A new way to lead the charge

Space Marine Captains have never been limited to a single combat style, and this new miniature proves it once again: they can now lead their troops from a Raider bike, covered in ornamental details befitting their rank, with a cloak that adds motion to the pose. It’s a model designed to shine both on the tabletop and on the display shelf.

While this kind of unit is especially associated with Chapters that favor speed and close combat — White Scars and Blood Angels being the obvious examples — any Chapter can field motorcycle-mounted officers for scouting missions or lightning-fast strikes. So if your homebrew Chapter needs a narrative excuse to field a biker gang, here it is.

Kit customization options

This Captain ships with solid customization options, great news for anyone who enjoys conversions:

Weapons

• Power sword (with included scabbard)
• Thunder hammer
• Plasma pistol

Heads

• Three bare-headed options
• Two helmeted options

Bike pose

• Full throttle, mid-charge
• Stationary, with the rider’s foot planted on the ground

Rules and tactical role

On the rules side, the standout feature is that the Captain grants his unit the Cleave 1 ability on charge. In practice, this means his squad hits harder right at the moment it enters melee, rewarding an aggressive playstyle against larger units.

He’s a natural leader for Outriders units, and fits perfectly into lists built around hit-and-run tactics or punching a hole for the rest of the army to exploit.

Tactical breakdown: what pairs best with him?

Synergy with fast-assault units

Outriders aren’t just fast — their datasheet ability, Thunderous Impact, boosts the Strength and Damage of their melee attacks by 1 after they make a charge move. Combined with a Captain who adds Cleave 1 on the charge, a unit of Outriders hits harder per attack and it generates more attacks the bigger the enemy squad is (+1 every 5 models), turning a charge into a genuine threat against blobs of infantry rather than just lone tough targets.

How different Chapters make them even better

• White Scars: When deployed without Suboden Khan, White Scars Outriders in the Spearpoint Task Force still retain the baseline Storm-Swift Onslaught detachment ability, allowing them to declare a charge in a turn in which they Advanced or Fell Back. They also keep full access to powerful Stratagems like Spear Thrust and Sabre Wing for Lance and Lethal Hits, Evasive Manoeuvres for a -1 to hit/wound defensive penalty, and the ability to execute a 6″ reactive normal move or utilize Withdraw and Regroup into Strategic Reserves. However, without Suboden Khan leading the unit, the Outriders significantly miss out on his Spear of Chogoris ability, which allows them to shoot after advancing or falling back. Furthermore, they lose the incredible mobility of Skilled Riders to move straight through walls and ruins, as well as his unique Wrath of the First Khan feature that grants a bonus 6″ post-combat move after wiping out an enemy squad.
• Dark Angels: Dark Angels Outriders excel primarily through the Company of Hunters detachment, which elevates them to Battleline status (raising unit limits up to 6 units of Outriders) and grants them the ability to Advance and shoot or charge.
• Blood Angels: less about bike-specific bonuses, more about army-wide melee buffs (extra attacks, Feel No Pain, aggressive charge bonuses) that stack on top of Thunderous Impact, turning Outriders into a genuine alpha-strike unit. Outrider chainswords can reach Strength 7, -1 AP, and 2 Damage with extra attacks when charging in the right Blood Angels setup.
• Black templars: In 11th Edition, Black Templars Outriders perform exceptionally well in the specialized Righteous Crusaders detachment, where choosing the Suffer Not the Unclean to Live Templar Vow grants their melee weapons the lethal Lethal Hits keyword to bypass high-toughness profiles. Players can further hyper-charge this squad using Stratagems to give the unit reroll charges and Lance (+1 to wound on the charge), alongside a dedicated fight-phase Stratagem that unlocks an additional +1 Strength or Precision. While the Black Templars do not have a faction-specific character on a bike, they utilize the generic Space Marine Chaplain on Bike, who gains unique keyword synergies within the detachment; when leading the Outriders, his litany grants an additional +1 to wound, while a faction-specific Enhancement elevates his personal profile to a monstrous Strength 10, AP -3, and Damage 3 on the charge—transforming the entire bike squad into a high-speed, high-impact combat missile.
• Any other Chapter: even without a bike-specific detachment, Outriders remain a strong, durable, fast Battle-line option — the Captain on Bike simply makes that baseline even sharper.

What this looks like on the table

• Alpha strike against hordes: deploy Outriders (with the Captain attached) on a flank, advance turn one, and charge whatever overextends. Against high-model-count infantry, Cleave 1 pumps out bonus attacks while Thunderous Impact makes each one hit harder — a combination that can gut a full-strength squad before it can shoot back.
• Screen and reposition: use their speed and Fall Back-and-shoot tricks (where available) to bait an opponent into committing, then pull back out of retaliation range instead of trading in a bad fight.
• Objective grabbing: their mobility lets them contest or steal backfield or midboard objectives on turn one or two, something slower melee units simply can’t do.
• Flank protection: true to their fluff, they’re excellent at guarding the side of a bigger advance, intercepting enemy deep strikers or infiltrators before they can threaten the main force.

Weapon choice by playstyle

• Power sword: balanced damage and attack speed.
• Thunder hammer: ideal against tough, high-toughness targets.
• Plasma pistol: adds extra ranged damage before the charge.

Space Marines vs. Orks: battle of the bikers

Space Marines aren’t the only ones betting on two wheels this month: Games Workshop has also announced new Ork Nobz and Warbikes. If you’re into fast vehicles, it could be worth a separate post comparing both factions’ takes on biker warfare.

