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It turns out that the current edition of Warhammer 40K isn't quite done yet; we're seeing out this version of the wargame with a campaign book set revolving around the wartorn battleworld of Armageddon. This brings a host of heroes to the fore alongside new vehicles, but crucially, our Armageddon homecoming will eventually be followed by a revamp of the fan-favorite Steel Legion faction. (Emphasis on the word "eventually.")
Much like previous campaign books 500 Worlds, Maelstrom, and Eye of Terror, "Armageddon: The Return of Yarrick" offers a comprehensive lore overview of the event alongside rules for the many, many different units being introduced here. We've already seen Commisar Yarrick himself, but he's being joined by a host of characters who are leading the ground troops. That includes a dynamic miniature for bike-obsessed Ork Wazdakka Gutsmek and a handful of vehicles to back up your Astra Millitarum army ahead of the revamp coming our way in a couple of months now that 11th Edition has been revealed.
Armageddon: The Return of Yarrick and its new models aren't available to pre-order yet, but when that does happen, I'd recommend Miniature Market in the US and Wayland Games in the UK. You can of course pick it all up from Games Workshop, but it's worth noting that those indie retailers typically provide a 10-20% discount on all Warhammer products. Something to keep in the back pocket, basically.
So, what about the Steel Legion (an army closely associated with Armageddon but omitted from this campaign)? While they aren't included in Armageddon: The Return of Yarrick, this old-school Imperial army is on its way sooner than later – concept art for their revamp has just been released, teasing a revised design and more weaponry.
Seeing as we're only getting sketches and blueprints at this point, I suspect the real deal is gonna take a while to arrive. Does the cynical part of me suspect this has been quickly put together based on the community outcry against their absence from Armageddon's new book? A little. But to be honest, it doesn't matter - we're getting Steel Legion, so fans win in the end. That's good enough for me.
In the here and now, there's plenty to look forward to besides Yarrick and Wazdakka. The Astra Militarum Hippogriff AFV, a new Adepta Sororitas leader atop what is basically a walking throne (dope), and an Imperial big-game hunter who excels at taking enemy characters off the board are inbound. A lot of big personalities seem to be making their way to the front, in other words and that's only right - Armageddon is about to become a far more pivotal battlefield.
After all, things are going to get so dire in this book that Space Marine reinforcements need to be called - and that leads us directly into the 11th Edition Armageddon box set, where Blood Angels descend to take on those Ork hordes.
While I'm surprised to see another campaign book so close to the launch of 11th Edition in June, the news that Codexes and supplements like this will be compatible with the new version of 40K contextualizes the idea. There's less need to worry about what still "counts" and what doesn't. Frankly, that's been a long time coming.
In short, get used to Armageddon; it feels like the battlefield is here to stay, at least for now.
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