GW’s Sunday Preview revealed the new AoS Hedonites of Slaanesh Battletome and General’s Handbook 2026-27 releases are all hitting pre-order this weekend.
Well, the season’s officially moving to Aqshy, and the General’s Handbook 2026-27 is rewriting how every Warhammer Age of Sigmar army plays for the next 12 months. Plus, Games Workshop announced the whole Hedonites refresh on top of it instead of dribbling it out one kit at a time, and a couple of Skaven extras even snuck in alongside all these releases as well.
Here’s the full lineup hitting pre-order this Saturday, and our thoughts on the products.
Warhammer Age of Sigmar: New Pre-Order Releases
These go up for pre-order on Saturday, June 20, around 1 p.m. EST in the States, with a street date of Saturday, July 4, for store shelves.
And if you’re still waiting on something else to hit pre-order, check out the latest lineup in our updated Warhammer Roadmap for 2026.
Hedonites of Slaanesh Battletome
Honestly, the Hedonites have been camped on the 2023 battletome for a long time now, and this new book is the refresh the army’s been waiting on. Updated warscrolls across the whole faction, fresh Path to Glory campaign content, and the usual lore and miniatures gallery sections sit inside. When GW first revealed the new Hedonites lineup, the book was the centerpiece, and that hasn’t changed.
So a Gamer’s Edition runs alongside the regular book, and it’s smaller in size with a stack of warscroll and reference cards for tabletop convenience. Players who actually carry the book to game night get the better deal there. The full hardback stays on the shelf at home, the Gamer’s Edition goes in the army bag.
Lord of Hysteria
So the Lord of Hysteria rounds out the trio of Slaanesh support characters next to the Lord of Hubris and Lord of Pain, and the kit’s pulling double duty too. Champion shares a mortal body with a pleasure-daemon, drives every nearby ally into a frenzy of violence, and stands at the head of the Epicurean Revellers Spearhead as the starter-set hero to buy next.
That frenzy aura is what’s going to be doing real work on the table. Slaanesh has wanted a “make my whole regiment hit harder” model for a while, and this is the miniature that does it. So, if you’re already running a Slaanesh army, this slots in as a second character to back up your Lord of Pain, not a replacement.
Lord of Hysteria Hobby Tips
Sub-assemble the helm and the back-banner before priming. The helm has two options and a censer alternative for the weapon, so build the core body first and decide on the head and weapon at painting time. Pink-to-purple gradients on the skin tone really work here if you base it in a desaturated grey and glaze it up. Slaanesh’s skin looks pretty flat too, unless you add in some tone like this.
Epicurean Revellers Spearhead
Now, the new Hedonites Spearhead drops the Lord of Hysteria, six Blissbarb Archers, and three Slaangor Fiendbloods into the box, which lines up clean with the Spearhead arena format. Punishing infantry-and-character build for players who want to charge straight into the work.
Spearhead’s been a strong on-ramp for AoS, and Hedonites is one of the more interesting books to come into the arena right now. Slaanesh’s gimmicks lean on tempting your opponent into bad decisions, and at Spearhead’s point level, that’s still a real strategy as well.
Epicurean Revellers Spearhead Hobby Tips
Magnetize the Lord of Hysteria’s weapon arm if you also want the other standalone character. It’s the same arm pose, with different weapon options, and an easy swap point. The Slaangor Fiendbloods build fast, but the muscle definition needs heavy shading, so contrast paints or thick washes do most of the lifting before you even get to the highlight colors.
The Decadent Host Battleforce
GW is dropping a full Battleforce too, with five Slickblade Seekers, five Myrmidesh Painbringers (both with alt builds), three Slaangor Fiendbloods, ten Blissbarb Archers, and a Blissbrew Homonculus. That’s the ideal start for The Decadent Host Army of Renown, and it’s noisier than half the books on the shelf.
Battleforce AND Spearhead in the same wave used to be rare, but now it seems like we live in the age of big box fatigue for every release. Either way, the Decadent Host gives you the army-shaped jumpstart and the Spearhead gives you the arena-shaped one. The thing to remember is to pick the box that matches the point in the hobby or building this army that you’re actually at.
