Pass in Review: Aeronautica Imperialis, Core Game & Expansions

(Cover art: Aeronautica Imperialis: Wings of Vengeance)

In my last Warhammer 40K post a couple weeks ago, I presented my Tactical Air Control Party (TACP).  

But as far as actual air assets, I have only one full-sized Vulture gunship and a Valkyrie assault carrier.

And very little shelf space.

I'm now at the point where if I buy anything new, I have to get rid of something old, or at least unused.

When Games Workshop came out with its Aeronautica Imperialis Wings of Vengenace, I bought it--and I sold a set of 28mm British and French Napoleonic figures to make room for my new acquisitions. 

The set contains 2 x Imperial Thunderbolt fighters and 2 x Marauder Bombers, along with 3 x Ork Dakkajets and 2 x Fighta Bommers. 

When Aeronautica Imperialis Skies Of Fire was released, I bought that too.

Sort of.

I was only interested in the Imperial aircraft and the store owner wanted the T'au omes.  So he gave me some cash to compensate for the figures.

(Cover Art: Aeronautica Imperialis--Skies of Fire)

What I had left were a flight (2 aircraft) of Valkyries and 3 x Lightning fighters. 

My next model purchases were an additional 4 Valkyries from a supplement package, and 2 Marauder Destroyers.  (Here's the in-universe details of the Marauder Destroyer).

I rounded-out my Aeronautica Imperialis purchases, (for now), by purchasing Rynns World Air War Campaign.

(Cover art: Rynn's World Air War Campaign Book) 

Because, I like campaign games.

I also buy games with the idea of utilizing them for other purposes.  

While the aeronautica models are much smaller than regular WH40K figures, I plan on using them in regular WH40K game sessions.

This is justified, because in my professional experience "fast movers" don't chug around above the battlefield just above treetop level. They zip over the target area, unleash their ordnance and are gone.  If the surface-to-air threat is great enough, enemy troops on the ground may not even see the aircraft--only ordnance exploding all around them. 

Now I have a number of "strike packages" for my TACP to call-in, but would like to see Games Workshop  make Vulture gunships for this game sometime soon. 

But as I, along with other fans, impatiently wait, I had my current bunch of aircraft that needed to be assembled and painted.

Since both tasks are above my skill-set I turned to my friend Dan and hired him to paint my figures.

He finished with them a few months ago (and I gave him more stuff for him to paint), so what follows is a gallery of his work, set up as flights of aircraft approaching then rolling-in on their target.

1. A flight of Imperial Thunderbolt Fighters:

2. A flight of Imperial Lightning Fighters:

3. A flight of Imperial Marauder Bombers:

4. A flight of Imperial Marauder Destroyers:

5. A flight of Imperial Valkyrie Assault Carriers:  

6. A flight of Ork Fighta Bommers: 

7. A flight of Ork Dakkajets: 

Artistic Note:

The backdrop is an open country setting I bought from a now-closed model railroad shop.  The aircraft are low in each picture because I couldn't orientate the figures on their stands with the backdrop in a way to present a "realistic image."

I at least I managed to photoshop-out the stands.