It's a very big week of pre-orders, not only for the stuff on offer, but laso some delayed products finally made available to Australia and New Zealand.
Let's start off with the Horus Heresy, which adds some serious firepower to that already sizeable armoured fist. The newest incarnation of the Deredeo Dreadnought, the Boreas Configuration, sporting the Boreas air defence missiles, and either a pair of Volkite Falconets or Arachnus Heavy Lascannons. To go with this release,. there are two weapons sets for the Deredeo too - 
Deredeo Dreadnought Weapons Set 1 which includes the Aiolos missile launchers and Anvilus autocannon batteries or Hellfire plasma cannonades, and Deredeo Dreadnought Weapons Set 2 including air defence missiles, and a pair of Volkite Falconets and Arachnus Heavy Lascannons. It's not just Space Marines that get cool toys, the Guard also have the Arvus Lighter transport (Lords know why this was pushed up the production schedule), the brilliant Malcador Infernus in all its vile glory and the Valdor Tank Hunter (both of these tanks have been delayed in Japan).
The big release this week is The Empire of Man, who have trod upon the hallowed earth of Warhammer: The Old World and just stuffed it up for everyone. There's some great new kits and a host of excellent classic ones too, but first let's look at the resin characters on pre-order this weekend. Leading any self-respecting Empire army is General Hans von Löwenhacke, a veteran of many a campaign, we're sure by now he's worked out how to walk in all that armour. There's a new leader for some of the elite cavalry in the form of ​the incredibly dynamic Harald Gemunsen, Grand Master of the Knights Panther. It's interesting to see Games Workshop starting to take cues from older depictions of knights - like the old Britains toys - to make them come alive. Some absolutely brilliant new wizards are also coming, with the Battle Wizard and Familiar, Elementalist and Familiar, and a Necromancer Wizard and Familiar so beautifully rendered and painted in these examples. Shout out to whomever sculpted the Elementalist - this look and feel is so character-filled that this miniature surfely has to go down as one of the best in the modern range. Another hero on foot, Sir Cecil Gastonne, the Wyrm Slayer surely has to take some cues from Monty Python and the Holy Grail - even if that's subconsciously. Unfortunately the key plastic troop releases have not made it to Australia and New Zealand (see below) but we do have the classic Captain of the Empire, Engineer with Hochland Longrifle and the much-loved Steam Tank front and centre. These are all older kits, but are a joy to paint! Alrighty, if we're talking "classic" then metal is the OG, with Knightly Order Masters for the Knights Panther, Knights of the Blazing Sun, and Knights of the White Wolf on pre-order - and happily not Made To Order! The excellent Warrior Priest of Sigmar and Warrior Priests of Sigmar are also here and work brilliantly also used in a Warhammer 40K army. There's also the Warrior Priests of Ulric on Foot & Mounted set, the very thematic Empire of Man Witch Hunter and the very classic, very old Classic Galrauch the Great Drake - a bit of a surprise considering his age. In terms of other Warhammer: The Old World releases there's also two new resin characters - the stout Burlok Damminson for your Dwarven Hold army, and Chaos armies rejoice, for Frydaal the Chainmaker takes the field for you!
Speaking of Made To Order, there's some Blood Bowl classics Made to Order this week with the ​Classic Human Throwers & Catchers, Classic Human Linemen & Blockers, Classic Halflings, and Classic Chaos Dwarfs availble to order for a limited time with a fullfillment date of TBC.
In books this week it's the Special Edition of Carcharadons: Red Tithe, which also includes the short story The Reaping Time, Age of $igmar fans rejoice for Grombrindal: Ancestor’s Burden in hardcover, and The Dark Coil: Damnation Omnibus makes it into in paperback.
​-
Delayed release time, with the Ironhead Squats Necromunda release making it's way Down Under. The Necromunda: Halls of the Ancients Necromunda expansion is accompanied by the Ironhead Squat Prospectors Exo-kyn, Ironhead Squat Svenotar Scout Trikes, Ironhead Squat Prospectors Weapons & Upgrades, Halls of the Ancients Dice Set and Halls of the Ancients Gang Tactics Cards.
Also delayed but now on pre-order is the ​Blood Bowl: Spike! Presents – 2024 Almanac!

Unfortunately not availble to Australia, New Zealand or Japan are the Empire of Man State Troops, Greatswords, Flagellants, State Missile Troops or Archers sets. This is a huge shame as they are the sets people are waiting for. Also missing is the Helstorm Rocket Battery/ Helblaster Volley Gun combi kit.

