Warhammer Fest 2023 has come to an end!
It has been an incredible weekend of previews, tournaments, Golden Demon, cosplay, game demos, and so much more.
You can watch our highlights reel below or scroll back through our live blog below to recap all the hits.
We'll see you again soon!
You can see all of the reveals at the link below, or read of for our in-depth live coverage...
Monday, 9:00pm
A huge thanks to all the people who joined us for Warhammer Fest 2023!
Our Head of Global Events, Mike, said: "Running any event of this sort requires nothing but total passion, commitment and joy from those involved in running it, and it's something we do out of deep love of our community. The love that was returned to us and the joy that we witnessed from the community was incredible. All I can say is thank you. This community is why we all do what we do. We love Warhammer, and Warhammer is you. Thanks for coming out."
Monday, 8:30pm
The last dice have been rolled, the dust has settled and the Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Age Of Sigmar Grand Tournaments are over!
That means that we can finally crown the Best Generals for Warhammer Fest 2023, with expenses-paid golden tickets for the World Championships of Warhammer up for grabs.
The Warhammer 40,000 champion was Iron Hands master Innes Wilson, going 9-0 in an incredibly competitive field. David Gaylard came in second-to-one with Astra Militarum, losing only to the champion.
In another twist, the winner and second place of the Warhammer 40,000 Best General award had both already qualified for the World Championships of Warhammer in Atlanta! So his golden ticket passed to third placed Brian Seipp and his Aeldari.
The Warhammer Age of Sigmar champion was Ritchie Meally with his Kharadron Overlords, going 8-0 in another tough campaign. Second-to-one was taken by Geir Veded with Gloomspite Gitz, losing out only to the champion. We’ll see you in Atlanta for the World Championships, Richie!
Monday, 7:00pmWarhammer Fest 2023 is officially closed! And what a weekend is has been! Fest 2023 has been the biggest ever – with amazing reveals, stunning cosplay, tightly-fought tournaments, and so much more!
We saw the amazing Leviathan launch box for #New40k, crowded around a display of terrifying Tyranids and shiny new Space Marines, and played demo games with the Battle Report team. We revealed the grand new campaign for Warhammer Age of Sigmar with a host of heroes, hogs, and horses, and caught a glimpse of the very first new models for Warhammer: The Old World.
We took in a massive plastic Knight, high-flying plastic infantry, and the first campaign expansion for Warhammer: The Horus Heresy. All the while, a veritable Legion of cosplayers fought a war of their own for the top spot in the Cosplay Contest and Showcase. We caught a surprise expansion for Kill Team, a new team of Warhammer Heroes, a tantalising teaser for the next season, and even tested our real-world skills in the laser tagger killzone of Kill Team Live!
We saw new warbands for Warhammer Underworlds and Warcry, indulged our curiosity in post-preview Q&As, and checked out the roadmaps of future expansions for games both big and small. We revealed a gorgeous diorama for the Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game, and goggled at whole cabinets of beautiful dioramas, duels, squads, and single miniatures from Golden Demon entrants.
We watched tactical masters pursue ultimate victory in tournament games all weekend, admired beautiful armies arrayed across the tables, and tried our hand at shooters, strategy, and shuffling cards in Warhammer video games across the venue. We saw painters tackle a veritable grey mountain of free models and hobby challenges, sharpened our skills in hobby classes, grabbed event exclusives and licensee swag, searched high and low for the scavenger hunt, proved our know-wots in a giant pub quiz, and caught up with fellow fans from across the UK – and beyond!
We've still got some more results to announce, as the final tournament games are still ongoing, and will be for a couple of hours yet – such is the price of victory – but this year's Warhammer Fest is coming to an end. Whether you joined us in Manchester or followed along at home, we hope you had fun – and we'll see you next time!
Monday, 6:00pm
Here's Albert Moreto Font holding up his Slayer Sword! Warhammer Fest 2023 is entering its final hour!
Monday, 5:15pm
The judges have spoken, the winners have been chosen, and Golden Demon is over for another year. But who is lofting that coveted Slayer Sword? Albert Moreto Font is the overall winner of Golden Demon 2023 with his Warhammer Age of Sigmar Single Miniature entitled King of the Lumineth. It's certainly a winning entry fit for a king, with simply stunning work throughout. We'll have an interview with Albert – and plenty of close-up photography of the model – this week, so check back in on Warhammer Community!
