Before 3d printing and plastic injection sprues, GW used to make 40k conversions from all sorts of wild things- their “first” tank was actually a G.I. Joe toy.
Welcome to another 40k Flashback, where dig deep for something cool that he has or hasn’t seen before from back in the day, which according to the comic Dane Cook was a Wednesday… (maybe that reference is a type of flashback itself now that I think about it.
The First Warhammer 40k Tank Was a GI Joe Toy
A while ago I was digging through some old 40k Rogue Trader era White Dwarf Magazines and happened upon something quite interesting in issue #110 from February of 1989- the first time Games Workshop looks to have published images of a vehicle alongside their new Warhammer 40k line.
Now their first vehicle kit (the MK I Rhino) was released later that year IIRC with an article on how to convert a Whirlwind from one in White Dwarf #117.
Back to that issue though, at first, I didn’t see it, but then it clicked! It seems like the first Warhammer 40k tank was a GI Joe Toy!
Gi Joe Armadillo: 1985
A little background on why they picked it, well making huge plastic kits was expensive, and at the time they were only producing pewter miniatures. Sure Games Workshop worked with Milton Bradley to make figures for games like Space Crusade, and Heroquest, but they never directly worked for/with Hasbro to my knowledge.
So imagine my surprise when I saw the silhouette of a Gi Joe Armadillo as a Warhammer 40k Space Marine tank! The paragraph describes a “store-bought tank” being used. They did a little conversion work here, but almost just plopped the tank into an army of marines and called it good to go.What’s your favorite Warhammer model from the old days?
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About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
