Belicosa BS at Forge World - Fun With Titanicus Weapons

A foolish and pointless purchase from Forge World...the Belicosa Volcano Cannon for the Nemesis Warbringer Titan in AT18.

Well, I continue with a 30k theme - broadly - in this post, but we switch game systems, returning once more to GW's re-booted Adeptus Titanicus. Now, let's look at some whacky guns for Titans, as well as some frustration, disappointment and fun with the gang at Forge World. 

Earlier this year I finished off some new Titans for the Loyalist side of my collection - including a new "Nemesis Warbringer" engine. That class of Titan chassis can mount Reaver-class-type weapons on its arms, but the main even on the Nemesis-class Titans is the big show up on top - a main weapon battery on a turntable-style mount. Naturally, there are options for the weapon mount. You get one that comes in the kit, and the other(s) available separately from GW and/of Forge World.

The mounting of the "Quake Cannon" on the carapace of the Nemesis Warbringer.

The Nemesis Titan model kit comes with one weapon option for the top mount - a "Quake Cannon". There are a number of components that come together to make not only the cannon itself, but the equipment to mount it - a turntable base, brackets etc. The rules allow for a second choice, however - a "Belicosa Volcano Cannon". It doesn't come in the model kit, but it was expected the GW or Forge World would make it available at a later time. That time came this past spring...as a keen collector of AT18 kit, I ordered a couple of them right away, so as to have these options for the Nemesis Titans in my collection. I'm such a dweeb.

The Belicosa Volcano Cannon from Forge World

I should have waited...

The Forge World bits. Note - I have assembled the cannon already (vain attempt to use). But this photo is more critical for what is not there - namely, the components you would need to actually mount the gun on the carapace of the Nemesis Warbringer Titan. And, of course, note how the resin cables snap in the package during shipping. F*ck resin.

Look, I generally love Forge World stuff. Yes, the prices are high. Yes, the resin can suck. But they make some pretty neat stuff, are generally very nice to deal with, and have perservered through difficult pandemic restrictions to try their best to keep serving customers - even releasing new stuff despite delays and challenges. I'm fortunate to have a fair selection of Forge World kit in my collection - especially my Horus Heresy 30k collection. I rant and rave, of course, as all passionate fans can, but I really do try and keep things in perspective. These are toys, after all, and they make toys I like. Every so often, there is a problem - does that really matter in the grand scheme of things?

With that said, on this specific item, they f**d this up. And I don't see how they would not have realized this, and they just did it anyway, and it is a piss off.

Some melodramatic fan rage...still, this was disappointing...

You see, Forge World made the Belicosa Volcano Cannon option for the Nemesis Titan...and did not provide enough of the parts to do the job! There is no weapon mount or turntable! In other words, this only works if you have not already built your model. I suppose it is possible, in theory, to magnetize the mounting...but still...just f*ck this. What a tw*t move. GW/Forge World has some form here - so this shouldn't be a huge shock. The joke is on me. Still, f*ck. 

What really winds me up is that they took the time to provide alternate components for every aspect of the weapon - including the "ammunition" (see "Fiddly Bits" below) - but still but NOT the turntable! FFS, come on! 

Anyway, I could not dis-assemble the Titan components I had already built...fortunately, there was an alternative...

The Vanguard Heavy Ordnance Energy Cannon

From Vanguard. Hey LOOK - a turntable!!! Just HAPPENS to fit on the Nemesis Warbringer Titan!!

There was a bit of a reaction to this on Forge World's Facebook page, as you might expect. The Commissars came along and purged most of it, but one poster shared a link to a solution - the "Heavy Ordnance Energy Cannon" from Vanguard Miniatures, and I was lucky to see this comment before it was deleted. Vanguard is a purveyor of cool sci-fi products in 3mm, 6mm and 15mm. It just happens that this specific item fits the weapon mount on the top of the Nemesis Warbringer Titan - a pure coincidence, no doubt!

Looks great painted up! You can see the Vanguard weapon on the left, and the Quake Cannon (from GW - comes with the Nemesis Kit) on the right.

You can compare - the Vanguard sculpt is a little leaner on details than the Forge World one - but it has a huge advantage in that you can actually use it. And I have to say, having assembled and painting it up, it looks pretty sharp on the Nemesis Titan IMO. The weapon you see in these photos is the one painted in the loyalist colours of Legio Gryphonicus, and I am painting another one up for the rebels of Legio Mortis.

Fits like a charm!

Looks great painted up, and fits in very nicely with the look of the Titan.

A view from the front...the big gun on top from Vanguard fits great.

Well done Vanguard!

The Fiddly Bits

 

WTF are those parts for?

Forge World...they don't provide the turntable, but they have battery-looking bits too...what are they?

OK, so I am ranting at Forge World and praising Vanguard here. But there is a lapse on my part as well - the fact is there is a lot more going on with the weapons on the carapace for the Nemesis Titans then I had really considered. I liked to think I knew all about the Titans, but clearly there are aspects of the Nemisis I did not understand.

Little did I realize that, in the big pile of boxy stuff on the back of the Nemesis Titan's carapace, there is a spot for "ammunition" for the Quake Cannon (or, I assume it is ammunition...it is a big boxy thing). If you opt to mount the Volcano Cannon, then one would swap out these "boxes" too - for a battery-type set up that suit the Belicosa. 

These components sit pretty awkwardly on the model. They are connected using a dry fit to the back of the Titan model. Personally, I think that dry fit would work more on faith than any actual belief that it would survive on the table as players move the Titans around. YMMV, but a dry fit here is not going to work.

Turns out those things go on this place on the Titan...something to watch for...I had glued these into place, but in theory, they can "dry fit". I hate dry fitting gaming models...all disclaimers apply.

All this to say to watch out when you are assembling your Nemesis Titan! If you want to be able to fully switch the carapace weapons, you need to make allowance not only for the gun itself, but for its ammunition supply/power source components.

Conclusion

The Forge World version of the Belicosa Volcano Cannon certainly looks nice - but if you have already built your Titans, it will be of no use to you (unless you heroically somehow knew what they would do, and managed to magnetize the relevant parts in precisely the right way). Perhaps you still have an un-opened kit on your shelf? If yes, this will validate your decision to hold off building it! But if you are like me, and you have already built one or more of these models, go get the Vanguard alternative to serve as your Belicosa Volcano Cannon.

If you have yet to build your own Nemesis Titan, you can consider the Forge World version of the Volcano Cannon - it would sure look nice! Maybe you could even manage the magnets so the turntable would work for either weapon. Dallas or Byron are smart enough that they could figure that out I suspect, and some other hobbyists out there have suggestions. It's not like it is impossible - but it is more complex than your average weapon-magnetizing work. And even if you do, remember you will need to consider the dry mount for the "ammunition" bits on the back of the Titan.

Anyway thanks for reading, and happy painting!