The Decadent Host Battleforce Hobby Tips
Try to subassemble the Slickblade Seekers’ riders and steeds separately. The steed’s mane and tail are easier to reach with a brush before the rider sits in. Blissbarb Archers paint like a unit of 10 monopose models would, so batch-paint the squad on a strip and save the focused detail work for the Painbringers and the Homonculus.
Thricefold Discord
Three despicable daemons, magic-and-melee both. Truth is, these models were already kicking around as a Warhammer Underworlds warband, and now they’re rolling onto the core Hedonites roster with a warscroll built around imbuing themselves with Powers of Sin.
Thricefold Discord Hobby Tips
The daemonettes’ skin also looks best with a warm desaturated tone. Pure pink looks like a candy figurine, so push toward dusty rose or muted lilacs.
Regiments of Renown: Accursed Reflection
The Accursed Reflection lends Slaanesh’s power to other Chaos armies, three Endless Spells paired with the Contorted Epitome, a champion who can summon Manifestations at the crack of a whip. Granted, Regiment of Renown boxes often get bought twice: once for the Regiment, once for the parts on their own.
You can run the whole box as the Accursed Reflection Regiment, or break it apart and run the Contorted Epitome plus the Endless Spells inside a regular Hedonites list. If you ask us, that’s the right amount of flexibility for a $90-ish chunk of Chaos plastic.
Accursed Reflection Hobby Tips
The Endless Spells benefit hard from a contrast over a chrome base. Vallejo’s Mecha Color chromes, plus a tinted clear over the top, get you the “translucent magical object” look in two coats. The Contorted Epitome is a model that carries the whole box visually, so be sure to spend time on the face and the mirror motif.
Hedonites of Slaanesh Warscroll Cards and Dice
Reference cards plus themed Slaanesh dice and accessories are always worth it if you play this faction a lot. Cards beat flipping through a battletome mid-turn, and themed dice are a nice flex without being a rules requirement.
General’s Handbook 2026-27
So the headline for the back half of the year is here with 12 new battleplans, an Aqshian Crusades system that links games together over a campaign, updated Advanced Rules modules, and fresh background lore for the Great Parch. We covered the GHB 2026, deep dive when GW first dropped the details, and the fun new fire, rage dice mechanic hasn’t changed at all.
The Warlord Edition swaps in a token bag, punch-out status tokens, and a game tracker accessory, which is pretty cool. So we can see that the Tournament players will want the Warlord; everyone else is fine with the regular version.
Gutter Runners
Now, the Skaven slipping a fresh Clans Eshin unit into a Slaanesh week is the kind of cadence move you only see when there’s not much else on the schedule. Ten Gutter Runners, knives and well-honed close-quarters skills, accompanied by Bomb Rats, the same kit alt-builds into ten Night Runners if you want disposable Clans Eshin agents instead.
Alt-build kits are the right move for Skaven specifically because the rats already eat enough hobby time. Getting two unit options out of one box of frames means a Clans Eshin player can build a flexible second unit without doubling up on parts they don’t need.
Gutter Runners Hobby Tips
Decide the build before you cut the sprue. The Night Runner heads and the Gutter Runner heads pull from different sections. If you commit to one and then change your mind, you’re hunting bits, which sucks. You can also paint the Bomb Rats separately on a craft stick, which should make them easier to glue on after the unit is done.
Deathmaster Crixxit
So Deathmaster Crixxit is the second Deathmaster now, and his rules on paper are a bit mean, doubling his Damage characteristic when fighting enemy Heroes and spurring nearby Gutter Runners into rapid flanking assaults. That’s a character built for assassination all day!
Honestly, Skaven players who run Clans Eshin lists have been wanting a second assassin option for the slot, and Crixxit fills it perfectly. Pair him with the Gutter Runners squad above, and you’ve got the Eshin-shaped half of a Skaven roster basically done.
Deathmaster Crixxit Hobby Tips
Crixxit is a single character on a small base. Invest in the freehand on the cloak edge if you’re confident, or pull the cloak off the body during paint and add it last. The dynamic pose makes the model look hard to reach behind the arm without disassembling for painting.
