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I noticed that we didn't have one of these yet! So here we can discuss those wonderful collector background books known as Imperial Armour. While I personally don't own a single one I have read through the first five casually and must admit that they are worth the somewhat hefty price tags attached to each one of them in terms of information and eye candy. If looking for just the rules it might be a bit of a disappointment.

Here are the main books in the range. The first two are just info books focusing on branches of the Imperium, with extensive backgrounds, technical drawings and photos in both colour and black and white. From book three onwards a narrative has been woven in where the Imperium faces off against a foe. Below every title is the description as listed on the Forge World site. We can update this as we go along.

IMPERIAL ARMOUR VOLUME ONE - IMPERIAL GUARD & IMPERIAL NAVY
This 288 page hardback book provides detailed information on the war engines and weapons of the 41st millennium. From Leman Russ battle tanks, Chimera armoured carriers and Basilisk self-propelled artillery, to Tarantula sentry guns, Thunderbolt fighter aircraft and super-heavy tanks like the Baneblade and Shadowsword, this book describes them all in superb detail.

It contains information, in exacting detail, on 32 vehicles, weapons and aircraft. There is background, interior details, technical specifications, colour schemes and rules for using all these vehicles in games of Warhammer 40,000.

Heavily illustrated with over 120 colour and black and white pictures, 200 full colour vehicle profiles, over 120 technical drawings, plus organisation charts, combat formations, battle reports and tactics, to add depth and character to the Warhammer 40,000 universe.

IMPERIAL ARMOUR VOLUME TWO - SPACE MARINES & FORCES OF THE INQUISITION
This 256 page hardback book provides detailed information on the war engines and weapons of the 41st millennium. From Land Raider battle tanks, Rhino armoured personal carriers and Whirlwind missile launchers, to Tarantula sentry guns, Dreadnought armour and Super-heavy aircraft, like the Thunderhawk gunship, this book describes them all in superb detail.

It contains information, in exacting detail, on 30 vehicles, weapons and aircraft. There is background, interior details, technical specifications, illustrations, colour schemes and rules for using all these vehicles in games of Warhammer 40,000

Heavily illustrated with 100 colour and black and white pictures, 150 full colour vehicle profiles, over 130 technical drawings, plus organisation charts, tactics and combat formations to add new depth and character to the Warhammer 40,000 universe.

IMPERIAL ARMOUR VOLUME THREE - THE TAROS CAMPAIGN
This 320 page hardback book provides in exacting detail, information on Tau vehicles, aircraft, their allies and the Tau Fleet. Also covered are new fighting machines of the Imperium. There is background, interior details, technical specifications, illustrations, colour schemes and rules for using all these vehicles and aircraft in games of Warhammer 40,000.

Heavily Illustrated with 120 colour and black and white pictures, 110 full colour vehicle profiles, over 80 technical drawings, plus organisation charts, tactics and scenarios to add new depth to the Warhammer 40,000 universe.

IMPERIAL ARMOUR VOLUME FOUR - THE ANPHELION PROJECT
Inside this book you will find information, in exacting detail, on new Tyranid creatures spawned by the Hive Mind. Also covered are new fighting machines of the Imperium. There is background information, interior details, technical specifications, illustrations, colour schemes and rules for using all these creatures, vehicles and troop types in games of Warhammer 40,000.

Heavily illustrated with colour and black and white pictures, full-colour vehicle and creature profiles, technical drawings plus organisation charts and scenarios, this adds new depth to the Warhammer 40,000 universe. There is also an army list for the Elysian Drop Troop veterans of Detachment D-99, new background and rules for the Red Scorpions Chapter and details of Inquisitor Lok and his retinue.

The following three books make up a trilogy revolving around the bloody and brutal war of attrition being fought on Vraks between the Imperium and Chaos.

IMPERIAL ARMOUR VOLUME FIVE: THE SIEGE OF VRAKS part 1
Inside you'll find, in exacting detail, information of the Death Korps of Krieg, including their vehicles, weapons and organisation, and the background of these grim, fiercely loyal soldiers of the Imperial Guard. Also covered are those forces of the Dark Angels Space Marine Chapter deployed on Vraks.

This book is heavily illustrated with over 50 colour and black and white pictures, 70 full colour vehicle profiles, 25 technical drawings, plus organisation charts and scenarios to add new depth to the Warhammer 40,000 universe.

IMPERIAL ARMOUR VOLUME SIX: THE SIEGE OF VRAKS part 2
The siege of Vraks continues

In ten years of constant war, the renegades have fought bitterly, inflicting millions of casualties on the Death Korps but gradually, remorselessly, they have been pushed back. The noose has tightened around the Fortress of Vraks and the Apostate-Cardinal is trapped in his lair, the sound of the Imperium's guns growing ever closer. And for a brief time it seemed that the end was in sight and that the renegades' strength was at last exhausted and soon they must break. But it was not so reinforcements were on their way. The slaughter must continue and cruel gods could drink their fill of blood.

This 208 page book is heavily illustrated with over 50 colour and black & white pictures, 60 full colour vehicle profiles, 30 technical drawings, plus organisation charts and scenarios to add new depth to the Warhammer 40,000 universe.

Also included are additions to the Death Korps of Krieg Siege regiments army list, including the mighty Reaver Titan and a complete Renegade and Heretic 'Servants of Slaughter' army list. The Appendices section contains all the rules you need to use super-heavy vehicles and aircraft in your games. Also included in this book is a large Siege of Vraks poster.

IMPERIAL ARMOUR VOLUME SEVEN: THE SIEGE OF VRAKS part 3
This book is heavily illustrated with over 55 colour and black & white pictures, 70 full colour vehicle profiles, 12 technical drawings, plus organisation charts and scenarios to add new depth to the Warhammer 40,000 universe.

Also included are additions to the forces of Chaos, daemons and Daemon Engines, including the fearsome Chaos Reaver Titan and a complete Renegade and Heretic 'Servants of Decay' army list. You'll find rules for the Nurgle master-sorcerer Necrosius and the cunning leader of the Skulltakers, the infamous Zhufor the Impaler. The Appendices section contains all the rules you need to use super-heavy vehicles and aircraft in your games. Also included in this book is a third Siege of Vraks poster and Siege of Vraks Slip case.

Mainly because they are.

I'll give them all a short non-company description when I'll get to it. Non-biased and honest of course.

if the rumour mill is to be trusted, then Book 8/9 is the one i need (Forge Worlds Legendary Mechanicum Release rumours state that they will be released with book 8 or 9, *gasp!*)

I'm sure the Adeptus Mechanicus will show up some day.

*checks your ipod* Hey, that line is best read out loud to the opening of At First Light by Bolt Thrower. whee

The background is actually pretty well written for the most part. Sure, the sentences and some of the wording is poorly chosen here and there but for the most part it is a solid tale about the backbreaking and inhumane industrialized killing incorporated with trench warfare.