WHITE DWARF · NOVEMBER 2023
Raptors background and Crusade rules, Death Guard versus World Eaters, the Slidecrown Sundering and the first studio Legions Imperialis collections.
COVER TO COVER
In printed page order
Lyle Lowery celebrates the many ways people pursue Warhammer beyond painting and gaming. The Slidecrown campaign has inspired illustrated histories, stories and thematic photography, while handmade journals, props and inventive scenery show how an army can become the centre of a much wider creative practice.
Matt Taylor shares a collection spanning established, obscure and personally invented Space Marine Chapters, explaining the older miniatures and imagery behind individual conversions. Other reader models include a War Dog and a colourful Redemptor; Raul Berlinches Gonzalez describes airbrushed purple-to-blue armour and a green plasma glow. Ask Grombrindal considers why the Great Horned Rat remains an outsider among the Chaos Gods.
Chris Innes supplies the studio Ripperdactyl recipe and explains how to reduce the risk of freehand mistakes. Painting the wing markings over the basecoat before shading means corrections can use one known colour rather than an uncertain blend. Warm orange skin, pale membranes and darker brown markings are developed through the accompanying base, wash and highlight stages.
Campaign organiser Leila Appleton explains how she gathers games, painting and creative contributions, then turns the results into a newsletter that makes players feel part of the unfolding story. The Slidecrown recap lays out the Preserver, Obliterator and mercenary Rogue teams, the three campaign stages and the hidden scoring that moves the Withervane.
The Monsters and Machines painting challenge accompanies a monthly log for games, completed units and other club achievements. The feature explains transferring the previous score onto a new card, earning up to five points per month and using the rank system and journal spaces to keep a continuing record of hobby activity.
The first campaign stage branches according to whether the forest’s defenders or destroyers prevail, and both the victors and their supporting Rogues gain themed relics. Studio contributions put the system into practice: a late mercenary shift wins the Preservers’ campaign, while stories, artwork and a volatile Skaven–Tzeentch battle establish the armies’ personalities. Elliot’s red Slaughterghasts provide a compact painting example alongside the narrative submissions.
Rival commanders secretly wager how many enemy units they will destroy each battle round, then reveal their boasts and try to fulfil them. Vehicles, monsters and titanic targets carry extra weight. Ordinary objective control remains valuable, but the larger reward for outbidding and delivering more destruction encourages calculated risks and target selection.
This historical battleplan revisits Vandus Hammerhand’s attempt to prevent Korghos Khul’s ascension. The attacker must destroy a dread portal, treated as a defended target, while the defender can return destroyed non-unique units near it. The asymmetric objective turns the corrupted realmgate into the focus of the battle and recreates the urgency of the original Realmgate Wars clash.
An alternative ending to Ulfenkarn’s story leaves the heroes trapped in Haven as Radukar’s plans succeed. Starting at level one without equipment, they face twenty waves on a fixed defence map before confronting the Wolf King. Recovery, treasure, inspiration and advancement between waves provide a growing arsenal, but overlapping hostile groups and special events make survival increasingly difficult.
Stephen Box examines how movement changes a unit’s shooting opportunities. Heavy, Rapid Fire and Assault weapons encourage different positions, while shoot-and-move abilities, transport Fire Support and Firing Deck can combine mobility with protection or improved damage. Worked examples lead to a Space Marines-versus-Tyranids puzzle that tests firing order, target priority and the interactions between several specialist units.
Lewis Collins completes the Space Marines half of Leviathan with an efficient, weathered Tome Keepers scheme. A pale undercoat, wash and sponged chips establish the armour, then inexpensive crushed chalk adds dirt around joints and feet. Careful helmet and company markings preserve the Chapter’s heraldry, and separate treatments for the Librarian, Apothecary and bases keep specialist models recognisable.
Jack Masters introduces Surrey’s GR Meme Team, whose charity paintathon raised £3,000 for Mind and whose tournament approach combines preferred models with good etiquette. Reader and studio galleries celebrate monsters and machines, including an extensively converted Chaos Sorcerer, Jimbo Warth’s solar-system Hurricanum and Jes Bickham’s Psychophage. Painting notes explain rich purple, yellow smog and pallid swollen flesh.
The Raptors’ history explains how repeated isolation and heavy losses turned a Raven Guard successor into uncompromising survivalists. Their campaigns against Waaagh! Irongol, their varied recruiting worlds and their guarded home of Tarrengast support a culture of independent thought, reconnaissance and practical fieldcraft. The feature examines adaptable camouflage, close coordination with other Imperial forces and Lias Issodon’s precise command of dispersed strikes during the Indomitus era.
