5 Minute History: Razorback

The Space Marine Razorback is a light armored vehicle used by Space Marines in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. The original Razorback model was released by Games Workshop in 1994 for the second edition of the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop game.

5 Minute History: Ork Boyz

Orks first appeared in the Rogue Trader rulebook and the Space Orks boxed set, containing eighteen metal models. These Orks were squat, powerfully muscled humanoids, wielding crude ballistic weaponry (usually black powder or other explosive projectile-based equivalent) and large 'stikbomz' or stick grenades; along with their helmets and other paraphernalia, these are apparently modeled on German equipment from World War I.

5 Minute History: Land Raider Variants

Aside from the ones commonly seen, other variants of the Land Raider have been described in various Games Workshop publications in various forms. Some published variants have actual game stats while others have merely been mentioned in passing as background material. These rarer modifications of the Land Raider are in service with some chapters of the Space Marines. This article is a follow up to the original history of the Land Raider history found HERE.

5 Minute History: Ma Deuce

On November 15, 2011 while excavating the site of the World War II crash of a British Spitfire fighter in an Irish peat bog, six intact Browning Mk 2 machine-guns were found and recovered intact. One was cleaned-up and test fired, after more than 65 years submerged in a bog - it still worked.

 

5 Minute History: Necrons

The Necrons first appeared as usable units for Warhammer 40,000 as Necron Raiders. The rules for these were first published in White Dwarf Issue 216 towards the end of the lifespan of the second edition of Warhammer 40,000. At the time, only Necron Warriors and Scarabs were given game rules and the warriors were armed with Gauss-Flayer Guns. White Dwarf quickly followed up with an expanded army list in the following month's issue, number 217. The Necron Lord and Necron Destroyer were part of this slightly-expanded army list. At the time, the lord was armed with the Staff of Light while the destroyers were armed with Gauss-Cannons. This issue of White Dwarf also had the Necrons' first major appearance in a battle report in the article entitled Massacre at Sanctuary 101, a battle between the Necrons and the Sisters of Battle. This particular altercation soon made its way into the background material as one of the first times the Imperium officially encountered the Necrons. The first Necron miniatures, all metal, were also released during this time. In fact, a free Necron Warrior was included with issue 217 of White Dwarf.

5 Minute History: Drop Pods

Orbital Drop Pods are specialized atmospheric reentry craft that can be used to deploy Space Marines in a Space Marine army. A Drop Pod has the appearance of a huge, metallic, five-petaled flower bud when it opens upon landing. The interior is a transport chamber for the pod's passengers. In the background, Drop Pods are launched directly from ships in orbit around a planet. They crash down through the planet's atmosphere, at the last moment slowing down via thrusters located on the bottom of the pod. They reflect the nature of the Space Marines as an elite rapid-deployment force, giving them the capacity to reach the battlefield, from their warships in space, within a matter of seconds. Upon landing, the pod's "petals", which are actually doors, open up to disembark its passengers. Many Drop Pod miniatures for use with both the Warhammer 40,000 and Epic 40,000 tabletop games have been released by Forge World, although the original model was an early Epic release. In October 2008 Games Workshop released a Space Marine Drop Pod boxed set in the form of a well detailed plastic kit.

Original Epic 40,000 Drop Pods, open

Original Epic 40,000 Drop Pods, closed

5 Minute History: Immolator

The Immolator is a specialized assault/transport vehicle used by the Sisters of Battle in the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop game. It is used to carry small squads of sisters into the thick of battle.

From agis page of miniatures

5 Minute History: Exorcist

The Exorcist is a specialized artillery platform utilized by the Sisters of Battle in the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop miniatures game. It is usually fielded within a Witch Hunters army making use of the forces of the Adepta Sororitas. The current model draws on cues from a pipe organ more than any modern day weapon system, although the original model was most likely inspired by the Hydra-70 rocket system.

Image from Kirby, 3++ is the new black

5 Minute History: Valkyrie

The Valkyrie Airborne Assault Carrier is an armed VTOL transport used by the Imperial Navy in the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop game. In the game background, the aircraft's role is the transportation of special forces infantry in the same way as the UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters used by the 160th SOAR of the US Army. The Valkyrie acts as an armed troop transport providing fast deployment to ground troops in a survivable platform that can lay down suppressing fire for the troops it delivers.

5 Minute History: Collegia Titanica

The Collegia Titanica is the division of the Adeptus Mechanius that commands the Titans - colossal robotic combat walkers which are the most potent ground weapons capable of being deployed by the Imperium. The Collegia was one of the groups of the Adeptus Mechanicus that went over to the Warmaster Horus almost en masse alongside the Legio Cybernetica during the Horus Heresy. The name "Adeptus Titanica" is also used for the corps of Titans fielded by the Mechanicus.

