Based on growth rate, non-collectible miniatures and miniatures games were the strongest hobby games category in 2023, up around 9%, from $525 million to $570 million, according to ICv2 estimates.  Collectible games was the only other category to book a win, and it was only up around 3%, while the other three hobby game categories were all down for the year.

Miniatures giant Games Workshop led the way, with sales up around 15% in North America, according to ICv2 estimates based on its public filings.  The launch of the new edition of Warhammer 40,000, announced a year ago at Adepticon (see “New ‘Warhammer 40,000’“), was the biggest driver; it kicked off with a bang behind a $250 box set (see “’Warhammer 40,000: Leviathan’ Heads to Preorder“) last summer.

The biggest obstacles to better Games Workshop sales are all self-inflicted, we heard in our interviews.  Backlist fill rates are still not high, a problem that came to the fore during Covid and has persisted, and although retailers seem to be getting what they order from Games Workshop on most new releases, distributors continue to be heavily allocated.

A bigger problem, cited by both retailers and distributors, was the shortening of the preorder cycle, making it extremely difficult to gather demand info in time for initial orders to Games Workshop.  Preorder info reaches Games workshop customers on Sundays, and orders are due two days later.

The frenzy for WizKids Dungeons & Dragons miniatures has cooled, along with sales of the RPG.

BattleTech sales increased the fastest of non-GW lines in 2023, with the continued availability of the Beginner Box a big driver of customer acquisition.

Atomic Mass Games titles are doing well.  Marvel Crisis Protocol was up year over year, behind the release of a new Core Set (see “’Earth’s Mightiest Core Set“) and increased SKU counts.  Star Wars: Shatterpoint had a successful launch, bringing new life to the Star Wars franchise for the company.

For an in-depth analysis of these topics, see “Miniatures the Strongest Category – In Depth.”

For an overview of 2023 sales in the hobby games market, see “Hobby Games Eke Out a Win.”

For the top miniatures lines for Fall 2023, see “Top Miniatures.”

The Black Legion, formerly known as the Luna Wolves and the Sons of Horus, were the XVI Legion of the original twenty Space Marine Legions. Their Primarch was Horus, known to them as Horus Lupercal, and to Imperial history as the instigator of the Horus Heresy, the first great Imperial civil war. Some time after their defeat in the Horus Heresy, they were renamed the ‘Black Legion’ by their new commander, Ezekyle Abaddon. Largely since disintegrated as a unified Legion, they can be found operating in countless small warbands across the galaxy, except when they are called together under Abaddon’s banner to spearhead one of his notorious Black Crusades.

Birth of the Luna Wolves

One of their earliest campaigns proved important to the development and formation of the XVIth as a legion: the First Pacification of Luna. Playing the most important role in the action, the XVIth achieved both the critical objective and notoriety during the conflict, gaining the unofficial moniker of the Emperor’s Wolves. As a result, they were tithed the bulk of the output of the captured gene-labs for a time, allowing them to rapidly build their numbers. This, in turn, necessitated more recruiting stock.

Thus, many of the original XVIth are believed to have had a separate, somewhat unusual origin; they were effectively kidnapped from the world of Cthonia by ‘recruitment squads’ sent from Terra charged with the task of rounding up thousands of individuals from the violent gangs that infested the ancient world. These ‘recruits’ were then taken to the geno-laboratories on Luna for the modification and indoctrination required to become Space Marines.

Upon the discovery of Horus, the Emperor officially renamed them the Luna Wolves in honor of their past victories and baptism of fire on Terra’s moon.

Despite this somewhat unusual beginning, the end results were reckoned to be exemplary loyal and ferociously motivated troops. By the time Horus was placed in charge of them, the Luna Wolves were ten thousand strong.

The Ullanor Crusade – Renaming of the Luna Wolves

Perhaps the greatest achievement of the Luna Wolves, the Ullanor Crusade became a feted military campaign of the Imperium and to many is seen as the high watermark of the Great Crusade itself. The Ullanor sector was the domain of the Ork Overlord Urlakk Urg, who ruled over dozens of human-founded worlds. Determined to exterminate the Orks, Horus distracted them by ordering secondary attacks on the outlying worlds by other Space Marine Legions and Imperial Army regiments. With the focus of the Orks on these invasions of their borders, the Luna Wolves dove straight for the throat, initiating a surprise orbital drop directly onto Urlakk Urg’s capital world.

Horus led his 1st Company Terminator elite into a personal teleport attack on Urg’s palace. With the majority of the Terminators dealing with the Ork defenders, Horus led ten of the best into combat with Urg and his own forty-strong retinue. The fight was a hard one, but Horus eventually slew the Ork, casting his broken body out from the battlements of his tower, demoralising his Ork followers. Of the fight between the ten Terminators and the forty Orks, there was only one survivor: First Captain Ezekyle Abaddon.

At the successful conclusion of the Ullanor Crusade a year later, the Emperor declared it the greatest victory yet for his mighty Imperium and was said to bestow much praise upon the Luna Wolves and Horus for their part in the campaign. At the subsequent Triumph of Ullanor, the Emperor himself bestowed upon Horus the title of Warmaster, making him the supreme commander of the Emperor’s forces and effectively giving him complete military control of the Great Crusade.

