GW just announced that Warhammer Christmas Battleforces are returning this year for 2021, but there may be a catch…
A lot of hobbyists love the savings that come inside the ten or so Christmas Battleforces for Warhammer each year. It’s normally an even better way to get started on a new army or project that may interest you, and save a lot of cash in the process.
Recently we had heard that the pickings may be a bit slim when it comes to savings from Games Workshop this holiday season, but now it looks like that may not entirely be the case:
Several industry insiders have told us that there will be scaled back (think web-only GW exclusives) bundle offerings this year will be rather sparse. It is also rumored there will be no Christmas battleforces as in years past.
The Latest on Games Workshop 2021 Christmas Battleforces
Last year’s lineup of Warhammer Christmas Battleforces was revealed on November 15th, 2020 in GW’s weekly teaser post video with several more boxes added later that same week.
Initially, they were allocated to one per store, and later more were made available to stores in early December.
Additionally, with global shipping disruptions happening everything right now, it’s easy to see how it could be true. Plus with the attempted rollout of the zero value Old Foes Bundles that were supposed to be a weekly release (and lasted exactly a week), it’s possible GW was trying to replace their Battleforce offerings with these on the fly…
To celebrate these epic rivalries, Games-Workshop.com is bringing themed Old Foes army bundles to the webstore, each available for just one week. These are a new army project in their own right, and they bring you within striking distance of a free Sergeant Castus miniature this month.
From the looks of it, these “bundles” are just the respective factions’ Combat Patrol box sets with two more kits added. We also expect them to just come with the respective packaging for each as they don’t have any new box art posted on the bundle product listing.
Zero offering bundle offerings like this is why we advise voting with your hobby dollars when it comes to companies like Games Workshop who seem to try ‘questionable’ releases like this from time to time.
Games Workshops Announcement Regarding Battleforces in 2021:
GW announced via their weekly teaser that there would be a preview for new battleforces on Thursday, November 18th.
Be sure to join us on Thursday the 18th of November, when we’ll be revealing all of this year’s Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Age of Sigmar Battleforces in preparation for the holiday season. Not only do they save you money compared to picking up the constituent units separately, but each Battleforce will provide the perfect start – or significant reinforcements – to any collection.
As you just read, that directly conflicts with the rumors we had heard about a lack of Battleforces this year.
So just a heads up on our sources, whom we reached back out to. Recently there were several internal Games Workshop meetings where they told a particular sales team that there would be no Battleforce offerings this year.
To us, that means that whatever Battleforce offerings shake out in previews this week from Games Workshop may not be 100% what we’re used to or event expect based on previous offerings.
This could include them being MTO, web-only, etc. They did say there would be savings so at least we know these will have an inherent value which is already important.
Christmas Battleforces for 2021 Spotted!
Four new Battleforces are on the way in December for Age of Sigmar. Let’s take a look at the details of the contents!
Soulblight Gravelords
The Revenant Legion is a party in a box with 66 models including a bestial Vengorian Lord, five barded Blood Knights, 20 Deathrattle Skeleton warriors and, count ‘em, 40 Deadwalker Zombies.
Hedonites of Slaanesh
Led by a Shardspeaker, this box also nets you three Slaangor Fiendbloods, ten Blissbarb archers – plus a lowly homunculus – and five Exalted Seekers which can be built as either Slickblades or Blissbarbs. Then there are ten elite warriors you can build as Mymirdesh Painbringers or frenzied Symbraesh Twinsouls.
Lumineth Realms-Lords
With Vanari Auralan Wardens, Bladelords, Dawnriders, and a Starshard Ballista, all led by a Vanari Bannerblade and a Lord Regent, this is the perfect Tyrionic hammer for newly arrived Realm-lords.
Ossiarch Bonereapers
Commanded by a Mortisan Boneshaper and a Soulreaper, these immortal debt collectors include 20 Mortek Guard and three Necropolis Stalkers – or three Immortis Guard, if you prefer. A Gothizzar Harvester refashions errant bones into new constructs for the army, while the Mortek Crawler hurls the gift of caskets of screaming souls at besieged enemies.
