The new 40k Christmas Battleforces, Necromunda, and more releases are hitting pre-orders this weekend.
Get those hobby dollars ready if you want any of these new releases from Games Workshop that will go up for pre-order with your favorite retailers on Saturday, December 3rd, 2022, around 1 pm EST!
40k Christmas Battleforces, Necromunda, & More: FIRST LOOK
Keep in mind they are releasing the Battleforces as two separate waves this time, so the AoS ones are already in stores. Click here to see the lineup of Age of Sigmar ones that are on sale now!
Here’s the lineup and contents of the new Warhammer 40k Battleforces that are up for pre-order now. Click here to see all the values for each and how they stack up to the last six years’ worth of battleforces.
Battleforce: Adeptus Mechanicus – Elimination Maniple (Delayed In AUS & NZ)
Belisarius Cawl has packed himself up in a battleforce that’s full of surprises. And by surprises, we mean horrible guns and killer robots from humanity’s past. This box comprises 20 miniatures, including the Archmagos Dominus himself and more than enough death-dealing cyborgs.
Led by the top tech wizard around, this is a great pickup for new players or anyone who has yet to get Cawl.
Battleforce: Imperial Knights – Chainbreaker Lance (Delayed In AUS & NZ)
This clutch of Knights is a perfectly sized army project – it’s just a handful of miniatures, after all… The Chainbreaker Lance contains four Armiger-class knights led by Canis Rex, a legendary steed piloted by the equally epic Sir Hekhtur. For those of a less Freeblade persuasion, Canis Rex can also be constructed as any Questoris-class Knight.
The Knights box is a little more flexible and a pretty good buy, as the models are generic enough to want multiples.
Battleforce: Thousand Sons – Court of The Crimson King
Magnus the Red is the 41st Millenium’s premiere big scarlet-skinned chap, at least until his very angry brother turns up. Joining him are 23 of his sons – 20 dusty Rubric Marines and three Exalted Sorcerers living their best arcane life.
The first Chaos box has a good assort of Thousand Sons models, and it’s even led by Magnus! That means it’s fantastic for new players but maybe a little harder to justify for someone who already owns Magnus.
Battleforce: Death Guard – Council of The Death Lord
Refusing to be outdone by his brother – magicians are always putting on a show – Mortarion arrives with a rotten assortment of Death Guard. 14 Plague Marines invite double blessings from Nurgle, while the Pale King has even snuck in a clutch of indomitable Blightlord Terminators.
Like the T Sons, the Death Guard have their Primarch with them! Which is great for new players but might be a negative for anyone who already started getting models.
Battleforce: Adepta Sororitas – Sanctorum Guard
Anyone who had nuns in big metal jumpsuits on their Christmas bingo card is going to be rubbing their hands with glee at the Sanctorum Guard battleforce, which contains 23 saintly miniatures. Morven Vahl spearheads a cohort of six Paragon Warsuits, while a complement of Celestian Sacresants and a Battle Sister squad give you more zealots than you can shake a brazier at.
The Sisters follow suit with one of their leaders, but with more great models behind her, this might be a good pick-up for new and returning collectors of the faction.
Battleforce: Adeptus Custodes – Watchers of The Gate
Our true love might have given us five gold rings this year, but it’s not a patch on this auric battleforce absolutely packed with 22 Custodes – including Captain-General Trajann Valoris, who is kind of a big deal. This absolute wall of warriors features the Vertus Praetors on their roaring dawneagle jetbikes, adding valuable tactical flexibility.
Custodes look like a great box with quite a few models and only Trajan as the potential dupe purchase for existing players.
Battleforce: Imperial Fists – Bastion Strike Force
Fans of chunky Gravis armour have 19 reasons to be happy with this Imperial Fists battleforce. Tor Garadon is backed up by the full faith and credit of 15 Heavy Intercessors, three Aggressors, and two Imperial Fists upgrade sprues.
Imperial fists don’t have a big top dog like the other factions, but this box will still be a great starting point for new players.
Battleforce: Raven Guard – Ravenstrike Battle Force
It’s hard enough to be stealthy when you’re a nine-foot tall super soldier, but how about the challenge of going covert with not one but two Invictor Tactical Warsuits? If anyone would know how to pull that off, it’s Raven Guard Chapter Master Kayvaan Shrike, who also leads a squad of Reivers, a trio of Eliminators, and a Phobos-armoured Librarian for a total of 17 miniatures ready for an ambush.
Ravenguard is just like the Imperial Fists, great for new players and not any big named models.
Adeptus Mechanicus – Technoarcheologist
The Technoarchaelogist – once seen in the Escalation expansion for Warhammer Quest: Blackstone Fortress – is being released on his own for the first time. An HQ choice for the Adeptus Mechanicus, these bold explorers specialise in keeping units shooting while they search for artefacts – they can even guide Servitors through more complex field research. And with six Kataphrons in the Elimination Maniple box, this pistol-packing surveyor is the perfect companion piece.
As a new HQ this great to finally see a separate release. One support piece can add many different play options to a list!
Escher Cutters
Dominate the ash wastes with these new skimmer mounts for Escher gangs. This kit includes four fast-flying machines which Leaders, Champions, and Prospects can ride. There are head and hair options for the riders, along with a choice of twin-linked heavy stubbers, grenade launchers, or plasma guns.
You can find rules for using Escher Cutters in The Aranthian Succession – Cinderak Burning.
These new Jet bikes are sweet, so Escher players rejoice they can keep up with the Goliaths now!
Escher Tactics Cards & Ash Wastes Dice
There are two sets of Escher Tactics Cards coming out – one for vehicles, and another for your battles in the underhive. Both contain 18 Escher-specific cards and eight blank cards to keep track of your gangers and vehicles. The Escher Vehicle Tactics Cards contain new cards to use in the ash wastes, while the Escher Gang Tactics set is a reprint of a previous set, and the eight Escher-themed dice are coloured in stylish purple with luxurious golden ink. You get three regular D6s, three Necromunda injury dice, an ammo die, and a scatter die.
Will you be picking any of these releases up? What are your thoughts on the 40k Battleforces?
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About the Author: Andrew Schrank
Andrew Schrank
Job Title: Miniatures & Warhammer Hobby Staff Writer
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About Andrew Schrank: Over the past 15 years, Andrew has played all the games, including tabletop and video games, and immersed himself in the associated lore. Andrew joined the Spikey Bits team in 2018 and covers the Warhammer hobby and tournament scene, along with the latest in tabletop miniatures, each week.
Aspiring diplomat, Lord of Fluff, and Master of Ice Hammer, He loves Star Wars, Chaos Undivided, and Gundam. During his free time, he hunts Platinum trophies on PS5 and reads international news. On weekends, Andrew plays commander and cEDH games, often with unique strategies that push the limits.
He believes each day presents a new opportunity to grow and be challenged.
