WHITE DWARF · SEPTEMBER 2013
New Space Marine infantry, Centurions and anti-aircraft tanks accompany a chapter-focused codex. Black Templars fight for a fallen Marshal, while armour history, Damnos scenery and varied painting methods explore the release.
COVER TO COVER
In printed page order
Jes introduces a broad Space Marine release with a new codex and a wealth of interchangeable plastic parts. The expanded choices offer opportunities for both new collectors and existing Chapter armies. Matt’s Black Templars bring several additions into the battle report. Painting guides and armour history explore the same release from different hobby perspectives.
Three heavily armoured warsuits let specialist Marines carry exceptional firepower into confined battlefields. Heavy bolters, lascannons or grav-cannons occupy the mechanised gauntlets. Secondary chest weapons add another layer of armament. The suits’ servos and visible pilots explain their place between ordinary power armour and larger combat machines.
The alternate Centurion build replaces heavy guns with siege drills for breaking into strongholds. Flamers or meltaguns beneath the drills provide short-range support. Visible power-armoured legs reinforce the idea of a Marine piloting the surrounding suit. The shared details spread identifies honour badges, armour mechanisms and weapon options for both versions.
The new ten-model squad supplies extensive choices for Marines who form an army’s conventional core. Different armour marks, reloading hands and numerous Sergeant options help individualise the figures. Grav weapons join established special and heavy guns. Adam emphasises that a frequently repeated unit benefits especially from such a large pool of compatible parts.
Five plastic veterans arrive with enough weapons and accessories to equip them individually and supply other projects. Custom bolters, combi-weapons and a heavy flamer express access to the Chapter’s best equipment. Honour badges and elaborate backpacks mark their veteran status. Adam sees the abundance of spare components as a major advantage over the previous figures.
Running poses and ornate jump packs give the five veterans a strong sense of forward attack. A broad range of close-combat equipment supports very different individuals within one squad. Matched pistols and chainswords add particularly careful decoration. Andrew presents each model as a potential hero rather than a repeated standard assault trooper.
A wider, reinforced Rhino-based hull carries two independently moving anti-aircraft gun mounts. Eight stabilising feet anchor the vehicle before firing. A large radar array and ammunition feeds make its function clear. Dan highlights how those changes give the familiar chassis a heavier, entrenched silhouette.
The Hunter shares the Stalker’s reinforced body but mounts a large missile launcher. A short barrel, stored warheads and sensor equipment create a different technological character. The low, braced posture resembles a waiting predator. Its missiles’ servitor guidance provides a darkly Imperial explanation for pursuing aircraft after launch.
The plastic Captain combines rare armour with elaborate honour markings and a combi-grav weapon. Wind carries the cloak and banner in the direction indicated by his sword. Alternate heads permit a bare or helmeted appearance. A scenic base and numerous ceremonial details establish a company commander rather than an ordinary squad leader.
The Librarian thrusts a force staff forwards while concentrating on a psychic attack. Parchments, keys and a billowing tabard give the figure an occult identity. A cyber-cherub floats behind the shoulder, supported by attached scrolls. Dan links those grotesque mechanical details to the wider atmosphere of the Imperium.
A new plastic Chaplain accompanies a Command squad and Razorback. Architectural armour details evoke the Chapter’s inner sanctum. Skull imagery and the raised Crozius make the leader’s spiritual and battlefield offices immediately visible. The set places that distinctive character within an escort suitable for accompanying him into danger.
Andrew explores an expanded codex with separate histories for the main Codex Chapters and two prominent successors. Small details about wargear and traditions appear throughout rather than only in the background section. Chapter Tactics turn those identities into different ways of fighting. Art and photography keep the diverse forces within one recognisable brotherhood.
The large collection box combines a commander, command figures, several infantry squads and supporting vehicles. Two Tactical squads form the core, with Scouts and Assault Marines broadening its roles. A Drop Pod, Razorback and Venerable Dreadnought add different deployment and support options. Andrew presents it as either the beginning of a substantial force or reinforcement for an existing one.
