Slower week with rumours we'll be seeing Cities of $igmar or maybe the new Epic next week, so we start this week with the next four of the Gaunt's Ghosts novels in Black Library Print on Demand format. Book 4 - Honour Guard, Book 5 - The Guns of Tanith, Book 6 - Straight Silver and Book 7 - Sabbat Martyr can be yours until order cut off on 14th of August, but be aware that "Items will be dispatched within 120 days of ordering". The cover on Sabbat Martyr is an absolute winner, harking back to the Judge Dredd-era.
This week also sees a new Warcry Starter Set, with Crypt of Blood featuring the already-released Xandire’s Truthseekers versus the Crimson Court, plus the new Crypt of Blood Scenery which is really nice! Also in Warcry we have the individual release of the Royal Beastflayers and the Questor Soulsworn to either add to your existing Ao$ forces or throw into Warcry. The more recent Flesh-eater Courts models are looking really great, which really does make us think about a potential update to some of the very old models.
In books, well other books, we have the paperback version of The Horus Heresy: Siege of Terra Book 8 - The End and the Death Volume 1, which surely must mean the final book must be on it's way!

To be fair, it's not a silly question. I mean these Cadians are like ants - you crush their home and they sprout up somewhere else! Nothing says Abaddon failed like the continued existence of Cadians. Worst of all, this week we have more of them, starting off with the new plastic Minka Lesk model. Sporting alternate head and weapon options, this seems like a lovely little kit to base all sorts of female officers on, but be aware - as a Black Library mini - it's got a higher price point than most character models and is available for a limited time. 
The various Necromunda expansions and addendums have been all grouped together to form what has to be the definitive Necromunda: Core Rulebook. Grouping all the gang rules (CLARIFICATION - thanks to our helpful reader below, we now know that despite earlier information, this doesn't include ALL the gang rules - so you will need the other expansion books to get those), plus the Trading Post from all previous books with the updated rules, this 366 page door-stopper has anything and everything you'd need to start, field or expand your forces. This is very tempting and once the AU price is released, this may be headed our way. There's also updated Necromunda: Core Gang Tactics Cards and the Necromunda: Open Hive War Card Pack with new scenarios and more. GW are back in the card sleeve market with these nice new Necromunda Card Sleeves to keep your precious cards free of Cheetos dust and the caked on blood of your foes. 
In books this week we have the new Minka Lesk-themed Shadow of the Eighth which comes in Special Edition and hardback versions, the Minka Lesk: The Last Whiteshield omnibus, and a new 40K Alpha Legion novel, Harrowmaster in paperback.
There's also a bit of merch this week with the Tanith Regimental Banner, which doesn't look that flash (mind you this could be the prototype) and GW haven't listed the size either. Buyer discretion is advised.

Every new edition has this week, the week when Games Workshop roll out the new Starter Sets. For anyone who's been in the hobby for a while, it's a pretty boring week - you've already started and these sets are the things that sales staff need to sell to hit targets. We've already been targeted, so this isn't for us. However, out in the Community there's the newbies who are very excited, so for them it's a big week to get stuck into a brand new edition of Warhammer 40K.
First off the rank is the Starting Warhammer 40,000: Recommended Collection, which has almost everything including some paint and hobby tools, plus some terrain. The Warhammer 40,000 Ultimate Starter Set gives you that minus the paint and hobby tools. The generic new Warhammer 40,000 Starter Set is that minus the terrain, but really gives you everything you need to play the game. Then there's the Warhammer 40,000 Introductory Set which is what grandma gets you when she knows you like it and you're eager to start but the other sets are too expensive. Aren't grandmas the best? They just really want to help you enjoy the thing you love! This set has some minis, some paint and tools and the rules to play with.
It's not just Starter Sets this week though - in fact there's the new Space Marines: Infernus Marines + Paints Set and the Tyranids: Termagants and Ripper Swarm + Paints Set - so if you want to get stuck into some of the new minis and struggle with probably the worst brush ever made, this is for you! There's also a new Warhammer 40,000: Paints + Tools Set, disposable brush included, with some paints that will get you started. Now with the new edition, came some new minis, and this week we get a few of those on their own, including the new excellent Librarian in Terminator Armour (who'd be an amazing base for a Word Bearers Terminator) and the really rather oddly flaccid Barbgaunts. This week also see's the small format Warhammer 40,000: The Rules which gives you something small to take to games and refer to. In the past these have been fairly good, and as it's not too expensive, probably not a bad thing to pick up if you're going to be gaming in store or with a group with the new edition. This is also limited, so if you want it, grab it because it will probably go quite quickly!
There's also the newly rebooted White Dwarf next week which sees issue 490 start off the new Warhammer Bunker, which sounds like all the old features people liked, but in a new club... which makes you wonder if GW will monetise that in the future, like the Warhammer 40,000 app will be.

