Something Good, Something Bad.

In light of GW's recent raft of eyeball rape, I thought I'd give you something to wash your orbs out with. 

First off, I haven't posted for a while because I've been in the midst of a family medical crisis. My Dad's health took a turn for the worse recently and things have been pretty stressful. He's home now, and back on his feet, but man, it's been a rough patch. 

Anyhow the above picture and below pictures are from leechambers' Black Library blog where he's been posting all manner of Dawn of War models, as well as his own miniatures. As a light V/STOL aircraft, it hits all the design buckets for me:

As you can see, the thing's absolutely covered with thrusters, boasting enough verniers (a Gundam term for little vectoring rockets) to do... well, just about anything in midair, as well as enough hull to carry both 12 marines and a Dread comfortably. Sure, it looks more like a C-130 than an AH-64, but hey, it's a believable, well-designed transatmospheric craft. More pics and a sexy little video turntable at the link. Go ahead and click through. 

Okay, now steel yourself. 

Ready?

Now, look at the Airbus AssMaster:

(image is copyright, Games Workshop, used without permission)

You can just hear the sad trombone in your brain, can't you? 

>WAH-wah-wah-wahhhhh<

Now scroll back up to the top and look at that burly hunk of aircraft. That's a solid design you can charge people for. I'd pony up $66 for that easy. But the GW one? Ehhhhh...

I will give GW this: the sprues, as always, are a wealth of nice bits.

(image is copyright, Games Workshop, used without permission)

Like I said before, there's a lot you can do with this kit. Just looking at the sprues make my fingers itch.The finished model is absolute shit, but the kit itself has a lot of nice conversion potential in it. You could even build, oh, say, a better looking Storm Raven. 

But $66? Yeah, I'll..... stick with plasticard and a well-stocked bits box, thanks.