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I'd like to apologize to everyone harboring a hobby backlog, because the Big Summer Warhammer Preview 2025 has revealed that it won't be going down any time soon. If anything, your pile of plastic shame is likely to get bigger over the next few months.
Personally speaking, I'm already reaching for my wallet where the Helsmiths of Hashut - AKA Chaos Dwarfs - are concerned. Considering how buried I am in projects, could someone stage an intervention?
Article continues belowBig Summer Warhammer preview 2025: Warhammer 40K
- Massive influx of Votann units
- Five new Space Marine characters
We've known for a while that the Leagues of Votann, Salamanders, and Imperial Fists were making their way back to 40K thanks to earlier teases, so it's not surprising that they were the focus of Warhammer 40,000's reveals. However, the scale of the Votann drop is a lot more extensive than anticipated. Meanwhile, the Space Marines brought friends I certainly didn't expect. A new hero for five Chapters? Yes please.
Here's a breakdown of what we're getting for the grim darkness of the far future.
Leagues of Votann
The Leagues of Votann got the first big drop of the show, and it was a lot more generous than anticipated. Half a dozen new products were unveiled alongside the 10th Edition Codex, and most were heavy-hitters that are going to be able to give your foes something new to fear.
Top of the pile are the Ironkin Steeljacks, which look to be Space Marine-sized robots armed to the teeth with blasters and swords. If you want a unit that can go on the offensive and bring the fight to rivals, they should go straight onto your wishlist. Similarly, Cthonian Earthshakers artillery does the exact opposite of mortars by firing rockets into the ground that then pop up in your foes' battlelines. Lovely.
Here's a quick breakdown of every unit announced at the Big Summer Warhammer Preview 2025.
These aren't available for pre-order yet, but newcomers can start building up their Leagues of Votann army with a Combat Patrol box set for $142.80 at Amazon instead of $168, or £85 via Element Games.
Space Marine champions
The Space Marine Legions will enjoy some extra muscle in the not-so-distant future, with heroes for a variety of Chapters. More specifically, they're receiving five new heroes.
- Vulkan He'stan: A Salamanders hero who is seeking out tech made by his namesake, the Primark Vulkan.
- Darnath Lysander: This classic Imperial Fists character is back with a new sculpt that better matches the scale of the new Marines.
- Caanok Var: An Iron Hands hero has also joined the fray.
- Aethon Shaan: Say hello to the new Chapter Master of the Raven Guard, an incredibly badass sculpt that's oh-so emo. I love it.
- Suboden Khan: It says a lot that the new Raven Guard Chapter Master doesn't win the 'cool' contest outright, because this White Scars leader on a jetbike is downright incredible.
Most of these look like they'll be released separately, but Suboden Khan is arriving in the new White Scars Combat Patrol box. Sadly, there isn't a release date either way. Expect 'em over the next couple of months, based on previous schedules.
Big Summer Warhammer Preview: Age of Sigmar
- Chaos Dwarfs return as Helsmiths of Hashut
- Flesh-Eater Courts & Nighthaunt get new Battletomes
It's been a great couple of years for Age of Sigmar as is, and revised Battletomes (along with a couple of new models) for both the Flesh-Eater Courts and Nighthaunt can be added to that pile. However, that wasn't the true star of the show; things just got a whole lot more interesting thanks to the addition of a brand new (but also old?) army – the Chaos Dwarfs, now renamed and relaunched as the Helsmiths of Hashut.
Helsmiths of Hashut
Even though they've popped up here and there in the likes of Blood Bowl, it's been a very long time since we got a proper Chaos Dwarfs army. That's about to change, though, and the faction has been reimagined as the 'Helsmiths of Hashut.' These are Duardin corrupted by dark magics; whereas their kin (like the Kharadron Overlords) fled the mountain holds during an age of Chaos long since past, these guys held their ground. However, they only survived due to pacts made with the bull-god Hashut who twisted them into a might-makes-right society that's unyieldingly cruel.
That means they field tough-as-nails heavy infantry, blunderbuss gunners, monsters that are a cross between minotaur and centaurs, and gnarly siege weapons. Don't forget about the giant bull mechs powered by demon fire or the cannon-fodder Hobgrots who will fill out your rank and file, either.
