I feel at odds with myself over the Warhammer Age of Sigmar Khazalite Holds army. This new duardin faction brings us back to classic fantasy dwarves in all their grudge-holding glory, and on the one hand, they look incredible. Actually, they feel like the best versions of that trope rolled into one heavily-armored force. But on the other, they seem safer and more familiar than the outrageously creative designs this game is known for.
Don't take that as an insult worthy of putting in your own book of grudges; I adore these models. Going hands-on with the new Army Set made me fall in love with the faction in a way I haven't since last year's Helsmiths of Hashut, and I cannot wait to paint and take them for a test-drive in battle. If anything, they only strengthen my opinion that Warhammer Age of Sigmar produces some of the company's best models – period. However, when you're used to steampunk sky pirate dwarves and underwater elves without any eyes who ride sea monsters into battle, the Khazalite Holds feel somewhat… well, pedestrian.
That's not necessarily a bad thing, of course. These may well be my favorite 'classic' dwarf models in any game. They manage to capture the species' stocky, redoubtable nature in a dynamic way, with an original armor design that still pays homage to all that's come before. (To my eye, they feel like a cross between Old World dwarves and the Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game Dwarf Warriors.) The robotic Gholems of Gazul and cannon are equally evocative, playing on the "genius smiths" trope with drop-dead gorgeous miniatures that you can tell from the off are going to look fantastic if you dedicate some time to them. The cannon is actually something of a mini diorama, which I really enjoyed constructing and will be a centerpiece for any force.
The Khazalite Holds Army Set I was able to try early is up for pre-order now via Warhammer ahead of an October 31 release date, and you should be able to get a discount via Miniature Market in the US or Wayland Games UK. It consists of a full Spearhead force; it's got a group of 10 Clanshields warriors, three Gholems of Ghazul/Valaya, an Oathkeeper Cannon/Stonebreaker Mortar, and hero Hjulda Drakkblud.
Still, that niggle remains. The fact that this brand-new faction has absorbed the previously-separate Fyreslayer duardin army concerns me as well; I admit that they go nicely together and most of the old units still appear to be available, but it makes me worry the Kharadron Overlords are next (within the lore, this is called out as an end-goal for every dwarf force to be united under one banner). More specifically, I'm concerned we're marching toward a very traditional dwarf faction for next edition rather than the wonderfully bizarre options we have now. Something will surely have to get cut if all three are rolled into one army, after all.
I can't complain about the rules for this new force, though. I always appreciate factions that tie lore so neatly into mechanics, like the Ogor Mawtribes that won me over with how gross their gameplay is. For the Khazalite Holds, that's grudges. They get supremely pissy if you take down their kin, mix up their coffee order, or insult their favorite football team, so losing troops paradoxically makes them more powerful. They're incredibly good at holding objectives as well, which makes sense for stubborn so-and-sos who don't know when to quit.
Enemies should beware both those war engines – the cannon and Gholems – too. The Oathkeeper Cannon offers a variety of rune effects to choose from that debuff opponents on a 3+ each turn in the full game and smaller Spearhead matches, while the Gholems will make short work of most infantry units regardless of which system they fight in.
That could apply to the entire Khazalite Holds army, to be honest; it looks to be a very reliable, sturdy battalion. They're slow-moving but indomitable, like an avalanche steadily and surely obliterating all in its path. I'm really looking forward to testing their mettle on the tabletop, and I love what I've seen so far… but a part of me wishes they were just a little weirder.
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