Wall of Martyrs mini-review

[eldargal]

I don't usually post reviews of kits, but this one is an exception. My brother just dropped off my two Wall of Martyrs boxes in my room just now.

First Impression: Holy Fudge, look at the size of that box. Twice the size of the Dark Vengeance/Starter Set boxes and much, much heavier.

Looking in the box and pulling out some sprues I'm surprised at just how much detail is on them. All the plascrete walls are well textured and look like they will take drybrushing superbly. The quality of sculpting is what you would expect from GW, hard to beat. If you don't like GWs skull-laden Grimdark aesthetic then it might not be your thing.

There are a few smooth areas under some of the skeletons due to the limitations of plastic injection that look a bit jarring, shouldn't be too much effort to paint them to look like shadows or whatever but it is the one jarring note in what it is a superb kit. It is indeed fully customisable in layout but it should be easy enough to convert too, being GWs usual hard plastic.

As to value, unmatched in wargaming terrain in my opinion. There is just so much in the box for £100 it's astounding.

5 out of 5 Cadian Corpses.

[Mr.Pickelz]

On the main bunker piece, is it possible to change the position of either section, or is it just one big model?

[eldargal]

It's one model consisting of a back, front, sides and top and a couple of extra bits. You could probably cut the front, back and roof pieces in half to reposition the little annex bit to the otherside of the main bunker with a bit of effort if you wanted.

[SotonShades]

Damn it, you beat me to it EG.

I can vouch for this review, having just practically ripped the box open to get at the contents. Each section is on it's own sprue, which means the box sets for the individucal sections will only contain a single sprue (although I believe you get two of the long trenches). Another nifty feature is that each piece has interlocking lugs that allow them to be slotted together like a jigsaw. I'm not saying a decent knock during gaming won't push them apart, but it is much better than if they simply butted up against each other with flat sides.

While I do like the skull loving Imperial feel, I might be tempted to paint over the majority of both sides of the trench works with a thick layer of paint with sane mixed in to look more like earthworks than just piles of corpses/supplies. Of course, I'd leave a few bits/skulls sticking out! Hopefully this will also hide those pesky flat areas EG mentioned.

[Archon]

Are the imperial-eagel decoration seperate? Or is it a one block-piece?

[lobster-overlord]

ditto what she said. I drove an hour to pick one up as I refuse to step foot in my FLGS anymore, but well worth the drive. This kit is amazing. I was on the fence about it, but I decided to treat myself to the kit as a "new job/pay increase" present.


edit: THere is no way to move a heavy weapons unit through the lanes of it. Once placed, they're stuck in spot unless you move them OVER the wall and out (or you disregard the fact that a model needs clearance for its base... but I've based some of my HW units on 25mm circles for effect.... ;-) )

John M>

[Mr.Pickelz]

Hmmm, I was hoping it would be a bit more modular for a conversion piece, but oh well. :(
Now i just need some more grots and squigs to decorate the walls for my orks. :)

[lobster-overlord]

The eagles are separate on the walls. There are a couple different window/shield config options, but it's still rather limiting.

I do have one gripe now that I've done some sprue cutting on this one: The cleanliness of the tool cutting for the master molds is kinda sloppy. There are some points where you can see the rotor head cut a groove around a detail too deep. Nothing that will ever effect it in game terms or in use, but its enough to let you know that their China team did this one, and not the UK team.

John M>

[lobster-overlord]

Advance Order is up for individual sets. $246 USD if you buy the sets separately. A good value (when compared to their new prices, which seem a tad high, but hey, it's GW).

VERY pleased my purchase now.

John M>

[Gir]

Got mine and love it. Might have to grab a second.

but first, need to magnetize that whole thing.

[lobster-overlord]

why magnets? It should be heavy enough that when placed on the table won't move until you pick it upagain. I'm going to keep mine completely modular (except the bunker).

[Mud Duck]

The one thing that 'bugs' me about this set is all the imperial guardsmen skeletons. Bodies I can see, Pvt. Bob has just been shot, throw the body out of the way, to the rear preferably, (easier to recover weapons, power clips, rations, that five credits he 'owns' you, etc.) so that the battlefield recovery teams can come in and clean up the body. Remember a dead body just siting there rotting is asking for trouble. Rats, diseases, mental problems ("Bob has been right there for a day and nobody has recovered the body. That shows how much "they" really care about us in the trenches. Time to risk it, and jump ship.") and heresy. I mean one of the groups that they fight loves dead bodies and diseases and stuff. Not only are the bodies skeletons, so they have been there for a little time, their all IG Cadins <sp>! No orks, eldar, or any of the guys that should be on the 'receiving' side of the line. No it's the bodies of the guys defending the wall that are left to rot, the Heretic/Xenos/Whatever that has been attacking, they get buried/burn/removed. Sounds too me that the Commissarate isn't doing it job properly.
More proof that God love the Bloody Infantry.

[Archon]

The eagles are separate on the walls. There are a couple different window/shield config options, but it's still rather limiting.

I do have one gripe now that I've done some sprue cutting on this one: The cleanliness of the tool cutting for the master molds is kinda sloppy. There are some points where you can see the rotor head cut a groove around a detail too deep. Nothing that will ever effect it in game terms or in use, but its enough to let you know that their China team did this one, and not the UK team.

