Earlier this week at AdeptiCon, we revealed the new edition of Warhammer 40,000 with an epic trailer, showing a force of Space Marines facing off against a giant horde of Orks. It’s the kind of grim dark animation that we all love, so of course we’ve been watching it back repeatedly for the last few days.

Here are some of our favourite moments, but first let’s just watch it one more time…

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That Blood Angels Chaplain Might Have… Anger Issues

One of the stars of the trailer is the Blood Angels Chaplain, who can be seen taking to the skies to mete out some Imperial vengeance against the invading aliens, alongside some jump pack-equipped battle brothers. Hmm, they seem to be much more ornate than even Blood Angels Jump Pack Intercessors.

You’ll also notice that the Chaplain gets steadily angrier as the battle goes on. Rage issues are certainly something that the sons of Sanguinius have a history of, after all.

Hives Dominate Armageddon

In the background, you can see the towering hive cities that are so emblematic of Armageddon. Similar colossal cities also featured in the recent Yarrick animation, both from the battlefield and from the hololith of the commander who… displeased the famous commissar.

Orks Have Some New Tech

It looks like the Ork Meks have been in their garages tinkering again, and have developed a huge new walker… gun… thingy. We’re not too sure what it is, but it’s got a lot of dakka on it – there are also a bunch of rokkits underneath that giant rotating cannon. It certainly makes a mess of that Space Marine skimmer.

Wait, is that new, too?

Forcefields Are the Essential Battlefield Accessory

The battlefields of Armageddon are dangerous places, especially with all those new Orky contraptions clanking around. Luckily, the highest-ranking people have an array of esoteric defences to help them out. We see the Space Marine Captain’s storm shield shrugging off both bullets and choppa strikes in a blaze of blue energy, while a little later on, the Chaplain’s rosarius protects him from similar attacks.

Not to be outdone, it seems the pilot of the Ork walker also has his own kustom shield, but in classic Orky fashion it has a satisfyingly green hue to it.

Weirdboyz are Scary – Just Ask the Orks!

That Ork Weirdboy looks to be a pretty terrifying foe to face on the field of battle. But don’t just take our word for it – look at how even the nearby Orks take a wary step back when he first appears. You’d have to be a madboy to stay close when he vomits a corrosive stream of devastating green ectoplasm at the unlucky unit of Space Marines.

Keeping their distance doesn’t seem to help the Orks for long, though. You can see several of them also caught in the blast when the Weirdboy loses control of all that Waaagh! energy as he prepares to unleash his ’Eadbanger attack.

Combined Arms

On a war world like Armageddon, you will find yourself fighting alongside whatever allies you can get. In this battle, the Blood Angels are battling shoulder-to-shoulder with the Ultramarines – seeing warriors from different Chapters fighting alongside one another shows the scale of the war gripping the planet.

It’s a LOT of Orks

At the end of the trailer, you can see a huge Ork army about to smash its way into the Imperial lines. We’re counting at least two Stompas in the background there, as well as some walkers, a mass of Boyz, and a bunch of squigs too.

The Ork Warboss is clearly using more than 2,000 points for this – we suspect he’s using the Apocalypse rules from Eye of Terror: Reign of Iron.

These are just some of the things we spotted in this awesome animation. Let us know your own favourite bits on our Facebook page, and stay tuned to Warhammer Community in the coming weeks as we delve into the upcoming rules and miniatures from the new edition of Warhammer 40,000.

It’s time to pick a side – will you join the mighty world-shaking Waaagh! of Ghazghkull Thraka and the innumerable Ork hordes, or fight alongside the Angels of Death as Armageddon’s salvation? Sign up for our newsletter, choose your side, and get all the latest updates and reveals from the front lines of Operation Imperator.

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Join the Sylvaneth as they fight their way through the seasons, defending their woodland realms from those who would dare to trespass, in this Warhammer Age of Sigmar short story.

The Golden Grove basked in the glow of Hysh, unutterably perfect in its solitude.

Amber light pierced the broad leaves of the cyanthia trees, bathing the soulpod grove. Kyanathiel allowed herself a moment to enjoy the scene: the drifting spores dancing on the breeze, the pulsing glow of the pods themselves, the notes of a gently singing Branchwych as she ran a hand over a freshly planted lamentiri.

Horns blared in the distance, disturbing Kyanathiel’s reverie. She shared a glance with Tyarith, and the notes of the spirit-song turned slow and mournful, heavy with unspoken emotion. Kyanathiel bowed her head, centring herself for what was to come.

‘To war, then,’ said the Grove Guardian.

‘We shall protect this grove with our lives, honoured keeper,’ said Tyarith, the Branchwych’s crackling voice like the rustle of autumn leaves. ‘The lost shall bloom anew to join their memories to the spirit-song.’

Kyanathiel said nothing. She trusted her acolyte completely. Her disquiet had nothing to do with any fear that the grove might fall to disarray. It was in the angry blaring of those horns, in the violent discord that invaded the quiet melody of the spirit-song, the eager and aggressive war cries of tree spirits that welcomed the bloodshed to come. For vengeance. For the reaping.

The Grove Guardian would never welcome war. She would answer her Everqueen’s call, because to deny it was unthinkable. But her soul would remain here, with the sleeping seeds of her fallen kin, awaiting the moment of their renewal.

‘To battle,’ she whispered. ‘The struggle to heal the realms is unending. I will witness death and suffering untold, and with the ambrosia of the Oak of Ages Past, I shall bring to life the Revenants of war.’

A single tear trickled down Kyanathiel’s face, and one of the soulpods that dangled from her genesis tree thrummed as it sensed her sorrow, something as yet amorphous shifting within its crystalline shell.

‘And if I fall, I will remember my beloved grove as it looks at this moment. Beautiful. And eternal.’

Seven seasons later…

Kyanathiel ripped out the Nurglite’s throat with a quick slash of her shears, recoiling as clotted pus splattered across her arm. The swollen-bellied brute tumbled away to land in a muddy pool, spewing his repulsive greenish ichor into what had once been rich earth. The branch-limbs of her genesis tree recoiled, the spites perched there hissing and clicking their mandibles in obvious agitation.

To Kyanathiel’s left, the Kurnothi advanced, loosing arrows that cut into the Maggotkin with sounds like bursting seedpods, spilling foetid juices. Some fell gracelessly to the floor, but others staggered on, chortling idiotically despite their wounds. The stench of corruption, of wrongness, was now almost unbearable.

Kyanathiel wondered if the lands would ever truly recover. Athelwyrd had been cleansed and reclaimed by the Everqueen, but even there, at the heart of Alarielle’s court, there was a darkness that she feared would not recede.

Even in victory, another tragedy. Another irreparable loss.

Yet what was there to do but fight on? The spirit-song thrummed to the sounds of anguish and rage, the cumulative emotion of a thousand and more forest spirits. Amidst the absonant wail of sound, Kyanathiel could pick out isolated fragments of lucidity – individual pleas for assistance and desperate warnings from embattled kin.

‘Guardian,’ came the Branchwych Tyarith’s harsh and grating cry, ‘the enemy is amongst us once more.’

Away to Kyanathiel’s right, the flank was weakening. Horn-helmed fiends with rolls of blubberous greenish fat in lieu of armour lumbered forth, driving back a ragged troupe of Tree-Revenants. As the Grove Guardian watched, one of the brutes reached out with a mouldy tentacle-limb, grabbing a Sylvaneth warrior and holding them in place for an overhead chop that split the luckless spirit down the middle.

The defenders of the forest rushed to reinforce their flagging comrades, but the enemy’s advance was inexorable. They laughed as they slew, morbidly gleeful as the Plague God’s hateful minions always were.

Kyanathiel prepared to make another sacrifice that would cut her to the core. The chrysalid pods that adorned her genesis tree pulsed with crimson light, something stirring within their sloshing amniotic fluids.