Monday, 4:30pm
Tense times! The audience is entering the auditorium for the Golden Demon awards ceremony! Who will win the Slayer Sword? Stay tuned!
Monday, 3:30pm
Way back in December, we ran a festive mega competition with a star prize – an all-expenses-paid VIP trip to Warhammer World and Warhammer Fest. WarCom just caught up with the lucky winner Chad Smith and his wife Natalie to find out how they're finding their trip.
"It was the best Christmas present I've ever had," Chad says. "It has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
"The chance to have conversations and make connections with other painters and fans has been incredible," Natalie adds.
We whisked the couple all the way over from from Yukon, Oklahoma. They arrived in Nottingham first, for a full day at our Warhammer World HQ where they got the chance to explore the home of the Warhammer hobby and to marvel at the huge dioramas in the museum.
"We were blown away by the scale and amount of miniatures there," says Chad
From there, Chad and Natalie went to Manchester and had the full VIP experience this weekend at Warhammer Fest. It was Chad's first time in the UK, but Fest is not his first Warhammer event - he played in the Kill Team Grand Tournament at the Kansas City Open last year.
The pair are big fans of Kill Team and other Warhammer boxed games, which they play with their two sons. They were especially excited by the Kill Team preview event, and are looking forward to adding to their collections in the future. Thanks to both of them for visiting, and we wish you safe travels back to the US!
Monday, 2:45pmWarhammer Alliance is our educational support programme for the Warhammer hobby, run in schools and clubs around the world. A Teacher's Symposium has just finished up, and the Scouts are exploring Warhammer Fest today, getting stuck into the Paint and Take activities! Click through to find out how you can get involved.
Monday, 2:00pmWarCom's Luke entered his first Golden Demon this year with a Lord of Hubris (in The Open Competition, as he's Warhammer staff). He managed to break its arm on the morning of submission, but a quick fix and it's as good as new. No pin for him this year amid very stiff competition, but he's already got plans for next year. Check out the rest of his army here!
Monday, 1:00pmWho among us HASN'T wanted to kitbash their own custom diorama or bespoke monstrosity from a massive pile of sprues, shorn of such petty constraints as morals, ethics, and budgets? Fans at Fest have been digging into the grey mountain of the Hobby Challenge with gusto, to compete for the coveted Scrap Demon trophy.
Monday, 12:45pmWe spoke with Dan and Andrew, a pair of cowboy-hat-wearing skirmish game aficionados, as they left the Kill Team preview. They both enjoy seeing Kill Team explore the shadowy corners of the 41st Millennium, bringing to light elements that wouldn't get the spotlight in mainline Warhammer 40,000 – so Ashes of Faith seems like a perfect reveal, no?Andrew's super-excited to see how the Chaos Cult's mutation mechanic works in-game, while Dan's eager to "borrow" other operatives for an Inquisitorial kill team. As long-time Warhammer 40,000 fans, they enjoyed all the nostalgic throwbacks in the Inquisitorial Agents kit – like the spear-toting Death World Veteran.They were also wowed by Kill Team Justian, as they love the idea of getting to play with a set of lovely bespoke heroes. We'll leave them both to undertake their next covert operation – a demo game of #New40k!
Monday, 12:30pm
Who could have expected the Imperial Inquisition? The Kill Team Preview just showed off an awesome new Ordos agents team. Plus, a whole new way to collect a Kill Team, and a suitably sneaky preview of the next season!
Click through to the hub to review all the reveals of the Warhammer Fest weekend.
Monday, 12:00pm
Action stations, operatives! The preview for Kill Team is about to commence. To receive your briefing, lock eyes on our Twitch stream above – or follow this link to Twitch – and begin preparations for your next mission...
Monday, 11:45amGamers have been testing their skills in digital strategy all weekend at the Slitherine booth, in demo games of Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector and Gladius. Fans of turn-based tactics and futuristic 4X warfare – head on over!
