!

Chapters are more than just the fighting strength of their individual warriors, however--and to reflect that, additional contests will run concurrently for Space Marine Leaders and Space Marine Vehicles. Hobbyists interested in submitting models for these two supplemental contests can do so by *making the relevant purchase* from sponsor Gunslinger Games (with plenty of time to make a special order, currently the best way to obtain GW product through Gunslinger--and at a discount off list price), completing and submitting their model of choice for display in Gunslinger's display case through the end of the year.

Further--although the Parade of Space Marines tactical entries are restricted to one per hobbyist, players may submit as many Leaders or Vehicles as they purchase from Gunslinger and complete!

In addition to prizes for Favorite Space Marine on Parade, Favorite Space Marine Leader and Favorite Space Marine Vehicle, all of which will be determined by popular vote, there will be an adjudicated prize for Best Space Marine--which will be the single best painted and converted space marine in power armour, from either the Space Marine or Leader category--and Best Chapter Representative--which can be *any* model from any of the three categories, including vehicles, which through excellence of execution best embodies the ideals of the Adeptus Astartes and it's individual chapter.

Entrants *must* register when they submit their tactical space marine model to the Parade, listing their name and the name of their represented chapter. They do this simply by posting that information to the Adeptus North Texas emailing list.

Any model which would constitute a legal 'Tactical Space Marine' or the equivalent from a related codex may be submitted, including Sergeants, special and heavy weapon carriers, but remember a stated goal of the contest--and one of the adjudicated prizes--will reward the iconic model in this category. Hobbyists who make a purchase of a Leader (defined for the purposes of this contest as any Space Marine Commander, Captain, Librarian, Chaplain, Techmarine, Apothecary, Standard Bearer or Squad Sergeant model or the equivalent from a related Space Marine chapter, such as an Iron Priest or Rune Priest, or a chapter-specific Leader such as the Black Templars' Emperors Champion) or a Vehicle (defined for this contest as any codex entry having an AV--including walkers and flyers--*or* being a Bike) will register at the Adeptus North Texas emailing list upon making the purchase, identifying themselves and what they bought, which will then be confirmed on the list when they return to submit it for display. Leader models in Terminator Armour *may* be purchased and submitted.

Entries may be submitted to Gunslinger Games for display immediately. Voting will not begin until after Christmas...but the Parade will only look good if there are models to see, so there is incentive to submitting models early: any model on display in Gunslinger's case *and* registered on the Adeptus email list during November (before 12:01am Central December 1) accrues one bonus vote for Favorite model in it's category, and any model on display in Gunslinger's case *and* registered on the Adeptus email list in December before Christmas Day (12:01am December 25) accrues one bonus vote for Favorite model in it's category. Yes, that is potentially two votes a model can earn before balloting begins! Winners will be announced, prizes awarded (and models may be collected) after January 1, 2014, following conclusion of balloting at close of business for host Gunslinger Games for 2013.

Any questions about the eligibility of a given model not clear in these contest instructions may be clarified through inquiry on the Adeptus North Texas email list at http://www.AdeptusNorthTexas.com , as Adeptus is acting as event administration for the Parade.

They are the Emperor's Chosen. They are Humanity's Champions. They are the Space Marines. They know no fear--and they will be on Parade at Gunslinger Games through the 2013 Holiday season. Muster your Chapter's colours, and represent!
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New Plastic Venerable Dreadnought

Next to the iconic space marine in power armour, perhaps the most recognizable, representatively '40K' image of the hobby is that of the dreadnought, the lumbering, towering, two-legged engine of mechanized, armoured fury that has been a constant in Imperial armies since the days of Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader V1. There have been good dreadnought kits (virtually all of the pewter versions of the present, familiar 'square sarcophagus' design, which pushed metal-model construction about as far as it could go), bad dreadnought kits (virtually all of the 'rounded' designs which preceded the above, and which looked clumsier and more primitive than ork versions of the same era) and ugly dreadnought kits (the inexplicably insectoid, four-armed 'Space Crusade' designs, though 'strange' is probably a fairer description than overtly ugly). As Citadel have increasingly converted to plastics, dreadnought kits have gone from strength to strength, from the standard multipart/multiarm dread to the 'Assault on Black Reach' snapfit dread to the awesome Ironclad dread.

