On this holiest of days it does seem like heresy to be speaking about Warhammer when this is the day to celebrate Star Wars, but here we are. I'm sure Star Wars can share some of the light with their much less vaunted cousin.
Fans of little tanks rejoice - for there is a rumbling on the horizon, and glory-be it is the tracks of the Emperor's armoured fist. The largest Solar Auxilia tank so far, the Stormhammer has arrived, looking a tad different to the original one from Epic days, along with the Malcador Squadron (delayed in the US and Canada). In lore the Malcador was fielded by all arms of the conflict - Militia, Army, Auxilia and Adeptus Astartes - but having not read the rules for Legions Imperialis I'm not sure if that's a thing these days! The foot-sloggers need a way to get around too, so the Dracosan Transport Detachment is here, plus something to pound the enemy with, the Basilisk and Medusa Battery will be very much appreciated. The Space Marines also get some reinforcements with the awesome Sicaran Squadron (delayed in the US and Canada) mixing speed with power, the Dreadnought Drop Pods (which can also be made into shield-throwing Palisade Drop Pods) and Legiones Astartes Drop Pods getting your troops right into the action, and last but not least, Legion Fast Attack giving you speeders, bikes, jet bikes and more. A great little set!
Middle Earth fans get some new terrain this week, with the new Osgiliath – Ruined City of Gondor bringing even more scenery to the table. It must be said though, the price is awfully high, especially compared to third party sellers and especially 3D products in the market!
Made to Order brings us Orcs and Goblins this week, with the absolutely iconic Orc Shaman on Wyvern making an incredibly nostalgic reappearance. He's joined by Stone Trolls 1 and Stone Trolls 2, the fantastic River Trolls (though the plastic ones are pretty much the same), a very cool Black Orc Big Boss with Axe & Shield, and last but absolutely not least, the venerable Marauder Giant. This was THE mini to have in the old days. A mighty presence and formerly a big favourite for Golden Demon entrants. All these minis are in metal, which when it comes to the Giant and the Shaman on Wyvern is a real shame! Both of these deserve the resin treatment AND to be available for longer than this limited window. 
In other products, Darktide: The Miniatures Game is out, featuring previously released minis and some cardboard. The price on this is frankly ridiculous, and even it's existence is questionable.
In books this week we have ​Ciaphas Cain: Vainglorious in paperback spanning the period of time before he's just about to head to the Imperial Retirement Home. 
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Read on for the stuff that's geoblocked! 

It's a worldwide celebration. Everyone is invited to the party. Come see these exciting features in a special-sized 500th issue of White Dwarf... except if you're in Australia and New Zealand.
​That's right you're not included! Oh and not only can't you get the 500th White Dwarf, you also can't get the new Grombrindal commemorative miniature. PARTY ON!! 
Seriously, the fact GW can't get themselves organized enough to get these two products out to everyone is shameful. It's been announced that their warehouses will be shutting down at the end of this month for some urgent works (and we have a theory about what's going to happen), but come on. Exclusion does not a community make! Very disappointing to many fans, I'm sure. 

Alrighty, strap yourself in for one of those weird staggered release weekends, but at least this time it's all one universe - Warhammer: The Old World!
We start off with the Arcane Journal: Orcs and Goblin Tribes spilling all the beans on the Green Horde! Do you like brand new miniatures - well the new Goblin Shaman - coming with absolutely no options, is a really lovely, evocative miniature, and integral to your Goblin army! Now onto the classic stuff, with the returning metal Orc & Goblin Tribes Orc Shamans set, the delayed release in Aust/NZ Orc & Goblin Tribes Battalion which reissues classic (and some not long discontinued) Orc models, including the Orc Boyz Mobs and Boar Chariots which are also available separately this week. Also in the "mobs" category are the generic Orc Mobs, the very cool Orc Boar Boyz Mob and the Goblin Mobs (who are also in the Orc & Goblin Tribes Battalion), a personal favourite the Night Goblin Mob and recently discontinued Goblin Wolf Rider Mob. Orcs and Goblins are nothing without their Dice and Reference Cards - so don't forget those!
The Bretonnians get some new and classic love this weekend with the new Forge World Lady Élisse Duchaard (an exquisitely painted mini), the new Kingdom of Bretonnia Lord on Royal Pegasus which can also be made as a Duke or Baron with a pegasus mount. A really stunning model, and available for the first time outside of the Bretonnian army box. The classics keep on rolling with the plastic Kingdom of Bretonnia Men at Arms and Kingdom of Bretonnia Peasant Bowmen, plus the new Kingdom of Bretonnia Transfer Sheet (more on transfer sheets later).
Sadly the Japanese audience miss out on the classic Orcs and the classic Bretonnians this pre-order wave.
Everyone's favourite analogue Necrons, the Tomb Kings of Khemri get a reworking of their classic metal Casket of Souls, but this time in resin. There's new detail on this kit, with internal detail tot he casket and the scattered skulls have also been redone. It's a shame in a way that they didn't redo the heads on the guards too - it's really the only thing holding this mini back from looking new! Formerly a very rare miniature, the very old classic Tomb Kings of Khemri Necrolith Colossus is back, this time in resin and includes the never before released helmeted head and apparently added overall mobility.