Monday, 11:30amIt might be the last day of Fest, but the Warhammer 40,000 and Age of Sigmar tournaments are still in full swing!There are expenses-paid golden tickets for the World Championships of Warhammer up for grabs for the best generals of both games, but the Best Overall winners were announced at the end of day two, taking into account the first six rounds of game results as well as painting scores.Golden tickets were awarded to Boris Michev and his World Eaters for Warhammer 40,000, and Nicolas Tassone with his Kharadron Overlords for Warhammer Age Of Sigmar. They'll be joining us in Atlanta at the end of the year. There were more tournament winners crowned on Sunday night – Rob Medwell took victory in the Warhammer: The Horus Heresy Singles Event, while the Friday Knights team took the victory in the Doubles Event. Promising young generals also took to the podium, with Robin D. taking the Youngbloods title.
Monday, 11:00amThe Kill Team tournament finished last night, in a thrilling after-hours showdown between Wallace West's Ork Kommandos and eventual winner Dan Barton's Imperial Navy Breachers. Huge demand saw the Kill Team tournament boosted from 64 players to a massive 128-player super-event that required a seventh-round final match to crown a champion. The bout went on until after 10pm – Wallace's Orks dominated the early game, but a tenacious fightback by the Navy in the last turning point saw Dan claim victory. The game was a real community affair, with many tournament-goers staying late to watch and support the two finalists.
The win scored Dan an expenses-paid trip to the World Championships of Warhammer – but in a final twist, it turned out that this was the SECOND Golden Ticket that Dan has won (he really is quite good at Kill Team...), so Wallace too will qualify and join us in Atlanta at the end of the year. Congrats to both!
Monday, 10:00amThe team from Koyo merch have brought along a cage packed with adorable gryph-hound plush dolls. They're inviting visitors to guess how many gryph-hounds are packed inside, and the winner can take home an absolutely giant-sized gryph-hound plush! His name is Archibald, and WE MUST HAVE HIM.
Fans are also spinning a wheel of prizes and painting up their own Warhammer pin badges at the Koyo booth – now if you'll excuse us, we need to calculate the volume of a cube stuffed with fearsome dog-bird-beasts. Carry the three...
Monday, 9:30amFocus Entertainment are here at Warhammer Fest, and fans from across the grim darkness of the far future are flocking to try out the demo for Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun – a gloriously gory retro FPS that arrives on PC and consoles in May.
The booth also features the gruesome collector's edition statue for Space Marine 2 – we had our nose pressed up against the glass...
Monday, 9:00amParade Ready armies, Golden Demon entries, and stunning cosplay aren't the only artistic talents on display at Warhammer Fest this weekend. We couldn't help but stop and chat with Calum from Edinburgh as he was sketching the life-sized Terminator statue – in biro, as it was all he had with him! He reckons the piece took a little over an hour to complete!
Monday, 8:00amIt's the final day of Fest! But we've still got a Kill Team preview, tournament action, hobby activities and the Golden Demon Awards to look forward to!But it will still be sad to say goodbye to Manchester Central. Even the entrance to Warhammer Fest is loaded with atmosphere for fans of the newly-revealed Leviathan launch set. Are you ready to sign up to fight against the Tyranid menace and become a hero? We know you've got it in you,
. Your first order is to review our highlights from yesterday...
Sunday, 6:00pmDay two has been absolutely packed with news – a grand campaign and a horde of heroes for Warhammer Age of Sigmar, a massive plastic Knight, new characters, and updated infantry for Warhammer: The Horus Heresy, and the first new models for Warhammer: The Old World! Not to mention cosplay winners, titanic tournaments, and hobby hustle galore.
Tournament games will continue for a few hours yet – victory demands dedication – but the rest of us will soon be departing for our stasis pods and Stormvaults. See you tomorrow for Kill Team reveals, and the Golden Demon winners!
Sunday, 5:30pmThe Paint and Take area is a hive (or hive city?) of industry at Warhammer Fest - with eager hobbyists taking the chance to paint a free model and take it home. It's a genius bit of naming.
Sunday, 5:00pmGuardsmen and Orks are skirmishing over vital tactical objectives at Warhammer Fest in the incredible Kill Team Live. The finest men and women of the Astra Militarum have been doing their best to drive off the Waaagh! with their reliable, standard-issue lasguns, but mobs of Orks have been tagging ’umies left, right, and centre with ramshackle shootas, which pump out a ridiculous amount of dakka. We wonder who will have control of the killzone when the smoke clears...
Sunday, 4:30pmWarhammer Fest 2023 has seen a coterie of creative cosplayers descend upon Manchester, clad in finery from all the worlds of Warhammer. Click through to the article below for a video highlight of the amazing costumes on display, plus an interview with amazing winner of the Cosplay Contest and Showcase.