There's a few cool Forge World things this week too. One of the best Blood Bowl minis in a while i the new Ripper Bolgrot. He's been beautifully painted, but dammit, for the life of me I can't work out what his head is doing! The other mini this week is the new Sons of Horus: Decurion Lanius which gives a commander for tank units. An awesome looking mini, and only made better by the banner! The Heavy Bolter is a new pattern too which is cool.

A returned Primarch, a Heretic Tau Commander and an Ork Commando walk into a bar... and they all die because the Ork dropped one of his grenades at his feet with the pin out.
Away from his Retinue boxed set this time, the Primarch of the First Legion, Lion El'Jonson, is here. Possibly one of the most dynamic and exciting models for some time, his dynamic pose and presence is a challenge to hobbyists and a delight to see on the battlefield. An absolute favourite model, he is absolutely awesome - especially with his Tywin Lannister head. Meanwhile, that rebel Tau ideologue, Commander Farsight, is here with his updated model, and it's a huge improvement. Adding beauty and style to the Tau forces with sleek lines, and an unmistakable aesthetic, whether you paint it up as Farsight or someone else, this is an awesome mini. It's a real shame Games Workshop have really only shown him in this limited pose, because some of the hobbyists in the Tau Community have produced some amazing pieces with him. The third of the triumvirate this weekend is Boss Snikrot, an excellent addition to the Ork ranks, he comes off the back of his original model being excellent (and some say even better). Take that grenade off the base and he'll look much better, and less about-to-explode.
In books this week we have two powerful heroines - Commissar Severina Raine in Honourbound, which comes in a stellar Special Edition and the not-so-dead Inquisitor Astor Sabbathiel in Awakenings in paperback. Also this week is the return of Cypher in ​Cypher: Lord of the Fallen hardback. What does happen to the leader of The Fallen when The Fallen have all been forgiven by their returned Primarch Lion El'Jonson? Find out from the 40 universe's most unreliable witness in what will surely be an interesting insight into the secretive Dark Angels Chapter. We'll be adding this to our Audible listening list for sure!

od-King Sigmar has had enough - no more of this emo Chaos silliness in his realms, it's time for the Dawnbringer Crusades to reclaim the land conquered by Chaos. It's time for rainbows and Gummi Bears again in the world of Warhammer Age of $igmar, and with it the first chapter of this narrative campaign that will change everything!! [insert dramatic music].
The Dawnbringer Crusades start today with the pre-orders for the first book in the series, Harbingers, which follows the campaigns to retake Aqshy and Ghyran. Harbingers is available in Frazetta Did It First Limited Edition and Horsey Needs A Nap Standard Edition. The cover of this book is truly spectacular, so beautifully rendered and evocative of the times the realms find themselves in. It will be interesting to see where this goes, and hopefully it's not yet another campaign that really goes nowhere. Age of $igmar, despite some great minis, has fallen down in the eyes of many hobbyists - you may remember the reaction to new minis at Warhammerfest was just one example - so this world really needs a solid boost. Along with the first book in this series, we also have four new Regiments of Renown, all lead by a new Hero - Phulgoth's Shudderhood led by a brand new Harbinger of Decay, Fjori's Flamebearers led by a new Grimhold Exile, the Braggit's Bottle-snatchaz led by a new Rabble-Rowza and Jerrion's Delegation led by a Marrowscroll Herald. These are all great sets, and the heroes are so evocative and well done that it's exciting to see what other heroes we might be getting in upcoming boxes. For Competitive Gamers, the new General's Handbook: Pitched Battles 2023-24 is out too, with a new Realm to explore, plus battleplans and more.
​ For those deeply entwined in the Old World of Warhammer, there's a new game in town and it's not for the feint hearted. Gutter Bowl is what happens when you take Blood Bowl and move it to the streets and alleyways of cities, villages and towns... and take away the referees. It's brutal, it's mean, and for hobbyists is a whole new challenge to build amazing terrain. This week sees two teams released, Underworld Denizens Blood Bowl Team – The Underworld Creepers and Old World Alliance Blood Bowl Team – The Middenheim Maulers. These teams are mixed factions in the one team, and full tribute to Games Workshop here, unlike the recent Regiments of Renown boxes, they have actually presented these teams painted up in the colours to unify them. To go with the teams are the Team Card Packs for the Underworld Denizens and the Old World Alliance.
In books this week we have the new Grombrindal anthology Chronicles of The Wanderer in paperback and the Children of Teclis in hardback.