Seven limited versions use Chapter artwork to personalise the same codex. Six represent First Founding armies, while the successor edition combines Black Templars and Crimson Fists imagery. Numbered endpapers mark the restricted runs. The notice records the contemporary covers and packaging as part of the release.
The supplement follows both the Necron awakening on Damnos and the Ultramarines’ later return. Local terrain, disasters and special assets make the frozen world part of the game. New missions and formations extend the Apocalypse system. Jes presents the historical accounts and photographs as inspiration for recreating either confrontation.
Nick Kyme interweaves Vulkan’s captivity, surviving Salamanders and archaeologists pursuing a dangerous relic. Pyre Captain Numeon refuses to abandon hope after Isstvan V. Memories of childhood and the Great Crusade illuminate the Primarch’s ordeal but are not entirely dependable. Andrew praises the way those separate strands build towards revealing Vulkan’s fate.
The collection brings together thirty-two stories and three comic strips about loyal and traitor Marines. Adam highlights the difficult duty of depleted Crimson Fists in One Hate. Flesh Tearers and Guard interact uneasily in Torturer’s Thirst, while Honsou seeks support from Huron in The Skull Harvest. Their different themes make the anthology useful for readers wanting a broad view of Space Marine fiction.
A short notice returns Darius Hinks to the King in the Woods. Daemons threaten Athel Loren while the Wood Elves search for a new mortal host for Orion. The timing of that renewal makes the invasion especially dangerous. The magazine provides the book’s premise rather than an extended review of its plot.
Graham McNeill continues the Explorator expedition beyond the familiar galaxy. Dan stresses that the large cast makes the preceding Priests of Mars useful preparation. Titan battles and immense destruction alternate with questions about humanity inside the Mechanicus. A conversation between Kotov and Galatea exemplifies the philosophical material beneath the action.
Blood Drinkers and Novamarines cooperate to cleanse a Space Hulk approaching the Ultima Segmentum. Genestealers supply an immediate threat, but hidden agendas complicate the operation. Adam especially praises the meeting of the two Chapters and their contrasting characters. The review finds the relationships as engaging as the action inside the vast wreck.
The codex and Damnos supplement receive electronic versions alongside the print releases. A second Space Marine Altar of War collection adds missions based on their battlefield methods. Munitorum, Index Astartes and Warlords articles provide more focused background and rules. The notices describe these separate digital resources without incorporating their full contents into the scanned issue.
The Glaive replaces a Fellblade’s main armament with an enormous volkite weapon. Power coils, cabling and a large turret give the shared chassis a different silhouette. Side lascannons and a front heavy-bolter mount provide supporting fire. Adam connects the carronade’s design to the smaller volkite weapons already carried by Legion infantry.
Forge World updates a large range of its war machines for the new Apocalypse system. More than seventy-five profiles and additional formations cover Titans, vehicles and huge creatures. War Zone: Vraks adds setting-specific history and missions. A visible Fellblade datasheet preview illustrates the sort of technical material contained in the book.
The event-exclusive Priest represents the secret lodges that influenced the Space Marine Legions. Horns, long limbs and unusual teeth give him a visibly altered body. An archaic flamer and an anathame reinforce his ritual character. The review connects the figure especially to the Sons of Horus and their induction into the lodges.
Simon Egan depicts Fulgrim moving with balletic grace over the fallen of Isstvan V. The Laer blade contains subtle Slaaneshi forms among its decorative details. Flowing hair, feathers and oath papers continue the sense of motion. A removable gaming base lets the elaborate display also serve on the tabletop.
The international Games Day programme leads towards its remaining events and competitions. Armies on Parade presents a public vote on complete displays. Golden Demon offers a separate focus on individual painting entries. Meeting designers and obtaining event-only products form other parts of the historical preview.
Owen imagines an Ogre mercenary force abandoning its former Ostermark employers to seek the power of Chaos. Different gods shape the units’ mutations and conversion parts. Elaborate Mournfang substitutes, altered artillery and large monsters extend the theme across the army. A display attacking an Empire town makes its betrayal visible beyond the individual figures.