The Grove Guardian felt the surge of jade power blossom in the air, and crystalline petals peeled open. Revenant warriors fell, slick-wet, from the eldritch growths, landing on their knees and springing up, ready to fight. They seized swords from fallen Sylvaneth, and with dawning purpose – for each of them was already flushed with the memories and emotions that poured forth from the spirit-song – looked to Tyarith, who brandished her scythe and jabbed its curved blade towards the enemy.

‘To war, seedlings!’ she cried. ‘Defend the wyldwood!’

And so they did. And so they died, but in doing so, they slowed the Nurglites, killing some and stealing the momentum of others. The boughs shook, and into the clearing strode the elder oak Bitterleaf, bending low on creaking limbs to swing his mighty sword. Three plague champions came apart at the waist, guts oozing out like fat, black slugs.

All the while, Kyanathiel poured what was left of her energy into her forest kin, healing what wounds she could, soothing the final agonies of those beyond her aid.

The forest was pitch dark by the time the killing was done. Softly weeping spirits trawled the battlefield, plucking the lamentiri from the fallen. At least in victory, some of these rescued soul-seeds would survive to be planted anew.

‘The Everqueen calls us home,’ said Tyarith, approaching Kyanathiel with a respectful flourish of her scythe. ‘We are to return to the Golden Grove.’

Kyanathiel nodded. ‘Wise. Our numbers diminish by the day. We must sow the seeds of the fallen in order to recover our strength.’

Tyarith’s joy at the thought of seeing her sacred garden again flowed into the spirit-song, an overwhelming note of relief. The Grove Guardian’s own feelings were less straightforward: returning to her beloved haven would only make inevitably leaving it a second time more traumatic. It was a torment she would prefer to avoid, but the Sylvaneth could not replace their losses with sufficient pace in these benighted lands, smothered as they were by the Plague God’s wretched embrace.

They saw the smoke from many leagues away, an ugly black smear across the skies, flickering with greenish lightning. Horror flooded into the combined Sylvaneth consciousness like poison into loam.

Tyarith gave a keening cry, mouth splitting wide in a bitter scream. Kyanathiel joined it with her own outpouring of grief. She could already feel it, the gaping abscess where once flourishing energy had thrived. The burning agony of stem, flower and seed.

The Golden Grove was ablaze.

‘We must be swift,’ the Grove Guardian said. ‘Attend me, Tyarith.’

With that, she wove her hands in a complex pattern, channelling the subtle motes of Ghyran. Ahead, the thick foliage twisted in upon itself, forming the swirling outline of a circular passage illuminated by an emerald glow – an opening that led deep into the realmroot pathways, the arterial routes of life that spanned Ghyran.

Tyarith and Kyanathiel plunged into the green vortex. At once, their physical forms blurred and blended with the flow of jade energy, tracing a wild course through the undergrowth. Time and distance lost their meaning. To travel so along the realmroots took extraordinary focus, and in her horror and grief, Kyanathiel could barely hold to her task. At last, the world shimmered and went still, and the two Sylvaneth found themselves…

…in the burning heart of the apocalypse.

All was aflame, from the fields of renewal to the Three Princes, the trio of mighty ironoaks that formed the northern boundary of the soulpod grove. Dead and dying forest spirits littered the ground, leaking viscous sap from awful wounds. One staggered out of the smoke, wreathed in flame, keening in agony.

Kyanathiel’s grief was too sharp for her to vocalise, but she dimly heard Tyarith’s despairing wail, as if from a great distance.

The thunder of hooves shook the earth and an armoured rider burst from the treeline, wielding an eight-pronged flail. The cursed knight slammed his weapon into the skull of the dying Tree-Revenant, dropping him to the soiled earth in a splatter of pulped barkflesh. Then the human’s horse reared, and he roared with triumphant laughter and levelled his weapon at the Grove Guardian.

Slowed, perhaps, by her horror at what had become of her sanctuary, Kyanathiel could not react in time. The flail swept up and around before descending with terrible force.

Tyarith met it with her greenwood scythe, leaping in front of Kyanathiel with sap running from her eyes and a furious scream spilling from her mouth. The horseman veered in surprise, but even as his steed wheeled about, he was bringing the deadly flail back across in a vicious backhand. It crashed across the Branchwych, sending chunks of barkflesh and vine splattering across the smouldering earth. Tyarith collapsed to the ground.

The rider laughed. Kyanathiel’s rage tore her from her stupor. Her genesis tree lurched forwards and she brought her enchanted shears down in a stabbing strike. For all that mighty flail’s destructive power, it was meagre defence against such a blow. The twin blades plunged deep into the rider’s neck and tore down through his ribcage, shearing bone as easily as if it were summer vine. Blood sprayed everywhere. The gurgling brute slid from his war mount, which growled and cantered away, dragging the dead man behind it.

Kyanathiel bent low over Tyarith’s prone body. The Branchwych was bleeding dark ooze from deep gouge wounds, and her eyes were fading. Through the spirit-song, the Grove Guardian could hear her sorrowful wail – pain and anguish and agony, radiating from the dying spirit in waves of terrible intensity.

‘Find peace, sister of the soil,’ Kyanathiel whispered, reaching down to place a hand on the Branchwych’s crown of thorns and leaves.

She met Tyarith’s howl with a song of her own, a lament that echoed through the trees as her fellow Sylvaneth pursued the heathen raiders and put them to the sword. She sang, too, of loss. Her melody was one of sadness, true, but also one of hope, despite it all. Had they not known the darkest of seasons once before, when the Everqueen withered in the husk of winter and the despoilers roamed the land unchecked? They had endured. Nature had endured, and now the Everqueen once more sat on her verdant throne.

‘All shall pass,’ she said, feeling Tyarith’s convulsions ease as the soothing notes stilled her. ‘Even this grove shall heal. And you – strongest of spirits, harvester, branch-mother – you shall slumber in the soil alongside your fallen kin, until the first drops of spring rain awaken you.’

She felt Tyarith’s essence fading.

‘You were there at the beginning,’ the Grove Guardian said, ‘and you shall be there, come the end.’

And even as she spoke the words, she felt the drops splashing on her back. Sunlight pierced the clouds, bringing with it a clear and icy rain – a steady but gentle deluge that doused the flames licking at the old oaks, banishing the nightmare and gloom that had consumed the Golden Grove. As Kyanathiel watched, a rainbow of dazzling colours split the sky, parting the gathering smoke.

‘Beautiful,’ breathed Tyarith. ‘And eternal.’

Then she was still, and she said no more.

The latest Sylvaneth battletome will be available to pre-order on Saturday, along with the new Grove Guardian, boxed sets, and accessories. While you wait, join the Kurnothi on the hunt in the free short story ‘Spring the Trap’.

Last week, we started our journey through the Warhammer Age of Sigmar art archives with a look at Sigmar’s chosen warriors – the Stormcast Eternals. Now, it’s the turn of the Daughters of Khaine, proving that even in the Realm of Shadow, it’s bright enough to create stunning artwork.

It’s an exciting time to be a Daughters of Khaine fan – their new battletome is available for pre-order tomorrow, along with the Blood Hags and Shrine of Dark Tribute. Next week, we head to the Varanspire to pay tribute to the Everchosen with Slaves to Darkness artwork.

Action-packed events are coming to Warhammer World and beyond this July – see all of the details below, along with the streaming schedule for this week’s Warhammer tournaments beaming live from AdeptiCon 2026.

AdeptiCon is one of the largest Warhammer shows on the calendar, and the Warhammer Events team are there hosting some truly massive tournaments with hundreds of players vying for glory. The Warhammer 40,000 Grand Tournament is one of the highlights of the first few days, with our stream team keeping a close eye on the games over at the Warhammer Twitch channel.