GW Announces 40k Christmas Battleforces 2021 Lineup
Six new Battleforces are on the way in December for Warhammer 40k. Let’s take a look at the details of the contents!
Space Marines
In this box, a Captain and his entourage of Bladeguard Veterans lead a balanced heavy infantry force of 10 Intercessors, 10 Assault Intercessors, and five Heavy Intercessors. Meanwhile, a fast and agile Storm Speeder Hailstrike is perfect for flanking enemy forces, or taking down hard targets when built either as the Hammerstrike or Thunderstrike variant.
Adepta Sororitas
The fierce eyes of a Sister Dogmata command this force, which is composed of five Celestian Sacrosancts, 10 Battle Sisters, an Immolator armed transport, and a mighty Exorcist tank.
Adeptus Mechanicus
Five speedy Pteraxii, five stealthy Ruststalkers, and three Serberys Raiders make up the core of this battleforce, supported by the Ironstrider Ballistarii’s powerful cognis lascannons. Behind them marches a unit of 10 Skitarii Rangers and their Tech-priest Manipulus commander.
Death Guard
The Plaguefester Warband is the definitive image of an unstoppable Death Guard army, with a Champion and Icon Bearer leading seven Plague Marines and three Deathshroud Terminators. Three Myphitic Blight-haulers and a Plagueburst Crawler cover their march.
Necrons
A Psychomancer cryptek leads the force, with a unit of 10 Necron Warriors and three Scarab Swarms making up the durable centre. The real killing work falls to a Lokhust Heavy Destroyer, three Ophydian Destroyers, five Flayed Ones, and two huge Canoptek Doomstalkers.
Orks
While five Nobz, 20 Boyz, and 10 unfortunate Gretchin (with their long-suffering Runtherd handler) storm across the battlefield in search of heads to split, Da Boss speeds into combat aboard his Deffkilla Wartrike. A Big Mek with Shokk Attack Gun has a jolly old time teleporting Snotlings into people from behind the front line, while a Dakkajet screams overhead to strike enemy forces.
No word yet on the price, but honestly we’d be more worried about allocations at this point than anything. Hopefully, the stock starts flowing smoother and in greater numbers for the holiday season than we’ve seen recently.
They did say one thing that is a little bit worrying, however:
These mammoth Battleforces are to be stuffed into delivery cannons near you very soon, so keep an eye on Warhammer Community for more information.
Why is this worrisome? Well, by the sounds of it there is a *chance* these will be direct order only. Meaning local stores may not be able to take advantage of the new Christmas Battleforces for 2021.
Let’s take a look back at last year’s lineup Battleforces from Games Workshop and their actual savings!
2020 Christmas Battleforces: Values & Pricing
In 2020 there were six Warhammer 40k Christmas Battleforces, ranging from $200-$210 some were much better values than others, so let’s see how much savings there was.
Astra Militarum Battleforce $200
Battleforce Value:
- Hydra $60
- Chimera $48
- Cadian Heavy Weapon Squad $40
- Scout Sentinel $36
- Cadians x2 $72
- Cadian Command Squad $36
Total MSRP: $292
Total Value: $92
Tau Battleforce $210
Battleforce Value:
- Broadside Battlesuit $55
- Crisis Battlesuit Team $75
- Piranha $36
- Commander $55
- Fire Warriors $50
- Pathfinder Team $38
Total MSRP: $309
Total Value: $99
This one has a ton of minis and saves you almost $100, not too bad! If you want some Tau, this is definitely worth grabbing one if you can! Looks like stores are only getting one of each…
Space Marines – Interdiction Force $200
Battleforce Value:
- Captain in Phobos Armour $36
- 10 Infiltrators/Incursors $60
- 10 Reivers $60
- Invictor Tactical Warsuit $60
- Impulsor transport $75
Total MSRP: $291
Total Value: $91
Again you save almost a hundred bucks with this one. Not a bad value if you need what’s in the box, it’s kinda a weird mix!
