Warhammer Fest 2023 was host to the second Golden Demon competition of 2023 – and the quality of miniatures on display absolutely took our breath away in this, the UK leg. People were packed around the cabinets throughout the weekend, excitedly discussing the many jaw-dropping entries.
This has been a world-class showcase of the talent, skill, and hard work of Warhammer fans from across the globe. Without further ado, here are all the winners.
Warhammer 40,000 Single Miniature
For the second UK Golden Demon in a row, Maxime Penaud has taken Gold – this time for a Nurgle miniature covered in wonderfully grotesque textures. Andy Wardle won Silver for his crisp Necron Lord, and José David González Ramos won Bronze for Castellan Crowe – with a cheeky Nurgling addition. They’re just vibing.
Warhammer 40,000 Large Model
The Warhammer 40,000 Large Model category was hotly contested by daemonic entities of all persuasions. The searing might of Sten Frodin’s Avatar of Khaine secured the Gold, while Aaron Clark’s Slaaneshi Daemon Prince and Valentin Colomb’s Be’lakor scored Silver and Bronze respectively.
Warhammer 40,000 Squad
Marco Pescini took the Gold with a wonderfully diverse squad of Ork Freebooters, Sten Frodin earned a second podium with a squad of Chaos Space Marines, and Markus Würdinger secured Bronze with his sumptuous, Imperial-trampling Iron Warriors.
Warhammer 40,000 Vehicle
The war machines of Warhammer 40,000 provide the perfect canvas for flexing a variety of painting skills. Craig J Pickup, uh, picked up Gold with a wonderful Death Guard Predator, Richard Marlow scored Silver for an Alpha Legion Contemptor Dreadnought, and Gregor Pilarski bagged Bronze for a chilly Crassus Armoured Assault Transport.
Warhammer Age of Sigmar Single Miniature
The Warhammer Age of Sigmar Single Miniature category was a clash of painting titans, contested by multiple Golden Demon winners. Albert Moreto Font’s Lumineth Realm-lord managed to pip David Arroba’s Bloodpelt Hunter to gold, followed by Angelo Di Chello’s Gardus Steel Soul – both incredible miniatures in their own right.
Warhammer Age of Sigmar Large Model
Not content with securing a Silver in Single Miniature, David Arroba won Gold for his infernal Daemon Prince, with previous winners Nikolas Mortensen getting Silver for his richly-coloured Dexcessa, and Yohan Leduc earning Bronze for his striking Spirit of Durthu.
Warhammer Age of Sigmar Unit
A herd of Rockgut Troggoths accompanied by a gaggle of grots and squigs earned earned Roger Axelsson a Gold in the Warhammer Age of Sigmar Unit category. José David González Ramos won a second award for his grimly-gleaming Wurmspat, and Johan Philipsen picked up Bronze for a brace of Blood Bowl Black Orcs.
Diorama / Battle Scene
The Diorama category is a chance for Golden Demon contestants to increase the scope of their entries to encompass dynamic scenes, or to zoom in on one specific moment. Arnau Lazaro took the Gold for an epic battle between Mephiston and the daemonic hordes of Tzeentch, packed with object-source lighting. Stefan Tidén won Silver for a quietly observed moment on Necromunda’s ash wastes, and Rafael García Marín took Bronze with a tense Warhammer Underworlds encounter.
Duel
Champions of combat clash in the Duel category. Matteo Gallo’s image of knightly monster-slaying earned the Gold, while Victor Vera’s depiction of Bayard’s Revenge and Anthony Smith’s pistol-toting snapshot scored Silver and Bronze respectively.
Middle-Earth™
The Middle-Earth category is a chance for Warhammer hobbyists to create their own renditions of characters and units from the much-beloved setting. Lucas Pina took the Gold for a spectacular Radagast the Brown, Federico Rovida’s ‘At the Prancing Pony Inn’ earned Silver, and José David González Ramos got his third win of the day with Gandalf the White and Peregrin Took on Horse.
Small Scale
The Small Scale category shrinks hulking war machines and soaring aircraft down to an even smaller size. Gold goes to Matt Kennedy for his Ork ‘Eavy Bommer, while Sebastian Kohl and Kalle Lähteenmäki take Silver and Bronze for their own fantastic flying machines.
Youngbloods
Every year, the Youngbloods competition gives entrants under the age of 16 a chance to show off their skills. This year’s entrants were all a delight, with Daniel Swart’s non-metallic metal Sigvald winning a well-deserved Gold, Caleb Breuer’s Captain Lucius taking Silver, and Joseph Warnakulasuriya’s Mangler Squigs earning Bronze.
The Open Competition
The Open Competition is a chance for hobbyists and Warhammer staff to cut loose and showcase their talents on their favourite miniatures, or their own custom creations. David Arroba scored his third win with an Orc Boss on Boar inspired by classic artwork, Darren Latham took Silver for an atmospheric diorama starring the ven Denst family, and Tom Hugues got the Bronze for a grimacing Ork bust.
Slayer Sword Winner - Albert Moreto Font
Albert Moreto Font lifted the Slayer Sword to rapturous applause for his ‘King of Lumineth’ miniature, which claimed Gold in the Warhammer Age of Sigmar Single Miniature category. With some choice conversion work, a master’s eye for textures, and truly immaculate lighting, it was the indisputable winner.
We’ll have more coverage of this incredible winning piece later in the week. As ever, our heartfelt thanks goes out to every entrant – the standard was incredible, and commiserations if you didn’t take home a trophy. There’s always next year!
Feeling inspired by the winners this year? Check out some tips and tricks for entering in future events, and sign up to the Warhammer Community newsletter to find out when the next competition is happening.