The Emperor also suggested, before he returned to Terra and left the rest of the Crusade to Horus, that Horus should rename his legion to cement his position as Warmaster. The suggested name was the Sons of Horus. Horus initially declined this honour and his Legion continued as the Luna Wolves.

Increasingly concerned, however, with a belief that some of the other Primarchs and their Legions did not show him and his Wolves enough honour in their roles as the Warmaster and his personal Legion, Horus, at the suggestion of Sanguinius, eventually took up the offer made to him by the Emperor to change the name and iconography of Legion XVI. Shortly after the Interex campaign the Luna Wolves became the Sons of Horus.

Post-Heresy – The Black Legion Begins

After the events of the Battle of Terra and the end of the Horus Heresy, the Traitor Legions, along with the restored but still numerically inferior Sons of Horus, then became embroiled in a series of internecine wars triggered by the Emperor’s Children legion, culminating in the destruction of the Sons of Horus’ fortress on Maleum. To the disgust of the Sons of Horus, the Warmaster’s corpse was taken by the Emperor’s Children and several clones were created by their self-styled ‘Primogenitor’, Fabius Bile.

It was at this point that the old Sons of Horus Justaerin Captain Falkus Kibre was able to track down the Vengeful Spirit and Abaddon deep inside the Eye of Terror. Abaddon revealed his intent to destroy the clone of Horus and reform the Sons of Horus into a Legion to finish the war Horus had begun. After smashing the Emperor’s Children fortress and killing the clone of Horus, Abaddon declared himself the rightful successor of the Warmaster.

Painting their armor black, Abaddon renamed his forces the Black Legion, rejecting Horus’ name and all the failure that went with it. Abaddon managed to reunify the bulk of the old Sons of Horus under his banner, crushing all who resisted. The founders and inner circle of his newly formed Black Legion became known as the Ezekarion. The newly christened Black Legion faced its first serious threat in the form of the Death Guard warlord Thagus Daravek, who was a chief rival to Abaddon in his rise to power and another potential Warmaster of Chaos.

However Daravek was eventually defeated, and Abaddon’s power grew exponentially as he gathered many allies across the Eye of Terror, most of the Daemon Primarchs included. Using Chaos rather than being enslaved by it, Abaddon has waged the Long War on the Imperium ever since, most notably during his thirteen Black Crusades.

Black Legion Gene Seed

The Black Legion consists of a large portion of former Luna Wolves Gene-seed alongside those from absorbed warbands or captured from the Imperium. Though the Luna Wolves Gene-Seed was historically considered reliably pure, the regular practice of seeking Daemonic possession has accelerated its mutation. However, such mutations in the reborn Legion are seen as a mark of favour from the Gods of Chaos and are generally displayed with pride.

Legion Recruitment

Though the Sons of Horus were once considered a large legion, the Black Legion were long considered numerically inferior to other Chaos Space Marine legions since the inter-Legionary wars. While the number of original Legionaries remaining is unknown, and it is unknown how or even if the Black Legion recruit new implantation candidates, it is known that they recruit Marines from other Legions and Renegade Chapters.

In spite of these difficulties, by M41 the Black Legion was the largest of the Traitor Legions, having ten times the numbers of the Word Bearers. This is aided by their policy of absorbing other Chaos Space Marines and their warbands into their own ranks, regardless of which God of Chaos they may follow, if any.

Learn More on the Black Legion

Writer, Editor, Texas Native, and Austinite for 15+ years, Adam covers all things Tabletop Gaming. Which includes Warhammer 40,000, Age of Sigmar, D&D, Board Games and everything else that involves dice, boards, cards and a table.
A hobbyist, player, and collector of miniatures and games, Adam’s current obsession are his Death Armies for Age of Sigmar, his Blood Angels and Tyranids for 40k, and his ever growing Arkham Horror: The Card Game Collection.

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GW has been slowly and steadily chipping away at the massive Legion unit roster since the launch of 30K last year. Today, an important bread and butter unit – Command Squads get their day in the sun with an all-new plastic kit. Here’s the details from GW:

“The Legion Command Upgrade Set is a new plastic frame with 27 upgrades, perfect for fitting out your Command Squads with all the extra pomp and pizazz they so clearly deserve. On top of all the plastic bits, you’ll also get a new Legion Command transfer sheet in the box, which includes 463 decals.

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You’ll score five combat shields and five regular power swords, two alternative power swords – one sheathed, the other gripped in a bionic arm with an empty sheathe – and a bolt pistol, plus numerous arms and hands to put them all to work. The kit also contains four artificer pauldrons, a helmet under one arm, and 11 heads – three bare and eight in fancy helmets.”

“What really sets a Command Squad apart from any other collection of exemplary Veterans is the detailed Legion standard they hold aloft. This kit includes options for a large hanging tapestry or a more compact standard, with four interchangeable icons themed around Loyalist or Traitor Legions.

This upgrade set is compatible with both Legion MKIII and MKVI Tactical Squads. For those who urgently need a gang of appropriately armoured heavies to stand by their characters and look menacing, you’ll also be able to pick up Legion Command Squads ready to go, in different boxes for either armour mark.