Release date

The Captain on Bike will arrive in stores alongside the upcoming Codex: Space Marines, announced for October 2026.

Source: Warhammer Community

Fortunately, some of us kept an outdated copy of the app around, still holding the 10th edition Combat Patrol rules. This post collects those rules and datasheets for the Death Korps Combat Platoon so they don’t get lost to time, along with a few tactical tips for players picking up this box for the first time.

Unit list & playstyle

This Death Korps of Krieg combat patrol plays a defensive, attritional game with occasional bursts of aggression — true to the disciplined, expendable infantry theme of the Astra Militarum. This Combat Patrol does not seek to destroy the enemy on turn one, but rather to force them into making mistakes while you recycle your fallen units.

Krieg Command Squad

• 1 Lord Commissar (WARLORD)
• 5 Veteran Guardsmen

The Krieg Command Squad is primarily there to issue Orders that boost other units BS, Sv or M. The Lord Commissar can only issue 1 Order per turn (2 more if equipped with the Student of the Tactica enhancement), so prioritisation matters:

• Take Aim! is especially valuable on the Krieg Heavy Weapons Squad, whose heavy stubbers fire at BS 5+ — improving that to 4+ meaningfully boosts their damage output.
• Take Cover! helps offset the army’s general fragility (most models sit at Sv 5+).
• Move! Move! Move! can be decisive in getting the Death Riders into charge range.

Additionally, every turn the Lord Commissar lives, it gives you 1 extra CP to spend on stratagems. So every turn you have 2CP + 1 order to make combos.

Also the command squad has a meltagun (S9, AP-4, D6, Melta 2) and a plasma pistol  (S8, AP-3, D2, Hazardous – supercharged), enabling it to put some trouble against armored units, specially if you attach them to the DKOK unit.

Death Korps of Krieg

• 1 Death Korps Watchmaster
• 9 Death Korps Troopers

Individually fragile — T3, Sv5+, 1 Wound — but compensates with numbers and mechanics that reward staying on the table. Grim Demeanour ability turns weakness into strength: the squad gains +1 to Hit rolls once below Starting Strength, and +1 to Wound rolls as well once Below Half-strength. Don’t be afraid to push this unit forward or use it as a screen — a battered squad often hits harder than a fresh one. This allows you to survive long enough to hold objectives and wear the opponent down, despite its weak damage output.

How to optimally play Grim Demeanour

Krieg Heavy Weapons Squad

• 3 Heavy Weapons Gunners
• 1 Fire Coordinator

Rear fire-support. With its 48″ heavy stubbers and Final Duty ability, this squad works as a fire base best deployed early and left in place. As long as the Fire Coordinator survives, every destroyed Heavy Weapons Gunner has a 50% chance (3+) to give back some damage before being removed — so the squad can be positioned more aggressively than usual, since even “dying” models keep contributing shots. It’s the anchor of the list: it sets up in a strong position and punishes from range while the rest of the army manoeuvres.

Death Riders

• 1 Ridemaster
• 4 Death Riders

A reactive and mobile screen. The exception to the rest of the list: fast (M10″), armed with solid charge weapons (Frag lance, Power sabre), and able to reposition via Screening Line whenever an enemy unit ends a move near them, as long as they’re not engaged. They provide the list’s only real tactical flexibility beyond “hold and shoot” — flanking, threatening backfield objectives, or interrupting enemy charges.

Putting it all together

The Fresh Waves Stratagem brings back a destroyed Death Korps of Krieg or Death Riders unit at full Starting Strength. Knowing this safety net exists changes the risk calculation — those two units can be played more aggressively, even though the Stratagem costs 1CP and can only be used once the unit is already destroyed.

With several infantry units at OC 2, this list has solid board presence for its low cost — particularly relevant for the All Fronts Advance secondary, which rewards controlling objectives outside your own deployment zone.

This list suits players who enjoy:

• Playing the long game — resilient battles rather than alpha-strike lists.
• Carefully managing limited resources (CP, Orders) turn after turn.
• Accepting losses as part of the plan (thanks to Grim Demeanour and Fresh Waves) rather than playing ultra-conservatively.
• Using a single fast unit (Death Riders) as a tactical wildcard, rather than relying on army-wide mobility.

It’s a relatively beginner-friendly combat patrol, since it doesn’t demand complex multi-unit combos or elite synergy — the main challenge lies in managing Orders wisely and knowing when to trade infantry for time or position.

Army rule

Voice of Command

In your Command phase, OFFICER models from your army with this ability can issue Orders. Each OFFICER’s datasheet will specify how many Orders it can issue and which units are eligible to receive those Orders. Each time an OFFICER model issues an Order, select one of the Orders below, then select one eligible friendly unit within 6″ of that OFFICER model to issue it to.

Until the start of your next Command phase, the unit you selected is affected by that Order. Unless otherwise stated, a unit can only be affected by one Order at a time (any Order subsequently issued to that unit replaces the current one). If a unit being affected by an Order becomes Battle-shocked, that Order ceases to affect that unit.

Available orders

Move! Move! Move!

Add 3″ to the Move characteristic of models in this unit.

Take Aim!

Improve the Ballistic Skill characteristic of ranged weapons equipped by models in this unit by 1.

Take Cover!

Improve the Save characteristic of models in this unit by 1 (this cannot improve a model’s Save to better than 3+).

Enhancements

The Leader model must chose one of these two enchancements:

Student of the Tactica

In your Command phase, if the bearer is on the battlefield, you gain 1CP. In addition, the bearer can issue 2 additional Orders to REGIMENT units in your Command phase.

