Hello once again and welcome to Issue 4 of The Astro Mag!

We have been very antsy to get this Issue finished before the release of the new Imperial Guard codex, and I have to say that our timing is perfect! I know many of us (including myself!) are starting up Guard armies in honor of the new, and long-awaited, codex so hopefully this Issue can give you some ideas for your new army. Even if youre not starting up, this issue is still packed with goodies for everyone! Were happy to have Steve from Turn Signals on a Land Raider draw up a nice comic for the mag, especially since Im a huge fan of the Emperors Pointy Sticks (even bought the dice!). Also, be sure to check out the Datasheet competition teaser; were hoping to get enough donations to be able to give the first place winner a brand new Stormlord or Stompa kit! More info on that later (it will be posted to our blog, so make sure you watch for it!). Well, I sincerely hope you enjoy this issue as much as all of us enjoyed putting it together and, as always, send us an email at theastromag@gmail.com to let us know what you think! For the Emperor! -Kevin Arkaedin Fronczak
The Astro Mag is a non-profit magazine and is in no way endorsed by Games Workshop Ltd. Challenge to their status is neither intended nor implied.

Table of Contents
40k in 2009: The Big Picture - Page 3 Preacher Battle Tank Conversion - Page 5 Rusting Tutorial - Page 10 Letters - Page 12 The Hobby Table - Page 13 Why Choose Imperial Guard? - Page 16 Converting the Black Reach Dread - Page 19 Turn Signals On A Land Raider - Page 23 Hold the Line Men! - Page 25 Spring Datasheet Competition - Page 28

EDITING STAFF
Chief Editor Kevin "Arkaedin" Fronczak Copy Editor Andrew "Deathboon" Kocher Artwork Editor "Skrall" Hobby Editor "The Pixel Guru" Tactics Editor Morgan "Consadine" Rinehart Fiction Editor Sean "Ziggy Tempest" Crowe

Artwork/Picture Contributions
Ron Saikowski at From the Warp Alex Battaglia at Terran Forge Kevin Fronczak at Terran Forge Hephesto at Heph's Forge

Getting Creative With the Guard - Page 29 COVER BY: Sani at Rajabersiong The Noseless Helmet - Page 40 Pask - Page 41 Imperial Guard Wargear - Page 43 Battle Report: Brother v. Brother - Page 49 Astro Mercenary Competition - Page 57 Color Fiction/Issue 5 - Page 58

A special thanks to all of those who submitted articles for this issue!

As a relative newcomer to the worldwide Warhammer 40,000 community (though not the game itself), I have seen one pervasive trend during my travels across community forums and blogs: complaints about Games Workshop. Most members of our community share their passion for Games Workshops products in a constructive and meaningful way. These individuals run the gamut of nationality, age, and income, each with their own unique reason for participating in this bizarre hobby of toy soldiers. However, I have seen an unreasonable proportion of community members whose only apparent joy in life is to lament about the things that Games Workshop has done to ruin the game they love. Whether their complaint is the dumbing-down of the rules in 5th Edition, an outdated Codex, the high cost associated with the hobby, or even complaints about broken army lists and rules, these community members tend to constantly focus on the negative aspects of our hobby. I want to take a few minutes of your time and ask that you mentally step away from the game table and think about the bigger picture of our little world. Games Workshop is a global venture with a small stake in the discretionary income of thousands of people around the world. According to Games Workshop Group PLC's investor relations FY 2008 information, the company

employs over 2,300 people worldwide, only 77 of which are in design and development. Consider this: other global companies often employ hundreds of thousands of people around the world. To say that Games Workshop is a small global company would be a significant understatement; by comparison, its your friendly local gaming store. We need to keep this scale in mind when we venture onto the Internet in search of the latest rumors about the next codex or model release schedule. It is all too common to find someone complaining about another delay for Dark Eldar, or to read that the older armies are not competitive in the current edition of the rules. These same people then go on to wish that Games Workshop would bring all armies

up to the current version, release the entire model range (including Forgeworld) in plastic, and fix all of the broken units and rules in the game. Well, this is simply impossible. With only 77 people designing three different major game systems, sculpting new models, writing background material, and occasionally dabbling in the design of specialist games or complete off-the-shelf games (i.e. Space Hulk), available labor is in short supply. Each army from all of the game systems is its own individual project that requires significant consideration of its associated development and production costs, risk, return on investment, and marketability (i.e. popularity), along with a myriad of other considerations. Each project starts its lifecycle with the overall good intention of becoming a great product for us, the niche consumers of Games Workshop, but not every project is a viable one to undertake. When we whine about (insert race of choice), there is just as likely someone in the Games Workshop design studio complaining about a manager that will not let them work on that same army. Unfortunately, not every race can or should be updated. Someone in Nottingham has to make the tough decisions, and, though a minority group of players may really love a certain army, sometimes it just does not make good business sense to pursue its

development at that particular point. Much as we all hate that Games Workshop does not always make the same decisions we would like them to, they do have to keep the continuing operations of the business and profitability in mind with every product decision they make. This reasoning keeps the Space Marines in the forefront of Warhammer 40,000 development. They are popular, easily relatable to the average consumer as the hero archetype, and, by now, are probably relatively inexpensive to produce, making them a sound product line to continually update. Moreover, this same cost/benefit mentality convinced Games Workshop to produce The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game at a time when New Line Productions, Inc. was reaping massive rewards from the release of the movies of Tolkiens classic series. These business decisions just make sense. The recent rumors of a new release of Space Hulk, which has apparently angered some fans who would rather have a new Codex for their army, is also a sound decision, should Games Workshop actually pursue the project. I can personally thank the original Space Hulk for bringing me into this hobby, and I know I am not alone. What makes Space Hulk and other complete off-the-shelf board games so important to the futur health of Games Workshop is their accessibility to consumer

beyond our local game stores. The possibility that someone could walk into a local toy store or mega-retailer and purchase a copy of Space Hulk extends their sphere of influence into the average home, ultimately generating new sales for the existing game systems. In a hobby advertised not through mass marketing but rather through word of mouth, it is imperative that our words and our corresponding actions support Games Workshop in every decision they make. I hope that by understanding some of the tough decisions that any business must make, especially in our current economic state, some of you will tone down your personal angst against Games Workshop. Instead of simply moaning about the lack of mission variety or the simplified rules, become an advocate for our hobby and get new players into the game. Sympathize with those new players about the cost of buying their first army, but passionately explain how rewarding it is to field a fully painted Ork horde or tank company. Encourage new players to buy whatever army or unit appeals to them the most, instead of telling them how difficult it will be to win with a Codex that is almost a decade old. Embrace new releases as if they will be the last, and figure out how you can help others choose what to buy. This is a hobby about playing a game

with little metal and plastic soldiers. There will always be poorly worded rules with loopholes and questionable interpretations that competitive gamers will exploit. No one army will ever be perfect, but some will be more competitive for a period following a new Codex release. Game mechanics like wound allocation, true line of sight, or kill points will always confuse or frustrate players hoping for a more elegant system. This is all healthy for the game, as it helps the designers determine what they might fix in the next release and what exploits to enhance further. In the end, none of our complaints really matter. Our passion for this game helps to clothe and feed the families of everyone associated with Games Workshop, its distributers, and its resellers, and that is an admirable thing. Many of us are fortunate that we can spend so much of our disposable income on a luxury like this hobby during one of the worst economic periods of human history. Take a few deep breaths and pat yourself on the back for doing your part to keep everyone affiliated with this hobby in business and helping to keep so many employed. Trust me, when you lose your job and find yourself spending too much time at home, you will be glad that this hobby exists to provide a harmless escape from the reality of your situation.

In this article Ill be walking you through my Renegade Battle Tank conversion. My goal here was to have a tank usable as a Chimera, Leman Russ, Rhino and Predator. With a little bit of work I have produced a model that can be used for any and all of these with only slight configuration changes. This conversion is very versatile, and with a little bit of work you could easily model this into a Hellhound or a Whirlwind. Ive used Chaotic parts, but the Loyalist Rhino kit should provide sufficient parts for an Imperial variant. Apologies in advance for the random placement of pictures; my whole room is my workspace. I also understand this conversion will be costly to most, but I want to share an idea that has dwelled in my Chaotic mind for a long time now. So, as shown above, I first gathered my parts. This included: - Chaos Space Marine Rhino - Imperial Guard Leman Russ - Plasticard - Parts cannibalised from my models and taken from my Bitz box - Movement Trays (the plastic is pretty tough and rigid enough)

This was largely a dry fitting process to see how compatible these kits really are. I also compared the tracks, but in the end I decided to use the Rhino tracks, as these would fit more easily. I also gradually cut down the parts on the Leman Russ with clippers and a razor saw so it would fit snugly into place. However, after a good hour of frantic test fitting and hacking, I got this:

The sides and the floor actually fit together with no hassle. So far I was pretty pleased and started to add a few other bits, like this door. Thats the interior door for the Rhino; I thought it would look cool on the outside (well, the hatch door, anyway!). You can see I have already started to remove the control panels from it as I think it looks a bit odd.

Next I took the top of the rhino chassis and chopped it up. This had to be done because the Rhino top wouldnt fit on and the sides would need to be covered up. I also decided the cupola slots could be employed elsewhere (if not salvaged by my Orks!).

The pictures to the right show what I would do for my main turret weapons. The Battle Cannon is from one of my many other Leman Russes, so it can just be borrowed. The other guns are from Imperial Guard Heavy Weapon Teams. These would be used for Lascannons, Multi-Lasers and Autocannons as well as anything else you can think of. Reloading happens from the back hatch by one of the daring crew (vent of the Leman Russ as the access point). If you dont like that idea (and I wouldnt blame you!) then Im sure a beltfed alternative would be fine, too.

Here Ive already started to fill in the gaps. Ive also made a gunner. Bear in mind that I made this vehicle to be configured into many variants, so these are just examples. The Lascannons can easily serve as a Multi-Laser as well (yes, Im aware of my trespasses here, thank you!). As you can see above, Ive positioned the spikes to cover some horrid gaps.