Each will contain one sprue of five Tactical Space Marines, the standard Tactical Squad accessory sprue featuring bayonets, a power sword, plasma pistol, and a power fist or lightning claw, as well as the new Legion Command Upgrade frame and transfer sheet.”

Not bad. It takes them a while to explain exactly what you get in the box, but it’s a full Command Squad in MK.VI Corvus armor, with the Command Squad upgrade sprue thrown in. It’s based on the default 30K Mk.VI tactical sprue, giving you 5 Legionaries, but if you’re a converter, (aren’t we all), the Command Squad bits work just fine with the Mk.III, and Mk.IV plastic kits. So no matter what your army’s vibe is from early, or late Great Crusade, all the way over to Horus Heresy, You’re good to go.

No word on when this is coming out, but GW tends to not reveal things until they are 1-2 months away.

Have a happy Heresy!

Dad, Gamer, Publisher, Pilot, Texan. All games all the time since junior-high.
I started BoLS Interactive in 2006. I’m a lifelong tabletop & RPG gaming enthusiast, and internet publisher working to entertain and inform my readers every day.
I’ve been playing RPGs and Tabletop Games since the 1970s. I’m been playing and covering Warhammer and Warhammer 40K for over 35 years.

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Welcome 40K players. We’re back with Best Coast Pairings to showcase the top list of the week for competitive 40k. We have the top lists being played out there in the world, what faction are winning, and the list that won the biggest event this last week. So put on your armchair general’s hat and let’s dive into the data, brought to us by Best Coast Pairings.

FACTION KEYWORD: Imperium – Grey Knights
DETACHMENT: Teleport Strike Force

1x Grand Master (125 pts): Nemesis Force Weapon, Incinerator
Enhancement: Sigil of Exigence (30 pts)

1x Grand Master in Nemesis Dreadknight (200 pts): Nemesis Daemon Greathammer

1x Kaldor Draigo (125 pts): Warlord, Scourging, Storm Bolter, The Titansword

10x Brotherhood Terminator Squad (420 pts)
1x Justicar: Nemesis Force Weapon, Storm Bolter
5x Terminator: Nemesis Force Weapon, Storm Bolter
1x Terminator with Ancient’s Banner: Ancient’s Banner, Nemesis Force Weapon, Storm Bolter
2x Terminator with Heavy Weapon: Nemesis Force Weapon, Incinerator
1x Terminator with Narthecium: Narthecium, Nemesis Force Weapon

5x Strike Squad (125 pts)
3x Grey Knight: Nemesis Force Weapon, Storm Bolter
1x Grey Knight with Heavy Weapon: Incinerator
1x Justicar: Nemesis Force Weapon, Storm Bolter

10x Paladin Squad (450 pts)
4x Paladin: Nemesis Force Weapon, Storm Bolter
1x Paladin with Ancient’s Banner: Ancient’s Banner, Nemesis Force Weapon, Incinerator
4x Paladin with Heavy Weapon: Nemesis Force Weapon, Incinerator
1x Paragon: Nemesis Force Weapon, Storm Bolter

1x Nemesis Dreadknight (185 pts): Nemesis Daemon Greathammer, Heavy Incinerator, Heavy Psycannon

1x Nemesis Dreadknight (185 pts): Nemesis Daemon Greathammer, Heavy Incinerator, Heavy Psycannon

1x Nemesis Dreadknight (185 pts): Nemesis Daemon Greathammer, Heavy Incinerator, Heavy Psycannon

Total: 2000 points

The Most Played Faction: This chart represents the primary faction identified by players when submitting their lists. This gives a global view of what is popular and being played out there in the competitive scene. We are also tracking how many weeks they have been in that position.

March 28, 2024
1: Space Marines (Astartes) +2
2: Necrons -1
3: Adeptus Custodes -1
4: Chaos Space Marines =2
5: Astra Militarum =2
6: Tyranids =4
7: Death Guard =3
8: T’au Empire +2
9: Aeldari -1
10: Orks -1

March 20, 2024
1: Necrons +1
2: Adeptus Custodes -1
3: Space Marines (Astartes) =2
4: Chaos Space Marines +1
5: Astra Militarum -1
6: Tyranids =3
7: Death Guard =2
8: Aeldari =2
9: Orks +1
10: T’au Empire (new)

The Most Winning Faction: This chart represents the primary faction identified by players who are winning events. This gives a global view of what is potent and winning games out there in the competitive scene. We are also tracking how many weeks they have been in that position. 

March 28, 2024
1: Necrons =8
2: Adeptus Custodes =7
3: Space Marines (Astartes) =2
4: Astra Militarum =2
5: Death Guard +2
6: Chaos Space Marines =4
7: Tyranids -2
8: Aeldari =2
9: T’au Empire +1
10: Orks (new)

March 20, 2024
1: Necrons =7
2: Adeptus Custodes =6
3: Space Marines (Astartes) +2
4: Astra Militarum -1
5: Tyranids +2
6: Chaos Space Marines =3
7: Death Guard -3
8: Aeldari +1
9: Chaos Daemons (new)
10: T’au Empire -2

Data brought to you weekly by our friends at:

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They might wear silver but they are taking home the gold!