Intimidating Presence (Aura)

In your Command phase, if the bearer is on the battlefield, you gain 1CP. In addition, while a friendly REGIMENT unit is within 6″ of the bearer’s unit: Each time a model in this unit makes a ranged attack, re-roll a Hit roll of 1 and re-roll a Wound roll of 1.

Secondary objectives

One of these two must be chosen:

All Fronts Advance

At the end of each player’s turn, you score 5VP if you control one or more objective markers not within your deployment zone.

Hold and Repel

At the end of your opponent’s turn, you score 3VP if there are no enemy units wholly within your deployment zone (excluding Battle-shocked units). If there are no enemy units wholly within 6″ of your deployment zone (excluding Battle-shocked units), you score 5VP instead.

Which one should we choose?

In 4 of the 6 missions Combat Patrol missions (Clash of Patrols, Archeotech Recovery, Scorched Earth, Display of Might), the objective markers that matter for the primary objective are already located outside your deployment zone by mission design — so All Fronts Advance is the more consistent default pick for this combat patrol in most games, even more so than the general playstyle analysis alone would suggest.

Hold and Repel becomes a more specific, situational choice: it shines mainly when you’re playing the Defender role in missions that punish the opponent for pushing into your zone (Forward Outpost, Sweeping Raid), or against highly aggressive, fast-assault opponents in any mission, where denying your backfield matters more than contesting the centre.

Stratagems

Datasheets

Remarkable combos

Take Cover! (Order) + Go To Ground (Stratagem) — the stacked defensive combo

Take Cover! improves Save by 1 (capped at 3+); Go To Ground grants a 6+ invulnerable save and Benefit of Cover to a targeted INFANTRY unit. Applied to the Krieg Heavy Weapons Squad (Sv 4+ base): Take Cover! brings it to 3+, and if you also use Go To Ground when they’re shot at, you add Benefit of Cover (another +1 to Save) and a 6+ invulnerable floor. It’s the strongest defensive combination available for protecting your fire-support unit.

Student of the Tactica (Enhancement) + Voice of Command (Ability) — the Orders multiplier

With this enhancement, the Lord Commissar goes from 1 to 3 Orders per turn – meaning you can issue all three available Orders in the same Command phase: Move! Move! Move! to the Death Riders (more charge range), Take Aim! to the Heavy Weapons Squad (better shooting), and Take Cover! to the Death Korps of Krieg (more resilience while it holds an objective). This is the combo that multiplies the overall efficiency of the list the most in a single turn.

Intimidating Presence (Enhancement) + Take Aim! (Order) — freeing up the Order for another unit

If you take Intimidating Presence instead of Student of the Tactica, its aura already grants a re-roll of 1s on to-hit and to-wound rolls to REGIMENT units within 6″ of the bearer – if you keep the Lord Commissar near the Heavy Weapons Squad, you get shooting consistency without spending the Order on it, leaving your one available Order free for Move! Move! Move! on the Death Riders or Take Cover! on the infantry.

Fiendslayer Munitions (Stratagem) + Take Aim! (Order) — the anti-vehicle/monster combo

Fiendslayer Munitions improves AP by 1 and grants Anti-Vehicle 4+/Anti-Monster 4+ to the selected ranged weapons against a VEHICLE or MONSTER target. Combined with Take Aim! on the Heavy Weapons Squad (BS 4+), you turn a weapon designed for anti-infantry work (twin Krieg heavy stubber, S6 AP-1) into a reasonable one-off threat against tough targets – something this list otherwise lacks, since it has no dedicated anti-tank weapon besides the Command Squad’s meltagun.

Command Re-roll (Stratagem) + Move! Move! Move! (Order) — securing the Death Riders’ charge

Move! Move! Move! already adds 3″ to Movement, helping the Death Riders (M10″ base) reach charge range with more margin. If the charge roll still fails, Command Re-roll lets you re-roll it – the most direct way to maximise the reliability of the list’s only genuinely fast, aggressive element.

Screening Line (Ability) + Smoke Barrage (Stratagem) — the Death Riders’ deterrence bubble

Screening Line lets the Death Riders reposition up to 6″ once per turn whenever an enemy unit ends a move within 9″ of them, as long as they’re not engaged. Smoke Barrage subtracts 2 from the Charge roll of any enemy unit that targets an ASTRA MILITARUM unit of yours with a charge. Combined, you can use Screening Line to position the Death Riders as a blocking threat, and Smoke Barrage to make it nearly impossible for an enemy unit to successfully charge them – a very solid space-control combination for denying objectives or protecting a flank.

Heroic Intervention (Stratagem) + Death Riders (Unit) — the reactive counter-charge

Thanks to their M10″, the Death Riders have effective reach to intervene with Heroic Intervention (they must be within 6″ of the enemy unit that charged) in more situations than a standard infantry unit. With Frag lance (Lance ability, normally a charge bonus – though Heroic Intervention grants no Charge bonus, so you lose that extra) and Power sabre (AP-2), they can step in to rescue a threatened unit or avenge a charge with solid melee damage output.

Epic Challenge (Stratagem) + Lord Commissar (Unit) — sniping enemy characters

If the Lord Commissar (attached to the Command Squad via Leader) is fighting, Epic Challenge grants [PRECISION] to all his melee attacks that turn – letting you assign his Power weapon hits (S4 AP-2) directly against a CHARACTER within the enemy unit, instead of having them spread across the whole unit.

