Holiday Gift Guide 2009: Fortress of Redemption

Suppose you’re planning for the apocalypse and you need a scale model of a fortification to defend your worldly possessions. Suppose too that you need this model to double as a base for your tiny toy soldiers. There is only one solution and it is the Dark Angels Fortress of Redemption

The Fortress of Redemption is a massive edifice. A gangway connects two short towers while a formidable keep stretches skyward. The towers are weapons platforms with plenty of room for soldiers to aim their rifles in relative safety. The keep section is detachable (technically so are the towers, but if you move them you’ll have to custom build something to cap off the gangway).

If I were a Space Marine.

This is what I’d look like if I were defending my post-apocalyptic possessions, wearing Imperator class Imperial Power Armor and armed with a Mk. IV .75 calibre boltgun. I’m on the fence between the power armor and my more familiar sunglasses. It’s a tossup on the cool factor, but my sunglasses are not designed to withstand high explosive projectile rounds at close range. (I’m working on a prototype minus the elusive–yet essential–plasma shield technology.)

Games Workshop’s Fortress is a colossal set. I’m not even sure where I can display it; I only know that I will…somewhere. It’s too cool not to. My only complaints are (1) that the keep section has four identical walls and (2) that the sections are not modular. The ruined 40k buildings, like the Basilica and the Sanctum are wonderful in that you can easily swap pieces and heavily customize your building. I would have liked to be able to adjust the gangway and towers in different configurations. On the other hand, it’s forced me to design a gatehouse that I want to build with foam and plasticard to add to this edifice.

It took several hours to get all the pieces off the sprues and file down the mold lines and sprue jaggies. I left the smaller pieces on sprues because I find it easier to prime them. I'm still wondering where I'd put the 28mm (1:72) scale couch and six-pack.

Fortress of Redemption by Games Workshop.

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