It’s that time again. Notify your next of kin, sing and dance through the streets, and shout at random passers-by – the annual battleforces are revealed! These bumper boxes are your yearly way of buying a complete force in a box which will either be the foundation for a grand new army, bulk out your Spearhead, or reinforce your existing host. They’ll be available around Christmas – here’s what you can look forward to for Warhammer Age of Sigmar.
Founding Foray
The armies of the Cities of Sigmar are made up of the ordinary people of the Mortal Realms. Normal folk with faith burning in their hearts, and the bellowed commands of their Marshals ringing in their ears. The Founding Foray is one of many expeditionary forces that forge through the wilds of the realms to secure new settlements. Included in the force are 10 Freeguild Fusiliers, an Ironweld Great Cannon, and a Fusil-Major on an Ogor Warhulk, who dig in and pelt their enemies from a distance, while five Freeguild Cavaliers thunder into the foe’s exposed flanks. A Freeguild Marshal and Relic Envoy conduct the force while the Freeguild Command Corps lend their specialised expertise.
Charnelgrand Jury
Order! Order! Court is now in session. The crime? Your duchy is noted as lacking a sufficient standing army to protect its borders against the ravening horde beyond, as prescribed by the Summerking himself. The sentence? Your head on a platter, unless you admit the Charnelgrand Jury into your domain to observe forced conscription. Grand Justice Gormayne heads this delegation personally* and commands 10 Cryptguard, plus a full complement of the kingdom’s finest knights – arranged in formations of six Crypt Horrors (which can be built as soaring Crypt Flayers) and six Morbheg Knights. We trust you will offer them fine accommodation and victuals.
Ironjawz Wrekkamob
Arcane sorceries studied for centuries, battle tactics developed by the finest military minds, and war machines developed by the most ingenious engineers – all the battlefield learnings in the Age of Sigmar are nothing before the intoxicating power of the Waaagh!. Any good orruk knows that nothing Gorkamorka lays his four eyes upon can withstand a true tide of muscle and iron. The Wrekkamob is the pinnacle of orruk warfare: so many lads ready to hurl themselves at the foe with reckless abandon. A Tuskboss on Maw-grunta (which can also be built as a Maw-grunta with Hakkin’ Krew, or a Maw-grunta Gouger) spearheads the charge. Following up are six unstoppable Weirdbrute Wrekkaz (or Brute Ragerz) supported by 20 Ardboys, who appear to cleave to the conservative doctrine of shield and spear warfare, a pretence they rapidly abandon when they meet the enemy.
Shudderblight Cyst
Grandfather Nurgle is a jolly old fellow, more than happy to welcome all within arms open wide, and his followers are equally munificent, though redolent with rot and ruin. The Shudderblight Cyst, however, is not so mirthful – who could be under the command of a doleful figure such as the Harbinger of Decay? Unlike his cavorting contemporaries, he is serious to a fault, a grim practitioner of Nurgle’s pestilent plight. He is served by four buzzing Pusgoyle Blightlords (one of every pair can be built as a Lord of Afflictions) five Putrid Blightkings, and 10 Rotmire Creed – cultists who spread poxes through pernicious ranged attacks.
All four of these boxed sets will be available for pre-order later this year, and will be accompanied by five Battleforces for Warhammer 40,000 which you can check out via the reveal hub, alongside the rest of today’s reveals.
And finally, five people will win one of four Greater Daemons of Chaos (a Bloodthirster, a Lord of Change, a Great Unclean One, or a Keeper of Secrets) simply by signing up to – or by already being signed up to – the Warhammer email newsletter. Be signed up by 12th of October, and then click on your choice in the Warhammer Day email you receive to be in with a shot. Terms and conditions apply.
* Ignore incessant ramblings about the horrors, he is a peculiar gentleman.