Grim Determination (Ability) + Insane Bravery (Stratagem) — double-layered command resilience

Grim Determination already protects the Command Squad from losing its Orders if it becomes Battle-shocked, and lets you target it with Stratagems in that state – but it doesn’t prevent the Battle-shock test itself (which drops its OC to 0, relevant for holding objectives). Insane Bravery does prevent the Battle-shock test entirely, once per battle: save it for the decisive turn when you need the Command Squad to keep its OC to secure a key objective (for example, turn 5 of All Fronts Advance or Hold and Repel).

Fresh Waves (Stratagem) + Grim Demeanour (Ability) — the trap to watch out for

Watch out for this combination working against you: Fresh Waves brings back a destroyed Death Korps of Krieg or Death Riders unit at its full Starting Strength – great for regaining board presence, but it resets the Grim Demeanour bonus, which depends on the unit being below its starting strength. It’s a genuine tactical decision: regain presence and OC vs. keep the combat bonus of an already worn-down unit.

And yet, here we are.

Because this is not just about paint. It is not even just about branding. It is about one of those perfectly rational corporate decisions that, once they land in the hobby, feel a little colder than they probably intended. Citadel was not just any brand. It was a name with weight. With memory. With echoes of White Dwarf, old catalogues, starter sets, dried-up pots, discontinued colours, and long afternoons spent learning to paint terribly before learning to paint halfway decently.

Games Workshop has touched a historic brand in order to do something very sensible: bring its commercial architecture into order under the Warhammer umbrella. The question is not whether it makes sense. It does. The real question is this: whether everything that makes sense is worth doing when you are speaking to a community that experiences this hobby not through reason, but through emotion

And that is where the clash lies.

Consistency with Warhammer’s other brands

Let us begin by granting Games Workshop the obvious point: the change makes sense. In fact, it makes a great deal of sense. For years now, the company has been refining a brand architecture increasingly centred around the name Warhammer. The stores are Warhammer. The communication is Warhammer. The universe pulling everything else forward is Warhammer. So, from the perspective of a boardroom, keeping a historic sub-brand like Citadel may have looked like a useful relic for veterans, but a less efficient one for the present.

And in that context, Warhammer Colour fits like a piece designed to complete the circle. Fewer layers, fewer nuances, less inherited history, more commercial clarity. Warhammer miniatures, Warhammer stores, Warhammer content, Warhammer paints. Everything perfectly aligned. Everything perfectly ordered. Everything perfectly… corporate.

What the company gains here is consistency. And consistency is a prized asset in branding.

Clarity for beginners

This is probably the strongest argument in favour of the change. To a veteran hobbyist, Citadel is a familiar word. To someone entering the hobby today through YouTube, TikTok, a shop, a video game, or a future TV series, it may not mean anything at all.

Warhammer Colour, by contrast, explains itself. It is immediate. It is functional. It is impossible to misread. It does not require prior context or hobby memory. It does not ask the newcomer to learn a family tree of brands. It tells them, plainly: this is the paint officially designed for Warhammer miniatures.

From that point of view, the rebrand is not just defensible: it is effective. Where Citadel Colour preserved heritage, Warhammer Colour maximises instant understanding.

The problem is that clarity almost always simplifies. And simplification, quite often, also means stripping away personality.

The community’s content instantly becomes outdated

This is where the cost of the change begins to show. For years, Citadel Colour has not just been a brand: it has been a shared language. A common code between Games Workshop, the community, painting channels, blogs, tutorials, beginner videos, and hobby conversations across half the internet.

“Use a Citadel.” “Apply Nuln Oil.” “This Citadel range covers better.” “Citadel vs Vallejo differences.” That entire archive does not disappear overnight, of course. But suddenly it is outdated at its most basic level: the name.

It is not a tragedy, but it is an awkward nuisance. One of those decisions that does not quite break anything, but still creates a small and unnecessary desynchronisation between the product and the enormous ecosystem of content that has surrounded it for years.

And for a brand that relies so heavily on the community, that is not a minor detail.

They are taking away more than just a logo

The real loss is not in the pot, the formula, or the shelf presence. It is somewhere else. It is in the bond.

Citadel was one of those brands that no longer fully belonged to the company that owned it, because it also belonged, in part, to the memory of the people who grew up with it. It was a word embedded in the culture of the hobby. It sounded like Warhammer, yes, but it also sounded like something with an identity of its own. Something with a biography. Something with a soul.

That is why so many people have greeted the announcement with irritation, irony, or indifference. Not because the change is going to ruin their miniatures. Not because tomorrow they are going to stop buying Mephiston Red. But because they sense, perhaps correctly, that a brand with personality is being sacrificed in the name of a simplification logic that benefits the company more than the hobbyist.

And that is where that deeply uncomfortable word for any marketing PowerPoint appears: nostalgia. Which is not foolish. Nor is it weakness. In this hobby, nostalgia is part of the glue.

What stays the same?

The pot design

The pot will remain the same as ever. The change is focused on the label and the name. Games Workshop has chosen to touch the brand, but not open the can of worms that is the container itself. Because if there is one thing the community has been arguing about for years, it is the pot format.

Other brands such as Army Painter, Vallejo, and Pro Acryl have turned the dropper bottle into the de facto standard for a huge number of painters. This format makes the use of a wet palette almost mandatory, but in return it gives you precise control over mixes and dilutions. Most importantly, because air does not enter the bottle, the paint can remain in good condition for 5 to 10 years.

On the other hand, Games Workshop remains attached to its flip-top design. While it is true that this style of pot makes things easier for beginners by allowing paint to be taken directly from the container, it is also a format burdened with old and often repeated criticisms. The main flaw is this: dried paint constantly builds up in the lid, and the airtight seal degrades very easily. The pots need frequent cleaning, otherwise air gets in and they dry out completely within a few months.

