WHITE DWARF · JULY 2009
Planetstrike launches with terrain, designer discussion, sample forces and an Eldar invasion battle. Empire tactics, Galadhrim skirmish rules, a wizard painting contest and new brushes complete the issue.
COVER TO COVER
In printed page order
Planetstrike prompts excitement about sudden invasions and desperate defence. The editor introduces the terrain and models that make those games possible. Empire material continues alongside the wizard challenge and new brushes. The issue presents battlefield construction and painting as part of the same developing hobby.
The eighty-page expansion introduces planetary invasions with distinct attacking and defending roles. Terrain profiles, force selection and hobby advice support that format. Background accounts include the assault on Rynn’s World. The release notice establishes the book explored through the issue’s interviews, armies and battle report.
A modified skimmer carries Scouts into dangerous positions. Its stretched chassis gains an extra thruster and a launcher intended to disrupt enemies before the passengers attack. Six crew and passenger figures make the vehicle unusually animated. Weapon choices and equipment allow the collector to adapt it to a particular force.
The heavily armoured walker specialises in attacking entrenched enemies. A seismic hammer, chainfist and hurricane bolters offer different tools for breaching or clearing defences. The plastic kit includes the available weapon configurations and numerous accessories. It arrives as a natural companion to the new invasion expansion.
The Salamanders’ relic hunter carries three of the nine artefacts associated with his Primarch. His cloak, spear and gauntlet make those recovered treasures visible. Martin’s metal model gives the questing officer an imposing silhouette. The notice links his personal mission to a distinctive Chapter identity.
The White Scars hunter receives a dynamic metal figure. His role involves pursuing a chosen quarry across the galaxy before returning home. The sculpt emphasises speed and purposeful aggression. The release adds another recognisable Chapter hero to the contemporary Space Marine range.
Modular blast shields create a perimeter that can be rearranged between games. A quad-gun and alternative mounts provide defensive firepower. The pieces support both an ordinary battlefield and a more elaborate Planetstrike installation. Their flexible layout makes them a foundation for the terrain tactics shown later.
A modular stronghold combines protective walls with heavy weapons and fire points. Multiple kits can create taller or broader structures. An Icarus lascannon, relay and adaptable hatch support different game uses. The notice also encourages converting the Imperial structure into Chaos or alien fortifications.
The raised platform has battlements that can be assembled in different positions. Those positions correspond to protection or rapid disembarkation in Planetstrike. Its substantial size makes it a prominent terrain feature. The notice presents it as both a modelling centrepiece and an active part of the battle.
Ten resin pieces represent ammunition, hidden entrances and dangerous ground. They can mark stratagems or serve as ordinary objectives. Warning signs and shells also add character to a battlefield. The set provides physical reminders for effects that would otherwise exist only in the players’ notes.
Craters and wreckage show the consequences of orbital strikes and falling spacecraft. Different shapes distinguish meteor impacts, firestorms and crashes. They can appear during a Planetstrike game as the battlefield changes. They also work as cover and visual detail in more conventional missions.
A large bundle combines two bastions with weapons, relays and extensive defence lines. The modular parts allow several layouts rather than one fixed fortress. It supports a substantial Planetstrike defence or a spread of smaller installations. The notice emphasises expanding and rearranging the system as a terrain collection grows.
The tall ruined shrine brings several firing levels to a city battlefield. Its floors and walls are compatible with the existing plastic city range. It can stand alone or merge into a larger complex. The release introduces the structure whose construction and complete principal paint scheme appear later in the issue.
Two vignettes explore greenskin behaviour outside an orderly battle line. A hungry Goblin pursues a Squig while a larger beast follows him. In the second scene an Orc uses a nearby Goblin during a brawl. The figures demonstrate how the collectors range accommodates comic narrative subjects.
The sequel to Descent of Angels follows the Legion as Horus’s rebellion spreads. Loyalty is tested both among the stars and on Caliban. Civil unrest turns into a conflict involving the Dark Angels themselves. The notice presents the book as an exploration of divided allegiance during the wider civil war.
Felix’s drunken vow binds him to a Slayer seeking an honourable death. Repeated survival makes fulfilling that promise increasingly complicated. This collection brings together Giantslayer, Orcslayer and Manslayer. The notice introduces the adventures through the tension between Gotrek’s desired ending and the pair’s continuing travels.
Mamon’s immense corrupted body is accompanied by a smaller herald. The airborne Blight Drone presents Nurgle’s influence through a daemon engine and poisonous exhaust. Both resin releases expand the forces associated with the Siege of Vraks. Their complete rules are directed to Imperial Armour Volume Seven rather than printed here.
The report recalls the February event at Warhammer World. Visitors met designers and took part in specially devised games, including a Valkyrie canyon run and a Stompa shooting challenge. Christian Blanche achieved the highest Marine casualty count in the latter. Seminars and previews made the day an opportunity to explore both current hobby work and future releases.