The little box is a Combi-Melta. Vassal users may have noticed I got this idea from Tim Davis. Hes a great hobbyist and Ive drawn a lot of inspiration from his armies, as Ive been to see them up close and personal.

So there we go! Thats one hybridised tank out there. I dont think Im the first to do this and I certainly wont be the last, but one of the things I love about this hobby is the more you see the more you are inspired to do your own stuff. I figure if I had bought a Razorback and attempted a Loyalist pattern then this would be easy. Ive test fitted my Heavy Bolters from my Land Raider and it fits fine. However, I would say a Predator would be best so you can utilise both the Leman Russ and the Predator sponsons, and Im sure it isnt beyond many of you to make such armament detachable for use on variant tanks.

Rusting is something so common we hardly give it any thought, yet as a painting technique it can be quite tricky to get the hang of. The good news, however, is that its actually quite easy. Rusting effects, contrary to popular belief, look better and are easier and more natural if you start with the rust and add the metallic edges after, rather than the other way round. For this guide, I will be using a flat base, but these techniques can be easily applied to other surfaces (tanks, armour, statues, et cetera). Paints Im Using (all Citadel): Dark Flesh, Vermin Brown, Fiery Orange Brushes Used:

Applying a basecoat of Dark Flesh gives us this:

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Now - stippling. An old, knackered brush is best for this, one with only the slightest bit of give in the bristles. Im using an old Large Drybrush.

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Now for the trickiest bit: the orange. Just a fraction too much can spoil the whole effect, so use it very sparingly, even more so than the Vermin Brown.

Next, take the flat drybrush, and get a small amount of your preferred metallic paint on the tip (just the tiniest amount for drybrushing). What we are going for is a slight chipped effect on the edges and a faint metallic sheen over the rest of the piece.

Well, there we are! If you want, a quick Devlan Mud or Ogryn Flesh wash will tidy it up nicely. Thats all there is too it - nothing too fancy or too difficult!

My dear mother, It seems like a long time has passed since I have written to you. Please know it's not for lack of want or will, but these xenos occupy most, if not all, of my time. It's hard to write when when you're staring at a hulking green monster who is perfectly capable of sending a man's soul to the Emperor with it's bare hands. I do not know why the Orks have chosen to invade this planet. The commissar says it's because the lust to fight and destroy all that which can lay their hands on. However, the men of this platoon, myself included, do not care as to why they have invaded. We care only that this planet is territory of the Imperium, and as soldiers of the Emperor, we are willing to fight to the death should it mean victory over our foes. We, the Imperial Guard, hold the forests. This planet has immense forests, which not only slow the enemy's advance, but give us ample covering to take them out while remaining hidden. The xenos send their smaller green-skinned kin ahead in droves with saws and explosives to clear the trees. Tell Papa that the shooting he made me practice day in and day out has helped tremendously. These orks are no harder to hit than the targets he flung all around. I hope to see both of you in good health within the year. Commissar Walking says the Space Marines, Emperor bless his finest warriors, are expected to arrive soon. I do the Emperor's will, my good mother. Pray for me. Forever yours, Marun

Norks Minis is a Miniature Commissioning service specializing in 28mm painting and conversions. It is run by Kevin an Patrick of the Terran Forge. Both Kevin and Patrick have been converting and painting miniatures for quite a long time. Their favorite hobby is Warhammer 40k and their commissioning service was established for the sole purpose of helping YOU, the gamer. If you head on over to their site at NorksMinis.com, you'll find that the quality of their miniatures are excellant and their prices cheap. If you need conversions, painting or terrain completed, the guys at Norks Minis are who to turn to!

Hello, readers! I'd like to talk to you about something even more important then painting skills, techniques or the like. Today, Im talking about the hobby table and its essentials. Any hobbyist has to agree that a place to put your paints, spare bits, brushes, and glue is much more useful then your own legs or the floor, or even an improvised hobby table (dining room table anyone?). Its true that in todays world most of us cannot afford the loss of space in a small apartment or house to work only on a hobby, but if you do have this space and want to start right away here are a few tips on what is needed to organize it properly and to make the best of your hobby table. What follows is a brief list of what youll need to start.

Glass Base

Heres a cheap trick that youll like. Glass does not accept glue, paint, varnish, caustic soda or even brake fluid - this means that you can stop worring about your tables safety, because as long there is a base of glass you wont have a problem. The removal of superglue, plastic glue, epoxy, paint, et cetera is extremelly easy: all you need is a sharp knife and a little scrubbing.

things to have around. You will need a rather bright environment, and so a good light source is needed. I use two cold light lamps, one 15W and the other 23W. Its ideal to have the light source suspended over the table, as this will help you a lot when painting or removing mold lines.

fingers and tools wet while working with epoxy, like Green Stuff.

Wet Palette

Water

Lamp

A good lamp one of the most important

Everyone needs water to survive, even your brushes, epoxies and paints! A jar and two or three glasses filled with water is great; one for dipping your brushes, another to thin your paints, and a third to keep your

If youve used Vallejo or Citadel paints, then you know that they can dry out pretty quickly. Well, the wet pallete doesnt allow this to happen because it keeps your paints moist by re-hydrating them as they dry. A small container and a few paper towels with grease-proof paper it are all you need to make your own wet palette. Dont forget to put some water on the paper towels under the grease-proof paper to make it wet!

Tweezers

You should have at least one pair of these. There are some bits that are close to impossible to hold in your fingers - tweezers can help. Theyre also useful to pick stuff out of a box or bag of bits, and to hold things together while the glue is drying. Remember, even superglue takes some time to dry on metal!

all the parts loose youll only need to remove the mold lines, but until that happens we need those.

X-Acto Knife

PVA Glue

Also known as white glue or scholastic glue, its great for bases and terrain. This glue takes a good amout of time to dry, so you will need some patience to work with it. However, the results are awesome with a bit of time and pratice.

Litter Bin

When you spend more then four hours painting at your hobby table, youll notice that you will rapidly accumulate a large amount of garbage - sprues, paper towels covered in paint or glue, plastic cups, food, miniaure boxes, epoxy etc. I highly recommend you to get a litter bin so you can clean up your table before calling it a day. It really helps to keep your workspace organized.

Also known as a utility knife or a hobby knife, its the kind of knife with a pen-like handle and a thin razor blade held in place by a screw-down collar. Let me explain why they are better then an ordinary razor blade. Some mold lines are extremely close to edges or are inside the legs or other small space of our figures. The ordinary knife may only scrub some of the heavier mold lines, but they cant help with the finer ones. The X-Acto knife may do it - the blade is quite small, thin, hard and sharp. Good for more then just cutting out imperfections, they are great for doing conversions, modeling, sculping, and anything else that you might want to do with a knife. A word of caution: this is a small and very sharp blade, and it can cut through flesh with even more ease than any other knife. Wounds on the inside of the hand take roughly three to five times longer to heal and can be very deep, so handle it with extreme caution!

the right brushes. Some are for details, some are for large areas, some are for dry brushing, overbrushing, et cetera. I work with brushes that are size 0, 00 and 000. Some people use even smaller brushes; unfortunately, I do not have many other options in my area. But for dry brushing, I find the best brushes are size 0 or 1 with a flat tip rather than the common round one. The flat brushes are better because they have only two sides to take the paint. Give it a try!

Plastic Glue

Wire Cutters

Brushes

The day that GW miniatures come with

Yeah, pretty obvious I know, but we need

Superglue, any kind of bonding glue for plastic, or maybe the GW glue - just pick the glue that you like best. I use a german glue that melts some of the plastic, bonding the two parts together permanently.

Epoxy or Green Stuff

We all know the wonders of Green Stuff and other epoxies, but do we know how to use it? Its a must have for your hobby table - practice, and learn to use it well.

There are other choices, like caustic soda (also known as lye), but theyre a little dangerous. Anyway, the brake fluid will just wipe out the old color scheme so you can repaint your mini.

Organizer

Paint

Isnt that what our hobby is all about? The best paints around are Vallejo and Citadel. Just go out and chose the one that you like most. Other paints may do well, too.

The organizer is just a small drawer that you may use to separate your bits and help reach them easely next time you need them. This is far better then wasting several minutes searching for a Purity Seal in a bag full of weapons, claws, wings and other debris.

Fixative Varnish in Spray Can

To protect your hard work and your models details and to get your minis ready for the table, you might want to spay them with some varnish. The varnish will cause your figures to become glossier, but it will endure the stress of packaging and unpackaging, playing and transporting. This is personal preference - if you like, use it. If you dont, then go spend your money on something else.

Paper Towels

The paper towl, or kitchen paper, is one of the best things around to dry brushes and clean any mess that you make, so keep some with you next time you work at your new hobby table.

Spraypainting Box

This one is a necessity. If you are going to spraypaint something, you have to do it in a exhausted box or in a well ventilated place! Fortunately, I have my own box in the room. Well, thats it. As you can see, when you get your own hobby table, the space you had for everything seems to be much smaller then you actually need. I now have two shelves and one filing cabinet to keep all my stuff, and its still not enough room! I hope that this article gave you the little push that you needed to start your own hobby table. Thanks for reading!

Brake Fluid

After some time you may want to paint your troops a new color scheme or repaint those old ones that were poorly painted and are all chipped now. The best way to do it without burying the model under a thousand layers of paint (and losing fine details in the process) is by submerging it in brake fluid.