The impression is that Games Workshop keeps this format not because it is the best one, but because it is the one that suits them most. Lower durability means more sales.

The formula

According to the company itself, the paint remains exactly the same. And that is probably the most important thing for anyone who simply wants to know whether their colours will behave the same way they did yesterday.

The price

Warhammer’s community managers have already confirmed on Facebook that the price will not go up for now. Games Workshop is the undisputed leader in the miniatures market, but in the acrylic paint market it is competing against brands that are highly competitive in both quality and price.

Community opinion

The community’s initial reaction has been quite revealing: more ironic resignation than genuine enthusiasm. The announcement does not seem to have triggered many “finally” reactions. Quite the opposite. The dominant feeling is that this is a boardroom move, correct in branding terms, but emotionally sterile.

Many hobbyists have read it as an unnecessary change. Something nobody asked for. Something that does not improve the hobby experience in any tangible way, yet still erodes a name with history, identity, and symbolic weight.

The less diplomatic translation would be this: yes, it makes sense; no, it was not necessary.

What now?

In practical terms, not much will probably change. People will keep buying their usual colours, checking conversion charts, watching old tutorials, and painting with the same habits as before. And within a few months, many will have grown used to living with the new name.

From a branding point of view, Warhammer Colour is a clean and coherent change. From the hobbyist’s point of view, it flattens an identity with more than 40 years of history, one that has been accompanying many of us since childhood.

Games Workshop has made a rational change in a hobby driven by profoundly irrational forces: attachment, memory, habit, pride of belonging, nostalgia. As Blaise Pascal said: the heart has reasons that reason does not understand. Will this corporate manoeuvre work? In 40 years, we will find out. Rest in peace, Citadel.

Estimated release date

GW confirms that all of them will be available to pre‑order “later this year” and that they retain the classic Battleforce value (savings versus individual MSRP), with no official figure yet. Keep an eye on November/December weekends: historically that’s when these boxes land on the calendar.

Estimated price

The Christmas 2024 Battleforces were priced at €190, and this year we can see the Drukhari Battleforce still at that price. Even if they decided to apply a 4% increase, we’d be looking at roughly €198.

Approximate points value

Cthonian Prospect – Leagues of Votann Battleforce

• Brôkhyr Iron‑master (+assistant+E‑COGs): 75 pts
• Thunderkyn (3): ~90–105 pts
• Cthonian Earthshakers (2): 110 pts
• Kapricus Defender/Carrier (1): ~90–110 pts
• Cthonian Beserks (10): 200 pts

Indicative total: ~565–600 pts

Krieg Siege Platoon – Astra Militarum Battleforce

• Lord Commissar: ~45–55 pts
• Krieg Command Squad: ~70–85 pts
• Death Korps of Krieg (20): ~220–260 pts
• Krieg Combat Engineers: ~95–120 pts
• Artillery Teams (2): ~140–220 pts (depending on piece)

Indicative total: ~570–740 pts

Farsight Cadre – T’au Battleforce

• Commander Farsight: 145 pts
• Riptide: 190 pts
• Broadside (1): ~105–125 pts
• Crisis (3): ~180–210 pts
• Drones: variable cost depending on datasheet/loadout

Indicative total: ~620–670 pts (before assigning all drones as upgrades)

Blissbound Warband – Emperor’s Children Battleforce

• Fulgrim: 340 pts
• Flawless Blades (6): ~220 pts
• Noise Marines (6): 145 pts

Indicative total: ~705 pts

Iron Halo Strike Force – Space Marines Battleforce

• Captain: ~75–85 pts
• Company Heroes: ~85–105 pts
• Sternguard (5): 100 pts
• Hellblasters (5): 110 pts
• Ballistus Dreadnought: 150 pts
• Redemptor Dreadnought: 195 pts

Indicative total: ~715–745 pts

Crusher Stampede – Tyranids Battleforce

• Neurotyrant: 105 pts
• Screamer‑Killer: 135 pts
• Tyrannofex: ~200–230 pts
• Haruspex / Exocrine: ~160–200 pts
• Maleceptor / Toxicrene: ~160–195 pts

Indicative total: ~760–865 pts (depending on builds)

Hellforged Warband – Chaos Space Marines Battleforce

• Lord Discordant: 160 pts
• Venomcrawler: ~140 pts
• Obliterators (2): ~170–220 pts
• Havocs (5): ~90–115 pts
• Legionaries (10): ~170–190 pts
• Chaos Rhino: ~80 pts

Indicative total: ~810–905 pts

Opinions

The general tone is “almost all are bangers.” People are especially pleased that there are seven boxes and that “none of them looks like a bad buy.” Several users see the T’au Farsight Cadre as “exactly what they were looking for to start T’au,” while others would have included a Stormsurge or a second Commander to finish the job. There are also jokes about the ‘Eight’ in the Farsight box, which includes six miniatures even though, according to the lore, Farsight’s Enclaves are famous for “the Eight” heroes.

The Tyranids get a perfect box for anyone wanting to play the Crusher Stampede detachment: it’s all monsters.

The Space Marine package splits opinion more because of “I already own this” than pure value: one redditor does the math and estimates the contents at around ~805 points; others applaud the inclusion of two Dreads because “it gives you a ready‑made core instantly.” As always, your sense of value will depend on how much overlaps with your display cabinet.

