WGA "The Damned" KS finally arrived!

 Back in 2023, I was excited to join in WGA's (Wargames Atlantic) kickstarter for their first wholly realized "Death Fields" faction/army - "The Damned".  After many delays and changes, I finally received my "15 box set" pledge (and the many, many bonus sprues).

My order included:
The Damned Infantry,
The Damned Female Infantry,
The Damned Heavy Weapons,
The Damned Command,
The Damned Artillery,
The Damned Beastmen,
The Damned Heavy Infantry,
The Damned Brutes (Ogres),
The Damned Cavalry,
The Damned Hounds & Handlers,
The Damned Mauler

As with all WGA sets, there are no assembly instructions included, so some kits can take a few tries to figure out.

I am in a temporary housing situation, with most of my things in storage, so have limited hobby supplies available, but am throwing together a few models - starting with the Maulers.

The Mauler went through several design changes over the course of the KS - and looks different than the originasl concept, but ended up being what it was supposed to be:  a basic, and somewhat modular APC that can be used for many purposes, in many miniatures collections.

The main options include "armored box troop transport", open topped troop transport, and flat bed transport (which could be a crago hauler, or have a gun mounted on the flatbed).

I chose to build each of my kits slightly differently -  "armored box" troop transports, open topped troop transport (similar to a WW2 half-track or a BTR-152), a flatbed gun platform (no gun on it yet), and a four-wheeled open topped variant..



 

The flatbed was the first one I built - due to inadvertently gluing on the wrong rear body option.

I also did not figure out until later that the ladder is designed to go on the rear, so I cut them down and used them on the side of the crew compartment.

I used a troop compartment overhead door as a maintenance hatch for the engine, and the weapons rack to add some flavor to the cargo area.

I then built a basic 'transport box'.

For the third, I placed the interior parts in the troop compartment - flooring, seats, and a weapons rack.

After painting the interior, I might add the cover, which I have built with the overhead doors open.

I then decided to try a four wheeled variant.   I decided to use the railings form the gun platform to create "grab bars" over the troop compartment.

I think I prefer the six-wheeled version.

I wish I had used the doors (top hatch doors for the troop compartment) on the rear, instead of the ramp, as it would give a "lighter"/leaner look to the open-topped transport, and allow teh tow hook to be added.   The doors are just slightly too wide to do this without carefully shaving them to fit.

Some assembly notes:
The seats fit better with the narrowest seat forward.
The cover is not actually symmetrical - it has a front and rear.  The rear fits in with the rear armor.  The floor of the troop comparntment also has a "front" and a "back".

While theMauler model is not perfect for all my light APC desires, I think that they are the most fun to build sci-fi gaming vehicle model since the orginal 40k Rhino. The basic pieces are simple to put together, and then there are many quick and easy options for standard (or personal) variations.