Tuesday 22 December 2015

Merry Christmas from The Ion Age: Commander Murdo's Taranis Tank


“You will treat this vehicle as if it were your wife. As if it were your sister or your mother. It is precious to me and therefore it is most precious to you. Do not misunderstand what I now say. My life and that of my crew depends upon our 'Ajax' being faithful to us when we need him to be. If this tank does not perform when needed then we may die. If we die and it is a death of honour and of glory then that is all a knight can hope for. But. If it is a death due to failed drive coil or reactor housing fracture then you had better hope that it is death for all of us within. For if even one of us lives and returns here you will die. It will not be a noble death or a quick one. Ajax's replacement will drive over you as slowly as is possible until you are no longer a man but a ruddy hue of scarlet across the rubbacrete of this yard. So treat this vehicle as if it were your most treasured. I will return in the morning. There are enemies of the rightful throne to kill!” 
Baron Heckla Murdo, Zone 91, New Bosworth, Canlastrian Command Net. 4328IC 



It is now the end of 2015 and what a year it has been for my little Ion Age. Doubled in size for the third year and now standing tall alongside its much bigger brothers Alternative Armies and 15mm.co.uk. We have done many things this year including new miniatures, new vehicles, new game pack and book and much more. We also had the build up to and release of the mighty Taranis Main Battle Tank which has really hit a chord with wargamers all over the world. All of us here send you our best wishes for the Festive Season and for the New Year and we have two treats remaining for you all before then. This is the first of them... 

Back in early November we upgraded and expanded the Rewards Programme that we offer. As you know every order gets a free special monthly changed miniature (currently IMP28 Missiletoe Claus) worth 0.60GBP and all customers have an account once they place an order. Your account gathers Reward Points and these can be saved up and spent on discounts of up to 20% and more such as free products. Read the linked up article for full details as we are focusing here on RWP02 Commander Murdo's Taranis Tank. This vehicle is a customised tracked Taranis Tank which you can have for FREE by redeeming 2000 Points or simply by purchasing at 20.00GBP. You can see RWP02 on our website HERE


This unique variant of Tracked Taranis Main Battle Tank is based on IAF100B. It is the character tank belonging to Commander Murdo a hero of the League of Canlaster and brother of the heroic Baron Aldo Murdo who can be found in code IAF013. This pack contains one resin heavy vehicle with white metal components. This is a character vehicle which saw action fighting for the League of Canlaster on New Bosworth one of the biggest campaigns of the Prydian Civil War. It is a modified command vehicle with extra stowage and twin Ron hi-ex cannons as well as a rotary Moth 88 and additional armour against infantry AP weapons and comm suite. Assembled this model is 95mm long and 70mm wide (30mm tall). It is a very large and impressive main battle tank of the far future. The kit comprises a unique upper hull with added detail, a unique turret with twin hi-ex cannons, a standard lower hull, a standard left tracked sponson, a standard right tracked sponson and a secondary weapon to mount on the turret. Only six pieces to assemble with ease! 



We present these lovely painted and action photos of Murdo's Tank to you for your enjoyment. Its amazing how different Taranis looks painted in the blue shades of the League of Canlaster. You can see just how large this main battle tank is when you see a Retained Knight from IAF002 which is 18mm tall standing next to it. Taranis rules the battlefield. All of the Taranis family of tanks can be seen on our website HERE


Information Burst! 
This month our free miniature is IMP28 Missiletoe Claus. For the whole of December 2015 this festive 15mm scale lady is automatically put into every order at the rate of one per order regardless of order value. It can also be bought in any amount on the monthly IMP page of the website for this month only too before being withdrawn on the first of next month. With a Christmas hat on her head and wearing Alwite powered armour Missiletoe is armed with a Tumbler Mpi. A great character for your Retained or other forces. The miniature is one piece in white metal and stands approx 16mm tall. Of course you earn reward points on all orders too through your account learn more about that HERE. We realise that some of you may wish to purchase the currently free miniature to get multiples of it without placing a lot of orders so you can do just that. Visit this page on the website for the miniature at a fair price for a special miniature. There is a growing page on the Ion Age website where the current and all former IMP series free miniatures are shown so that you can see what came before. Enjoy and go HERE

Thanks for Reading,

GBS

Monday 7 December 2015

15mm Dignitaries pack released. Last release of 2015!


