Painting the insides of model vehicles is something of a running joke among hobbyists (why spend hours detailing something nobody will see) – but the new Horus Heresy Warhammer tank models for the Medusa and Basilisk self-propelled guns may change a few minds on the matter.
Unveiled by Games Workshop on Thursday, the plastic Medusa and Basilisk tanks are the latest reveals in an upcoming new model range for the Solar Auxilia faction in Warhammer: The Horus Heresy.
The two self-propelled artillery gun variants are built from the same new model kit and have the same chassis and basic in-game statline, but perform slightly different battlefield roles; the Basilisk’s Earthshaker cannon and Medusa’s fat-barrelled mortar both hit at Strength 9, but the former has a gigantic range and the Barrage ability, while the latter fires shorter-range blasts that shred armor with the Rending rule.
For our money, though, the most exciting thing about these Horus Heresy tanks is the sheer level of extraneous, but delightful detail included in the sculpt – especially the parts on the inside of this sealed metal tank. In fact, we don’t think we’ve ever seen quite this many tiny detail options on the interior of a Warhammer 40k tank before.
Not only are there some lovely built-in details to the tank interior’s metal bulkheads, the kit gives you at least half a handful of assorted, optional doodads, whatsits, and gizmos to attach to them and paint – to really give the inaccessible, invisible interior of your new armored fighting vehicle some extra pizzazz.
This includes, among other things, your choice of ammo rack (to match which tank you built) and two entire living human crewmen to load shells, twiddle handles, and shout “engine kill” like the Warhammer Titan crew they wish they were. More reason than ever to magnetize your tank’s roof (somehow) so your beautiful crew-boys aren’t lost forever.
Less unusually, Thursday’s Warhammer Community article also confirms there’s a choice of three pintle-mounted guns for the top hatch (heavy flamer, multi-laser, or heavy stubber) and, like the Leman Russ battle tank kits of old, you’ll get an optional Dozer Blade and Hunter Killer missile to stick on the outside if desired.
As standard for GW’s online Warhammer 40k, Age of Sigmar, and Horus Heresy model spoilers, there’s no news on a release date or price point for the new kit, sadly.
GW first showed off the new plastic Solar Auxilia range during its preview live stream from the Las Vegas Open tournament in January – and, as we reported then, this range isn’t only good news for Horus Heresy players.
Fans of the Astra Militarum (a.k.a. Imperial Guard) Warhammer 40k faction should also be licking their lips at this new range, with a bevy of new, diesel-punky, retro-styled variant human troops to add to their more modern-attired 40k regiments.
Certainly this antique, ornately machined variant pattern of the Basilisk (a tank that still exists in the Astra Militarum 40k line-up 10,000 years later) would make a fine addition to any Guard artillery gunlines in the 41st millennium.
We’ll be keeping eyes out for more Solar Auxilia reveals that’re sure to roll out in the coming weeks. In the meantime, in other Warhammer news: one 40k kit makes GW around $500k a year; we’ve found what might be the scariest 40k kitbash ever; and we’ve got fresh guides to tell you everything you need to know about Warhammer 40k Dreadnoughts and the fearsome Kroot.