Here’s the latest on the new Warhammer The Old World game, including factions, miniatures, the release date, rumors, rules, and more!
There have been multiple announcements since 2019, so let’s recap everything we know about Warhammer: The Old World!
This is the biggest reveal we’ve seen yet for Warhammer The Old World will be released in Early 2024. However, as they said before, not everything will be new (or even in plastic), and some things that were previously released in pewter will now be in resin from Forge World.
Plus, in Warhammer the Old World, ALL 8th Edition Fantasy armies would be playable! So now we will truly see plastic, resin, and metal minis on the same tabletop when the game finally releases!
In case you missed the Major Warhammer Old World announcements since 2019, we’ve included them here:
- GW Announces Warhammer Fantasy Returning (sort of)
- Warhammer Old World Release Date Details & Starter Set
- Fantasy Bears! More Kislev Previews For Warhammer Old World
- Bretonnians, Tomb Kings, Orcs & More Confirmed in Warhammer Old World!
- Warhammer The Old World: Everything We Know So Far
- First Look At New Warhammer The Old World Rules
New Shooting Phase Mechanics Revealed: Warhammer The Old World: (November 13th , 2023)
The latest news on the Shooting Phase for Warhammer The Old World mechanics comes from Warhammer Community.
As with the other phases, the Shooting Phase is broken into four steps which you follow in turn for each unit: Declare Targets, Roll to Hit, Roll to Wound, and Remove Casualties. Everyone and everything shoots in this phase, whether they’re lowly peasant bowmen and barbarian javelineers, a macabre Khemrian screaming skull catapult, or a High Elven mage manifesting a Fiery Convocation.
First, pick a unit and declare its target. A unit can only shoot if it has a ranged weapon, hasn’t marched or charged that turn, and isn’t fleeing or in combat. To shoot, a model must have line of sight to its target and you can’t split fire – so in some cases, not every member of a unit can let loose. Models can (almost always) shoot only once, no matter how many Attacks they have in their profile, and unless they have the Volley Fire special rule or are stationed on a hill, only the front rank may fire.
Nothing too crazy yet, except you can’t split fire or shoot if you marched or charged. However, it looks like Volley is returning, and they will use AP! For Longbows, the profile looks pretty similar, and the Screaming Skull Catapult uses the 3″ Blast Template with plenty of special rules and extra wounds if you can hit them with the center.
Hit Subphase
Once a target has been chosen, it’s time to roll To Hit. Here’s the big news: old-style Ballistic Skill, or BS as it is on the profile, is back, and it runs from 1 to 10. The higher your BS, the easier it is to bullseye your target, and once models reach a BS of 6 or more, they start earning rerolls on their missed shots.
Now, the higher your BS, the more you can get free re-rolls! If you have even 6 BS (probably not very often), you roll to hit on a 2+ to start, then a 6+ on your re-roll.
Of course, it’s not always as easy as that – there are various negative modifiers to your shooting: it’s -1 to hit if you’ve moved, you’re at long range, you’re receiving a charge, or if the target has partial cover. On top of that, a natural one always misses, while negative modifiers can stack past 6+, and you may find yourself having to roll 7+, 8+, or 9+ to hit (a natural six followed by another roll of 4+, 5+, or 6+!).
It also looks like they are bringing back the 7+ to hit mechanic, meaning you have to roll a six followed by following higher numbers.
Wounding
There’s more old-school goodness in the next step, in which you roll To Wound by comparing the Strength of the Attack against the Toughness of the target. There are even Toughness caps – a Strength 3 bow is simply too weak to harm a beast of Toughness 9.
Small arms fire can’t even harm big monsters, which is pretty interesting, and there are no 7+ to wound rolls, only to hit. Also, note it’s not 2x toughness for 6s; it’s two more toughness. You can’t wound something that has 2x Toughness +2.
Shooting Phase Warhammer Old World: Saving Throws
It wouldn’t be Warhammer without a saving throw, which your opponent will make during this step. It’s a familiar process: compare the Armour Penetration of the weapon with the armour value of the model it’s hitting. Light armour grants a 6+ save and heavy armour a 5+, which can be boosted with a shield, a barded mount, and certain spells and magical items. There is a small difference, however, as models can also have a Ward Save. This cannot be modified by AP, and it is rolled for as a separate save made after the armour roll has failed.
It’s good to see the light armor, heavy armor, and shield idea. It makes the game easy; if you have a shield and heavy, you get a 4+; if you add a mount, you get even better saves.
The final step is to remove casualties and take panic tests where necessary. This is super simple – remove one model for every Wound caused, unless the target has more than one Wound. You know the drill. You’ll need to take a panic test if the shooting has killed more than a quarter of the models in a unit – but we’ll get to what happens then in another article.
Then, you just take off the models who died and take panic tests if you need to. However, they did give some more info on other special rules.
There are plenty of weird and wonderful shooting units in Warhammer: The Old World, and a plethora of special rules to go with them. Big beasties have Breath Weapons, some skirmish cavalry can Fire & Flee, while Dwarfen Irondrakes have cinderblast bombs that can Quick Shot. Wouldn’t you like to know…
Magic in the Shooting Phase
As for magic, there are two categories of spells to be fired off in the Shooting Phase – Magic Missiles and Magical Vortexes. Human wizards using Battle Magic can, for instance, blast off a quick fireball, while those blessed by the Dark Gods may use the Lore of Daemonology to conjure a Vortex of Chaos.
Fireball is a huge classic, so it’s good to see it return! You’ll need an 8+, but it’s worth it for 2d6 Strength 4 hits!
Vortex of Chaos is a great way to disrupt the enemy and get off a few hits throughout the game; just be sure not to roll the scatter die toward your own army!
How the Movement Phase Works In Warhammer Old World: (November 4th, 2023)
The latest news for how the movement phase and rules work in Warhammer the Old World comes from Warhammer Community.
Formations are one of the biggest changes this time around, so let’s look at that first!
All units in the game must adopt a formation, which will dictate how they act in battle, including moving and fighting. Most units can only adopt one: Close Order, though some can also choose options such as Skirmish or Open Order, and for Bretonnian Knights, the mighty Lance formation.
Close Order units are arrayed in base-to-base contact, facing the same direction in order to fight in ranks. Where possible, there must be the same number of models in each rank, with more models in the rank than the file,* which sometimes means leaving spaces in the back rank if necessary. They move and fight as a single entity – walking, wheeling, charging, and exposing their flanks and rears. The more full ranks you have, the greater your advantage in combat.
If you played the game before, this is nothing really new, as you got bonuses for having bigger ranks, but skirmishing makes moving around the table easier.
When they need to move rapidly, your units can adopt a Marching Column, reforming into a shape that’s deeper than it is wide. A unit formed in this way may not charge and earns no rank bonus in combat, but it can move at triple speed.
Units with the Skirmisher special rule do not need to rank up at all. So long as each model is within an inch of at least one of its comrades, they can fan out. They tend to be highly manoeuvrable, harrying enemy units with missile fire and hit-and-fade flank charges. Open Order units still fight in ranks, meanwhile, but they’re faster, more agile, and handle tough terrain better.
This is a new mechanic for moving, and if you need to make good time across the board, reform into a Marching Column!
The Movement Phase
The first of these is Declare Charges, in which the active player nominates each unit that they want to charge and their targets. Charging is the only way to enter combat, and there are a couple of caveats: the target must be visible to your unit and at least partially in its front arc, and your unit cannot be fleeing, rallied this turn, or already engaged in combat. You may, however, pre-measure the distance to your targets.
