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INTERVIEW·WHITE DWARF 396

Immovable Objects Versus Unstoppable Force

December 2012·p. 143

THE SHORT VERSION

CL Werner explains why The Siege of Castellax drew him from his usual Old World fiction into 40K: the offensive masters of siege warfare are forced to defend against unpredictable Orks. He discusses keeping villains true to their own justifications without concealing their cruelty, and finding limited sympathy through Rhodaan’s pride and discipline. The contrast between bravery in battle and corruption away from it helps him portray the Iron Warriors as compelling protagonists who remain monstrous.

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CampaignWD 396 · pp. 36–39

Crusade of Fire

Crusade of Fire presents a team campaign over the Corvus sub-sector after a long-isolating warpstorm subsides. Players can combine its system with Planetary Empires, sharing victories or pursuing personal glory as more worlds enter the struggle. The review outlines the studio campaign’s narrative and three additional modes: Burning Skies expands air combat, Arena of Death moves into Commorragh’s fighting pits, and Daemon Worlds subjects armies to unstable realities and possession.

Warhammer 40,000Imperium
December 2012Read summary
LoreWD 396 · p. 42

Black Library: The Siege of Castellax

Dan Harden reviews CL Werner’s first 40K novel through the misery of the slaves caught between Iron Warriors and invading Orks. Their viewpoint gives both armies frightening scale, while the clash of meticulous plans and unpredictable greenskin attacks steadily enrages the defenders. The review praises the book’s ability to make readers sympathise temporarily with cruel characters without softening the brutality of Castellax or its masters.

Warhammer 40,000Iron Warriors
December 2012Read summary
LoreWD 396 · p. 44

Black Library: Tome of Fire

The Salamanders anthology is reviewed as a companion to Nick Kyme’s trilogy rather than an unrelated collection. Familiar characters appear before and after the main novels, with rare pieces and new stories filling in their wider history. Andrew singles out Firebrand, in which aspirants face Nocturne’s dangerous environment, because its ending changes how readers may understand events already encountered in the trilogy.

Warhammer 40,000Salamanders
December 2012Read summary