“Allow me to create a society around the Prydian Precinct.  One that exists with the threat of the Prydian Civil War within and the Shia Khan Empire without.  The people, the law, the machines and the creatures that populate the planets, the star ports, outposts and even the seedy bars where Retained Knights would fear to tread.”

This is Our Last Release for 2015!

Last month we began a brand new range within The Ion Age sculpted by Dave Foley called the 15mm Ion Age Universe Characters.  If you missed this then refer to this article on our blog HERE.  We will be adding a new pack every month and it is my own and Mr Foley's intention to create a 15mm scale figure range that will allow you to get the 'people' of your wargaming on your table regardless of your setting.  Last month we had Precinct Adventurers and Precinct Police and now we present five more original miniatures: IAF106 Precinct Dignitaries!  Go HERE or read on.


IAF106 Precinct Dignitaries
The third pack of 15mm characters in the Ion Age Universe range.  Moving around the worlds of the Prydian Precinct are those who wish to conduct government work, to support those who need their views represented and to meet with each other to discuss high matters.  These Dignitaries are excellent civilian important persons for your collection. Sculpted by Dave Foley this pack contains five different 15mm scale white metal miniatures in the following poses.  Female in robes carrying object, Female in robes gesturing, Man in tunic with staff and orb, Female in robes hands clasped and finally Male in tunic holding object.  Objects are for you to decide!  These miniatures are great for any science fiction or suitable genre of wargaming in 15mm scale when you want something other than warfare or soldiers on your table.  As always this code can be bought as a pack or as single miniatures or select the three packs and save 10% options  from the drop down menu on the page. Go HERE.  Price 2.50GBP per pack.

There are the details of the previous packs.


IAF104 Precinct Adventurers
The first pack of 15mm characters in the Ion Age Universe range at The Ion Age.  Precinct Adventurers are the kind of fellows you need in a scrap or to carry out some dangerous work in a place where the law is a little loose.  Sculpted by Dave Foley this pack contains five different 15mm scale white metal miniatures in the following poses.  Male adventurer kneeling with a data slab and connected viewer, a hansom male adventurer advancing aiming a Minstrel Taser pistol, male adventurer in long coat signalling a halt holding a Tumbler SMG, male adventurer  wearing parts of Aketon armour and at guard pose with a Moth Rifle.  Lastly a male adventurer in out moded Alwite armour bandaged head and Minstrel Taser.  These miniatures are great for any science fiction or suitable genre of wargaming in 15mm scale when you want something other than warfare or soldiers on your table.  As always this code can be bought as a pack or as single miniatures or select the three packs and save 10% options  from the drop down menu on the page.  Go HERE.  Price 2.50GBP per pack.


IAF105 Precinct Police
The second pack of 15mm characters in the Ion Age Universe range.  Precinct Police are the local law enforcement on the worlds and colonies of the civilised Prydian Precinct who try to maintain order without the use of deadly force if possible.  A first line of law and order.  Sculpted by Dave Foley this pack contains five different 15mm scale white metal miniatures in the following poses.  All are wearing light armour plates, a helmet and a wet weather cape.  Male officer holding a control box for directing city services or droids, carrying portable signs and signal equipment, male officer with public address horn, officer with stun baton raised to strike and lastly running with stun baton. These miniatures are great for any science fiction or suitable genre of wargaming in 15mm scale when you want something other than warfare or soldiers on your table.  As always this code can be bought as a pack or as single miniatures or select the three packs and save 10% options  from the drop down menu on the page.  Go HERE.  Price 2.50GBP per pack.



Information Burst!
Our last release of 2015 belongs to Dave Foley and what a year it has been!  We have a few more information posts for this month and we hope you enjoy the new Taranis Repulsar Tanks in their Early Supporter Offers which are currently under way for a few more days.  See these HERE.  


This month our free miniature is IMP28 Missiletoe Claus.  For the whole of December 2015 this festive 15mm scale lady is automatically put into every order at the rate of one per order regardless of order value.  It can also be bought in any amount on the monthly IMP page of the website for this month only too before being withdrawn on the first of next month.  With a Christmas hat on her head and wearing Alwite powered armour Missiletoe is armed with a Tumbler Mpi.  A great character for your Retained or other forces. The miniature is one piece in white metal and stands approx 16mm tall.  Of course you earn reward points on all orders too through your account learn more about that HERE.  We realise that some of you may wish to purchase the currently free miniature to get multiples of it without placing a lot of orders so you can do just that.  Visit this page on the website for the miniature at a fair price for a special miniature.  There is a growing page on the Ion Age website where the current and all former IMP series free miniatures are shown so that you can see what came before.  Enjoy and go HERE.