After all this, the inactive player declares Charge Reactions. Most units may Hold to receive the charge, Stand and Shoot if they have missile weapons and are further away than the charging unit’s Movement characteristic, or Flee by pivoting around 180 degrees and trying to escape. If you’re caught, however, you’ll be run down and destroyed! Beyond that, some especially alert units may Counter Charge…
The second step is to actually make your Charge Moves. To establish the range of their charge, units roll two dice, pick the highest score from the two and add it to their Movement characteristic. This means a unit of Skeleton Warriors has a charge range of between 5” and 10”, but Bretonnian Knights are rather more dangerous – their Swiftstride special rule adds an extra d6” to every charge they make.
It’s great to hear you can still react to charges! That’s such a big part of Fantasy, and it’s nice to see it stick around. Then, you get an extra D6 to your charge move, but if you are swift, you get an extra d6!
If you’re in range – accounting for wheeling – move the charging unit into base contact with its target, bringing the maximum number of models from both sides into combat. If you whiff the roll, however, the charge has failed. The unit must move the full distance rolled towards its target, but your warriors haven’t got the impetus to complete the charge and they’re now ripe to be hit back next turn!
However, be sure you can get the charge off, or you’ll just move forward and not hit anything!
Compulsory Moves
The third step accounts for Compulsory Moves. This is mostly to accommodate fleeing units that failed to rally during the last Strategy Phase, but it includes other rarer moves such as the Random Movement of Night Goblin Fanatics, or Stone Trolls who have failed their Stupidity test.
The fourth step covers the Remaining Moves – regular manoeuvres that don’t result in combat.
In Fantasy, if you’re fleeing, you don’t just stop! You keep running unless you can rally, and or some it makes the game more fun.
The Mechanics of Movement
As you’d expect from a game of multi-model units acting in concert, movement in Warhammer: The Old World is fairly involved. In general, units may Move or March, performing Manoeuvres on the way. In the first case, they move up to their Movement characteristic, and may then shoot later in the turn. In the latter case, they may double their pace but they sacrifice the ability to perform any manoeuvre more complex than a wheel, and their ability to shoot this turn, for speed.
While moving, a unit may Wheel, in which the unit pivots from one of the front corners of its leading edge, measuring distance from the outside model. You may also Turn all a unit’s models through 90 or 180 degrees, spending a quarter of your Movement for each 90 degrees, Move Backwards or Sideways at half pace, and Redress the Ranks or Reform.
Considering you’re fighting in big formation, you can’t just move all willy-nilly! You have to wheel around terrain and use up those precious inches to make it where you need to go. It looks like things will be pretty similar to the old system, which is great for people who played the old game and should really be fun for new players as well.
GW Drops a First Look at the Warhammer Old World Rules: (October 30, 2023)
The latest on all the new rules for Warhammer Old World comes from Warhammer Community.
Warhammer: The Old World is a game of Rounds and Turns; each game is broken down into a number of Rounds. During each Round, both players will take a Turn, each of which is broken down into four main phases: the Strategy Phase, the Movement Phase, the Shooting Phase, and the Combat Phase. Finally, every Phase is broken down into four steps called Sub-phases.
It sort of feels like they are combining the old rules with some new mechanics from their current games. There is no dedicated magic phase, as you cast in different phases of the game, which might actually allow for more magical shenanigans than before.
The sub-phases are interesting, as each of these will have four phases as well, meaning each turn gets basically 16 different sections. However, they are probably things like shooting, spell casting, fighting, winning combat, morale, etc. as before.
Warhammer The Old World Rules: The Strategy Phase
We begin with the Start of Turn sub-phase, which is when certain units perform special actions or take tests. These aren’t common, and their details will be clearly stated in their rules. For example, Stone Trolls would take their Stupidity tests at this juncture, and it’s also when Night Goblin Fanatics are placed on the table.
Additionally, a particular scenario may require you to check whether a victory condition has been met at this point. You may also use this period to tidy the table, removing stray casualties and errant dice.
It’s great to see things like stupidity tests returning (and maybe animosity for all you Orc players out there), but more importantly, Fanatics! We also assume a lot of the sub-phases will be like this, where most times, they take a minute or two.
Command Sub-Phase
The second sub-phase is more exciting – Command. This is when most Characters’ special rules fire off. For instance, a Bretonnian Lord brandishing the Falcon-horn of Fredemund may blow it in the Command sub-phase, hopefully preventing opponents from being able to Fly.
Where would Warhammer be without magic? You’ll note that there’s no Magic Phase in the game – instead, magical powers and spells are cast during relevant phases. Hand of Mork (or Gork) is a Conveyance spell, which means it’s cast in the Movement Phase, for instance.
Stopping the entire enemy from flying is pretty sweet, but we’re sure there will be plenty of awesome enchanted items throughout the game! Then, as we said before, the magic isn’t done in one phase; it’s done throughout the turn. So just be sure to remind yourself to use certain spells, like Hand of Mork (or Gork).
Conjuration Sub-Phase
However, the third step of the Strategy Phase is Conjuration – which is when you cast Enchantments (magical boosts for your allies) or Hexes (magical penalties to your enemies). Players take it in turns during this step to choose Wizards who aren’t fleeing to attempt to cast spells. The Tomb Kings, for instance, might choose to cast Djaf’s Incantation of Cursed Blades from the Lore of Nehekara. What’s a Casting Value? We’ll go into more detail on Magic during another article…
While they don’t give all the details of magic, it is nice to know you can cast spells in both players’ rounds. Getting re-rolls to hit is always awesome, so we are totally fine with the first spell shown off!
Rally Fleeing Troops
The final step in this Phase is Rally Fleeing Troops. This is when the active player must attempt to rally all of their units that are fleeing. To take a Rally test, choose a unit and roll two dice against its Leadership characteristic. If you fail, it will continue to flee during the Movement Phase; if you pass, your unit is allowed a free reform move and returns to the fray.
We’ll have more on Morale in a later article too, but please do bear in mind that if your unit is under half strength, it gets a -1 modifier to its Leadership when attempting to Rally. Under 25% and you need a natural double 1
In fantasy, when you flee, you don’t just get to turn around and fight; you actually have to rally! If your units are under starting strength, they will have a harder time rallying.
Warhammer Old World Bretonnian Army Launch Line-Up Revealed: (October, 15th 2023)
This is the biggest reveal we’ve seen yet for Old World, and they mentioned the release date will be Early 2024. However, as they said before, not everything will be new (or even in plastic), so we’ll start with the new plastic minis, then hop into all the upcoming releases in resin, and old repackaged models.
New Plastic Bretonnian Model Releases
You can’t have a Bretonnian army without a mighty general to lead them, and where better for such a supercilious strategist to survey the battlefield than from atop a soaring Pegasus?
We saw this pegasus out in the wild not too long ago, but no rider. It’s nice to see who will be sitting atop the steed!
You can build your choice of either lofty Duke, or slightly less high-ranking Baron.
Whichever you choose to build, both models look amazing!
Bretonnian armies frequently march to war under the banner of their realm, a massive flag that embodies the glory of their lord. We’ve revealed one on foot, one on horse, and completing the trio is a Battle Standard Bearer on Pegasus.
When you’re going into battle as the most chivalric army out there, you need a giant standard bearer flying your flag high!
What does a knight do when they are called upon to protect the realm, but their noble steed is having its hooves reshod? Slog into battle on foot, naturally, beautifully represented by this diverse kit of heavily armoured warriors who can be equipped with two-handed great weapons or swords and shields.