Saturday sees the classic AdeptiCon teams tournament start from 8:30 am CDT / 1:30 pm GMT, and go right through to the climax on Sunday, with a brief stop for the epic final game of the Grand Tournament at 8 pm CDT on Saturday. You won’t want to miss that one!

Upcoming Warhammer Opens

Further on the horizon are a host of Warhammer Opens, including our first Opens in the Netherlands and the UK. You get to meet awesome new people from all over the world, spend days playing your favourite game, and enjoy a spirit of friendly competition, as well as hobby and shopping opportunities galore. Get your tickets now!

But what about Warhammer World? Here’s what’s coming to their hallowed halls in July.

Kill Team – Critical Strike VI

Grab your strongest kill team and head to Warhammer World for two days of tactical Matched Play gaming with like-minded commanders, testing your strategic acumen in a fun and laid-back environment where victory in the killzone isn’t the only way to win. You’ll play six games over the weekend, with lunch provided both days, free entry to the Exhibition Centre, and awards for game performance, painting, and good sporting conduct.

This event takes place on the 4th and 5th of July.

find out more

Warhammer: The Old World – Grand Melee

Fancy a quick weekday blast of Warhammer: The Old World action? The Grand Melee is the place to be, featuring three 1,250-point games held over a single day, with the usual awards handed out for game performance, painting, and sporting conduct.

This event takes place on the 29th of July.

find out more

Don’t forget, if you want to come and play at Warhammer World outside of an event, it’s now easier than ever to book yourself a table.

Yesterday, we announced the imminent release of a new edition of Warhammer 40,000 with a jaw-dropping cinematic trailer. We bet you’ve got a few questions about what this means for you – fortunately, we’ve got Eddie on hand to help answer some of them.

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Thanks, Eddie! Let’s take a closer look at some of the details.

Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon

A new edition means LOTS of new miniatures, and the first of these arrive in the incredible launch boxed set, featuring Space Marines and Orks. You might have noticed that the Intercessor we showed off yesterday is painted as a Blood Angel, but the miniatures have no Chapter-specific markings, so you can paint them blue, green, grey, black, yellow, white, whatever colour you choose. Orks are pretty much always green, but they can be Goffs, Blood Axes, Bad Moons, Evil Sunz, Deathskulls, Snakebites, or any clan you prefer.

Want to try and fathom out what other miniatures might be in the box? Take another look at that action-packed trailer for some clues.

Unified Experience

One of the guiding principles of the new edition was to create a unified experience for anyone playing Warhammer 40,000. So, rather than separating matched, narrative, and open as ways to play, the aim was to make EVERY game feel like it has a compelling narrative, while also feeling balanced and exciting.

Your Army

You’ll still be able to use your current codex in the new edition. For the most part, datasheets will work as they do today. Your army, though, will feel fresh and new as existing Detachments are updated and new ones are added – there will be over 70(!) at launch. In larger games, your army can be built out of several smaller, specialised Detachments, or one large one that covers everything, so your army works just as you imagine it should.

The army-tailoring goes beyond just the Detachments – the missions you play and your objectives in each game are determined by the selection of your army. Forces designed to take and hold ground will be rewarded for doing so, while armies that prefer to kill loads and loads of enemies will earn victories through carnage.

There are also changes to your Characters – they no longer lose their best abilities when their bodyguard unit dies. Your heroes can now keep swinging at full power, right until the bitter end (after all, only in death does duty end).

Objective Markers

The era of circular objective markers is over! Instead, your forces will battle over critical pieces of terrain, such as bunkers, ruins, and relics, instantly making for a more narrative and immersive game. Every battlefield looks immediately better.

Speaking of terrain, it’s now easier to hide units there before they join the battle. Many units can’t be targeted until they themselves have shot, or until the enemy has ventured very close, making them less vulnerable to a first turn alpha strike.

Stratagems

Single units can no longer have multiple stratagems stacked on them in a phase. Already powerful units will now have to cause havoc on their own without the crutch of stratagems making them punch harder than they should, or making them more survivable than they have any right to be.

Close Combat

There have been a number of small tweaks to the way melee works, including the order of pile-in and consolidation moves, and a faster system for assigning wounds. The order of activation has also been changed to help balance the dominance of Fights First units.

Combat-focused armies will get a couple of bonuses that open up options for aggressive plays. Firstly, you select your target for a charge AFTER you’ve made your charge roll, meaning your unit is less likely to be left twiddling its thumbs. Secondly, in some circumstances, units can disembark from transports directly into combat – huge news for fans of choppas, chainaxes, and other brutal close combat weapons.

Warhammer 40,000: The App

The app is set for some major updates, including in-game scoring and the ability to see your opponent’s datasheets while you play. Language support is also being expanded to include French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, starting with the rules for Combat Patrols.

We’ll be taking more in-depth looks at the rule changes for the new edition of Warhammer 40,000 right here on the Warhammer Community website. In the meantime, sign up for the #New40k newsletter, choose your side (Orks or Space Marines), and ensure you don't miss any of the updates and reveals.

Choose a Side

Warhammer 40,000 has a brand new YouTube channel, where you can see the awesome new trailer and more!

The latest Sylvaneth battletome is packed with new rules and ways to play. We’ve seen how the Creeping Overgrowth battle trait helps you take over the battlefield, now we’re looking at the Grove Guardian’s methods for keeping it a verdant green, and how well they fit into the Soulpod Guardians Army of Renown.

The Grove Guardian herself works best with other Revenants and tree-spirits who protect the soulpod groves – and, as a Priest, she can also chant the Regenesis prayer to keep her fellows hale and hearty. Should any fall to enemy blades, however, she feels such anguish at their deaths that her heart-freezing Soulshriek scream can slay the attackers outright.

GROVE GUARDIAN

REGENESIS

Your Hero Phase (4)

Freshly grown forest spirits leap from the amnioticpods of the Grove Guardian’s genesis tree, ready to join the Everqueen’s war

Declare: Pick a friendly SYLVANETH unit that is wholly within the creeping overgrowth or that is visible to and wholly within 12" of this unit to be the target, then make a chanting roll of D6.

Effect: If the chanting roll was 6+, you can pick another eligible unit to be a second target. If a target is a REVENANT INFANTRY or Dryads unit, return up to D3 models to that target unit. Otherwise, Heal (3) that target.

With Soulshriek, you’re getting to roll a dice for every point of Health on the dearly departed warrior’s warscroll. This ability works great when throwing mobs of 2-Health Tree-Revenants and Spite-Revenants into the melee, but where it really shines is with the warriors riding larger creatures like Spiterider Lancers that have 5 Health apiece – plenty of opportunity for squeezing extra mortal damage through.

Plus, if you want to get your hands on a bunch of flying allies for your Grove Guardian, the new Spearhead: Sylvaneth box is packed with exactly what you need.

The Grove Guardian is also an excellent centrepiece for the Soulpod Guardians Army of Renown. It’s formed entirely out of Grove Guardians, Branchwyches, and units with the Revenant keyword, trading flexibility for a thematic set of rules that have you forming a Soulpod Grove out of Awakened Wyldwoods terrain and defending it with your life.*

Once you’ve got your forest in place, its restorative energies make it much harder to wipe out your troops as the Heart of the Forest constantly fills their woody hides with supernatural vigour.

HEART OF THE FOREST

Passive

Saturated as they are with restorative power, soulpod groves and their guardians are not easily destroyed.

Effect: You cannot allocate more than 10 damage points per phase to a friendly SOULPOD GUARDIANS unit while it is wholly within 12" of your Soulpod Grove (remaining damage points inflicted on it in that phase have no effect).