The Guard have been described on more than one occasion as a Horde Army, this is true, but they are also so much more. To tell the God-Emperors honest truth, the Guard are not really the best army for beginners. I say this because unless you have the finesse or experience to administer them properly, you will probably loose more than you will win, especially in the beginning. The Guard are for players that have been around the block a few times. To play the Guard effectively, the player needs a cool head, and strong tactical acumen. But we will go into that more later. To start with, the Guard offers so many possibilities that there is no real one true fighting style that they employ, from the Ambushing stealthier of the Catachan

jungle fighters, to the fast paced Hit and run tactics performed by the Long Range Desert Group of the Tallarn desert raiders, or the Hard and fast massed armour charge of the Narmenian Armored Corp. These are just a few examples of the ways in which you can employ the proud forces of the Imperial Guard. Having said all of that, things are about to change. So here it is, coming soon to a store near you we will have a brand new codex. Though it has bee a long time in coming, this new codex (if all the rumors are true), is shaping up to be pretty good. At this point it is too early to say what will be in the codex, but as the rumors are rife throughout the webs, we can piece together a good idea of what is to come. In this article we are going to go through what we have, what may be on its way, and how to sort the old with the new. Currently there are four ways that the Imperial Guard can be employed, though of course you still, have to follow the FOC (Force Organisation Chart). These four types are:

LIGHT INFANTRY
Current Codex: Light Infantry is exactly that, infantry. This is the cheapest (Points-wise only Im

afraid), and most expansive that the Guard gets. On a single FOC, you can field a Command Platoon, which consists of an officer and his personal staff of four guardsmen, as well as up to five Support Squads, so that is up to five to thirty five men right there. You can then add your one other HQ choice for added flavour; this includes Commissars, Priests, and Sanctioned Pyskers as advisors. You have your choice of Elites, Hardened Veterans, Ratling Snipers, Ogryns, or Storm Troopers (Kasrkin for those Cadian players out there). This is another thirty infantry men. Then we get to the Troops, you have six slots available for these, and you have two options. The first is an Infantry Platoon: One command squad and two to five Infantry Squads, numbering twenty five to fifty five men. The other is the conscript platoon, also of two to five squads numbering twenty to fifty men. In this writers humble opinion the best to go for (and the most men by the way), is the Infantry Platoons giving you a further fifty five to three hundred and thirty men!! There are no real Infantry Fast attack units, though the Rough Riders do come close as mounted troops.

For Heavy Support you have the opportunity to add three Heavy Weapons Platoons for an additional sixty nine men. This Platoon is of similar structure to the Infantry Platoon. However, instead of Infantry squads, you have three squads of three heavy weapons teams. In this you have three options, Anti-Armour, consisting of Lascannons and or Missile Launchers. AntiInfantry or Fire Support, consisting of Heavy Bolters and or Autocannons. Mortar teams, consisting of three mortars. This is for a total of fifty five minimum, and four hundred and sixty five men maximum. A true horde!! New Codex: Through all the rumors it doesnt look like much is changing here, although it does look as though the structure of the HQ formation is being reorganized. Also, we have some new advisors that look very good as well. These are the Primaris Psyker, basically the Guard version of a Space Marine Librarian; The Fleet Officer. Word around the camp fire is that this guy will enable you to use Orbital Bomardments, as to how many and how frequent, its anyones guess; The Forward Observer, who has the capacity to call down artillery I presume. There is also talk that the Veteran squads are moving into the Troops slot, as a 0-2

choice. We also have the arrival of the new plastic Valkyrie so you should be able to tranport those squads all across the field!

heavy platoons for tanks and basilisks. New Codex: What seems to be happening here is a More Vehicles! focus. This I think is where the boys at GW are wanting us to head. Looks like the price of those Chimeras (points-wise), are coming down, there is also word that if all the squads in a unit are mounted in Chimeras, then you can add a Hellhound at no cost of a fast attack slot! A couple of platoons in Chimeras with Hellhounds, and supported by the new three to slot Leman Russ squadron, looks like the right way to go! Couple all those vehicles with the new 5th edition vehicle damage rules and you have a very effective and now, survivable force.

MECHANIZED INFANTRY
Current Codex: Though this requires the use of a Doctrine point, it is a very rewarding and useful employment of the Guard. The set up is roughly the same as with the above however you will need to watch some choices. The reason I say this, is that you will need to buy back with doctrines most of the specialist units, these are listed in the codex. You will also need to add a transport to each unit you take, so this can become more expensive (both in points and in ready cash!). A Techpreist is also a must in this situation. There is nothing more exciting than seeing a whole line of vehicles cresting a hill, the look on your opponents face when you unpack them is also worth it! This is also where you would start employing Sentinels and Armored Fist Squads, both are very good at what they do. Sentinels though have a low armour rating so be careful how you use them, always try to remember that they arent Dreadnoughts. Hellhounds are also a good Fast Attack choice for this unit. You can swap out the

ARMORED COMPANY
Current: This is where the real fun begins, Beware, if you employ this force you will be labeled a Tread Head! An Armored Company consists of Tanks, Basilisks, Hellhounds, and the occasional Armored Fist. The Armored Company also works in a slightly different way, as each vehicle acts as a slot on the FOC. For a single FOC you can field a maximum of twelve Leman Russ tanks and three hellhounds!! New Codex: Sadly for us Tread Heads it looks as though this style of Guard game-play has been relegated to the fields of Apocalypse. There has been no mention in any reliable rumors that the Armored Company rules are being updated.

line, and this doesnt look like it is going to change. However, the Guard more than make up for their low stat line in sheer weight of numbers! After all at the minimum, twenty five Lasguns can often do away with most other units. Though they lack the glamour of some armies they can also be the most interesting, and often the most rewarding. The potential for customizing and individualizing the Guard is quite likely what brought you to them in the first place. Many people play the Guard, because they remind them of Real-world forces because they are the closest army in the 40K universe to a real army. Although there are many pre-made regiments for you to choose from, there is also an incredible amount of latitude for you to create your own background and regiment.

Are you interested in submitting an article for the Astro Mag? Well, it's simple! Just send us an email at TheAstroMag@gmail.com with your article attached. If you have pictures or artwork to go along with your article, please attach them seperately and do not resize them or include them into your document. But make sure you let us know where they go! Again, just send us an email to TheAstroMag@gmail.com!

COMBINED FORCES
There is of course a fourth option, and that is you just throw caution to the wind and make a force that combines all the above three elements. Now that that is out of the way we can move on. In short, the Guard is complex and hard to play given their not so good stat

The Black Reach Dreadnought is a nice model to get the starter kit, but you have only one weapon option. Personally, I dont know any advanced 40k player who uses the Multi-melta. For example, playing against Tyranids, it would be less effective except against a carnifex. So I converted mine into a heavy flamer.

THE PIECES:

-The Multi-melta from the Black Reach Dreadnought -A two-piece fuel barrel from an Imperial Guard tank kit -An Imperial Guard flame-thrower -Green stuff -Cotton -Hair spray -Glue -Your modeling tools -Bitz for decoration

PREPERATION

Use your knife and remove the purity-seal. Do not cut those parts which look like fuel tanks. Cut until you get flat surfaces. Use one half of the barrel and as shown in the picture. Use the half without the buckles and remove the linchpins. Youll be using the bigger piece.

After that, you take the second half, the one with the buckles, and cut it as so:

BUILDING THE FUEL TANK

Put that previous piece over the meltatanks and glue it as shown in the pictures:

Glue that piece to the first part you made so that you get something like this:

Put green stuff in all gaps, especially the front opening and make all the surfaces flush with each other. You can also cover the details of the barrel with an extra layer of green stuff. Use some green stuff to form an edge for the tank like at the back.

THE IGNITION NOZZLE

Cut out the ignition nozzle of the Imperial Guard flamer. Remember to leave some solid structure so you can glue it to the arm. Glue the nozzle and a piece of the fuel hose from the IG flamer to the arm, below the melta barrels as shown in the picture

Use some green stuff to connect the parts.

ORNAMENTS

Use bitz to decorate the flamer as you like.

MAKING SOME FIRE!

Take some cotton and attach it to the barrels with some glue. Hit the cotton with hair spray until it is covered with plenty of the spray. Form the cotton into a flame as you like. This might be difficult because the hair spray is very sticky. If the cotton sticks to your fingers, use more hair spray to free your extremities. Advice For Painting the Flames: Use Blood Red for the basic color. You need plenty of it because the cotton is like a sponge. All this paint will need ample time to dry, overnight if youve used a lot. Paint the complete flame with Fiery Orange. Finally, highlight it with Golden Yellow, so that you get something like this:

"What is left, then? When you are all alone out there, in the darkness. When the sum of your possessions are the clothes on your back, and the gun in your hand, and all you have for armor is your faith. What then stands between you and the shapeless void? What can save you from being thrown into the fires of death, where there is naught but weeping, and the gnashing of teeth? Hold the line men! Hold the line! The Commissars voice was loud and harsh, but it was hardly audible over the sound of the thud guns firing. Our dirt-smeared Commissar stood tall, bullets pinging off of his reductor field, and lasblasts flashing and crackling away as they hit the energy-shield that protected the officer. His power sword was held high, and I watched as he brought it down, signaling the guns to fire. The sound of the cannons as they launched their ordnance downrange was deafening and the ground rocked with the force of the impacts. The six thud guns suppressed the enemy advance, raining hot death upon the foe with every barrage. Each thud gun fired four shells, all told, twenty-four explosive shells were launched downrange every time the battery fired. The shambling horde of filthy renegades

kept coming though, not following any genuine strategy or plan, only moving in an endless death-march. Towards us. We kept firing, kept blasting away, hoping and praying. Hoping we could hold them off, praying wed survive. Some were mockingly somber, others frighteningly feral, the very absurdity and confusion within their ranks making them at once both weak and strong. Some rushed at us with bestial fury, others walked with lilting steps, their plague touched limbs hardly bearing the weight of their bloated bodies. Why!?! Why were we on this Throneforsaken planet? This ball of mud was hardly worth the sacrifices. Half the Regiment. Half of us, dead for this worthless rock. What did we want this planet for? Valuable resources? Information? Honor? No. We wanted this world for freedom. To keep these traitors away from our home-world, to stop this dark crusade from penetrating deeper into Imperial space. We might die on this shellshocked world, all of us. But not in vain. Never in vain. No sacrifice ever is. We must hold them here! We WILL hold them here! The Commissar raised his sword once again, then let it fall a second time. I saw the blade glitter as a ray of sunlight hit it, a rare thing on this battlefield. These horri-