Writer, Editor, Texas Native, and Austinite for 15+ years, Adam covers all things Tabletop Gaming. Which includes Warhammer 40,000, Age of Sigmar, D&D, Board Games and everything else that involves dice, boards, cards and a table.
A hobbyist, player, and collector of miniatures and games, Adam’s current obsession are his Death Armies for Age of Sigmar, his Blood Angels and Tyranids for 40k, and his ever growing Arkham Horror: The Card Game Collection.

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While Orcs and Goblins might be coming out right now, and bringing a rad Journal with them, we are already looking towards the future. The Dwarfs are coming and bringing their grudges with them. The forge fires are relit and Dawi are on the march (moving a swift 6 inches of course). Today lets take a look at a few reasons I’m super excited for this release.

Slayers!

Everyone loves Slayers. Right now however they are a little lackluster in the Dwarf army. That all seems set to change. The Dwarf release is bringing a ton of Slayers with it. Not just classic “rank and file” Slayers, if there is such a thing, but other fun things. The Goblin-Hewer, Doomseekers and Ungrim Ironfist are all coming as well. Given the number of Slayer models I think we can make a reasonable guess that one of the Dwarf Armies of Infamy is going to be Slayer focused. With some new units and new rules they might once more take their rightful place!

2nd Army of Infamy

If the Journal is like the three we’ve already seen Dwarfs are going to get two Armies of Infamy. One is almost certainly Slayers. But what could the second be? Maybe something focused around engineers and warmachines, but you already get access to a ton and that’s not the most fun army. My other two best guesses are something along the lines of the High King’s host, with a lot of Hammers and elite units. On the other end of the spectrum a Ranger focused army, Bugmans Cart is coming back as well, could be a lot of fun. Either way it will be nice to see Dwarfs get more options.

Tons of Great Models

Rules aren’t everything. The release is also exciting just for a whole ton of great models coming back. Much like the Orc & Goblin release GW has really gone back into the archives and put out some great models. Tons of classic characters, and even stranger minis, are making a comeback. Not only does the release promise to buff Dwarfs, but it will be a real nostalgia trip for many players.  Dwarfs are also getting brand new models with the new King/Thane kit which looks just fantastic. Both players and hobbyists should be really excited about this release.

New Mercs

One of the surprising announcements was the re-release of Prince Ulther and his Dragon Company.  These guys date back to the 80s and haven’t had rules in ages. Seeing great old models like these come back is really a ton of fun. However, even better, they aren’t just models. The Dragon Company is getting rules, allowing them to be taken as Mercenaries in both Dwarf and Empire armies. In addition, their rules will come with the models and not in the journal. Now, this is a little weird as they are Made-to-Order, so I’m not sure how it’s going to work. But it’s very cool to see them rushing to expand the game outside of just the Arcane Journals. It’s also great to see more Mercenaries added in, getting us closer to a full Dogs of War army.

Fast Release Schedule

Finally, the announcement of Dwarfs makes me pretty excited because it means we are getting a fast release schedule. While we don’t know when they will come out, Orcs and Goblins are still a week and a half off, we can guess with in the next couple of months. GW normally doesn’t announce things that far ahead of time. That means we will have four of the nine core armies out by mid-year, and at this rate should have maybe eight, but most likely not all nine, out by the time the game is one year old. This is a pretty fast release schedule and shows that GW is serious about getting the game out and not just letting it lag around without releases. That’s really good to see in action.

Let us know what you are looking forward to from Dwarfs, down in the comments! 

Abe is that rare thing, an Austin local born and raised here. Though he keeps on moving around, DC, Japan, ETC., he always seems to find his way back eventually. Abe has decades of experience with a wide range of tabletop and RPG games, from historicals, to Star Wars to D&D and 40K. He has been contributing to BOLS since almost the start, back when he worked at and then owned a local gaming store. He used to be big into the competitive Warhammer tournament scene but age has mellowed him and he now appreciates a good casual match. He currently covers 40K tactics and lore, as well as all things Star Wars, with occasional dabbling in other topics. Abe remains in mourning over the loss of WFB to this day.

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The idea of Tank Shock is a method for these big machines to do something if they charge into combat.  The old days of previous editions, used to have Tank Shock be able to “splat” a model if it ran over it, and they failed a save of some sort.  It was an old rule that wasn’t very fun and could shift a game if you rolled badly.  Or it more often did nothing at all when your giant tank rushed in.

Tank Shock in 10th Edition

The new 10th Edition rules Tank Shock rule sets up a simpler way to grant that damage and really makes Tank Shock work more easily. It also makes some units really powerful who can use it on top of being decent in combat.  While I don’t want to remove that interaction I do think it should expand to more than just vehicles and really take into account the idea that a giant bulk of anything coming in hot should do some damage.

