A brand new Land Speeder is coming in the Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon boxed set, and it has some big shoes to fill. Today, we’re looking back at its illustrious ancestors to answer the question – is this the best Land Speeder yet?*
The original 1988 Land Speeder came in a boxed set** that also gave us the first appearances of Tarantula sentry guns and the mole mortar, and was a striking addition to the Space Marine range. This early concept made the bold decision that Space Marine knees were all the frontal armour it needed, though the stripped-down design did highlight the speed and agility that would become its hallmark.
It came in another version crewed by regular members of the Imperial Army, too – though they’d quickly lose their Land Speeder privileges. Probably crashed a few and had the keys taken from them.
The vehicle got a further update during the second edition of Warhammer 40,000, which added some much-needed armour to the front. This version’s heavy armament, featuring big guns mounted on the underside and in the lap of the co-pilot, would become a mainstay of the Land Speeder design.
The next iteration debuted in 1998 as part of the third edition Warhammer 40,000 boxed set, alongside armies of Black Templars and Drukhari – or Dark Eldar, as they were known at the time. It immediately solidified the now-classic Land Speeder design.
This version slimmed down the weapons to a single heavy bolter or multi-melta in the cockpit, but introduced two*** new variants for more up-gunned action. The Land Speeder Tornado added the option for an underslung assault cannon or heavy flamer – hearkening back to the original two-gun design – while the Land Speeder Typhoon mounted a pair of powerful missile launchers on the back.
The launch of a new plastic Scouts kit in 2009 also brought a new variant with it – the Land Speeder Storm, which acted as a fast transport for a small unit of Scouts.
Soon after, the Dark Angels got their new Ravenwing Land Speeders, though these weren’t the first Dark Angels Land Speeders – a metal miniature existed all the way back in the second edition, and the Ravenwing character Sammael could be mounted in his custom ride, Sableclaw. The Ravenwing Darkshroud and Land Speeder Vengeance both made ample use of the secretive Chapter’s esoteric technology, bulking out the light skimmer with extra weapons, shroud generators, crew, and some extremely fancy details.
Fast forward to 2020 for the release of the ninth edition of Warhammer 40,000, and the Land Speeder is finally joined by an entirely new chassis – the Storm Speeder. This larger and more heavily equipped speeder came in three variants and could mount a blistering array of weapons, from missiles and las-talons to heavy stubbers and gatling cannons.
This trio of speeders used their bulkier frames and heavier armour in a more direct frontline role, and could duke it out with other armoured vehicles rather than just relying on their speed. They’re doing a bang-up job bringing heavy fire support to mobile Space Marine forces,**** but it’s time for the OG to make a comeback.
Which brings us to the return of the Land Speeder, up-gunned with a combination of its three classic variants – the body of the Land Speeder, the extra guns of the Tornado, and the missiles of the Typhoon. It’s a perfect pairing of old and new, and will be available first in the Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon boxed set.
* Yes, yes it is.
** That’s RTB3 Devastators, Warhammer history fans.
*** A third version, the single-seat Land Speeder Tempest, was released as a resin-only kit in 2001.
**** The White Scars, in particular, have been very enthusiastic.