Jervis uses his Altar of War work to explain three requirements for a special rule: atmosphere, enjoyment and clarity. Background creates an initial shortlist, but minor details do not all deserve mechanics. He avoids effects that merely remove an opponent’s enjoyable options and looks for clearer alternatives to rules needing many exceptions. The column presents design as a process of selecting and balancing ideas rather than reproducing every fictional detail.
Matt’s Black Templars seek Marshal Armante’s body against Andrew’s Death Guard and Adam’s Nurgle Daemons. Centurions destroy armoured units and the Hunter downs the Heldrake, but the Chaos alliance keeps threatening the relic. Malek Vos kills the Emperor’s Champion and later becomes a Daemon Prince. Neither side claims the body; Chaos wins a minor 2–1 victory through secondary objectives despite suffering severe losses.
A fallen Black Templar model turns the Relic mission into a recovery attempt for a Marshal’s remains. Ruined fortifications and a Skyshield create defensible firing positions around the central objective. Vanguard Strike determines the deployment areas. The account records how the armies arranged their reserves and lines around the normal mission’s primary and secondary points.
Glenn and Erik collect examples from the April Throne of Skulls event. Undead creatures, Nurgle followers, Dark Elves and greenskins demonstrate a broad range of approaches. Subtle blue shading enriches pale bone, while conversions add character to cavalry and chariots. The gallery credits the painters and highlights memorable details rather than supplying recipes.
Chris Peach builds a Mechanicus station abandoned after the first war on Damnos. Snow covers tiled traces of an older Necron surface beneath the industrial buildings. Modular components, reused offcuts and large breaches imply decades of damage. Red structures contrast with the frozen ground while a shared painting approach keeps the separate facilities coherent.
Glenn nominates the Arachnarok from a photographer’s appreciation of its detail at every angle. The tiny crew and underbelly spiders establish both scale and unease. Aly Morrison recalls a collaborative design growing from an earlier giant Spider Rider mock-up. A captive Dwarf, gnarled trees and small jokes retain the Goblins’ malicious comic character.
Andrew asks Jes Goodwin how successive Marine designs became distinct fictional marks of armour. A recognisable silhouette remains constant while helmets, plates and cabling change. The newer designers emphasise variety and the idea of equipment passed down through generations. Mixing components therefore expresses a veteran’s history as well as giving collectors more modelling choices.
An annotated selection identifies armour components in the new squad. Mk4 legs, Mk6 helmets and Mk8 torsos can appear beside more conventional Mk7 pieces. Veteran Sergeants use those combinations to imply longer service. The examples show how a collector can recognise and deliberately select the differences already present on the frame.
Eight illustrated entries trace armour from the Thunder Warriors’ incomplete suits to the rare Errant pattern. Crusade and Iron designs address early warfare, while Maximus and Heresy patterns reflect technical development and disruption. Corvus and Aquila supply more durable later forms. The guide also explains why complete historical suits are unusual within armies that repair and exchange their inherited equipment.
Jon completes the Plague Hulk and two Heralds, leaving the army’s units ready for the event. Converting Festus provides one distinctive leader. Attention now turns to the display board and a diseased windmill. A Siege Tower supplies parts for experiments with the sails, although the scenery itself has barely begun.
Carl recovers from the previous month’s delays by completing the Ogre regiment. Four Maneaters provide additional momentum and a more varied painting task. His garage now contains the materials for the board. With the army progressing, scenery becomes the remaining major stage of the display.
Eddie completes another ornate Wraithlord as a sentinel for the Black Library. He also develops converted Dire Avengers using Hellion and Scourge parts. Travel and the amount of detail keep that unit just short of completion. The board remains a marked-up tile with kits gathered for construction.
Dan gives his Ostermark army a strong anti-undead story through a converted Altar of Morr. Garden of Morr and Screaming Bell pieces combine beneath a modified Kyrinov. Flagellants become Bone Sifters tasked with preventing the dead from rising. Work on Greatswords, buildings and snow effects extends the theme across the full display.