Tank Shock Idea 1 – Create a Tank Shock-like Rule for Monsters

You could call this Crushing Bulk and let Monsters have a chance to cause Mortal Wounds on the charge.  It could be the model’s Melee strength plus the distance it traveled for the charge.  This way, it would be different than Tank Shock. Plus, it would add something useful for those armies with Monsters that might not be crazy strong but still make it into combat.  You would do the maximum cap of 6 mortal wounds like the regular Tank Shock, so it doesn’t get out of hand.

Tank Shock Idea 2 – Let Tank Shock Include Monstrous Creatures

This one is simple too as it just says – increase the Tank Shock rule to MC’s.  This way Primarchs could be scary and let them interact well.  It would need some balancing on some of the MC’s but most of the time they should let them quickly clean chaff out and just be valuable as bully units.

Tank Shock Idea 3 – Create an MC Rule that Improves MC Charging

Crushing Bulk(see #1 above) could be something that is just an MC add-on rule that comes with the keyword.  It might just add in extra attacks that are connected to their Toughness.  It could just be a way it can do more damage like gaining Sustained Hits etc.  It could be just some other rule addition to make MCs unique and just not another Tank Shock rework.

I always feel like Monstrous Creatures still need some tuning to get working right.  Vehicles feel good right now, but the other side of it needs some work.  They need to be scary when they come into combat hot and angry.  There are armies that don’t have vehicles, so it makes a “universal” Stratagem – not that universal, which is a shame.

Tank Shock is a decent rule and just some tuning from GW would be a cool thing.

Thomas Reidy, aka Goatboy, the ever-evil member of BoLS. I do arts, play 40k, and even paint a lot of stuff. I have been playing Warhammer 40K since the 1990s, and have won multiple national events including Adepticon and GW GTs. I’ve been writing for BoLS for 15 years. Look at my Instagram to see what I am working on – or working on for someone. I am always doing something hobby related.

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Gather ’round Loremasters and Loremaster-initiates. Today’s lecture skirts forbidden material, as we are discussing the nature of the great machines that protect humanity throughout the galaxy, but in order to discuss the robots that carry some of the mightiest weapons of the Imperium into battle, we must also discuss their forbidden origins when the earliest flirtations of humanity with artificial life-forms led to the creation of the Men of Iron…

Legio Cybernetica sigil

But safeguarding us from the rampage of robots, maintaining the weapons and the might of the Imperium, is the Legio Cybernetica.

The Legio Cybernetica is the robotics branch of the Adeptus Mechanicus. It is one of the oldest branches, with records stretching back to the very first days of the Imperium, and presumably before then.

One of the most feared and powerful military arms of the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Legio Cybernetica carries the burden and dread responsibility of the use of Battle-automata in warfare as well as the development and maintenance of these terrifying machines.

Legio Cybernetica Origins

The Legio Cybernetica can trace its origins to when early technosavants experimented with artificial life. Ever curious, those early pioneers not only constructed vast hosts of automatons but also gave their creations the gift of independent thought. That decision was to cost them dearly, and the rest of Humanity with it.

In the aftermath of the destruction, the infant Adeptus Mechanicus subsequently followed a sacred charge known as the Crimson Accords of Mars, the cornerstone of doctrinal law created during the foundation of the Mechanicum during the Age of Strife. The Accords forever forbade the creation of the abominable and soulless intelligences known as the Silica Animus and pronounced a death sentence on any Silica Animus who remained and any in the Mechanicum who tried to create them. These accords however allowed the survival and creation of ‘lesser and righteous works’ of synthetic life deemed sacred. The Battle Automata of the Legio Cybernetica were among these chosen.

As a way to avoid further rebellions, the Legio Cybernetica’s robots have been controlled completely by their masters – not by the bio-plastic cerebra and nerve-like tendril webs of Mechanicum constructs, but by sanctified doctrina wafers. No bigger than the cards of the Emperor’s Tarot, these slivers of wetware are entrusted to the Cybernetica Datasmiths that accompany the robot maniples to war. Inserted into the dataslot hidden behind each robot’s chestplate, the wafer’s command protocol will dictate every iota of the host’s behaviour.

Dark Mechanicum Robots

Some members of the Legio Cybernetica became corrupted by Horus after he fell to Chaos and many of their units supported his ideal of an Imperium of Chaos. Some of the Magos who sided with Horus hoped to abandon the Crimson Accords and saw the Warmaster as a chance to pursue long forbidden A.I. development. Following the outbreak of the Horus Heresy on Isstvan V, the bases of the corrupt Legio Cybernetica on Mars were immediately assaulted by loyalists.

Perhaps one of the most famous robot-vs-robot actions during the Heresy took place in the Eastern Industrial Sector of Myrdinn City during the Scouring of Entessian, when a small but well-programmed force of Traitor robots held off a small force of Firebrand Titans supported by dreadnoughts and robots for almost an hour, causing considerable disruption to the planned flanking sweep.

Following the defeat of the Heresy and the banishment of the Traitor Legions, the dishonored Legio Cybernetica cohorts also fled into the Eye of Terror, where they remain to this day – merged with the Dark Mechanicus. Since the defeat of Horus, the loyalist Legio Cybernetica has pledged itself anew to the Imperium. Its members now take binding oaths of loyalty more terrible than any Marine Chapter oaths.

