Fighting Tiger Transports (Part II): Razorbacks and Drop Pods (Updated 11/2009) 
The Razorback was introduced during the Bad Old Days of 2nd Edition, and it was, frankly, an odd beast. Back then, it could carry a 5-man squad and the only armament it had (if I recall correctly) was the awkward lascannon/plasma gun combination. Third Edition added room for one more Marine (making it ideal for transporting an Independent Character and accompanying bodyguard) and provided more weapon options: twin-linked heavy bolters, twin-linked lascannons, or a multi melta. 

The black-and-white one you see above is the first Razor I ever built, back in the 1990's, using the original model. Unlike my Rhinos, it isn't built "backwards." It was initially the transport for Raja Khandar Madu (hence, its color scheme matches hers), but now it, like my other Razors, serves my Sternguard.

A few years ago, I added two more Razorbacks to my Fighting Tiger army to provide more anti-tank firepower. While my Tigers can butcher infantry fairly well, they've sometimes struggled against mechanized forces (especially in small games). Though the Predator is a popular tank-killer, I have enough Heavy Support units and don’t need more. By arming Razorbacks with lascannons, I created “poor man’s Predators” that don’t use limited Heavy Support slots.

Dozer blades are good on Razors because then the vehicle can move 6", re-roll difficult terrain tests, and fire without penalty. What’s not to like? You might notice that two of my Razors don't have gunner shields. Why not? I just didn’t like the look of them, so I left them off. In my opinion, each Razor looks sleeker without the shield. You’ll also notice that one Razorback has a gunner, the other has a closed turret. Why not have both gunners? Just to do something different: you almost never see Razors without a gunner. 

Like my Rhinos, colors are Fiery Orange with Chaos Black stripes, or Bubonic Brown and Bestial Brown. Weapons were done in Boltgun Metal or Dwarf Bronze. Like all other Fighting Tiger vehicles, each received a white undercoat and was finished with gloss varnish from a spray can. Tigers can’t help but look colorful, so there’s not much point in using a matte finish, is there? To continue the theme I established with my Rhinos, each Razor takes the name “Man-eater” with a number to distinguish it. 

Drop Pods
When the 4th Edition version of Codex: Space Marines came out and gave players the options of using Drop Pods, I resisted the temptation to run out and buy some. Sure, there are all kinds of nasty tactical tricks you can do with them, but I didn't need more stuff to build and paint. My friend Ken apparently did not get the memo, because at my 40th birthday party, he presented me with kits to make three Pods.

It would be rude, of course, to turn down such a fine, well-intentioned gift, and even ruder not to build and paint them. After struggling with my Land Speeder Tornadoes, assembling the pods was a relative snap. Being thick cardboard, they went together with Elmer's white glue--much easier than epoxy! 

I covered all my other Tiger vehicles with stripes, but I did something different this time, in keeping with a "less-is-more" mentality I've had about painting lately. Instead, I sprayed each black, drybrushed them with Boltgun Metal, and painted tiger stripes on the big vanes (or whatever they are) on each pod. Because I like my transports to coordinate with the squads they carry, I painted the vanes in the four color combinations (orange and black; mustard and brown; white and black; white and brown) that my Tigers use. So now the pods will go with any squad they're allowed to carry. 

When I first built the Pods, I gave all of them storm bolters (see the first photo), but recently, I decided to give two of them Deathwind missile launchers (for some extra anti-infantry firepower to clear the landing zone) and locator beacons (to accurately bring in other Pods and Deep Striking units). For the launchers, I used Terminator cyclone launchers that I already had and was never using (I prefer assault cannons and heavy flamers). For the locator beacon, I used a spiky bit that I got from an old i-Kore (VOID) mini I had lying around.

Next page (pg 9): Fast Attack Previous page (pg 7): Transports, Part I

Related Pages
Painting Fighting Tiger Vehicles
Fighting Tiger Troops
Tactics: Fighting Tiger Troops

Last updated November 2009 

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