The very last pre-orders for 2024, and although the rest of the world will have these in their hands in a matter of weeks, Australia and New Zealand will have to wait - no special things for the Antipodeans! Unfortunately that means no direct links this wek either - BLAME GW!
However, the rest of the world do get to bathe resplendently in the glow of The Empire of Man as those venerable forces march to war in Warhammer: The Old World. All the miniatures in this release are older, with one small exception, so let's have a look at who and what you can field. Spearheading this release is the new Arcane Journal: Empire of Man, the 48-page supplement containing new rules, background lore, and scenarios. A must have to field this force, these books tend to be bigger on rules than minis, but the lore sections are handy. The slightly new kits this week is the Luminark of Hysh, which despite being an older kit has had some updates to fit better into the look and feel of Warhammer Age of Sigmar - I guess that means this can be fielded in both games systems - while still retaining the Celestial Hurricanum as the alternative build. An excellent mini, the General of the Empire on Imperial Griffon has been around for some time, and being a procrastinator, i'll now be paying new pricing not old. Dammit! Still, this is a centrepiece model and can also build the Wizard Lord on Imperial Griffon as the alternative build. The old Forge World Empire of Man Command Set is now part of the main Games Workshop Warhammer: The Old World range, remaining in resin. Do you like a customisable plastic kit? Well you'll be a fan of the Commanders of the Empire set. The set contains two base minis - one on a horse and one on foot - and then a selection of optional parts to make them into any sort of Hero, or even a standard bearer! Troops, we all need those, especially in a game of ranked massed infantry, so the Empire do not disappoint, with 
Empire Knights, the amazing Empire Demigryph Knights, Free Company Militia, and Empire Pistoliers back in the range. These are all great kits to paint and customise - highly recommended. The Empire love their big guns, so the return of the Empire Cannons & Mortars is brilliant. If you take the time to swap some bits around you can make some brilliant looking artillery crews too. There's some metal amongst all this returning plastic, with the Teutogen Guard Command and Teutogen Guard Warriors returning. As elites, this heavy infantry unit gives you much-needed smashing power on the field. If you're a fan of some very old minis, these fit the bill - the Imperial Ogres are so classic they are still in metal and despite their ages they are still a powerful unit. Available in either the hand weapons or great weapons configuration, these will give your Empire forces some serious cred - as will the specialist unit who just happens to be armed with an entire cannon all to himself.
Like all Warhammer: The Old World releases there is a battallion, and this one - the Empire Of Man Battalion - has 30 State Troops, 30 State Missile Troops (either guns or crossbows) and have a Steam Tank for support. These are great, simple to paint and rank up troops. Pick a scheme and get painting. We had a blast with ours! Finally in Empire releases is the venerable War Altar of Sigmar, another mad machine that only the Empire could drag to war! Of course there are also the Empire of Man Reference Card Pack, Dice Set, and Transfer Sheet too.
Now, Necromunda! Oh faithful friend, you finally get some love again, with the new expansion Necromunda: Halls of the Ancients on pre-order. Paying particular attention to the settlement of the Leagues of Votann on the planet, this book also introduces the Ironhead Squat Prospectors Exo-kyn, and Ironhead Squat Svenotar Scout Trikes to the roster. There's also a new Ironhead Squat Prospectors Weapons & Upgrades kit with a whole lot of weapons and tools. As you'd expect, the Halls of the Ancients Gang Tactics Cards and Halls of the Ancients Gang Dice are also in residence.
In books this week it's the Grey Knights-themed The Emperor's Gift in Special Edition.