ble, overhanging clouds block out most light. My thoughts broke open as a screaming missile round impacted nearby. A missile launcher within the traitors ranks! I gripped my lasgun, and peeked over the top of the embankment. They were getting closer. I opened fire, my lasgun spewing fire toward the enemy. Several of my squad mates followed suit, aiming carefully, trying to find the traitor with the heavy weapon. The missile launcher fired for the second time, and I traced its smoke trail to the firer. I fired one shot, two, three. He fell, dead. Another soldier picked up the fallen launcher, and I shot him down too. My lasgun was running empty though, I needed to re-load. I dropped behind the embankment and swapped out my power packs. I placed my last fully charged pack into my lasgun, and then popped back up over the embankment. The thud gun battery sat on-top of a low hill, which had been reinforced with an embankment around the crown of the hill. Two squads of the Nelguardian 3rd Regiment were deployed on this hill to defend the guns. I was among the squad-members there. The missile launcher was fired again, this time it narrowly missed one of the guns. Commissar Kellik yelled out an order. Reconsolidate targets, gun 3! Take out that missile launcher! The crew of gun three

moved their four barreled artillery piece into position, acquiring a firing solution with their auspex. The gun roared out and the position was enveloped in fire and shrapnel. When the smoke cleared, there were nothing left but bloody bodies, and charred ones. Commissar Kellik yelled out again; Hold the line men! Hold the line! Today, we shall have our victory! He brought his sword down once more. The guns roared, and the enemy shrank back. Even though their numbers were un-countable, they still felt fear. Suddenly, the vox squawked out a message. Attention Quad Launcher Battery Alpha, close air support is now available. Light up your targets, and we will destroy them. Fleet Command is standing by, over. Commissar Kellick grabbed the vox receiver. Roger that, Fleet Command. Commissar Kellik here, call sign 33472. Air support will be much appreciated. These traitor scum are more resilient than they would seem. Over. Just give us the word, Commissar Kellik. We will be watching for your flares. For the Emperor! Fleet Command out. The vox went into a fit of static, and Kellik turned away. You heard him, men! Sergeant Nelson, take your squad, take the

flares and get them into the enemy ranks. I shall give you covering fire from here. Yes sir! My sergeant said, grabbing the satchel full of flares. Come on men, lets go! With these words, Sarge leapt over the edge of the embankment and plunged into the jaws of death. We all followed him. Lasblasts exploded nearby us as we charged down the hillside, firing blasts at the enemy horde. A shot to the face felled Halthar, and Blanes legs were shot out from under him, leaving cauterized stumps. Sarge held his chainsword high above his head, imitating Kellik, his mentor. Thud shells from the battery at our backs impacted with the enemy horde in front of us, and their effects were even more terrible when you saw them up close. I shouldered my lasgun and fired off a few shots. Others did the same. Accuracy was severely reduced when we moved, but you didnt need accuracy at such close range. We reached the horde, and there were bodies all around us, everywhere, the result of the thud gun barrage that had allowed us to move up. Enemies were still surging forward, stumbling over the bodies of their comrades. Some of them were normal men, just like us, but others were horribly twisted, spittle falling from their grinning mouths, their faces covered with boils and

pustules. Others ran at us, screaming at the top of their lungs, weapons held high, rage plainly apparent on their features. All of them looked at us with eyes that seemed to glow red. I just kept firing. The sergeant held them off, firing his laspistol and swinging his chainsword. He yelled at me, Set up those flares! One big pile, we want it visible! Then he went back to killing. I ran to the bag that had been dropped on the ground, grabbed it, opened the flap and poured the flares out. There were five, I set them to timed activation mode and then primed each one. As I worked, sergeant Nelson and the others held the renegade troopers off, forming a circle around me. Nelson yelled out Hold the line men! Hold the line! With the blessed battle cry of the 3rd ringing in their ears, the men of our squad re-doubled their efforts. I finished priming the flares and hit the activator switches, and then I yelled to the sergeant. Sir, flares primed and active, lets go! Good job kid! Move out A5!!! We tried. Throne, we tried. But our route was blocked. Too many enemies had gone around our little defensive ring. There were too many blocking us. Sarge knew. I knew. We all knew. Sergeant Nelson got on the vox. Kellik, order the strike.

No, youre sitting right on top of the flares! We cant We cant get out sir. Order the strike. No, not until youre out of there. Squad A4, move out! Kellik roared, his voice crackling over the vox. Nelson looked up, and saw the venerable Commissar leap the embankment at the top of the hill. The rest of the battery defenders went after him. Kellik held his power sword high; the blue energy field that wreathed it tinged his face with its unearthly light. The power sword descended, cleaving flesh and bone with an unnerving crackling noise that sounded like the laughter of a madman. Blood, sizzling from contact with the heat of the power swords disruptive field, splattered from the Commissars victim. The ex-Guardsmen fell, his face a visage of twisted anger as he died. Kellick fought through the wall of foes until he reached our defensive ring. We combined

forces to push back through the line of enemies. We sprinted up the hill; the snarling horde of enemies was at our feet. The first wave of defenders reached the embankment and leapt over it, reloading lasguns and preparing to repulse the foe. The second and third waves reached the embankment, men jumping behind the cover of the earthen wall. Dirt flew as boots impacted with the ground and the battery defenders prepared to fight off the enemy. I jumped over the embankment, rolling on the ground as I landed. Sergeant Nelson followed, and the Commissar, the last to fall back, came after us, slicing down enemy after enemy with his power sword as he walked backwards. He stepped over the edge of the embankment and ducked, giving the order to fire. Lasblasts impacted with the front rank of the enemy horde, ripping off limbs and sending gore flying everywhere. A piece of a renegades body hit the ground in front of me, oozing greenish blood and sizzling, yellow puss. I tossed it back over the embankment. Suddenly, the flares went off, the combined energy of five hundred grams of pure light-powder washed over our position. I felt my eyes burning as I looked at the luminescent center, where the flares were. I nearly went blind, but I turned away at

the last second. Then, the mini-beacons inside each flare went off, pinpointing the flare piles exact location. Commissar Kellick got on the vox. Fleet Command, this is Kellick, call sign 33472 Omega. Do you see the beacon? Roger that Kellick, this is Fleet Command. Beacon registered. Position locked. Excellent. Initiate Protocol BetaEpsilon. Calling Fire Mission. Roger that, request accepted. Routing you to the proper channel. The vox erupted into static for a few moments, until a modulated voice came over the speaker. This is Fire Mission Control. Please verify call sign. Call sign 33472. Please verify name. Ransom Kellick. Please verify rank. Commissar-Colonel. Please verify name. Oh for the love of Activate Protocol Delta-Omega, authorization level: Red. Authorization code: Warlord. Override active. Verifying target Kellik waited impatiently, gnashing his teeth. Meanwhile, we held off the slavering hordes of traitors as they attacked the hill.

Target verified, Authorization to begin Fire Mission? Authorized. Begin Fire Mission. Roger. Calling Fire Mission, Protocol Beta-Epsilon. Orbital Bombardment inbound. For the Emperor! The servitors voice faded, and the vox went into static again. Kellik hung up the receiver and picked up his power sword. He roared out a battle cry, the battle cry of the Nelguardian 3rd. Our battle cry. Hold the line, men! Hold the line!!! We roared back, our yells fading as the sounds of descending ordnance drowned out our voices.

Hello readers! We at the Astro Mag are holding a datasheet competition for our next Issue (due out in July) which focuses on Apocalypse! Full details will be released in the next few days on The Astro Mag Blog (so make sure you watch out for it!), but all it involves is you creating an original datasheet by May 31st and emailing it to me at theastromag@gmail.com. Whats in it for you? Well, assuming we get enough donations, we would LOVE to give away either the new Stormlord or Stompa kit as a first place prize (were 10% of the way to our goal: $150USD, so if you can spare a few bucks, you may get a brand new Stormlord or Stompa in return!). Also, the top three datasheets will be published in Issue 5 of the mag as well (and EVERY datasheet submitted will be compiled into a supplemental pdf available for download on the Mags blog). So keep an eye out on the site and well give you details and be happy to answer any questions you may have! -Kevin

Hidden in Games Workshops past is a vast range of amazing modeling and gaming ideas, many of which were released in old White Dwarf issues. Sadly many of us will not be able to find these long out of print issues and are as such really missing out. In this article Ill be reviewing some of the excellent Imperial Guard conversions which were found in issue 303 in the Abhuman Doctrine article as well as a few of my own suggestions. To start of Id like to thank the White Dwarf team for all the great stuff theyve put together over all these years. A special mention goes to Andy Hoare, Gabrio Tolentino and Gareth Harvey for their efforts on the original Abhumans Chapter Approved article! A quick word on adding converted squadrons or platoons to your Imperial Guard army. There are many different ways to go about using these converted Guardsmen, from a fully converted army, a few select veteran squads, a custom built Kill-Team to even a single squad or character. For each of the regiments and Ubhumans described in the rest of the article Ill give several suggestions on how to make them fit in. Naturally these are merely suggestions and I greatly encourage each and every one of you to put your imaginations to work and take these simple starter ideas to a whole new level! In fact these are merely ten examples of what you could do. 40Ks history is filled with great generals and characterfull regiments like the cybernetically enhanced Lostok 34th, the thieving Savlar Chem-Dogs and the treacherous Volscani Cataphracts. But thats more than enough introduction Id say, time to start discussing some regiments!

