Squats in Specialist Games Rules and Magazines, Promotional Items, and Novels: Historia Squataticus Appendices 5 Through 10

Squats in Epic 40K Rule Books, Codexes, and Boxes

Historia Squataticus : Appendix 5

Adeptus Titanicus Box (Epic 40K 1^st Edition)

Included basic rules for battles with Titans and plastic Warlord Titans. I am not sure if any Squats material was included since there were no Epic-scale Squats miniatures available at the time.

Space Marine Box (Epic 40K 1.5 Edition)

Added basic rules for infantry and vehicle use. It also included Infantry and Transport vehicle sprues from the 3 available Epic Armies – Imperial, Eldar, and Orks. These were the boring sprues with basic troops and transports, Space Marines troopers with Rhinos and Land Raiders, Ork Boyz and Battlewagons, Eldar Guardians and Falcons (though this was the first appearance of the Eldar Falcon). 

 

At this point, I don't believe that any Squats-specific materials were included. But by this point the various Imperial Tunneling vehicles were available, so there may be some Squats related fluff comments.

Big Old Epic Armies Boxes

The earliest infantry sprue supplements were large boxes of what today would be an inconceivable bargain and variety in one set.

The Epic Armies Battle Group box contained 20 sprues.

5 of the second Space Marines sprue, with Command, Land Speeder, Assault Troops and other troop types.

5 of the Imperial Guard sprues, from when Beastmen were part of the gang and Guardsmen could fly like Space Marines. And Robots for both Marines and Guard.

5 for the Eldar, Aspect Warriors, Warlocks, Scouts, Harlequins. And in another case of Epic being the vanguard, the first rendition of the Eldar Support Weapon (labeled Grav-Mounted Vibro Cannons on the box) and Vyper (labeled Assault Jet Bikes).

And finally, 5 Chaos sprues, from when Chaos was wise enough to field many Chaos Squats in Power Armor with Bolters (5 per sprue) yet dumb enough to include Trolls and Minotaurs. Yep, Space Trolls. Why not some lesser daemons instead? We will never know.

Both Chaos and the Imperial Guard fielded Beastmen at this time, both of the boring Goat-Man type. IG Beastmen used Space Halberds or the popular Las Pistol and Space Sword combo that lasts to this very day. Chaos Beastmen used a Space Axe and a Space Shield.

The Epic Armies Attack Force, also containing 20 sprues, was a replay of the sprues in the Space Marine set, 5 Ork Boyz and Battlewagons, 5 Eldar and Falcons, and 10 Space Marines, 5 each of the Rhino and Land Raider sprue variations.

The Epic Armies War Horde box (20 sprues too) included the newer Ork sprue, featuring Command, various Odd Boys, Gretchen, Boar Boyz and the like. The Stompers sprues were also included, with their Mole Mortars. This box also included the Squats sprue, full of Battle Brothers, Thudd Guns, Bikers, and other masters of the battlefield.

All of the Army Boxes featured advertisements for the all of the Army Boxes, as did the Epic Battle Titans box. Thus the Epic Armies Battle Group, Attack Force, and War Horde Sets all show or mention Squats on the bottom half, as did the Battle Titans box.

In the early 1990s, there were large boxes of 10 sprues for the existing Epic armies, with some armies getting two (So there was an Eldar Legion box of Guardians and Falcons and an Eldar War Host box of Aspect Warriors and Support Weapons, but no Tyranid sprue was available at the time).

These boxes advertised the other boxes on their bottom halves, so the Squats Army, Chaos Horde, and Stompers are shown on the Eldar Legion box and the others. These boxes varied in color, with the Squats Warriors box being red.

At this point, the going name was Space Marine, maybe, as the Space Marine box itself was also advertised as “the core game of the Epic Hobby”.

Codex Titanicus: This book contained all of the supplementary rules that had been published in White Dwarf since the release of the Space Marine boxed set. I don't think there was any new material in here. This was the trend at the time, similar to the Warhammer 40K Compendium and Compilation books, as well as the 3 Orks books (Waaargh! The Orks!, 'Ere We Go!, and Freebooterz (Yes, beardlings, there was a time when Orky kultcha was so varied and detailed that 3 full books of material existed (5 different army lists!). Even an angry Squat will shed a tear in his beer at the horrible degradation the Orks have experienced since the turn of the century. Almost better to have been dropped from the game than turned into green gorillas with no sense of the value of a good set of teef.).).

If you believe the cover of this volume, this game with little men and many names was known as Epic Battles at this point. One must suspect that the Epic Naming Committee had been stuffed with representatives from the Tzeentch faction.

Epic 40K: Early 1990s Rules Supplements

Soon enough, the already scattered rules of the game-of-many-names were replaced by boxed sets full of rules, army cards, special power and weapon cards, counters and other cardboard critters designed for specific pairs of armies.

First released was the Armies of the Imperium Rules box, which included rules for the Squat-sourced Termite, Mole, Thudd Gun, Mole Mortar, and Hellbore. There were undoubtedly a plethora of comments about the Squats in here, but I do not own the set to provide the details.
The Ork and Squats Warlords box included rules and cards for all Squats troops and vehicles available at the time.
The Renegades (Eldar and Chaos) box featured rules and cards for Chaos Squats. More specifically:

Page 8 notes that allies are permitted, with Squats among potential allies of the Eldar.

Page 45 is a full-color battle scene pitting Chaos against Eldar, with Chaos Squats present on the high ground. Page 48 displays A Mighty Army of Chaos, including again our Chaos Squats, as well as some traitor Imperial Guard.

Page 66 supplies rules for the Chaos Android, more-or-less the first incarnation of the Necrons, but more-than-less a direct grab from the Terminator film.