Don’t worry too much if your enemies tear down the grove, though – such an affront will not go unanswered. The Vengeance for the Lost felt by your entire army replaces all sense of self with the burning need to tear their foes limb from limb, gaining 2 Attacks on every unit’s melee weapons until someone is paying for such senseless destruction.

VENGEANCE FOR THE LOST

Passive

Should they witness the desecration of their sacred groves, the Sylvaneth will attack with a merciless and frenzied aggression.

Effect: If your Soulpod Grove has been destroyed this battle, add 2 to the Attacks characteristic of friendly SOULPOD GUARDIANS units’ melee weapons.

This Army of Renown is perfect for players who like to castle up and hold their territory in the face of overwhelming force, with the Heart of the Forest rule especially good against big, high-damage armies like the Sons of Behemat, who want to splatter everything as quickly as possible.

The new Battletome: Sylvaneth, Grove Guardian, and Spearhead: Sylvaneth boxed set will be up for pre-order this weekend – all essential for budding worshippers of Alarielle.

* Not actually yours, please. The lives of your Revenants are much more easily regrown.

Last week, we discovered how the Emperor’s Children fell from the light of the Master of Mankind in their search for perfection. Now, as we continue our journey through the Black Books – the legendary tomes that helped to shape the setting and lore of Warhammer: The Horus Heresy.

This week, the XIV legion takes its moment in the spotlight in this extract from 2012’s Book One: Betrayal.

Formed on Terra as the Dusk Raiders, they were renamed the Death Guard following the discovery of their Primarch, Mortarion, upon the desolate world of Barbarus. In the Great Crusade, these relentless and resilient warriors were often given the dirty jobs. The resentment this fostered made it easy for Horus to turn them to his cause, and upon Isstvan III, they were ready to remove the still-loyal elements of their Legion. Of course, in orbit above the killing fields, it was a Death Guard Captain who would have a lasting impact on the galactic civil war.*

the death guard

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Inspired to start your own Death Guard army? The sons of Mortarion were particularly fond of ‘Iron’ armour, so the MkIII Tactical Squad is a great place to begin. Join us next week as we learn more about those masters of the arcane – the Thousand Sons.

* You can read that story in the Horus Heresy novel, The Flight of the Eisenstein.

A new edition of Warhammer 40,000 is on its way, and the galaxy will never be the same again! It launches with a boxed set packed with stunning new miniatures, but before we take a look at that, let’s take a quick trip to Armageddon.

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The Lore

After the events of Armageddon: The Return of Yarrick, the Imperial forces on the war world are in dire straits – the Ork vanguard led by Wazdakka Gutsmek has landed, and Ghazghkull’s main force isn’t far behind. A desperate gambit by Commissar Yarrick gets a plea for aid out into the stars, and Operation Imperator, a coalition of Space Marines from many Chapters, surges towards the beleaguered planet.

The Blood Angels have a long history of defending Armageddon, and they’re back alongside strike forces from the Salamanders, Ultramarines, Space Wolves, and a dozen more. You’ll learn all about their counterattack inside the launch box, and the world-spanning brawl that follows.

The Box

The action kicks off in a brand new boxed set – Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon. This is the biggest Warhammer 40,000 launch set yet, and is packed with new miniatures for the Space Marines and Orks. We’re not going to show you ALL the contents just yet, but if you take another look at the trailer above, you’ll get some hints about what is on the way.

Alongside two armies to do battle with, there are new rules and lore to sink your teef into as well.

We’ll be taking a few sneaky looks inside the box over the next few weeks, culminating in a live unboxing show in a few weeks’ time. We couldn’t tell you about a new boxed set without showing off a couple of new miniatures, though.

The Models

First up is a member of a new Intercessor Squad, combining the contemporary look of a Space Marine with some classic details – the mix of older armour marks with new ones is indicative of what you can expect from the rest of the unit.

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When they first rolled off Belisarius Cawl’s production lines, the Primaris Space Marines were all equipped with uniform suits of Mk X power armour. Over time, the attrition of unrelenting war has led to Tacticus armour needing to be supplemented with older parts. Different helmets, shoulder pads, and greaves are commonplace, and this new kit has all sorts of nostalgic callbacks to previous Space Marine designs.

The humble Ork Boy is still a heavily muscled force to be reckoned with, and recently they’ve had a bit of a revelation – why should holding a choppa stop you from carrying a shoota too?

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Ork Boyz now have the best of both worlds, with every boy carrying a choppa, slugga, AND shoota into battle – all they need to rake Space Marine lines with a hail of bullets before charging in for a proper scrap.

The Rules

We’ll be diving into the new rules over the coming weeks, but we wanted to give you a flavour of the changes on the way.

Army Building
What does this ‘new edition’ talk mean for your existing army and their codex? Good news – your current codexes and faction rules will still be valid! This is also true of the rules in the recent campaign supplements, including the upcoming Armageddon: Return of Yarrick.

However, Detachments are changing to give you more flexibility on how you build your army. You can now sometimes select multiple detachments for a bespoke set of army abilities, so you’ll be able to bring to life your vision of how your army should fight. And, at the launch of the new edition, there will be over 70 new and updated Detachments. If you are very attached to your current army, don’t panic, the Detachments in your current codex still work too – you just have even more options now.

Missions
Your choice of Detachments now also affects your missions.

Your objectives in a game will now be in part dictated by the type of army you bring to the field, and the force your opponent has brought. Armies that specialise in holding ground will be rewarded for doing so, while other forces that may be optimised for disrupting enemy plans, or just killing lots of enemies, will be rewarded for doing that too!

Objectives
No more circles.
Round objective markers are gone and replaced by terrain footprints to determine control of key locations, relics, or fortifications.

Terrain
The terrain rules have seen a big shakeup. The default bonus for cover now impacts Hit rolls, not saves, and units are generally far easier to hide than they previously were.

Combat
There have been a range of subtle changes to combat that add up to quite a different feel and a cleaner Fight Phase. Changes include more flexibility for picking targets when charging, changes to activation order, fast dice rolling for dealing damage, and changes to the order of consolidation and pile-in moves.

Our coverage of this groundbreaking new edition will begin soon, so check back with Warhammer Community each week to see what’s coming up in the next evolution of Warhammer 40,000. In the meantime, head back to the Preview hub to find out what else we revealed today – like the campaign on Armageddon that leads up to this launch box.

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Warhammer 40,000 has a brand new YouTube channel, where you can see the awesome new trailer and more!

Two brand new Spearhead forces, including the long-awaited Clans Eshin, clash in the streets of the City of Ash. Can the elite Freeguild survive the attentions of the Skaven ninjas?

The Box

City of Ash is a new boxed set for Warhammer Age of Sigmar that features two complete Spearhead forces – from the Cities of Sigmar and Skaven – along with a battlepack of missions and game rules, a city-themed double-sided board, and new terrain.

This set is an excellent way to introduce yourself and a friend into the world of Warhammer Age of Sigmar, and also comes with a full introductory handbook that takes you from building and painting your miniatures to playing games of Spearhead. It’s also a great expansion for Spearhead veterans, packed with brand new miniatures and a whole new setting for your games.

The Skaven

Since the Vermindoom, many of the Skaven Clans have been blessed by the Great Horned Rat with reinforcements, but Clans Eshin have been conspicuous by its absence. Fortunately, skulking in the shadows and making plans is where they excel, and now they are ready to emerge. The bold and vicious Deathmaster Crixxit leads an additional Deathmaster, 10 Gutter Runners, 10 Night Runners, and a pair of bomb rats* to hunt their human prey through the streets.

Tales of Crixxit’s exploits echo through the warrens of Blight City, speaking of a Skaven that can haunt any shadow and slay any target. Most of those stories are of his own invention, but what is true is that he single-handedly brought down an arcane Silver Tower with warpstone bombs while under Be’lakor’s employ, giving his legend at least a measure of credibility.