The Afriel Strain The product of a shadowy experiment hidden deep in the Imperiums past, the Afriel Strain was an attempt to combine the best qualities of the greatest heroes from amongst the ranks of various Imperial forces. Combining the genetic materials of what made these men and women great a new breed of super soldiers was created. Rumor even has it that the brilliant Solar Macharius was part of this sinister project. The project proved partially successful, as the Afriel troops were clearly superior to normal Imperial Guard troop. They are, however, not without their failures. Though stronger, more adaptive and resistant to battlefield conditions, they also trigger an unexplainable animosity in others. This guaranties difficulties when operate in unison with other Imperial forces, especially those with ties to the Inquisition. On the battlefield the Afriel troopers make for an unusual sight with their pale hair, near alabaster skin, colorless eyes and highly advanced equipment. To this day small groups of Afriels are spotted on dozens of battlefields all over the Imperium. Their origins and loyalty remain unknown and many an Inquisitorial associate would sacrifice whatever number of guardsmen needed to identify the organization behind these super soldiers. The Afriel Strain troops were first introduced in White Dwarf 303, an issue that gave us rules for Abhuman Doctrines for the Imperial Guard. Being a fan of adding unusual stuff to armies I wanted to add these guys to my army for quite a while. But just throwing together Catachan and Cadian bits didnt do it for me, but then a new kit hit the scene plastic Space Marine scouts. It took me ages to actually get around to converting and painting these lads, but last month they finally took to the field:

Bits you will need: - Space Marine Scout legs - Cadian chest armour - Catachan arms - Some lasguns or other weaponry - Human heads without helmet (more on this later) This conversion is in fact very simple, just glue a Cadian chestarmor to a pair of space marine scout legs. Add some Catachan arms, a lasgun and a helmetless head and youre basically done. In fact, the only thing you need to keep an eye on is the cloth in the neck you find on top of the Cadian armor. Some heads, particularly those of Catachans, will require you to trim this piece down in order to get a realistic head position. For those of you wanting to keep this conversion as cheap as possible, just scrounge some Catachan arms from a mate and buy a Space Marine Scouts kit. This way you will not have to look all over the place for spare helmetless heads, especially if youre not a big fan of Catachan heads. If on the other hand you want to give these guys the attention they in my humble opinion deserve then youll find extra bits, pieces and heads all over the place. Also keep an eye on the soon to come out Catachan Command Squad, tons of useful stuff on its sprues! For my own squad Ive searched all over the place to find various interesting backpacks, as well as extra heads. These have come from over a dozen different kits, from a Chaos Space Marine head, to that of a Black Templar, a Cadian sergeant, a Baneblade Commander and even a Forgeworld vehicle crew member. Though you might not expect it, several (Chaos) Space Marine kits actually have heads that fit quite well on Cadian-sized minis. To complete my unit I added a Sergeant, two Plasmagunners and a few special characters. Including a demolition expert, a comms specialist and a sniper with a rubber ducky on his base (dont ask). To finish things off I added some extra bits and pieces to several weapons to make them look a bit more rare and advanced.

The most important thing with Afriels is the color scheme though. It is best to get a nice pale skin tone going, combined with light grey hair. The rest of their equipment is entirely up to you, though dark colors with a few contrasting areas did wonders for mine. Given their secretive nature, increased toughness and specialist training, the Afriels are best suited to the role of (hardened) veterans. They may even stand in for Stormtroopers, though in that case youll have to do some extra work on their weapons to ensure they look up to the task. Another interesting option would be to replace officers with Afriels, positions in which they are certain to both excel and attract animosity of all parties involved.

Cardon 6th Jardoons Reavers Drawn from the Junker world of Cardon V, the Reavers first saw action during the Macharian Crusade against the Ork forces on Calvera. Their many light, fast moving vehicles and scouts proved to be a match to the various Cults of Speed they encountered. Over the course of the Crusade the Reavers suffered major casualties, yet never failed to achieve their set objectives. Initially know as the Cardon 6th regiment, they changed their name in honour of their fallen commander Jardoon of Dusttown. A man who had stood face-to-face with two mighty Ork warbosses, taking both of them down with his dying breath, trusty shotgun and a well placed, short-circuited plasma cell. In the battles following his fall many other officers of the 6th took to carrying a shotgun in addition to their other equipment. Over the centuries more and more regiments were drawn from Cardon V to serve in other warzones and to replace the fallen warriors of the currently serving regiments. One of these has remained in existence ever since the Macharian Crusade the Cardon 6th. They still have a deep-rooted resentment of the Ork, especially the tribes that operated on Calvera and still bear the name Jardoons Reavers with pride. Bits you will need: - Catachan legs and chests - Cadian Arms - Empire militia coats - Green and brown stuff - Helmetless heads - Some shotguns for the officers The Reavers are a lot more challenging to make. The challenge lies in both the scarcity of the trademark component and the extensive green and brown stuff work needed to make it work. The basic set-up is simple, just put together the Catachan legs and chest. Now you need to find the trench coat piece you can find on the Empire Militia sprue. Cut off the lower parts and secure them to the back of the Catachan chest. Due to the

rarity of the piece I suggest that those wanting to make more of them turn to using very thin plasticard or green stuff for the basis of the long coat. Use green stuff to build up the rest of the chest armour and the coat. Ive added a simple green stuff collar to emphasize the miniatures look. All that is left now is to take a helmetless head and cut of the nose and part of the chin to make room for a green stuff respirator. These guys are raiders, striking at enemy convoys and supply stations before disappearing back into the night, so lightly mechanized forces could really use some Cardon reinforcements. Some chimeras, a sentinel or two and some rough riders would make for a very nice Cardon detachment. The complexity of the conversion work would mean that making a lot of them will be very time consuming. So only having to make two dozen for those few fast, armoured units is still feasible.

Frateris Militia / The Cult of Redemption Fighting for the cause of the Ecclesiarchy, numerous Frateris Militia run amok throughout the Imperium of Mankind. Though poorly equipped and not an official part of either the Ecclesiarchy or the Imperial Guard, these large groups of zealous warriors take to battle with frenzied bloodlust. Some militia have recruits, or brothers, who formerly had military careers in the PDF and Imperial Guard, so the Militia are not entirely without training and strategy. Though they certainly make up for any lack of training or equipment with selfless sacrifice. Often lead by Confessors, the Frateris Militia fight as an unorganized, yet zealous rabble. The more desperate the fight, the more willing they will be to fight to the death to prove their devotion to the Emperor. One of the most famous of these Militias is without a doubt the Cult of Redemption. Originating from the Hive World of Necromunda this Cult seek redemption for themselves, Necromunda and mankind in its entirety by means of cleansing the sinful. The methods by which they seek to root out these sinful are far from subtle, but no less effective. Through force and by the chainsword and purging fire the Cult has spread throughout the Imperium. Though they perceive all creatures to be sinful, they have focuses on three particular sinners; the culprits, the psyker, the mutant and the Heretic. And in particular this last one is to be found everywhere, for all those that deny the truth of the Redemption are automatically deemed heretical. Though unpredictable, the Redemptionists make for an excellent tool in the hands of the agents of the Inquisition and the Ecclesiarchy. Bits you will need: - Empire Flagellant bodies and heads - Cadian arms and weapons - Green stuff - Imperial Guard accessories

Another fairly simple, yet quite striking conversion. Take the body of an Empire Flagellant and glue it to its base, next glue on the Cadian arms and Flagellant head. Nearly all of the Cadian arms will fit perfectly, in fact only the bare feet need some attention. Just add a tiny bit of green stuff to turn those feet into boots! To finish off the Militia add some Imperial Guard accessories here and there. For those interested in the Redemption Cult or Necromundas House Cawdor adding a simple green stuff hood or facemask will do the trick. The Frateris Militia are an ideal way to add a little Ecclesiarchy touch to your army which can be emphasized by adding Priests and Preachers. At the same time using Militiamen instead of normal Guardsmen will give you a very themed ally to use alongside Witchhunters and other Inquisitorial agents. Finally you can always make a single squad to use in your Kill-Team and Necromunda games; especially if youre a fan of Necromundas house Cawdor!

Garlan Union I actually built this guy for the Bell of Lost Souls Macharian Crusade competition. The name Garlan Union was in fact added by the editor of the Macharian Crusade booklet, since the regiments original name was very similar to that of two other entries. As a result theres no background on these guys whatsoever and given the higher level skill needed to make multiple of these guys I figured it best to keep them in here merely as an example. Bits you will need: - Catachan legs and torso - Cadian arms - Sentinel drivers head Glue the torso and legs together and onto its base. Next shave of any excess equipment that could be in the way of the armour. Then grab your green stuff and a healthy dose of patience and start layering on the chest armour, the leg plates and the reinforced boots. The chest armour in particular is best tackled in multiple stages. Add the Cadian arms and the Sentinel drivers head and youre done one elite trooper at your service. Given the complexity and time needed to make these guys Id suggest either using them as Stormtroopers or as commanding officers. They have an elitist enough look about them to fit perfectly into both roles. In addition I can imagine they would also work quite well as Inquisitorial Stormtroopers or Henchmen.

Homo Sapiens Variatus Throughout the uncountable systems that make up the Imperium large numbers of human mutants can be found. Those that combine the appearance of both humans and animals have been dubbed degens, beast or twists. These mutations take a broad range of manifestations, yet unlike normal mutation they appear to remain fairly stable over generations. They are considered Abhumans, rather than mere mutants and as such they are put to use in the Imperial Guard. A Degens temperament is quite suitable for its beastial appearance, making them ideal for suicidal assaults where their brawn can make all the difference. Yet their undisciplined and unsanitary ways do not make them favorites with many more organized regiments. To ensure that other Imperial forces will not mistake them for followers of the ruinous power, they are often forced to wear purity seals and devotional banners. Bits you will need: - Catachan sprue - Beastmen heads The Imperium is very intolerant towards mutants, particularly those showing any kind of link to the ruinous powers. As such it is best to avoid horns and the likes, so youll need to remove any horns from Ungor heads, while at the same time not adding the normal horns to Gor heads to make these Abhumans introduced in WD 303. This will leave you with a bit of extra work on Gor heads, as youll now have to either remove the hair and add some green stuff to make a bald degen or add some extra green stuff hair.

Personally Im leaning more towards using only Ungor heads, they look just that tiny bit more human than Gor heads. Beyond that were talking about building a Catachan warrior with a simple head swap. Naturally you can take it much further by adding purity seals and extra close combatoriented gear. And to make certain your other troops wont open fire on what they might think are Chaos mutants a good old fashioned banner with some Imperial scripture on it does wonders. These guys dont like discipline, love a good brawl and will most likely be thrown into the fray by those who dislike them. So use them as such, give them a Chimera, some flamers and get-a-fighting! You may want to make a full platoon of them, in which case it may be a good idea to include a normal human as commanding officer and a priest or two to keep them in check. Another role for which these brutal Abhumans would be suitable is as pilots of flamer Sentinels. I can imagine Catachans would get on with these guys like a house on fire!

