Legions Imperialis – Solar Auxilia Medusa and Basilisk Batteries
We are doing a double feature for the Solar Auxilia today, covering a kit in both Legions Imperialis and Horus Heresy scale. We're building the Medusa and Basilisk, once as a battery and one time as a single miniature.
For Legions Imperialis it is a set of 8 models, covering both Medusas and Basilisks in a single box.
You might be irritated to see a Basilisk on a Leman Russ chassis. The variants we know from Warhammer 40k are much younger, based upon the chimera chassis that wasn't around during the civil war. The Leman Russ was the work horse of the Imperial warmachine and thus provided for vehicles in its weight class the base for example the self-propelled-gun variants, we talk about today. And in addition to the the many, many different alterations of the Leman Russ himself, there were further derivations for example tank hunter variants, with hull mounted weaponry as well and even recovery vehicles like the Atlas.
Horus Heresy – Solar Auxilia Medusa and Basilisk
While we're waiting for the release of the Malcador Variants of Infernus and Valdor in Horus Heresy scale, we fill the gap with the Basilik / Medusa kit for the Solar Auxilia today - in a double feature. Because not only do we cover this one in Horus Heresy scale of 32mm, we do also have you covered for Legions Imperialis today in this review of the Medusa and Basilisk Battery.
During the civil war of the Horus Heresy, the Leman Russ was the work horse of the Imperial warmachine and used as a chassis to build various variants and derivations, for different purposes, like the self-propelled-gun variants, we talk about today. The chimera chassis, which was developed later would take over some of the variants, therefore the Basilisk in 40k looks different than 30k. And with the Solar Auxilia Leman Russ plastic kit we have the chance to see these as new full plastic sets and not resin or hybrid set.
Games Workshop repurposes some of the sprues to cover these variants, we see this today with the Medusa and Basilisk, where the track sections and parts of the hull are re-used, and we will see this with the Malcador later this week. But let us open up the box and see, what is inside.
Age of Sigmar Stormbringer Magazine 44 to 49
The ninth shipment of the german Stormbringer issues by Hachette was split into two waves. One half arrived before the holidays and the second half early last week, due to the warehouse being closed inbetween the years. This shipment has both Gloomspite Gitz and Sylvaneth in them, along with paints and even terrain.
You can find an overview on the issues so far over here, along with the detailed unboxings of older shipments as well:
Legions Imperialis – Solar Auxilia Stormhammers
In case you are looking for something heavier than a Baneblade, there is an option for the Solar Auxilia in Legions Imperialis - the Stormhammers.
Like the other super-heavy squadrons, this boxed set covers two vehicles as well, both are build as Stormhammers. This set of two sprues is available at a RRP of 41 EURs / 31,50 GBP.
Initially this tank was build as a massive anti-infantry tank during the Great Crusade and fulfilled this task reliably against the Orks and later during the civil war. And even 10.000 years later, this tank pattern is still in service, just not with the Solar Auxilia but Astra Militarum. While there are different variants and armaments for the vehicle, within Legions Imperialis it has only the option between multi-laser or lascannon sponsons.
Da Red Gobbo – A-Bomb-Inable Snowman
Last year we got double-trouble with the Da Red Gobbo Surprise and Grotmas Gitz, and this year we get another christmas themed miniature by Games Workshop from the Commemorative Series, Da Red Gobbo's A-Bomb-Inable Snowman. As of now, he is not available from Games Workshop directly anymore, you have to go through the independent retailers network for that, but that shouldn't be an issue.
The latest of the Red Gobbos is priced at 34 EUR, unfortunately an increase towards last years 32,50 EUR. And of course, the miniature comes with a scenario for Age of Sigmar and Warhammer 40k, which you can download for free from Warhammer Community.
Star Wars Shatterpoint – Maintenance Bay Terrain Pack
A fine addition to the Shatterpoint terrain series is the Maintenance Bay Terrain Pack, which was released in the second half of 2024 and we're looking into it today.
The large boxed set has a RRP of 84,99 USD / 85 EUR, but prices vary online. The Maintenance Bay covers an Outer Rim Garage and a womprat and is produced by Asmodee / Atomic Mass Games.