Krieg, meanwhile, generates hype… and suspicion: some celebrate a perfect entry point for newcomers if you pair it with a Combat Patrol, while others see an attempt by GW to move stock after the DKoK streak (patrol, army box and now battleforce). The truth is that, on the table, the box “does what it says on the tin”: lots of bodies, artillery, and a clear mission plan.

On the official Warhammer 40,000 channel post, reactions range from the Farsight/Iron Halo “take my money” to requests for variety (Aeldari, Knights, etc.), with several comments celebrating that Krieg is accessible again for those who missed earlier releases. There’s more than one complaint that the boxes offer less value each year (while keeping the same price), but overall the social thermometer points to high interest and the feeling of “very solid packs.”

In short: seven boxes, seven styles, and one idea — helping you assemble a coherent force with real savings. If your goal is to kick off an army project before 2026 or to take a qualitative leap on the tabletop, these Battleforces are the most direct route from the display case to the gaming mat, and today the community is clear: “there’s value and there’s enthusiasm.” Stay tuned for pre‑orders and any accompanying bundles, because this year you’re treating yourself.

Keep in mind the author took part in the range’s development, so he speaks from inside the process; nonetheless, the information shown is partial and framed as early impressions.

Vallejo True Metallic Metal: what it is and what it promises

According to the video, TMM is a new metallic paint family designed to deliver real metal shine without sacrificing color saturation or contrast; the goal is to give beginners a quick path to attractive results while offering headroom for layering and glazing to intermediate and advanced painters.

This is not an exhaustive test, yet the pitch clearly targets both ends of the learning curve with a guided workflow, avoiding obscure mixes or niche mediums.

In parallel, the creator underlines continuity: every tone used with a brush should be replicated through the airbrush with the same name and behavior, preserving both shine and color identity.

Color families and structure

The transcript points to a broad range of roughly 80 paints arranged into 20 hue families (or colors); within each family you get a Base, a Light for highlights, a transparent Shade to unify and deepen, and an Airbrush Base to apply with the airbrush, all with matching tones.

This family‑based structure is meant to let you build coherent lights and shadows quickly without leaving the same “color line,” reducing hue jumps and metamerism issues between techniques.

The promise of brush–airbrush matching also suggests that early airbrushed gradients will blend with brush work without losing the metallic identity you chose.

Vallejo TMM uses the BSL system

The video outlines a BSL flow: start with the Base, then drybrush or layer with the Light, and finish with the Shade to unify, restore saturation and add definition in the shadows without killing the metallic shine.

For painters pushing further, the same flow accepts thin glazes over the Light, pinpoint edge highlights and progressive modulations, taking advantage of the paints’ self‑levelling nature and their friendliness with a wet palette.

The range’s Shade is described as an evolution of the maker’s washes/contrasts, transparent and stable, able to reinforce volumes without turning the finish into a dull satin.

Handling, thinning and examples

The demo stresses that paints handle well with little thinning, accept water if needed, and self‑level enough to avoid unwanted texture when working fast or on broad panels.

Practical examples include Sapphire Blue for armor plates, Ruby Red for gauntlets, Imperial Gold for details and Aged Metal for darker zones; the final result evokes a metallic Crimson Fists‑style scheme.

In terms of target users, the line looks especially appealing for metal‑forward armies (e.g., Alpha Legion or certain Horus Heresy forces) while opening creative options for blue chapters in the Ultramarines vein.

What’s still unknown

The video itself notes this is a first look, with no complete color list, no official launch date and no final reference material; therefore, treat this as a statement of intent rather than a definitive product spec.

As official data drops, we’ll expand this article with the full color chart, bottle pricing and starter sets, together with practical tests over popular miniatures.

Support the creator

If you like this approach, you can support Juan Hidalgo on his Patreon channel. In addition to previews and exclusive content, it’s a good benchmark for this type of painting innovation. Look for Juan Hidalgo Miniatures: undoubtedly one of the best Warhammer painters, from whom I have personally learned a lot.

The official reveal confirms Chief Librarian Tigurius leads the patrol, with Intercessors, Reivers, Aggressors and Bladeguard Veterans plus a Chapter-specific upgrades & transfers sprue. This reads like a backbone list for varied missions — from holding objectives to counter-attacking mid-board — with small loadout tweaks by scenario.

Unit list and point value

Below you’ll find the unit roster and its points in standard 10th edition play. As a rule of thumb, many Combat Patrols rebuild to around 500 points on normal datasheets; this box totals the same ballpark.

What does that mean for your army? A compact, reactive starting core that, while not maximising damage ceiling, slots smoothly into larger lists as a control-and-counterpunch nucleus.

Pricing and estimated savings

We break down the RRP of each kit across major regions and compute the estimated savings versus buying them individually.

Across regions, the average saving lands around 47.7%. In short, if you planned to add these kits to your Ultramarines anyway, the Combat Patrol route is the most efficient path.

Unit roles and playstyles

Broadly speaking, this patrol plays for control and counter: it denies pushes with flank pressure, locks the mid-board with a tough block and finishes with psychic tools. It shines in Hold and Sweep missions; in Kill you must manage risk to avoid fragmenting your pieces before the decisive charge.

Chief Librarian Tigurius

As the Chapter’s chief psyker, Tigurius brings board control and utility that fit the measured Ultramarines style. In Combat Patrol his job is to dish out chip mortals, deny enemy powers and, crucially, enable safer repositioning for your most exposed unit. On hold-and-control missions he pairs with Intercessors to harden objectives with leadership aura and clutch re-rolls; in kill-focused scenarios he rides with Bladeguard to push a decisive charge or supports Aggressors as they clear the mid-board. His strength is tactical flexibility; the trade-off is opportunity cost — keeping him safe requires careful exposures, because if he drops early the patrol’s overall synergy suffers.

