This week’s pre-orders were revealed over the weekend: Malign Portents, Age of Sigmar, and more make up the new release lineup for this week from Games Workshop!
Games Workshop:
Malign Portents Collection: $60
Shifting the mortal realms – and Warhammer Age of Sigmar itself – into a new, darker gear, Malign Portents is full to the brim with great new content. With this bundle., you’ll receive a copy of of the book, along with themed cards and dice to use in games. Included:
Malign Portents
This 80-page book contains background and rules which catapult the mortal realms into a time of grim uncertainty, as Nagash begins an aeons-long grand plan to assert his power over the dead, spreading the necrotic influence of Shyish over every realm. It also includes the Malign Portents themselves: 6 dark omens caused by the cataclysmic nature of Nagash’s grand undertaking that befall heroes in Warhammer Age of Sigmar, each omen itself consisting of 6 effects that can aid them by using Prophecy Points in their battles – with bonuses for using Harbingers, the 4 new characters introduced in the book, along with Battleplans, Pitched Battle profiles and rules for Skirmishes.
Malign Portents Dice
This is a set of 20 6-sided 16mm dice, designed with a smoky gem effect that recalls the grave-sand collected by Nagash’s hordes, setting in motion the cataclysmic events of Malign Portents. Each features a skull in place of the 1 and a Malign Portents icon in the place of the 6.
Malign Portents Cards
80 handy reference cards, keeping track of Prophecy Points and special rules:
– 6 sets of 6 cards, containing rules for each of the following Guiding Malign Portents: the Falling Star, the Bloodied Skull, the Black Void, the Balemoon, the Writhing Serpent and the Red Mist;
– 4 sets of 6 cards, containing rules for Guiding Malign Portents for each of the following Harbingers: the Darkoath Warqueen, the Lord-Ordinator, the Knight of Shrouds, and the Fungoid Cave-Shaman;
– 20 Prophecy Point cards.
Malign Portents: $25
It began with unsettling dreams, and unnatural lights in the sky. Tempers frayed, families fractured and rulers became irate as their subjects fell to distraction and gossip. There was something in the air, they said; some malediction that threatened to turn the disquiet into dread. Waking nightmares spread across every land, promising a deathly face or the terror of oblivion. Traders and explorers carried ominous accounts through Realmgates only to find those on the other side bore disturbing stories of their own. This period became known as the Time of Tribulation, and it was well-named.
Malign Portents is an 80-page hardback book containing background and rules which catapult the mortal realms into a time of grim uncertainty, as Nagash begins an aeons-long grand plan to assert his power over the dead, spreading the necrotic influence of Shyish over every realm. Of course, the visions of disaster this plan is causing have not gone unnoticed – Khorne, Nurgle, Tzeentch, Slaanesh, the Horned Rat and Sigmar himself are affected by these portents, and every faction in the mortal realms is moving against the undead hordes of Nagash.
Contained within:
Background
– A brief history of the Age of Sigmar, from the apocalyptic death of the world-that-was to Sigmar’s discovery of the mortal realms, his reign of peace, the ascendance of Chaos that tore his empires down and the glorious vengeance of Azyr during the Realmgate Wars;
– The visions and phenomena that plague the realms, as scryers and wizards across the realms see visions of a grim future – the dead reanimated and marching to total war, expanding the influence of Shyish to grim ends;
– Introduction of the Warscryer Citadels – potent sources of celestial magic hurled down by Sigmar himself that, when mastered, grant the power of prophecy;
– Introductions to the 4 champions introduced with Malign Portents, 1 for each Grand Alliance – the Lord-Ordinator, the Darkoath Warqueen, the Knight of Shrouds and the Fungoid Cave-Shaman;
– The history of the realm of Shyish, also known as the realm of Death, an overview of Nagash’s grand plan, and an insight into the disastrous consequences should this plan go unopposed;
– The Doomed March: Nagash’s plan has come to the attention of many, and whole armies have been mobilised to invade Shyish – this is the story of just how badly that has gone so far;
– A timeline of key battles and events leading up to the time depicted in Malign Portents;
– A miniatures showcase featuring armies, depictions of key battles, and examples of fantastically painted miniatures by the ‘Eavy Metal painting teamRules
