We’ve been digging through mountains of rules in the run-up to the new edition of Warhammer 40,000 – from phase changes and army construction to Toughness increases and extensive faction previews – and the time has finally come to get our first look at them in action. The folk over at Battle Report have put away their ninth edition books for the last time, and with fresh new datasheets in hand, they’re ready to see what the Space Marines and Tyranids can do.
And the best part? This episode is free to watch for everyone – no Warhammer+ subscription needed.* If you’ve been curious what a real mission from the new edition is like, now’s the time to find out.
For this game, Si and Ben are playing the new Combat Patrol game mode – a balanced, fast-paced version of Warhammer 40,000 using only the contents of the Combat Patrol boxes. All of the miniatures you’ll see come from the incredible Leviathan boxed set, which conveniently contains all the miniatures you need for two full Combat Patrols, tuned with bespoke datasheets designed specially for the Combat Patrol game.
Strike Force Octavius are a compact, elite team of veteran Space Marines and pyreblaster-equipped specialists, searching for vital intelligence that could assist Imperial efforts to combat the numberless Tyranid fleets. More than half of the models are equipped with Terminator armour, making them indomitable walls that the Tyranids will have a tough time chewing through, especially when they’re being roasted by great gouts of flame from the Infernus Squad.
In response, the Vardenghast Swarm has deployed a diverse pack of bioforms, blanketing the battlefield with waves of chittering Termagants while the lumbering Psychophage and stealthy Von Ryan’s Leapers close in for the kill. The Winged Tyranid Prime leading them will get a commanding view of the battle from up high, but can its ravening hordes blunt the fury of the 1st Company and bring down the mighty Terminators?
Warhammer+ subscribers can also look forward to the return of Blacktalon, the epic animated series starring the eponymous Stormcast Eternal and her band of heroic hunters. The fourth episode in the series looks at the life of a simple fruit farmer making his way in the Mortal Realms – but one with a dark destiny ahead that can only end in a meeting with the Blacktalons.
If the music of Blacktalon has been tantalising your brain as much as ours, you’ll be glad to know that the soundtrack is now also available on Warhammer+, along with the brooding tunes of melancholic masterpiece Iron Within.
You can find today’s episode of Battle Report at Warhammer TV, as well as on the Warhammer Youtube channel.
* Although, if you like this Battle Report, a subscription will get you access to tons more – and a wealth of other content.