This kit is exceptionally flexible as the heads and arms can be used on any torso, so you can add oodles of character to each noble Knight. These arms and heads also present an opportunity for you to spruce up any returning Knights. Speaking of which…
This kit looks fantastic, and from the sounds of it, there will be plenty of extra bits to kit out your knights!
Look, not everyone is rich enough to buy a pegasus, but you still must support your king!
Old Kits Returning in Plastic
The richest and most influential knights may have a shot at owning a battle-trained pegasus, the ultimate status symbol in the Kingdom of Bretonnia. These airborne cavaliers are swift and deadly combatants that are perfect for tackling exposed flanks.
Compared to the new ones, these are looking a little old. Still, it will be nice to get them back in plastic, and maybe with a few bits from the new Knights on Foot kit, you’ll have some fantastic minis.
Much like their on-foot brethren the Knights of the Realm are minor nobles, often from the extended family of a baron or duke. They enthusiastically charge into battle bearing their lord’s heraldry, which means lance formations are back – and they’re good! This kit can also build the impetuous Knights Errant.
It’s nice to see the old formations back, and they still look really cool. Maybe just a few head swaps.
The noble families aren’t numerous enough to maintain a standing army, so the peasants of the realm are pressed into service. Peasant Bowmen are canny shots with their longbows, and have the good sense to bring defensive stakes with them to defend them from charges.
These regiments and other future regiments are returning in boxes that contain enough plastic miniatures to make a full regiment, not just a rank or two. With the Peasant Bowmen box, you’ll be able to build a unit of 32 archers, complete with a command group and Defensive Stakes. So dreams of creating massive armies of ranked-up troops will be well within your grasp.
Serving the Lord of the Realm in battle is a great honour, and Men-at-Arms are militia trained by the noble households, ready to give their lives in support of the knights, often accompanied by pious monks who have dedicated themselves to the Lady of the Lake.
You need some peasants to help your knights, and this kit was released right near the end of fantasy, so they hold up pretty well.
New Resin Characters
Magic in Bretonnia is the preserve of the women, who as children are abducted by the Fay Enchantress and taken to the Otherworld. When they return, they are trained into powerful sorceresses who can smite their foes and bless their allies with little more than a simple gesture.
You can’t be having your Knights casting spells, so bring some Handmaidens of the Lady and destroy your enemies with magic.
Previously revealed this year are the Battle Standard Bearer on Foot, Questing Knight Paladin with Great Weapon, and the positively radiant Lady Élisse Duchaard. They will all be available at launch, or shortly after, in resin.
We had already seen these four models, but now we know 100% that they will all be in resin and most likely from Forge World.
Old Kits Coming Back in Resin
Last but not least, add siege engines to your Kingdom of Bretonnia army with this returning kit which does one thing very well – slinging massive hunks of stone into enemy regiments with devastating effect. It has been remastered as a Forge World resin kit – a lot of work went into ensuring a beautifully crisp casting.
Alongside these new and returning kits which form the bulk (or entirety) of your force, there will also be a selection of returning metal heroes and specialist units that will be available to order direct from games-workshop.com.
While having this in resin isn’t ideal, it’s much better than a giant chunk of pewter!
Built Plastic Warhammer Old World Pegasus Spotted in the Wild: (October 5th, 2023)
Here is the latest on the new Warhammer The Old World Bretonnian Pegasus model.
If you saw the older sprue, the OP made an update about this mini:
I just want to be really clear because I can’t edit my original post – while this is the same model as the recently leaked sprue, it is not the exact same specific sprue and the source is different.
Sorry folks, worded it poorly and it looks like some people are thinking it’s two different models that are coming. It’s not.
Even though it’s the same model as before, it really looks amazing all built up! The detail on it is really amazing, and if this is what the plastic minis will look like, we’re all for it!
Unfortunately, they didn’t have the rider, but with how detailed this is, we expect it to be some character.
Now, all we really need to see is how the resin minis will look unpainted, and we’ll have a really good idea of how the game will shape in terms of minis! They also mentioned they didn’t bid on this on eBay, and someone gave it to them.
Who knows who that is, but it could always be someone like Games Workshop trying to build hype.
GW’s Pegasus Preview
Here’s the image Games Workshop used back in April 2023 of the Pegasus Knight when they revealed they would be back in some way.
The leaked model seems to show just the mount itself with no rider, so judge for yourself if these are revamped models or if this sprue will end up making something completely different (like a special character.)
This gives more credence to the game dropping soon, so let’s hope it does.
Élisse Duchaard Model For Warhammer The Old World: (August 30th, 2023)
Bretonnian Élisse Duchaard and majestic Unicorn mount were revealed for Warhammer The Old World at the NOVA Open GW Preview!
Élisse Duchaard bears all the symbols of her station – a golden grail, flowing robes of finest silk, and a mystical glowing sceptre. Her unicorn mount Ariandir needs no saddle, but is wreathed with vines and flowers that tighten his rider’s bond with nature.
This gorgeous resin miniature can trace its noble lineage back to previous Grail Damsels from Warhammer Fantasy Battles, though in the Old World Élisse Duchaard predates these characters, due to the time frame of the game.
From the looks of it, Elisse will be a resin character model, which we assume will be available from Forge World upon release.
News for Old World is few and far between, so every time a new model gets revealed, it’s pretty hype! That being said, reveals do seem to be getting slightly more frequent…
RUMORS: New Miniature Release Schedule for Warhammer Old World (August 28th, 2023)
This rumored new Miniature Release Schedule for Warhammer 40k, AoS, & Warhammer Old World comes from Valrak .
We were hoping Old World would come out in 2023, but there is a lot to come out for 40k, and Legions Imperialis hasn’t even come out yet, meaning next year could very well be possible for the release date. AoS could also be a bit behind schedule, as Games Workshop extended the General’s Handbook to a full year instead of six months.
This would be interesting if AoS had a new edition and Old World launched near the same time. We’ll have to wait and see on that one.
RUMORS: New Warhammer Old World Bretonnians & Flesh Eaters Court Units Spotted on Sprue: (August 16th, 2023)
The new Flesh Eaters Courts sprue pics come from Imgur.
Before we get more into the sprues, according to rumors (which you can check out here), Flesh Eater Courts will get a rework in January. Meaning GW chould already have all the new miniatures ready to go soon.
These could be reworked Ghouls (or people seem to be hoping they are), as they are a very old kit and could definitely use a rework. Or, this could always be a new unit coming to the army, like a “heavy” halberd unit of some sort!
The bodies look very much like Ghouls, but they may be a bit too tall honestly. Either way, GW is revamping the detail quite heavily on all the models.
The banner looks quite incredible! Plus there are tons of head options, and they look far more scary than the current ones. Or this could just be a new unit as there have been whispers of an “executioner” model, but we just dont know for sure quite yet.
Luckily, there are more sprues than this!
New Bretonnian Warhammer Old World Sprue
This image comes from Reddit, but seems to be from the same initial source judging by the corkboard background.
Well, this pretty obviously looks like a Pegasus Knight/Lord! This is a classic Bretonnian model and would make sense to drop when Old World comes out. However, if you look at the top left, you’ll see something interesting.
That very clearly looks like a 2023 copyright from GW! They put the copyright generally from the year they make the model, meaning if this is real, then it has to be a brand new mini, and most likely, something new for the Old World.
Here’s the image Games Workshop used back in April 2023 of the Pegasus Knight when they revealed they would be back in some way.
The leaked sprue seems to show just the mount itself with no rider, so judge for yourself if these are revamped models, or if this sprue will end up making something completely different!