Raptors gain a survival-focused Agenda, an oath-keeping Requisition and Battle Traits that favour mobility, infiltration and ranged precision. Storm Speeders can become harder to hit or more effective up close, while infantry improvements support fighting retreats, extended ranges and early positioning. Holo-shroud and Sanctus Gem relics protect valuable warriors without changing the Chapter’s preference for efficient, carefully prepared engagements.
Rich Butler’s World Eaters face Pete McMullin’s Death Guard in a 2,000-point Purge the Foe game with minefields. Aggressive transports and tactical secondaries give the World Eaters early momentum, while the Death Guard’s durability, screening and counterattacks steadily erode their strength. A surviving Terminator and timely Tank Shock attacks become major moments in a narrow World Eaters victory, and the debrief compares fixed versus tactical secondary scoring.
Eight ’Eavy Metal painters use Corsair miniatures to explore contrasting interpretations of Aeldari pirates. Their entries range from warm leather and weathered metal to vivid orange, dark Commorrite luxury and shimmering jade, with conversions and elaborate bases explaining each character’s history. Jes Goodwin, Darren Latham and Gus Petrie discuss composition, texture and colour before unanimously awarding Max Faleij’s refined Void Dragon first place.
The Slidecrown campaign’s second battlepack moves armies into wetlands dotted with restorative Aqua Ghyranis lakes. Forces are capped at 1,500 points, battalions and faction terrain are omitted, and smaller objective ranges suit the compact board. Deep water restricts ordinary movement while nearby troops can heal, making the lakes both obstacles and sources of valuable respite.
Three objectives lie between four lakes, and one becomes the critical point each round. The trailing player chooses its new location, preventing a successful army from simply holding one position throughout the battle. Four rounds of unequal objective values reward flexible movement and make a timely inland push more valuable than a static line.
Armies compete for eastern and western pairs of objectives across lake-bound approaches. Controlling both ends of a pair grants a substantial scoring bonus. The losing army becomes defiant, ignoring battleshock and nominating a striking-first linebreaker, so a concentrated counterattack can reopen a bridge even after the initial positions have been lost.
An attacking army emerges through dense mist with a temporary protective ward. As the ambush develops, objective control becomes more valuable each round and destroying expensive enemy units supplies additional points. Extra command resources for the player behind in the score keep the late battle contested, rewarding both an early strike and a sustainable plan for the watery terrain.
The Mortal Realms warlords expand their armies with major characters, monsters and supporting units. Jake’s extensive gaming creates a strong points lead, while Laura experiments with grotesque conversions and Ant and Chris continue building their Destruction forces. The next challenge invites allied Vanguard collections, giving each painter a reason to branch beyond the original faction.
Jake Bowley adds a two-headed Boarshrine, a Lammasu-like mount built from Tauralon and Daemon Prince parts, and a personalised Karkadrak lord. Magnetising the rider allows different leaders to use the same monster. He also paints a Sylvaneth Vanguard in a month, using airbrushing, drybrushing and Contrast recipes for dark bark, mystical skin and fiery swords.
Ant Saliba develops Da Splintertusks through a lieutenant Megaboss, Brutes and a Weirdnob Shaman, using brass details to communicate rank. A second Megaboss receives a spear made from existing weapons and sculpted additions. His opposing Scioworms Idoneth test model adopts Fuethan-like red armour with green tassels, and its red and gold recipes are supplied for the planned expansion.
Laura Matarasso combines Lauka Vai with Alarielle and spectral robes to emphasise a noble yet disturbing Vengorian identity. Her Zombie Dragon uses Morathi and Dustback Helamite components, with bandages hiding joins and suggesting a stitched laboratory creation. A converted Necromancer and blood-soaked Bonereaper test model broaden the army’s story, with recipes for gore, black robes and tarnished metals.
Chris Charles adds spear-armed grots, Fanatics, Grinkrak’s Looncourt and Fellwater Troggoths. Red ropes inspire a rivalry between goblin mobs, while a small head-and-arm conversion distinguishes their champion. The Troggoths become an experiment in zenithal painting: airbrushed greens follow the pre-shaded surface, Contrast defines scales and separate recipes treat vomit and vines.
A battleplan generator combines six deployments, secret ruses, scenarios and twists into a large variety of straightforward games. Players draw dual-purpose cards to establish the shared conditions and keep their own tactical surprises hidden. Objectives can arrive late, disappear or become loot, while twists alter visibility, speed, healing and damage, letting familiar armies face unfamiliar problems with little advance preparation.
When springlike growth erupts out of season, Petyr recognises the Old Stag’s return and tries to protect his son Eoinn from the hunting call. Wax in his ears lets the ageing farmer resist the supernatural summons, but Eoinn refuses the same protection. Petyr follows him into a transformed forest and discovers that the familiar face he hoped to save has joined a merciless hunt against trespassers.