Sunday, 4:00pmThe team from Cubicle 7 are here to show off all their lovely RPGs set in various of Warhammer worlds. There's Soulbound for adventures in the Mortal Realms, Wrath and Glory for action-packed games in the 41st Millennium, and the latest edition of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, the classic game set in the Old World. They're also debuting their latest game – Imperium Maledictum.
As Dom from Cubicle 7 explains, Imperium Maledictum is a game of investigation and shadowy combat, suited to players who love exploring the intricate corners of the setting. You play a team of operatives running secret missions for mysterious patrons high up in the Imperial apparatus – the theme is noir, the stakes are high, and if you're caught, your patron will deny all knowledge of your existence. It's up for digital pre-order later this year, ahead of a potential physical release in autumn.
Sunday, 3:30pm
Cosplay coincidence, or the divine guidance of the blessed Lady? We spotted this glorious Bretonnian Grail Knight (@dukeofbretonnia) questing his way out of the Warhammer: The Old World preview – and couldn't help but note his shocking similarity to the Bretonnian Paladin we just announced!
The cosplayer in question, (Sir?) Nick was ecstatic to see himself mirrored on the screen as he sat in the audience.
Warhammer Fest was his first time EVER cosplaying and he is looking forward to taking inspiration from The Old World for future costumes.
Nick started collecting Bretonnians in Warhammer Fantasy Battle back in 2004. Total War: Warhammer reignited his love of the world of chivalry, and he has recently been collecting old models and converting up his own ones using kits as diverse as Chaos Legionnaires and Cawdor gangers.
Sunday, 3:15pmGuided by our master painters, attendees at the Warhammer Fest Hobby Classes are busily brushing up on basing, blending, batch painting, and other skills that don't start with a "B". Soon they'll be ready for next year's Golden Demon...
Sunday, 2:45pmWe caught up with James and his son Beckitt outside of the Warhammer: The Horus Heresy and Warhammer: The Old World previews. James was a huge High Elf fan back in the day, but is eager to get his hands on new Bretonnians – for the Lady! Beckitt was very excited by the cool new Space Marine characters, especially after seeing all the amazing cosplayers. Beckitt also turned eight on Friday, what a birthday present!
They're both looking forward to splitting the Leviathan box – James is going for Tyranids, while Beckitt will be getting the Space Marines. We wish him luck vanquishing the Great Devourer, a.k.a. his dad!
Sunday, 2:30pmAn angry skeletal tyrant, and angry Space Marine tyrants! A noble knight, and a VERY TALL Knight! Plus, the high-flying future of the Age of Darkness... Click through to the Warhammer Fest hub to find all the reveals for Warhammer: The Horus Heresy and Warhammer: The Old World in one place.
Sunday, 2:00pmThe previews for Warhammer: The Horus Heresy and Warhammer: The Old World are starting! Feast your eyes on the Twitch stream above – or follow this link to our Twitch – and catch every reveal from out of the mist of distant ages...
Sunday, 1:30pmThe Golden Demon finalists are being decided as we speak! There have been some stunning entries submitted this year, making the final selection process ever more difficult. Make sure to visit the cabinets, and share your own favourite entries with us on Twitter and Facebook!
Sunday, 1:00pmA migratory herd of Titans sweeps majestically across the astrogranite plains, seeking a new habitat for their young. If these magnificent beasts cannot find a fresh promethium refinery, they may not survive the winter.
Oh, no, our mistake – it's the Warhammer Fest Titan Walk, where the Titan Owners Club are playing a massive game of Adeptus Titanicus using Titan models in Warhammer 40,000 scale!
Matt, the organiser, said: "We've got 36 Titans in the game today taking each other on in a huge game, with even more on display. Every time a Titan gets a kill, their owner gets to add a badge to their Titan's lovingly crafted banner."Go and check out the incredible spectacle of these towering engines of death, and make sure you keep an eye out for the incredible custom-made Imperator Titan.
Sunday, 12:45pmWe've grabbed a few fans leaving the Warhammer Age of Sigmar previews to get their live reactions. Ivan and Patricija are here from London – after a packed weekend of building and painting in the Hobby zone, Patricja's most excited by the new Freeguild Cavaliers, but Ivan thought the Harbinger of Decay stole the show!