Huge Gameplay Details For Warhammer The Old World: (July 24th, 2023)
The latest gameplay details for Warhammer The Old World rules come from Warhammer Community.
The rules encourage players to field units of varying size based on their type and role. Perhaps most importantly, the formations units adopt (how wide or deep they are) are just as significant as where they are deployed and how quickly they advance.
The rules encourage units with wide frontages, but the ideal number of models per rank is decided by the player, not enforced by the rules. To do this, we’ve ensured that as many models as possible can fight in combat, giving even those models that are within the fighting rank but not in base contact with the enemy the opportunity to bring their weapons to bear.
Combined with the freedom to create and arm characters as you choose from a wide range of options, players have a lot of strategic choices to make when building their units and writing their muster lists, choices that will, in turn, inform their tactics on the battlefield.
This might be one of the most important parts of Fantasy; how many ranks do you want in your units? Having giant blocks of units is just awesome, and from the sounds of this, there will still be some form of rank bonus that you have to balance with how many models can get attacks.
Then, it feels like GW won’t restrict your wargear options too much, which is another excellent part of Warhammer Fantasy.
Winning Combats In Warhammer Old World
One thing we were keen for Warhammer: the Old World to represent was the push and pull of battle, capturing the way in which a hard-pressed army will gradually succumb to fatigue and attrition. To achieve this, units that lose a round of combat will often give ground reluctantly rather than immediately breaking and fleeing, while the winner can advance to press their advantage.
This is interesting because it sounds like units don’t just break and fully run anymore; they just get “pushed back.” We assume the winning unit will get some advantage for pressing forward, and there is probably still going to be a chance for units to fully break.
Magic in Warhammer Old World
Magic is integral to the game, though the mechanics of its use are simple. The untutored Wizards of the Old World practise strange Lores of Magic of their own devising, manipulating the Winds of Magic and crafting spells that suit their purpose. While such recklessness might alarm some, it gives Wizards freedom to cast a wide range of spells with ease.
To reflect this, spellcasting has been liberated and spread throughout the different phases of the game, rather than restricted to just one. In doing so, we’ve ensured that every spell available to a Wizard can have a significant impact upon the battle if cast in the right place and at the right time.
Situations where a single spell can decide the outcome of a battle are rare. The focus has shifted from keeping track of dice pools or hands of cards onto the positioning of Wizards.
This means players will have to plan ahead, moving their Wizards as carefully as any other unit, both to ensure they can bring their magic to the right place at the right time, and to ensure they can counter the spells of enemy Wizards.
This seems like a pretty big change, as there will not be just a magic phase anymore, and it sounds like dice pools are set now, and the mages know a lot of spells. It does seem like GW will keep a wide range of spells which is fantastic, but we’ll have to see just how different it plays on the tabletop.
Overall, it seems like we’ll see a lot of similarities, but magic and combat have some significant differences. They said they played all the versions to make the rules, so let’s hope they took the best bits from every edition and left out the bad stuff.
GW Reveals the Main Factions For Warhammer Old World: (May 25th, 2023)
Some big armies are included, and it looks like they will all have rules when the game drops, according to Warhammer Community.
The game will be set firmly within the Old World itself – the lands between the coast of Bretonnia to the west and the World’s Edge Mountains to the east – during the decades immediately before the Great War Against Chaos and the Siege of Praag.
Much of the action in the first wave of books and supplements takes place in and around the Border Princes – the barrier lands between the Empire and Orc territory. Accordingly, we will be focusing on nine core factions.
These armies will have rules published alongside the launch of the Old World, and will be the pivotal players in the events covered in narrative expansions and supplements. Fans of these armies can also all look forward to some shiny new miniatures that will accompany the return of many classic kits.
However, while the other armies will get rules at the game’s launch, the listed factions seem to be the only ones that will get models (at least for a while) and be included in the game’s main narrative. We have also seen miniatures (renders and pictures) for Cathay and Kislev, so maybe they will be included in the Empire of Man or will get their own releases later on.
As you can see, though, some significant factions are not included in the picture above.
What Happens With Other Armies?
Certain factions people remember from Warhammer Fantasy Battles are not part of the narrative we’re telling with The Old World, but will be provided with rules at the launch of the game.
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- Dark Elves
- Skaven
- Vampire Counts
- Daemons of Chaos
- Ogre Kingdoms
- Lizardmen
- Chaos Dwarfs
These legacy faction army lists will be made available for free as pdfs as a service to fans who have these classic armies on their shelf, so they can still bring them to battle for old times sake. We don’t plan to publish rules for Warhammer Age of Sigmar miniatures, except for those units that were part of the game and setting during the final edition of Warhammer Fantasy Battles.
So, it seems insane that some of these are not included, as they were in the game forever. Just weeks before this announcement GW went out of their way to say ALL 8th Edition Fantasy armies would be playable in Old World, but it seems that most hobbyists, including us, missed the catch in the last line below:
However, at least they will get rules at launch, but we’re not sure exactly what they mean by legacy lists and not part of the narrative. Does that mean they won’t ever get minis? Can’t be played at tournaments? Or won’t get any updates at all?
It almost sounds like Games Workshop is day one, banishing these factions to “Warhammer Legends” limbo moving forward.
We’ll just have to wait and see on that, as many of these factions are still well-loved, and hobbyists who still have them have been looking forward since 2019 to being able to play with them again.
Of course, they can still play with the provided rules; these factions may not balance out well over the life cycle of this game, however…
There Isn’t Going to be a Warhammer The Old World Starter Set (May 4th, 2023)
When asked about the starter set in the Warhammer Fest Old World Q&A session following the streamed preview, Games Workshop presenter Eddie Eccles said there will be products that “make it easy” for people to jump into the game.
Eccles went on to mention that every faction in the new game will get some new plastic kits, and old plastic kits will return to production, along with some Forge World resin kits, and even some metal models.
For now, it looks more like a hodgepodge of models and not huge starter releases. Considering he never once mentioned a starter set and some “intro” kits, we expect every faction will get something similar to a Vanguard box.
They also revealed Tomb Kings and Bretonnians will get books and models first, but again, it appears we will not receive a big starter set for the two factions.
Eccles also mentioned that just like 10th Edition Warhammer 40k, rules will be available online for every army that was present in eighth edition Warhammer Fantasy that debuted back in 2010.
While the lack of a new starter set isn’t great news, it does dovetail with the recent rumors we’ve seen, but they did, however, mention a “launch box.”
First New Models Revealed for Warhammer Old World (April 30th, 2023)
With the big reveal, WHC covered the first new models for Warhammer Old World with thoughts from artists who sculpted them for Tomb Kings and Bretonnia.
A big announcement was that ALL 8th Edition Fantasy armies would be playable in Old World! So now we will see plastic, resin, and metal minis on the same tabletop when the game finally releases (which is still unknown)!
With Old World’s release still questionably far away, GW at least once again confirmed the first of two focus factions is Bretonnia!
From the sculptor:
“Getting to work on a Bretonnian was so exciting!” adds Alastair, who created the Paladin. “I collected a small Bretonnian force previously for Warhammer Fantasy Battle, so being able to add to a range that I used to play with all those years ago was awesome. I really enjoyed being able to search through older source material for inspiration, there is so much rich design language in the old army books that really inspired the design of this miniature. In my mind, Bretonnian Knights are stoic warriors, and perhaps just a little pompous, so I wanted to make sure that those attitudes came across in the miniature by having him stand heroically over his beheaded opponent – an Orc who I am sure he bested in single combat with little trouble!”