Now the Deathmaster prowls the streets of Embergard, hunting anyone who shows signs of rallying the city’s remaining defenders. Although perfectly capable of butchering any target himself, he often attracts groups of would-be assassins around him, including teams of devious Gutter Runners.

These servants of the Clans Eshin are hand-picked for their skills in infiltration and ambush, and rank among the more elite warriors available to a Skaven warlord. The Eshin maintain a meritocratic approach to advancement that confuses other Clans who cleave to the more traditional ‘murder your boss’ approach, which tends to result in Gutter Runners of exceptional skill who aren’t quite as inclined to use said murderous abilities on their commanders.

The same cannot be said for the Night Runners that swarm in their wake, who exist at the bottom of the Clans Eshin ladder and are, for the most part, entirely expendable.

Despite their lowly status, Night Runners are still effective troops thanks to the deadly poisons that drip from their blades and shurikens. They are eager to prove themselves in the eyes of watching Deathmasters, and when the chips are down, are better placed than most to escape into the shadows.

Since the nefarious Skaven found themselves in the Mortal Realms, we’ve seen a few warbands of assassins in the underworlds, but these are the first new Gutter Runners and Night Runners units. What’s more, the kit builds both units, so with the City of Ash boxed set, you can build 20 of either type! Whichever you choose, you’ll have plenty of new ways to stab-kill man-things, aelf-things, and tree-things.

The Freeguilds

The Cities of Sigmar forces are led by the debonair, but glory-hungry, Ranger-Colonel Jorvan Kreel, the Heir of the Kraken – a former Wildercorps captain and native of fallen Anvilgard who now roves the Mortal Realms in search of allies to reclaim his home.

With him march a band of valiant Freeguild Gallants who strap on heavy armour and shields to hold ground until their last breaths, a unit of elite Freeguild Grenadiers equipped for close-quarters combat with powerful firearms and heavy bardiches, and a devout Mallus Forgepriest whose inspiring sermons consecrate corrupted ground.**

You can learn all about these new units in much greater detail in our sister article covering a huge deployment of Cities of Sigmar reinforcements. Go and take a look, even if it’s just to see a close-up shot of Jorvan’s awesome ash panther Thexa!

There’s loads more to see from today’s Preview Show, so head back to the hub and see what else has been unveiled.

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* Just light the fuse and watch them scurry away, yes-yes!

** Presumably, the hammer is for consecrating the really corrupted bits.

Chaos beware – the Cities of Sigmar have had enough of being on the back foot, and a staggering wave of reinforcements has come to shore up their defences and reclaim the Realms for the glory of Sigmar. Forward, Freeguilders!

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There’s a lot to see, and we need to start somewhere, so we’ll begin with the biggest – the great lumbering war engines known as Cogforts.

Cannonade Cogfort

These enormous walking fortresses of stone and steel are the pride of the Ironweld Arsenal and the pinnacle of their battlefield ingenuity, wading into battle like living avatars of the Freeguilds’ die-hard defensive doctrine. Though originally envisioned as garrison machines that anchored the rear lines of a Sigmarite advance, the Cogforts’ operators soon realised their massive battlefield potential and began to charge them head first into the fray.

The powerful arco-combustor that burns refined emberstone to power these leviathans allow the Cogforts to mount an impressive array of weaponry. Cannonade Cogforts are fitted with a gigantic Godbreaker cannon on their parapets in addition to a battery of other gunpowder weapons, while those known as Conqueror Cogforts trade this arsenal for a terrifying Realmscorcher flame cannon and enough internal space to carry a unit of infantry into battle.*

Though nominally leased to the Cities of Sigmar by the Ironweld Arsenal, Cogforts can also be found across the Mortal Realms fighting purely for themselves as mercenaries or as renegades fleeing justice. Just about every faction can call upon their outrageous power one way or another as a Regiment of Renown, and the expense is always worth it.

Erasmus Zonn, the Enlightened One

As one of the preeminent mages in Sigmar’s domain and one of the youngest Archmages in the history of the White College, Erasmus Zonn is as dynamic and motivated as his meteoric rise to power would suggest. He’s particularly fascinated by the maelstrom of magic at the Realm’s Edge – despite warnings from the aelves of Hysh – and now rides a strange heliomorph named Glyphwing that he found on an expedition to those dangerous uncharted wilds.

More than anything, Zonn is committed to advancing the goals of humanity in the aelf-dominated realm of Hysh, and will pursue any avenue necessary to gain respect and prestige for himself and the city of Settler’s Gain – even if those means are a little on the underhanded side.

Collegiate Battlemages

Magic is an important part of the Cities of Sigmar’s battle plans, with Colleges training skilled battlemages as quickly as they can to meet the demands of Sigmar’s campaigns. Aqshian Pyrocasters are, unsurprisingly, some of the boldest and most aggressive of these war wizards, with a burning gaze so hot that they wear strips of ensorcelled cloth across their eyes lest they ignite nearby comrades with a careless glance.**

By contrast, Amethyst Knellmages are sombre and solitary individuals who are almost never seen without their great curved scythes and the bell-shaped tollhelms that are constantly drummed by a pair of clockwork skeletons attached to the top (yes, really). Allies generally give them a wide berth, wary of their death magic and chilling mien – an arrangement entirely welcomed by the Knellmages, who must focus on the constant droning rhythm being beaten onto their helmets lest the ever-present whispers of disembodied souls drive them mad.

Gate Gargants

All mighty fortresses need a front door and the same goes for the indomitable Castelite formations, who enlist a pair of (relatively) civilised city-gargants to turn the heart of their defences into a massive moving gateway. Situated at the very middle of the battle line, this pair of immense and brutal guardians attract as much attention as they can to their sector before smashing entire regiments aside with a great swing of their shields***, allowing prepared squadrons of Freeguild Cavaliers and other assault troops to charge out from relative safety.

Much like the Fusil-Majors who ride Ogor Warhulks into battle, each Gate Gargant is joined by a Grenadier-Major in a teetering watchtower who ensures discipline is maintained and the gate stays shut until the appointed moment. Their nests are fitted with lethal Scattershot cannons that can turn entire enemy units into pink mist and scattered gobbets – a sight that never fails to entertain the gargants below.

Dawner’s Triumph

The pressure of maintaining a rock-solid defensive line is tough on the Steelhelms and Fusiliers that fight eye-to-eye with the enemy, but the sight of the Dawner’s Triumph – a sacred monument to the unnamed warriors that fought and died in Sigmar’s name – is enough to embolden even the most exhausted soldier. These floating memorials are dragged alongside Sigmarite armies in times of war, emboldening the Cities’ faithful to acts of zeal far above their normal means.

Jorvan Kreel, Heir of the Kraken

Once a proud defender of the city of Anvilgard, Ranger-Colonel Jorvan Kreel now travels the length and breadth of Sigmar’s domain seeking allies for his ultimate goal of retaking his usurped home – even if Sigmar himself seems content to turn a blind eye. Accompanied by his ash panther companion Thexa, Kreel is a deadly duelist and master of the Wildercorps’ fluid combat styles, able to manoeuvre effortlessly through combat and ensure his men are always where they’re most needed.

Mallus Forgepriest

Faith in the God-King Sigmar is a powerful force that can be harnessed in the heat of battle, and none are better at it than the Mallus Forgepriests. Their bellowed hymns consecrate the land beneath their allies and purge it of the taint of Chaos, emboldening their fellow soldiers and warding off damage that might otherwise cut them down.

They’re also rather good at smashing things with their great big meteoric warhammers, though that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.

Freeguild Gallants

Not all of the Freeguilds’ noble champions fight on horseback as Cavaliers, and those who prefer to get stuck in on foot band together as units of Freeguild Gallants – heavily armoured infantry who master the art of receiving charges with masterful bladework and steely grit. They fight with uncommon fervour while on the defensive, and inspire nearby Freeguild troops with displays of, well, gallantry in the face of impossible odds.