Chris’s Mourngul receives stringy gore made from toothbrush bristles and built-up glue. Several reds establish the blood before a glossy final mixture makes it look wet. Skeletons, a Wight King and a Black Coach further expand the army. His display board has yet to appear, leaving scenery as the next major challenge.
Dominic adds more Fire Warriors, Crisis suits and a Piranha to his bright Tau collection. The early construction of his board leaves only its painting to finish. That preparation gives him confidence to continue adding models. The update contrasts his scenery progress with participants whose boards remain at the planning stage.
Nick uses a week’s holiday for concentrated work on the Blood Ravens display. A Dreadnought and Predator are the latest completed models. Fixing the tank’s weapons in position keeps them aligned with the intended scene. The entry shows the display’s composition influencing practical assembly choices.
Glenn spreads ornate new veteran components across an Ultramarines Tactical squad. An elaborate Sergeant and numerous purity seals make the figures feel experienced. Spare guns allow personalisation without stripping the original veteran unit of equipment. Scenic debris and selected older parts reinforce their gothic battlefield appearance.
Keith Robertson combines the new infantry kits with a restrained selection of older parts. A two-handed axe and carefully balanced poses make the alterations feel natural. Tactical Marines receive ornate guns and pads from the veteran frames. The examples show how compatible components can create individuality without conspicuous structural changes.
Mark Bedford builds Tactical and Vanguard units for his existing Astral Claws collection. Small changes to wrists and component angles create convincing movement. A hammer-wielding veteran balances the attack with an open hand. Reloading equipment and an improvised backpack icon give the line infantry their own individual details.
Dave Andrews demonstrates an alternative to time-consuming edge highlights. Very little paint and a dry, robust brush keep the technique controlled. Successive blues brushed downward establish the armour’s highlights quickly. The completed example shows how the method can produce a finished gaming model within a short painting session.
Dave scales the same rapid approach up to a Rhino using a large scenery brush. Blue passes define the broad armour before black details are restored. Textured dirt, pale drybrushing and a metallic wash give the tracks and lower areas a used appearance. The demonstration turns a basecoated vehicle into a finished model in under an hour.
Duncan recommends finishing at a stage the painter can confidently control. A wash and restored blue panels already create a usable tabletop finish. Further edge highlights increase definition through three progressively paler colours. Using the side of the brush and drawing it towards the painter helps keep those lines consistent.
Four short guides cover gold, black, silver and the exposed pilot’s face. Warm washes and bright metal separate the decorative trim from the cooler black edging. Successive flesh layers define the small head. Mounting it on a rod for separate painting preserves access to the surrounding collar.
Company trim colours provide a compact reference from the First to Ninth Companies. Red and white helmets identify Sergeants and veterans. Pencil outlines help establish Tactical arrows and campaign symbols before filling them with paint. The guide treats those markings as an optional next step after a confident basic finish.
Red lenses receive dark shading and a glossy finish. Heat effects use successive translucent colours over metal at the muzzle. Painted chips and drybrushed dirt connect the armour to its base. Turning the miniature upside down makes the second eye easier to reach consistently with the painter’s dominant hand.
Matt’s updated army scheme develops black armour with controlled grey edges. Pale cloth and stone use different sequences to avoid making every light detail identical. Red shoulder elements and pink-purple energy fields add stronger accents. The recipes can also inform other Chapters using black and white as their main colours.
Four sequences cover White Scars, Salamanders, Crimson Fists and Imperial Fists. Recess shading and restored layers keep pale, green, blue and yellow armour readable. The guide recommends a light undercoat and thin coats for strong bright colours. Each scheme provides a manageable foundation for a Chapter collection rather than an exhaustive guide to every detail.
Asked how to improve at Warhammer 40,000, Jeremy gives an answer broader than tactical advice. Evocative terrain and a finished army make the battle more rewarding for both participants. Suitable scenarios and a challenging opponent add depth beyond appearance. Most of all, good humour and concern for a shared experience make the other player want a rematch.