The Chaos Android's “cunning construction is a secret known only to certain tainted Squat fabricators” working with Chaos Sorcerers, resulting in “a tiny bound daemon, [as] an animating spirit imprisoned within its plasteel shell [which] hates being trapped in this way and will do anything to escape”.

Page 69 details the critical role of the Chaos Squats within the Armies of Chaos:

“Chaos Squats are the armourers and artificers of the armies of Chaos. With devilish cunning they construct weapons and engines of war which defy sanity. Each new creation is magnificently built to evoke the correct aura of terror and majesty. It is thought that the Chaos Squats are responsible for the maintenance and construction of Chaos Titans and the fearsome Daemon Engines of Khorne.”

In addition to the technological masterpieces, “Chaos Squats also fight with unparalleled ferocity in the field of battle, favouring heavy fire power to slaughter their foes.”

Page 72 disperses the mystery, reporting that “the Cannons of Khorne are one of the most hideous engines of destruction created for the Blood God Khorne by the Chaos Squats.”

The back page provides the data sheet for Chaos Armies, including the stats for the Chaos Squats and their war machines.

The Tyranids Hive War box was the last released. I have not seen it, so can't comment on the contents. Though I'd bet my beard that it doesn't say anything about over-abundant snacking upon Squats.

Titan Legions (Epic 40K 2nd Edition (sort of))

This is another item I don't have. These rules were designed to be compatible with the existing Army Rules Supplements sets, so there is most likely an assortment of Squats content. The Titan Legion box included Imperial and Ork sprues and Titans.

Sometime around this point, the boxes of infantry sprues for the various armies were reduced to 5 sprues each, with the boxes featuring only information on the army inside. The Squats box is now orange, like the Super-heavy Vehicle boxes.

Additionally, in the early to mid-1990s, Epic 40K blister packs included color inserts featuring assembled and painted examples of the models on the front and brief black & white assembly diagrams on the back side. The borders to the color side of the inserts were the same orange color as the Epic Squats boxed items. The blister card backs were the mid-90s Citadel generic style - a Red back for new releases and a Blue back for older models.

I am not sure when the Squats blister packs and boxes were removed from the shelves and available only by mail order, but they were most likely off the shelves by the time the Epic 40,000 box of rules and miniatures appeared in the late 1990s.

Epic 40,000 (Epic 40K 3^rd Ed)

Published in 1997, this edition contains only wisps of Squat possibilities.

Page 41 of the Rule Book contains a picture of a Khorne War Machine with a strong Squat-like appearance.

 Coincidence or Evidence?

Sure, he's converted, but look at those faces

The Battles Book page 112 provides a brief history of the Epic-scale gaming saga, noting the grotesque complication that had been erected by the many supplement, with the mighty tower of rules becoming too impossible to maintain under the weight of the Titan Legions edition. The saga mentions the Squats Warlords rules supplement in its retelling.

The Armies Book contains much vague implication. Pages 24-25 provide the details for the Adeptus Ordinatus machines. These are known to have been supplied by the Squats to the Adeptus Mechanicus. Specific reference is made to Ordinatus Golgotha, named for the Squats Homeworld it was first deployed upon against the green hordes of Ghazghkull Thraka. Page 43 reports that Imperial data reports that Thraka was killed during the Armageddon campaign were false, as Thraka reappeared to continue his battle on Golgotha.

The Tyranids are described as “so utterly apocalyptic that nobody is safe, whether they are human, Ork, Eldar, or any other race” (page 95, emphasis added).

The book ends with encouragement to players to innovate: “if there's some troop type or army choice not in this book you should have a go and send it in [to White Dwarf]!” (page 111).

The wait for Squats rules would not be long, with an army list appearing in Citadel Journal issue 20, from Spring 1997, mere months following the release of the Epic 40,000 game. As reported “the demand from ardent Squat players was overwhelming” (pages 32-46, quote from page 35).

Squats in Space Fleet and Battlefleet Gothic Rule Books, Codexes, and Boxes

Historia Squataticus: Appendix 6

Space Fleet Box: Nothing in the very brief rules pamphlets. There were no specific space ships released for the Squats.

Battlefleet Gothic Box: I don't have BFG but it is most likely Squats-free. The same is likely true for the Armada, Invasion, Planet Killer, or Warp Storm supplements, as well as BFG Magazine.

Squats in Other GW Boxed Games

Historia Squataticus: Appendix 7

There have been numerous boxed games released by Games Workshop's, particularly between around 1985 to 1995. Many of these were under license (Judge Dredd) and are irrelevant for our purposes - though it is easy to imagine some Chaos Squats constructing a Radioactive Materials Mining, Manufacturing, and Mutation Facility in the Cursed Earth. Many others were based on the Warhammer Fantasy World (Oi! Dat's My Leg!) and would also require some warping of the space-time-cardboard continuum to involve any Squats.

Other games based on the Warhammer 40K Universe may have some Squats content, but none included Squats as a major feature.

Most prominent were Space Hulk and its supplements - Deathwing, Genestealer, Space Hulk Campaigns, Tyranid Attack – and Space Crusade and its supplements – Advanced Space Crusade, Mission Dreadnought, Eldar Attack. These games featured combat inside of space ships between Space Marines and an assortment of foes, most commonly Tyranids, but also Eldar, Orks, and Chaos. 
 

It is possible that Chaos Squats played some role in these games. Fluff-wise, the Chaos Dreadnoughts that were released for the games would have been engineered by Chaos Squats.

Smaller games include Battle for Armageddon (and supplement Chaos Attack), Bommerz Over Da Sulfur River, Doom of the Eldar, Lost Patrol, and Ultra Marines. Again, the most likely way that Squats may have made an appearance is as part of a Chaos force.

Squats in Specialist Games Magazines

Historia Squataticus: Appendix 8

If a publication or issue is not listed here, then I don't have it. But there is little reason to expect Squats material in Necromunda's Gang War, Battlefleet Gothic Magazine, or Fanatic.