Freeguild Grenadiers

Grenadiers are elite soldiers chosen specifically for their size and brawn and equipped with the finest weapons and wargear so that they can fight and win in the front ranks of a push against enemy fortifications. Each one carries one of a range of powerful blackpowder weapons collectively known as Ruin-sweepers and a heavy bardiche that can be used to brace their firearm, while the ‘lucky’ one designated the team’s Cindergout hefts a searing flame projector used to immolate enemies taking cover in terrain features.

Note: Jorvan Kreel, the Mallus Forgepriest, the Freeguild Gallants, and the Freeguild Grenadiers will all be available first in the next big Spearhead expansion, City of Ash, which we also showed off today at this very Preview! Check it out and stare in horror at the chittering assassins they have to contend with in the ruins of Embergard.

Battletome: Cities of Sigmar

All of these new units and a swathe of updated rules can be found in the new Battletome: Cities of Sigmar, which is also packed with new background lore and miniatures galleries to immerse you in the fight for Sigmar’s domain. You’ll also get brand new Path to Glory rules and options for the Anvil of Apotheosis, The Iron March (an Army of Renown that lets you field an entire squadron of Cogforts!), and faction-agnostic Regiments of Renown options for enlisting outlaw Cogforts in armies of any Grand Alliance.

Spearhead: Zenestra’s Zealots

The Matriarch of the Great Wheel leads a chosen band of zealous Freeguilders into battle in a new Spearhead box, Zenestra’s Zealots. This capable infantry force assembles around Pontifex Zenestra on her sacred palanquin, and consists of a Freeguild Command Corps, a Freeguild Marshal with his Relic Envoy, and a unit of 10 Steelhelms – all great kits for a new Cities of Sigmar player, and a fun Spearhead force in their own right that actively punishes opponents for slaying Zenestra’s faithful followers.

Regiment of Renown: Ven Denst’s Hounds

Finally, a new Regiment of Renown sends the Order of Azyr off to ply their secretive trade among Sigmar’s allies. Galen and Doralia Ven Denst lead a team of Wildercorps Hunters on their never-ending quest to rid the Mortal Realms of rogue manifestations and sorcerous anomalies, with the well-drilled tracking skills of the Hunters coming in handy when such arcane blights can’t be located by their trails of destruction alone.

There’s loads more to see from today’s Preview Show – including more from the Mortal Realms – so head back to our Hub and check out what else we’ve been showing off.

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* They’ll just need to be careful when disembarking. You know, not to walk in front of that massive flamethrower right above their heads.

** Talk about smouldering looks.

*** As much gate-givers as gate-keepers. They’re generous like that.

The Westfold is burning – good job there are all these new Riders of Rohan miniatures to defend it…

Since The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim™ was released with refreshed Warriors of Rohan, Middle-earth™ Strategy Battle Game players have been wondering when their mounted counterparts would get the same treatment.

Well, you asked, and Rohan has answered.

The Riders kit builds six miniatures, with a variety of weapons. Four of them can be assembled with your choice of a hand weapon or throwing spear, and have bows slung across their backs. The other two have their bows out, with hand weapons stowed at their waists. All six of their majestic steeds are unique, and any Rider can be mounted on any horse, so you’ll have loads of variety in your massed ranks of charging cavalry!

While the Riders range ahead, Warriors of Rohan form a solid battleline to stand firm against the forces of the Hill Tribes, and for that they need good leaders. The Warriors of Rohan Commanders set provides these in the form of a Captain, a Warrior with Banner, and a Warrior with War horn.

The Captain stands pointing his axe in a commanding pose*, as befits his role. You can assemble him with armour or heavy armour, and choose between helmeted and bare heads. The banner has sculpted details, so you can get that glorious white horse right every time.

Of course, bold defenders of the kingdom need enemies to defend against, and the Hill Tribesmen are also getting a set of commanders to lead them as they ravage the realm of their hated foes.

This set builds three miniatures – a Hill Tribes Chieftain, Hill Tribesman with Banner, and Hill Tribesman with War horn. The Chieftain can carry a wicked-looking hand weapon and shield, or a vicious two-handed weapon, and both his fellows carry hand weapons in addition to their banner and war horn.

For those of you who want to burn Rohan during the War of the Ring, all three miniatures can be used in Wild Men of Dunland armies, with the Chieftain also having the option to be built as the Wild Man Oathmaker.

If you’re looking for some narrative scenarios to try out these new miniatures in, you’re in luck – there’s a new Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game Journal: The Burning of the Westfold coming out alongside the models! It features a campaign where you can re-fight some of the great battles from The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers™ and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King™. This expansion includes 11 linked scenarios that follow Saruman the White’s assault on Rohan, from the battles of the Fords of Isen to the epic siege of Helm’s Deep and beyond, all the way to the Ride of the Rohirrim at Pelennor Fields – an absolute gift for horselords and their foes.

In addition to this campaign, the Journal is packed full of hobby guides and advice, including tips for turning the Rohan House kits into mighty settlements and burned-out wreckage, different ways to paint horses, and much more.

All of these new additions to the Middle-earth™ Strategy Battle Game will be coming your way soon. While you’re waiting, head back to the AdeptiCon Preview hub to catch up on the rest of the awe-inspiring reveals.

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* As would we, if we were in possession of a really cool axe.

Thyrielle’s Zephyrites – a new Lumineth Realmlords warband – are on their way to Warhammer Underworlds, and they’re manipulating the winds to their advantage.

This new warband brings the masters of anemology* from the Hurakan temples of Hysh to the heart of Embergard. Thyrielle’s Zephyrites are a Mastery warband consisting of four Lumineth Realm-lords and their vulpine spirit companion, Tzul. The twist is that Tzul isn’t a fighter – it’s a token, whose placement on the board will determine the reach of the warband’s abilities.

Alongside Tzul is the eponymous Thyrielle, a master manipulator of the winds, accompanied by the blind archer Orieth, who uses the stormy slipstreams to ensure his arrows find their mark, and acolytes Sirikith and Anara, who are adventuring to further attune themselves to the elements of the Mortal Realms.

The Zephyrites’ warscroll abilities are all based around Tzul. The spirit is placed in an empty hex at the start of each Action Step, and any lines of sight he can draw to the edges of the battlefield that don’t pass through a blocked hex become windblown, with fighters in them experiencing effects based on whether they’re friendly or hostile.

Friendly windblown fighters can perform gravity-defying leaps using the currents, and after they’ve moved or charged, their saves improve too. Windblown enemies, on the other hand, always count as Flanked, giving Thyrielle and friends an advantage in combat. The Zephyrites Inspire when they make a successful attack, so this is super useful.

With Tzul’s position being critical to the warband’s success, there’s a once-per-game ability to reposition him as well.

ONE WITH THE WIND

Tzul can become a gust of wind to evade foes.

Use this in your Power step. If your leader and a friendly Twul model are on the battlefield, you can remove that Tzul model from the battlefield and place it in a different empty hex that does not contain a feature token. You can only use this ability once per game.

We’ll bring you a more in-depth look at Thyrielle’s Zephyrites closer to their release. For now, head back to the AdeptiCon Preview hub to see what else has been revealed for all your favourite games.

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* That’s the study of winds, weather-fans.

Reinforcements are coming for Legiones Astartes and Solar Auxilia armies in the Horus Heresy.

The Spartan Prometheus, Charonite Ogryns and a variety of extremely destructive weapons mounted on Rapier platforms are all heading to plastic, making them easier than ever to add to your collection.

Spartan Prometheus Assault Tank

When the Space Marines need to get across a battlefield quickly, safely and in numbers, they pile into Spartan Assault Tanks. These rugged and sturdy vehicles can carry entire squads of power- or Terminator-armoured warriors, and pack hefty munitions as well.

