As we saw on Warhammer Community last week, Legions Imperialis is a game with a long and noble Warhammer history. From epic origins in the form of 1988’s Adeptus Titanicus to the much larger and more recent Adeptus Titanicus in 2018 (with four whole editions in between), it’s always been about doing big battles with small models.
And while the new models really are very small, their scale has slightly changed to match that of Adeptus Titanicus and Aeronautica Imperialis – although as we’ll see, a “slight change” has major ramifications for this new wave of war. Let’s see how old and new stack up.*
Infantry
We start with the smallest soldiers in this new game – the Solar Auxilia. Three generations of infantry are pictured here. The figures on the rectangular bases are Astra Militarum from the late 90s – Valhallan Ice Warriors and Catachan Jungle Fighters. On the square bases are the original Imperial Guard – as you can see, they used to be able to shoulder their heavy weapons, but as Imperial health and safety regulations were tightened, the big guns were placed on wheeled carriages.
The new Solar Auxilia infantry models are the ones on round bases – as you can see, they stand a little taller than their predecessors, and pack in loads more detail.
Ogryns have practically doubled in size in the intervening years. The old Ogryns to the left were substantial lads back in the 90s, but they’re dwarfed by the new Charonites on the right, who also pack a much heftier punch with their cybernetic claws.
The models painted as Imperial Fists here date back to 1997 and Epic 40,000, making them the second generation of plastic Space Marine infantry. As you can see, the newer Legiones Astartes tower over their older brethren.
Tanks
On the left is an adorable family photo, depicting three generations of the Leman Russ. At the front in green is an old metal version from the Space Marine-era in the mid 90s, joined by a plastic model (we think) from Epic Armageddon.
The new Legions Imperialis Leman Russ kit also builds Leman Russ Vanquishers, pictured on the right with a smaller plastic version below it.
The venerable Deimos-Pattern Rhino chassis has had a small-scale glow-up in a number of ways – first as the Predator you see on the left next to its early-90s forebear in metal.
In the picture to the right, we have four generations of Rhino. The chunky latest version is at the top right, next to a Hunter anti-aircraft tank in the more modern MKIc pattern from the Epic 40,000 era. On the bottom left you’ll see an original plastic Rhino from the early 90s, and to its right is an original pewter prototype from the personal collection of one of the original designers, painted in the first iteration of Emperor’s Children livery.
Once we approach the super-heavy tanks of the 31st Millennium, the gap in scale really begins to make itself known. Here we see a new Baneblade stacked up against several patterns of the original models from the early 90s – which were in fact the first super-heavies in Warhammer history. In grey is a Stormhammer, in green a Baneblade, and in black and yellow is a Shadowsword.
Titans
As we arrive at Titans, the change in scale becomes almost remarkable. Yes, these two models are both Warhound Scout Titans, the one on the left hailing from the era of Epic Armageddon, and the one on the right from Adeptus Titanicus. The older Warhounds – which weren’t available to photograph – are of similar size to the smaller god-engine.
The current Reaver Titan is almost literally twice the size of the older versions (the one on the left is from 1989, and the one on the right is circa 2003). However, you can’t fault a purity seal as absolutely massive as the one pasted to the leg of the original Reaver. Surely, there is none purer!
The comparison between Warlord Titans is immense: the one on the left is the original Lucius-pattern Warlord Titan released in 1997 – though it wouldn’t earn that specific designation until much later. On the right is the current, towering Warlord, which could probably just kick its puny ancestor to death at this point…
* Note that none of these pictures have been digitally manipulated; they were all shot side by side on a white studio background.