If you have an Impulsor kit already, this makes a great Gladiator Tank!
Murmillo Tank Upgrade For Impulsor Hover Tank $35
Necrons – Eradication Legion $210
Battleforce Value:
- 10 Warriors $45
- 5 Immortals/Deathmarks $38
- 5 Triarch Praetorians/Lychguard $48
- Canoptek Spyder $38
- Doomscythe/Nightscythe $60
- Technomancer $35
- Triach Stalker $55
Total MSRP: $319 Just to note, most of these are sold out online so the value also comes in actually being able to get these units!
Total Value: $109
This is kind of an assortment of units but does save you some pretty decent cash, and most of these older units look to be sold out online now as well.
Chaos Space Marines – Decimation Warband $200
Battleforce Value:
- 10 Chaos Space Marines $60
- 5 Havocs $55
- 5 Chaos Terminators $60
- Maulerfiend/Forgefiend $75
- Thunder-hammer-wielding Chaos Lord $30
Total MSRP: $280
Total Value: $80
Not quite as good as the value of some of the other boxes, but saving $80 is still pretty solid!
Tyranids – Brood Swarm $210
Battleforce Value:
- 16 Genestealers $72
- 10 Gargoyles $36
- 3 Hive Guard/Tyrant Guard $70
- Exocrine/Haruspex $75
- Hive Tyrant/The Swarmlord $60
Total MSRP: $313
Total Value: $103
This has the second-highest dollar value in terms of saving, but who really uses Gargoyles? Other than that it is a pretty solid box!
AoS Christmas Battleforces
There were four AoS Christmas Battleforces in 2020 offered by GW, ranging from $200-$210, and again some were much better values than others, so let’s see how much savings there was.
Ogor Mawtribes Battleforce $210
Battleforce Value:
- Tyrant $35
- Ogor Gluttons x2 $96
- Ironguts $40
- Lead Belchers $40
- Iron Blaster $35
- Mancrusher $62.50 ($125 for two)
Total MSRP: $308.50
Total Value: $98.50
They seem to want every army to save right around the hundred dollar mark this year. Not a bad value at all!
Gloomspite Gitz Battleforce $200
Battleforce Value:
- Loonboos on Giant Cave Squig $35
- Dankhold Troggoth $65
- Rockgut Troggoths x2 $120
- 14? Squig Hoppers (10 in a box normally) ~$75
Total MSRP: ~$290
Total Value: $90
A little lower in value than the other box, but still pretty decent overall! Also, who doesn’t love Squigs and Trolls.
Disciples of Tzeentch Battleforce – Fatesworn Host $210
Battleforce Value:
- 20 Kairic Acolytes $50
- 10 Tzaangors $44
- 3 Tzaangor Enlightened $48
- 1 Gaunt Summoner $30
- Lord of Change $140
Total: $312
Total Value: $102
Anytime you can save over $100 it’s a pretty sweet deal! Grab one of these if you can find them with the severe allocations going on!
Kharadron Overlords Battleforce – Barak-Nar Skyfleet $210
Battleforce Value:
- Brokk Grungsson, Lord-Magnate of Barak-Nar $40
- 1 Arkanaut Frigate $80
- 6 Skywardens/Endrinriggers $88
- 2 Grundstok Gunhauler $100
Tota MSRP: $308
Total Value: $98
Again, the hundred-dollar mark really looks to be what they’re aiming for. But nothing wrong with saving a hundred dollars!
From the looks of it, we may just get some sort of Battleforces in bundle form in 2021. What savings and configuration they will come in, is still anyone’s guess! However, if you can find any of these in 2021 they all are solid values still, and definitely worth the money!
Check Amazon or eBay For GW Christmas Battleforces Now!
What do you think about all the GW Warhammer Christmas Battleforces so far for 2021?
Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group, and make sure you enter the latest monthly giveaway for FREE today!
Get ad-free hobby videos, a monthly crate of miniatures, and support some of the best creators out there for as little as $6 a month on Patreon!
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.