In the lore, Tigurius is the seer of Ultramar, guardian of Roboute Guilliman’s auguries, and one of the Chapter’s most renowned psychic minds. As a patrol leader, his role embodies the maxim “measure twice, cut once.” In standard games, his rules let him dish out mortal wounds, deny enemy powers, and boost allied rolls at critical moments.

Intercessors (5)

Intercessors are the anchor. Nothing flashy but reliable: they secure primaries, trade at mid-range and benefit from the Ultramarines doctrinal style that rewards discipline and tempo. Their ideal targets are light enemy lines and objectives without heavy cover. In synergy they buddy with Tigurius for crucial re-rolls and with the upgrades sprue to lock in Chapter identity. Strengths: consistency, bravery and flexibility. Weaknesses: without support they struggle into elite infantry or vehicles, so your micro-positioning should keep them in cover and force the opponent to overspend resources to shift them.

Reiver Squad (5)

Reivers bring flank pressure and mind games: forward deployment, harassment of enemy support and space denial. In Combat Patrol their value rises because there are fewer units and resources on the table, so every tag and intervention matters. Their ideal targets are support elements, action runners and light screens. Strengths: tactical mobility and harassment tools. Weaknesses: lacking top-end damage, they rely on pairing with Bladeguard or Aggressors to finish fights. Use Tigurius with them when you must shut down key enemy actions and polish off units with mortal wounds.

Aggressor Squad (3)

Aggressors are your short-to-midrange sledgehammer. Gravis armour lets them soak trades while clearing hordes and screens with ease. Their ideal targets are dense infantry units and congested mid-board points. In synergy they escort Bladeguard to form a mixed-threat block: if the opponent advances, they get punished; if they fall back, you cede little while scoring. Strengths: volume of fire, durability and table presence. Weaknesses: speed and dependence on screens — without lanes opened by your lines they can be exposed to counter-charges or focused fire.

Bladeguard Veterans (3)

Bladeguard Veterans are the shock wedge. Storm shields, trustworthy profiles and the ability to win duels into enemy elites. Their ideal targets are contested objectives held by tough troops or secondary characters. With Tigurius they gain even more reliability on key charges and checks. Strengths: outstanding defense and sustained melee lethality. Weaknesses: low model count and reliance on support to avoid getting bogged down — script them as the hammer while Intercessors and Reivers act as anvil and mission cutters.

Estimated release date

Using Death Korps of Krieg’s cadence as reference (Warhammer Community reveal 19/09/2025, pre-order announcement 29/09/2025, shipping from 10/11/2025), we estimate the following windows for Ultramarines:

Pre-order window (estimate): 06/10/2025 – 13/10/2025.

Shipping and in-store availability (estimate): 17/11/2025 – 24/11/2025.

These ranges mirror the recent pattern (≈6 weeks from pre-order announcement to deliveries), though exact dates will depend on the weekly pre-order schedule.

What makes it even more exciting is that Giraldez responded to some comments clarifying that, contrary to what many might assume, these paints won’t be alcohol-based but instead will use an acrylic medium. That small technical detail has only increased the community’s anticipation, as it hints at a significant step forward compared to what painters are used to.

The reaction across the painting community has been overwhelmingly positive. While some hobbyists are cautiously waiting for the official announcement, the dominant mood is enthusiasm. Many expressed frustrations with Vallejo’s current metallic lines—especially Game Color metallics, which some found lacking—and see this leak as the answer to long-standing issues. For plenty of painters, just seeing a rack with 18 real metallic tones is enough to spark excitement.

Vallejo True Metallic Metal: A New Way of Painting Metals?

Traditionally, to achieve convincing metallic effects, painters lay down a metallic basecoat—silver, gold, brass, etc.—and then build color and depth through washes, contrast paints, or glazes. That method has been the norm because metallic paints often struggle with coverage, pigment suspension, or delicate handling.

However, the promise implied by the leaked display—“light, color and contrast with real metallic pigments”—suggests that this new True Metallic Metal range could be engineered to deliver basing paints, highlight paints (for drybrush, maybe?),  and wash paints. If Vallejo succeeds in making metallic pigments that both reflect light brilliantly and allow strong, consistent coloration, it could represent a breakthrough for miniature painting.

The fact that these will not be alcohol-based makes the leak even more intriguing. Many metallic formulas rely on harsh solvents or special carriers to keep the pigments in suspension. Vallejo choosing an acrylic medium instead could mean smoother flow, better pigment retention, and full compatibility with other acrylic hobby paints.

Giraldez also teased that Vallejo plans to make an official announcement for the range, which will be accompanied by a brand-new painting book titled “TRUE METALLIC METAL BSL System.” That reference to a “BSL system” indicates that Vallejo isn’t just launching a paint line, but a complete framework: paints plus a technical guide to maximize their use. If the book provides recipes, techniques, and structured instructions, the new range could quickly become a staple reference for hobby painters.

What to Expect and Where to Follow Vallejo True Metallic Metal News

Although Giraldez was the one to spark the buzz with this leak, the official word is still pending. It’s almost certain that the announcement will come through Vallejo’s official channels, so fans should keep an eye on their social media and main website. Vallejo actively posts on Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter), and of course, their official website remains the central hub for product releases. Recently, Vallejo even highlighted their presence at San Diego Comic-Con Málaga on social platforms, which matches the timing of this reveal.