Epic 40,000 Firepower

Issue 4 (2000): Termites, Moles, Hellebore rules p. 34-36. Letter on p. 38 refers to Squat Army List appearing in Epic Firepower 1.

There were only 4 issues of Epic Firepower before the change to Epic 40,000 Magazine occurred.

Epic 40,000 Magazine

Issue 2 (2000), p. 18-22: Rules for Super-heavy Vehicles, including the Leviathan.

p. 44: Index of issues indicates that the Squat Army List appeared in Epic Firepower Issue 1.

p. 48: Mini catalog with pricing includes Squat metal models – Leviathan (8 GDP/15 USD), Colossus (9 GDP/15 USD), Thunderfire Cannon (2.50 GDP/3.50 USD), Cyclops (10 GDP/17.50 USD), Land Train (7 GDP/12 USD)and Berzerker, Dragon, Bomb, and Mortar Battle Cars (1 GDP/2 USD each, that's a big gap between that Land Train price and its Battlecars), Goliath Mega Cannon (6 GDP/10 USD), Overlord Armoured Airship (6 GDP/10 USD), Iron Eagle Gyrocopter (1.75 GDP/3.50 USD). No indication as to whether both variants of the Land Train Engines and Battle Cars are available.

Issue 3 (2001), p. 16-17: Reader letter hoping for Squat Army List and production of Squat Titans. Jervis Johnson reports that Squat Titans are something he “can't see us ever doing”.

p. 19: Index of issues indicates that the Squat Army List appeared in Epic Firepower Issue 1.

p. 24: Mini catalog with pricing includes Squat metal models – Leviathan (8 GDP/15 USD), Colossus (9 GDP/15 USD), Thunderfire Cannon (2.50 GDP/3.50 USD), Cyclops (10 GDP/17.50 USD), Land Train (7 GDP/12 USD)and Berzerker, Dragon, Bomb, and Mortar Battle Cars (1 GDP/2 USD each, that's a big gap between that Land Train price and its Battlecars), Goliath Mega Cannon (6 GDP/10 USD), Overlord Armoured Airship (6 GDP/10 USD), Iron Eagle Gyrocopter (1.75 GDP/3.50 USD). No indication as to whether both variants of the Land Train Engines and Battle Cars are available.

Necromunda Gang War

Gang War Issue 2 (1999) Reprints optional rules for Squats in Van Saar Gangs from Citadel Journal 19, on p. 18-23.

Gang War Issue 4 (Jan 2000) p. 4-12. “Hi-Ho! Squats Miner Gangs” as Outlanders, featuring Prospector/Leader, Miners/Gangers, and Slaggers/Juves. Special Equipment includes Mining Demolition Charges, Chainjack, Mattock, Shovel, Lascutter, Rock Drill, Sonic Cleaser, Miner's Map; also Outlaws Trade Chart.

Squats in Games Day, Golden Daemon, and Promotional Items

 Historia Squataticus: Appendix 9

None of the items below have any Squats material. If a publication is not listed here, then I don't have it.

UK Games Day and Golden Demon Programmes: for 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2010 - No Squats.
White Dwarf Presents Golden Demon Winners: for 2003, 2005, and 2006 – No Squats.
Skulz Collector's Cards: UK 2000, North America 2001 – No Squats.
Forge World Catalogs – Nope. But the Mole Mortar and Thudd Gun have made symbolic returns in the Imperial Guard Death Korps of Krieg army.

Squats in GW Novels, Graphic and Otherwise

Historia Squataticus: Appendix 10

 

I have not read any novels, and only a couple of graphic novels. Since they were largely produced after the Squats were dropped from the ranks of playable armies, there are most likely only a few brief references.

For example, the Warhammer 40K Lexicanium provides an article on Planet Golgotha, which notes that the novel Gunheads, by Steve Parker makes reference to “curious artistic depictions in ancient ruins” on pages 228 and 234.

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Golgotha#.TuLLBfL6NdR

 

This dubious retconning parallels the cover-up of the Endor Holocaust in the Star Wars Universe (look it up, beardlings).

Squats in White Dwarf 1992-1995, Historia Squataticus Volume 2

Here we have the Second Half of our investigation of Squats in the pages of White Dwarf.

Part 5: The Second Epic Explosion of the Squats Army, 1992-1993.

This period sees the flowering of the Epic Squats Army as a unique force, rather than a sprue with access to Imperial equipment. The Epic game was reorganized with the publishing of a collection of earlier White Dwarf articles and the Epic Space Marine boxed set, which focused on infantry, transports, and tanks. This set contained new rules, and sprues for basic infantry and tanks/transports for Space Marines, Eldar, and Orks.

The development of the Epic Squats Army, like the other Armies, continued in the pages of White Dwarf, and as part of a series of rules supplements containing counters and cards for two armies in each box (SM & IG, Eldar & Chaos, Orks & Squats) for the new vehicles and big guns produced for the Squats.

Given all the attention paid to developing the Dwarfs and Chaos Dwarfs for their other games, a new round of 40K was still in the plans at this time, in the “once we've made it through all the other games” stage. But GW was a gushing torrent of different ways to play with their core creatures & mythos, seeming to be trying to include every type of setting (fantasy, sci-fi, naval, outerspace, football, etc.) and every type of gaming (board, solo, tiles, minis, etc.).