Thanks for Reading.

GBS

Wednesday 2 December 2015

IAF103 Taranis Repulsar Tank Early Supporter Offers now live!


The day is here!  From now until Thursday 10th December 2015 we will have the IAF103 Taranis Repulsar Tanks (Five Variants) 15mm scale as Early Supporter Offers.  Every order gets the monthly miniature (IMP28) free included and all orders containing one or more IAF103 codes are shipped from 11th December 2015 onwards worldwide!  All of our releases and offers for the month are now online.

Three different levels of ESO to choose from.  A single tank saving 5% off release price with a free pack of five IAF082 Taranis Repulsar Drones worth 5.00GBP.  Three of the same tank saving 10% off each and each with a free pack of five drones (15 drones total).  Lastly the battalion offer with five different tanks saving 15% off each and with five packs of five drones free!  Click on each of the offers for full details and links to our blog articles with a lot more information and images of this mighty beast of a 15mm tank designed by industry legend Bob Naismith! Remember you can use your built up Reward Points for extra discount too. Go HERE.


Early Supporter Offer Number One - HERE
Get 5% off the 20.00GBP release price of a single Taranis Repulsar Tank.  Choose from the five different variants.  You get a free pack of five repulsar drones with every tank.  Retail Price: 25.00GBP Offer Price 19.00GBP.


Early Supporter Offer Number Two - HERE
Get 10% off the 60.00GBP release price of a three of the same Taranis Repulsar Tank.  Choose from the five different variants.  You get a three free packs of five repulsar drones with your three tanks.  Retail Price: 75.00GBP Offer Price 54.00GBP.


Early Supporter Offer Number Three – Battalion - HERE
Get 15% off the 100.00GBP release price of all five different Taranis Repulsar Tanks. You get five free packs of five repulsar drones with your tanks.  Retail Price: 125.00GBP Offer Price 85.00GBP.

(Due to popular asking this third offer now has a second tier...15 Tanks, 75 Drones with a 25% saving off three bundles)



There are several articles on our blog that tell you and show you much more about IAF103 and IAF082 that we could possibly fit here or on our website.  Click on the links that interest you and see every tank painted, in action, scale shots, unassembled kits and dimensions, concept art, fiction in The Ion Age and more!


To see all the posts click on this link which takes you to the Taranis 'tab' on the blog HERE.


Lastly we have at present FIFTEEN other Taranis Tanks on general release.  These are five different tracked tanks, five different wheeled tanks and five different lifter (hover) tanks too.  We also have Taranis Running Drones on general release too.  You can add these to your order and remember if you go over 80.00GBP, after any discounts are applied, you will get free worldwide shipping plus of course your Reward Points and monthly miniature too.  Go HERE.


As usual all orders get the monthly free miniature which is now IMP28 Missiletoe Claus as it is the festive month!  You also get and can use your Reward Points on all orders.

Thank you for your time, for your custom, for your support and most of all for choosing The Ion Age.

GBS

Tuesday 1 December 2015

IMP28 Missiletoe Claus free miniature for December 2015!

“Its the ending month of the year once again and its time to give Santa Desteria and the Chrimbot a new festive themed companion.  What could we add that goes with a two metre tall armoured suit and a killer robot?  Perhaps his niece, an aide to help deliver the presents in a war zone in Prydian space. So for those who have been with us on our space opera journey and for those new to The Ion Age we present IMP28 Missiletoe Claus.  She is a hot tempered sweetie that takes care of the naughty list. Continuing the tradition of odd and strange Christmas themed miniatures and our third festive free miniature. We do hope that wargamers love this miniature and its place twenty eight months in since our start.  Merry Christmas everyone!”


December is the last month of the year and its been a big year for The Ion Age and while we will have an Early Supporter Offer beginning on the 2nd on our excellent Taranis Repulsar Tanks and we will be releasing a new pack into the 15mm Ion Age Universe Characters range too this month its the purpose of this news to tell you about the new free miniature in all orders.  We have an upgraded Reward Points system and a new monthly offer only on our email campaigns too.   I suggest that you join our Mailchimp email list (link on the top right) since our email lets you know what is going on and features a unique offer that is really worth it.  This month its a rolling, flaming hot offer.


