The good men and women of the Astra Militarum are some of the most interesting characters in Warhammer 40,000. In a galaxy of gods, daemons, and incomprehensible xenos they stand unyielding, utterly devoted to Imperium – a broken machine they must protect above all else. This week is a fanfare of releases relating to the Astra Millitarum, and some Necromunda extras on top.
Minka Lesk
The character of Minka Lesk is the creation of author Justin D. Hill. The last Whiteshield of Kasr Myrak, she earned her stripes in the fall of Cadia, and is now the Captain of the Cadian 101st Regiment. Her meteoric rise through the ranks has made her a bit of a hero, and you can get your very own Minka Lesk miniature by pre-ordering her next week. She will be available for a short period of time – Saturday 22 July until 8am BST on Monday the 7th of August, though if you place an order during this period you are guaranteed to get her.
Shadow of The Eighth (Special Edition)
Lt. Lesk returns in her latest tale of revenge and honour, Shadow of The Eighth by Justin D. Hill. She and the Cadian 101st have discovered a relic of the missing Cadian 8th, thought to be lost in the destruction of their home world. Sensing a chance to right a past wrong, they follow the trail to a world at the core of the Chaos warlord Drakul-zar’s collapsing regime, where dark secrets from the past return to haunt them among the frozen industry sprawl.
You can pre-order this in a gorgeous limited edition version signed by the author, individually numbered and limited 1,500 copies. It features a cloth cover with unique art, an introduction by the author, bronze gilt page edges, bronze ribbon page marker, and a brand new short story, Ghosts of Kasr Myrak.
Shadow of The Eighth
You can follow the trail of Minka Lesk in her latest adventure in your choice of format, even if you miss out on the Special Edition. You can find out if the Cadian 101st completes their mission, or if the spectre of the past clouds their judgement in hardback, eBook and audiobook format.
Shadow of The Eighth (French and German Editions)
French and German readers can also read the latest entry in the series by pre-ordering it next week, in either paperback or eBook format for both languages.
Minka Lesk: The Last Whiteshield
Before tackling Minka Lesk’s latest adventure, refresh your memory with an omnibus of stories by Justin D. Hill. Minka Lesk: The last Whiteshield collects the novels Cadia Stands, Cadian Honour and Traitor Rock with The Place of Pain and Healing and The Battle for Markgraaf Hive, each featuring Minka fighting for the honour of Cadia, bloodied but unbroken. You can pre-order it in either paperback or eBook format.
Necromunda: Core Rulebook
The ultimate Necromunda rulebook is coming. This whopping 336-page hardback book compiles every major aspect of the rules in one gigantic tome, making it your one-stop shop for games of Necromunda – be they set in Zone Mortalis, Sector Mechanicus, or Ash Wastes battlefields. You’ll find the core rules for fighters and vehicles, plus skills, weapons and traits, a combined trading post, the Dominion Campaign, and 11 scenarios in total. It folds in all the FAQs and Errata from previous books, making it the perfect companion for your gangs.
You’ll also be able to pre-order the Necromunda: Core Rulebook in an ePub format, which is handy because the stunning hardback could easily kill a millisaur on the charge. This format gives you access to all the rules on your tablet, hassle-free.
Necromunda: Core Gang Tactics Cards
Ensure you know your Suppressing Fire from your Opening Volley at a glance with this handy pack of 26 cards that features key core gang tactics that can be used by any gang in the game.
Necromunda: Open Hive War Card Pack
Generate endless gangland skirmishes amid the industrial grime of Necromunda with the Open Hive War Card Pack. This 50-card pack generates deployments and objectives alongside loot and perils which creates unique missions for your gangs to fight over. You’ll need to stay adaptable and have a tool for every situation to triumph in this unpredictable format.
Necromunda Card Sleeves
Keep your Open War and Core Gang Tactics cards safe from grime, gun oil, and errant blood splatters with a pack of 50 card sleeves. Each is transparent featuring the Necromunda icon on the back, so your cards will look swish whilst being protected.
Tanith Regimental Banner
Celebrate Colonel Commissar Ibram Gaunt and the Tanith First and Only with this A2-sized wall hanging designed based on the regimental banner of these daring heroes. This banner is digitally printed, and has a jute rope and plastic rod making it ready for mounting on your wall. It’s available while stocks last.
Renegades: Harrowmaster#
Solomon Akurra is one of the many feuding heads that makes up the hydra of the Alpha Legion, and his sights are set on becoming Harrowmaster in order to unify his disparate brothers. With his Serpent’s Teeth at his side, he battles against the Imperium in order to prove himself anew, but the duplicitous nature of the Legion means there are enemies on all sides. Pre-order Mike Brook’s Renegades: Harrowmasters next week your choice of paperback or eBook.
Manslayer
Gotrek and Felix have long divided opinions – are they unsung heroes, or just a pair of common rogues? As the pair journey on Malakai Makaisson’s airship towards the Chaos Wastes to aid the war effort, a series of conspicuous malfunctions on the ship all point towards sabotage. The pair must act fast in Nathan Long’s Manslayer lest disaster cut their journey – and lives – short. This story arrives for pre-order in audiobook format next week.
Next week on Warhammer+ there’s a double-bill: Loremasters and Battle Report. Librarians are the wizards of the Space Marine world, using their esoteric learnings to smite their foes with the energies of the warp, and Loremasters provides a top-to-bottom report on their curious ways. In Battle Report, the Necrons square off against the Leagues of Votann.
Next week we’re continuing our coverage of Legions Imperialis with a look at the all-new Aethon Heavy Sentinel, as well as a heaping of nostalgia for games featuring especially tiny Space Marines. We’ll also have lots of other great articles covering various aspects of the Warhammer hobby.