Now we did mention the new transfers in the Orc and Bretonnian kits, and here's a closer look. The Orc and Goblin ones are interesting as Games Workshop have replaced the classic embossed shields with flat shields and then coloured transfers to replace them. In terms of continuity it's a real shame, mind you, new transfers are always nice. Speaking of nice transfers, the transfers included in the classic Bretonnian kits are the same as the sheet available separately - mind you at the price, you may as well buy the minis.  

While Australia and New Zealand catch up on some Orcs and Goblins, we unfortunately miss out on the new Darkoath Army Set, which launches the new versions of what were previously the Chaos Marauders, the mortal followers of the Dark Gods. The new miniatures have a lot more dynamism but lose the multi-pose options of previous releases. They look brilliant, but for some reason haven't really hit the spot. The Darkoath Army Set includes 20 x Darkoath Marauders, 5 x Darkoath Fellriders, a really evocative Chieftain on Warsteed (compare the pose to the recent Nurgle Harbinger of Decay and the Freeguild Cavalier-Marshal and you'll see a theme), and daemonic Wilderfiend. Like all army boxes, it includes the warscroll cards and tokens, plus Battletome Supplement: Darkoath, which is an expansion for Battletome: Slaves to Darkness.

Come to think of it, have we hit on something? Are these three miniatures a triumvirate? Is it the story of a Freeguild Cavalier-Marshal turning to Chaos and then eventually to Nurgle?

