The Catachan Colonel model is rare, pricey, and has a variant! Find out why collectors are paying a fortune and what makes this Warhammer 40K mini so special.
Updated March 6th, 2025, by Rob Baer with new information and links to relevant content.
The Catachan Colonel isn’t just another Warhammer 40k model—it’s the stuff of legend. Limited availability turned it into a collector’s dream (or nightmare, depending on how much you’re willing to pay). The moment it hit shelves, it was already on its way to the secondary market at eye-watering prices. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any harder to find, a variant head appeared, throwing collectors into a frenzy all over again (even before the codex dropped).
40K Catachan Colonel Model Has a Variant! But Can You Actually Get One?
Let’s talk about one of the most sought-after miniatures in Warhammer 40k history—the Catachan Colonel. This isn’t just any old Astra Militarum commander. This guy is a walking, talking, jungle-surviving legend. And, of course, Games Workshop did what they do best: they made him incredibly hard to get.
If you’ve been in the hobby for more than five minutes, you already know that limited-edition models are like gold dust. The Catachan Colonel? More like platinum dust. The kind of mini you either had to be at the right place at the right time to grab—or be willing to throw a ridiculous amount of cash at some eBay reseller who got there first.
A Model That Broke the Secondary Market
Prices from initial release.
Back when the Catachan Colonel was first released, its price tag was pretty standard for a character model. It was priced similarly to other single HQ models in the range, making it a reasonable pick-up—if you could actually find one.
However, the second this model hit stores, it was already a collector’s item. Originally released as a store anniversary exclusive, it wasn’t like you could waltz into your local Warhammer shop and grab one off the shelf. Stores got an extremely limited number—some as few as two or three copies. Yep, two.
So what happened? The resellers pounced. It was a feeding frenzy. Almost immediately, copies of the model started appearing online, selling for $300 to $500—an absurd markup for something that retailed at a fraction of that price (currently selling for about $100, showing again models aren’t true collectibles). Some listings even hit the $1,000 mark. At that price, you’d expect the model to come with a personal visit from the Emperor himself.
Warhammer fans—bless them—aren’t strangers to paying premium prices (early on for models) for exclusive models, but this one really sent things into overdrive.
What Makes the Catachan Colonel So Special?
If we put aside the insane resale value, the Catachan Colonel is just a fantastic model. It perfectly captures the over-the-top, action-movie-inspired aesthetic of the Catachan Jungle Fighters.
The sculpt is pure 80s action hero—muscles, a massive knife, and an attitude that screams, “I survived this jungle, and I’m going to make sure you don’t.” It’s a love letter to the likes of Rambo, Dutch from Predator, and basically every overly muscular action hero from the golden age of cinema.
And let’s be real—Warhammer 40K needs more characterful minis like this. In an age where Primaris Marines have started looking like copy-paste versions of each other, the Catachan Colonel stands out. He’s got personality.
Wait, There’s a Variant?
Just when you thought tracking down one of these guys was hard enough, Games Workshop decided to shake things up. There’s now a variant of the Catachan Colonel floating around, featuring an alternate head option.
For collectors, this means one thing and one thing only—yet another impossible-to-find version to obsess over.
What This Means for Warhammer 40K Collectors
At this point, we have to ask: Is this the future of Warhammer collecting? Are we doomed to chase down exclusive models at outrageous prices forever?
Limited-edition models have always been part of the Warhammer ecosystem, but the Catachan Colonel situation really highlights how Warhammer models are not truly collectible… Mainly because the price has gone down by hundreds (from about $500 to $100) since the initial rush.
Final Thoughts: The Catachan Colonel Legacy
The Catachan Colonel will go down as one of the most infamous models in Warhammer history. Whether it’s because of the skyrocketing resale prices, the exclusivity, or the simple fact that it looks absolutely awesome, it’s a model that everyone seems to want, but few actually own.
And with the introduction of a variant, the saga continues. Some lucky collectors will manage to track both versions down. The rest of us? We’ll just sit back, watch the resale market go absolutely insane, and dream of the day Games Workshop decides to do a proper re-release.
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What are your thoughts on the wild secondary prices and variant of the Catachan Colonel?