Dawnbringer expeditions are examined as self-sufficient moving societies, ranging from reconnaissance forays to immense Exodus Hosts. Infantry, artillery, floating metaliths, food supplies and specialist workers must all survive the hostile realms together. The feature explains the contributions of duardin and aelven auxiliaries and follows the transition from marching column to fortified settlement, stressing how rarely the hopeful venture becomes a lasting city.
Four Underworlds warbands receive fighter cards and abilities for Warcry: Skittershank’s Clawpack, the Shadeborn, Gorechosen of Dromm and Hexbane’s Hunters. The supporting rules explain faction and Grand Alliance eligibility, how a Bladeborn hero can bring companions and the restrictions on renown, injuries and equipment. An optional archetype house rule lets a group reuse the profiles for its own invented characters.
Studio hobbyists explain the inspiration for their first Legions Imperialis forces. Some reproduce existing Horus Heresy or Warhammer 40,000 armies at a smaller scale, while others begin from a campaign, formation or preferred colour. The examples establish how infantry, tanks and aircraft can form coherent starting collections before the armies expand.
Adam’s Sons of Horus Demi-Company represents early members of the Lodge of the Serpent and balances infantry, tanks and planned aerial support. Terminators, assault troops and Dreadnoughts establish an aggressive core. A turquoise Contrast wash over white supplies the sea-green armour efficiently, with red details making the tiny models readable.
Dan chooses a Solar Auxilia Armoured Company, using Arkad’s purple markings over utilitarian grey hulls. Drybrushing and a brown wash make the armour quick to complete, while brass trim gives the tanks a more ornate character. Thin pale weathering settles into recesses to suggest dust and sand.
Andy’s Desert Lions specialise in armoured and mechanised warfare, beginning with transported infantry and a full Predator squadron. Blue airbrushed over a shaded metallic foundation keeps the tiny vehicles distinct, while watery brown weathering suggests desert campaigning. Further Sicaran and Kratos formations are planned to strengthen the armoured theme.
Lyle builds a White Scars Armoured Company for Beta-Garmon, linking it to his existing Legio Astorum Titans. White tanks and red markings provide a bold visual identity, supported by Xiphon aircraft and plans for more fast-moving units. Drybrushing over the markings and sponge-applied brown chips quickly create campaign wear.
Matt recreates the Imperial Fists defending the Lion’s Gate spaceport with a Garrison Force and supporting Contemptor and Deredeo Dreadnoughts. Dirty yellow armour links it to his larger Horus Heresy collection. Successive yellow drybrushes and stippled damage preserve detail at small scale while making the force look battered by siege warfare.
The studio Succession campaign reaches an attempted coup within House Escher. Cyniss and the Chymist Covens oppose Adina’s anti-Goliath trade policy, and the resulting assassination attempt inspires the Parley Showdown scenario. Campaign games begin with restricted equipment before reinforcements arrive, producing brutal close encounters, shifting territory and a mix of victories for rebels, loyalists and unaligned gangs.
Rob Crouchley explores ash-waste mobility in his Escher gang through an assortment of mounted fighters and light vehicles. Escher Cutter components provide a starting point for riders on unusual constructs and beasts. Campaign earnings have gradually improved the gang’s equipment, and a newly acquired Cargo-8 Ridgehauler adds resilience that the lighter machines lacked.
Freebooter Aznab brings eager young Orks aboard an apparently loot-rich Imperial hulk, only to encounter traps and a murderous grot uprising. Painboy Stimma gradually sees the fragility behind his captain’s authority as the Red Gobbo’s followers whittle down the intruders. The Instigator’s final weapon is a story the survivors cannot resist repeating, allowing revolt to outlive the grot who engineered it.
Paul Foulkes adds two Rogal Dorn tanks to the winter Cadian collection previously seen in issue 492. Pale grey shading and drybrushing establish the snow-camouflaged armour, with defined grey patches and sponged black weathering. Wolfspear transfers provide the final identification marks, linking the large additions to the existing force.
The shooting puzzle solution begins with Sternguard firing into Tyrant Guard, then uses the Desolation squad’s different launchers against the wounded Screamer-Killer and the large Termagant brood. Freed from the monster, the Dreadnought can redirect its fire, while automatic-hit flamers counter the Leapers’ Stealth. The explanation shows why sequencing and splitting fire can solve threats that overwhelm a simple one-unit-one-target approach.
Sophie Bostock’s Space Wolves Demi-Company evokes the 13th Great Company with assault troops and Leviathan Dreadnoughts. Martyn Lyon’s Word Bearers combine infantry, favourite Sicaran tanks and Terminators. Their contrasting grey and translucent red armour recipes demonstrate efficient ways to distinguish Legion identity on the small miniatures without losing important details.