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The end has come for the current edition of Warhammer 40K, and even though there's a spark of hope with the Return of Yarrick, things are looking grim.
Well, metaphorically speaking. The final expansion before Warhammer 40K 11th Edition arrives is an in-universe disaster of unparalleled, apocalyptic proportions. But in real life? It's a god damn delight. Besides bringing back the titular character for yet more punishment (Yarrick is one of the longest-running and most pummelled heroes in Warhammer 40K, poor guy), Return of Yarrick provides a tank-heavy way to play along with a host of genuinely cool new units to spice up your battles.
Crucially, it does a great job of selling just how dire things are for the wartorn world of Armageddon that's about to become the most important battlefield in Warhammer – making this a compelling, borderline-essential prelude to the next edition.
You can obviously head straight to Warhammer and scoop up these products from there as of now, but that's not always the best value. For that, I'd recommend dropping by indie retailers because they tend to get heavy discounts on all things Games Workshop. I usually make a beeline for Miniature Market and Rogue Traders in the US, or Wayland Games and Magic Madhouse in the UK.
I've always adored worldwide campaigns as they provide a sense of being part of something so much grander, and while the last few expansions brought that back in a big way, Return of Yarrick feels like a prologue for the even bigger conflict of 11th Edition. While this may sound like a negative, it really isn't; Armageddon is becoming such a big deal in the lore that the next edition's launch box shares the same name, after all. This expansion's sense of impending doom is fitting as a result; it's clear that, unless the Space Marines get involved, there's no hope for anyone in this sector (and considering how good a job the book does at demonstrating Armageddon's status as absolute hell, that says a lot). The stakes are very, very obvious here, so if teeing up what comes next is all these books do, that's fine by me. It makes next edition's launch all the richer, thematically speaking.
It's not all about story, though. This final push for 40K's 10th Edition is split into multiple parts. First up is the aforementioned lore book, which provides a full rundown of Commissar Yarrick's desperate mission to break through Ork hordes so he can send out a distress signal (which may or may not summon the Space Marines we play as in the next edition). This is followed by the Armoured Gauntlet pack, and that provides a vehicle-heavy mode all about tank warfare. Finally, there are models. So, so many models. Heroes, vehicles, full Battalion boxes… a lot's on the way for Return of Yarrick.
I've been able to build up many of these and paint a few, and have come away impressed. Even though Yarrick himself may look similar to his old versions at first glance, it's obvious on closer inspection how much better this miniature is. It's far more detailed overall, with cybernetics increasingly visible on the Old Man of Armageddon to weave a tale about how he's becoming more machine than man.
Armoured Gauntlet is the major game type being introduced in the expansion, and it adds a lot more meat on the bones of tanks or other, similarly large vehicles. Rather than them being outright destroyed after being dealt damage/mortal wounds, you roll on a special table that adds damage tokens and effects like engine failure that impact their in-game performance. The more damage tokens they have, the more likely they are to be destroyed outright. While this drags out the life of these vehicles in a way that'd be annoying for normal matches of 40K, it's ideal for a tank-focused match in that it adds so much more drama to proceedings. It's just a shame the new Steel Legion aren't here to see it yet...
That sort of narrative-rich approach is also present in the other Imperium-aligned figures: the Dogmata Superior Intranzia Fraye on her walking throne, big game hunter Inquisitor Kroyle riding his bizarre prawn-horse, and Commissar Graves in a supremely OTT armored vehicle. They're inspiring miniatures even just to look at, the kind which have an abundance of hidden details to pore over on the tabletop at or that tell a story all their own. Commissar Grave's vehicle borders on a diorama in its own right, for instance.
Still, none are as dynamic or, to be frank, buckwild as Wazzdakka Gutsmek. This bike-riding Ork with a need for speed is one of the most energetic, eye-catching models Warhammer 40K has produced in a long time (and is only matched by a certain Sylvaneth Grove Guardian, which might just be the best Warhammer model of the year if you ask me). I'm already looking forward to adding him to an Ork army in 11th Edition.
After all, that's what this feels like; prep for the big refresh that kicks off a new war for Armageddon in earnest. The Return of Yarrick is a hype man for Warhammer 40K 11th Edition, in other words, and for me at least, it's working.
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