– The Time of Tribulations: a selection of optional rules for Open, Narrative and Matched Play games of Warhammer Age of Sigmar, which allow you to recreate the battles of this inauspicious time, including:
– Realm of Battle: Shyish, the Realm of Death: rules which help you set your battles in this deathly realm, including Realmscape rules, the new spell Pall of Doom, new Command Abilities and The Power of Death – effects which come into play whenever a unit is slain in the realm of Shyish;
– The Malign Portents: these are 6 dark omens caused by the cataclysmic nature of Nagash’s grand undertaking that befall heroes in Warhammer Age of Sigmar, each omen itself consisting of 6 effects that can aid them by using Prophecy Points in their battles – with bonuses for using Harbingers, the 4 new characters introduced in the book;
– Skirmish Battles: rules for fighting Skirmishes in Shyish, including the use of Malign Portents, Command Abilities, Artefacts of Power, Mysterious Terrain and Rewards of Battle (including Magic of Shyish, 3 extra spells for Wizards), along with a Battleplan featuring objectives, setup instructions and victory conditions;
– 3 Narrative Battleplans, each featuring objectives, setup instructions, victory conditions and special rules;
– 2 Pitched Battles, each featuring set-up instructions, use of Triumphs, rules for generating prophecy points, victory conditions and additional rules if both players bring a Harbinger as part of their armies;
– 4 Warscrolls, 1 each for the 4 new characters – the Lord-Ordinator, the Darkoath Warqueen, the Knight of Shrouds and the Fungoid Cave-Shaman – along with their special rules for interpreting the Malign Portents and directing the will of the gods into their battles;
– A Warscroll of the Warscryer Citadel, a scenery piece which allows those who hold it to glimpse the future; – Pitched battle profiles for the 4 Harbingers.
Malign Portents Dice $20
Malign Portents Combat Gauge: $10
The perfect tool for quickly and easily measuring the space between models locked in bitter combat, the Malign Portents Combat Gauge has been designed for all those who love to play their games with as little fuss and clutter as possible. Made of flexible yet hard-wearing rubber, the Combat Gauge’s four edges measure half an inch, 1 inch, 2 inches and 3 inches incrementally – so should you need to ascertain whether two models are within range for a scrap, just use the appropriate edge to find out instantly.
Darkoath Warqueen Marakarr Blood-sky: $35
Thousands of mortal tribes have bound their fates to the will of Chaos, and at the fore are the Darkoath Warqueens. These are souls who have committed all manner of atrocity to attract the favour of the Dark Gods. With a fierce animal charisma and the fires of ambition fueling their every move, they are deadly warriors all, but their true power is the favour of the Dark Gods, and their supernatural ability to unite the hordes of Chaos as one. Marakarr Blood-sky has proven herself the rightful leader of her barbarian tribespeople again and again, and they obey her without question.
This multi-part plastic kit contains the components necessary to assemble Marakarr Blood-sky, a Darkoath Warqueen. She wears a large, ornate horned crown, which she has earned by her furious leadership of the Slaves to Darkness. Her armour can best be described as functional – studs, leather, metal and mail protect the most vital areas, while her exposed skin bears the scars of a lifetime spent hewing flesh and reaping skulls (a few of said skulls are attached to her boots.) Hardly the shy and retiring type, Markarr Blood-sky is posed lunging forward, hefting her warlord axe (notched and worn through years of hacking at her enemies) and wielding an infernal runeshield – the face of this shield is divided into 8 sections, representing the winds of magic. Her long cloak is studded with stone tablets, each one an unbreakable oath to the Dark Gods.
This kit comes as 9 components, and is supplied with a Citadel 32mm Round base.
Fungoid Cave-Shaman Snazzgar Stinkmullett: $35
The mushroom-gobbling grot maniacs known as Cave-Shamans are not right in the head. To these greenskinned nutters, to get lost in a brain-mangling vision is to grow closer to the side of Gorkamorka that epitomises cunning and trickiness over brute strength, which is the side that all grots like the best. Whether these hallucinogenic visions of carnage are gifted by Gorkamorka, or simply the side effects of ingesting deffcap mushrooms, doesn’t matter to his followers – so long as they lead to a good scrap. The Fungoid Cave-Shamans were the first to lead the hordes of Destruction into Shyish, the realm of Death, in search of the Waaagh! to end all Waaaghs!.
