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Contemplating my first venture into purchasing something from Forgeworld, as I have found myself intrigued by the Sicaran (and its variants - especially the Omega Destroyer and Punisher) and the Fellblade. More than likely, these will be more likely for display than gaming, but may hit the game table every once in a blue moon. But I had a few questions before I proceeded...

How big are these models, in comparison to some of GW’s other models? I get the impression the Fellblade is Baneblade-sized, and the Sicaran is Leman Russ sized, but can’t find good pics for comparison.

How good is FW’s resin for these specific models? I’ve heard various conflicting stories, and I’m concerned how much warpage/clean-up may be involved since I would say I’m only average at vehicle model assembly. Also, how heavy/thin is the resin? Is much more heavier than an equivalent plastic kit, lighter or the same (I have the old Armorcast Baneblade and Shadowsword and they are damn heavy) How about fragility (Again, chips on my Ancient Armorcast are a concern, which makes me wonder about FW)?

Lastly, how are these things in play? I don’t do competitive and don’t have the FW indexes, but I’m curious that if I do use them, what I can expect how and when they’re used in a battleforce, moreso in actual play than theorywise.

Regarding size, the Sicaran is quite a bit bigger than a Rhino-chasis vehicle.



And here's the Fellblade vs a Rhino:

Thanks for the pics, that helps a lot. Makes me want the Fellblade even more, that thing is gorgeous and imposing.

The Fellblade is really underwhelming firepower wise, but it is a beautiful tank - I almost kit-bashed one a while back.

I would go for a falchion over a fellblade no question. They look about the same.

I love my fellblade - it's a gorgeous model and mine was immaculately cast.

Also, it's fine in game. Not OP at all, but imposing enough to make a difference. The big gun is a bit underwhelming but you can't really argue with 8 lascannons. Stick a captain/lieutenant nearby and he'll smash a lot of other superheavies and medium armour. A libby with might of heroes is also pretty neat as it renders him pretty damn resilient.

Would highly recommend one.

Without looking is the Fellblade still 800+ points?

I love my sicaran, really feels like a proper space marine tank as it is much bulkier than any of the rhino variants being more like a land raider is size.
Mine is the basic version which is really good on the battlefield, being fast and useful against more of less any type of target.

Modelling wise, how experienced are you? As this is your first forgeworld model I might suggest going for the small sicaran as assembling resin is a different experience to plastic.

This would be my first forgeworld ever. Only other resin I have worked with is some finecast (biggest a Tyranid hivelord - awful experience) a couple Privateer press warjacks and some Mantic forgefathers. However, I’ve been doing model tanks, planes, mechs and starships for 30 years off and on.


For context, here is a deft dread I did recently, and a Tiger tank for Bolt Action - nothing fancy

 Stormonu wrote:
This would be my first forgeworld ever.

Get the Sicaran then. It's made out of 2-3 solid blocks with some detail bits glued on, while the Fellblade has some very tricky matching with the plastic Baneblade parts and a lot more potential for fit issues. Which should answer the size as well, not only is it Baneblade size it's built using the side hull and tracks from the Baneblade kit.

As for rules, the Sicaran is your best option. The Fellblade is unplayable trash, FW/GW deliberately nerfed it to an obscene point cost to discourage you from ever using one outside of the most casual of narrative games.

I have the fellblade (pics in my gallery) its such an awsome a tank looks wise (nothing comes close), but fellblade is like overcosted with 300-400 points, so unless you can house rule it, its only a model for sake of the model, you can play it as a falchion, but that is also overcosted to hell, but it performs better (if it lives long enought to shoot).

Also as Peregrine said, its VERY tricky, my hardest build from FW ever, and the instructions are SEVERELY lacking, its guess work and alot of time with a toothbrush and hairdryer.

 Peregrine wrote:

 Stormonu wrote:
. The Fellblade is unplayable trash, FW/GW deliberately nerfed it to an obscene point cost to discourage you from ever using one outside of the most casual of narrative games.

Hyperbole much? I've played mine 4 times since December in games between 3-10k points and it's been a blast. I would say it's overpriced by about 150 points, not much in a big game.

@OP if you like the model, then it's cool. Don't plan on taking it to tournaments? Then you'll be fine outside internet fantasy land. Just don't expect to play it below 3k or if your gaming group are super competitive. If you're getting into collecting FW kits, don't think of them as a sensible gaming investment - they're showpiece models that you should have for rule of cool and occasionally hit the table in big games. As with everything, their competitiveness waxes and wanes with editions so don't drop £200 on a single tank just because it has good rules right now (unless you're loaded and £200 is pocket change .

Spartan.

I know it wasn’t on your list but still, the Spartan is cool. Sure, a frickin’ Shadowsword is cheaper but eh, 8 Lascannons is gross.

 ewar wrote:

@OP if you like the model, then it's cool. Don't plan on taking it to tournaments? Then you'll be fine outside internet fantasy land. Just don't expect to play it below 3k or if your gaming group are super competitive. If you're getting into collecting FW kits, don't think of them as a sensible gaming investment - they're showpiece models that you should have for rule of cool and occasionally hit the table in big games. As with everything, their competitiveness waxes and wanes with editions so don't drop £200 on a single tank just because it has good rules right now (unless you're loaded and £200 is pocket change .

Big question will be how useful that T9 is going to be at your meta. If enemy guns are mostly ones who don't care is it T8 or T9 then it will basically be one shot wonder dying on first enemy turn. Hopefully after doing some hefty damage. If enemy AT power is gimped by T9 then it has a chance to actually fire more often than 50% games and 50% times more than 1 turn even.