IMP28 Missiletoe Claus.  For the whole of December 2015 this festive 15mm scale lady is automatically put into every order at the rate of one per order regardless of order value.  It can also be bought in any amount on the monthly IMP page of the website for this month only too before being withdrawn on the first of next month.  With a Christmas hat on her head and wearing Alwite powered armour Missiletoe is armed with a Tumbler Mpi.  A great character for your Retained or other forces. The miniature is one piece in white metal and stands approx 16mm tall.


Of course you earn reward points on all orders too through your account.  We realise that some of you may wish to purchase the currently free miniature to get multiples of it without placing a lot of orders so you can do just that.  Visit this page on the website for the miniature at a fair price for a special miniature.  There is a growing page on the Ion Age website where the current and all former IMP series free miniatures are shown so that you can see what came before.  Enjoy and go HERE


We look back at what was going out free this time last year and now also in our first year too.  In December 2014 it was IMP16 Chrimbot and in December 2013 it was IMP04 Santa Desteria.  You can get them in the Year Collections of formally free on our website HERE (go into Year One and Year Two to find these earlier miniatures) but if you click on the links over the codes you can see the blog post from that month and year and see what else we were up to at that time.  Time flies and sometimes we forget and I always enjoy the new month update and to look back at last year and further...so much done and so much still to do!

Thanks for reading.

GBS

Friday 27 November 2015

Black Friday Free Worldwide Shipping until 1st December

Check out the IAF015 Hab Dome!
The Ion Age has begun its Black Friday Weekend offers and promotions. From now, over the weekend, until the early morning of 1st December 2016 GMT we are offering FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING on all orders anywhere (no limit per customer) on orders over 10.00GBP product value. This applies to all of our ranges, all of our books, miniatures and anything else we sell. Just add items to your cart and proceed to checkout and the website will automatically do the rest. Go HERE and explore. Its time to expand your forces for the winter campaign season! If you wish to combine up orders from our other websites (we operate Alternative Armies, 15mm.co.uk and The Ion Age) then you can do so. Email us on info@theionage.com with a list of what you would like and we will send you a paypal invoice saving you the shipping! 


While we are not as large as our sister brands, we are the new infant, we are full of pluck! 


We have a lot to offer fans of 15mm science fiction and 28mm science fiction wargaming. Patrol Angis our first 15mm skirmish level rules system has a book and a game pack (which each come with a unique Knight Errant miniature). We have the Prydian Army that contains Retained Knights, Muster Infantry, Planetary Militia, Portable Weapon Platforms as well as Battlesuits, Bikes, Adder Combat Lifters, Mullo AFV's, Skylark Flyer, Corbal Deployable Hardpoint and the mighty Taranis Main Battle Tanks. We have the Shia Khan Empire an alien range with Legionaries, Malig space goblins, hulking Warlord ogres and Nox shock troops plus the Malig Infernus Tank. 


We have a large range of 15mm scale terrain all based on the Hab Dome (currently half price!) to create entire complexes. 


We have the brand new 15mm Ion Age Universe characters range by Dave Foley. We have Accessories and Bases including Troop Element Trays. 


We have the Pebeo Paint Range and Poster Prints plus the Collected Formally Free monthly miniature collections Year One and Year Two. 


Hundreds of science fiction miniatures and vehicles and terrain to choose from. Lastly remember that we operate a customer loyalty programme which means you get Reward Points on every order (which you can use this time or next time etc for discounts or free items) on top of other offers. Every package also gets automatically the monthly free miniature currently IMP27 Florian Pumpkin Spore (worth 0.60GBP) added. Just go to our website HERE and then browse using the top menu to choose your range to view.

Thanks for Reading, 

GBS

Wednesday 25 November 2015

IAF103 Taranis Repulsar Tanks Comparison and Scale Photos

The Early Supporter Offers will be coming after we take part in the big Black Friday and St Andrews Day four day weekend event at the end of November and we have put up three previous articles all about the IAF103 Taranis Repulsar Tanks and the coming ESO's which will go live on 2nd December 2015.  

You can read those on our blog with an outline of the offers, parts and assembled, information burst and repulsar drones free by looking back over the last week.   This article presents to you a series of scale photographs showing Taranis alongside other items from our 15mm range that are in your wargame collection including its other types of propulsion.  Each photograph has a caption that tells you more.