The anniversary feature explains how school clubs can combine short games with painting and modelling sessions. Regional heats lead to semifinals and a national final, while sportsmanship remains the highest accolade. New themed-army and objective-marker awards recognise further parts of the hobby. Practical suggestions cover finding a staff sponsor, gathering members and using local-store support.
A Thousand Sons prophet’s conquest and ascension leave the Vidar sector with a lingering warning of destruction. A displaced ruling family later degenerates into Genestealer worship. The campaign weekend is presented as an opportunity to determine the next stage of that story. Photographs also show earlier participants and the large engines used in their battles.
New Marine kits prompt more infantry, Chapter experiments and veterans across the team. Erik begins Iron Hands, while Adam weighs several possible new Chapters. Beth leaves the magazine team but intends to continue her hobby projects. Alongside those changes, Jes expands his Tau and the office keeps playing battles with its established forces.
After cooperating against the Black Templars, Adam and Andrew turn their whole Chaos collections against one another. Bloodletters kill Malek Vos and Screamers tear apart the Helbrute. Tzeentchian powers and repeated Daemonic attacks gradually wear down the Death Guard. Adam wins and immediately begins considering larger Daemons for the next incursion.
Dale Stringer and Tom Walton want anti-aircraft vehicles that still look ready for an aggressive Marine advance. Reinforced Rhino shapes and stabilising feet solve the apparent conflict between mobility and a gun platform. The Hunter recalls its Epic predecessor and an imagined complex missile system. The Stalker offers a more direct answer through overwhelming projectile fire.
Dave Thomas places the Centurion between Terminator armour and the Dreadnought. Familiar helmet shapes, power units and leg mechanisms keep it within the Marine family. A plausible internal pilot determines the floating knees, harness and imagined access from behind. Bare-head options preserve a human connection within the heavy machinery.
Robin Cruddace balances a shared Space Marine identity with Chapter-specific traditions. Separate histories and artwork make the main armies more than alternative paint schemes. He explains incorporating Black Templars into the larger codex while retaining their distinct units. Chapter Tactics are intended to turn those backgrounds into recognisable battlefield behaviour.
Kevin Chin describes using fiction and codex history as the foundation for illustrations. A scene of Imperial Fists and Ultramarines fighting Iron Warriors imagines an echo of the Iron Cage. Salamanders defending civilians express another Chapter’s ideals through pose and battlefield flames. Collaboration with writers helps those images add information rather than merely decorate the book.
Alan Bligh previews the next Forge World campaign book. Its history follows the build-up to the Dropsite Massacre and the opening betrayal on Isstvan V. Four Legions receive expanded treatment beside additional Crusade army units. Draft page illustrations show the developing presentation, with some placeholder text still visible in the reproduced layouts.
Phil Stutcinskas develops a main battle tank for the Legions. Accelerator weapons on its upper turret are intended to threaten both vehicles and infantry. Side guns add support. Keeping Land Raider and Predator models nearby helps him preserve a shared design language while creating a different hull.
Edgar Skomorowski translates the First Chaplain’s written description into a detailed miniature. Tiny script on the skull represents passages from the Book of Lorgar. Burning skulls and further runic decoration reinforce the Word Bearers’ identity. The preview connects the sculpt to Erebus’s central role in the betrayal rather than providing his game profile.
The early sculpt establishes an elderly figure enlarged through implants rather than a conventional Space Marine transformation. Terminator armour and lightning claws provide the basic outline. Edgar plans substantial further decoration around that structure. A wizened face makes the character’s unusual place beside Lorgar visible even at this unfinished stage.
All substantive new-release reviews, articles, seven War Diary updates, painting recipes, interviews, galleries, battle material and staff projects in the supplied September 2013 issue are indexed. Calth Blue and Naggaroth Nightshade remain the unusual names printed in these guides. Reproduced draft book artwork is treated as a preview, not finished supplementary source material. Routine prices, advertisements, directories, event calendars and the closing quotation are excluded. Substantive School League, terrain-display and campaign background features within the back matter are included where present; routine calendars and venue details remain excluded.