 Stormonu wrote:
This would be my first forgeworld ever. Only other resin I have worked with is some finecast (biggest a Tyranid hivelord - awful experience) a couple Privateer press warjacks and some Mantic forgefathers. However, I’ve been doing model tanks, planes, mechs and starships for 30 years off and on.

WIth this in mind I'll really recommend you start with the smaller Sicaran, you won't be disappointing as its both a great model and really useful on the table top. It will also serve as a nice introduction to how you need to go about assembling forge world models.
It sounds like you are a pretty experienced modeller so the bigger tank is certainly doable but I know from experience they can be quite frustrating to assemble. Don't be put off to much by the talk of it being over pointed, it is, but its not that relevant unless you are looking to bolster a tournament army. If not then its perfectly good for narrative or apocalypse games which sounds more likely where you may wish to use it.

 WisdomLS wrote:

 Stormonu wrote:
This would be my first forgeworld ever. Only other resin I have worked with is some finecast (biggest a Tyranid hivelord - awful experience) a couple Privateer press warjacks and some Mantic forgefathers. However, I’ve been doing model tanks, planes, mechs and starships for 30 years off and on.

WIth this in mind I'll really recommend you start with the smaller Sicaran, you won't be disappointing as its both a great model and really useful on the table top. It will also serve as a nice introduction to how you need to go about assembling forge world models.
It sounds like you are a pretty experienced modeller so the bigger tank is certainly doable but I know from experience they can be quite frustrating to assemble. Don't be put off to much by the talk of it being over pointed, it is, but its not that relevant unless you are looking to bolster a tournament army. If not then its perfectly good for narrative or apocalypse games which sounds more likely where you may wish to use it.

Seconded, also the sicarian is cheaper points wise so you will be able to field it easier.
That said the fellblade is costed overall like most of FW regardless both are playable.

Sicaran Venator is the best Astartes Tank imo.

Get one or two of those.

The omega is the worst tank ever, a tank hunter tank with only 24" range, and it has to "overcharge", to be able to do some real damage ?

If you want a high toughness killer get a relic contemptor dreadnought with two twin lascannons. Its beats any SM tank in almost every way.

 p5freak wrote:
The omega is the worst tank ever, a tank hunter tank with only 24" range, and it has to "overcharge", to be able to do some real damage ?

If you want a high toughness killer get a relic contemptor dreadnought with two twin lascannons. Its beats any SM tank in almost every way.

My Salamanders relic gets used almost every game. the contemptor fist is ridiculous and with might of heroes it wounds most stuff on 2's.

But tank related, go sicaran (punisher or regular), they're decently fast/tough/etc and if you have a target rich environment, you'll be happy.

Is it possible to switch between the Sicaran variants easily? For example, you can easily swap out a few details (primarily the barrel) on a Leman Russ for the different types, but the Baneblade hull variants don’t strike me as conducive to switching out with one base chassis. Can you buy one chassis for the Sicaran and magnetize the hull to accommodate different variants?

 Stormonu wrote:
Is it possible to switch between the Sicaran variants easily? For example, you can easily swap out a few details (primarily the barrel) on a Leman Russ for the different types, but the Baneblade hull variants don’t strike me as conducive to switching out with one base chassis. Can you buy one chassis for the Sicaran and magnetize the hull to accommodate different variants?

With the exception of the Venator, which has the cannon built into the Hull, the other 4 Sicaran variants (Battle Tank, Arcus, Punisher, Omega) are exactly the same, only with a different turret on top - which is removable if you don't glue it, and sits in quite nicely.

The downside is that there's no way to get the other turrets from ForgeWorld without the chassis, but it does mean that if you buy a couple variants (such as a Battle Tank and an Arcus) then you can always paint the first one and the turret of the second, and you've got the option for using either or until you get the chassis for the other one built/painted.

Sicaran, all the way, I think you will get more use out of it,

The sponsons of the sicaran are easily magnitised, just need to embed one in the side of the hull.

The turret would be if you could get the other options easily :/

 p5freak wrote:
The omega is the worst tank ever, a tank hunter tank with only 24" range, and it has to "overcharge", to be able to do some real damage ?

If you want a high toughness killer get a relic contemptor dreadnought with two twin lascannons. Its beats any SM tank in almost every way.

You mean a contemptor mortis right?

I got both; the Sicaran is seeing far more action and was a more worthwhile purchase.

 Crazyterran wrote:

 p5freak wrote:
The omega is the worst tank ever, a tank hunter tank with only 24" range, and it has to "overcharge", to be able to do some real damage ?

If you want a high toughness killer get a relic contemptor dreadnought with two twin lascannons. Its beats any SM tank in almost every way.

You mean a contemptor mortis right?

No.

Thanks all - I think I will be getting the Sicaran as my first tank. I’m still debating on the variant (leaning toward Omegron), and scratchbuilding or otherwise finding/making the other turrets - might even go so far to buy a second full tank if I really enjoy the build.

I’ve also found some scratch building blogs for the Fellblade, and I’ll likely do that tank later, whether via FW or scratch building.

Various aftermarket companies make turrets which would likely fit a Sicaran. I'm not sure what the size of the mount for the turret is - but there are options out there to fit it. I'd buy a basic one, magnetize the sides as needed and start researching for alternate turrets.

The gatling turrets is hideous on the Sicaran anyway

I am quite fond of the Sicaran and it was a very easy build. I agree with Peregrine - if you are a Forgeworld or resin model novice, this is an ideal place to start.

Stupid question - where is the Sicaran and Fellblade located in battlescribe for Chaos? I just picked up a Sicaran and I don't see it listed under Elites unlike their imperium counterparts