Warhammer New Release Roundup - Saturday October 8

Each weekend, Games Workshop releases a slew of new products across their various gaming franchises for preorder, and while we normally hone in on one or two major releases, this week we got the chance to preview a wide array of products. From a hulking giant that can turn enemies to dust in Age of Sigmar, to a classic tank that's been given a new coat of paint in Horus Heresy, and two new AoS battletomes, read on for mini-reviews of several new releases.

Warhammer New Release - King Brodd

First up on our list is the model I was most excited to build, King Brodd. As a new general for the Sons of Behemat army in Warhammer: Age of Sigmar, King Brodd is here to add a lot of heft to your (already very hefty) army. This gargant was an absolute pleasure to put together. His kit is an adaptation of the original mega-gargant kit, and in the box you have the points to build either King Brodd or the Kraken-eater, Warstomper, Gatebreaker, or Beast-smasher mega-gargants. While those are all potent forces for a Sons of Behemat army, we couldn't resist building the star of the show.

With bountiful grooves built into the plastic to help guide your construction, I only really struggled with getting the hands in place properly. It's not as easy to build as push-fit models, obviously, but this is certainly easier to put together than other large models like the Sylvaneth Treelord Ancient. Let's get into his stats.

King Brodd has an initial move of 10" (which will decrease as he's injured), a 4+ save, a 9 bravery, and a whopping 40 wounds (that's 5 more wounds than the other Mega-Gargants). He attacks with his Obelisk of Tor Crania (that's that huge hammer he's holding), an Almighty Stomp, and a Death Grip. The Obelisk has 4 attacks with a +3 to hit and to wound, and deals a massive 5 damage per wound. Right off the bat, this is some real damage we're talking here. And while he's not the fastest for his size, that 10" move is nothing to sneeze at.

He has a full suite of special abilities, but the ones I'm most excited about are his Creepers. Those little red guys hitching a ride on him allow him to shut down enemy Monsters attempting to execute a monstrous rampage. Also, as he charges, any enemy unit with 1" of his path suffers D6 mortal wounds on a roll of a 2+. He also has the Power of Behemat prayer, which is answered on a value of 3. If answered, King Brodd can pick an effect from a list including adding 2" to the move characters of friendly Sons of Behemat models, heal up to D3 wounds on each friendly Sons of Behemat model, or improve the rend characteristic by 1 on most Sons models. That's just scratching the surface, but it gives a sense of his power.

King Brodd hits really, really hard, stomps anything in his path, and even has a little bit of extra utility in his prayers. With a stout pool of wounds, you definitely want to get him into the mix as soon as possible so he can start punishing aggressive enemy armies. He's definitely susceptible to ranged and long-distance attacks, but if you keep pressing him into the thick of your enemy armies while the rest of your army worries about objectives, you should find yourself in a very good position.

Warhammer New Release - Sons of Behemat Battletome

Also up for preorder this week is the book you need with all the rules to run King Brodd, the Sons of Behemat Battletome. Full of lore for the army - who are all descendants of the great god of destruction Behemat - this Battletome includes everything required to run this army. One thing I really like about this book, along with the amazing warscrolls for each of the Mega-Gargants, are new rules allowing you to ally each of the gargants with a different Grand Alliance. Does your Order army need a rampaging giant? Look no further than the Kraken-Eater Mercenary! There are also campaign rules for your army, and four different tribes you can align your army with for additional benefits.

Warhammer New Release - Lumineth Realm-Lords Battletome

We've got another Age of Sigmar battletome up for preorder this weekend spotlighting the Lumineth Realm-Lords! Talk about an army that couldn't be more different from the Sons of Behemat, the Lumineth Realm-Lords are aelven warriors full of poise and grace, who let their hubris be their downfall (classic). This Battletome is absolutely stocked with lore and updated rules to run your Realm-Lords army, along with a very detailed painting tips section (the largest I've yet seen in a Battletome or Codex). There are also updated spells, which are very handy for these spell-slinging aelves, and allegiance abilities that really make them shine. If you're running a Lumineth Realm-Lords army, you may be wanting for some new models, but this battletome will absolutely revolutionize the way you play your forces. This is more than just a fresh coat of (shimmering white and gold) paint, as new artefacts, campaign rules, and ability adjustments will go far to change up your game.

Warhammer New Release - Land Raider Proteus

Finally, let's take a look at a new release for Horus Heresy, the Land Raider Proteus. This classic tank has perhaps one of the most identifiable silhouettes of all the large machines in the world of Warhammer. And this new model kit which I put together this week has a host of exciting new options.

You can build this as a troop transport, with a capacity of 12 troops. Or you can alternatively build it as the Land Raider Proteus Explorator, which can carry less troops in exchange for faster speed and better targeting. I really enjoyed putting this model together, and am really thrilled with the way this plastic kit looks. I opted to build this as the standard Land Raider (not the Explorator), because I love that ramp that can open and close (and I want to be able to dump a whole host of models in the middle of the fray).

What Are Our Final Thoughts On These Warhammer New Releases?

Each of these releases offers something wildly different to players, so obviously it's hard to have a one-size-fits-all opinion on this slate of releases. But I have to say, King Brodd... wow, what a model. That's truly the standout for me in this week's spate of releases. He's big, he hits hard, and he was an absolute joy to assemble. If you're looking to get into the Sons of Behemat, he's not a bad place to start!

The products used in the creation of this review were provided by Games Workshop.