White Dwarf 150 (June 1992)
Back Inside Cover: Painted Mole in ad for Epic Battle Paint Set

Back Cover: Epic Battle Scene Orks assault Squat Stronghold
***

White Dwarf 151 (July 1992) Cover Art from Ork & Squat Warlords Supplement
p. 38-49: “Mekboyz and Squats” for Epic Space Marine by Andy Chambers, Squats content below.
p.41: Template for Land Train Dragon Firethrower
45-48: Fluff, Rules, Stat Cards, and for Epic Land Trains and Iron Eagle Gyrocopters by Andy Chambers p. 47: A mighty Squat Land Train forges into attacking Evil Sunz Orks, B/W art by John Blanche (full illustration of picture on Land Train card)

p. 50-53: Squat Land Trains, plastic Infantry & Support Units ('Eavy Metal, by Tim Prow)
“Each carriage of the Land Train is dedicated to one of the revered Squat ancestors...” “Banners form a very important part of Squat Tradition. The large banners on the Land Trains show the most revered ancestors of a particular stronghold while the pennants display runic slogans.” (p. 53)

p. 54: Ork and Squat Warlords Supplement for Epic Space Marine (Color Ad £12.99)

p. 59-61, 64-65, 68-69: Battle for Armageddon: The Chaos Wars- additional Chaos counters and cards, including Nurgle Chaos Squat units, for BfA boardgame by Jervis Johnson

p. 78: B/W Catalog Page for Land Train Engine (angled prow), Battlecar Chassis (thick section at rear), and all 4 Battlecar weapons (Berserker, Dragon, Bomb, Mortar (designed by Norman Swales, 4.99 for Engine & Car, 1.75 per Car)
***

White Dwarf 152 (August 1992)
p. 3: Converted Squat Adventurer (SmurfHat) by Massimo Colombari ('Eavy Metal)

p. 40-42: Epic Battle Scenes of Chaos army attacking Squat Stronghold (scratchbuilt from polystyrene and cardstock, painted mountains in background), Modelling Workshop Hills and Woods article and terrain by Adrian Wild.

p. 78: B/W Catalog Page for New Releases-Land Train (Train & Car £4.99, £1.75), Colossus with Iron Eagle Gyrocopter (£7.99, £1.75 for Gyro) (designed by Norman Swales)
***

White Dwarf 153 (September 1992)
p. 2: notice that Agmat is the official importer and translators for GW in France. Agmat produced a rare alternate version of the Thudd Gun (notice is in French)
http://collecting-citadel-miniatures.com/wiki/index.php/Image:Limited_Release_-_Imperium_Imperial_Thudd_Gun.jpg

p. 11: Squat Epic War Machines- Colossus, Goliath, Iron Eagle, Overlord, Infantry ('Eavy Metal)
“The Guild of Engineers is a powerful part of Squat society. It knowledge and experience in the art [of] mechanical construction is legendary.”

p. 32: Ork and Squat Warlords Supplement for Epic Space Marine (Color Ad, £12.99)

p. 74-75: B/W Catalog Pages for Land Train (Train & Car £4.99, Car £1.75), Colossus with Iron Eagle Gyrocopter (£7.99, Gyro £1.35), Goliath Mega-Cannon £3.99), Overlord Airship (£3.99)
***

White Dwarf 154 (October 1992)
p. 34-50: Epic Battle Report: Battle for Golgotha Squats vs Orks, Johnson vs Chambers.
Squats led by Commissar Yarrick, many Battle Scenes, recycled art, B/W Illustration of 2nd Ed Squat on p. 49, Squat Army deal for £51.90 on p. 69

p. 71: B/W Catalog Page for Goliath, Overlord, with Mark Gibbons pencil art Squat Infantry (in gear similar to the few 2nd Edition Squats) vs World Eaters, dated 1992.
p. 72: B/W Catalog Page for Land Train, Colossus, Gyrocopter (same prices as WD 153)
***

White Dwarf 155 (November 1993): None
***
White Dwarf 156 (December 1993): None
***

White Dwarf 157 (January 1993)
Front Inside Cover: An Epic Eldar Force Launches an Atttack Against a Squat Stronghold
***

White Dwarf 158 (February 1993): None

White Dwarf 159 (March 1993): None
***

White Dwarf 160 (April 1993)
p. 72: B/W Catalog Page for Leviathan
***

White Dwarf 161 (May 1993)
p. 11-21: Chaos Dwarfs Blast Forth from The Dark Lands and Dominate White Dwarf for 1993!
“The gates [of Zharr-Naggrund] are almost as high as the walls and massive beyond any obvious need.” (p. 13)

Center Insert: supplemental Warmaster rules & counters for use with Horus Heresy boardgame, includes a Chaos Squat squad.

p. 59: Vikas Ingram and plastic Squat with Helmet head in 'Eavy Metal Painting Guide
***

White Dwarf 162 (June 1993) p. 17-20: Tyranid Attack Dreadnoughts by Jervis Johnson
“Relatively few [Chaos Dreadnoughts] survive and they are carefully maintained and repaired by Chaos Dwarfs artificers”

p. 44: Squats Warriors & Chaos Horde Epic Boxed Sets (Color Ad for small version, $12.99)
Squat Warriors has 20 Bikes, 5 Guild Weapon Teams, 5 Thudd Guns, 5 Mole Mortars, 130 Infantry; Chaos Horde has 105 Chaos Infantry (incl Chaos Squats), 30 Riding Beasts, 10 Minotaurs, 10 Trolls
***

White Dwarf 163 (July 1993)
p. 2: News including picture of prototype of Banelord Titan, text saying Leviathan variants are being worked on.

p. 9: New pewter range for North America, blister of 2 Squats $4.99, 2 bikes $9.99, 2 Heavy Weapons $5.99

p. 48: Squats Warriors & Chaos Horde Epic Boxed Sets (Color Ad for small version)
***

White Dwarf 164 (August 1993)
Front Inside Cover: Chaos Squats in Epic Host of Khorne ('Eavy Metal)

p. 84-end: B/W Catalog Pages for entire Epic line, including Squats, Tunnelers, Chaos Engines and Titans
***

Part 6: The Last Chance for New Squats in Warhammer 40K, 1993-4.