John M>

thanx for the info - so i will probably give it a chance, since chaotification is not easy on that thing

[eldargal]

Some alternate paintscheme pictures from GW.com:
http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m2731040a_99120199028_ImperialBunker03_873x627.jpg
http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m2731025a_99120199027_ImperialEmplacement03_873x62 7.jpg

I'm wondering how difficult it would be to integrate a bastion into the trench line. Would it be possibly to put a door on two sides of the bastion (does it come with more than one door?) for entry from the trenches? Are the doors to wide? Do walls all line up correctly etc.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

5 out of 5 Cadian Corpses.

You should rate it via the medium of bacons.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WdxF1EmADM&amp;feature=plcp

[eldargal]

I use a context sensitive rating system.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

But I won't be purchasing the pig armour dlc....

[magickbk]

After the hubbub about the preorder selling out, and what a deal this was, I was surprised to pick one up off a store shelf yesterday.

EG, I'm intrigued by the bastion idea. I have an unassembled bastion that I could try fitting to it if no one else is able to photograph them side-by-side.

[Nabterayl]

The one thing that 'bugs' me about this set is all the imperial guardsmen skeletons. Bodies I can see, Pvt. Bob has just been shot, throw the body out of the way, to the rear preferably, (easier to recover weapons, power clips, rations, that five credits he 'owns' you, etc.) so that the battlefield recovery teams can come in and clean up the body. Remember a dead body just siting there rotting is asking for trouble. Rats, diseases, mental problems ("Bob has been right there for a day and nobody has recovered the body. That shows how much "they" really care about us in the trenches. Time to risk it, and jump ship.") and heresy. I mean one of the groups that they fight loves dead bodies and diseases and stuff. Not only are the bodies skeletons, so they have been there for a little time, their all IG Cadins <sp>! No orks, eldar, or any of the guys that should be on the 'receiving' side of the line. No it's the bodies of the guys defending the wall that are left to rot, the Heretic/Xenos/Whatever that has been attacking, they get buried/burn/removed. Sounds too me that the Commissarate isn't doing it job properly.
More proof that God love the Bloody Infantry.
You're looking at it wrong. The Imperial Guardsman skeletons are on the outside because my orks took this position two years ago and the Shock Troopers are on their 13th attempt to take it back ;)

[Dlatrex]

And here I thought that the skeletons belonged to the most pious of gaurdsmen, who were early into their building-incorporation; 40k clearly teaches us that the most important structural components are skulls!

[Mr Mystery]

You're looking at it wrong. The Imperial Guardsman skeletons are on the outside because my orks took this position two years ago and the Shock Troopers are on their 13th attempt to take it back ;)

Plus, where else are my Flayed Ones to hide? Nobody expects a corpse to kick your arse. Unless you regularly face Vampire Counts or Tomb Kings...

[Kawauso]

Plus, where else are my Flayed Ones to hide? Nobody expects a corpse to kick your arse. Unless you regularly face Vampire Counts or Tomb Kings...

Or Typhus shows up.

[magickbk]

Intrigued by Eldargal's idea of linking the bastion, I blu-tacked some pieces together to investigate.

As you can see in the first picture, the walls of the defense line fit along the wall of the bastion just fine. The bastion door, however, is too wide and also flush with the ground to meet up against the defense line without modification.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8063/8200897179_84b56edea8_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47042253@N08/8200897179/)
Wall of Martyrs Bastion 1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47042253@N08/8200897179/) by magickbk (http://www.flickr.com/people/47042253@N08/), on Flickr

Exhibit B: The Door:

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8210/8200897357_4f368f6553_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47042253@N08/8200897357/)
Wall of Martyrs Bastion 2 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/47042253@N08/8200897357/) by magickbk (http://www.flickr.com/people/47042253@N08/), on Flickr

In all, it wouldn't really require a ton of modification to make this work. One could just hack either the bastion door to fit the space on the Defense Line, or hack the end of a defense line to fit the bastion door. Each bastion kit only comes with a single door, though. One could simply make new doors for the bastion that would fit into the Defense Line end, which would solve the lack of doors and fitting problems. Making a little adapter out of green stuff/milliput and plasticard would also work, but still require some doors.

I think I would choose to make new doors, and add magnets to be able to swap between regular bastion doors, the scratch-built defense line doors, and armor plates or some sort of aquila to hide the magnet when using nothing.

Final verdict: Good idea, someone with some time get on this!

[inquisitorsog]

Intrigued by Eldargal's idea of linking the bastion, I blu-tacked some pieces together to investigate.

As you can see in the first picture, the walls of the defense line fit along the wall of the bastion just fine. The bastion door, however, is too wide and also flush with the ground to meet up against the defense line without modification.

Exhibit B: The Door:

In all, it wouldn't really require a ton of modification to make this work. One could just hack either the bastion door to fit the space on the Defense Line, or hack the end of a defense line to fit the bastion door. Each bastion kit only comes with a single door, though. One could simply make new doors for the bastion that would fit into the Defense Line end, which would solve the lack of doors and fitting problems. Making a little adapter out of green stuff/milliput and plasticard would also work, but still require some doors.

I think I would choose to make new doors, and add magnets to be able to swap between regular bastion doors, the scratch-built defense line doors, and armor plates or some sort of aquila to hide the magnet when using nothing.

Final verdict: Good idea, someone with some time get on this!


Great, thanks for posting.

It does seem like something of a missed opportunity that they didn't provide an easy mating, but they're GW, not Yente.