Isn't it a lovely day when the world's collide - not physically obviously - but when there's a crossing of paths, a confluence of events to briung a smile to the face of the cynical hobbyist. Today, merry warriors, is such a day where The Powers That Be at Games Workshop have brought forth miniatures in one game, that could be used in another, and it's a cult faction too - the Chaos Dwarves!
Long left out of the main factions, the Chaos Dwarves have been shunned in the worlds at large, but still they manage to pull themselves up by the boot straps and still get a team together to play Blood Bowl. Today sees the pre-orders for the new plastic Chaos Dwarf Blood Bowl Team: The Zharr-Naggrund Ziggurats, and what a fearsome team they are, especially supported by their minions the Hobgoblins. These are all great looking minis, and supported by two Star Players - Zzharg Madeye and H'thark the Unstoppable plus some heavy hitters in the guise of the Chaos Dwarf Bull Centaurs (all in resin) they are sure to be popular. There is also the Chaos Dwarf Team – Double-sided Pitch and Dugouts Set, Chaos Dwarf Blood Bowl Team Dice Set and Card Pack plus they are the main focus of Blood Bowl Spike! Journal Issue 18.
Now the confluence of events spoken of just seconds ago, is that in the Warmhammer: The Old World rules, the Chaos forces can take allied Chaos Dwarves. So now, with just a few accessories, you could turn these elite athletes into battleground friends or foes! Guaranteed these will be a hit! 
Speaking of Chaos, since it's somewhat of an easy transition - Warhammer: The Old World is bringing back some classic and much-loved plastic Chaos minis. The mounted ​Chaos Knights, excellent Chaos Chariots (even if the crew are very dated so replace those), the Marauder Horsemen (amazing for Space Wolf heads) and the very dated and a bit janky Chaos Marauders. All multi-part, multi-pose solid miniatures you must take to your home and love. There's also the somewhat comedic Chaos Warhounds, who honestly just want to curl up by your fire and be loved... while chewing on your forearm.
The recent release of Necromunda: Hive Secundus, we now have some resin warriors to supplement the ongoing disaster that is "the other Hive Spire". Led by the amazing-looking Lady Haera in Sthenian-pattern Hunting Rig, we also have the foul denizens of the Many Armed Emperor, Hermiatus, the Second Son, a Malstrain Alpha, and the frankly hideous Malstrain Coalescence. They all look pretty great, and it's a pity we don't get these in plastic really.
The more recent Warcry box, Briar and Bone, has had it's warbands released individually, with the Teratic Cohort (adding some great new units to the Bonereapers) and the Twistweald (for the Sylvaneth) now ready to join your Age of $igmar forces on the field of battle. Hopefully this is a sign of some new minsi for the Bonereapers especially as the Kavalos Centari, Teratic Prowlers, and Aviarch Harpies add so much to their look and feel. 
In books this week we have the new Above and Beyond in Hardback telling the story of daring do in the skies and (takes deep breath) The End and the Death: Volume III The Horus Heresy: Siege of Terra Book 8: Part 3 in paperback. In many ways the Horus Heresy series is a true triumph, but frankly this is the end, and not before time.

Here's a question - how old is too old? In the context of this week's pre-orders we're talking about suitability of old Citadel Miniatures being released as Made To Order (MTO). This only really comes up as the Chaos range is one of the biggest and oldest, therefore we have models being offered that are over 35 years old - which for a collector or hobbyist doesn't really matter, but does that interest the gaming community? There's also a question about quality as a lot has changed in the past 40 years - sculpting, scale and even the material. These thoughts come up as this week we have four Classic Chaos miniatures up for pre-order - and they vary quite widely in era and... let's say quality when it comes to contemporary expectations. First off is the Sorcerer Lord on Chaos Steed, which is a great model, have a close look at the horse for example, as it has an ethereal element to it's look. Personally this could easily be transferred to any Chaos army. Then we have two contenders that have to be from the late 80s (late 90s actually. Beefweaver to the rescue!) - the Daemon Prince with Axe and Daemon Prince with Sword. These both have the exagerated features of the day, those strange folded wings (which when using metal as your material make sense), and the very static pose. It's curious to consider, when seeing these, how far back can you go and the minis still be considered "good". The last of the four this week is the Chaos Spawn, from a later era, and really beautifully sculpted (I'm tempted to think this might be Juan Diaz - which it's not, it's Aly Morrison, thank you again, Beefweaver!). You can see this mini being directly transferrable to today's aesthetics, and therefore well worth brining out of retirement. What is curious is the hope that Games Workshop might bring some back some of the many many Chaos Lords and Chaos Warriors from the mid-late 80s who had so much character. That would be quite cool!
In books this week we have the new Twice Dead King Collection, which features the novels Twice Dead King: Ruin, Twice Dead King: Reign, and the short stories Severed, One Million Years, The Life of Jethras the Martyr, and Patience. These are all presented in Limited Edition hardback packaging, with coloured page edges etc etc. Maybe not the most attractive of the Nercon offerings, but for Necron fans i'm sure it'll be a drawcard. Having read only some of these, Twice Dead King was a bit disappointing, but Severed is great!  
It's also a White Dwarf week, with #504 taking some pages to explore the Kroot.

