Imperial Armour Model Masterclass Volume One

This week I received my copy of the new Forge World hardback book - Imperial Armour Model Masterclass Volume One.

I was first made aware of this book, by an article on The Miniatures Page (TMP), which recently featured the book. The article and write-up, plus a sample of the pages was enough for me to order it straight away.

My expectations were very high and I have to confirm that I have not been disappointed, this is a fantastic modelling book, just full of advanced modelling techniques and 'how to' articles and photos, Highly recommended, and this from a modeller that does not own one piece of Games Workshop 40K metal, plastic or resin armoured equipment!

Firstly, I feel I must compliment Games Workshop and Forge World on the very high standards of production of this book, from the beautiful, photos, the high quality paper and cover to the near- perfect presentation and text. Well Done, I look forward to more in the future.

The format is very similar to Masterclass books produced by Windrow & Greene and Histoire & Collections and follows a structure and layout that will be familiar to any reader of Finescale Modeller, with copious amounts of step-by-step photos accompanied by detailed and precise text.

Upon opening the book, we have the usual tools and equipment sections, but even this had a couple of surprises (even for me - a hardened modeller of over fourty years). The first modelling article - A Renegade or Chaos Medusa tank/Assault tank, was a fantastic read, and like many of the articles will be of great use to Military Modellers and terrain builders of any era or genre. This was one of those articles that you will want to read slowly, savouring each technique and wanting to re-read and study again-and-again.

Articles skip between detailed start-to-finish, detailing and painting articles, to beautiful photo essays of finished and in most cases award wining dioramas, even the end papers are full of highly detailed and beautifully drawn blue prints.

I am well aware that words like, beautiful, detailed, in-depth and inspirational will be repeated within any conversation or review I will give of this book, I hope that anyone thinking of purchasing this book will be inspired to go ahead after reading this review, and as stated earlier this is a book that will appeal to military modellers who have never picked up a Games Workshop model or would ordinarily never think that a Sci-Fi modelling guide would be of any use to them, believe me this is an inspirational advanced modelling book that would grace the bookshelf of any serious modeller. Well Done again.

For me the only question would be price - at nearly £30.00 (including P&P) this is an expensive book, but one that I think is worth every penny. This is not a book for the 'starter', more it is a masterclass of more advanced techniques and hints that will appeal to modellers who want to improve their skills and produce more realistic models.

Tony