City of Ash Gaming Pack
The City of Ash gaming pack is the Spearhead arena expansion, rules, objectives, cards, and a double-sided gaming board. Plus, the rules for two Spearheads packed in: the Sentinels of Embergard and Crixxit’s Kill-Pack.
If you play AoS Spearhead this is the kind of box you may scoop up without thinking. Terrain plus a board is a convenient product for the format overall, and keeps players from chasing accessories piecemeal.
Black Library: New Pre-Order Releases
The latest Black Library pre-order titles are here; they’re hotter than a Salamander Space Marines’ forge! So if you’re into far-future battles, mysterious quests, or tales of heroism, there’s probably something here for you.
The Horus Heresy Saga: False Gods
So False Gods by Graham McNeill is the second book in the curated Horus Heresy Saga reissue, and it’s the one where Warmaster Horus actually starts down the dark path. Davin’s a turning point for the Imperium, and McNeill’s writing sells it well.
The Horus Heresy Saga: Horus Rising
Plus, Horus Rising lands a new paperback edition alongside False Gods. Dan Abnett’s first Heresy novel is one of the most beloved books in Black Library’s whole catalog, and the Saga reissue is the easiest starting point for newer 40k players who haven’t read the series.
If you’ve never touched the Heresy and you want to start, this is the book. which makes it easy to skip the launch box collector editions- just grab this paperback, and decide whether you want to keep going.
Gloomspite
Gloomspite by Andy Clark returns in a hardback edition; the Bad Moon looms over Draconium, and Watch Captain Helena Morthan has to figure out how to stop the Gloomspite Loonking with the help of a grieving warrior. It’s classic Mortal Realms fare from one of the better AoS novelists working right now.
Hardback reissue is the format-flex for fans who first read it in paperback. Worth picking up if you missed it the first round and you’ve been following AoS fiction.
FAQ About Hedonites of Slaanesh and the Battletome Refresh Sunday Preview
What are the Hedonites of Slaanesh?
The Hedonites of Slaanesh are devotees of Chaos who follow the absent Dark Prince, leaning into excess and frenzy on the battlefield. They’re an Age of Sigmar faction sitting inside the Grand Alliance of Chaos.
When does the new Hedonites of Slaanesh Battletome release?
The Battletome hits pre-order on Saturday, June 20, 2026, with a street date of Saturday, July 4, 2026 for store shelves.
What’s in the Epicurean Revellers Spearhead?
The Spearhead box contains the Lord of Hysteria, six Blissbarb Archers, and three Slaangor Fiendbloods, built around the Spearhead arena format.
What’s in the Decadent Host Battleforce?
The Battleforce includes five Slickblade Seekers, five Myrmidesh Painbringers (both with alt builds), three Slaangor Fiendbloods, ten Blissbarb Archers, and a Blissbrew Homonculus. It’s the recommended start for The Decadent Host Army of Renown.
What is the General’s Handbook 2026-27?
It’s the new Matched Play update for Age of Sigmar, bringing 12 new battleplans, an Aqshian Crusades system that links games over a campaign, updated Advanced Rules modules, and new lore for the Great Parch of Aqshy.
Who is the Lord of Hysteria?
The Lord of Hysteria is a new Hedonites of Slaanesh champion who shares his mortal body with a pleasure-daemon and wields powers that drive nearby allies into a frenzy of violence.
Final Thoughts on Hedonites of Slaanesh Pre-Orders
Well, the new GHB 2026-27 sets the table for the next 12 months of Age of Sigmar, and Slaanesh walks in with a full release lineup on day one of the new season. Whether the Hedonites remain at the top of the meta is the next question, which should get sorted out soon enough with the addition of the new General’s Handbook for this season.
🔗 Related Reads:
- GW Reveals the New Hedonites of Slaanesh Battletome, Lord of Hysteria & Boxed Sets
- General’s Handbook 2026 Drags AoS to Aqshy and Gives Every Army Rage Dice
- New Hedonites of Slaanesh Decadent Host Battleforce: Review Breakdown
- Hedonites of Slaanesh Spearhead Pricing & Value Breakdown
- Cities of Ash Spearhead Pre-Orders Revealed
- Hedonites of Slaanesh: Articles, News, Rumors & Updates
- Warhammer Age of Sigmar Hub