Only a few weeks after their release in an Army Box, the latest Horus Heresy faction, the Mechanicum, have arrived in their individual sets. The faction is released alongside the Campaigns of The Age of Darkness: The Martian Civil War book bringing rules for both Mechanicum and Dark Mechanicum for the first time. Structured more like a feudal army than a typical Heresy Era force, the Mechanicum is led by a human-machine hybrid, the Archmagos Prime - a brilliant new dynamic miniature in plastic. The epitome of machine domination, the Thanatar Cavas Siege-automata (available for the first time in plastic) is a massive beast of a machine. Then there's the Castellax Battle-automata Maniple - two spindly machines specialising in close combat but also packing some medium and long range hitting power (including a xenos-sourced darkfire cannon). The real winner in all this is the Thallax Cohort, the Mechanicum version of Space Marines. These are great minis - fiddly to build but they look brilliant. The only vaguely human force in the Mechanicum arsenal are the Tech-thralls Covenant, twenty pseudo-zombies who bulk out the land forces and flood the enemy with bodies. The main transport is the Triaros Armoured Conveyor, a chunky machine that can transport both the Tech-thralls and the Thallax, while plowing through the enemy with it's prow. All these minis have been available in Forge World resin before, but this plastic release makes them much easier to build (yes Castellax i'm looking at you) and a lot easier to convert. The Mechanicum release also has a really lovely set of Mechanicum Dice.
Alrighty, Warhammer: The Old World is again bringing character and old school grimdark back to Warhammer, and this week it's the turn of Chaos. What looks like a great resource is the new Arcane Journal: Warriors of Chaos, which is apparently packed full of lore and goodness. In terms of miniatures, the first thing to say about this release wave is that it's huge, the second would be that some of these minis have only just left the Age of $igmar range, and the third would be that some of these are absolutley ANCIENT!! A mix of old Forge World resin, metal and plastic kits, this really is a walk down memory lane, and you'd have to question if some of thee minis really needed to be released, while others are a very welcome return! Let's start with the brilliant Chaos Lord on Daemonic Mount (metal), a deceivingly simple but excellent mini - the Champion of Chaos (plastic), Chaos Lord on Manticore (plastic), Champion of Chaos with Additional Hand Weapon (metal), Sorcerer of Chaos (plastic), and the truly ancient and pretty horrible Sorcerer of Chaos on Chaos Steed (metal). Next up are the troops, with the formidable Warriors of Chaos Battalion being the head of the spear, sporting 32 x Chaos Warriors, 10 x Chaos Knights and 2 x Chaos Chariots. This box hits hard and the enemy stays down! Outside the battalion box, there's the Chosen Chaos Warriors Command (metal), the Chosen Chaos Warriors (metal), a big box of 32 x Chaos Warriors (plastic), the Chaos Warriors Great Weapons Upgrade Set and Chaos Warriors Halberds Upgrade Set (both in metal). There's also some beasties, with the Dragon Ogre Shaggoth (resin), Dragon Ogres (plastic), two ancient - and some would say awful - kits Chaos Ogre Command and Chaos Ogres (both in metal), the old Chaos Dwarf Hellcannon (resin), and a few kits many people may never have seen - the Chaos Trolls (resin), Skin Wolves (resin), probably one of the best dragons Forge World ever did in the Warpfire Dragon (resin), the plastic Chimera, and the infamous Gigantic Spawn of Chaos (resin). That's a huge collection of minis, some unseen for a very long time. Also in this release there's the Warriors of Chaos Dice Set and Warriors of Chaos Reference Card Pack.
We saw the Dwarves rolled out in Warhammer : The Old World a little while ago, and now here's some more - all older and metal, there's some absolutely brilliant miniatures in here. Led by the previously rare Dwarf Queen, we also have the ​Dwarf Thane, Battle Standard Bearer, and Lord, the Dwarf Lords (including my favourite miniature of all time), the Dwarf Runesmiths and the Dwarf Slayers of Legend. These are all Made to Order, so don't get too excited about them arriving any time soon.
In books this week we have The End and the Death Volume 1 (Paperback) The Horus Heresy: Siege of Terra Book 8 and another in the series of maps for Horus Heresy, The Imperial Palace Undone Map.

