The latest Warhammer 40k news, model releases, balance dataslate changes, and exclusive updates straight from SDCC.
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The Long War: Episode 520
Article Table of Contents:
Show Summary:
This week, the crew talks about changes and shifting meta with balance discussions. Here are the key takeaways, section by section:
- 00:01-01:30: Rob Baer, Kenny Boucher, and Wyatt open episode 520 in The Long War’s temporary summer time slot, with a hard one-hour cutoff and plans to cover San Diego Comic-Con, hobby news, and the latest 40k balance update.
- 01:30-11:46: Wyatt runs through his Comic-Con haul, including signed artwork and comics from Alex Ross, Jim Lee, Chad Hardin, and Ryan Meinerding, plus a vintage Sergeant Rock comic gifted to him as a veteran. The biggest finds were original Bruce Timm Wolverine sketches and an X-Men animated series Wolverine cel signed by voice actor Cal Dodd.
- 11:46-20:28: Wyatt explains how he and his friends accidentally entered the Hall H restricted area through an elevator, received passes, and managed to attend the Marvel presentation without waiting through the notorious Hall H line. He also discusses inconsistent crowd management and accessibility problems around the convention’s elevators.
- 20:48-24:44: The Warhammer news begins with Monument Hobbies’ One-Step Set Two, JoyToy StarCraft prototypes, a new Weta Workshop Archaon statue, discounted used miniatures from Frontline Gaming, and Warhammer+ offering two subscriber miniatures and a 2026 yearbook.
- 23:25-26:30: Warhammer Academy gets some praise as a free entry point for newer hobbyists, while Pop Goes the Monkey’s enclosed cockpit upgrades offer alternatives for the Storm Speeder and new Land Speeder. Combat Patrol rules are also moving into the official app, although not every patrol is currently supported.
- 26:30-30:12: The Aeldari Exodite release was heavily allocated, with some stores reportedly requesting 50 to 100 boxes and receiving only five. The hosts argue that allocations this low make major miniature releases increasingly unreliable for local game stores trying to pay their bills.
- 30:12-35:20: Other releases include Gundam Assemble’s second wave, an Ork Boy miniature of the month, Cities of Sigmar Warhammer Heroes blind boxes, and the returning Baneblade. The Baneblade technically rose only $3, but recreating the older kit’s contents now requires a separate $35 sponson sprue, making the comparable package roughly 17% more expensive.
- 35:20-41:51: The 40k balance discussion focuses on universal rules clarifications, including limits on free Stratagem effects and generating only one additional Command Point per turn. Games Workshop also added clear “What’s New” sections and updated several tournament terrain layouts.
- 39:06-44:44: Detachment dispositions can now change independently, with Grey Knights’ Warp Bane Task Force moving from Purge to Take and Hold. The hosts see disposition, Detachment Point costs, enhancements, and unit points as new balance levers that could support seasonal play.
- 42:20-47:54: The group argues that late-game scoring still allows extreme comebacks, especially when players stockpile secondary cards and score huge totals during turns four and five. They expect future updates may limit card hands or adjust core mission scoring, but for now the main advice is simple: update the app and check every army’s revised rules before playing.
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