The Spartan Prometheus trades in the lascannon arrays of the standard model for a choice of gravis heavy bolter arrays for mowing down infantry, or laser destroyers, which exchange a little of the range of the lascannon array for even more tank-busting power – ideal for when you really need to take down something big and menacing.*

Loyalists and Traitors alike can add this formidable transport to their armies, and customise it to their liking with a choice of pintle-mounted weapons and accessories.

Charonite Ogryn Section

When fighting heavily armoured Space Marines, the regular humans of the Solar Auxilia need warriors capable of facing their post-human foes on something approaching equal terms. Enter Charonite Ogryns.

Biochemically altered, these hulking warriors are squeezed into armoured void suits, pumped full of combat stimulants, and pointed towards the enemy. They wield a variety of claws, blades, shredders and crushers, which are more akin to industrial tools cybernetically implanted into their arms than traditional weapons.

Rapier Fire Support Battery

When the Ogryns aren’t available, overwhelming firepower is a valid option, and Rapier weapons carriers allow the Solar Auxilia to field weapons too heavy to be man-portable.

A Rapier Fire Support battery is designed to operate behind the front lines, delivering long-range firepower via quad launchers and mole mortars. The former, known colloquially as a “thudd gun”, fires a choice of frag shells, which pepper a wide area, or shatter shells, which can smash through enemy armour.

The mole mortar being pointed downwards isn’t a mistake – it fires into the ground, sending munitions burrowing beneath the enemy before exploding in showers of earth and, with any luck, eviscerating the enemy.

Rapier Direct Fire Battery

Other Rapier platforms carry more direct weapons, with the choice of a gravis heavy bolter battery or gravis multi-laser array – both useful for mowing down lightly-armoured enemies – or a powerful, tank-busting laser destroyer.

Updated rules for the new Rapiers and Charonite Ogryns (and for the Command Tank version of the Spartan Prometheus) will be available in the upcoming supplement Journal Tactica: The Battle Of Tallarn – Part 1, which focuses on one of the biggest battles of the Horus Heresy.

We’ll be taking a closer look at that soon. In the meantime, head back to the AdeptiCon Preview hub to see what’s coming for your other favourite games.

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* We see you Erebus… now if you’ll stand still, this won’t hurt a bit…

New elite Guardsmen take on the Red Terror – an iconic Tyranid bioform available in plastic for the first time – in the next veritable action movie of an expansion for Kill Team. Plus, there are new ways to play, as you can challenge your special operatives to take on similarly large threats.

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Kill Team: Terror on Devlan

This new expansion for Kill Team shakes up the formula by pitting the elite Spectre Squad soldiers of call sign Jester against a single massive foe, with their efforts to bring it down spread across nine linked Joint Ops missions. They’ll need skill, luck, and the Emperor’s blessing to get it done, as their foe is none other than the infamous Red Terror – a tunneling Tyranid bioform notorious for swallowing its prey whole.

The Red Terror

Veteran Tyranid commanders may remember the Red Terror from Warhammer 40,000 Codexes of old. Now it’s back with its first standalone plastic kit to terrorise the galaxy once more. This huge serpentine monster is unique in its ability to regenerate damage from consumed biomass, and it can disappear beneath the killzone and lurk unseen until it’s ready to strike and swallow your operatives whole.

Spectre Squad Kill Team

To ensure the destruction of this elusive foe, the Cadians unleash one of their most valuable assets – a team of veteran scouts known as a Spectre Squad, whose hard-won experience and well-drilled fieldcraft make them the perfect warriors to track and eliminate their fast and deadly adversary.

Spectre Squad members are lightly armoured and equipped with camouflage cloaks to help them move undetected through rough terrain, and rely on ambushes and cunning tactics to bring down tough targets. Normal Guardsmen might think that starshell flares are just for illuminating battlefields, for instance, while Spectres know that the blinding burst is a great way to stun a room full of hostiles.

They’re also kitted out with some heavy ordnance for more conventional firefights, like a rapid fire autostubber and a choice of plasma gun or meltagun. After all, when even the best-planned trap might only scratch the Red Terror’s hardened carapace, a cheeky missile launcher to the chest is an excellent Plan B.

Big creatures being an absolute menace in the killzone isn’t confined to Terror on Devlan either. A new Kill Team expansion book brings your favourite big guys into the action with flexible rules designed to work with miniatures of all factions,* taking the place of your regular specialists as mighty Nemesis Operatives.

Kill Team: Nemesis Operatives

Whether you’re looking to add some serious muscle to your kill team or whip up a deadly boss encounter for your Joint Ops missions, Kill Team: Nemesis Operatives has a tool for the job. This book provides commanders with a flexible set of rules to create their own nemesis operatives – generating characteristics, weapons, and abilities suitable for your own scenarios.

For instance, your Stealth Battlesuit kill team might call upon a Crisis Battlesuit ally when much heavier firepower is required. Your go-getting Wrecka Krew might burst through a wall only to find a massive Tyranid Screamer-Killer on the other side. Both teams might need to tiptoe around the periphery while a Dreadnought and Helbrute lock in a deadly duel in the centre.

To get you started coming up with ideas for your own Nemesis Operatives, two awesome creatures previously seen in the Warhammer Quest: Blackstone Fortress game will be getting standalone releases alongside the book – the ferocious Ambull, and the mysterious Zoat known only as The Archivist. Each of them has a mission pack in the Nemesis Operatives dossier, with a datacard for the beast and two joint ops missions that use them in ways suited to their particular methods and goals.

We’ll be taking a closer look at these new Kill Team expansions soon, so make sure to check in with Warhammer Community each week for the latest.

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* Yes, even Imperial and Chaos Knights.

Warhammer 40,000 has a brand new YouTube channel, where you can see the awesome new trailer and more!

The braziers are still hot from the LAST Warhammer 40,000 animation that concluded only a few hours ago, and we’re already looking ahead to the next action-packed story from the 41st Millennium.

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Aeronautica Imperialis is a new animation that pits the dogged pilots of the Imperial Navy against the alien reflexes of Aeldari from Craftworld Saim-Hann. This is a tale of dogfights, daring and a brutal war of attrition in the skies above a frozen world. Today, we can confirm a few details about the show.

Aeronautica Imperialis will be a three-part animated series, and the first one lands in just a few weeks! Along with the action-packed trailer, we have a few screenshots from the series for you.

Kae is one of the pilots we’ll follow in the series. Attrition rates are high among the Imperial Navy, so while we can confirm that Kae is an excellent pilot, maybe don’t get too attached?

This is Idranith, one of Craftworld Saim-Hann’s lethal Nightwing pilots. Compared to the rugged and brutalist interior of the Thunderbolts, his seating arrangements look practically luxurious (though we’re sure they will look decidedly less fancy if they ever take a direct barrage from a Thunderbolt's autocannon array).

Aeronautica Imperialis is set for release in May, and will be available to watch on Warhammer TV as part of your Warhammer+ subscription. While you’re waiting for takeoff, please ensure your table is in the upright position, and head back to our AdeptiCon Preview hub to catch up on the rest of today’s reveals.

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Warhammer 40,000 has a brand new YouTube channel, where you can see the awesome new trailer and more!

The next expansion for Warhammer 40,000 heads back to Armageddon with a new set of books, a beloved Ork character finally getting a miniature, and loads – no, really, loads – of Imperial reinforcements.

Armageddon is a world of endless war, but for all its daemonic incursions and xenos invasions, it has never been this bad before. The Orks are back in unfathomable numbers, and even the return of the planet’s most legendary hero can only do so much to stem the tide.