The Repulsar, Tracked, Lifter and Wheeled types of Taranis MBT's!
Top Down view of sizing of the four types.
IAF103A Taranis MBT with cratered Hab Dome and two Sternode Battlesuits
IAF103B Taranis MBT facing off against the Khanate!
Smashed Adder Combat Car and Desteria Knights
Top down view showing sizes of large infantry next to Taranis
IAF103C Taranis MBT rounds up Yordan Retained Knights
IAF103D Tarais MBT with Planetary Militia at Outpost
Sizing compared to Infantry, Mullo, Colobreta and Command Dome
IAF103E Taranis APC being used by Planetary Militia at the river edge
Sure I can fix it!  Drones protect a damaged Taranis APC
Its a pretty lethal and damn pretty looking big vehicle!  Bob Naismith has done a fantastic job on bringing my idea of what a futuristic science fiction space opera Human anti-gravity tank would look like into a resin reality.  Go to the Early Supporter Page on 2nd December or 15mm Prydian Vehicles page after the event.

Thanks for Reading.

GBS

Tuesday 24 November 2015

IAF082 Taranis Repulsar Drones will be free in Taranis ESO's!


We previously released IAF081 Taranis Running Drones and you can see these HERE.  In December we will be releasing a follow up pack of drones designed by Bob Naismith and these are to be IAF082 Taranis Repulsar (Anti Gravity) Drones.  These will be released as pack but first they will feature in the December ESO's on the IAF103 Taranis Repulsar Tanks as a FREE PACK of five (worth 5.00GBP) with every tank pre-ordered. Superb value and excellent with ant-gravity tanks.  After that they will be released as a normal code as a pack of five, choice of singles or buy three packs and save 10% as part of The Ion Age 15mm range.  This article gives you the first proper look at the drones all painted up and finished and ain't they just lovely!


“It was chief engineer and fabrication guild master Ulus McTear who first came up with the notion of drones for use with the various types of Taranis main battle tank hulls in Precinct service.  Protecting the crews of the vehicles was the guild masters first and foremost aim since the time taken to train on such a large and complex hull made replacing members of the crew a painful experience.  However the factor of cost was also paramount in his mind.  With more than eighty tons of titanium alloy in every Taranis as well as many other expensive systems such as its GroatVey MkX HeavyIon Reasc Fusion Reactor its loss had to be avoided if possible.  Originally in late 4200's IC the use of sentient mind droids was field tested and worked well but with the horror of the Gurtan Activation in 4302IC these were shut down and destroyed.  The casings and systems of the droids were converted across to slaved robotic drones controlled by the crew of the Taranis.  While this marginally slowed the reactions of the drones and limited them to a close protection of the tank this was seen as no bad thing by McTear who lost a cousin to the machines on Gurtan.  There are two primary types of motive systems for the Taranis drones and these are allocated by the propulsion types of the tanks themselves with runner legged drones being assigned to tracked and wheeled hulls while repulsar drones are paired with hover and repulsar Taranis tanks.  The role of the drones is protection and in limited ways attack and repair of their assigned vehicle.  Five standard types of drone are in use as of 4303IC.  These are the light missile drone which uses 30mm Anda guided rockets to keep light vehicles and incoming munitions away from its tank.  The laser strike drone which has twin rotation mounted wide beam Valerin 2Mw lasers to assault enemy infantry and intercept incoming projectiles.  A particle dispersal drone is fitted with fine filament explosive caps and smoke generators to provide interference with visual spectrum, electro-magnetic and plasma projectiles to a limited degree.  A single direction comms suite gives the transmission jammer drone the ability to disrupt enemy signals and conduct sonic attacks.  Lastly there is the field repair drone and this most specialised machine has the task of attempting small repairs to its Taranis when opportunity presents itself.  These repairs are of course not on the same scale as those as a portable castle and its fleet of drones can effect but it can make all the difference when it matters.  Interestingly the field repair drones came about after failed experiments with drones mounting tiny Hurwent Generators as every student of energy fields knows a stable haze cannot be generated with low power and with constant movement within an atmosphere. Taranis Drones are a valuable part of a Knight Commander's mobile armour arsenal and Precinct main battle tanks seldom enter the fray without them.”
Academy Auto-Trainer Series 52, New Glastonbury, 4335IC