Legio Cybernetica Robot Basics

A robot’s atificial computer/brain is constructed from synthetic proteins and enzymes. The brain is imprinted with “firmware” routines, allowing it to follow simple commands, i.e. “Open the Weapon Bay Door” and “Move to the Holding Area.” Prior to battle, these firmware routines are overlaid and replaced with combat “wetware,” thin bioplastic cards small enough to fit into a pocket. These new programs dictate the actions the Robot will take in the coming battle, such as when to fire its weapons.

Besides their standard communication, sensor and suspensor systems, Robots were also notable for carrying self-destruct charges, designed to prevent the Robot from causing any harm in its damaged state. Should the Robot’s programming fail in some way and prevent its own self-termination, the monitoring tech-priest known as a Cybernetica Datasmith can remotely detonate the charge as well. Other upgrades included a protective power field with synchroniser unit allowing the Robot to fire through the barrier and Bombot racks for carrying grenades. Robots of roughly human size could benefit from organic camouflage with a clone-skin of human flesh, allowing them to pass for human, and were particularly useful for missions such as assassination.

Legio Cybernetica Robot Types

The Legio Cybernetica has produced many Robot designs over the centuries. Some were failures, such as the disastrous Castigator, a robot so heavily armored that it was slower than the troops it was designed to protect and support. Others proved more successful, and there are five types that have played a role in the Imperium’s long history. Here are just a few of the well known types:

With so many robots in service to humanity, the Legio Cybernetica remains an important, if distrusted, part of the Adeptus Mechanicus–and indeed, the Imperium.

Bell of Lost Souls Staff Writer and DM, J.R. covers RPGs of all stripes and on occasion eats sandwiches. You can ask him about either at [email protected]

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A full edition reboot unfortunately means all the previous editions books and supplements are obsolete all at once. Here’s what GW says about that:

The New Indexes

“However, with changes this fundamental to the core building blocks of the game, it does mean that previous rules and rulebooks have been superseded. Every current Battletome will be retired when the new edition drops – but every Faction will receive a free downloadable Index on or shortly after release.

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These Indexes provide a competitive and satisfying experience right from the outset. You’ll be able to buy physical Faction Packs from the outset, which contain your army rule, subfaction rules, enhancements including spell lores, and all your warscroll cards for both Spearhead and regular Warhammer Age of Sigmar. And of course, these Indexes will be replaced by new-look Battletomes for every faction as the edition matures.”

What’s Going On?

For those players who are strictly on the AoS side of things, welcome. Like 40K, this means that your game is now all grown up. Warhammer 40K is now on its 10th Edition, and in that 37-year span, it has had three complete reboots. Age of Sigmar is hitting the ten-year mark and GW feels it’s time. Normally, you will see GW take one of their mainline games and tune & tweak it from edition to edition. This normally lets the battletomes/codexes be backwards compatible. So existing players keep their rules, and aside from edition-launch FAQs are good to go. The new edition books roll out and the cycle of the ever unbalanced/balanced meta continues.

But all good things must end. Eventually, the core foundations of any game system can only be pushed and massaged so far. Over the years, fundamental changes are uncovered, and at a bigger picture level – customer’s tastes change across the entire game industry. Certain types of rules become “hot” and expected in a modern system, while other rules become antiquated and fall out of fashion.

That is where Age of Sigmar is now after ten years. It appears that GW is using the exact model used for 10th Edition Warhammer 40K’s reboot. A clean break with the previous edition’s rules, and a full set of free unit stat pdf’s for every faction, along with physical cardpacks you can purchase. This will reset the game all at once and put everyone on a level playing field. Then the cycle will reset and the new AoS Battletomes will start to flow once more.

Will AoS Lead or Follow 40K?

To me the bigger and more interesting question is what AoS’s place in the larger picture of GW games will be after the new edition. I would argue that AoS has served as a “style leader” for rules among GW’s mainline games since its creation. It was the petri dish that GW used to create a more dynamic, streamlined, and “modern” philosophy of rules. It led the way for GW’s other games to modernize, and didn’t have the thirty years of legacy rules tradition and baggage that 40K did.

But now AoS is old enough that it’s getting its own full rules reset. 40K is very modernized at this time in 10th Edition, and we will all get to discover together which game will now lead the way as a more fast-paced clean modern system. Its possible that both AoS and 40K will be stablemates and move forward more of less in parallel in the future, each borrowing the best parts of the other.

But in the meantime. find a nice place in your GW library for all those old AoS Battletomes.

They will soon be joined by new edition ones in due time, rest assured.

Dad, Gamer, Publisher, Pilot, Texan. All games all the time since junior-high.
I started BoLS Interactive in 2006. I’m a lifelong tabletop & RPG gaming enthusiast, and internet publisher working to entertain and inform my readers every day.
I’ve been playing RPGs and Tabletop Games since the 1970s. I’m been playing and covering Warhammer and Warhammer 40K for over 35 years.

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Atomic Mass Games sent us a preview copy of the Ee Chee Wa Ma! Squad Pack and I’ve had a chance to assemble these models. The Ewoks are out of their tree-top homes and ready to battle the Empire!