This multi-part plastic kit contains the components to assemble Snazzgar Stinkmullett, a Fungoid Cave-Shaman. He’s an… interesting figure, clearly quite mad, and has enhanced his already pointy features to more closely resemble the Bad Moon with some impressive metal prosthetics attached to his nose and jaw. You may think that he’s wearing a mushroom-shaped hat – the truth is much worse. He’s consumed so much hallucinogenic fungus that spores have burst through his brain, and an enormous fungus is growing from the top of his head. Further spores and mushrooms are dotted about his cloak and staff – which bears a caterpillar familiar – and he carries bags of potions and deffcaps on his belt. He’s armed with a moon-sickle, and on his base you’ll find an accompanying spore squig, which belches clouds of thick spores to hide Snazzgar from the foe. Topping off the whole ensemble is the spine of some unknown creature, which runs down the back of the cloak to trail behind Snazzgar like some dismal trophy.
This model comes as 7 components, and is supplied with a Citadel 32mm Round base.
Keldrek: Knight of Shrouds: $35
A Knight of Shrouds is a traitor to his own kin, a turncoat who took the chance to rule in Nagash’s hellish dystopia rather than serve in Sigmar’s heaven-sent armies. He has bartered away his soul in exchange for generalship of a powerful undead host. Keldrek commands a great number of Nighthaunt wraiths in battle, and gathers the forces of the dead behind him as he travels the lands, ever seeking to bring Nagash’s justice to errant souls. The bite of his blade is as grave-cold as his immortal heart.
This multi-part plastic kit contains the components necessary to assemble Keldrek, Knight of Shrouds. Little more than an empty, ragged shroud, this is an especially sinister character, entirely appropriate for a Death collection. Only a few indicators of the malevolent spirit within exist – the large winged helm, from which nothing but empty space peers out, and the thin, ghostly arms that emerge from either side. The right arm holds the Sword of Stolen Hours, a horrifying artefact as long as a man is tall which extends Keldrak’s un-life with every enemy it slays, while the left clutches its scabbard; each of these items is notched and decayed through centuries of use. Hanging from where Keldrak’s neck should be is an hourglass, a bleak reminder of his immortality. His base features a section of ruined wall, the spiked fence of which Keldrek is floating over.
Keldrek comes as 5 components, and is supplied with a Citadel 32mm Round base.
Lord-Ordinator Vorrus Starstrike: $35
Masters of celestial engineering, the Lord-Ordinators are wise men who have shaped the Mortal Realms through the word of Sigmar and the readings of the heavens. When their sharp and serious minds cannot re-mould reality to their whims, they take up their hammers and march to war, hewing the future with each blow as a master mason shapes the stone of a temple to Sigmar’s glory. Striding to battle in sigmarite armour, Vorrus Starstrike wields hammers that strike with thunderclap force. It is his solemn duty to read the stars above, using the truths there to engineer fate on the battlefield.
This multi-part plastic kit contains the components necessary to build Lord-Ordinator Vorrus Starstrike. He comes clad in impressively ornate sigmarite armour – slightly less than most Stormcast Eternals, as his arms are bare between the gauntlets and his lion-and-hammer-motif shoulder pads. He wear a large textured tabard over his chest plate, which extends to a cloak at the rear, held fast by a belt featuring engineering and siege equipment – guides, measuring devices and a ratchet/wrench mechanism hang from his hips. Vorrus wears no helmet – instead, we’re treated to a view of his glorious facial hair, which frames his stern expression perfectly. Behind his head is an arcanabulum, and topping off the symbolism nicely is an anvil and pair of callipers on his belt. Weaponry-wise, he carries 2 astral hammers, one in each hand – these feature relatively short handles for a Stormcast Eternals hammer, but are no less potent for it.
Vorrus Starstrike comes as 9 components, and is supplied with a Citadel 40mm Round base.
Warscryer Citadel: $110
The towering edifices known as Warscryer Citadels are highly sought after by the masters of warfare. Not only do they offer a superb position and a commanding view of the battlefield, they are built upon glittering meteorites hurled by Sigmar himself. Rich in Azyrite celestium, these jagged structures allow those that harness their realmstone to see the future – and seize victory accordingly.