They also showed off a helmet-less head option! Look at that bowl cut; what a classic.
New Tomb Kings Models Revealed for Warhammer Old World
The second focus faction for Old World is the iconic Tomb Kings, which might be the most missed faction from Fantasy Battles!
From the sculptor:
“I was really happy to find out that I was going to be working on a Tomb King,” explains Agata, who sculpted the Tomb King. “Their story is so tragic and I found it fascinating to learn all about it. They spent all that time preparing for a glorious afterlife but, thanks to a cruel twist of fate, they are forced to suffer their eternal life trapped within shrivelled, mummified bodies. I wanted to capture that tragedy and the anger they must feel about their fate in the miniature, which is why he is posed in such an aggressive stance with such a furious expression on his face.”
What a stunning model, and not to mention, with a base swap, you could easily put this in your AoS armies with as high as this sculpt quality is.
In the stream, they showed off quite a bit of art, with this Necrosphinx being the only one in color! Saying hobbyists would be able to buy this kit once again soon!
If you’re curious to see more about all the new Old World updates, check out the reveal trailer below!
RUMORS Battle For Skull Pass & Island of Blood Coming Back With Old World: (April 18th, 2023)
These rumors come from “a solid source” via Gary on Faeit 212.
Battle for the Skull Pass & Island of Blood will get reprints with the new Ruleset of Warhammer The Old World – maybe not before 2024.
The Battle for Skull Pass featured Orcs versus Dwarves and actually was a pretty stacked box. If they came out with basically the exact same box this time around, hobbyists may snap them up. The price would probably have to be in the $210 range, but it has a lot of minis and is just such a classic battle.
GW Confirms Old World Coming Soon & New Square Base Size (April 14th, 2023)
This might be one of the most significant real updates we’ve seen from them about the actual details of the game, so just great to see! Plus, the release date is lining up pretty perfectly with the rest of the schedule and rumors we’ve seen.
Here is the latest from Warhammer Community.
As you can see, our painted models are on square bases – but these are slightly bigger than they were back in the days of Warhammer Fantasy Battle. The majority of models in Warhammer: The Old World will indeed sit on bigger bases – there are a few reasons for this.
Over the decades, our models have become larger and more dynamic, which means that many units have become difficult to arrange into ranks and files. Players must be able to line their models up without complex planning about which spear has to go where in order to use them in-game. On top of that, we didn’t like that the back ranks were hidden and hard to see.
So now, all 20mm bases have been replaced with 25mm bases. Most (but not all) 25mm and 25×50 bases have been replaced with new-sized bases.
Well, this means if you have a ton of models still, you will most likely have to rebase a lot of them. We heard a long time ago in 2019 that square bases were coming back, but this is really the first confirmation from GW about the actual size.
This makes sense as the models have become more dynamic, but you will have to rebase some older models. This leads to the next question, are the models actually getting bigger?
No, the new models will be in the same scale as the returning range from Warhammer Fantasy Battle. The base size change has come about because some of those ‘90s and ‘00s models became difficult to rank up, and we’re taking the opportunity to fix the problem. It will mean that newer models joining the range can be more dynamically posed, but proportions remain the same.
So, this should also make it easier to put your models into rank and file; if you played the old editions, you know sometimes you had to maneuver the models perfectly to get them lined up, so this is actually probably going to be a plus.
Tournament Play with Older Armies
If you’re playing at home there’ll be no requirement to rebase anything. For casual play, the size of base will make a minimal difference to gameplay. The rules will be written assuming the new larger base sizes – so if you’re planning to play competitively, you might want to upgrade to larger bases,
If you don’t want to rebase your older models individually, you are welcome to pop them onto a movement tray with the right footprint. In practice, movement trays are a useful tool, even if your army is on the right base size, as it speeds up gameplay and makes for more accurate unit maneuvering.
This is a good solution for everyone who doesn’t want to rebase all of their models, as you can just buy a few movement trays the right size and be good to go for tournaments.
Q: How do I know the correct base size for my models?
A: Base sizes will be given in every model’s profile.
Again, this is nothing too crazy, but having the reference is always nice.
Q: Can I take my old armies to organised play events?
A: Sure! But organised play events (tournaments, campaign events, etc) will probably require armies to be based appropriately for the new game (or on an appropriate movement tray). Organised play requires some standardisation and this is the best way to do it.
This is great to see! Considering you already have the minis, you’ll be able to play them; just be sure to get the right size bases or movement trays. We’ll have to see what they say about proxies and such for different units and units that are no longer in the game (if there are many).
The Game is Coming Soon!
Thanks again to the Warhammer: The Old World team! There’s plenty more to come from development diaries in the future – and you may just hear even more at Warhammer Fest, which kicks off on Saturday, the 29th of April.
This makes a lot of sense. As we assumed, if they showed 10th Edition 40k off at AdeptiCon, they would almost have to reveal Old World at Warhammer Fest. This would also line up perfectly with the current schedule. With 10th Edition 40k (most likely) dropping in late June, AoS is rumored to get a new edition in 2024.
This would let them have a giant game for the end of 2023 (not to mention having this fall in the 40th anniversary year) and then jump into AoS in 2024 and hold people over until then.
RUMORS Warhammer Old World Release Date Details & Starter Set: (April 10th, 2023)
These come from Faeit 212.
Warhammer The Old World will be just (like Epic) a small release. We get the Launch Box, Rulebook, the Compendium, and an Accessories Pack for returnee Players.
This timeframe actually makes sense (with the 40k/AoS cycle), as they are trying to keep the 40 years of Warhammer going, with 10th, and possibly Epic (according to these rumors), and finally, Old World.
Late 2023 really is the only place the game could fit into the release cycle unless they double up with AoS in 2024, and that doesn’t seem likely. As Warhammer 40k 10th Edition is taking up the summer slot, and even if the Epic rumors are true (and it is revealed at Warhammer Fest), that only covers a small amount of time and leaves a big slot without a huge game release.
We know the three-year cycle GW likes to do with AoS and 40k, and Sigmar is next in line for a new edition. If they follow the cycle they have since its release, 2024 will be all about AoS.
Plus, in theory, Games Workshop has been hinting at a smaller release for the Old World as they have really only talked about a few factions, most notably, Bretonnians, Tomb Kings, Empire, Cathay, and Kislev. There has been some talk about the Orks, and Dwarves, but not nearly as much as the other armies.
So, it does indeed make sense we could see a minor release to start the game (we’ve seen a lot of Bretonnians and Tomb Kings as of late), and then they fill up the early part of 2024 with other army releases.
Then in theory from the early part of 2024, AoS will grab a new edition, and all the focus will probably turn away from Old World for a little while.
There have been multiple announcements over this year alone, so let’s recap everything we know about The Old World!
GW Reveals Bretonnian & Tomb Kings Weapons For Warhammer Old World (March 13th, 2023)
If you want to see how they revealed the return of the Tomb Kings, you can check that out here. For now, though, let’s check out the new info from Warhammer Community.
Fresh from the forges of fair Bretonnia come new helmets, weapons and shields. Bretonnian knights commonly adorn their helmets with creatures that appear on their family heraldry, or those they believe they share a personality trait with. A knight famed for being stubborn in the face of adversity might sport a horned bull, while a noble renowned for their love of hunting may embellish their helm with a pair of antlers. These large helmets feature just a small selection of the fantastical birds and beasts you’ll see when the Bretonnian army marches to war.