It was meant to be Auxilia week, but alas we heard from independent stockists that theses releases would be delayed in Australia and New Zealand - proving yet again that the Next Week post on Warhammer Community is rarely correct. There's been a positive buzz about the Auxilia, but will that continue when the products don't appear? 
Speaking of delayed, this week Australia and New Zealand (potentially Japan too) can pre-order the Dark Angels range. The new Codex Dark Angels, which comes in Cowled Greatness Collectors Edition and Man This Green Is Hard To Paint Well, Lets Go Back To Black Standard Edition leads the releases. Having the 8th and 9th Edition versions, Dark Angels Codex have been very light on lore and good uniform colour plates, so here's hoping the copy and paste from previous editions also gets some new content. Having read the book about the return of The Lion we're a bit baffled why the Dark Angels are still "hunting The Fallen" but here we go, as Asmodai, Master of Repentance comes forth with a brand new Primaris-scale mini. Heavily based on Mark Gibbons artwork, this is a chunky mini, very on-point for Dark Angels, plus comes with a choice of head options. Next up is Belial, Grand Master of the Deathwing, billowing cape and all, plus he also has head options. Speaking of the Deathwing - here are the Deathwing Knights - with this awesome update on what were already brilliant models. The amount of detail on these minis is incredible, really dipping into the lore and iconography of the Dark Angels. Prefer your Dark Angels in robes? Well the Inner Circle Companions are for you. With weapon, head and backpack options, this is a really thematic kit which will be loved by Dark Angels and Black Templar fans alike. There's also a new Dark Angels Upgrades and Transfers kit, which as with so many of the new kits comes with a Watcher in the Dark. Previously mysterious, maybe we should call them Watcher Emerging From The Dark from now on. This set comes with some great bits, including some for the Ravenwing, and yet more cowled heads. The Dark Angels also get a new Combat Patrol, giving you a Captain in Gravis Armour, three Bladeguard Veterans, five Hellblasters, and 10 Intercessors. Be aware that the transfer sheet in this set is the older one, not the one in the new Dark Angels Upgrades and Transfers kit. To top it all off, the Dark Angels also get the Datasheet Cards to make sure you can run them on the battlefield to their maximum potential.
​Plus don't forget the lovely white marble and green Dark Angels Dice Set.
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Alrighty, let's see what we're all getting this week... (except Japan who miss out on all the Orcs and Goblins and North America who miss out on selected Orcs and Goblins. The bits Australia and New Zealand miss out are further down the page.)
Amongst the Warhammer: The Old World reissues, there are some nice new models too which can not only go with The Old World, but could very easily transition into your Age of $igmar army as well. Check out this big boy, the ​Black Orc Bigboss in resin. He's a beast and exactly how an Orc should be portrayed. It's interesting that he's not more like the current Black Orcs and more like the 7th Edition ones, but no matter as he's a beast! The other beauty is this Orc Command Set in resin. The character in both these models is extraordinary and they'd look amazing in any Orc force.
Let's go retro and have a look at the reissue stuff, starting off with a favourite, the Orc Shaman with Bone Staff in metal. An oldie but a goodie, this guy was drawn straight from some of the Mark Gibbons and Paul Bonner illustrations. Both of those artists were absolute masters with Orcs and this mini is a MUST for Orc fans. Let's go all the way back and see what Orcs looked like when I first started the hobby - the ​Orc Big ‘Uns and Orc Big ‘Uns Command in metal. This is how Orcs looked in my day, and they're still awesome. Even older is the Orc Warboss on Wyvern, which has been lovingly remastered in resin, making it much easier to deal with those heavy wings. Lets delve into those pesky little Goblins, with the classic metal, joined Night Goblin Bosses, Night Goblin Shamans, more Goblin Bosses, another Goblin Shamans, and some Goblin Nasty Skulkers, on parade. From the days of metal and plastic kits combined, we have the Goblin Wolf Rider Bosses, and the Goblin Wolf Chariot. Have a look at the riders in the chariot - they're a very different, much sharper realization of the Goblins. What's fascinating about the Goblin range is how they have evolved from the bulbous noses to the sharper features - and how much the sculptors loved doing them, loved exploring the character of them and that love really comes through. Goblins love their war machines, and the rerelease of the Goblin Rock Lobber with crew, the Goblin Bolt Throwa with crew, the Goblin Doom Diver Catapult with crew, and a Snotling Pump Wagon all in metal will please many a fan! Speaking of Snotlings, there's also four stands of them too! An absolutely fascinating release is the Troll Hag, newly remastered in resin. For years Games Workshop have veered away from any sort of nudity - thus the sad decline of Slaanesh - but the Troll Hag has very obvious breasts, which I think is a great move to include in a Fantasy setting. Even better, so far it's received zero comment. Also remastered in resin is the old school Giant and a miniature (if that's the word) that was lost in many people's mind but has made a return to the zeitgeist - the very large Bonegrinder Giant. That is a huge blast from the past and a formerly very rare kit! Rounding out Warhammer: The Old World this week are the beautifully sculpted Common Trolls in metal and the Badlands Ogre Bulls, also in metal.
This week in books is the new Emperor's Children themed Renegades: Lord of Excess in hardback

Alrighty, lets have a look at what Australia and New Zealand definitely won't be getting to pre-order this week, Japan won't get some of, and the US and Canada will also not get some of... clear as mud!
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Warhammer: The Old World have been releasing these background books for each faction they're releasing, this this next one is the Arcane Journal: Orc & Goblin Tribes. This goes along with the Orc & Goblin Tribes Battalion which reissues classic (and some not long discontinued) Orc models, a set of two plastic Orc Bosses (including a Black Orc standard bearer) and the ​Orc Boyz Mob, which also comes in the Orc & Goblin Tribes Battalion. This hasn't been long out of production, so it would be surprising to see this run off the shelves! There's also a nice set of Orc & Goblin Tribes Dice and Cards too.
Horus Heresy had a very big update this week, obviously not available to all, with the brand new Campaigns in the Age of Darkness: The Battle for Beta Garmon expansion launching. This is actually quite a big deal, as it also launches the first expansion away from Space Marines in the current incarnation of Horus Heresy - the Solar Auxilia. This has been quite the topic of chatter, with the Solar Auxilia Tactical Command Section, Solar Auxilia Lasrifle Section and Solar Auxilia Veletaris Storm Section all up for pre-order so soon after the Army Box was launched. The Veletaris Storm Section is much anticipated in this house, so the delay is incredibly annoying. There is also a bevvy of new vehicles, the Malcador Heavy Tank, Leman Russ Assault Tank, Leman Russ Strike Tank (why this isn't a combi- kit is beyond us) and the Dracosan Armoured Transport rounding out an impressive armoured fist. There's also the Aethon Heavy Sentinel, which may be the ugliest thing GW have released in some time. There's also two transfer sheets too - the Solar Auxilia Vehicle Markings, and the reissued Legiones Astartes Blackshields. Interesting the Solar Auxilia Transfer Sheet isn't also getting a reissue.