For those eager to catch every update, subscribing or following Vallejo’s Acrylicos Vallejo accounts across social media is the safest bet, alongside checking the brand’s website regularly. The official reveal should bring details such as release dates, prices, packaging formats, regional availability, and perhaps even demo videos.

Until then, hobbyists are left speculating about the possibilities: shimmering golds, deep chromes, iridescent blues, or heat-tinted metallic effects straight from the bottle. Imagining what can be done with those 18 true metallic shades is already sparking creativity. For now, the leak has done its job perfectly—Vallejo True Metallic Metal might just redefine how we paint metallics on miniatures, and we’ll be here to cover every detail as soon as the full announcement drops.

 

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Una publicación compartida de Angel GiraldeZ (@angel_giraldez)

What exactly is in the box?

The Crux Terminatus bundles 10 new Assault Terminators, a Terminator Ancient, 5 “regular” Terminators, a Chaplain in Terminator Armour, and a Captain in Terminator Armour. It also includes a decal sheet with 500+ transfers for Ultramarines, Salamanders, Imperial Fists, White Scars, and Raven Guard, plus generic iconography.

For hobby detail, each five-man squad includes 6 bare heads, 5 helmeted heads, 5 decorative heraldic shields, and 15 extra accessories; the sergeant gets alternate heads and a special storm shield.

Options and playstyles

The heart of the assault terminators battleforce is, of course, the Assault Terminators. You can kit them with thunder hammers and storm shields to smash heavily armoured elites; the shield also grants +1 Wound, turning them into true battering rams that soak punishment while dishing it out. If you expect hordes, you can switch to lightning claws to multiply attacks at the cost of raw damage.

The Terminator Squad brings durable fire support arriving via Deep Strike, with assault bolters and heavy-weapon options, acting as a section anchor or character escort. The Captain in Terminator Armour is a shock leader: in 10th he has Leader and command rules like Rites of Battle to make Stratagems cheaper for his unit—perfect for coordinated hammer blows. The Chaplain in Terminator Armour boosts durability with Feel No Pain 4+ against mortals while leading, ideal for soaking mortals and diving onto objectives. The Terminator Ancient provides the classic banner push, rounding out a hard-hitting, cohesive core with real synergies.

A redesign for the classic Terminator miniatures

Yes. Assault Terminators have been a staple for years; today’s reveal stresses that “they’re back!,” confirming the concept’s return to the current range and updating the miniatures to 10th-edition standards.

The new Terminators are rescaled: taller and bulkier, with longer limbs and a more imposing silhouette, yet they retain the classic Indomitus look. The sculpt keeps the high pauldrons and signature chest plate but adds crisper panels and rivets, cleaner cabling and trim, and generally sharper execution.

Estimated price and savings

Warhammer 40,000 Battleforces in Europe have hovered around €175–€180 in the last two cycles: in 2023 they were confirmed at €180, and in 2024 several guides cited £135 as a reference (≈ €175). There’s no official RRP for Crux Terminatus at the time of writing, but €175–€185 is a reasonable expectation if GW follows the pattern.

To estimate savings, we sum comparable kit prices:

• Terminator Squad (5): €55
• Captain in Terminator Armour: €34
• Chaplain in Terminator Armour: €35
• Terminator Ancient (new): likely €34–€37 if it follows the Terminator character pattern (using the Captain as reference).
• Assault Terminators (10): if GW keeps parity with Terminator Squad (5) = €55, two equivalent boxes would total €110. (Inference based on the official Terminator squad price.)

Estimated separate total: €110 (Assault) + €55 (Terminators) + €34 (Captain) + €35 (Chaplain) + ~€34 (Ancient) = ~€268. If the assault terminators battleforce lands at €175–€185, the saving would be ~€83–€93, not counting the large decal sheet.

Points value

• Assault Terminators (10 models) → 360 pts (datasheet lists 5 models = 180 pts; so 10 = 360).
• Terminator Squad (5 models) → 170 pts.
• Captain in Terminator Armour (1) → 95 pts.
• Chaplain in Terminator Armour (1) → 75 pts.
• Ancient in Terminator Armour (1) → 75 pts.

360 + 170 + 95 + 75 + 75 = 775 points in standard pointed play.

Suggestions to reach 1,000 points

• Land Raider Crusader (220 pts): Can transport 8 Terminators for an “all-in” push to mid-board.
• Redemptor Dreadnought (210 pts): Trades transport for extra melee and shooting punch.
• 5 Infiltrators + 5 Scouts (170 pts): Aims at multi-objective control from turn one.

Estimated release window

• 2023: Battleforces were presented on October 23, with many outlets listing Saturday, November 11 for pre-orders (the usual “Sunday preview / Saturday pre-order” cadence).
• 2024: Warhammer Community posted the Sunday Preview on November 10, and pre-orders opened Saturday, November 16.

Therefore, it’s highly likely that in 2025 the Terminators Battleforce will go to pre-order between November 8 and 22, 2025. Hitting stores would then be Saturday, November 15–29, 2025 (one week after pre-orders).

Is this box worth it?

Absolutely. If you want a direct “smash the battle line” entry and to optimize your spend, the assault terminators battleforce delivers a highly efficient core: hammers and shields to mulch elites, claws to sweep hordes, command auras and litanies to squeeze more from Stratagems and survivability, plus enough extra bits to customize sergeants and veterans. Given the Battleforce price history and the confirmed contents, this looks like a smart buy for collectors and competitive players who want a 1st Company ready to teleport onto objectives—then keep them.