Necromunda has been slowly expanding from the core Hive City and with Hive Secundus now firmly being fleshed out as a horrorshow of ruin and Genestealer infestation, it's time to expand on that and introduce you to ​Necromunda: Book of Desolation. This is a bit of a leap in Necromunda with the idea of the Genestealer infestation being not just contained to the Hive but also outside, plus there's rules to allow you to have your gang metamorphise into various stages of Malstrain mutation. Not only that but there's also rules for the new Van Saar Tek-hunters and various Spyre Hunters. Van Saar are now not only providing the weapons for the really dangerous jobs, they're also doing the really dangerous jobs. With the help of some "discovered" Xenos tech, the rich and powerful can now take some very expensive options into battle too, donning new armour to become Orrus, Malcadon, Yeld, or Jakara Spyre Hunters. This is a dip back into old lore with the rich kids proving their worth while being nigh-on impregnable in the most expensive weapons systems money can buy. Field these new beauties with the new Spyre Hunting Party Gang Tactics Cards and take your game to a new level. While Van Saar are making their presence known, Delaque's favourite bounty hunter, Yageloth, the Master of Whispers has rocked up - and when Delaque are around you just know something sinister and a little more subtle is going on. With your Spyre Hunters and Tek-hunters, you'll want to give them a hefty opponent, and fresh from the places we should stay away from, we have the Malstrain Genestealer Abomination Gang. Want to guard some assests and take fewer casualties? Well the Trazior Pattern Sentry Guns are for you. You get four in this set, two with twin grenade launchers and two with twin heavy stubbers. Last for Necromunda this week are the Hive Secundus Gang Tactics Cards.
Completely away from Grimdark of the far future, we have the horror and wonder of the far lost past, with The Hobbit: Hunt for the Arkenstone, the new board game allowing you to be one of the Dwarves and hunt for Arkenstone. It's all in the title really...
Warhammer: The Old World keeps on giving with some excellent classic kits, the Watchtower of the Empire, Sigmarite Chapel of the Empire, Walls & Fences, Arcane Ruins and Fortified Manor of the Empire (which is really three of those kits combined) and the very old Warhammer Hills. 
Not everything in the Old World is "old", with the new plastic Dwarf King With Oathstone and Dwarf Slayer of Legend on pre-order this weekend. They can lead a collection of more venerable troops who have reappeared to populate the Old World; the Dwarf Miners, Dwarf Gyrocopters, and the Dwarf Cannon & Organ Gun set. The Orcs also get some backup, with the new resin Ogdruz Swampdigga, Da Troll Calla and a personal favourite, the classic Black Orc Mob back in the range (at a hefty price bump)!
In books we have the ​Krieg Special Edition and White Dwarf #503, which hits the shelves this coming Friday.

Necromunda have decided to do a similar format to Kill Team, and instead of having the terrain in the expansion boxes, the terrain will now be separately available. In some ways this is good, but when you're introducing a whole new battlefield, it seems like double handling. Thus we have Necromunda: Hive Secundus, the second largest Hive City on Necromunda gets a look-in, and boy is it a mess! It's also infested with Genestealers and of course their friendly Cultists. Both the Cultists and Genestealers have been twisted by their anger at having GW block certain releases in certain markets, so there's a new spin on them. Meanwhile, their adversary, the Van Saars, backed by the Imperial House, bring some new weapons to the melee, and are backed up by two reformatted Xenos armoured suits - easily the highlight of this set. One of the terrain sets to accompany Hive Secundus is these weirdly organic looking Hive Data Stack Cluster. Very different feel, so I'm sure people will be into these for something different. The other terrain set is the Ruined Zone Mortalis - the classic Zone Mortalis, but melted, broken, smashed, to depict the destruction and chaos inside Hive Secundus. Great idea, but it makes them hard to stack, which is the idea in a massive Hive City. Two new stand-out characters this week, with The Proxy and Fixer, both in resin and beautifully sculpted and painted. Fixer especially is right in line with the original look of the Imperial House in both Confrontation and Necromunda.
The Warhammer: Old World is back after a hiatus that is way way too long, and this time we have the Dwarves! The new ​​Arcane Journal: Dwarfen Mountain Holds, if it's anything like the others in this series will be a great guide to "Lore and More", while the release of the Dwarfen Mountain Holds Reference Card Pack, Dwarfen Mountain Holds Dice Set. and brand new Transfer Sheet (this is really cool!) will get your troops on the field.Speaking of troops, the Dwarfen Mountain Holds Battalion box gives you a tonne of them. There's also some fantastic new leader sets , the plastic Dwarf Lords with Shieldbearers (a must-have), the new and vastly improved ​Ungrim Ironfist, the Slayer King of Karak Kadrin which is just an amazing model with great bearing (in resin), and Dwarf Thane with Handgun on Oathstone, also in resin. There's also a reappearance of the plastic Runesmith. All of these are brilliant! These new releases are supported by a bevy of classic, and old, miniatures, including the Dwarf Command Set, Slayer Command Set, Dwarf Slayers, Doomseekers, the very ancient Imperial Dwarves Command and Imperial Dwarfs (who I think have to be 40 years old by now), the Dwarf Warriors, Dwarf Quarrelers, Irondrakes/ Ironbreakers, Hammerers/ Thunderers. Guided by the trusty Dwarf Engineers (in metal) there are of course some war machines, including the Grudge Thrower, Flame Cannon grizzly Goblin-Hewer, Dwarf Bolt Thrower, The Anvil of Doom and Bugmans Cart.
In books this week it's the Death Korps of Kreig Dead Man Walking in Special Edition. Not only is the cover in black and white, the writing inside is too. Very special. Very limited! 
Horus Heresy loves a map, and now Necromunda has a new map too, Carta Galactica: The Secundan Exclusion Zone, showing you Hive Secundus and a whole lot of eradiated desert!