Here's what's coming.
Unfortunately, we don't have a release date for any of the above. I suspect the Helsmiths of Hashut won't arrive until late August or into September though, so watch out for pre-orders.
Speaking of which, I suspect the most reliable retailers for discounts will be Miniature Market or Rogue Traders Gaming in the US, or for UK hobbyists, Wayland Games and Magic Madhouse. These usually provide a reduction of 10-20% on average.
Flesh-Eater Courts & Nighthaunt
Alongside Battletomes for each faction, the pair both got a new model as well. Nighthaunt welcome in the Lord Vitriolic, a poisoner in life and who is now an undead assassin wielding all sorts of nasty potions.
Meanwhile, the Flesh-Eater Courts got the High Falconer Felgryn - a ghoul that thinks he's a noble owner of birds of prey, but is actually sending giant bats off to hunt instead.
Big Summer Warhammer Preview: Kill Team
- New box set and Tomb World Kill Zone
- Deathwatch vs. Necrons
Seeing as Hivestorm and the new edition of Kill Team was almost a year ago, it's time for a fresh season with another setting and more squads. That's exactly what we got in the Big Summer Warhammer Preview.
This time we're taking a trip to a Necron Tomb World, which is pretty similar in layout to the spaceship-bound Gallowdark Kill Zone - it's all tight corridors and close-quarters action, but with the added danger that undead robots might pop out from sarcophagi on the wall. Personally, I was pulling for a jungle board with the likes of a revised Catachan unit leading the charge, but this is pretty cool too.
The rumored Deathwatch vs. Necrons matchup did end up being true, though.
Rank-and-file Necrons will be included in the box as well for co-op missions, much like the prevous box - Kill Team: Typhon. We didn't get a good look at these, but I assume they'll be standard rank and file.
As with every other Big Summer Warhammer Preview announcement, we don't know cost or release date yet - but I'd put money on this box set arriving around the same time as the new edition did last year. That puts the launch in October or thereabouts.
New to the game? You can either hit the Starter Set (which is currently $95.20 at Amazon rather than $112) to learn the basics ahead of this pack, but I'd recommend grabbing Hivestorm instead for $182 at Amazon. It's superior value and a far better introduction to Kill Team.
Big Summer Warhammer Preview: Underworlds
- New season takes us to Spitewood
- Helsmiths of Hashut vs. Sylvaneth
Seeing as it's almost been a full year since the last core Underworlds box (Embergard) dropped, we were due a new one – so it's no surprise that this is what arrived during 2025's Big Summer Warhammer Preview.
We're emerging from the depths of Embergard and heading for the forests this time with the 'Spitewood' box (this is still the same edition though, so it's more an expansion set for the new season). It pits Helsmiths of Hashut against Sylvaneth centaurs, which is quite a good thematic matchup - one side wants to trample over nature, the other must protect it.
The last major Underworlds box set arrived in the Fall, so I'd guess this one will hit shelves in September or October.
Big Summer Warhammer Preview 2025: Horus Heresy, Legions Imperialis, & Old World
- MKII Assault Squad for Horus Heresy
- A load of tanks for Legions
- New heroes for Tomb Kings in Old World
Warhammer's other game systems - Horus Heresy, Old World, and Legions Imperialis - didn't get big updates this time around, so I'll keep it brief. Here's what was unveiled.
It's bad news for fans of Warcry, Blood Bowl, and Necromunda, I'm afraid; these weren't mentioned beyond a very brief line about using Helsmiths of Hashut in Warcry. I'd anticipate them being covered in a future preview show as a result, perhaps toward the end of the year.
Big Summer Warhammer Preview 2025: Merch & books
- Wearable replica Space Marine helmet
- New Horus Heresy-era series
Most of the reveals for this show were teased or at least hinted at beforehand, but a couple took us by total surprise... including an addition to a saga most thought was finished. Strap in.
As has become a running theme, these don't have release dates just yet. However, I'd be surprised if they were far away. Keep your eyes peeled, as they'll almost certainly drop by or during Fall (that's because Warhammer preview shows don't tend to focus on anything launching more than a few months ahead).
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