New Chaos Knight Ruinator brings a darkflame lance and more missiles to the table, but players may feel the model and the codex are just another retread…
So Chaos Knights finally get their turn in the spotlight from the loyalists—and what does Games Workshop bring to the table? The Knight Ruinator, a “new” option with just enough tweaks to warrant a marketing push. But let’s not kid ourselves: this looks less like a major update and more like a reheated leftovers situation.
The model? A slightly remixed kit with one more sprue. The codex? More rules on top of the last batch of rules. If you were hoping for a bold refresh of the Warhammer 40,000 Chaos Knights range, you might want to lower those expectations.
A New Knight? Technically, Yes
Let’s start with the good news. The Ruinator does look cool—big, brutal, and draped in the kind of excess only a Chaos Knight can pull off. It brings a darkflame lance, terrorpulse missile launchers, and a Fellbore melee weapon for that signature “overkill with style” approach.
But here’s the catch: it’s just another loadout on the same old frame. You’re not building a new Knight—you’re modifying one you’ve probably already assembled, painted, and magnetized. A sprue swap doesn’t justify calling this a major release. It’s a marginal change dressed up like a headliner.
More Rules, Less Innovation
The new Codex: Chaos Knights comes packed with lore, detachment rules, and datasheets. And yes, it’s nice to have your army’s details in one place again—but how long will that last? Since 10th Edition dropped, Knights have had more rule churn than most armies. Between balance dataslates, core rules updates, and detachment reshuffles, it’s been tough to keep up.
Now we’re adding more stratagems and profiles to an already bloated pile. At this point, it feels less like improving the game and more like giving Chaos Knights a fresh layer of varnish to hide the structural fatigue.
Another Variant in the Pile
Let’s count them: Abominant, Desecrator, Rampager, War Dog Brigands, Executioners, Carnivores… and now Ruinator. The Chaos Knight line isn’t suffering from lack of options—it’s suffering from option fatigue. How many minor variations does one faction need?
Ah yes, the old Games Workshop classic—split the kits and watch the SKUs multiply. Chaos Knights are getting the same treatment we saw with the Imperial Knight Defender: two separate boxes covering mostly the same options.
One box builds a Desecrator, Rampager, or the new Ruinator—thanks to the magical inclusion of a fresh sprue. The other box swaps that out and lets you build a Knight Abominant instead.
Want both options? Better get both kits. Or start magnetizing like your life depends on it.
Terrain Meta Still Says “No Thanks”
Chaos Knights have never had it easy in the current terrain-heavy meta. Massive models, awkward line-of-sight, and expensive points values already limit how they perform competitively. Add another variant that does more of the same, and it’s hard to see who benefits from this release beyond collectors or narrative players.
Even on the hobby side, the lack of actual visual innovation is a letdown. It’s not that the Ruinator looks bad—it’s just that it looks exactly like what came before it. New name, new gun, same silhouette.
New Ruinator Feels Like Chaos Knight Déjà Vu
If you’re deep into Chaos Knights, maybe you’ll appreciate the lore and extra options. But if you’ve been around since the original Knight Renegade box set, this release doesn’t exactly ignite the imagination. It feels like another checkbox ticked off on the release calendar—something to push some dice and datacards out the door.
This isn’t the breath of fresh air Chaos Knights deserve. It’s a polite shrug in plastic form. And for a faction that prides itself on excess, madness, and warped grandeur, that’s the real disappointment.
Need a reason not to buy your fourth Desecrator? You’re not alone.
See How to Magnetize Your Chaos Knights Here!
How do you see this model impacting the Chaos Knight army lists?
