This week sees the big Boyz in the new beasty-Orks range, with the commanders out in force in what is a really nicely detailed kit. The Mozrog Skragbad/ Beastboss on Squigosaur combi-kit is deceptively large and both the rider options are awesome - one more tribal and the other heavily augmented. Probably the biggest vehicle kit GW has released in some years, the Kill Rig/ Hunta Rig is sizeable, and would be an absolute pain to transport to a game, however it's an amazing centrepiece and with the option to probably field more than one, the Orks are really going to be making a splash on the gaming tales and Golden Demon's this year. Sporting some awesome bionic legs, the new Painboss is a great looking model, and he has a cute little minion too!
When GW started licensing their IP wider, they picked a very smart action figure maker in JOYTOY. Probably the leader in articulated action figures today, the quality of their finished product is really impressive, so the new Vanguard Space Marines Ultramarines Incursors and Infiltrators action figure sets should be awesome. Word on the street is a November release, so we'll see if that blows out. Each set has four figures, so keep an eye on the bitz market for some awesome customisable options.
After a long wait, the next Horus Heresy Siege of Terra novel is coming. Bringing the White Scars Legion and their Primarch into the picture Warhawk comes in Limited Edition and Hardback. If you want it, grab it quickly because it will disappear.

I have to admit, the new Orcs have not created much excitement here, BUT, when I saw this model up close this morning and the options - it was a must-buy. The Swampboss Skumdrekk/ Snatchaboss on Sludgeraker Beast combi-kit not only offers these two models, but carries so much character in the stead itself, and for a fair price. it's not the only Orc combi-kit this week, there's also the Gobsprakk, The Mouth of Mork/ Killaboss on Corpse-rippa Vulcha bringing you the options to make one of two leaders. The model itself isn't huge, but the wing span gives it presence. Interestingly the price point is quite high, making it lose to Primarch pricing. The Swampy-Orcs also get the creepy-looking Marshcrawla Sloggoth, which has multiple crew and weapon options, but really, wouldn't you get nightmares just painting this? There's a new unit of Gutrippaz too, different from the ones in the starter set, with both spears or swords and axes. These are actually quite nice, and I'm being very good not being tempted. The forces of Order have some terrain this week, and if most of it looks familiar, you'd be right - the Domicile Shell, Domicile Shell with Winch and Guardian Idol are all available in the cheaper option (so pick this up while it's till around): Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Extremis Edition – Realmscape Expansion Set. There is also the Nexus Syphon which could be nice converted into all manner of scenery if you're not into the gleaming white look.

It's a pretty big week for Age of $igmar, with the two main contenders for this edition - the steadfast Stormcast and the new-look Orruk Warclans getting some additions and splits from the boxed edition to add to their forces. You think that would be enough to get our attention, but something that really got our attention was the new faction dice on pre-release this week, and how lacklustre they are! GW used to do amazing dice - think back to the Custodes, the Beastmen, Slaanesh and of course the Gloomspite Gitz. But it has to be said that these new dice look very cheap, boring, obviously not from their usual manufacturer. It's a real shame as their previous efforts always sold well, and looked great on the table. Everything about these new dice looks off; the finish, the colour (especially on the Chaos and Destruction ones) - they just lack the quality we are used to getting. Not sure what bean counter thought this move was a good idea, but for us it's a real drop in quality that wasn't needed.  

Alrighty, Age of $igmar peeps, your time has come - Sigmar's merry band of gold-rod muscle dudes and dudettes are here with their Battletome, which comes in Chromed and Ready To Rumble Limited Edition and Hail To The Chief Standard Edition. There's two amazing new models for the Stormcast too - both push-fit (which makes you wonder if they were meant for the boxed set), the Knight-Judicator with Gryph-hounds and Stormstrike Chariot. The Knight-Judicator comes with alternative heads and it has to be said, GW do a great job of chariots - those are bot excellent models. There's also two older releases boxed together in the form of the Stormcast Eternals: Masters of the Sacrosanct. The Stormcast of course get their Warscroll Cards and a set of rather nice Stormcast Eternals Dice Set.  Now in the red corner we have the Orruk Warclans. Clearly drawing heavily on GW's experience making Lord of the Rings models, this new-look Orc faction have their new Battletome which comes in Rusted Blade Limited Edition and Recycled Armour is the new Black Standard Edition. There's a spectacular leader model for these guys - the Breaka-boss on Mirebrute Troggoth, which despite being snap fit, comes with head options for both the boss and his rather large friend. There's also the Beast-skewer Killbow which is a very detailed BRUTAL kit! Of course our friends get their Warscroll Cards and a set of comparatively boring Orruk Warclans Dice.
Speaking of dice, here they are in all their non-glory. As mentioned above there's sets for Grand Alliance Order, Grand Alliance Death, Grand Alliance Chaos (yuck!), and Grand Alliance Destruction.
It's a week for dice, because everyone's favourite sexy Elves, the Dark Elves, get some love in the Blood Bowl world with the Dark Elf Team Dice, the Dark Elf Team Card Pack and the Dark Elf Team – Double-sided Pitch and Dugouts. Why don't the Dark Elves get more love? They picked Order in the Ao$ universe so they got boring... or did they?
In books we have the new dogfighting Double Eagle in Special Edition, the paperback version of Direchasm, and this month's ​White Dwarf comes with a transfer sheet for the Includes lore and rules for the Wolfspear, the Space Wolves Primaris successor Chapter. Literally the only reason to buy WD.

Orks were the first enemy in the early days of Warhammer 40K, not canonically, but certainly in the battle reports and fleshed out in a miniatures range. They have a rich history that's been layered over decades of change and evolution, with clans and heroes, great battles and epic rivalries - but this update of the Orks in the Warhammer 40K universe seems to be a whimper, not a storm. Overshadowed by Warhammer+, the sworn enemies of the Tau, greatest scourge of the Imperium (arguably alongside the Tyranids), the unstoppable tide, has been lost. Lackluster response to the new Beast Snaggas, and almost no attention to the excellent new Combat Patrol with new plastic Boyz is sad to see. Will this be a release lost amongst all the others? Looking at the content of the Combat Patrol, the new Boyz and their Warboss look like they were meant to be half of a battlebox possibly cancelled. The Orks do deserve better, and if you look back at the rich tapestry of lore, especially in the late 80s and early 90s, this release has been given little respect - respect earned over a long time, purely by he creative energy of many over the years let alone the hobbyists and fans who have kept their spirit alive while others have been given more love.

It seems kind of odd that Orks, of all races would get a Collector's Edition of their Codex. If anything they should get one that's all torn and damaged - but none the less, there is indeed a new Ork Codex which comes in Grot-Stomper Collector's Edition and Dakka-dakka Standard Edition. As mentioned above there is a very cool new Combat Patrol with 20 new Boyz, and new Warboss, new Deffkoptas and an older Deff Dread. These new Boyz, by the way, are snap-fit - another pointer to them potentially being from another set and repurposed for this box. The Beast Snaggas are getting another run, this time with the Ork Beast Snagga Boyz and the Squighog Boyz/ Nob on Smasha Squig combi-kit. The awesome Beastboss is also here, with his magic-endowed offsider Zodgrod Wortsnagga and an old favourite for many the Big Mek With Kustom Force Field. Speaking of older, the amazing Battlewagon/ Gunwagon/ Bonebreaka combi-kit is back. Truly one of the quintessential Ork kits, this is such a brilliant model and a huge hit when it was first released. There's an extra piece of Ork terrain if you didn't pick up Kill Team Octarius, the Big'ed Bossbunka. Of course, with any update there is the Orks Dice Set and Datacards.