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. 
-
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.
_
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!
-
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.

Well it's a huge week - 40 individual items on pre-order this weekend -which would make it one of the largest pre-order weeks apart from the big pre-Xmas Bundles days of old! So where do we start? Let's dive into the new stuff first, then we'll get into the Warhammer: The Old World content!
-
Now this is interesting... usually all Horus Heresy releases have "The Horus Heresy: [insert name of release here]" as their release name, but the Solar Auxillia releases this weekend do not. Oversight? We'll see when the others get released, but it is interesting! First up is the Army Box set, the Solar Auxillia Battle Group, which includes 20 Solar Auxilia Rifle Section and 5 Solar Auxilia Tactical Command Section minis, the ugly-as-sin Aethon Heavy Sentinel, a Dracosan Armoured Transport and a Leman Russ Battle Tank in the Auxilia style rather than the familiar Warhammer 40K version we are used to. There's also transfer sheets included to round off the first look we'll have of this new Horus Heresy faction. This was slated as being delayed in Australia and New Zealand, but has the street date of 16/03/24, though independent retailers say 30/03/24. To accompany this set there is also the Solar Auxillia Dice Set, which isn't too exciting! Also in Horus Heresy this week we have three two new Consuls - the brooding ​Dark Emissary Consul and the White Scars Stormseer Consul. There's also a dual-pack Apothecarion Detachment, with one in MkV and the other in MkVI armour. These are both great miniatures and a great addition to your forces. 
On the smaller side of the Horus Heresy, the next expansion for Warhammer: The Horus Heresy Legions Imperialis – The Great Slaughter - is also here. Titans, tanks and infantry all together in a bloody melee. This release is also supported by the Legions Imperialis: The Great Slaughter Army Cards. The miniature range is also expanding, with the new Legions Imperialis: Malcador Infernus And Valdor Tank Destroyers, Spartan Assault Tanks, Solar Auxilia Support and Legiones Astartes Support being released for the new clash! Transports and support are all-important in this game, and with Titans in the mix, well you need to keep away from those giant stompy feet!
​Warhammer: The Old World had a big launch some weeks ago, and now the Tomb Kings of Khemri box is being split into individual forces, with Tomb King/Liche Priest On Necrolith Bone Dragon, Skeleton Chariots, Tomb Kings Skeleton Horsemen/Horse Archers and Tomb Kings Skeleton Warriors/Archers now available as large sets. These sets see the largest number of troops per box of any of the individual GW units. Also in the Tomb Kings range is the brand new dynamic Nekaph, Emissary Of Settra in resin, and the classic Tomb King On Chariot (metal and plastic), Prince Apophas (metal), Necrotect (metal), plus the newly remastered in resin Screaming Skull Catapult, Carrion and Tomb Scorpion sets on pre-order this week.
The Bretonnians may not have had their boxed set split yet, but they still get some reinforcements this week with the brand new plastic Knights of the Realm on-foot - that was previewed this week as a Pre-order, but has seemingly gone straight to New Releases, so it may even be in store today! Bretonnia also gets the classic but previously unreleased Lord With Great Weapon (metal), The Green Knight (metal), Prophetesses Of The Lady (metal), the much-loved Bretonnian Questing Knights Command and Bretonnian Questing Knights (both a mix of plastic horses and metal minis), Knights Of The Realm/Knights Errant (excellent classic kit in plastic), the Squires Command and Squires (both in metal) and the newly remastered Field Trebuchet in resin.
What's going to be interesting is what a whole new generation will think of metal minis. We've had 20 years since minis were metal, having moved to FailCast, then resin and plastic. How will this new audience take to them, or will they?
In books this week we have the Special Edition of The Hollow King, and the Black Library Celebration 2024 Fan Favourite, Lord Of The Night in paperback. It's also a White Dwarf week, with #498 available on Friday.