Itharan Rifles Ithara has been home to major hive cities for over twelve millennia. Yet despite the huge pollution and waste produced by the uncountable Manefactoriums, the planet still sports great forests. And for millennia the sons of the ruling classes of Hive City Primandis have hunted the gruesome Itharan Grintax in these forests. Using nothing more than an old fashioned hunting rifle, a weeksworth of emergency supplies and a dozen bullets each young man ventures into the unknown. The Grintax is an extremely resourceful predator, normally content in living far away from the noises, scents and lights of the Hives. Yet when its territory is invaded the beast will stalk its prey until it either slays it or is killed. The ensuing hunt can last from days to months, though in the end only one can survive. Those that make it out of the forest with a trophy of their kill will be permitted to return there each successive year, each time to stalk a bigger, more dangerous Grintax. Those that survive till their twentieth year will be inducted into the Imperial Guard, where their marksmanship and hunting skills have earned them a legendary reputation as snipers and assassins. Bits you will need: - Cadian torsos and legs - Cadian arms - Glade Guard cloaked heads - Glade Guard cloaks - Vox caster - Vernaculars Glue together the Cadian torso and legs and remove the neckcloth segment of the torso and the armour extention on the back. . Next take the lasgun arm and cut off the top barrel. Now grab the vox caster and cut off the long antenna. By removing the round end and cutting the antenna in two you can make two sniper rifles barrels. Glue the new barrel to the lasgun and once it is stuck attach the old barrel to its end.

Now take the vernaculars which you can find on the weapon team and tank accessories sprues. Cut it in half and you have a lens to add to your sniper rifle. Theres usually a small gap in the middle of the two segments that you need to filled up with green stuff. Next glue on the arms and get a nice pose going. There are two sets of arms that place the lasgun close to the body, this will give a nice sniperpose. Next take the Glade Guard cloak and cut off the arrow sticking out of the quill. Personally I rather like to keep the rest of it as really gives them that extra special touch. But if you dont like it, just cut it off and use green stuff to repair any damage you did to the cloak. All thats left is to glue on the cloak and head and perhaps fill any minor gaps with green stuff and you have yourself some snipers! These guys are definitely intended to be nothing more than snipers with a bit of extra background story. Depending on the new rules Ratlings might get in the soon to be released new Imperial Guard codex, they could also stand in for them.

Nightsiders The life of the average citizen of the Imperium is already hard, but there are worlds where they do not even get to glimpse at a rising sun. Worlds, so hazardous that its inhabitants are forced to live in subterranean cities or mining facilities. Worlds where they are only safe from the deadly exposure of solar radiation on the planet's nightside. Through the millennia the people of such worlds have managed to adapt to the darkness, some through the use of technology, others by genetic adaptation. Inhabitants of such worlds, often referred to as Nightsiders, have evolved to compensate for the limited light by enhancing their other senses. Some now have bulbous eyes that will react to even the smallest difference in light. Others no longer have functional eyes, instead relying on their other senses to survive the hazardous conditions of their homeworld. Bits you will need: - Cadian torso, arms and legs - Catachan heads Put together the Cadian parts as you would normally do. Next take a Catachan head and shave of any hair or bandana it may be wearing. Next use green stuff to restore the shape of the head. Once this green stuff has dried use a very small extra amount to fill up the eye sockets. Nightsiders are a bit of an oddity even amongst the oddities of this article. Were dealing with halfblind soldiers who rely on sense of vibration, hearing and smell to orient themselves. Some may have some tech to ensure they actually see something, but they are still basically blind. Given this unique condition it would seem odd that these warriors would be unleashed onto the noisy battlefields of the 41st millennium. But that wont stop me from giving some suggestions, the first one is simple. A full Nightsiders army based on an

underground mining facility, complete with digger Russ tanks, blind Slave Levies (also included in this article) and tremor cannons. It would indeed be a lot of work to get everything in this army to work out visually (no pun intended) and logically. But it would make for something truly unique. A second option would be equip them with heavier armour, weapons and a Termite Tunneller (deep strike) and you have another unique unit to add to your army.

Slave Levies The Imperial warmachine is fueled by uncountable factories, ammunition plants and refineries on a hundred times a hundred worlds scattered throughout the Imperium. These manufactoriums are more often than not manned by one of the lowest classes in Imperial society mutant workers. Constant exposure to toxins, radiation and backbreaking labor have taken toll over the generations, resulting abhumans deemed impure by Imperium standards. They do, however, serve a purpose as their remarkable strength and endurance make them ideal for the toiling labor in the factories of many an underhive on many a world. When true desperation takes hold, it is not unheard of to mass thousands of what are practically slave laborers into fighting units. Such a force is usually accompanied by large number of Preachers, whose sole task is to drive the slaves to acts of heroism and sacrifice. All in the hopes that this final act of loyalty to a society that treats them as nothing more than a resource, will lead to forgiveness of the sins of imperfection and the Emperors foriveness. Bits you will need: - Catachan or Cadian kneeling legs (Weapon Team) - Catachan heads - Catachan arms - Space Ork torsos - Green Stuff Creating these slave levies will take a moderate level of modeling experience, though the only truly more advanced part is making their hoods. To start out glue the weapon team kneeling legs to your base. Next take the Ork torso and cut off the round bottom segment, sometimes you will need to trim a bit of the right side as well to make certain it fits onto raised leg. In addition you may want to remove any spiky bits from the torsos to make them look less Orky.

Next come the arms, due to the increased bulk and low head you will not be able to use to normal holding lasgun pose for these guys. For the rest you merely have to cut the other arms at a slight angle so they fit in front of the larger torso. For the other arms just take the support hand, cut of the hand and glue it on the other side. Time to move on to the head. Simple cut a Catachan head in two and take the top part of like in the picture. Next glue it to the Ork neck, perhaps at an angle to enhance the slaves pose. After this add a simple green stuff hood to cover the neck and top half of the Catachan head. Finally add some details like a shovel and other industrial worker-related bits and youre done! Id almost feel sorry to use these poor souls, then again these are desperate times! Well first off, just for good measure Id replace any commanding officer of a group of Slaves with a preacher-type of character. Having a leader who is really talking them forward will add a lot to the feel of a unit. A second option is to use their strength to your best advantage use them to drag around ammo and heavy weapons. Place a few in each squad carrying around extra ammo, weapons and whatnot.

Subs Subs are the most despised mutants in the Imperium, save perhaps for those who willingly turn to the worship of the Chaos Gods. Though their mutations are relatively stable over generations, their appearance is so disturbing that they are forced to live separately from the rest of society. Downtrodden, poor and weak these abhumans fall prey to such hardships as the overzealous actions of the Ecclesiarchy and the great temptations of corruption and heresy. Though it has been rare, the Imperium has used these miserable creatures as expandable troops. They will only receive enough ammo, equipment and rations to survive till their first major engagement. Bits you will need: - Cadian legs and arms - Plague Monk hooded heads - Tubes and/or guitar wire - Flagellant torsos (see below) - Green stuff I used Flagellant torsos, with the robes cut off. If this is too much hassle for you, then I can recommend clothed Catachan torsos. Id suggest avoiding the armoured Cadian torsos though, way too good stuff to waste on Subs! Once more glue the Cadian legs to their base. Next take the torso of your choice and make a small cut on the front side in such a manner that it can be placed on top of the legs in a forward leaning position. Next attach the arms and if you want make some minor changes to the lasgun. I first removed the front barrels, than I cut off the front of the barrel and glued it back onto the front of the lasgun. Using this method you get a more compact lasgun, which really fits well with the stumped pose of the Subs. Next take the Plague Monk head and cut off the Skaven nose. Drill a few holes with a drill bit and using a modelling knife to cut a hole into the hood. Finally glue the new hood unto the torso and use some green stuff to

fill up any holes. To add some extra variation you may want to add some tube here and there as well as few improvised breathing apparatus. And another gem from White Dwarf 303 can be a part of your army. They are ideal for a themed army whos survival odds are seriously low. When things get tough, who you gonna drag forward to soak up the incoming fire? Thats right, half a dozen Sub squadrons!

The Zombie Plague As Abaddons forces prepared for the 13th Black Crusade, the Imperiums outposts surrounding the Eye of Terror were struck by a wave of visions, signs and worse. The most gruesome of these portents was without a doubt the Zombie Plague. Believed to have been engineered by agents of the Dark Mechanicus, the virus proved extremely infectious. Those that died rose again to strike at the living with undead hands. Entire worlds were overrun as agents of Typhus of the Death Guard infiltrated and spread disease, the victims of which increases the deathtoll exponentially as the dead rose once more from the graves and battlefields. Even those worlds well-entrenched and prepared soon discovered that the Zombie Plague could strike where ever the dead were left unattended for a short period. And even the most pious of followers of the Emperors faith were stuck down by it, as demonstrated when the Governor Secundus of Cadia collapsed and his stronghold had be declared Unclean and sealed forever. Though after the 13th Black Crusade the number of infections has subsided somewhat, the Ordo Sepulturum and the Thorian Inquisitor are still investigating the origins and a possible counter-virus to the plague. Bits you will need: - Cadian chest and leg pieces - Ghoul arms and heads - Loose Cadian helmets - Green stuff To take the plague to the battlefield youll only need a few bits from two different kits and some assembly time. Start out with gluing the legs, chest and base together. Next there are several things to keep an eye on, first the ghoul arms. As youve undoubtedly noticed by now, these arms fit directly onto the Ghoul torso. They need some work to fit the Cadian torso though, in particular the shoulder segment will need to

be cut off. After youve attached the arms to the torso we can turn to the new bits the head. Simply put a small drop of glue on the Cadian chest and attach a small ball of green stuff. Let it set for a minute and attach the head on top of the green stuff ball. If need be put a tiny bit of glue on the head and attack it to the ball. So now the head is attached to the torso, but the middle segment of the neck ball is still soft. So you have quite a lot of time to make changes in the heads position. Plague Zombies are definitely out for your normal Imperial Guard army, no general in his right mind would go within a hundred yards of one of these gruesome creatures. They are, however, perfect for Apocalypse games.