Ee Chee Wa Ma! Squad Pack In Star Wars: Shatterpoint

Kicking things off we get the following units in the box:

• Leia Organa (Primary Unit)C
• Chief Chirpa (Primary Unit)
• Paploo (Secondary Unit)
• 2x Ewok Hunters (Supporting Units)

Leia Organa

This miniature is relatively simple but it captures the look of Leia on the ground before the Battle of Endor. She’s got an alternate option with a helmet if you prefer that instead. To me, the braided hair was too iconic to leave under the helmet. She also has her blaster and tactical tree stump she’s standing on. It’s a nice, crisp sculpt and it was easy to assemble as well.

Chief Chirpa and Paploo

Chief Chirpa (left) and Paploo are two main Ewok characters. With this pack you can run a full on Ewok squad as Chief Chirpa is a Primary option. They might be cute but they are actually capable fighters — especially on their home turf. These miniatures were pretty quick and easy to assemble as well. One thing I do wish AMG had was more “natural” bases for Star Wars: Shatterpoint in general. But the extra scenic options for these minis are nice.

Ewok Hunters

The Supporting Unit in the Squad Pack are the Ewok Hunters. You do get two of them — although they are the exact same sculpts. It’s really going to come down to how you paint them to make them different. That said, the scenic base is nice but a bit of advice: dry fit those bits! Make sure you know how they all fit before you put any glue to this one. You don’t want to accidentally glue something on wrong and then it messes with the rest of this mini diorama.

I also appreciated that this was basically the ranged version. The Yub Nub Squad Pack features the spear-wielding Ewoks and we’ll be taking a look at those in the very near future.

This is a neat little squad pack and with the Ewoks and Leia, you’ve got more options to fill out your Rebel Squad. How effective Ewoks are in combat…well, that’s going to be up to how well you can manage these vicious teddy bears. Don’t let their cuteness fool you though. The will certainly turn your units in to BBQ given the opportunity.

Star Wars: Shatterpoint – Ee Chee Wa Maa! Squad Pack

“An iconic Rebel and her Ewok companions join Star Wars: Shatterpoint in this new Squad Pack! Featuring both Leia Organa and Chief Chirpa as Primary Units, the Ewok Paploo as a Secondary Unit, and two Ewok Hunters wielding bows as Supporting Units, this pack gives players a variety of new options for creating Galactic Civil War-era squads. In addition to beautifully sculpted miniatures of these characters, this pack also includes all the Stat, Order, and Stance Cards players need to field them in battle.”

Cute. Cuddly. Carnivores!

Writer, Editor, Texas Native, and Austinite for 15+ years, Adam covers all things Tabletop Gaming. Which includes Warhammer 40,000, Age of Sigmar, D&D, Board Games and everything else that involves dice, boards, cards and a table.
A hobbyist, player, and collector of miniatures and games, Adam’s current obsession are his Death Armies for Age of Sigmar, his Blood Angels and Tyranids for 40k, and his ever growing Arkham Horror: The Card Game Collection.

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  Today at 9:41 AM

This TTRPG crowdfunding sampler covers projects that end between April 3 to 10. You’ll find the latest version of Zweihänder, a 5e version of Adventures in the Household, the second edition of Low Fantasy Gaming, a digital TTRPG, B/X, and OSE offerings.

ZWEIHANDER RPG Reforged Edition from World of Game Design

• END DATE: Sun, April 7 2024 10:00 AM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Zweihänder
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $48 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the book, character sheets, and STL files
• ADDITIONAL REPORTING: Read “ZWEIHÄNDER Reforged: Talking With Daniel D. Fox (World of Game Design)”
• TRY BEFORE YOU BUY: ZWEIHANDER RPG Reforged Edition: Session Zero is free at DriveThruRPG
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? A new version of the award winning Zweihänder RPG is live on Kickstarter. This project is backwards compatible with Grim & Perilous RPG, Revised, and the Starter Kit rulesets for Zweihänder. Using a d100 variant, this project is a dark fantasy world of “gothic horror, low magic, survival, and a dose of the eldritch.” In the Reforged Edition, you’ll get the full ruleset including faster combat and easier damage tracking than the prior versions. As well, the book includes a world of violence, heresy, and lost ancestries. When talking about Zweihänder, a frequent topic of conversation is the game’s inspiration, Warhammer Fantasy. To that subject, the campaign page states: “That’s where our roots are, and even though we’ve moved a lot of the mechanics into new territory, the atmosphere will be very similar, with plenty of nods to one of the greatest games ever made.” The Reforged Edition rules take the project further from its inspiration. Designed to make the game clearer and more accessible to new fans, this version promises a cleaner ruleset than prior versions. On top of that, if you’re a designer interested in creating third party Zweihänder content, there’s a license linked on the campaign page.

Adventures in the Household 5E from Two Little Mice

• END DATE: Thu, April 4 2024 5:59 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: €29 for all three PDFs and the soundtrack
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? The whole world is a large, abandoned regency-era house, and you play as the Littlings, the tiny folk that live there. Taking the ENNIE Award nominated Household RPG, this campaign converts the game to a 5e sourcebook. It’s a little like The Secret of NIMH, but without mice. How small are your characters? Imagine your city is in a bathroom, your whole city; that’s how tiny they are. That means spiders and snakes are mighty giants of destruction. You’re living in a mystery house that begs the question: Where did the “bigs” go? If this interests you, on the campaign page there’s a link to the free quickstart rules.

