Spoof Review: January White Dwarf 2013

As I didn’t review last month’s white dwarf, I thought I’d have a go at January’s instead. Here is the cover image according to pazio.com. I don’t know why I was expecting them to use the cover from codex Dark Angels? I guess this art work is in the codex somewhere, but probably in black and white.

The first thing I actually noticed about this white dwarf was the page count. Not really much thicker than “old white dwarf” It looks like the beady one has not eating all the mince pies over the Christmas period. As expected the issue is dominated by this months releases. With Dark Angels being released this month this promised to be a great issue for 40k players; and it is. There’s a nice write up on Codex Dark Angels from author Jeremy Vetock (not Matt Ward). Who explains a little bit about the dark clouds that surrounds the Dark Angels reputation as well as why they use so many plasma weapons.

New Units

The new flyers don’t disappoint apart from not having any transport capacity. I really like the new veteran style bikers and their bikes, which are like the ones on Dark Vengeance. I was still hoping jetbikes would make a return to the ranks of the Space Marines, but Sammual is still on the only man who get’s one. I can still hope for a White Dwarf update!

New Models

You still can now buy a plastic box set of Dark Angel Terminators with out having to buy an upgrade sprue to convert them. And who was expecting a new Tacical Squad for the space marines this month, maybe next month? I’m glad to see the Deathwing terminators box set is not just a rehash of the bits you got on the old upgrade sprue (which is still available to direct order). Or Dark Vengeance for that matter. It’s more like the Grey Knight Terminator set with all sorts of extras you don’t get in a normal Terminator box. The one casualty of this new release is the old Death Wing metal terminators, which hasn’t been available for a few weeks now. A lot of the old Metal Dark Angels have now been released in Finecast.

The Battle report is a stonker! They have put Chaos up against the Dark Angels. Given both are 6th Edition codex’s and have flyers and access to flack missiles It was sure to be an interesting game. I won’t spoil the outcome, but it’s well worth a read.

Jervis managed to get away from his normal one thought coulomb and wrote about the way Games Worksop are now trying to be more balanced across their releases, sighting the inclusion of some new models for the Hobbit as well as new Dark Angels this month.

Again I didn’t see the point in Jeremy’s coloumb. I’m personally finding having both Jeremy and Jervis writing about nothing in particular abit of a muchness. However Blanjitsu was as always a great diversion from the main corporate push. I’ve been very critical of his art in the past but I think he now add’s a very important roll in the hobby and hope he never reties.

The rest of the issue is taken up with some Warhammer conversions and article on Which Warhammer General is he best. There’ also a small section on the White Dwarf teams every growing armies.

As always there is the latest from Forge World and Black Library including the the new Betrayal book ( I always like looking through these pages even if it’s just a recap on what Forge Wolrd released last month).

So there you go another review from me without actually having seen the White Dwarf in question. I wonder how much of this will be correct?

Rumours: Clues to the new Dark Angels Units

The new Raven wing novel, gives some clues on what new units may appear in codex Dark Angels.

Black Knights: Veterans of the Ravenwing possibly an honour guard for Sammael.  Mounted on bikes (not jet bikes sorry) equipped with plasma weapons. Lead by a Huntmaster and all armed with Raven headed Thunder Hammers.

Vengeance-pattern Land Speeder: A new class of Land Speeder armed wiht lots of plasma weapons.

Darkshrouds: Based on a normal Land Speeder. They carry a plasm powered shrouding devices in the form of a statue from the Dark Angels fortress. The field is mean to be large enough to cover a landing Thunderhawk.
Dark Talon fighters: Armed with Hurricane bolters  (no clue on appearance or transport capacity)

Nephilim fighters: Armed with Avenger bolt cannons and Blacksword missiles, (again no clue on apearance)

cswang  on Warseer 1st spotted this.

Remeber these units are now offical background so may or may not be in the codex.

Ben

Rumours: 40k Releases in 2013

This one has been up on Bell of lost souls for a little while now.

Little birdies Rumour

1st Quarter
December-January: Dark Angels
February-March: Chaos Daemons
March: 40K Miniatures Wave

2nd Quarter 
May: Tau Empire
June: 40K Miniatures Wave

Waves are rumoured to contain
Ork:  buggy, wartrack, new Battlewagon, deff coptas, flashgitz and tankbustas
Flyers :  Eldar, Tau, Tyranid, Dark Eldar kits
The order is not known

 

Rumours: The Dark Angel Chaplain in Dark Vengeance wasn’t Limited edition ?!?

Yes you’ve read that right. Rumour has it that only thing that was Limited edition about the limited edition box set of Dark Vengeance was the box!

via 75hastings69 on Warseer
I did hear the chaplain fron DV would be available as a clampack but no idea when.

via shaso_iceborn on Warseer
I have heard both the DVish interrogator Chaplin and Radagast will be available after May and June of 2013 respectively.

It was rather odd for Games Workshop to make a limited edition plastic model. Can you name another? Just like the Wall of Martyrs was a limited edition box with plastic’s kits that would be available separately with it. It’s rumour the plastic Chaplin will resurface next year. I guess it’s going to hit as part of a 2nd wave of Dark Angels releases.  I imagine those who only bought the Limited box set just to get this model are not going to be happy. I haven’t gone back and studded the wording in white dwarf, but I’ll leave you with the wording from White Dwarf Daily.

“The first thing you’ll notice about the Dark Vengeance boxed game is that it is Limited Edition. This is because it includes an exclusive model – a Dark Angels Interrogator Chaplain that will only be available in the first production run of the game”

Rumours: It’s ground hog day – More on Dark Angels

Another day of  Dark Angel rumours.

1st from Warseer

via Master Sheol on Warseer
New rumors from italian GWtilea forum.
-WW will get a recut with a third missile rack with a single big missile (AA skyhammer option?)
– two new kinds of flyers one smaller and one bigger (rumored Darktalon and Nephilim from BL book?)

Master Sheol has zero rumours to his name that have warm out to be true or false.

Next from Bell of lost souls

via Stickmonkey

Expected Dark Angels Launch miniatures:

Deathwing Box
Ravenwing Box
Dark Angels Powered Armor Box
Mystery Large Vehicle

3 New Characters:
Belial,
Asmodai
Namaan

…existing characters moved to finecast.

Dark Angels recieve a Full codex – not a White Dwarf update.

Will it be three days of Dark Angels rumours in a row. There only one way to find out. See you tomorrow.

Ben