Warhammer 40K 2nd edition was released in the Autumn of 1993. This basic rules set contained “get-you-by-until-a-Codex-is-published” army lists for the various forces, including Squats. However, while the other armies got their codex and promotion in White Dwarf, the Squats were on the sideline waiting for development. Squats received some attention in the Dark Millenium supplement, but did not develop further as a 40K army.

Attempts at development of new 40K Squats resulted in the creation of at least 8 new Squats (3 Champions, 3 Berserkers, 1 Exo-Armor, and 1 Trooper). These were very briefly available, but the Squats never received a 2nd Edition Codex.

White Dwarf 165 (September 1993): None
***
White Dwarf 166 (October 1993): None
***
White Dwarf 167 (December 1993)): None
***

White Dwarf 168 (December 1993)
p. 40-44: Warhammer 40K Assault Squads by Andy Chambers. “All Squats are excellent hand to hand combat troops by nature.” (p. 40)
***

White Dwarf 169 (January 1994)
p. 11: 'Eavy Metal Painting Guide to include pages for Squats.
***

White Dwarf 170 (February 1994)
p. 3: Squat Cyclops (Color Ad, New Release $14.99)
“Armed with the Hellfury Cannon, the Cyclops is able to pulverize even the largest of Titans into bubbling piles of slag.”

p. 5-8: Squat Psyker Powers briefly discussed in intro to Dark Millenium Andy Chambers

p. 11-13: Squat Cyclops rules & pictures (by Chambers & Thorpe). Includes Mark Gibbons pencil art Squat Infantry (in gear similar to the few 2nd Edition Squats)vs World Eaters, dated 1992.

p. 39-45: Epic Eldar Tactics by Mark Watts, p. 45 Battle scene with Leviathan under Imperial command against Eldar.
“Squats are particularly difficult opponents as they have lots of firepower (greater to some extent than the Imperial Guard), good mobility and reasonably good close combat abilities plus a very high breakpoint.” (p. 45)
***

White Dwarf 171 (March 1994)
p. 7-11: Squat Psyker Powers briefly discussed in intro to Dark Millenium Andy Chambers, on p. 11 with Ink & Wash ill. of Squat Leader by John Blanche. Illustration is likely for 2nd Ed Squat design development.

p. 25-35: Epic Chaos Tactics by Mark Watts, many pictures and illustrations. p. 26 shows Squats defending stronghold from Chaos.
“One of the races where many of their number fell prey to the temptations of Chaos were the Squats. The twisted brethren of this noble race are responsible for constructing many of the special weapons and war machines that feature so strongly in all Chaos armies. On the battlefield Chaos Squats fight with great ferocity, favouring, like their still loyal brothers, the use of heavy weapons to eliminate their foes.” (p. 28)
***

White Dwarf 172 (April 1994): None
***

Part 7: The Epic Squats Army Stalls, 1994.

Throughout the first half of the 1990s, the Epic Squat Army appeared more frequently than the 40K Squats because GW had built their Epic terrain table with a Squat Stronghold on it back in 1992. Despite this privileged terrain, the Squats did not develop much further as an Army, perhaps due to the creation of an additional Epic Ork Village terrain table in 1994. The Squats were included as a separate force in the revised Epic Titan Legion rules, but the expansion plans reported in White Dwarf were never completed. The 1993 Cyclops and 1994 Thunder-Fire would be the last models produced for the Squats Army.

In Warhammer 40K articles, Squats would continue to be mentioned as adversaries in updated rules for the more favored Armies for several years, and would make the occasional appearance in Golden Daemon entries and unofficial rules publications until the current day.

White Dwarf 173 (May 1994)
Front Inside Cover: Epic Battle Scene - A Squat Army in Combat with Blood Angels Space Marines

p. 37-40 Epic Q&A, several questions involve Squats.
“Squats would never deliberately shoot at one of their own units. This rule doesn't apply to... Chaos who regard casualties caused by their own weapons as an acceptable fact of war, or simply bad luck.[Also as a cure for boredom, for the sheer joy of explosions, for satiating the red thirst, or just to see if you can hit them, according to General Stalkarlik]” (p. 39)
***

White Dwarf 174 (June 1994): None
***

White Dwarf 175 (July 1994)
p. 19-22: Epic Q&A by Mark Watts,
p. 19 has a Battle Scene of a Squats Army assaulting an Ork Town, p. 22 reprint of Warlords box art. p. 21-22 have Questions re Barrage Weapons, Overlord, and Cyclops Hellfury Cannon.
***

White Dwarf 176 (August 1994): None
***

White Dwarf 177 (September 1994)
p. 29: Golden Demon 1994: Overlord Airship by Jeff Durocha, 1st Place Epic Model

p. 31-34: Epic Tactics by Mark Watts, with Squats & Eldar vs Chaos Battle Scene (p. 31)
"The Squat Army is an extremely tough force.....don't let the Squats dictate the battle, take the fight to them. Because of their extremely high break points the only way really to neutralize them is to wipe them out." (p. 34)
***

White Dwarf 178 (October 1994)
p. 6-12: Epic Titan Legions introduction rules & models boxed set by Andy Chambers
“the Squats were tenacious and commanded the most awesome firepower imaginable” (p. 8)
“Norman Swales is also hard at work creating a new range of Adeptus Mechanicus super heavy war machines [the Ordinatus models] and Squat Juggernauts [Who knows?].” (p. 12)

p. 80: B/W Catalog Page for Colossus, Gyrocopter, Goliath, Overlord
***

White Dwarf 179 (November 1994)
p. 74: B/W Catalog Page for new release Thunder-Fire Cannon (2 for $7.99)

p. 80: B/W Catalog Page for Colossus, Gyrocopter, Goliath, Overlord
***

White Dwarf 180 (December 1994)
p. 31: Mole, Thunder-Fire, Leviathan, Scene of Stormhammers & Squats vs Host of Khorne ('Eavy Metal)

p. 79: B/W Catalog Page for Colossus and Leviathan
***

Part 8: Squats Disappear into the Core of Warhammer 40K, 1995.