There are five different drones all supplied in two white metal parts with a repulsar lower body and a different upper body which sits naturally into a bowl mount at the waist allowing upper body posing.  Each drone has a different function in the protection and repair of a Taranis tank. From left to right these are as follows: 

1. Missile Pod Drone
2. Laser Strike Drone
3. Particle Dispersal Drone
4. Transmission Jammer Drone
5.  Field Repair Drone

Above is a scale photo showing a Retained Knight from IAF008 Retained Post Charlie.  A typical Human miniature it is 17mm tall and shows the Missile Pod Drone and Particle Dispersal Drone on either side.  The Drones assembled stand between typically 15mm tall and 22mm tall for the tallest. This scales them perfectly in 15mm and also makes them waist height for a 28mm miniature too. Scale variable.

So.  The Early Supporter Offers will give you a pack of five worth 5.00GBP free with every IAF103 Taranis Tank you pre-order purchase.  After all every main battle tank needs a little love!

Thanks for Reading.

GBS

Monday 23 November 2015

Free Shipping Worldwide and Offers this Black Friday Weekend!


This message is being put out across all of our brands, blogs, websites and email listings. Alternative Armies, 15mm.co.uk and The Ion Age will be making a brilliant Black Friday Weekend set of offers at the end of this week. From Friday 27th through to the end of St Andrews Day Monday 30th November 2015 we will be offering free worldwide shipping on all orders on all websites (and by email if you want to combine up your order across our brands) on every order over 10.00GBP product value. The cart will automatically give you free domestic, international, courier shipping depending on your location and order size and all you need to do is put items in the cart of proceed to checkout. 

On top of this we have special offers on the websites for the weekend which differ for each website. For example Hab Domes are half price and a free miniature and reward points for The Ion Age. 15mm.co.uk has brand new Loud Ninja Games releases and offers on them plus bundle deals on vehicles and fantasy. Alternative Armies is giving discounts on all Albion Orc cavalry units and characters and also the whole OH High Fantasy range will be released with multitude bundles and more! 

On Friday 27th visit www.alternative-armies.com or www.15mm.co.uk or www.theionage.com or email us on sales@alternative-armies.com with your proposed combined order and we will send you a paypal invoice by reply. Offers will end when we switch to December on the 1st of next month at some point GMT in the morning of the 1st December. 

So what is happening before the big deal weekend? 

Here at The Ion Age we are delighted to be working with our sister brands and we will have a couple of blog posts about the Early Supporters Offers next month for you to look at and to read before Friday. Check back on the blog to see them. 

Thanks for Reading, 

GBS

Sunday 22 November 2015

Information Burst: Taranis Model 32 Repulsar Main Battle Tank


With the completion of one of the most titanic in scale armourers works ever seen in the Prydian Precinct the complex plans for the lethal weapon of war that would become the Taranis Main Battle Tank were set into motion.  The Targa Works would go on to produce such vehicles as the Adder Combat Car and Lifter series and the medium weight Mullo Armoured Fighting Vehicle but these were side and later projects compared to Taranis.  Named after an ancient old earth deity a god of war from the isles of mist and rain the Taranis was created to be the mailed fist that would allow the regiments of the Barons and the Throne to continue to expand into space and systems lost during the thousand year old Aldan Crucible detonation.  In 4294IC documents retrieved by Starvaulters during an investigation of the ruins of Newbury IV were decoded and artificed.  It had taken a decade since their retrieval to decode the records which dated from the time of the great Resource Wars of twenty first century earth.  The designs they contained were for a war machine that was the ultimate evolution of a century of tank warfare.  Dutifully recorded they were sent out with the Ark Ships into the void.  A monster of death this tank was doom incarnate and once updated with the technology Prydia now possessed they were further modified to be able to function in environments far more varied than one planet could have offered.  Taranis would be a weapon capable of winning any war against men or the feared Khanate.
Academy Auto-Trainer Series 52, New Glastonbury, 4335IC