Fantasy Flight’s board game gives each player control of a Chaos power. Different strengths make warfare, corruption, magic and manipulation competing routes to dominance. Multiple victory paths and endings support those distinct approaches. The preview introduces the concept without reproducing the board game’s rules.
Two Blood Angels board a damaged Tyranid vessel to search for missing Scouts. The apparently vulnerable ship contains threats to both physical survival and sanity. The notice introduces an audio-exclusive story rather than a print novel. Its format is presented as something a hobbyist can listen to while painting.
Phil explains how Planetstrike assigns military roles before the battle begins. The defender builds an active network of fortifications, while the attacker gains bombardments and sudden arrivals. Altered force selection and dramatic stratagems support unusual armies. Sample forces and mission ideas show how the format can produce both a single assault and a linked invasion.
The two-thousand-point Marine army concentrates on Terminators, Dreadnoughts and mobile assault troops. Calgar and a Drop Pod help subsequent arrivals land safely. The force rewards decisive attacks but depends on reserves arriving in a useful order. Suggested stratagems reduce scattering and provide extra tools against the defender’s structures.
Jim uses the defender’s additional heavy-support choices to field walkers, artillery and a Battlewagon. Large mobs occupy bastions while Nobz provide a hard counterattack. Tankbustas and Deffkoptas hunt the vehicles that threaten the fortifications. He cautions against exposing every unit to the opening firestorm and recommends reserves to regain initiative.
Phil surveys the six missions from initial landings to a planet breaking apart. Different objectives demand securing a beachhead, destroying strongpoints or raising a commander’s banner. Short fictional examples suggest matchups and settings for each format. These are mission introductions and story prompts, with the complete expansion remaining the rules reference.
Adam argues that cooperation between ordinary units is the Empire’s greatest strength. Detachments, missile troops, cavalry, infantry and artillery each contribute a distinct role. He also explains estimating artillery ranges from deployment and movement. A nearly two-thousand-point army and annotated layout turn the general advice into a concrete defensive plan.
Dave and Jeremy interrupt their fantasy campaign for a Catachan raid. A small force of named specialists enters an Ork camp to recover honour and destroy valuable targets. Stealth, unreliable sentries and escalating reinforcements create an improvised cinematic battle. A huge rocket explosion disables the arriving Stompa long enough for the wounded Captain to escape with the correct banner.
The raiders receive individual abilities instead of a conventional balanced points list. Patrols and sentries use limited observation, while detected intruders can spread an alarm to nearby bunkers. Alerted positions generate random reinforcements ranging from Gretchin to a Stompa. Captured banners, a rocket and the enemy commander offer several targets of opportunity.
Mat follows the previous month’s formation-game coverage with updated skirmish rules. A revised Lothlórien list accompanies profiles for heroes, infantry and cavalry. Shields, woodland movement and accessible Might change the army’s practical options. The opening advice stresses using terrain and carefully timed Heroic actions to offset being outnumbered.
This version represents Haldir’s doomed intervention at the Hornburg. Nearby Aragorn or Théoden strengthens his resolve and fighting support. If he falls in combat, he makes a final attack against the enemies involved. The profile explicitly prevents including both versions of Haldir in the same force.
Haldir’s brother brings protective armour, a shield and a skilled duellist’s response. His special parry forces a successful enemy combat die to be rolled again. The profile makes him a durable source of leadership for a compact Elven force. His background ties that battlefield role to defending the Golden Wood.
The generic commander provides leadership without requiring a named hero. His basic equipment can exchange a blade for a bow. Woodland movement keeps him compatible with the troops he leads. The profile offers a straightforward way to add Heroic resources to a Lothlórien skirmish army.
The elemental caster supports several Elven army lists. Wild Channelling can preserve magical resources after an especially strong casting roll. Nature’s Wrath and Call Winds provide different methods of disrupting enemies. The latter pushes a target away and leaves it grounded, making position as important as direct damage.
Elite guards protect the most treasured parts of Caras Galadhon. Their pikes combine supporting reach with a special ability to shield. Ordinary shielding restrictions still apply, so the defensive choice excludes simultaneous spear or pike support. The printed explanation uses Guardians of Caras Galadhon within the rule for the Guards profile.
The core warrior combines Elven skill with armour and woodland movement. A spear can replace the blade without an additional cost, while bows, shields and banners provide other configurations. Those options let existing figures join the expanded range. The profile supplies the basic building block for the revised skirmish list.
The mounted warrior gains an unusually swift steed and flexible equipment choices. Fleetfoot combines greater movement with the rider’s ability to pass through woodland. That matters particularly when preserving the advantages of a charge. The profile fills a long-standing cavalry gap in the Lothlórien skirmish army.
Phil’s Biel-Tan invasion attacks Robin’s Cadian fortifications in a two-thousand-point Planetfall. The report explains terrain, reserves and stratagems as the battlefield is progressively demolished. Despite losing the Avatar to a Deep Strike mishap, the Eldar dismantle the command structure and exploit their specialised Aspect Warriors. Play stops after four turns with every objective under Eldar control.