It is a little suspicious pretty much everything we’ve seen has been for Bretonnians and Tomb Kings recently, which makes us think they are the most likely for a starter box perhaps…
The fleur-de-lys is a common symbol, and features prominently upon the metallic trim of these shields. There is also plenty of room on the shield face to display the heraldry of whichever high-ranking noble your knights have pledged to.
While the sword and lance are the preferred arms of the nobility, some knights – especially those from Brionne – prefer the head-hewing potential of a battleaxe. For the more traditionally-minded knight, however, there is a swathe of sword options, each with classic Bretonnian iconography on the crossguard or pommel.
It’s always nice to have more options, and they mention these will be plastic kits, so hopefully, each has plenty of spare bits!
Tomb Kings and Liche Priests have always carried weapons and artefacts of exquisite quality and artifice. First up is an ornate spear with wings projecting out from the shaft – a feature designed to prevent an impaled victim from sliding too far down the blade! Above the spear is a spiked flail decorated with the symbol of a scarab towards the bottom of the handle – a common icon in Khemri and in Numas (known as The Scarab City), in particular.
The weapons definitely have that classic feel but look well-updated! It’s also good to see some of the bigger bladed weapons, as they are easy to just scale up for some of the bigger monsters.
More Details For Warhammer Old World Tomb Kings: (February 6th, 2023)
This time, they talk more about how they actually built the regions of the Tomb Kings and a little more about what we can expect from the faction. If you want to see how they revealed the return of the Tomb Kings, you can check that out here.
This time, we’re going to take a look at something that will be extremely familiar to long-time fans – the Land of the Dead and the tyrannical rule of Settra the Imperishable, the Undying King of Khemri. The supreme monarch of Nehekhara and the other Tomb Kings are going to be major players in the stories we will tell in Warhammer: the Old World, and it has been wonderful to come back to them after all these years. They’re not technically denizens of the Old World, but their invasions play a key part in the narrative at this time during the history of the setting.
The Tomb Kings have always been an awesome army, so it’s great to see them make a triumphant return to the Old World.
In life, Settra expanded the borders of Nehekhara until his realm stretched far beyond the horizon. Eastwards and westwards, his legions marched across deserts and mountains until they reached distant coasts and to the north his dominion included the lands now known as the Empire and Bretonnia. In the years that followed his death, lesser monarchs lacked the will and ambition to maintain such a massive kingdom and over the centuries, it shrank to a shadow of its former glory.
It’s always nice to have options for where your forces come from, and the more background they have on each faction, the better the game will be in the end.
When Settra awoke from death, following the Great Necromancer’s diabolical ritual, his wrath was unmatched – not only had the Liche Priests failed to return him to an eternally youthful body, but his dynasty had crumbled to insignificance in his absence. Since that day, Settra has been plotting the reconquest of the lands that were once his and the subjugation of the usurper kings, queens, and emperors who dare rule in his stead – no doubt we will see these plans of conquest set into motion when the time is right…
You’d also be pretty mad if you were promised a youthful body and a giant kingdom, but after you woke up from your eternal slumber, all you had was some crumbling temples!
We’ve taken a great deal of care to make the Undead work. It was vital that the rules presented balanced game mechanics while evoking the frightening image of rank upon rank of skeleton warriors marching in unison, as chariots speed towards the enemy flanked by monstrous constructs animated by the ancient magic of the Mortuary Cults. You will be able to wield the powers of a Liche Priest once more, commanding skeletal hordes to Arise! from their tombs and march upon the lands of the living.
This is probably the most telling part of the whole thing. So, we know chariots are coming back, giant constructs, Liche Priests, and obviously skeletons. Plus, they say the rules will be very balanced, rules and mechanics, and we assume Arise! will be a new mechanic to keep the skeletons on the way.
GW Reveals More About Warhammer Old World Setting: (January 11th 2023)
Warhammer Community unveiled the new info, so let’s take a closer look!
One of the most important aspects of Warhammer: the Old World is the setting itself. Obviously, this is the World-that-Was, a world of legend destroyed by the machinations of the Ruinous Powers of Chaos at the culmination of the End Times – an event that doomed the denizens of the Old World to oblivion and heralded the birth of the Mortal Realms and the Age of Sigmar.
It’s important to remember, though, that even though the setting is returning, these events still happened, and that the Old World was destroyed. The End Times had long been foreshadowed in the background of Warhammer Fantasy Battle.
This means they will be going further into the setting, and keeping the End Times still in the lore can run concurrently with the (future) AoS lore.
This led us to events well known to fans of the Old World, the Great War Against Chaos and the Siege of Praag, two centuries before the End Times. More precisely, we decided to look into the decades prior to this legendary world-changing event. In those years before the Chaos Lord Asavar Kull led his armies south against the nations of Men and Dwarfs, the Empire of Man was not the unified nation that bravely faced the armies of Archaon that players of Warhammer Fantasy Battle will remember. Instead, it was deeply divided and ravaged by war following long centuries without the unifying presence of a single Emperor.
This is an interesting way to take it because it gives them 200 years to work with over the years of the game and move things forward. Plus, with shattered kingdoms, you might be able to come up with some really cool armies and heraldry. READ MORE HERE
Bretonnians, Tomb Kings & More Confirmed in Warhammer Old World: (October 17th, 2022)
This time, Warhammer Community posted some big news and actual confirmations! So, it’s always good to see. Let’s take a closer look!
It’s been quite a while since our last update, but that’s how you know we’ve been extra busy! Our miniatures designers, painters, writers, illustrators, and graphic designers have all been engaged in a period of industrious activity getting new miniatures designed and the main rulebook written, playtested, lavishly illustrated, and laid out. This truly is a gargantuan project with lots to show off, but for now we want to give a glimpse of some of the amazing artwork the Warhammer: The Old World team’s illustrators have been producing…
It’s always good to see something, and we all love some good art now that we know there most likely will be miniatures for all these factions in Warhammer Old World.
The world of Warhammer has always been blessed with the most lavish of artwork, but that’s no excuse not to create more! The studio illustrators have been hard at work rendering classic and new miniatures into full-colour artwork. A key part of this process has been to identify exactly the correct look and feel for these new pieces, capturing just the right level of gritty, myth-inspired classic fantasy that much of this beloved setting encapsulates.
Having both Tomb Kings and Bretonnians confirmed is just amazing! Obviously, they are two pretty big armies, and especially for Bretonnians, it would only make sense to have them in the game. Still, it’s always better to know for sure!
They didn’t really say much about Orcs, but what would fantasy be without Orcs?
Updated Warhammer Old World Map
This is the first map we saw them put out, and boy, the new one is much more expansive! This map really emphasizes Kislev, so we know there are up to 5 armies when you also include the drawings and such we’ve seen for Cathay.
They also talk about High Elves in the article, so a bit sneaky, but really another army is confirmed!
There’s lots more work to do, but we’ve recently added a number of emblems indicating locations important to the Dwarfs and the greenskins – in particular up in the mountain ranges that cross the Old World, and in the northern reaches of the Badlands. Each icon is just the tip of the iceberg, with a huge amount of work going into developing the character and history behind each and every group and faction.
Look at that; they even mention Dwarves as well. So while none of these are like crazy new armies, having your favorite old army confirmed by GW is always something great!
GW Announces Warhammer Fantasy Returning (sort of)
Boom goes the Warhammer Fantasy Dynamite. GW is revamping an old game in a new way.
After a quake-making announcement on Warhammer: Age of Sigmar’s Facebook on square bases coming back, the curtain has finally been drawn back revealing a new game announced from Warhammer Community.