While it part of the Shatterpoint range (a 40mm scale skirmish) it is a bit taller than the platoon level 1:48 / 32-35mm scale of Star Wars Legions, but still can be used with games down to 32mm heroic scale, but we will see into that further below.
Warhammer 40.000 Kill Team – Brutal and Cunning
Since yesterday the first supplement for the new Kill Team Hivestorm Season went up for pre-order. The Brutal and Cunning Kill Team expansion was announced on Warhammer Day Preview back in October, and covers Orks vs Ratlings.
The set which covers terrain, two Kill Teams and a dossier to upgrade the Killzone Volkus with the aspect of compound siege is 110 EUR or 85 GBP RRP.
Kill Team: Brutal and Cunning contains two kill teams. The Wrecka Krew is made up of a Boss Nob, five Orks, and two Bomb Squigs, while there are 10 Ratling operatives and a battlemutt lead by a Ratling Fixer. It also includes Killzone Upgrade: Compound Siege, comprising two bunkers, six fire steps and six stockades for use with Killzone: Volkus. The 72-page softback Brutal and Cunning dossier is packed with lore for the mission and kill teams, plus rules for the Wrecka Krew and Ratlings, and the Volkus Compound Mission Pack contains PvP and PvE scenarios. You’ll also get all the datacards and tokens you need for both kill teams, as well as an Ork transfer sheet with 438 transfers.
Legions Imperialis – Dark Mechanicum Serperos Overlord Heavy Stalkers
The second set from the Dark Mechanicum for Legions Imperialis are the Serperos 'Overlord' Heavy Stalkers and they complement the lighter Stalker Construct to flesh out the Mechanicum lists for the traitor forces.
This set goes for pre-order today on December 7th and will be released on December 21st 2025, at a RRP of 41 EUR.
The constructs are new designs to the Horus Heresy, and haven't been seen before neither in 28-32 nor epic scale. As Games Workshop uses the larger models for the product pictures on Titanicus, Aeronautica and Imperialis, we actually get a preview on the upcoming models right there on the boxes. With this kit we get four models of the new Serperos Heavy Stalker design.
Legions Imperialis – Dark Mechanicum Stalker Constructs
In addition to the Mechanicum release for Legions Imperialis, Games Workshop added the first sets for the Dark Mechanicum, the Stalker Constructs and Serperos Overlord Heavy Stalkers - both of which we're going to cover today, but starting with the Stalker Constructs here.
This set goes for pre-order today on December 7th and will be released on December 21st 2025, at a RRP of 41 EUR.
These are entirely new designs added to the game. We had obviously Dark Mechanicum in the lore in the past, as a playable faction as well, but never written out in detail. And to give the "full scale" Horus Heresy folks a heads up. Games Workshop uses the 28-32mm models for the box art with all the epic scale products (they did so with Adeptus Titanicus and Aeronautica Imperialis) and what we see on the packaging is most certainly the upcoming model for the Horus Heresy.
Legions Imperialis – Solar Auxilia Malcador Infernus and Valdor Tank Destroyer
While we covered the Dracosan Transport and the main build of the Malcador for the Solar Auxilia, it is now time to give the Malcador Infernus and Valdor Tank Destroyer for Legions Imperialis a closer look, especially as both were just teased in plastic for full scale Horus Heresy.
This is a mixed kit, featuring two of each Malcador specialised variants for a RRP of 41 EUR.
Both tanks are named after important characters / heroes of the Imperium, the main tank and chassis itself after the Sigilite, Malcador and the tank hunter variant after Captain-General Constantin Valdor of the Legio Custodes. These variants are a usual thing and often seen with historical tanks as well, using a widly produced chassis and repurposing it to various roles needed on the battlefield, for example the PzKpfw. V Panther was build as a regular battle tank, but also as the tank destroyer variant Jagdpanther, with a hull-mounted weapon (the Allies mostly went for turret mounted tank destroyers). The Allies did similar with their battle tanks, for example the Churchill Infantry tank had a variant with a mounted flame thrower and fuel-trailer, the Churchill Crocodile, which pretty much is the template for the Malcador Infernus.