The mission awards objectives to the force physically controlling them, with the attacker favoured in contested contact. All unit types can score, and rapid reserve arrivals bring the invasion into action immediately. The two army descriptions explain their chosen stratagems and terrain. Those examples include protective shields, a concealed escape hatch, orbital lasers and falling spacecraft.
A tournament visit reminds Jervis how much he values meeting fellow hobbyists. He adds friendship to gaming, modelling, collecting and storytelling in his account of what draws people to the hobby. Clubs and long-standing gaming partners illustrate that additional motivation. He encourages readers to recognise and renew the relationships formed around their shared interests.
Chad demonstrates uses for the new shields beyond simply improving a warrior’s protection. Different designs distinguish troops and decorate banners. Attached to terrain, the same pieces turn borrowed buildings into greenskin property. Totems, barricades and a scarecrow show how a small accessory pack can establish a consistent army setting.
The terrain workshop shows how several factions interpret the same basic bastion role. Recycled household objects, plastic vehicle parts and new scenery kits produce very different installations. Painting notes cover the Chaos, Eldar, Ork and shrine examples. Two defensive layouts then connect the modelling projects to Planetstrike tactics.
A captured Imperial building receives Chaos vehicle accessories and additional icons. Chris establishes the structure with a dark neutral colour and a pale drybrush. Stippled orange rust, metal and washes give the surface age and decay. Thin brown or khaki drips extend the weathering beyond the corroded patches.
A drink bottle and candleholder create the main organic-looking structure. Cut plasticard struts, wooden domes and Eldar vehicle parts complete the silhouette. A textured finish receives a restrained bone-toned palette. The project shows how ordinary materials can suggest a convincingly alien architectural language.
Mark combines the landing pad with city-ruin frames to create a military installation. A tall arch forms a lift shaft, with a removable platform that can be placed at either end. Textured plasticard, guide rails and an etched eagle add detail. Grey and green weathering suggest regular use, although no specific paint names are supplied.
Alex turns Stompa body panels into a circular defence structure. Plasticard fills gaps while spare components build balconies and additional machinery. Doors and weapons are added after the main silhouette looks suitably ramshackle. A sprayed red foundation, dark wash and rough metallic drybrushing complete the looted appearance.
A plant-pot stand supplies the base for an alien gun emplacement. The upper form is cast using a large dome as a mould. Two Hammerhead railguns on a Sky Ray mounting provide the weapons. The example demonstrates combining simple architectural shapes with recognisable faction components.
The modular shrine can join a city complex or become a tall independent ruin. Nick’s scheme contrasts aged stone, subdued gold, blue steel and glossy black. Spraying and circular drybrushing establish the large wall surfaces, followed by stippled damage. The guide gives the principal recipes as well as explaining the firing advantages of its height.
The Anvil layers defensive positions to trap approaching combat armies under heavy fire. The Gauntlet instead channels attackers along obstructed approaches toward concentrated guns. Both require careful troop placement to discourage dangerous Deep Strikes. Suggested stratagems strengthen each arrangement, while mobile or shooting armies expose different weaknesses.
The background traces the Colleges to Magnus’s war against Chaos and the teaching of Elven mages. Human students specialise because they cannot safely master the full combination of magical winds. Each College’s character is described through its preferred arts and temperament. The Wheel of Magic connects those identities before the painting challenge turns them into figures.
Eight painters each draw a College and convert the plastic Battle Wizard to represent it. Entries range from heavily altered nature mages to restrained figures with intricate freehand. The painters explain palette, storytelling and selected modelling choices. Alan Merrett and Brian Nelson judge how convincingly each model represents its Order, awarding Darren’s Celestial Wizard the win.
Darren deliberately works with a colour he does not usually favour. Three mixtures distinguish rich cloak, lighter robes and turquoise scarf while sharing a common blue foundation. Consistent shading and highlighting tie those surfaces together. Constellations, comet details and telescope additions turn a technical exercise into a clearly identifiable Celestial mage.
Andy visits the makers behind the revised brush range. The article explains hand assembly, natural hair, paint capacity and the different materials chosen for drybrushing and stippling. Care instructions address cleaning, shaping and storage. A ten-brush guide then matches each tool to suitable miniature-painting tasks.
The workshop explores the expanded Marine vehicle range and a forthcoming accessory frame. Assault cannons and decorative parts personalise Razorbacks. Ironclad weapon alternatives are shown with advice to preserve interchangeable arms. Annotated frames and views of the Scout-filled Land Speeder explain how the new kits’ distinctive features fit together.
The preview describes exhibitions, original art and displays planned for the September event at the NEC. Forge World brings its mounted Commissar and other releases, while Black Library prepares signings, novels and an audio story. An art competition invites Chaos-themed entries. The included form and exclusive miniature place Golden Demon and collecting within the wider day’s activities.
All substantial features, release reviews, Galadhrim profiles, Planetstrike examples, battle reports, modelling and painting coverage in the 124-page source are indexed. The Galadhrim skirmish update is distinct from War of the Ring. Routine catalogues, retail directories, recruitment notices and event calendars are not separate articles.