5 Minute History: Thunderhawk

The Thunderhawk is a massive, heavily-armoured spacecraft used by the Space Marines for a variety of missions. They carry a payload of powerful bombs and can easily claim the skies above a battlefield. There are currently two different variants that have rules for both Warhammer 40,000 and Epic tabletop games.

5 Minute History: Space Marine Attack Bikes

The Space Marine Attack Bike is a bulkier, more heavily-armed variant of the Space Marine Bike. In appearance, it is just a standard bike with a second rider in a sidecar. The original Attack Bike model was made entirely of metal and armed with a multi-melta released in 1989 during Rouge Trader.

5 Minute History: Space Marine Bikes

The Space Marine Bike is a relatively common mode of transportation for Space Marines in the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop miniatures game. It is a two-wheeled vehicle reminiscent of modern motorcycles. Though classified as a "vehicle" for obvious reasons, in-game, bikes are treated as infantry models that can move further and are a bit more resilient. Space Marine Scouts can also make use of Space Marine Bikes, with slightly different rules from those of Space Marine Bikers.

5 Minute History: MY Storm Troopers!

Storm Troopers arrived on the scene in 1996 with the release of the 2nd edition codex. With their foppish little barrettes, horrible faces and single pose they were a dream for hobbyists, or not.  My Storm Troopers have always been a command squad for at least 3 paint jobs that I remember.

Games Workshop - Used without permission (I asked but never got a reply!)

5 Minute History: Squats!

The Squats have been out of the current games and model production by Games Workshop since the 1990s. The release of the third edition of Warhammer 40,000 in 1998 marked the removal of the final elements of the Squat rules from the game. The last miniatures to be released by Citadel were the Epic Squat war engines (such as the Goliath Mega Cannon) in 1994, though the release of Warhammer 40,000 scale had stopped some four years previously in 1990. Though no new models were released, sales did continue at a low level through retail stores and through Mail Order for several years until they were eventually discontinued completely.

5 Minute History: Adeptus Mechanicus; Ordinatus

The Ordinatii were enormous siege machines available to Imperial Titan Legions or Tech-Guard armies for the Epic 40,000 tabletop miniatures game. The rules for them can be found only in the November 1995 issue of White Dwarf magazine published by Games Workshop.

5 Minute History: Whirlwind

The Whirlwind is an artillery support vehicle used by the Space Marines, it is a mobile multiple missile launcher along the same lines of the modern M270 MLRS. Another variant of the Space Marine Rhino, the Whirlwind concept first appeared as a conversion of the Rhino in the pages of White Dwarf 117 magazine in September 1989. The first actual Whirlwind kit was released by Games Workshop in 1995 during the 2nd edition of Warhammer 40,000. That original model was essentially a Rhino plastic kit with an additional metal turret composed of multiple missile launcher tubes. With the release of the 4th edition of Warhammer 40,000, the a new Whirlwind model was released based on the newly-designed Space Marine Rhino. This latest version of the Whirlwind features a fully-plastic turret assembly.

MK I Whirlwind Circa 1989, author unknown

5 Minute History: Skulz Program

Starting in June of 2000 Games Workshop started the Skulz program where hobbyists and collectors earned little silver stickers / pogs with skulls on them. For each $10 dollars of Games Workshop merchandise purchased you would receive one 'skulz token'. Additionally there were skulz tokens given at special events, in some issues of White Dwarf and stores were given then to hand out for gaming nights and as local promotional material.  

5 Minute History: Adeptus Mechanicus Magos

The Adeptus Mechanicus Magos was only produced by Games Workshop as a miniature once, as part of the Skulz program. The Skuls program was published in White Dwarf 245 in June of 2000 and ran for just over two years before being canceled. The Magos miniature was only available as part of a set of Adeptus Mechanicus miniatures totaling 9 miniatures. While exact an number of how many were produced is not publicly available, these sets of miniatures consistently sell for over $200 dollars on eBay.

Photo from Stuff of Legends (tons of pics at the link!)

5 Minute History: Adeptus Mechanicus; Knights

Knights were introduced in the late 80's with release of the Adeptus Titanicus sourcebook for the Epic tabletop game. Three types were introduced in the early 1990s. The Knight Wardens had a defensive role. They were armed with long ranged, heavy weapons and were well armoured. Knight Paladins were jack-of-all-trade units, armed with a ranged and a close-combat weapon. Knight Lancers were scout units, armed with a single ranged weapon but were faster than the other Knights. Afterwards, the miniature range was reworked and the rules were updated. Knights were subdivided into the Paladin, Knight Errant and Lancer types, along with the Knight Baron as a superior command unit. A number of Knights were included in the Titan Legions box set.

GW Catalog circa 1988