This multi-part plastic kit contains the components necessary to assemble a Warscryer Citadel. Built into a rock face, and impressively large, the Citadel is positively festooned with skulls – almost every surface features at least one, including several carved into the rock itself. It comprises 2 distinct buildings; a somewhat rickety main tower, with carved steps leading up to its reinforced door, sigmarite cross decorations, several imposing, barred windows, and a walkway leading to a secondary tower. there are 3 options for the secondary tower: a simple bare platform, a set of crenellated battlements, or a domed arcanoscope – this is the optical device used to observe the future by whoever controls the Citadel.
The Warscryer Citadel comes as 43 components.
Warscroll Cards: Legions of Nagash: $25
A dread figure casts its shadow across the battlefield, a skeletal giant clad in osseous armour and wielding a skull-tipped staff that casts a sickening glow across the earth. A nimbus of shrieking spirits swirls around this nightmarish form. The avatar of undeath gestures with a fleshless hand, and the ground beneath it erupts as hordes of skeletons burst from shallow graves, falling upon their new master’s foes with rusted blades swinging
This pack of 32 large-format cards contains each of the unit Warscrolls from Battletome: Legions of Nagash, printed on individual cards for handy reference in your battles, along with a selection of double-sided card gaming tokens – use these to indicate the Allegiance Abilities, skills and statuses used by your models in games of Warhammer Age of Sigmar.
Please note, you’ll need a copy of Battletome: Legions of Nagash to use the contents of this set.
Battletome: Legions of Nagash: $40
A dread figure casts its shadow across the battlefield, a skeletal giant clad in osseous armour and wielding a skull-tipped staff that casts a sickening glow across the earth. A nimbus of shrieking spirits swirls around this nightmarish form. The avatar of undeath gestures with a fleshless hand, and the ground beneath it erupts as hordes of skeletons burst from shallow graves, falling upon their new master’s foes with rusted blades swinging. Nagash, the Great Necromancer, surveys the carnage with cold approval. Even as his enemies are torn apart, they rise again, slaughtering those they fought beside mere moments earlier. Such is the will of Nagash, and such is the fate he desires for all living things.
In the 120-page hardback Battletome: Legions of Nagash, you’ll find:
– The Lord of Undeath: a description of Nagash’s place in the grand scheme of the mortal realms, the undead creatures that serve him and an overview of the plans he has – elimination of all life and the expansion of his empire;
– The Missing Souls: previously, an uneasy alliance – or at least a mutual respect – existed between Nagash and the God-King Sigmar; in this section, learn how that alliance fell apart;
– The Realm of Death: a description of Shyish, a realm of endings and underworlds uncountable, and Nagash’s domain;
– The Legions of Nagash: an overview of Nagash’s armies, and how Mortarchs are employed to lead them into grim battle;
– A Legacy of Darkness: a timeline covering Nagash’s exploits dating back to the Age of Myth, with key events and battles leading to the present time;
– Detailed background on the forces available to Nagash, including his Mortarchs, Soulblight Vampires, Nighthaunt Spirits, The Deathrattle Legions, Deathmages, and Deadwalkers;
– A showcase of beautifully-painted Citadel miniatures, with an example army;
– Painting your Legion: expert painting advice including stage by stage examples of painting bone, zombie flesh, rusted blades and banners, with special effects including adding gore, grime and dirt to your miniatures.Rules
All the rules you need in order to get your Legions of Nagash army ready for the gaming table are here:
– 33 Warscrolls, covering every miniature in the Legions of Nagash faction;
– 6 sets of Allegiance Abilities – the Grand Host of Nagash, Legion of Sacrament, Legion of Blood, Legion of Night, Soulblight, and Death – each with their own unique Artefacts of Power, Command Traits, Battle Traits, and Command Ability;
– 2 different Lores of the Dead – Lore of the Deathmages, and Lore of the Vampires;
– 2 Battleplans, each featuring guidance on army compositions, objectives, specific Command Abilities for both sides, set-up and victory conditions;
– Rules for setting up a Legions of Nagash warband for a Path to Glory campaign, including a Champion Rewards Table, Monster Followers Rewards Table, Followers Rewards Table, and Path to Glory warband roster;
– Pitched Battle Profiles for every unit and miniature featured in this Battletome.
That’s it for this week’s new product roundup! What do you think of the newest additions to the age of Sigmar?
About the Author: Rob Baer
Virginia Restless, Miniature Painter & Cat Dad.
I blame LEGOs. There was something about those little-colored blocks that started it all… Twitter @catdaddymbg