Despite the Old World still not having made it's way to Australia and New Zealand (a few weeks to go), Games Workshop have begun to augment their plastic re-releases and new sets with some classic Made to Order goodness. It's a bit of a mixed bag and you can see the different eras at play in the proportions of the minis and their sculpting quality - no disrespect to the Green Stuff Masters of the past!
Let's have a look at the Tomb Kings, which not only displays different eras, but also three very different styles. In the modern era we have the excellent Tomb King With Great Weapon and the Tomb King With Sword and Shield. These look very much out of the latter era of Warhammer. They're tall and lean with ornate armour - and for the price, everyone should grab one! Then we move to an era that was further back in time, where the minis were more squat, had the less realistic heads and more "The Mummy" style. The Liche Priest On Foot and Mounted personify this, but at the same time also look like they're cosplaying as Tomb Kings - those cute little ears on the top of the mounted priest... KAWAII!!! The Tomb Kings Battle Standard Bearer on Foot And Mounted are also older, dating back to the plastic releases, BUT they came from a different school of Tomb Kings. Notice the heavy armour, the large banners and the kopesh. This is when GW really went for it, and it's a shame that the Tomb Guard are the only other Tomb Kings troop type to have similar heavy armour. Despite the goofy heads - and the fact these guys proportions are a bit ape-like - the unit on foot is an especially good model!
​The Bretonnians also get some Made To Order this week, with the venerable Bretonnian Lord With Sword and Shield On Pegasus, leading the charge. A nicely proportioned miniature, he's certainly less squat than the older Bretonnian Paladins With Sword And Shield, who to our modern eyes look a little funny. I'm a bit rusty on my sculptors these days, but I have a feeling the Bretonnian Paladin With Sword and Shield and Bretonnian Paladin With Hammer and Shield may have been done by the Perry Twins. It looks like their work, with the more natural proportions and historically accurate armour. Away from reality, the Damsels Of The Lady make an appearance, and it's interesting to note how similar this set is to the newer one we've seen in recent weeks. Shows how good quality lasts! Finally we have three excellent mounted minis, the Bretonnian Battle Standard Bearer on Warhorse, Bretonnian Lord With Lance on Warhorse, and an all-time favourite, the Bretonnian Lord With Great Weapon on Warhorse. These three would make excellent additions to any force, leading armies, rallying armies and being the point of the charge. If you're collecting Bretonnians, these three HAVE to be winners, despite the odd pricing.

Probably the hottest ticket this week will be the Warhammer: The Old World Rulebook, a 352 page tome full of lore about the World of Legend, the rules for the game, plus a system for making your battles and skirmishes into epic campaigns of conquer and defence.
Unlike most Games Workshop launches which have a Team A vs Team B boxed set, this time we get two themed Army boxes with enough minis to actually start the game... and potentially sit in your pile of shame for decades!
-
First off, lets look at the much-anticipated return of the Bretonnians with their Warhammer: The Old World Core Set – Kingdom of Bretonnia Edition. This box includes 75 classic plastic Citadel miniatures, led by the brand new plastic Lord of Bretonnia on Royal Pegasus. The Core Set also includes joined by the core rulebook, a reference sheet, dice, templates, measuring sticks, and a transfer sheet. The Core Sets for both sides are supplemented by more minis to flesh out your new army, with the new Battle Standard Bearer on Royal Pegasus heading the charge. He's supported by the classic Pegasus Knights set of three Knights (on noticeably smaller Pegasus, one must note). There's also some very classic minis, with the Grail Knights and Grail Knights Command Mounted, Mounted Yeomen and Mounted Yeomen Command sets back - these are so classic that they are metal troops on and plastic horses! There's a classic metal set too, with the Battle Pilgrims and Grail Reliquae making a return from the ether. Forge World get some love, with three character sets - the Handmaiden of the Lady, the excellent Battle Standard Bearer on Foot and Mounted, and the fantastic Questing Knight Paladin with Great Weapon. All great choices - not a crappy mini in the lot. Mind you, Foundry miniatures, who have some of the older Bretonnian minis in their collection now, must be very excited to have customers after miniatures from this era.
Each side in this conflict are also getting two supplements - with the "good guys" getting the Forces of Fantasy, which contains army lists for the Dwarfen Mountain Holds, the Empire of Man, the Kingdom of Bretonnia, the Wood Elf Realms, and the High Elf Realms. You'll find rules for every unit in the army, plus faction rules, unique spells, and magic items (welcome back to the wizards of Warhammer!).
The second supplement is Arcane Journal: Kingdom of Bretonnia, which delves specifically into the background of Bretonnia, new rules, characters and two "Armies of Infamy".
What would this release be without the Kingdom of Bretonnia Reference Cards and Dice Set too.

