Salute-Weekend, Matildas and Knights
This weekend is Salute in London. I would have loved to be there, last year (Salute 2018 and the Operation Sealion!) was incredible fun and it would be great to see the folks again, but with all that Brexit stuff going on, I wasn't keen on booking a flight and then having a uncertain situation (or fresh new one) at the airport. Besides that, being a dad, just staying away for the weekend for leisure is something that you want to plan and use wisely (there are a couple of weddings this year, along with stag nights and such, so I might need one or two rain checks). Oh and then there is of course Crisis this year, that I wouldn't want to miss.
Well, but what's going on in the 'bunker? You've probably seen the reviews on the 2019 model of Abaddon the Despoiler and the Chaos Gate that isn't called a Chaos Gate. Browsing through the old Chaos Codex is very dangerous. Alluring project ideas, especially for my oldhammer faible, but I'm currently involved enough with my Imperial Guard (and Eldar, wait, did I just spill the beans? Forget what you read...) and a new / additional Chaos project would just make it hard(er) to focus.
Never the less, I saw an old Abaddon in proper condition for 5 EUR and had to have it...
Blackstone Fortress – The Dreaded Ambull
The first supplement for Warhammer Quest Blackstone Fortress was released last weekend. It is called, The Dreaded Ambull, and covers a new scenario including matching upgrades and miniatures.
When Blackstone Fortress was released, it was already announced, that it wouldn't stay a single release and further supplements and additions would be released. It is once again, a blast from the past, bringing the Ambull from the Rogue Trader era of Warhammer 40,000 into today's releases. Therefore catching not only the attention as a new release, but from the "veterans" as well.
Warhammer 40.000 Urban Conquest
Today I'm covering the Urban Conquest supplement for the 8th Edition of Warhammer 40,000. Games Workshop is starting 2019 strong with a new campaign boxed set for their main game in the grim dark future of the 41st millenium.
Urban Conquest picks up the city fight theme of its predecessor from the 3rd edition City Fight and 4th edition Cities of Death. But unlike the older supplements, this is a boxed set, covering not only the rules, but a bit of terrain and a modular campaign map.
Bolt Action Campaign The Western Desert
I have already covered the plastic kits of the Afrika Korps and 8th Army Infantry that came along with this campaign supplement for Bolt Action - Campaign the Western Desert. Now it is time for the book itself.
The name already gives it away, this book covers the first chapter between 1940 and 1942 of the Afrikafeldzug or North African Campaign. With 168 pages a rather big book, actually currently the one with the highest page count, pushing The Road to Berlin from his former throne at 148 pages. Warlord Games keeps the price at 19,99 GBP or 30 USD and offers as usual a direct exclusive miniature, in this case the very fitting Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. Next to the final cover, with Rommel himself, is the early cover with a British soldier carrying a Bren LMG. Nothing unusual, we already had different covers early among others for Duel in the Sun as well.
Bolt Action Campaign Market Garden
After covering the battles in the Pacific, the Eastern front and the Ardennes, the next Bolt Action supplement moves to North Western Europe with Campaign Market Garden. An instead of whole years of war, this battle has its eye on very intense 9 days in late September '44.
This campaign supplement covers the story of Operation Market Garden, the unsuccessful allied military attempt to take 9 bridges along the Dutch-German border. The military operations between September 17th and 25th are covered on 116 pages. Warlord Games charges the usual 19.99 GBP or 30 USD for the book, which is roughly 25 EUR. I've covered both the final cover (left) and the early cover (right) in the first row of pictures. We've often seen changes in the artwork between the first announcement and later publication; it was similar with The Road to Berlin and Campaign New Guinea.
Bolt Action Campaign The Road to Berlin
With the Ostfront supplement for Bolt Action, the campaign covered the "entire" activities that involved the Russian armies, beginning with the Winter war and Khalkin Gol. But this new supplement, Campaign The Road to Berlin, covers the very last years, from June 1944 until the crossing of the Spree.
Warlord Games goes into the detail on these years of the late war. Very much into detail indeed, with 148 pages this campaign supplement is the biggest so far. Campaign New Guinea is a couple of pages short with 132 pages, followed by Battle of the Bulge and Duel in the Sun both with 124 pages. So you get quite the bang for your 19.99 GBP or 30 USD. Shown above as first images of this review are the two covers, with the final cover (left) and the early cover (right), presented by Osprey in one of their product catalogues. This happens quite often, to promote an upcoming book, before the final decision on the artwork is done. We have already seen this with Duel in the Sun and Campaign New Guinea.
Bolt Action Campaign New Guinea
After Empire in Flames, Bolt Action revisites the far east with the supplement Campaign New Guinea.
With 132 pages, Campaign New Guinea set a short new high score for page load, trumping Battle of the Bulge and Duel in the Sun (both 124 pages), only second to the recently released The Road to Berlin (148 pages). This campaign supplement covers the part of the pacific wars on the planets second largest island, between the Japanese Empire and the Allied Forces (Australian and US American). The price tag on this book reads 19,99 GBP or 30 USD, which translates roughly into 25 EUR. I want to start this review with the comparison of the final cover (left) and the early cover (right), presented by Osprey in one of their product catalogues. Nothing unusual, we already saw different covers circulating early among others for Duel in the Sun as well.
Bolt Action Campaign Gigant – Operation Sea Lion: The Second Front
Campaign Gigant - Operation Sea Lion: The Second Front, picks up where the first chapter of Campaign Sea Lion stopped or better said came to a hold. The german plan of invading Great Britain was spun further.
As the first chapter of the hypothetical campaign Sea Lion was incredibly successful as a product, it received a sequel quickly. As many topics of the foundation were already covered in the 124 pages thick book, the Campaign Gigant is roughly half the size with "only" 64 pages. This makes the book cheaper, as it comes with a price badge of 20 USD / 12,99 GBP, which roughly translates to around 15 EUR.
Bolt Action Duel in the Sun
The Bolt Action supplement Duel in the Sun covers one of the most well known campaigns of the second world war, the African and Italian Campaigns. And we want to share it with you in this review.
Bolt Action Campaign Sea Lion
The second campaign supplement for Bolt Action Second Edition leaves the road of historic events and goes for the What-If scenario of the Operation Sea Lion. These were the plans of the german forces to invade Britain.
Sea Lion is another big expansion for Bolt Action, at least page-wise. At 124 pages it shares the lead with Battle of the Bulge. After covering the desert of Africa, the harsh winter of the Ardennes and several parts of the western front, the battle is brought "home" with Operation Seelöwe / Sea Lion. The operation was real, but never came to existence. There were severe plans by the Nazis to invade Britain in 1940, but the plans were never moved to realisation. This campaign book is set at the new price range of 19,99 GBP or 30 USD, which translates around 25 EUR.