But the brand-new, all-plastic Venerable Dreadnought kit represents a new standard, for this line of iconic models.

Molded in the familiar Citadel high-quality hard styrene, the new kit packs some 75 pieces onto the sprue, all of them rife with detail and cast virtually flash free. The details catch the eye initially--there are rivets, aquila, skulls, terminator- and battle-honours and scrollwork all over the parts--but what quickly becomes more impressive is the amount of customization sculptors Colin Grayson and Tom Walton have incorporated into their design: this Venerable Dreadnought has not only the expected multiple plastic weapon arms (including, for the first time, an all-plastic plasma cannon and an anthropomorphic power fist like those seen in 'Hours Heresy' artwork) and a wealth of accessory options--it has *seven* different sarcophagus shapes and four additional front armour plate designs.

The sarcophagus varieties particularly impressed me: the gothic breastplate/helmet/arch look familiar from various Forge World resin dreadnought options and the previous metal VenDread is there in two versions (and three helmets!), and these will no doubt prove popular design choices--but there are also two 'flat front' looks which echo the traditional dreadnought faces in more ornate style, both of which can be built with or without visors depending on whether the constructor wishes the entombed space marine to be visible...and the model can even be built *without* a front plate at all, with the dreadnought's operator exposed head-and-torso (an especially appealing option for those whose chapters dictate different colours for personal armour and vehicles, such as my Void Phantoms, though it has an undeniably disturbing, 'chaotic' look which will form the basis for many a Renegade conversion, I suspect).

The multiple weapon arms can be built modularly two ways: if a hobbyist finds one of the three shoulder guard designs especially preferable he can affix those permanently then 'slot in' the chosen gun from game-to-game, or if he wants certain arm accessories (ammo hopper, power pack, etc) to match the chosen gun arm, there are sufficient housings to allow whole arm switches on an as-needed basis.

And the Venerable Dreadnought kit is compatible with the other three current Citadel plastic dreadnoughts, for even more modularization.

Games Workshop has treated the 'dreadnought among dreadnoughts' with deserving respect through the release of this new plastic kit. Virtually every space marine commander, when going to war on the tabletop, takes a dreadnought along; now none of them need look quite the same.
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Fifth Edition Boxed Set Incoming!

With the Rulebook for Warhammer 40,000 Fifth Edition arriving in July, Games Workshop has released first official word of the companion starter V5 Boxed Set, to follow in September.

The new starter box will reflect many of the 'back-to-its-origins' qualities evident in Fifth Edition rules, by pitting the antagonists available in the very first Warhammer 40K 'big box' version of the game, the 1992 Second Edition, as the iconic Space Marines battle the Orks. The contents of this edition will put all previous 40K boxes to shame, however, with its model count--and *every* model in the box will be a newly-tooled, 'click-together' style version, designed to increase ease of assembly for players new to the game and the hobby, yet be indistinguishable once put together and fielded on a tabletop from the multi-part models available in add-on squad boxes. Ork players, already revelling in one of the best-received new codices in years, will get a new Ork Warboss, five new Ork Nobs, a unit of Ork Boyz and three new plastic Deth Koptas; Space Marine players will counter with a new Space Marine Commander figure, five elite Space Marine Terminators, the essential Tactical Squad, and an iconic Dreadnought!

Each will include additional bonus models (including new playable terrain pieces), dice, templates and all of the V5 essentials, as well.

The rulebook which will come with this starter box will be a condensed form of the stand-alone hardcover rulebook, available in July. It is described as abridged, but fully-playable in conjunction with a given Army Codex.