The common belief is that the Squats as a race were simply gradually forgotten about once new Squat Army models were no longer produced, or, more amusingly, that they were eaten to extinction by the Tyranids because they had a silly name. But a closer look reveals that the Squats, instead of being forgotten, infiltrated the core functions of both the Imperium's Cult of the Machine God and the War Engines of the Ruinous Powers.

The Adeptus Mechanicus's Epic Ordinatus war machines are revealed to have been largely created by Squat members of the Cult. The Squat Tech Priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus battled back the mighty Ghazghull Thrakka, and remain the rulers of the mighty Imperial Forge World of Golgotha.

Similarly, Chaos Squats remain integral to the creation and maintenance of not only the massive Chaos Titans and Khorne's War Machines, but also to the armor of Chaos Terminators and Dreadnoughts. Chaos Squats have been a welcome source of heavy infantry since the Horus Heresy as well.

White Dwarf 181 (January 1995)
p. 23-30: Imperator Titan by Gavin Thorpe. p. 27 contains vile lies about how to kill Land Trains and Leviathans with the Imperator Titan

p. 40: Imperial Termites in 'Eavy Metal

p. 74: B/W Catalog Page for re-release of Imperial Mole ($8.50) and Termites (3 for $8.50)
***

White Dwarf 182 (February 1995)
p. 16-24: Waaagh Da Orks Epic tactics guide by Gavin Thorpe.
p. 22-23 provide unreliable rumors about how to combat Squat Super Heavy vehicles.

p. 52: 1995 Golden Demon Guide with Overlord Airship by Jeff Durocha from 1994 GD
***

White Dwarf 183 (March 1995)
Front Inside Cover: Cyclops and Squat Infantry assault Trygon and Gargoyles
***

White Dwarf 184 (April 1995)
p. 37-40: 1995 Games Day / Golden Demon Guide with picture of Overlord Airship by Jeff Durocha from 1994 GD. Squat Superheavies invited for Epic Group Battle vs Tyranids

p. 77: B/W Catalog Page for Thunder-Fire (2 for $8.50)
***

White Dwarf 185 (May 1995): None
***

White Dwarf 186 (June 1995)
p. 19-20: 40K article on Ratling Snipers, with comparison to Squats.
“Extreme cases of physical adaptation have produced mutant populations which are no longer human. Squats are the most important of these mutants and the most widespread.” (p. 19)
***

White Dwarf 187 (July 1995): None
***

White Dwarf 188 (August 1995)
Congratulations to Papa Nurgle on his exciting new Plague Towers!

p. 79: B/W Catalog Page Imperial Mole and Termites
***

White Dwarf 189 (September 1995)
p. 19-21: Epic Irresistible Onslaught Tyranid tactics.

Gavin Thorpe foolishly underestimates the power of the Squat Super Heavy Tanks against Tyranid Bio-Titans, while praising efficacy of Eldar Doom-Weavers. You are in The Book of Grudges now, Mr. Thorpe.
***

White Dwarf 190 (October 1995)
p. 21-24: 40K Callidus Assassin rules, Polymorphine Wargear allows Assassin to appear as a Squat.

p. 26: Epic Squat League Defends Stronghold against Tyranids ('Eavy Metal)

p. 37-41: 40K Tyranid Warriors tactics by Andy Chambers.
p. 38 falsely accuses Squats of being slow-witted, like Orks. Slow-footed is not slow-witted. Book of Grudges for you, el Andy.
***

White Dwarf 191 (November 1995)
p. 40-46 Dwarf Tacticus (for WFB) by Jeremy Vetlock.
“After my Dwarf Army was well underway...I began keeping my own Book of Grudges. This is great fun! … It's very pleasing when you avenge yourself and can cross off a past dishonor!” (p. 46)
***
p. 48-53: Epic Ordinatus rules and tactics by Gavin Thorpe, showing Squats to be the creators of Ordinatus technology.

p. 48: “This huge tunnelling machine [Ordinatus Priam] was assembled during the siege of Priam, a city overrun by the traitor forces in the Horus Heresy. The immense creation was designed to tunnel through the planet's crust and and then navigate through the white-hot mantle underneath. This rendered it undetectable to Priam's defences and allowed four companies of elite Imperial Guard troops to storm the city's Generatum Vulcanis, breaking the siege. However, Ordinatus Priam was irrevocably damaged during the attack, as parts of its heatshielding gave way.”

p. 50: Epic Battle Scene - The Hellfire missiles of Ordinatus Golgotha devastated the Ork army of Warlord Ghazghull Thraka, driving him from the Squat Homeworld of Golgotha and freeing the inhabitants from slavery – Squat Stronghold terrain with Bikers, Russes & the Ord.

p. 51: “Ordinatus Golgotha was constructed in the recaptured strongholds of the Squats. Golgotha's terrifying Hellfire missiles devastated the Orks, slaying thousands over the course of a week. The Orks were routed from the Squat Homeworld and since then the Ordinatus Golgotha has always been in the forefront of any battle against enemies who have a strong numerical advantage.”

p.52: “Geronimus Undersen devised an Ordinatus [Armageddon] as a defence against the marauding war machines [of Chaos]. Undersen mounted a massive starship weapon onto a land-bound chassis, giving the Imperial forces an immense machine powerful enough to destroy even the largest and most heavily armored foes. This idea was by no means original, and followed the concept behind the famous Squat Titan-killer – the Cyclops.”
***

White Dwarf 192 (December 1995)
p. 51-56: “Death from Above” Epic Air Tactics by Gavin Thorpe, includes discussion of Squat Overlord and Iron Eagle, battle scenes vs Eldar and Orks showing most of range of minis.
“the Overlord can lay down a murderous curtain of fire before the enemy can even try to shoot at it...Groups of Overlords are capable of obliterating whole companies of enemy troops at a single blow!” (p. 56, excited, though logically inconsistent)

p. 97-109: Eldar vs Chaos Epic Battle Report, Eldar player reported as usually Squat Commander (Steve Anastasoff)

p. 120: B/W Catalog Page for Adeptus Mechanicus Ordinatus Mars, Golgotha, and Armageddon
***

Conclusion?