Warhammer: The Old World Announced
It looks like now that Age of Sigmar is well underway, the GW team has decided on taking a step back into the past and revamping an older medieval fantasy setting that’s loaded to the brim with lore. Warhammer: The Old World will be taking place back before the efforts of Archaon brought about the End Times!
As 30k tells of events/lore that happened leading up to the 40k setting, Warhammer’s The Old World will be a setting before Age of Sigmar- with square bases.
The Old World is to Warhammer Age of Sigmar, as the Horus Heresy is to Warhammer 40,000. The bedrock of lore from which mortals rose to godhood and legends were forged. And like the Horus Heresy, seeing those mythic heroes in action has an undeniable appeal, as does re-creating the glorious armies of a previous epoch – an exciting proposition for hobbyists and gamers alike. And now, we have a dedicated team in the Warhammer Studio beginning the work of bringing all that awesome back to the tabletop.
It Won’t Be Here For a While
Note the appearance of Albion top left
The old world looks to be coming back! This was what the world looked like back before Archaon had all of existence sucked into the warp and spat back out as Mortal Realms. And while this is definitely a big announcement, GW also mentioned that this won’t be coming to pass any time soon.
In the deepest dungeons of the Warhammer Studio, the counsel of the wise have convened, ancient forges have been re-lit and work has already begun. So far… we’ve made the logo.
Next up, everything else.
You get the idea – this is a long way off. Years. More than two. Like three or more. Definitely not soon.
Keeping things transparent with the community of hobbyists, it’s exciting to see a new revamp of the game that’ll brush the dust off of some incredible lore. With that said, it’s looking like it’ll be a while before we see any real solid release details.
GW Confirms Warhammer Old World: Size, Period & Square Bases!
Those who have studied the previous map updates will no doubt have discerned that the Empire is riven by civil war, with no one Emperor or Empress uniting the elector states, and so the Kislevites’ role is even more vital to the defence of the entire Old World.
Students of Warhammer lore will also note that the borders of Kislev are very different from what they may be familiar with. The eastern border is not here defined by the World’s Edge Mountains, but in fact extends through the Belyevobota Pass, through the Great Skull Lands – northernmost reaches of the Dark Lands – through the Mountains of Mourn, and out into the limitless expanses of the eastern steppes beyond.
These two excerpts give essentially confirm the specific timeframe of Warhammer Old World. It also heavily emphasizes Kislev, which, if you didn’t know, is also the major “good” faction in the highly anticipated Warhammer Total War 3, which continues to inch closer to a release.
This means that there may be more first-time Warhammer players with this Kislev emphasis, thanks to the record-breaking success of Warhammer Total War. Additionally, the Empire isn’t at full strength and is dealing with Civil War, this gives a ton of lore and army wiggle room for anymore interested in playing one of the many human factions.
They then go into a series of FAQ-style questions and answers.
More About Warhammer The Old World:
Definitely square! Warhammer: The Old World is a reinvention of the classic rank-and-file game of Warhammer Fantasy Battles.
They have stated before that they are returning to Squares for the classic Warhammer Fantasy rank and file gameplay, but rumors still rose up that it wouldn’t be so. This is quelling those. Yes and yes the squares are for-real, for-real.
What? No! What madness is that?! The scale will remain the same as it ever was. We want people to be able to use their old armies if they wish, or to start new ones, or to add new miniatures to old armies – whatever they want.
This is also directly quelling some other rumors that had risen up. The game will be the same scale it was, not some flavor of epic scale or anything like that. The emphasis on using old armies or adding or making new ones is fantastic.
Hopefully, this hints at a ton of support to come! Although it does make the “cross-play” between AoS and Old World a little rocky. It certainly won’t be as easy as say Horus Heresy and 40k. Either way, the return will be epic!
Both! We’ve played every single edition of Warhammer Fantasy Battles over the years and like every player, we have our favourite bits from each.
This may not sound amazing at first, but the Dev team being able to pick and choose has the potential to create the best, most fun edition of “Fantasy” we have ever seen!
Currently, the new latest updates to both AoS and 40k have been very well received in general, so that’s a great sign!
Da boyz woz called Orcs in da Old World, so datz what dey’z called!
The change to Orruks seemed like mostly adding a “unique” factor to the IP, so the dedication to nostalgia and returning to the old terms is a great sign to trying to really get it right for the players.
Keen-eyed observers will have gleaned by now that Warhammer: The Old World is going to be set several hundred years before the End Times, so there’s plenty of space to explore the history of the setting. Especially knowledgeable students may also note this puts us just before another calamitous Chaos invasion, and one which, while central to the story of the Empire and the entire Old World, was barely touched on in previous iterations…
This is super interesting! Archaon might not be around, but there were still other Everchosen before him. A quick search places Asavar Kul as the Everchosen a little over 200 years before Archaon. This might be his time to shine! It’s also worth noting that Magnus The Pious helped defeat him, and reunified the empire. So there happens to be a Civil war going on? This might just add up!
Yes, we’re positive!
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This seems to be the team having a bit of fun poking at just how many rumors popped up about the bases. just in case you weren’t sure. Squares are definitely happening.
Kislev Previews For Warhammer Old World
Bear mounts are back in the latest Kislev faction previews for their Fantasy reboot in Warhammer Old World. Check out these bear mount variants!
Warhammer Community revealed even more on the Warhammer Old World front with a deeper, second step into the Kislev faction. If this is the first time you’ve heard about Warhammer Old World, it’s essentially their revival of the medieval world before it ended and became Age of Sigmar.
Iceguard of Kislev
One of the coolest aspects of returning to the world-that-was is the opportunity to revisit certain aspects of its classic lore and delve into them in greater detail than ever before. A perfect candidate for further investigation is the harsh, frozen realm found to the north of the Empire – Kislev, the land of the Ice Queens. To that end, let’s take a look at a project that’s currently in development…
One new unit that’s in the early stages of development is set in the Ice Court – the seat of the ruling Tsar or Tsarina. Known as the Ice Guard, they’re an elite fighting formation of warrior women, equally skilled with bow and blade. But where they differ significantly from the other Kislevite units we’ve seen in the past is that they’re able to channel the elemental magic of their realm in a similar manner to their Ice Queen – the most powerful practitioner of this unique form of sorcery. Here are some awesome pieces of concept art for the Ice Guard, courtesy of Forge World’s Mark Bedford.
The artwork is definitely dope and from the looks of their weapons, they might all be imbued with some level of magic. See the way they glow? They were also mentioned as elites serving their Ice Queen.
Check out the artwork on that banner. Doesn’t that look exactly like the old Ice Queen model from back in the day?
The Blast From The Past
Model Credit: Beasts of War
Since GW is pulling a massive nostalgia move with Warhammer: Old World, it would be neat to see the old models updated with the newer technology available. All while still keeping staple pieces of the model unchanged.
While brand new artwork for some new ice ladies has been revealed, we also can’t forget about the classic cavalry units of Kislev. The Ungol Horse Archers and Kislevite Winged Lancers may be in the same boat getting a model overhaul as well.
Fantasy Bears! More Kislev Previews For Warhammer Old World
Many heroes of Kislev tame great bears and ride them to war. Forming a bond with their mighty beasts is not easy, but for those who do, it is lifelong – indeed, legend says that when Tsar Boris died, his loyal bear guarded his corpse for a day and a night before disappearing into the snow. Some of you might actually remember this classic model of Boris riding his bear from years past…
GW is taking a deeper step into the Kislev faction and blowing the dust off the old Tsar Boris model. While he’s probably not coming back, they did mention that bear-mounted cavalry is under development.
