News and Updates
AT-43 — Hussar Strider Preview
Rackham in Cry Havoc Online #89 showed a preview of the Hussar.
The Hussar is built on a modified Kossak frame, with a medium rocket launcher – to fight infantry or armored fighting vehicles – and a medium missile launcher – for antitank combat and to take care of fortifications. The Hussar´s powerful acquisition radar makes it an excellent reconnaissance unit and its weaponry makes it an exceptional combat unit.
Once again, the Revolution has demonstrated its superiority. When will the reactionary forces admit it?
AT-43 — Molot Strider Preview
Rackham in Cry Havoc Online #88 showed some shots (image 1, image 2) of the upcoming AT-43 Molot. The Molot is a new Red Blok strider with two RA2 Light Flamers. It is based on the Nakovalny chassis with a new ‘hood’. It is also painted in the new Operation Frostbite scheme but, unlike the U.N.A. troops, this means a smooth white pattern over a light olive or khaki for the Red Blok.
Space Marine Drop Pod Sighted?!
Warseer has a picture of what is supposed to be the long rumored plastic Space Marine Drop Pod. It does indeed look legit. The Drop Pod looks larger than the Forge World one, in fact it looks close to the size of the Dreadnought Drop Pod. It has a weapons mount inside above the troop compartment. Rumored price is $35 but who knows. Overall very nice. Let’s hope this is the real thing.
More photos released for the Drop Pod and other new Space Marine minis.
This is all confirmed now and is scheduled for release on 4Oct08 along with a lot of other new Space Marine miniatures.
Games Workshop now has a step-by-step guide to building the new plastic Drop Pod.
[Updated 4OCT08]
AT-43 — News
Rackham released various updates on AT-43 activities. First up is a full description of the upcoming Operation Frostbite campaign book,
• New rules for terrain new elements (crystals, outdoor gaming tiles, and so on.) and neutral fighters, such as the civil engineers and the MedTec medics;
• Support unit rules to use the specialists from the Attachment Boxes;
• Troop transport rules;
• New combat drills;
• New troops and exclusive heroes for the U.N.A., the Therians, the Red Blok and the Karmans;
• A new campaign game mode for 2 to 4 players;
• Optional rules to give experience to companies;
• 37 exclusive missions to play as part of the campaign or in one-off games;
• The official AT-43 errata.
We got a preview of a production sample of the upcoming Karman hero box Saint Anuman and Jinod-Un model. It is sort of a cross between Planet of the Apes and American Graffiti!
More information about the Cogs should be coming soon.
Games Workshop Website Redesign
Games Workshop has finally redesigned their Website. The old site was very hard to get around. The new site seems to be a vast improvement over the old site. For example, on the home page is a main navigation bar with a ‘hobby’ button. This expands with selections for all GW hobby items like scenery and cases. Finding these items before was tricky. The three main games, Warhammer 40,000 and the other two, get their own highlights as well as main sections on the site. Again the navigation drops down with a selection of subsections that makes getting around easier. Perhaps the biggest change is that the shopping cart is now integrated with the site. So, for example, if you go to look at Space Marines you get taken to the shopping cart for the Space Marines where you can see the available products and prices but also details on each product even including stats (click on the product picture for details). Yes they have the basic stats and wargear rules listed! This is excellent help for the new player and handy for the veteran as well. Note, the FAQs are now listed under Gaming Articles.
All in all the new site finally reflects the status GW holds within the hobby community.
Warhammer 40,000 — News
The Bell of Lost Souls has some great info on the upcoming Warhammer 40K 5th Edition rules. There will be three versions, a limited Collector’s Edition deluxe book, a 40k Gamer’s Edition rulebook packaged with templates and counters in a metal ‘ammo box’, and of course the basic rulebook. You can pre-order the Deluxe/Gamer’s packages at Games Workshop Hobby Centers now or from GW direct in June.
Also there are strong rumors for Apocalypse Reload. It is an Apocalypse expansion with more data sheets, new assets, and a huge battle report. The big question is whether the new datasheets will include those published online or if they will all be new. Overall nothing particularly exciting but useful for Apocalypse players. We still hope to see the rumored Planetstrike product this year.
Dark July: The Battles for Prokhorovka Announced
Lock ‘n Load Publishing announced a new title for their Lock ‘n Load: Band of Heroes game system, Dark July: The Battles for Prokhorovka.
The game depicts the battles fought west of the Russian city of Prokhorovka on July 10-12, 1943.
Designed by Juan Carlos Cebrian (A las Barricadas!), the game features 85 new counters; a 22” x 34” historically accurate map complete with the famed Hill 252.2, the Soviet trenches to the east, and the Oktiabrskii State Farm to the north; and six historical scenarios. Here’s every gamer’s chance to be a part of one of the Second World War’s climactic battles on the Eastern Front; and the squad-level nuances of the Lock ‘n Load gaming system will put you in the middle of it. Be the Germans, be the Soviets. Be there!
AT-43 — Rackham and You
Rackham released a three page pdf outlining some of its plans for AT-43. Most significant was probably the confirmation that the Cogs will be the next race released for AT-43. Also mentioned are some new books, Campaign Book – Operation: Damocles and AT-43 – Tactics as well as some sort of rules subset for armor entitled Armored Heroes.
Panzer Command: Kharkov Released
Matrix Games quietly released Panzer Command: Kharkov. This is a World War Two, tactical, computer wargame. It is an update to the original Panzer Command: Operation Winter Storm game from two years ago.
I have only played the training mission so far but it looks like a minor update to the original game. PC: Kharkov now has smoke but some of the same movement and AI annoyances still seem to be present. But I will provide more details once I have had more time with the game. The original PC:OWS was a solid game; It had some issues but was enjoyable. PC: Kharkov will probably be at least as good.
The Wargamer has a preview of the game.
If you enjoy World War Two tactical wargames you should give it a look.
Get the 1.01 update.
[Updated: 28MAY08]
World at War: Blood and Bridges Announced
Lock ‘n Load Publishing announced another new title. This one is not just an expansion but a complete game in its new Cold War-era World at War board wargame series.
World at War: Blood and Bridges on P500.
The war is raging on and now it is up to the British and their formidable array of weapons systems to blunt the Soviet spearhead. Chieftain and Challenger tanks, Striker ATGM vehicles, FV-432 APCs, Lynx attack helicopters, Tornado fighter-bombers and others clash headlong into first rate Soviet Guards units outfitted with T-80 and T-64 tanks, BMP-2 APCs, MTU-55 Bridgelayers, SA-13s, Hind E attack helicopters, Su-25 ground attack aircraft and many more. There is only one mission here. Hold the bridges or see Soviet armour on Channel coast. Are you up to the task?
The View from the Turret 
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