Hello once again Astro Mag readers. I know you all like conversions, so why not do a Space Marine helmet modification? Its not really a true conversion, but it makes a good helmet for a Company Champion. Shall we begin?

There are some details that need to be removed really, you only need to cut off the small tubes on the front of the helmet. Do not cut anything beyond the divider! You may now start to shape the helmet, first by removing the excess plastic on the borders and giving it a more round shape. Remove the excess in the mouth of the helmet. The goal here is to make it plain and smooth; you dont want any kind of groove here!

Since you have the knife in your hand, take off some of these nasty mold lines and make it look a little better!

Enjoy your new Company Champion helmet! I hope you liked my little tutorial. Thanks for reading, and see you next issue!

You will need a basic Space Marine helmet. I dont use the beaky helmets because I like them too much.

The Hand of Steel lurched to a stop as a vicious autocannon shell punched through the front hull and claimed the life of Crewman Tress. The soldier's body exploded in an array of fabric and blood, splashing Knight Commander Pask across the face and decorating the drab gray of the cabin. Pask thrust the shell he was holding into Crewman Janna's hands and grabbed the controls of the Leman Russ, swiveling sharply on the stick and throttling forward, bringing the tank skidding out of the way as another burst of autocannon shots sailed through the air, harmlessly whizzing into the space Hand of Steel had occupied less than a second before. Janna, take the wheel! Pask barked, jumping back and grabbing control of the now-loaded turret. He spun it around to face his target the Damnation Eternus, a lumbering Chaos Titan, looming above the Cadian 423rd Armoured and dominating the Battlefield with five others like it a full Titan legion, unresplendent in black armour perforated in a dozen places with dents and gaping holes, and decorated with a variety of horrific adornments too abhorrent to describe. Charge! screamed the Knight Commander in a voice hoarse from the hot air in the cabin. He spun the turret around, mentally envisioned his shot's trajectory and fired the battle cannon. His aim was

true, and the shell soared straight into the mechanical ligaments beneath the Titan's left leg's armour, the leg bent just enough to leave the vulnerable spot ever so slightly exposed. There was a resounding explosion as Damnation Eternus faltered and staggered, swaying to the side sluggishly and struggling to keep upright, its leg sparking as armour plates grated armour plates, the entire limb sparking and fizzing with a noise akin to chalk scraped across a board. You want to charge it? howled Janna in disbelief, hands unmoving. Do it, soldier! Frak that! You're ins- Pask drew back a fist and punched the crewman in the back of the head, rendering the man unconscious and cutting him off midsentence. The Knight Commander grabbed the soldier by the collar and tossed him back, grabbing the controls himself once again, and sent the Hand of Steel plummeting straight towards the mighty Titan. A pair of colossal arms bore down on the speeding tank and opened fire. The ground shook, and Pask fought to keep balance, one hand clutched tightly around a metal beam, knuckles white. Plumes of dirt and rubble decorated the air as Hand of Steel precariously wove its way through the rain of death. Knight Commander Pask could hear Crewman Vett

whimpering, muttering to himself meekishly, the gunner's eyes shifting about feverishly as he clutched a pendant in his hand. The Emperor protects, the Emperor protects, the Emperor protects... The commander ignored the man's mutterings as the Leman Russ made a beeline for the Titan, explosions of fiery plasma washing over the rear of Hand of Steel. The already-stuffy crew compartment lit up in a drastic temperature increase, the armoured womb steadfast becoming a burning tomb. Commander, critical meltdown! Crewman Lorre cried out desperately, coughing as he loaded the battle cannon, tunic saturated with sweat. Pask liked Lorre the soldier managed to keep his senses together in even the most dire of situations, which was more than can could be said for Vett. The man frantically clawed at the walls of the Russ, tears streaking his face as he sobbed deliriously, a series of explosions rocking Hand of Steel and ripping holes into its hull. Damnation Eternus raised one of its massive legs to move forward, foot rising above the ground. Darkness enveloped the Hand of Steel. Vett began to scream, sobbing miserably; Lorre was stone faced and grim as he made the sign of the Aquila. Pask, however, merely laughed at his crew's distress and, with a sharp twist, the Leman

Russ pivoted on the spot many times over, speeding out of the way in a roundabout manner that brought it in between the Titan's two legs. Hand of Steel came to a stop poised directly towards the back of its foe, burnt out; the tracks were so much liquefied scrap metal. Commander, Lorre shouted, Engines are critical! We're as good as dead out here! Pask was not to one to waste time on words. He threw Lorre off of the firing platform and took command of it, hastily swiveling the cannon upwards and firing. The shot punched through the Damnation Eternus's back torso. The shell tore straight into the heart of the mechanic giant and pierced its plasma reactor. There was a chain reaction as Damnation Eternus detonated in a dozen different places,

exploding in a glorious blast that set the sky on fire as shrapnel descended on the battlefield below. Damnation Eternus buckled and collapsed in on itself, landing metres away from the Hand of Steel with a resounding, glorious explosion shook the very earth, the ground rumbling, quaking with the anger of the Omnissiah himself; the impact left a scar in the surface of Cyfia that would forever be a reminder of the massacre that took place there. Plumes of smoke rose into the air and danced amongst the cackling fire of the dead Titan, shrapnel strewn as far as the eye could see. For a short moment, the air was still, the battle quiet as all watched, tantalised by the death of a god. Knight Commander Pask reached down and grabbed the next shell.

With a new codex next week, many of you are turning to the Imperial Guard. However, there is one problem that I have run into, again, and again: the lack of actual GW produced wargear for the Imperial Guard. While much of this will be covered in the future releases, there are other options. Converting your own is often cheaper and almost as easy. Thats why I got into conversion in the first place, lack of funds. In this article I intend to explain and demonstrate some of the most basic possible conversion opportunities-specifically for wargear. Some of these can be done with a simple specific paint job! What You Need: -All the GW components come from the three most common Cadian Imperial Guard sprues: Cadian Shock Troops, Heavy Weapons, and the Tank Accessories sprue. -Exacto knife -Glue -Plastic. Plasticard is probably best, but I will be using a bit of a blister pack because it is readily available. -Metal Coat Hangers. These are rather hard to cut, but very useful. Dont use your GW clippers unless you want to go buy some new ones. I use a hacksaw. -Twist Tie Wire. I got a spool of it at the dollar store. -Green Stuff. Not really mandatory, but very useful. -Paint -Pin vice drill So, lets begin!

Denoting Officers Well, this one can be a bit tricky, unless you want to go out and buy the static command set, but wheres the fun in that? The simplest way to do it is to take the pointed cap from the Tank sprue and slap it on a tank officer Cadian body. Instant officer.

Pistols Hey, the tank sprue has a holstered pistol on it! Throw that on a model, and it can be whatever pistol you want. Hot Shot Pistol? Sure. Plasma Pistol? Why not? Las-pistol? Naturally!

Bionics Of all the conversions on this list, this is probably the most difficult. Many people choose not to model on the bionics or just paint a hand in metal. This, in my What-You-See-IsWhat-You-Get mind, is not enough. Materials: Limb, Wire, Coat Hanger.

The first step is to carefully cut the limb that you want to put the bionics on. Then carefully cut a piece of metal coat hanger to fit where the limb was cut out.

Next reattach the extremity. And now you have a bionic limb!

Then take some extra wire, and attach it to the sides, like pistons.

Carapace Armor Greenstuff. This one is kind of difficult. But not impossible, and is a great one to do for beginning GS sculptors. All you need to do is roll the GS into small (and I mean SMALL) balls. Then you put them where the armor plates would be, and flatten them. This is a good way to become more acquainted with GS. Material: Bodies and Green Stuff. First thing, you scrape the pockets off of the legs. Then they are part of the carapace armor. Use some GS to extend the regular armor down to the belt. Then if you notice the Kaskrin models, they have little plates around the skirt add those. Next you put some a small globe of GS on each of the joints, elbows and knees. Then flatten those with your GS tool. Put a big cuff of GS around the sleeves. Now, if you are feeling ambitious, you can try to do the rebreather on the face. This is pretty difficult, and the one pictured here is my first attempt. So, the next one will probably be better, but I include it here to give you an idea.

Power Weapon Now this one is probably the one you came to see. Now, Im going to forgo the stereotypical power sword here, because for one thing, they are very hard to do. And second, a power axe is just so much cooler, dont you think? Materials: Plastic Card, Coat Hanger, Wire, Bits from the Tank sprue.

First, take a chainsword and cut the actual chainsword bit off. You may want to keep it for the Eviscerator.

Then glue a piece of coat hanger onto the hilt

Take either the Aquila or the winged skull from the Tank sprue. Cut the opposite wing off of one side. Take a right wing off of one, and a left wing off the other.

Cut a piece of plasticard in the triangle shape for the axe blade. Then glue the axe shape directly to the coat hanger. This is very difficult-be careful not to glue your fingers! Glue the two centers with the wings so that the wings fly backwards.

Thats good. Now if you want to get extra fancy, fill the gap with green stuff. Then run some thin wire down the haft and along the blade. Put a dollop of GS at the end of the wire as the power conduit

Refractor Field Another fairly easy one. Since the refractor field is apparently just a sheet of metal. It is fairly easy, just use a piece of plastic, cut to fit over the top portion of a torso. I colored it to make it easier to see, but it makes it look like GS. Master-Vox This one is fairly simple. Materials; One vox backpack from the Cadian sprue, and the Spotlight rest and Spotlight Casing from the Tank sprue.

Purity Seals Easiest if you have a Space Marine player as a friend who you can trade with. An easy alternative is making your own. Cut a few small strips of paper. I mean tiny! Then put a thin layer of PVA (white) glue over it to cover it and protect it. Finally take a small sphere of GS and flatten it.

First cut off the aerials from the top of a regular vox unit. Take the spot light base from the Tank sprue and cut off the bottom protrusions, you may want to file the holding axle as well, so that it can be mounted anywhere instead of the straight forward it was designed for.