So now we've made it halfway through the 1990s, and roughly halfway through the history of Warhammer 40,000 and Epic Space Marine. Many of the Rogue Trader Era 40K armies have their 2nd Edition Codexes already (Eldar, Orks, Tyranids, assorted Space Marines) or would soon have them (IG, Chaos, more Marines), with only the Squats and Inquisition/Arbites left out. The Inquisition/AAs would have their own bumpy ride splitting them into multiple codices and introducing new types of troops. They would eventually have an interesting range of miniatures develop. Then stagnate. But that is someone else's war.

Our sturdy Squats had already seen some R&D that resulted in 8 Squats, most of which were much more similar to their contemporaneous WFB and Blood Bowl Brother-Dwarfs than the Rogue Trader Squats had been to the WFB & BB Dwarfs of their time. Whether due to neglect or lack of interesting ideas, this narrowing of design was in contrast to the general trend toward increasing the variety of the other forces, the endless fractination of Space Marines that look alike but fight different, the endless stream of Imperial Guard that look different but fight the same.

1995, however, also saw the introduction of a new game that was destined to greatly expand the variety of Citadel miniatures in type and individual appearances for years to come: Necromunda.

While the semi-serious official line is that the Squats were eaten by Tyranids, the true story ends with the Squats digging deeper into the fabric of the Imperium and the warp of Chaos to let us explore human jungles of The Underhive.

Though it was a worthy trade of Squats for Necromunda, we all know that those 3 Squat Berserkers would have made much more sense as Underhive Outlanders than the Eldar Farseer and Fire Dragons.

Squats in Epic 40K Part 3: We Got a Great Big Land Train

The Squats came roaring back as a fully distinguished Epic Space Marine* army in the summer of 1992. Epic was starting to coalesce from a blizzard of loose White Dwarf pages and tiny versions of 40K critters into a flurry of loose cardboard stats card and counters, but with more fun vehicles not available in 40K.

So exciting new 40K minis inspire tiny Epic versions, then Epic makes exciting new tiny minis that inspire 40K versions. And that is how you make a Forge World. So many tanks...can never afford them all...

Back to the Squats. The Epic Squats, unlike their 40K counterparts, are generally considered reasonably fun and dakka-dakka. The not-so-secret secret is their many "Titan-Killer" vehicles.

The first was the Land Train. This picture shows how they would appear on the table top- the Engine came with 1 Battlecar, and Battlecars could be added 3 at a time, up to 7 cars.

There were 2 different Land Train Engines. Here is the Engine with the rounded front, assembled above and separated below. The Land Train was the first of the new Epic Squats vehicles to be released in July 1992 (WD 151) along with the Ork and Squat Warlords Supplement.

The Land Train Engine was an awesome beast, plowing through infantry and light vehicles, blasting away with its Doomsday Gun and 2 Heavy Battlecannons. Only a Titan or Superheavy Tank could pin down the Land Train.

This is the other Land Train Engine, with an angular front. The Land Train had the same powerful armor on front, back, and sides. There was only 1 Turret variant for both Hulls.

Andy Chambers kept piling on the armor: the Land Train Engine also had 2 Titan-style Void Shields, and gained another Void Shield for each Battlecar following it. These kind of attributes, to me, make the Land Train more of a Titan alternative, rather than a Titan killer. A Titan alternative for a people afraid of heights.

There were also 2 variants of the Battlecar, one with a thick bit at the end, the other in the middle. If you are wondering why there are crenelations on these Battlecars, it is because the Land Train was crawling with Squat Berzerkers ready to repel any pesky infantry trying to attack the cars. Any cars still connected to the Engine could also be protected by the Void Shields.

The Land Train featured 4 different weapon options. On the right is the Mortar Battlecar, similar to the Imperial Bombard. Next is the Bomb Battlecar, a one-shot rad-bomb with unlimited range and high accuracy. Third, the Dragon Battlecar that brings forth a 10-inch gout of flames. And finally, the Berserker Battlecar, with an Autocannon turret and 5 Squads of Berserkers for guarding the Train.

Mortar and Berzerker Battlecars assembled. Each Battlecar could fire independently of the Engine. The 5 Squads of Berserkers could also leave the Car and fight independently.

Dragon and Bomb Battlecars assembled. Each car had independent propulsion, and could be separated from the Land Train Engine and can join with another. Only Cars attached to an Engine had access to the Void Shields, though.

Above are all of the Land Train options from above, below are the pieces from the side. Originally, an Engine and a Car sold for GBP 4.99 and extra cars at1.75 each.

The Land Train seems like it was a fun, but complicated, vehicle to slither across the battlefield.

Still, there are questions. Don't almost all trains travel across land? And, if it is a Land Train, why does the Stats Card say it spends so much time underground? Perhaps most importantly, how would you use the Mortar, Bomb, or Dragon underground without destroying yourself?

Those are Giant Leaches from Heresy round the Chaos Totem. I just wanted to make them look like Really Giant Leaches. The various resin terrain all come Armorcast, the grey bits from 40K 3rd ed Imperial Building sprue.

