Warhammer 40.000 – Battlezone: Manufactorum – Conservators

To boost up the Manufactorum Battlezone Games Workshop re-released the armoured containers and parts of the servo-haulers, with the 9th edition rebrand as Battlezone: Manufactorum - Conservators. The Conservators are a mixed set with haulers and a container, providing a bit of scatter terrain.

For 32,50 EUR you get two sprues and a coloured assembly instruction.

As mentioned above, these sprues are not new, but repurposed from prior releases from around 2017. They were released individually (Galvanic Servohaulers and Armoured Containers) and as parts of the Kill Zone Sets, and even with the Warhammer Conquest series (issues 13 and 61). The armoured containers got a 2020 re-pack with the 9th edition as well, tying them in with the Battlezone Manufactorum.

You can see, the sprues are properly filled and casted in regular grey plastic. The colour is the only difference to the ones released in the Kill Zones or Conquest, where the plastic was tinted dark red.

Let's start with the servo haulers. I don't know if the smaller one had parts of the sprue re-done or it is just a mistake in the instruction, as the exhaust pipes are seperate parts and not directly connected with the chassis. It comes with a towbar and has a socket on top of the engine, but more on that later. Assembly is fast and easy. I highly recommend waiting for the tracks to be glued in place, until you have painted them.

The larger servo hauler has a similar cut, but a large "bull bar" in front. This one has two sockets and as well as a towbar. As it only consists out of 6 pieces, the assembly goes easy and quick, no problems with the fit here. Again I recommend leaving the tracks off until you have painted the model.

Servo haulers their purpose is not only towing cargo around, but providing tools and repairs. For that reason they have crane arms and exhaust pipes / transmitters, that you can fit the sockets on top of the haulers. You can freely mix and swap them. One of the reasons, why this is interesting for multiple buys even if you already have a set of these.

Among the parts of the hauler sprue is a trailer for the armoured container (on that tow you can place the large lift arm from the other Galvanic Servohauler set as well). You can put multiple of these tows in a row and build a train (but more on that further below).

A really practical and versatile terrain piece are the armoured containers of which one is included in this set. They can be build as regular cargo containers, but upgraded with a pair of bolters. Technically you can build them open and flip down the doors, but for stability reasons it is highly recommended to at least glue on end fix onto the frame. The little eagle heads serve the purpose to make them stackable.

And as you can see, the containers fit onto the trailer and can be towed using one of the haulers.

The sprues cover additional scatter terrain, you get three drums, a few small and large crates, which can be stacked, and a tool box with oil can.

The haulers and containers are not small, as you can see here with the Slave Ogryn and Primaris Marine in comparison. And as mentioned, the containers can be stacked.

In the September issue 456 of White Dwarf they made great use of this kit, along with the Sector Fronteris buildings. The used half-containers to build tippers, had them towed by the hauler on tracks. The only bottle neck is the trailer for the containers, so you would have to scratch build these. Have to say, I really like the round building they made from the Sanctum Administratus.

Conclusion
I have seen so many conversions of the containers, from weapon shops, to black market stands for the underhive and now the tipper wagons. Very versatile and along with the haulers, go a very long way. You have so many different ways to tailor to your needs, by combining this box with the Galvanic Haulers and Armoured Containers (and if you're lucky finding one of the old Kill Zones boxes). And at 32,50 EUR it is reasonable. It would just be great to have a value box for the armoured container, as even the three are quickly build and you would easily use 9 or 12 for some proper cargo hold.

This is a good mixture and provides some variation from the regular gothic buildings and ruins. The hauler and container work great with a lot of different settings as mentioned above, you could use them for a hangar in combination with the Zone Mortalis.

Fit of the pieces is proper, only empty / open containers need a bit of support. It is a good mix and as written above, the price is reasonable.

Warhammer 40,000 is a brand by Games Workshop.

The reviewed product item was provided by the manufacturer.