The Taranis hull is a marvel of the teaming of technology and long achieved skill in warfare and the MkIII refined hull used for the Model 32 is the ultimate evolution of the hull.  The MkIII standard hull for Model 32's weighs in at standard count gravity 1.0 at around 58 tons of titanium alloy armour and internal systems along with an increased rate of reaction GroatVey MkXV HeavyIon Reasc Fusion Reactor that provides the additional motive power that repulsar drive trains require.  Using the principle of ion particle beam collision to ignite fuel pellets the MkXV reactor provides some 4200 horse power or about 4350Kw of usable electrical energy to the power train.  Assembled differently to the Model 40 Tracked, the Model 6 Wheeled, the Model 9 Lifter Taranis propulsion models the Model 32 Repulsar is specially designed for the MkIII hull only.  This is done primarily at the Targa Works on New Glastonbury in a closely guarded massive facility.  The Taranis Repulsar variants feature a highly advanced drive system commonly referred to as 'Repulsar Plating' which features on Taranis but also on the Bantam and Brama types of repulsar platforms among other anti-gravity vehicles in the Prydian Precinct.  While the mechanics of repulsar technology is restricted from Auto-Trainer series access in simple terms it functions based on the old earth texts of Podkletnov and Candleson using super dense aluminium sourced from asteroids former of planetary or stellar cores (including the ultra deep mine on Lillandia II) which is then rotated at astounding speed inside a cylinder shaped engine.  The density of this core material gives a greater effect. Using super conductors and stabilisers all powered electrically by a Reasc Fusion Reactor a gravity scute (shield) is formed under the vehicle which negates virtually all of the vehicles weight making it weightless.  A turbine jet engine mounted fore of each cylinder provides forward motion or breaking plus rotation with the assistance of turbines under the vehicle.    Repulsar vehicles do not truly fly but they can adjust their height relative to the ground by up to several thousand feet.  Model 32 Taranis feature cut outs that prevent rising more than ten or so feet in the air to protect the vulnerable underside of the tank.  The Model 32 can reach speeds of nearly fifty five miles per hour on most worlds.   Taranis carry a crew of four trained operators who are drawn from the Fortress and Fleet arms of the Prydian Army.  Retained Knights and Muster serve as crew but seldom mix and it is almost unknown to have Starvaulters in the seats of control.  Using the Bragan Memetic Neural Linkage system the crew are mentally attached to the vehicle and control its system.  This is a dry linkage as all wet implants were banned after the Gurtan Activation.  There is a driver centrally located, a communications and drone controller who handles the screen of drones the tank has and its comms gear.  The third crew member is the knight who operates the primary weapon systems and secondary linked weapons.  Lastly the artificer who oversees the condition of the vehicle and all minor in combat functions often sharing the work of the secondary weapons and drones.
Academy Auto-Trainer Series 52, New Glastonbury, 4335IC

The Taranis Model 32 Repulsar has five primary types and well as several secondary types and a few specialised adaptive local variants.  The role of the types is battlefield dependant and all crews are trained to operate effectively the primary types and most of the secondary ones too.  Here follows the distinctions of the primary types of the Model 32 through changed assembly of the upper hull superstructure.  Taranis Model 32 Type A the is standard main battle tank which features a turret mounting a Bodkin AP 130mm Cannon which is the normal projectile main armament of the Taranis series this cannon has an effective range of seven miles and features several choices of munitions including the Phelot Ex22 AP for anti-vehicle use and the TX12 Imploder for infantry clearance as well as the Habkut Variacluster which is a middle class multi-target round.  The Model A mounts a secondary weapon the Angis Mk9 22mm Automatic Rifle which can be manually operated from the crew turret hatches or controlled from within in the tank.  Some fifty percent of Model 32's across the Precinct are Type A.  Type B is the command variant of the Model 32 and is allocated at a rate of one to three or one to four of that of the Type A.  With improved comms suite and space for an additional operator if required the Type B has a modified turret with better optics and range finders as well as a Moth 88 Rotary Cannon centrally mounted.  Type B also has the Bodkin AP 130mm main gun and the Angis Mk9 too.  For use on worlds with challenging terrain or low gravity where recoil is problematic the Type C of the Model 32 is deployed and this also features for extra-atmospheric use on asteroids and other space bases.  With a turret crewed by a specially trained gunner the main gun of the Type C is the terrifying super heavy Fretan SBP9 Sequence Particle Beamer with the space removed from the main hull of the gunner being taken up with a small secondary GroatVey MkV HeavyIon Reasc Fusion Reactor slaved purely to the SBP9 and its massive energy requirements for sustained rates of fire.  About five percent of all Model 32's are Type C and also Type D as well.  The Type D is intended for close in warfare in urban and also warfare within starships if required and is the siege warfare type sporting a re-enforced turret with twin Ron MegaMax II 95mm Hi-Ex Launchers.  The Ron weapon system has reduced range compared to the reach of the Bodkin 130mm but its destructive potential matches the hellish maelstrom of the SBP9.  Hurwent shields and rubbacrete are not a match for the Ron which can reduce structures to rubble and also blast apart the heaviest titanium alloy hulls.  Finally of the primary types is the Type E Model 32 Taranis Armoured Personnel Carrier.  The Type E features a rear hatch and additional hull armour at the expense of a turret and two of the four crew normally in the tank.  Instead a well furnished internal bay has space for a dozen or more fully equipped Retained Knights or near a platoon of Muster or other non-armoured infantry.  The APC type has a top mounted Angis Mk9 22mm Automatic Rifle giving fire support to disembarking troops and is the favoured transport of most in free fire zones.
Academy Auto-Trainer Series 52, New Glastonbury, 4335IC