Eviscerator A cool double-chainsword thing? Thats so easy. Materials: Two chainsword arms from the Cadian Shock Troops sprue. Take two of the chainsword arms. First remove the chainswords from the power couplings. Make sure you clean the uneven bits off the bottom of the chainsword. Clean the excess chain links from ONE of the chainsword arms. Glue the two actual chainsword bits together.

Glue the spot light base to the top of the vox unit. Glue the long whip aerial in the center of the spot light. Makes a cool radar dish looking thing!

Then glue the new double chainsword and glue it to the chainsword base. Now, if you are feeling up to the task, go ahead and green stuff the gaps.

First take two pieces of clothes hanger and glue place them together to form a T. This can be difficult if you are not careful. I suggest doing it on a piece of paper, rather then on your work surface. That way if the glue spills, it just goes onto the paper. Then take the two symbols from the Tank sprue, either the Aquila or the flying skull and set one down, and pour some glue onto it. Then put the glued T on top of it. Once the glue dries, then glue the other symbol to the other side.

Standards Standards are easy as well. Materials; Two winged bits from the Tank sprue, and two pieces of coat hanger.

Take a hand that is meant to hold a pair of binoculars from the Heavy Weapon Sprue to have the trooper hold it. You may want to reposition this hand as needed. I hope you all enjoyed this article as much as I did writing it. At the very least I hope this article gave you a few ideas for your inevitable Imperial Guard or Renegade army!

Knights of Orion

Aurora Chapter

HQ Chaplain 120pts - Jump pack, Melta Bombs Troops x10 Tactical Squad 180pts - Plasma Gun, Heavy Bolter Rhino 35pts x10 Tactical Squad 180pts - Plasma Gun, Heavy Bolter Rhino 35pts x10 Tactical Squad 210pts - Power Fist, Melta Gun, Las Cannon Rhino 35pts Elites x5 Assault Terminators 200pts - 5 Thunder Hammers/Storm Shields Land Raider 250pts Iron Clad Dreadnought 135pts Drop Pod 55pts - Deathwind Missile Launcher Dreadnought 115 pts - Plasma Cannon Fast Attack x10 Assault Squad 215pts - Power Fist Heavy Support Whirlwind 85pts

HQ Chaplain 130pts -Terminator Armor Troops x10 Tactical Squad 205pts - Melta Gun, Plasma Cannon, Power Fist Rhino 35pts x10 Tactical Squad 190pts - Flamer, Plasma Cannon, Power Weapon Rhino 35pts x10 Tactical Squad 230pts - Plasma Gun, Las Cannon, Power Fist, Plasma Pistol - Rhino 35pts Elites x5 Assault Terminators 200pts - 3 Lightning Claws, 2 Thunder Hammers/Storm Shields Land Raider 250pts x10 Sternguard 250pts - 2 Combi-Meltas, Power Fist Rhino 50pts - Extra Armor Heavy Support Predator Destructor 85pts - Heavy Bolter Sponsons Predator Destructor 120pts - Las Cannon Sponsons

Game Type: Capture and Control Deployment Type: Pitched Battle

Knights of Orion: The three empty Rhinos are moved forward, creating a mobile wall for which the assault squad can safely advance behind. The Ironclad Dreadnought drops in the far left corner in between two enemy tanks: one Rhino and one Predator Destructor with Heavy Bolter sponsoons. The Iron Clad shoots his melta gun into the rear of the Predator, blowing it to oblivion.

Aurora Chapter: A Rhino backs up to the Drop Pod in order for the passengers to have a clear shot at the rear armor of the Iron Clad. The Plasma gunner rapid fires into him and rips off both arms.

Objective count:
Knights of Orion: 1 Aurora Chapter: 0 (contested)

Knights of Orion: The Rhino wall moves 12 inches forward with the Assault Squad following close behind. The Land Raider barrels forward and deploys the Terminators in front of enemy Land Raider. The Deathwind Launcher on the Drop Pod fired at the nearest Rhino, while the Iron Clad moved to block the only exit open to the marines inside. The Missile destroys the Rhino, and since there were no safe escape routes available to the marines, they were destroyed as well. The Assault Terminators rush the Land Raider but do no damage.

Aurora Chapter: The Land Raider moves out of combat with the Terminators and deploys their Terminators in response. These Terminators rush the Knights of Orions terminators and kill 3 where the Knights only kill 1.

Objective count:
Knights of Orion: 1 Aurora Chapter: 0 (contested)

Knights of Orion: The Assault Squad jumps in between two enemy Rhinos. The Combat Squad containing a Power Fist and Melta Gun immobilizes a nearby enemy Rhino while two Plasma Guns wreck it. The Marines inside immediately disembark. The Assault squad manages to stun one nearby Rhino while the Terminators further east on the field are all cut down. Aurora Chapter: The Rhino which was attacked by the Assault Squad moves forward and deploys a ten man squad of Sternguard Veterans who rapid fire their bolters using the Vengeance rounds. Due to overheating, 3 of the Sternguard are killed while only 3 assault marines are cut down. The Land Raider fires a Las Cannon shot and destroys the Plasma Cannon-toting Dreadnought and a Melta gunner in a Rhino finally kills off the Iron Clad dreadnought. AssaultTerminators destroy 2 Rhinos, but they remain where they are: maintaining the armored wall. The squad in the wrecked Rhino to the South East assaults the nearby combat squads and kills them all, suffering only two marine deaths.

Objective count:
Knights of Orion: 1 Aurora Chapter: 0

Knights of Orion: Land Raider moves in an attempt to cripple the opposing Land Raider. Assault Squad kills a Sternguard with a bolt pistol shot and assaults them, killing all but the Sergeant of the squad. The two squads defending the South East objective open fire on the nearby enemy squad and wipe them all out. Aurora Chapter: The Predator Destructor with Las Cannon sponsoons manages to kill the Land Raider while their Land Raider wrecks the Knights last Rhino. The last tactical squad for the Aurora Chapter assaults the Assault squad and slices down one marine while the Assault Marines cut down the last Sternguard and three Tactical Marines.

Objective count:
Knights of Orion: 1 Aurora Chapter: 0

Knights of Orion: Assault Squad kills 2 Tactical Marines and the Tactical Marines kill 2 Assault Marines. Aurora Chapter: Terminators assault the Assault Squad and kill the Chaplain and the Assault Squad knocks off one more Tactical Marine.

Objective count:
Knights of Orion: 1 Aurora Chapter: 0

Knights of Orion: Like last turn, equal damage is done in the Western Assault with one enemy Tactical Marine dying and one Assault Marine dying.

Aurora Chapter: Terminators finish off the Assault Squad.

Objective count:
Knights of Orion: 1 Aurora Chapter: 0

Knights of Orion: This turn the Knights of Orion were not able to do any damage with all shots fired either missing their intended targets or failing to wound.

Aurora Chapter: The last three marines for the Aurora Chapter embark on their Rhino and speed towards their objective, snatching it for the first time in the game. The remaining Predator, which has survived a tremendous amount of fire without taking a scratch, zooms towards the Knights long-held objective and contests it.

VICTORY FOR THE AURORA CHAPTER!

Final Objective Count: Knights of Orion: 0 (Contested) Aurora Chapter: 1

Astro Mercenary Contest Results Weve just concluded another, very fun painting and conversion contest, this time round the theme was the Mercenary. Which, in addition to being a great Iron Maiden song, gave our participants plenty of options. For 40K they had to come up with a mercenary drawn from some yet unknown species, while WHBF was focused on creating a non-standard human soldier-for-hire. In addition each entry had to be accompanied by either a description of the Xenos race of the Hirelings background. After a few weeks of sitting on the edge of my seat to see what people would come up with we have ourselves four very nice minis, all of them with their own background! First was Scoppios Bizantinos lizardlike merc, whos origins lay in the Eastern Fringe, while his equipment is Greater Good-supported. Next was Carrelios scratch build Dark Elven Sorceress Ghost taking its vengeance on traitors all through the WHBF world. This was followed by Fire Hartes Akkatara merc, a tribal race distrustful of technology. Though from time to time some younglings will be drawn towards to stars by the promise of adventure, wearing their characteristic grotesques they make for some very dangerous close combat fighters. That is if you have enough credits! And finally we have another mini by talented painter Eodred, this time hes gone with a banished Dwarf called Odri. A tormented and gifted individual, whos mere name is enough have Night Goblins shacking in their boots. Not that this takes a lot. The combine scores of the three judges ran very close, with a mere 6 (out of a 100) points difference between the first and last place. But in the end we got ourselves two well-deserving winners. Taking first place we have Fire Hartes Akkatara, whos pose, background, cool base and menacing looks really made it stand out from the other entries. Followed by Eodreds demented Dwarf, the amazing paintjob and amazing gear really make this another gem. The same is of course true for Scoppios and Carrelios excellent minis. But its a competition so there can only be one (or in this case two) winner(s).

Fire Harte's Akkatara

To check out more pics of the winners, including the fluff behind the entries, just follow these links: Fire Harte's Akkatara Eodred's Dwarfen Wizard Scoppio's Bizantinos Carrelio's Mateus

A shower of psychic sparks burst forth from the metallic piping, illuminating the corridor ahead. It had been a long while since Brother-Captain Zhen had used such mental exertion, and his left hand smouldered from the release of such continuous arcs of power. Readings remain off the scale Brother-Captain, Zhen glanced at the device that was offered to him for inspection as the unit pushed further in to the obscure Webway construct. An eyebrow was raised. Perhaps this is not such a frivolous waste of resource after all Brother Justicar? There was a momentary silence between the two marines at the forefront of the group of Daemonhunters. It just seemed too good to be true Brother-Captain. One should not read between the lines, but hidden there for those who searched were treachery and foul play. I am not disagreeing with you Olta, Zhen pointed out in to the incalculable expanse that had opened up in front of them, but if we must do battle with a million tainted creatures of this realm to reach the Khan of the Scars.. A blast shockwave reverberated through the gargantuan edifice, and a loan figure appeared from the cloud of dust and debris. Zhen turned to Olta. Our names become etched within the tales of the End Time this day my brother.

ISSUE 5: July 2009 APOCALYPSE EDITION

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