This frankly-spectacular box of forty-first millennium goodness will be available from your local stockist in September 2008, with an anticipated on-the-shelf retail price of US$60...a price which makes the contents look even more spectacular.

Two nearly-500-point starter armies and all the essentials for about sixty bucks: the fall looks to belong to the grim darkness of the far future. Place your order for one of the first batch of V5 Boxed Sets from your favorite Stockist.

All-Plastic Space Marine Devastator Box Set

Devastators have historically been among the coolest models in power armour since the earliest days of Citadel miniatures. In fact, one of my favorite models which still sees the table when I get out my Void Phantoms space marines is the original plastic RTB-01 space marine with missile launcher; one of the first space marines I ever painted was the V2 space marine with missile launcher that came in that boxed set; and the V3 space marine lascannoneer always finds its way onto my list of favorite models. Devastators and I go way back...and I know I am not alone in my fondness for power armoured superheroes carrying the biggest guns Warhammer 40,000 has to offer.

So when GW offers new Devastator models--I'm interested, and I know I am not alone.

The new all-plastic Space Marine Devastator Squad box set reaches retailer shelves this month, and I do not think anyone will be disappointed. Quite a few people (especially Dark Angels players) may already have seen the new models, as they are components of some DA army boxes which have been released (and almost immediately sold out); feel free to share your opinions, as well.

The first thing which bears positive mention is the price: the existing metal-and-plastic Devastator Squad box set retailed for US$45, with individual Devs in blisters selling for ten bucks; the new all-plastic Devastator Squad box set retails for US$30 (a commendable price point GWUS has been trying to hit with their small squad--5 and 6 figure-type--box sets, even with pewter components). This is a very competitive price.

What is even more impressive, however, is what the hobbyist will find inside: three full sprues, absolutely jammed with parts (GW has begun using a more modern dual-injection process which allows for greater compression of parts on sprues, and it really shows with these). There are sufficient parts to build the traditional Devastator Sgt and four heavy weapons specialists, of course--but the hobbyist can choose from among *eight* complete heavy weapons included in the box (2 each of lascannon, plasma cannon and heavy bolter, plus a multimelta and a missile launcher), and an alternate sixth 'kneeling' set of legs, among other things. Add numerous extra details (four servo skulls, multiple weapons kit-outs for the sergeant, alternate heads, pouches, holsters, purity seals, tabards, etc and the sprues are a treasure trove for the hobbyist looking to customize his space marines, to make them his own.

A particularly cool feature which will distinguish this Dev Sergeant from his predecessors is a complete backpack-mounted sensor array. One can even simulate the traditional Dev Sergeant 'pointing thataway' pose (though you will have to use the included powerfist to do it this time around).

The question 'why bother with going 'all-plastic' when the existing plastic-with-pewter weapons Devs are so well done' can be fairly asked. The above paragraphs provide most of the answer: a significant reduction in retail price and the inclusion of lots of 'space mariney' extras on new sprues are excellent reasons of themselves. GW has gone some further than that, however, by customizing the sculpts even more than the plastic-and-pewter combination miniatures allowed; in addition to the long-asked-for kneeling marine option already mentioned, each heavy weapon variant has its own specialized backpack with brand new details (like the missile launcher marine's backpack-mounted autoloading arm, a tiny but tremendously-cool extra). And of course the advantage plastic has over pewter in ease of converting means I anticipate seeing some vibrant, more action-oriented poses among Devastator models in the future.

If you treasure your existing heavy weapon trooper models (from either iteration, the V2 shoulder-carriers or the V3 low-slung types), the models you can build with the new all-plastic Devastator sprues will provide the kind of variety which will complement your existing models. If you haven't opted to try the potent combination of man-portable heavy weapons and the staying power of supermen in power armour, the new Devastators box set will give you compelling reasons to make this a first time.

This is a terrific box set of models which I expect will make players of space marines (and Inquisitors who like their allies in power armour) very happy.

Let your retailer of choice know you want them ASAP.