Auto-Trainer series 52 previous input explained the five primary types of the Model 32 Taranis Main Battle Tank and this now continues into the secondary types and local specialised adaptive local variants.  This is not an exhaustive list as local variants are many and the Leagues have made many alterations to the based on their particular needs.  The Type F is gaining popularity and since 4326IC has been fabricated in great numbers for regiments on the front lines.   It is a missile support type mounting a choice or three blocks or six blocks of Anda 115mm Missiles with automatic reload from hull storage and rotation from a modified core hull mounting.  There are multiple choices in missiles with high explosive or penetrators being the most common.  Also gaining in popularity is the Type G which is an energy based weapons platform for Taranis just as the Type C is but where as the Type C has the often problematic super heavy Fretan SBP9 Sequence Particle Beamer the Type G has a turret mounted Valerin 50Mw Laser Cannon which while not as lethal as the Fretan it does not have the manifold and shroud replacement requirements that the SBP9 causes in the fray.  Responding to the increase in ultra large armoured foes on the field of battle the Type H does away with its Turret and has an adapted hull with a centrally mounted 'Eage' 85Mw Valerin Laser Cannon one of the most lethal energy weapons carried by a ground vehicle in the Precinct.  Much rarer are the Type I, Type J and Type K Taranis which are in turn a mobile Hurwent Shield Generating station, a quad mounted anti-aircraft vehicle and an armoured battlefield recovery vehicle.  Special mention should be made of the rather odd Type L which features a modified hull upon which are four small turrets one in each corner are placed carrying weapons such as the Valerin 15Mw, the Moth 88 Rotary and the Anda 60mm missile pod.  Its use is in low intensity warfare as a heavily armoured vehicle which engages primarily light opponents.   There are many local specialised variants beyond the official 'Types' recognised by the Targa Works on New Glastonbury in fact too many to even attempt to list but there are a few Model 32's which have been fitted with a double set of repulsar engines plus an enlarged hull for an additional fusion reactor to power them.  This specialised variant mounts magnetic accelerator weapons of the Fretan series which feed from the extra electricity available and is capable of generating a very localised Hurwent shield when stationary.  It has no official designation but it is referred to the 'Franca' and it is extremely fast and lethal.  
Academy Auto-Trainer Series 52, New Glastonbury, 4335IC


Wednesday 2nd December 2015 sees the start of the pre-orders, the Early Supporter Offers on the Taranis Repulsar Tanks.  Five variants, each of them created by industry legend Bob Naismith, cast in resin and white metal.  Each with a discount off the 20.00GBP release price, each with a free pack of Repulsar Drones worth 5.00GBP automatically include.  Every order shipped on the same day worldwide when the offer ends.  Every order gets the free monthly miniature worth 0.60GBP which will be IMP27 and of course when you are an Ion Age customer you have an account and earn Reward Points which can then be used on future orders, discounts and promotions!  We really are one of the best brands to deal with for 15mm science fiction wargaming so you tell us across the globe. Go to the Early Supporter Page HERE during the offer period to get your tanks.

This is the game world article on the Taranis Model 32 Repulsar Main Battle Tank otherwise known as IAF103 in our code structure and this time we will be talking about the place of Taranis in the armies of the Prydian Precinct and we will be doing this using extracts from the future published sequel to Patrol Angis the book Callsign Taranis.  We hope you enjoyed the read.

Thanks for Reading,

GBS