We also spoke to Jacob, here with his parents – he's absolutely buzzing for Warhammer Age of Sigmar, and as a fan of all things duardin he can't wait for the Grimhold Exile... but the Marrowscroll Herald is also very gross and cool. Now he's off to search for scavenger hunt QR codes – best of luck, young Fyreslayer!
Sunday, 12:30Knightly Freeguild warriors! A two-pronged Dawnbringer Crusade! Four new heralds of Order, Chaos, Death, and Destruction! And the biggest piggy that ever went to market! Follow the link to the hub and check out all the amazing new stuff headed to the Mortal Realms.
Sunday, 12:00pmIt's time for the Warhammer Age of Sigmar preview to begin, and eager fans have packed out the Manchester Central auditorium! Watch the Twitch stream above (or click through to Twitch) to watch all the reveals right alongside us.
Sunday, 11:30amWhoso raiseth this massive chainsword, is rightwise Emperor born of all the Imperium! Well, not really, but it's a great photo op for fans visiting Fest. Funhammer Cosplay UK have brought a small armoury of weapons for fans to heft – go check them out!
Sunday, 11:00amAttendees with premium three-day tickets to Warhammer Fest were treated to a proper swag crate, packed with wonderful Warhammer goodies. We sent clandestine agents out uncover the contents – both 2023 event-exclusive miniatures, an exclusive Warhammer Fest 2023 water bottle, badge, and collectable coin, a random dice set (we've already seen people trading dice with friends!), plus a selection of swag from our licensee partners showing off video games at Warhammer Fest. Did you get one? Show us your swag on the Warhammer Twitter page.
Sunday, 10:30am
More than 2,000 people have already participated in the Warhammer Fest scavenger hunt, with clues cunningly secreted at key locations around the venue yesterday. We can't say too much lest the Masters of the Ordo Eventus declare exterminatus on this live blog, but suffice it to say anywhere you see a QR code in the venue, scan it and answer a riddle. There are prizes...
Sunday, 10:00amIs you cunnin' an' brave enuff to join da Looncourt? Fans have been testing their aim at Fest with this real-life Squigapult – it's a weapon that requires a strong arm, a keen eye, and true grotty spirit.
Sunday, 9:30amIt's not all previews and tournaments here at Fest. Computer game developers Everguild have brought an incredible stand to Warhammer Fest to show off Warpforge - the upcoming Warhammer digital collectible card game that arrives on Steam later this year. Launching with six factions – Ultramarines, Tyranids, Orks, Aeldari, Necrons, and Chaos Space Marines – it’ll land on other platforms later this year, including iOS and Android.
Visitors to the stand can try out a live demo of the game, and earn access to a pre-alpha that they can play at home. That’s not all – you can step into a real-life Warpforge to get scanned by the arcane technology of the 41st Millennium. This will assess you, determine which faction you belong to, and take your likeness to create a physical card that you can take home!
Sunday, 9:00am
The tournaments are kicking off again, and it's still all to play for - there's 43 people tied for the lead in the 40k event alone!
Today will see the Age Of Sigmar, Kill Team and Warhammer 40,000 events bracketed. This means that after the fourth round (or fifth round for 40k), players will be put into groupings based on their win record. The top 16 will compete to be named Best General, but those who have lost a game or two (or four!) will be playing against people with the same record. Winners of each bracket at the end of the weekend will also get recognition, so even gamers that had a rocky start on Saturday can still claim glory!
Good luck to everyone playing!
Sunday, 8:00amIt's day two of Warhammer Fest! There's another bumper day of Warhammer goodness to enjoy today whether you're here in person or joining us online. And to get you in the mood, here's our highlight reel from yesterday:
(You might need to accept cookies, or click through to YouTube)
Saturday, 6:30pm
We're wrapping things up for the day here at the WarCom live blog, and heading over to check out the Golden Demon cabinets. But there's still hours of tournament gaming to go in the main hall, and hundreds of fans are getting ready for the ultimate Warhammer Pub Quiz in the auditorium. We'll see you all bright and early in the morning for day two!
Saturday, 6:00pmIt's been a day of absolutely massive reveals – the Leviathan launch set for Warhammer 40,000, new warbands for Warcry and Warhammer Underworlds, and a marrow-chilling Middle-earth diorama. Plus stunning cosplay, fierce tournaments, and so much more.