Alrighty, it's onto the flipside to the "good", with the quintessential "bad" - the much-loved Tomb Kings. We start with the Warhammer: The Old World Core Set – Tomb Kings of Khemri Edition, containing more bones than you can shake a leg at. Effectively a balanced force of melee and ranged, backed by cavalry, the Tomb Kings of Khemri boxed set, contains the same game aids (but no transfers which would have been awesome to have), 91 classic plastic Citadel miniatures, and two new minis – the Tomb Prince, and a Liche Priest riding a huge Necrolith Bone Dragon. This is a great set, but be aware there isn't a one of variety here, plus these are the old skeletons, so they have those big bobble heads. Simply swap them out with skulls from the Skulls set (which is what we did) and you're laughing!
Like their human enemies, the "bad guys" have their own supplements, starting with Ravening Hordes which covers the Orc and Goblin Tribes, Warriors of Chaos, Beastmen Brayherds, and the Tomb Kings of Khemri.
The second supplement is Arcane Journal: Tomb Kings of Khemri, which features rules for magic items, rules for three heroes of the dead, rules for two Armies of Infamy – the Nehekharan Royal Hosts and the Mortuary Cult, plus full profiles for all the Bone Boys (and Bone Girls). Of course there is also get the history of the Tomb Kings and their homeland, the subtly named Land of the Dead.
In miniatures, the Tomb Kings are well supplied, with the classic Settra the Imperishable in metal and plastic, a brand new excellent-looking Tomb King and Battle Standard Bearer in resin, the classic (and once very rare and expensive) Tomb Guard, the classic Sepulchral Stalkers/ Necropolis Knights combi-kit, another hugely anticipated set, the Necrosphinx/ Khemrian Warsphinx combi-kit, a classic metal Liche Priest, a metal kit in much need of an update, the Ushabti, and a new Tomb Swarms kit which is interestingly using the old style skeleton heads rather than the current style.
Of course there are the Tomb Kings of Khemri Reference Cards and themed Dice Set too.

Now away from the two sides and onto the more general Warhammer the Old World products, we have a generic Warhammer: The Old World Dice Set, a Lore of Magic Reference Cards set, a Common Magic Items Reference Cards set, and some rather handy Card Sleeves.
Warhammer: The Old World sees the return of square and rectangular bases - much to the chagrin of those who rebased their armies on round bases when Age of $igmar came out. There has been a change though, with many of the bases being larger than those used for past versions of the game. Therefore, fellow traveler, you may need to pick up one of the new Base Sets. There are 11 sets, with bases from 25mm squares, up to large rectangles for the biggest monsters in the game. With Warhammer The Old World being a game of ranked units rather than skirmishing, the Modular Movement Trays are all-important. This set allows you to add individual minis to a unit and move them all at once. In the old days, people used to do some amazing mini dioramas for units, so go nuts and give it a go, we certainly will be. The two trays in each set are 200x200mm and include various side edging, ready to be assembled. Honestly, this game is much simpler with movement trays, so if you're gaming - these are an absolute must! For us, as we chatted amongst ourselves getting all hyped, the mini diorama for units is one of the most exciting aspects. Hopefully we'll see some amazing people in the Community create absolute magic!
Now if you're like me and have zero sense of direction, then maybe you need this pretty Warhammer: The Old World – Map of the Old World. Rolled up in your pack, on your wall or as a cool playing surface for a game, this map is really very tempting!

Can I sense that there might be some sad Warhammer 40K players? Well fear not, you get some love this weekend too, with the Warhammer 40,000 Made to Order Experience (okay we added "experience" to jazz it up). During January a range of classic Warhammer 40,000 models will be available to order. Check these out - the Necron Overlord with staff of light, the Necron Overlord with a resurrection orb, a classic Necron Cryptek, the upgrade kit for the plastic Destroyer to turn them into a Destroyer Lord. For Space Marines there's Huron Blackheart Master of the Red Corsairs, and a metal Iron Warriors Warsmith. There's also some Forge World Made to Order, with Lugft Huron, Chapter Master of the Astral Claws, Sevrin Loth of the Red Scorpions and Honour Guard, plus Red Scorpions Regents of the Ordon Rift. Heavier firepower is there too with the Land Speeder Tempest and the Necron Sentry Pylon, plus the weapon option for the Seraptek Heavy Construct.

In books this week we have the Lords of the Lance in Special Edition and Hardback, The End Times: Fall of Empires ​collects the first two novels in the epic End Times saga – The Return of Nagash and The Fall of Altdorf, plus the prequel novella Sigmar’s Blood and a trio of short stories that showcase the beginning of the end - available in paperback. There's a new Gotrek Gurnisson novel, Blightslayer and it's a White Dwarf week with White Dwarf 496 on it's way!