Tales of Argosa from Pickpocket Press

• END DATE: Sun, April 7 2024 5:40 AM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): “Familiar d20 based system”
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: AU$136 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the book, cards, and dice
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This is Low Fantasy Gaming 2e with new rules and an original title, Tales of Argosa. Described as “Sword & Sorcery inspired Emergent Play Adventure Game, for groups or solo,” this is over 270 pages of rules monsters, and GM tools. Gameplay includes using a Deck of Signs, oracle dice, and activity dice to keep the story and results unique to your experience. This game takes the basics of a d20 system and focuses on keeping the power curve under control with limited levels, fewer HP, roll under stat checks, roll over combat, and more. If you’re looking for a d20 feel without the higher level distractions, this TTRPG might be a good fit for your gaming table.

The Contract RPG from Sapient Snake LLC

• END DATE: Wed, April 10 2024 10:46 AM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): An original system
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $34 for the PDF and POD discount coupon for the core game plus 4 scenarios
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This “digital Tabletop RPG” exists as a fully realized game with a website and tools right now. This campaign takes the digital rules and tools and makes them available as a core rulebook. You play as a contractor brought together with other freelancers to defeat a supernatural adversary. The game allows for easy player entry and exits, including rotating GM duties. If the idea of a digital toolset and a book for your table of supernatural investigators sounds fun, this campaign is worth checking out.

BX Advanced Bestiary, Vol. 2 from Third Kingdom Games

• END DATE: Wed, April 10 2024 11:23 AM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Old-School Essentials
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $15 for the PDF and POD discount coupon for the book
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This project expands on the monsters from the classic B/X roleplaying game. With the second volume in this series, you’ll get monsters starting with letters E to K, each given more details and lore for use with any B/X or OSE project. In terms of monsters, you can look up the exact list, but if you want to get an idea of what the content will be like, check out the preview of Volume 1, which is available for free at DriveThruRPG.

The Village of Bray from MDNTWVLF

• END DATE: Fri, April 5 2024 1:00 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition and Old-School Essentials
• PROJECT TYPE: Adventure
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: $15 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the book plus additional PDFs
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This OSE (or 5e) adventure brings a cryptid to a strange fantasy setting, one with moon fruits, a dry mine cave-in, and unusual monsters. This is a 44-page adventure with 5 new monsters and 2 NPCs. It leans into the idea of a detailed, not quite run-of-the-mill fantasy setting where unusual deaths are occurring, and you have to solve the crime. If you’re interested in more clues, check out the campaign page.

The Long Road Home from Plane Sailing Games

• END DATE: Wed, April 3 2024 3:00 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): An original system
• PROJECT TYPE: Core rulebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: £25 + S/H for the PDF and print versions of the book
• ADDITIONAL REPORTING: tabletopjess talked this project on her podcast: “Not DnD | The Long Road Home”
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? This project is about the epilogue to the epic adventure your character is returning from. You’ll journey home, tell the tale of your amazing deeds, and hope that when you get home, life is as you remember it. This book gives you the rules to create the setting and decide what grand adventure you undertook. But the point is going home; will you find happiness or miss the thrill of adventure? Will there be triumph or tragedy? If your campaigns never reach the final scene, this may be a good way to tell that last trek as the heroes head home to find what comes next.

Planestrider’s Journal for Level Up A5E and D&D 5E from EN Publishing

• END DATE: Thu, April 4 2024 6:00 PM EDT.
• SYSTEM(S): Level Up! Advanced 5th Edition and Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition
• PROJECT TYPE: Sourcebook
• MOST POPULAR PLEDGE: £40 for 3 PDFs and VTTs
• DISCLAIMER: EN World is a subsidiary of EN Publishing
• WHY SPOTLIGHT THIS CAMPAIGN? Level Up! Advanced Fifth Edition has a new sourcebook that opens up other planes of existence for your gaming table. 30 planes to adventure through with details covered in the 260-page Planestrider’s Journal and the 50-page Captain Cobalt’s Codicil. Does your gaming table want to travel to another plane? Then this project is for you.

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Egg Embry

OFF/FACE TRIBUTE RPG, a Lasers & Feelings sci-fi action duet roleplaying pamphlet, is free at DriveThruRPG and Itch.io.

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Egg Embry is part of EN World’s Columnist (ENWC) program as well as a columnist for Knights of the Dinner Table, d20 Radio, High Level Games, the Open Gaming Network, the Tessera Guild, and GAMA’s magazine, Around the Table. His area of focus is tabletop RPG crowdfunding campaigns. In addition, he blogs about Ghostfire Gaming’s Grim Hollow setting. His RPGs can be found through Egg Embry Publishing at DriveThruRPG (PDF) and Itch (PDF/Print).
If you enjoy the articles on EN World, please consider backing the EN World Patreon. Every dollar helps to make these articles possible.