Since its first issue back in the ancient, bygone times of 1977 – before Warhammer had even exploded onto the scene – White Dwarf has been nothing less than the greatest hobby magazine in the world. It’s hard to believe that we’re just on the cusp of its 500th issue, and to celebrate the occasion, we’re planting our flag and declaring Issue 500 one of the best ever printed.
Don’t believe it? Let us give you a sneak peek at what’s in store.
This issue is a whopping 192 pages long, which means there’s plenty of space for all of your favourite White Dwarf articles, plus a hefty chunk dedicated to the history of this incredible magazine. The celebrations kick off with a fascinating 12-page timeline charting milestone issues from its 47-year history, running from precursor magazine Owl & Weasel right up to the present day.
Whether you’re a seasoned White Dwarf reader or a fresh-faced newcomer, there’s tons to see across more than 100 iconic covers. If you’ve ever wondered when Grombrindal got his name, what Fanatic magazine was, or how many times the title has been shamefully vandalised by Orks and Gobbos, we’ve got your answers.
It wouldn’t be an issue of White Dwarf without a Battle Report, but how do you do such a milestone justice? Play a brutal campaign across multiple games and tables? Feature massive coalition armies banding several factions together? Make it 36 pages long?
If you answered ‘all of the above’, then good news! The Invasion of Samarkis has all the DNA of a legendary Battle Report for the ages – starting with an intense close-quarters Boarding Action and Kill Team operation, before moving to an all-out, 3,000-point per side brawl in Warhammer 40,000.
After a year of working away tirelessly, the ’Eavy Metal team returns to the pages for a monumental feature – creating dioramas fit for a White Dwarf cover. ’Eavy Metal have a long history of presenting in-depth tutorials and painting showcases throughout the magazine’s lifetime, so despite the enormity of the task given to them, they’ve produced no fewer than six incredible compositions.
They also have a complete guide to painting your own copy of Grombrindal’s brand new miniature, including full paint mixes and the step-by-step techniques that Content Lead Max used to paint the box art. We were honestly intimidated when we found out that the gleaming gold on his axe uses no metallic paints whatsoever, but the guides came to the rescue and proved it’s something that us regular humans can accomplish.
But what if you want to use your new White Dwarf on the tabletop? Have no fear – the magazine includes rules for taking Grombrindal onto the furious battlefields of Warhammer Age of Sigmar, Warhammer Underworlds, and Warcry.
And if that’s not enough duardin for you, the sky-port of Barak-Thryng comes under assault from the Gloomspite Gitz in a new short story by Chris Thursten.
Add together all of that, and you’re still not even halfway through everything contained in this mammoth issue.
The White Dwarf Bunker is back with the finale of the Bastior Sector campaign, entries from an international painting challenge, new scenarios for your favourite games, and both painting and gameplay tips from the pros. The Age of Sigmar Tale of Four Warlords saga is also coming to a close in this issue, with our quartet proudly unveiling their collections in all their glory. On top of all that, there’s even a new Boarding Action mission where entire halves of the battlefield rotate.
We’re out of time! You’ll have to see the rest for yourself when White Dwarf Issue 500 releases on the 17th of May – and if you want to make sure your copy is right on your doorstep, you can pre-order it this Saturday at the Warhammer webstore, along with the White Dwarf himself.
There’s also a whole trove of Warhammer Merch to go along with this momentous event, celebrating the long history of White Dwarf with an exclusive Merch Box stuffed with goodies. It includes a Grombrindal Displate and tee shirt, a White Dwarf 500 hoodie and luxury notebook, and a set of 6 postcards featuring some classic White Dwarf covers. It’s on sale from the 1st of May from the Warhammer Merch store.