Here's just a taste of the things we've seen:
Saturday, 5:30pmThe team behind Warhammer Combat Cards are on stage to discuss the mobile card battling game, which is currently running an Arks of Omen-inspired campaign. Fans can also visit their booth throughout Fest to chat, claim in-game freebies, and become living cards! Give us your best Tor Garadon scowl! No, scowlier than that. Scowlier...
Saturday, 5:00pm
We spoke to Mike, a Warhammer Underworlds tournament veteran who watched the Underworlds preview while relaxing after a tense first round. “I love the look of The Headsmen’s Curse. Their different roles bring lots of personality to the Nighthaunt, from the Bladegheist-style leader to the Chainrasp minions with all their specific jobs.”
As a lover of aggro decks, Mike is looking forward to a warband that he thinks will match his playstyle. “I’m running the Exiled Dead, so I'm used to bringing grunts back from the dead – but the fact that the Wielder of the Blade is at the front, swinging away, makes me think they'll play very aggressively." Thanks Mike – we wish you good luck in the very closely-fought tournament!
Saturday, 4:30pmThe winner of the Warhammer Fest 2023 Cosplay Competition has been revealed! Em Johnson, of Limestone Forge, triumphed with her incredible Imperial Fist Praetor costume, which is festooned with details and features lightning claws that light up with searing red energy. A victory worthy of Dorn! We'll have a chat with Em and loads more Cosplay coverage here on Warhammer Community tomorrow.
Saturday, 4:00pmIf you've ever needed to know the transport capacity of a lift, we now have photo evidence. WarCom's roving reporter encountered this trio of Deathwatch operatives on their way to an alien death world and/or cosplay contest. We haven't heard from him since...
Saturday, 3:30pmGolden Demon registrations have been coming in thick and fast all day. Are you entering this year's Golden Demon? Share your entry on our Twitter and Facebook pages, or tag us on Instagram – we're no judges, you're all winners to us.
Saturday, 3:00pmThe first day's Warhammer 40,000: Tacticus tournament is underway! There's one running all three days of Warhammer Fest, and a booth where fans can get a free Epic Dark Angel for their game account. WarCom's Tom plays Tacticus, and he's just headed over to pick up his own Unforgiven souvenir.
Saturday, 2:30pm
There's some amazing cosplay on display around the arena.We spoke to Dan, who is cosplaying an Orlock Ganger – as he's from the Black Country, the House of Iron is an especially appropriate choice. He's enjoying the chance to really get into character as he bounces off other cosplayers and fans, so keep an eye out for him!
Saturday, 2:00pm
The Cosplay Contest and Showcase is about to start, and we've been chatting with some of the attendees. We spoke to one in full Imperial regalia – it's Liberty's first Warhammer Fest, and she's looking forward to meeting other cosplayers, especially the awesome Iron Warriors costume shown below - which comes with its own sound effects.
We'll have a full Cosplay Contest report and video for you to enjoy tomorrow!
Saturday, 1:30pm
We've got a huge number of players on the first day of the tournaments – 360 for the Warhammer 40,000 Grand Tournament, 118 for Kill Team, and hundreds more for Warhammer Age of Sigmar, Warhammer Underworlds, and Warhammer: The Horus Heresy. A special shout out to the four Warhammer Age of Sigmar Youngbloods, in a tightly-fought tournament with all to play for!
"These are some of the best-painted armies at any Grand Tournament I've been to", says Zach, one of the head organisers. "The whole event is going great – it's absolutely massive!"
Saturday, 1:00pmWe've caught up with some of the people coming out of the preview for Warcry, Warhammer Underworlds, and the Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game . Simon and Lydia from Derby were excited to attend their first Warhammer Fest. Lydia is a Middle-earth super fan, and was thrilled with the new Get Off The Road diorama, which could be taken straight from the screen. Simon loved the new Flesh-eater Courts Royal Beastflayers, and reckons that the Headsmen’s Curse entice him back into Warhammer Underworlds. They've picked up loads of cool swag, and had to rush off to finish up the last part of the scavenger hunt!
Saturday, 12:30pmCrazed ghouls and golden knights beneath the branches. Relentless wraiths beneath the roots. Frightened Hobbits beneath the trunks... We've just had reveals for Warcry, Warhammer Underworlds, and the Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game - and you can head to the reveal hub linked below to dive in to all the other previews from today.
