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1st edition: Oh god, flying couches! I hope they're wearing seatbelts even with all that power armor!

2nd edition: Hey not so bad. This design keeps the spirit of the original, looking like a 'jeep' of the future, shuttling marines and equipment around and having a few mounted weapons in the meantime.

5th edition: Oh god, flying dune buggies! I really can't think of anything less aerodynamic than this flying car thing. It's not sleek, not even balanced from any angle. It's just chunky.

The worst part is that it's bigger and looks more like a hovercar than a utility vehicle that the marines use as weapons platforms. This means that the marines are using it as a serious weapon system, when it clearly is not designed logically.
First, it's open topped, providing the two passengers no protection from enemy fire.
This requires the crew to wear power armor, which adds to the speeder's overall weight and power usage.
You may argue that wearing armor allow the crew to hop out and fight on foot if their fragile speeder gets popped, but this is clearly not within the scope of the tabletop game.

Some creative mods that improve on the land speeder's awfulness.

For proof that the land speeder is a flying dune buggy, I submit that it makes a pretty badass IG buggy.

The Orks even think it makes a fine warbuggy if the hoverin' bitz is broken.

Here's an interesting attempt to fix the open topped issue, but it looks a bit goofy.

If you're going to discard aerodynamics, why not just make a hover-rhino? This one is pretty awesome!

The land speeder Storm is the exception, when properly converted like this one. Being full of scouts able to hop out makes the open topped hovercar scheme sensible.

Not a bad mod, combining droppod and speeder. Looks more like a plane than the original.

My solution would be to close the open top with an armored canopy. Let scouts crew it, since marines can't get out and fight from it anyway. Make it more aerodynamic would make it faster, more stable, and reduce power requirements.


Here's my submiission for how the land speeder should be, the warthog speeder!

Remember, the Imperium of man's technology is based upon STC's. Being that, the Land speeder could be the equivilent of a futuristic golf cart that the imperium found the scematics for and slapped guns upon them.

Could have been some sort of buggy.

A brick. A brick is less aerodynamic.


But chunky is how the Imperium does things. Sleek and slender is Obviously Eldar, and thats heresy. I think Commissar FuckLaw wants a word with you

I think the new speeder looks fine, much better than the older ones.

Oh I get STCs and the imperium's whole chunky motif. I'm just making the case that it's still a butt ugly model they charge $30 for.

There are plenty of companies that make NON space marine stuff. Im sure you could find a better counts as for your speeders. I dont blame you really, even though I think GW does a pretty nice job on their minis, I dont think everything they make is the tits.

You could always steal a Tau Piranha...
I'm sure you could modify one into an acceptable Land Speeder...

The current Speeder looks like a flying Bumper Car.

SlaveToDorkness wrote:The current Speeder looks like a flying Bumper Car.

...I must make that, NOW!

I think the Land Speeders look just fine. If you want aerodynamics and sleek styling, play Eldar. This thread borders dangerously close to being a Stormraven whaaaambulance reboot, complaining that nothing looks like you want them to.

IF you like the models, use them; if not, play something else... like solitaire or spades...

The way I see it, you have an incorrect definition of what the land speeder is. It is not a utility vehicle, it is a calvary platform. Land Speeders act as mounted scouts, and as outflankers. They are NOT meant to carry cargo (or at least any real amount), and they are NOT meant to see full on combat duty. Because of this, they need to be lightly armored (check), and very fast (massive engines? check). That all being understood, the current land speeder is fine. I personally think it could be a little more aerodynamic, but it doesn't NEED a face lift.

PraetorDave wrote:The way I see it, you have an incorrect definition of what the land speeder is. It is not a utility vehicle, it is a calvary platform. Land Speeders act as mounted scouts, and as outflankers. They are NOT meant to carry cargo (or at least any real amount), and they are NOT meant to see full on combat duty. Because of this, they need to be lightly armored (check), and very fast (massive engines? check). That all being understood, the current land speeder is fine. I personally think it could be a little more aerodynamic, but it doesn't NEED a face lift.

Thank you!

I don't really see anything wrong with them. I think they look good. Then again that is just my opinnion.

The 40k landspeeder has always reminded me of the Luke's landspeeder from Star Wars, because of the name (duh) and because they have the same basic shape.

I don't think it's the most visually appealing model, but it doesn't both me to much. i will agree that the 2nd edition speeder looks a little bit cooler that the current version IMHO.

I always liked the 2nd edition 'speeders. If I played Spess Mahrenes I'd scrounge eBay for some.

ShatteredBlade wrote:

SlaveToDorkness wrote:The current Speeder looks like a flying Bumper Car.

...I must make that, NOW!

Remember when you tank shock, it counts as AV 12 and both vehicles are bumped D6" away from each other...

Oh crap, Codex: Fairground!

I've liked the second one best since it's release.

I actually really like the landspeeder model, regardless of chunkiness.

I don't know, if anything, this series of pictures shows how they are becoming less ugly over time. Really, we're seeing the development of a vehicle that's looking as small and lightweight as some very heavy and bulky technology will allow. I think the current model pulls it off better than any previous form.

Honestly, they look like futuristic hovercraft, which is really how I see them anyways.

They look more like a shoe to me than anything else, but I suppose YMMV.

They look good

Plus the OPs point tht they are open topped giving less protection;
It states n the codex that their power armour they are wearing is better protection than the speeder's armour, which is only made to keep all that circuitry in one place, inside the speeder.

I like the landspeeder model, what I dont like is the price. But hell, its an expensive hobby right?

About to get more expensive by the end of the month.

Wow the first ed version.
Loving the passenger pose too

Ah..for the days when IG got landspeeders and jet bikes

The land storm conversion is the best.

The Hover-Rhino looks good. It's an original Rhino (Ah, the days of 3 for £10), but it still works.

I think the Landspeeders are fine.


they really don't need to be super aerodynamic at the speeds they operate at.

they are certaintly more aerodynamic then other imperial vehicles. they actually have a pretty small frontal profile.



the closed cabin idea is a cool modification.

the PA weight isn't a huge factor due to the powerful magnetic levitation technology that the speeder uses. the increased visability is another benifit.

I personally quite like the model, I don't think anything more streamlined would fit the Space Marine aesthetic as well.