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Wazdakka Gutsmek

Few Ork warlords embody their favourite brand of warfare quite like Wazdakka Gutsmek, the legendary Bikeboss who – rumour has it – has never once left the saddle of his enormous warbike Big Revva. He lives for the roar of engines and the scream of the wind as it whips by, drowned out only by the tempestuous racket of his steed’s psyko-gatler.

Wazdakka has existed in the background of Warhammer 40,000 for years, and has even had rules in the past – meaning that any intrepid Mek had an opportunity to kitbash their own Bikeboss. This is the first time that he’s had a miniature though, and he’s racing onto tabletops in glorious plastic.

It’s widely known among Gutsmek’s fellow Speed Freeks that his grand ambition is to race Big Revva from one end of the galaxy to the other, and Gork’s Grin* is throwing an almighty wrench in that plan. After hearing that Ghazghkull has a flash new tellyporta-thing, Wazdakka has reasoned that he can barter passage to the Imperium Nihilus in return for krumping Armageddon.

And krump he shall, for the blasted wastes around Armageddon’s hives are the perfect place for Speed Freeks to unleash their rickety rides. Waaagh! Wazdakka is only the opening salvo of the Orks’ great invasion, but looking at its Bikeboss, we’d totally understand if it was all they needed.

Commissar Yarrick

With the Orks back, Commissar Sebastian Yarrick has returned from the brink of death to once again defend Armageddon. No lesser man could rally the beleaguered world and its exhausted soldiers, and Yarrick will fight to his dying breath to throw the Orks off-world – even if that breath seems closer than ever before.

We revealed Yarrick last week with an incredible cinematic trailer – so make sure you go back and check that out if you haven’t seen it.

Of course, no man can stand alone against an Ork horde, so Yarrick will need allies – and handily, there are plenty on the way, including one of his fellow Commissars.

Commissar Graves

Where Yarrick is inspiring and beloved by his men, Commissar Thenia Graves is uncompromising and feared – a staunch traditionalist who epitomises the reputation of the Officio Prefectus as brutal and direct in their judgment.

Graves believes that ironclad discipline is the only thing holding back the complete destruction of the Imperium. Her dictates are enforced at the barrel of a bolt pistol, be it on the front line or in the war room, and when duty requires that she join the spearhead of an assault she does so atop the gloriously ostentatious fighting deck of her personalised and heavily modified Centaur transport, Vigilance. What’s a Centaur? Read on to find out…

When mounted atop Vigilance, Graves is accompanied by her loyal Officio Prefectus retinue, The Right Hand – with one carrying her personal banner while two more operate the transport’s heavy stubbers. The set also includes a version of Commissar Graves on foot, for when she needs to go toe-to-toe with any Ork invaders.

For better or worse, Graves has taken a personal interest in the high command structure of Armageddon’s legions – and it’s only a matter of time before her pistol announces another change in leadership.

Inquisitor Kroyle

As an accomplished member of the Ordo Xenos, Inquisitor Kroyle has more experience fighting Orks than almost anyone else on the planet – save Yarrick himself. His eccentric and flamboyant tendencies hide the cold heart of a deadly predator, whose skills as a master huntsman have put an end to countless nightmarish beasts.

Armed with a lethal Jindarii tox-cycler and mounted on a six-legged Garralisk, Kroyle is all too happy to use the tools of his enemies against them, and will stop at nothing to hunt their greatest creatures and champions for his trophy cabinet. The intelligence he gathers on his many expeditions is invaluable to the Ordo Xenos, and if the Orks have a weakness that will help send them packing, he is sure to find it. The miniature comes with two heads for Kroyle and two for his mount – one wearing a compliance hood, and the other with its jaws free, ready to attack.

Intranzia Fraye, Dogmata Superior

Many missions of the Adepta Sororitas are stationed on Armageddon, and the blessed contingent from the Order of Our Martyred Lady are led by their Dogmata Superior, Intranzia Fraye – a fiercely exacting custodian of rites and sacraments whose condemnations carry the weight of her entire Order.

Atop her armoured walking platform, the Throne of Blame, she singles out particularly repugnant foes for her hatred, spurring her Battle Sisters into acts of righteous violence. Her zealous intolerance extends to any signs of weakness, even from her own congregation, who routinely find themselves consigned to the torturous Mortifier engines that she leads into battle in great numbers.

Centaur RSV

Mobility is vital on the dust-choked plains of Armageddon, and the Centaur Rapid Strike Vehicle is a well-liked alternative to the common Chimera when infantry need to be shuttled from one battle sector to the next. It is a simple, blunt object that can handle all kinds of rough terrain thanks to its thick tracks and light construction.

The open-topped design means boarded troops can bail out in a hurry and have ample space to shoot while on the move. This makes it an ideal vehicle for combatting the Ork Speedwaaagh!, where slower tanks risk getting encircled and picked apart by more mobile foes.

Hippogriff AFV

When fire support is needed over long distances, Hippogriff Armoured Fighting Vehicles provide ample firepower in a compact and mobile package that can keep up with roaring tank columns. Six wheels mounted on independent servo-axles gives them a good balance of speed and stability, while the turret can mount a flexible battle cannon, horde-shredding castigator gatling cannon, tank-destroying melta cannon, or bunker-busting lascannon, so you can take on any target.

The Hippogriff is often the heaviest fire support that a scouting platoon can expect to receive, and stories abound of Hippogriff squadrons holding off much more advanced foes until armoured reinforcements can arrive.

Armageddon: The Return of Yarrick

The tale of Yarrick’s return to Armageddon and the desperate fight against Wazdakka Gutsmek’s Speedwaaagh! is told in Armageddon: The Return of Yarrick – the next major expansion for Warhammer 40,000. Armageddon is split into three books contained in a decorative slipcase, packing loads of all-new rules and background lore into one convenient package.

In addition to the main book that covers the story of Armageddon’s latest devastating war and Yarrick’s desperate gambit to rally Imperial reinforcements, you’ll also get a booklet of six new Vehicle-focused detachments – two each for the Astra Militarum, Orks, and Space Marines – and the Armoured Gauntlet book. This rules supplement encourages players to field as many tanks, monsters, and war machines as possible, with the largest enjoying newfound durability through damage tables and powerful upgrades.

Armageddon Battalion Boxes

Four factions will also get new themed Battalion boxes to go along with the release of Armageddon: the Astra Militarum, Adepta Sororitas, Deathwatch, and Orks.

The Astra Militarum lean into their new, lighter vehicles with a highly mobile force of two Hippogriff AFVs, one Centaur RSV, a Rogal Dorn battle tank, and 10 Cadian Shock Troops to ride in the Centaur. This Battalion is the first place you’ll be able to get your hands on the Hippogriff and Centaur, so if you’re keen to add them to your army before they’re released individually, this is how.

The Adepta Sororitas stick to their walking warriors for their Battalion, but don’t pull any punches. Three mighty Paragon Warsuits and a Palatine lead a mobile contingent of light infantry, including 10 Sisters Novitiate and 10 Sisters Repentia – the ideal accompaniment for Intranzia Fraye.

A compact force of Deathwatch Space Marines drops in to cut the head from the proverbial snake, embarking two five-man Kill Teams in a fast and deadly Corvus Blackstar. Meanwhile, the Orks properly commit to their love for reckless speed with a ramshackle squadron of six Deffkoptas roaring ahead of the Green Tide, led by a Deffkilla Wartrike and a Rukkatrukk Squigbuggy.

If you’re a little out of breath, don’t worry – we are too. There’s a lot happening on Armageddon and loads of new kits coming out alongside the next expansion book, so have another look up to make sure you didn’t miss anything. Once you’re done, head back to our Preview hub and check out all of the other reveals happening today.

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* Gork’s Grin is what the Orks call the Great Rift. Attempts to teach them how to spell ‘Cicatrix Maledictum’ have failed miserably.

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