TOG I Tank Platoon on the workbench

I pre-ordered the TOG I Tank Platoon for Flames of War.

In the box are three models.

These are resin castings, each model consists of a pair of resin tracks, resin hull, and a resin turret. Also in the box are metal weapons and plastic crew.

The next stage will be to wash the resin parts.

The TOG 1 was designed in the expectation that battlefields of the war might end up like those of the Great War. Its specifications required it to be able to cross any sort of churned-up countryside and trenches. Armed with a 2-pdr gun and machine-guns.

I already have a pair of TOG 2 tanks on the workbench, which I really should finish one day…

Mark IV Tank

The British Mark IV Tank was introduced in 1917. It significant improvements over the Mark I Tank, and was the next step in tank development and deployment (the intervening designs being small batches used for training).

The “Male” tanks were armed with three machine guns and two 6-pdrs. Whilst the “Female” tanks had Five .303 Lewis machine guns. Additionally there was an unarmed version used to carry supplies.

The Mark IV was first used in mid 1917 at the Battle of Messines Ridge. It remained in British service until the end of the war, and a small number served briefly with other combatants afterwards.

I have been working on a metal 15mm Mark IV Tank for use with the Home Guard. Though I do really like the Flames of War Great War models, which have a lot more detail.

I also have a Bolt Action 28mm Mark IV Tank on the workbench.

I also have a gallery of Mark IV tanks from a wonderful 28mm demonstration game at GamesDay 2007.

Finishing the construction of the Grey Knights Jetbike

When the Dark Angels were released I really liked the Master of the Ravenwing on the “last” remaining Imperial Jetbike, so much so I knew I had to get one for my Grey Knights army, possibly maybe more than one!

Having unearthed the jet bike from storage I got around to finishing the construction of the model.

I did have a few issues, but that was more down to the superglue I was using, which took a while to set. It was quite a fiddly model and I am hoping that it will stay together as it is painted.

The next stage will be a white undercoat.

Goliath Truck

I managed to get a copies of issues #69 and #70 of Combat Patrol which came with the sprues for a Goliath Rockgrinder.

Good value at £19.98 compared to the list price for the Goliath Rockgrinder which is £42.50.

I think though I will build this as a Goliath Truck rather than the Rockgrinder.

Goliath Truck

Infinitely adaptable, hard-wearing and rugged, the Goliath Truck is a mainstay of the Genestealer Cults. Fast and manoeuvrable, it bounces around the battlefield laying down walls of gunfire, heavy stubbers and autocannons ablaze. Once dedicated to the shadows, the crew manning the Goliath – proudly emblazoned with insignia of the Cult – now do everything in their power to get as close to the enemy, screaming rapidly across even the most hostile terrain to slam open their cargo compartment and disgorge broods of up to 10 scuttling Hybrids.

Though a Genestealer Cults vehicle I am guessing that it can be used by the Imperial Guard or other forces, as it is for intents and purposes an Imperial mining vehicle which has been commandeered by the cultists.

I am thinking of either painting it as an Imperial mining vehicle, in yellow; or I am thinking it might be a commandeered vehicle for use as a Chimera stand-in for some Tallarn Imperial Guard.

Atalan Jackals as Tallarn Rough Riders

I managed to get a copy of #78 of Combat Patrol which came with the Atalan Jackals. Good value at £9.99 compared to the list price for the Jackals which are £40.

I am planning to use these as Tallarn Rough Riders.

You get four bikes and a quad bike.

Thinking about getting some replacement heads for them as well.

Empire of Man Witch Hunter

I was placing an order with Games Workshop and looking for something to add to ensure I could get free delivery. I found the online only Empire of Man Witch Hunter which I thought for £9 was cheap for Games Workshop.

Empire of Man Witch Hunter

Witch Hunters are ever vigilant for outbreaks of rebellion and myriad evil threats. These religious warriors roam the land in the service of all the great churches and temples, intent upon casting out that which their patron considers most evil.

This kit contains 3 metal components.

Might take a while to arrive, as I ordered with a made to order model.

Skaven

I think I got one of the first ever Skaven models released for Warhammer Fantasy Battle. I never had a Skaven army, though I have taken a number of photographs of the models at various shows and at Warhammer World.

Skaven Screaming Bell from GamesDay 2010.

These are some of my original Skaven models from the 1980s.

I always liked the flamethrower model and concept.

There are rules for the Skaven in Warhammer: The Old World and most of the models for Skaven in Age of Sigmar would work, well they would need new bases.

TOGII* Tank

Having pre-ordered some TOG I tanks I was reminded that I had seen the evolution of that tank, the TOGII* at the Tank Museum down at Bovington in Dorset.

Weighing 80 tons the TOG II* is the heaviest tank at the Tank Museum. It was designed on the premise that World War II would evolve in the same way as the First World War.

The Heavy Tank, TOG II, was a prototype British super-heavy tank design produced in the early part of the Second World War in case the battlefields of northern France turned into a morass of mud, trenches and craters as had happened during the First World War.

The tank was fitted with four different gun turrets between 1941 and 1944, ending up with the type of turret designed by Stoddart and Pitt for the A30 Challenger Heavy Cruiser Tank. This mounted a 17pdr gun, making the tank a TOG II*.

In the end it never went into production, but as part of the Flames of War Mid-War Monsters range you could buy it and use it in alternate history games. I bought a boxed set of three.

See the workbench feature on these huge tanks.