Goblins certainly have come a long way in recent years, and the evolution into the Gloomspite Gitz have given them a whole new look and feel, plus some of the most characterful models in the Warhammer Age of $igmar range. Well this week the little buggers get an update to their rules with Battletome: Gloomspite Gitz, which comes in 'Shroom Bloom Limited Edition and Hooded Horrors Standard Edition. There's also a fantastic new miniature, the Squigboss with Gnasha-squig, which is so cool and joins a long line of great models in this range. Pity not to have an alternative weapon or head option as there is room on the sprue, but there you go. In the world of more traditional looking Goblins, there is an update to the Goblin cavalry in the form of the new Snarlfang Riders. This is a great looking kit (and a lovely paint job by the GW team) with ranged and close combat weapons options. The bowmen are especially cool, and again oh-so tempting! The new Vanguard: Gloomspite Gitz is pretty good too, with some heavy hitters, little attack dudes and some line infantry. It's interesting there hasn't been an update to the venerable Night Goblin kit, but they are a delight to paint! And of course, don't forget the Warscroll Cards.
A personal favourite in this neck of the woods are Beastmen, and with Battletome: Beasts of Chaos, available in both Happy Hirsute Hero Limited Edition and Nature's Forest Defenders Standard Edition, it's great to see these guys getting some attention again. There's also a new Beastlord model to lead your dudes and dudettes, but again the lack of alternative head or weapons options is a shame for the price. The new Vanguard: Beasts of Chaos box, which replaced the Cygor with a unit of Dragon Ogres and a unit of Bestigors is amazing. This is not only a great way to start, but a great force multiplier, a must-have for Beastmen players. Interestingly the Warscroll Cards for the Beasts of Chaos have not been offered this week, and neither faction get themed dice.
Sadly, there is another round of Made to Order, this time around the Commissars of the Imperial Guard - great to see them back as a playable unit. You can get your hands on Classic Commissar Yarrick, Commissar Yarrick, Commissar With Sword And Power Fist, Commissar With Bolt Pistol, Commissar With Power Fist, Commissar With Plasma Pistol, Lord Commissar or Severina Raine (who is currently in Last Chance to Buy as well). If that interests, then you can also get them all in the Mortgage The House Made to Order Commissar Collection. There's also two of the very old Inquisitor  models in Made to Order this week too, with Inquisitor with Power Sword and Bolt Pistol and Inquisitor with Combi-melta available plus Lord Castellan Creed.

Who said sticking to one project was a good idea. Having been going full steam ahead with the War hounds Project, I got a little distracted - and by all things, Goblins. Have no idea why, maybe some moon-powered magic. This project was really about updating the old Stabbas/ Shootas kit and making a more Brian Froud looking Goblin force. Brian Froud is the visionary behind The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, with a particular style to Goblins - a style Games Workshop have obviously been influences by for their latest Gloomspite Gitz faction for Age of $igmar. Really I just wanted to experiment with infantry, so this was a good place to start. Taking the standard Stabbas/ Shootas kit I cut the heads off and replaced with with the heads from the Squigg Hoppers kit. They don't kit perfectly, so there's a bit of trimming, but they are a big improvement on the original heads. Then I went about sculpting different types of armour on the hands and arms with Green Stuff. This was meant to look haphazard and old, worn out. Then it struck me that a form of spiky or chitinous armour on their backs would be cool, so I bought some Grey Stuff due to it's harder and sharper consistency. This works better for armour plates that Green Stuff as it will give you sharp edges. It also dries a lot harder so you can sand or scrape it into shape. Small balls were then added to make rivets. Overall quite happy with them. The standard bearer has more armour as an experiment for the leader's look, which I haven't quite worked out yet...
Painting has begun, and you will be happy to know that this project will get done before I start another - no matter how much I can hear the War Hounds calling to me.. .and maybe the Dark Angels again too.