Saturday, 12:00pmBig news for fans of fantasy worlds and warring heroes – it's preview time for Warcry, Warhammer Underworlds, and the Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game! Watch the Twitch stream above (or click through to Twitch) to catch all the reveals as they happen.
Saturday, 11:30am
Entries are flooding in for Golden Demon. Paul has just registered for his first ever Golden Demon competition, with three entries! His main entry is a Warhammer 40,000 Large Model – Magnus, with truly angelic white wings. Paul's been hobbying for 20 years, but really focused on levelling up his skills in the last five.
"I've reached the point where I feel I'd be happy with my entry, and after spending three months working on Magnus, I'm looking forward to taking part in the event." Make sure you swing by the Golden Demon cabinets to check out his entry, and many more!
Saturday, 11:00amThe action is heating up at the #New40k demonstration area! The tables are thronged with fans getting their first chance to try out the rules from the new edition, under the expert tutelage of the Battle Report presenters from Warhammer TV. "The Screamer-Killer was the star in my first game today," says Nick. "It rampaged through the middle of the table, shrugging off everything the Space Marines could throw at it – including heavy fire from two Ballistus Dreadnoughts." Our WarCom reporter could only stand by and watch as the beast shredded an Infernus Squad who had the temerity to charge in...
Saturday, 10:45amHundreds of players are here competing in the tournament area. Scott and Zach are here for the Warhammer: The Horus Heresy Singles Event, representing White Scars and Imperial Fists respectively – it's the first ever Warhammer Fest for both of these proud Loyalists! They're looking forward to catching the preview streams on their phones while gaming, and then seeing all the new miniatures in person.
Saturday, 10:30amFans at Fest are getting the first chance to see the models from Leviathan up close and personal - the 'Eavy Metal miniatures are on display near the #New40k demo area.
Saturday, 10:00amJames, George, Rhiannon and Pearl all came out of the auditorium "absolutely buzzing" at all those lovely Leviathan reveals! A mixture of veterans and relative newcomers to the Warhammer hobby, they said that they're most excited about the monstrous new Screamer-Killer (it really is a big 'un) and the Sternguard Veterans – but everything looks "amazing", and they can't wait to get their hands on the box. We caught them as they were heading straight over to the cabinets to see the real 'Eavy Metal miniatures in the flesh (and ceramite/chitin).
Saturday, 9:30amThe preview for #New40k is in full swing! Check out everything that's been revealed at the article linked below, including the full Leviathan launch set – there's a new Terminator Captain, flamer-toting Primaris Space Marines, a new breed of psychic Tyrant, living Tyranid artillery, and more! What are you most excited to get your hands on?
Saturday, 9:00amThe #New40k preview is about to kick off! Watch the Twitch stream above for all the reveals from the grim darkness of the far future as they're shown off for the first time in the Manchester Central auditorium! What are you hoping to see? Tell us on our Twitter and Facebook pages.
Saturday, 8:45am
Speaking of Space Marines... One of the first things you'll see when you walk into Manchester Central is this giant 11-foot-tall life-sized Terminator. Get your photos of him!
Saturday, 8:30amThe WarCom team will be out and about in the arena all day, chatting to fans. One group at the front of the queue travelled to Manchester from Norfolk and Guildford, and joined the queue at 6:20 this morning! Over at the auditorium, people are already waiting for the #New40k preview. Connor from Manchester is looking forward to seeing new Terminators, and will be kitbashing Necromunda in the Hobby Challenge later on. Julia from Newcastle is hoping to see some greenskins, and David from Ireland is with his son Campbell, who really wants to see more Space Marines. There's also a group all the way from Austria who are here to play Kill Team and are excited to see more from the Old World.
Saturday, 8:00amWarhammer Fest is GO! The first fans are streaming through the doors. Tell us what you're most looking forward to seeing on our Twitter and Facebook pages!
Saturday, 7:30am
Just 30 minutes until the first fans will be walking through the doors of Manchester Central. Here's the VAST tournament area, ready for hundreds of players to do battle:
Saturday, 7:00am
The set-up grots were working late into the night putting the final touches to the hall. Here’s how things looked one day ago! It's been all change since then...
Want to see more from Fest? Click here to see all of the reveals: