February Model Review

Time for another monthly model review!  This month, we have the Shasvastii Noctifer (ML), Teutonic Knight (Combi/Pzf), Jannisaire (AP Rifle), Cameronians (CR), and Die Morlock Gruppen!



Shasvastii Noctifers (Missile Launcher)

Ranking 9/10

Like its Spitfire-carrying sibling, the Noctifer Missile Launcher is mounted on a rocky outcropping, ready to blow some holes in silly humans.  While the other Noctifer looks like it is perching, Batman-style, the Noctifer Missile Launcher looks like it's on the move, either before or after firing off a missile at some unsuspecting target.

This model takes a lot of what's good about the Noctifer Spitfire and makes it better.  There is more motion in this model, and the Missile Launcher it carries looks more alien than the Spitfire carried by its sibling, while still following the same aesthetic.  I would be worried about the height of the model, but the semi-crouching pose means that the Noctifer Missile Launcher will probably end up being about standard height anyway.

I see only two real problems with this release: first, it's AVA 1, so I anticipate that the Shasvastii crowd is the only group that'll really want to pick it up, especially since its Spitfire-wielding sibling has already been released.  Second, the Noctifer is on a scenic base, which means a higher price tag for us players.

Regardless of these concerns, though, the Noctifer Missile Launcher is a solid model that can really show off a painter's skill.

Teutonic Knights

Ranking 7.5/10

As far as I can tell, this is a near-resculpt/arm-swap of the Teutonic Knight in the Military Orders starter.  While I don't normally think that this sort of thing qualifies as a "New Release", it's worth noting that Teutonics are eminently linkable, so having more Teutonic models available is a good thing.  Corvus Belli has already released the Spitfire and the boxed version, so another source of Teutons to flesh out the link team is always a good thing.

As a model, the Teutonic Knight pulls off the "knightly" look while maintaining the PanO aesthetic with its little antenna and its Combi-Rifle.  The sculpt is very well-done, looking like it's in mid-turn to face an enemy.  I think it suffers a little, though, for the awkward position of its head, which looks a bit like it's twitching spastically into its shoulder-plate.  As always, my evaluation is based on the photos alone, so this may be changeable on the model itself.

As an aside, I quite like the Predator-esque shoulder cannons (in this case, a Panzerfaust) CB has been putting on models lately, and the Teutonic Knight is no exception.

In the end, the Teutonic Knight is pretty, but he's nothing new.

Janissaires

Ranking 7.5/10

I have the same issue with the Janissaire as I do with the Teutonic Knight.  Although it's pretty (and very impressively posed!), it's not a new sculpt.  It's nice to have another Janissaire purchasing option because of possible link teams, but I don't think anyone is going berserk over this release.

Still, it's a quality model, and it isn't going to get low marks just because we've seen it before.

Cameronians

Ranking 8/10

I am not one of those people who finds the old Dog Warrior sculpt to be repulsive.  Actually, I quite like the rat/dog-man and his menacing "see my guns!" pose, so I'm not one of those people who have been waiting with baited breath for the Cameronian.

That said, damn.   The Cameronian upstages its cousin in almost every way.  The detail on the model is fantastic, down to the folds of the tartan and the sporran hanging over the kilt.  The model looks angry and dog-like (almost wolf-like, really), and it's even got a tail poking out in the back.  It really shows that this is a new-generation CB model, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Ariadna players everywhere picking these guys up, if only to proxy them in as regular Dog Warriors.

I have a few small issues with the model, and these drag it down to an 8 instead of the 9 or 9.5 it might have otherwise earned.  First, the Chain Rifles are tiny.  I know that CB is moving towards smaller weapons in general, and it might work if the weapon wasn't so low-tech in the first place.  I can see them miniaturizing Multi weaponry and whatnot, but somehow Chain Rifles - the weapon of choice for angry mobs - don't strike me as a military priority for size reduction.  Besides, I want my futuristic werewolf to carry big guns, not pea-shooters!

Second, I don't really like the Cameronian's pose.  He's supposed to be an angry Dog-Bowl participant, yet he's taking aim with one of his short-ranged guns instead of pouncing on his enemy with that nasty axe.

Anyway, it's a very cool model, and although I won't be getting one, I know that Ariadna players will be happy with it!

Die Morlock Gruppen

Ranking 7.5/10

It's the X-Men!

The Morlock box was somewhat unexpected, but that doesn't mean it isn't appreciated!  The Morlocks have gained some variety as well as a small aesthetic change, linking them more closely to the Bakunin sectorial and the Nomad look in general.  No longer will your Morlocks stand out like sore thumbs on the battlefield - if the Uberfallkommando can fit in, so can the crazy mutants of Bakunin!

I really like that they've brought back some of the old look, though.  Tentacle-hair woman is back, for one, and this time she's carrying an Assault Pistol.  The lizard man's pose and weapon are clear shout-outs to the old male Morlock, and the beast man and elf woman provide something new and interesting to the genetically-altered warband.  I'm not a fan of some of the "charging" poses (the female models, in particular), but they're not awful.

These "resculpts" are neat, but they're fairly plain overall, at least by CB standards.  They seem to rely wholly on the mutant look to get by, and their poses aren't anything to write home about.  They have definitely improved overall from the blister versions, but most of this improvement went towards making them look more cohesive with other Nomad units.

This month's clear winner is the Shasvastii Noctifer Missile Launcher!  Although I'm not a Combined player, CB is doing a great job of tempting me!