New Bear Mount Concept Art Revealed
All we’ve really got to see is some artwork renderings of what may be ahead in the far, far future. With a silhouette of a man riding the bear for scale, things are looking sweet.
From what we can tell, the bear cavalry is going to have a few different armor styles. The shields are going to be mounted on the shoulder of the bear as some added armor to the mount while the rider’s not using it and whatever horns/antlers are found are turned into weapons on the bear’s helmet.
Finally, to match what we’ve seen with the weapons of the Kislev, this bear has some ice shards on its armor. Also, for what it’s worth, this mount looks like it’s meant for someone especially important.
There have not been any dates on Warhammer: Old World just yet. All we’ve seen is a simple announcement and a few concept art pieces for the Kislev. That should give you a pretty good idea of just how NOT far along we are into seeing this new system.
Bretonnia (and High Elves) In Warhammer Old World
Warhammer Community previewed a huge reworked map of Bretonia and some extra info bits fro other factions. Let’s dive into all the details!
Even though many of the Bretonnian cities, such as Parravon, Quenelles, and Aquitaine, will no doubt be familiar to many, the names and coats of arms of the lords who command each province are brand-new.
We knew that this wasn’t exactly a 1-1 Fantasy Battles reboot, and this goes on to prove that. Somehow, the story is either advanced, redacted, further in the past, or an alternate reality. As we know, Chaos originally won and the Age of Sigmar was born. It will be interesting to see the lore of this new-old universe develop.
However, one name, in particular, stands apart from all others, for it’s a name steeped in Bretonnia’s glorious history – that of the incumbent ruler, King Louen Orc-Slayer. But for someone to get a name like Orc-Slayer, there has to be…
Seeing that they confirmed they are willing to have old characters return, but don’t want a full reboot of all that was, it will be an interesting process to see how/who GW chooses to welcome back to the official lineup. I’m sure it will also frustrate some Fantasy players who were excited about the original announcement when their favorite character isn’t returning.
But hey King Louen is alive again, and slaying him some Orcs!
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The alarming regularity of their Waaaghs! and destructive rampages is the primary reason why the northern lands of Bretonnia are so heavily defended with mighty castles and walled cities.
Judging by the representation on the map and all the Orc symbols, it’s fair to assume one of the major enemies of Bretonia will once again be the Greenskin hordes.
The High Elves of Ulthuan were once the undisputed rulers of the seas, maintaining a trade network of colonies and glittering port-cities on every continent, from the Tower of the Rising Sun in the east to the Citadel of Dusk in the west.
You can clearly see the High Elves have a presence on the coast of Bretonnia as well with scattered enclaves around the map. Undoubtedly there is a light alliance between them due to the trade, although perhaps not a military agreement? We will have to wait and see.
Athel Loren (Wood Elves- home of the Ariel) is very clearly on the map, However, GW didn’t touch on them other than a passing mention. The reinventing of Fantasy Battles is inching forward, but seeing as this is one of only three updates over a year, it may still be very far out.
The current situation of our world is sure to hurt that slow pace as well.
Cathay From Total War In Warhammer Old World
The new Cathay Artwork previews for Warhammer Old World paint a wild picture of the army- check out what to expect!
With the Old World feeling closer every day (well, we imagine it has to be making progress) Games Workshop has released even more concept art. They are doing this as part of Total War III, but make specific mention of the Old World and new rules once again.
They did a similar thing with Kislev and state these are replicas of what they want the minis to be. So if you like the art, expect the models to follow suit!
Warhammer Community just unveiled a bunch of new artwork and lore all about Cathay. They also throw in some really cool history about how the region has developed over time. Let’s get into it.
More Cathay Previews Warhammer Old World & Total War
Believe it or not, Grand Cathay has existed in the lore of the Warhammer world since its foundation, though with the action-focused mostly on the kingdoms and empires to the west of the World’s Edge Mountains, not much was ever revealed about it.
First up is Miao Ying, the Storm Dragon. Honestly, she is pretty awesome, plus with her taking two forms, we could have another Morathi type mini to break out when Warhammer Old World drops!
The undisputed star of the cinematic trailer is Miao Ying, daughter of the Celestial Dragon Emperor, and one of the divine rulers and provincial commanders of Grand Cathay.
Who wouldn’t want a giant dragon leading their forces into battle? We sure would! This isn’t nearly all they showed, however.
Terracotta Sentinels
These monolithic constructs stand out in the cinematic trailer in more ways than one – they’re absolutely colossal for starters, yet seem able to move with surprising swiftness and grace for towering animated statues.
Can you see the tiny warrior that comes up to the Sentinel’s ankles? These look like they would be such fun painting challenges and would smash through the lines with ease on the tabletops!
Kongming Sky Lanterns and Sky-junks
The Cathayans maintain fleets of aerial vessels comprising Kongming Sky Lanterns and larger Sky-junks to keep watch over their borders. In the trailer, a flight of these aircraft took to the skies to battle the airborne elements of their Tzeentchian foes.
Maybe they will give the Overlords a run for their money? Who knows, either way, it would be cool to throw these on the battlefield and rule from above, or rain down on your enemies. They don’t give away much about timeframes but do mention rules more than once (don’t actually show any, just mention the word…).
Meaning they have to at least be developing them. Hopefully, this all points to them coming out with Old World and all these dope Cathay concepts as actual miniatures before too long!
RUMORS: Warhammer Old World Timeline & Release Dates
We know that Games Workshop mentioned 2023 as being the 40th Anniversary of the 1st edition of Warhammer Fantasy Battles.
So that’s it for now, but stay tuned to the Warhammer Community website for more information throughout 2023, which is of course the 40th birthday year of the venerable game of Warhammer!
Perhaps we will see the Old World released then?
These rumors talk about which factions to expect first, and when they will be on the way. Plus, some insights into when the new edition of Warhammer Old World will supposedly release. Let’s check it out!
- No new miniature previews until mid-2022
- Model ranges are in the works, but the backstory is the most progressed part
- The first factions will be old-time favorites like Empire, Orcs & Goblins, Dwarfs, and Chaos. Other niche factions will come, just not at the very beginning
- The Warhammer Old World release could be 2023, but COVID took a bigger toll than expected
- The main studio will be more involved in the process than originally expected
- Lastly, COVID has destroyed the new edition once every 3 years.
Well, this isn’t great news, honestly. We were hoping for a little sooner release date than 2023 for Warhammer Old World.
Again though, these are rumors, so let’s hope they aren’t true and we get a release sooner than 2023. However, with how much COVID slowed everything down, we wouldn’t be surprised to see this as a realistic date.
Next, the factions involved also make sense, they will try to launch the game with a bunch of favorites. This way most people will get into the game, which will then allow it to grow into the future.
With how much they’ve shown for Cathay, we expected them to be in the early release but might be the first release after the game is out to keep the hype going.
Lastly, the promise of a new edition every three years (we assume for the main games like Warhammer 40k, and Age of Sigmar) seems to be out the window, but that’s not really a bad thing when you consider we’ve barely seen books for either system so far…
In case you missed the past Warhammer Old World announcements and Rumors, we’ve included them here:
- GW Announces Warhammer Fantasy Returning (sort of)
- Fantasy Bears! More Kislev Previews For Warhammer Old World
- Bretonnians, Tomb Kings, Orcs & More Confirmed in Warhammer Old World!
Rules & New Release Updates For Warhammer The Old World
What do you think about Warhammer The Old World game including new factions, miniatures, the release date, rumors etc?
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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.