And now another installment of our erratically scheduled series "What has Hungry Ghosts been doing instead of finishing his army?"

Mutant Scrunt Bots! Made from Bob Olley's Scrunt Vehicle Driver Torsos and Citadel bottom halves and mutations bits. For some reason, I felt compelled to create a group of Tall Dwarfs.

*Like the dread Nyarlathotep, this game has 1000 names, and no one knows them all...

Squats in Epic 40K Part 2: Riding the Imperium's Coattails

After the Squats Army boxed set was released along with the publication of the Squats Army List in White Dwarf 127 (July 1990), the Epic Squats line of miniatures was mostly ignored in White Dwarf for a couple of years. At this time, the Squats had access to all of the Imperial weapons and vehicles, so there was no urgent need to make some. The army list also allowed IG or SM allies, and could even ally with the Eldar, but only against Chaos. They could also have Chaos allies if they were Chaos Squats.

It took until WD 151 (July 1992) before the Epic Squats were relaunched with their own line of vehicles, along with the Epic Warlords box of rules and counters. Some joker at GW thought it would be funny to put the Squat material in the same set as the Ork material. He has never been seen again. Both sides claim credit for the "disappearance".

Today we will take a look at some of the Epic Space Marine miniatures from the fallow time of the 6mm Squats, the wacky Imperial Knight Titans.

These single-person Titans were actually released a month before the Squats list, and I'm not sure if the Squats were ever allowed direct access to the Knights. But the 3 Knights in the bottom row are clearly from the servo-arms of the Squat Adeptus Mechanicii.

Here is Knight Lancer 3. Someone has been listening to the whispers of Tzeentch. The Eldar Harlequins Army List from Citadel Journal 17 included a converted version of this Knight as a Familiar for the Shadow Seer. It is basically the bird head on Epic War Walker Legs, which is unnecessary in my opinion. The Ordos Xenos needs to inspect this Knight for unholy contamination.

Lancer 1. Same legs, different head/body. More of a robo-reptile than a robo-bird, though both have those tiny Tyranosaur arms.

The slotta tag says Sentinel, another example of the flippity-floppity naming patterns GW has for its minis. Maybe they changed it because the Sentinels were a big part of the storyline of the X-Men comic book around the same time. Or maybe it was because they already used the Sentinel name. But that hasn't really stopped them before. Executioner. Firestorm.

Finally a design an Inquisitor can love, Lancer 3. I don't know why but this one took a long time to find. Rounding up a few of these and doing some weapons swaps and you can probably brew up an interesting IG infantry squad.

Down to the next row, we have "Knight Warden We'll-Call-Him-3-Because-There-Are-2-Warden-1s-in-the-Blue-1991-Catalog". I don't know where this design came from, it is rather different than most Warhammer minis, not just the Knights. He has the aggressive off-balanced dakka-dakka position only an Ork or a Khorne Berzerker could really appreciate. He also kind of looks like one of the old crappier Go-Bots, the ones where you just push the head and gun down and your transformation is complete. Warden 3 looks like he would transform into an APC.

Knight Paladin 1, known to his friends as "Jazz Hands". Finally something a Commissar can love. Or at least not despise as a weak and cowardly elfy-man. But then Mr Commissar looks closer and sees that Jes Goodwin has transplanted an Eldar Dreadnought Hand on Pal 1, and given him the same loincloth as his Eldar Dark Reapers released at the same time. Looks like were gonna hafta keep that Xenos watch on Jazz Hands, boys.

Paladin 2, showing us just how big the daemon that got away was. Same legs as Pal 1 and and the loincloth of a Dark Reaper Exarch.

For giant robo-suits, Paladin 1 and 2 look a bit strange. Paladin 1 looks like he's been surprised while doing something he shouldn't. Paladin 2 is looking confused as to whether he wants to use his chainsword or battlecannon. Use both. Always use both.

Maybe Paladin 2 is looking confused because in the Blue Catalog he is right next to a freaky robot cave spider that somehow shares his name. And that is because the Paladin 3 STC was uploaded to the Imperial databases by Chaos Squat saboteurs*. Silly Imperials, everyone knows spiders are Chaos creatures. The Warp is full of them. Below is a picture of Pal 3 from behind, because this arachnoid weirdo should be admired by all in his fullness.

Next Warden 2.

Another unique freak. If you want to find interesting conversion bits and minis, the specialist games are the place to go. I think the designers for these were given more creative control than the 2 main games. Which resulted in a decade of chaotic cacophony with sparks of genius (Escher Gang) and some awful failures (Eldar Phantom Titan v2).
Here is our bombardier beetle from the side. That's a body made for underground missions.

This is Warden 1, the last of the Imperial Knights. This one has me dumbfounded. In what possible environment could this be a preferred design? When does a Titan need to look up close at tiny things and then blast them, and his own head, to bits with the giant missile launcher on his back? What was Jes Goodwin thinking when he gave all these Titans tiny arms?

Warden 1 from the back, and he is strangely thin. Will he be sneaking into a tight space? And those ribbed overlapping scalloped and bolted plates of armor just about scream "Blood for the Blood God!"

I've been very snarky about these minis tonight, but they really are some of my favorites. But they are some of my favorites because of their strange designs, which made them a mess in gaming terms. Such a mess that when Andy Chambers wrote the rules for Epic Knight Titans in WD 126, even he was unable to deal with the variety-pack Knights.

"There are many different designs of Knight but the differences between some of them are mainly cosmetic. Therefore both Human and Eldar Knights can be categorized into three classes." (p.44)

White Dwarf 126 is one of the best- Horus Heresy Space Marines for Epic, Human & Eldar Knights, and Ork Madboyz. So is 127- just two long Army Lists and some nice Golden Daemon winners in between. Good work, humans.

*This is also why the Dark Eldar only have open topped vehicles.