Warhammer 40K Leviathan impressions: incredible value for money, but who exactly is it for?

The colossal Warhammer 40K Leviathan boxed set has launched the ever-popular war game's newest edition in earnest, offering plenty of new miniatures, a hefty all-in-one rules and lore book, and new mission cards for 10th Edition. All 72 of its steadfast Space Marine and terrifying Tyranid models are packed with detail, from the puny Neurogaunts to the hulking Ballistus Dreadnought. It's an arrangement of models that you almost certainly won't see in any other set, and certainly not with the same $250 / £150 price tag.

It's an impressive set at first glance, but after spending a little over two weeks building the incredible models and poring over the fantastical lore and "simplified, not simple" Warhammer 40,000 10th Edition Core Rules, there are some irritating flaws that hold it back as a limited-run launch set for a new edition. Importantly, these flaws have left me wondering who Warhammer 40K Leviathan was really meant for. 

Sprue good to be true

The Warhammer 40,000 Leviathan set packs a collection of 72 Citadel miniatures that perhaps represent Games Workshop's best to date. While not all of them are original units – it includes another Space Marine Lieutenant because of course it does – every model is an entirely original sculpt that is nicely posed and highly detailed. Narratively, the models also fit together incredibly well. Leviathan and the arrival of 10th Edition mark the beginning of the fourth Tyrannic War in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, with the beleaguered Imperium of Man facing alien swarms from the eponymous Tyranid Hive Fleet Leviathan.

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As a Tyranids collector, I can't help but feel I've been quite spoiled with this set as it includes nearly double the number of Space Marine models and includes six entirely new units. I especially love the biggest beasties in the box – the fearsome Screamer-Killer, the voracious Psychophage, and the monstrous Neurotyrant – but I can’t forget the Space Marines' Phobos Lieutenant with his blades akimbo and the long overdue scale increase for the Terminators.

All these models are push-fit, making them easy to build and don't even require glue, although I did find that the models fit best if you cut down the push-fit pins a little and used plastic glue. They're also all mono-pose models (more in line with publisher Games Workshop's best board games), so there's very little in the way of customization unless you’re willing to heavily convert the models. However, given the quality of the designs and the sheer number of models included in this $250 / £150 box, I can forgive these relatively minor compromises.

Read the room

Moving from plastic to paper, a considerable amount of the Leviathan set's weight is taken up by its exclusive 392-page hardback book, although 'tome' feels like a more appropriate word. It’s jam-packed with pretty much everything anyone would need to know about Warhammer 40,000, whether that’s the new Core Rules, lore on every faction, and how the hobby even works, making it appear like an excellent wargaming companion for all.

However, it really is no exaggeration to call the Leviathan book a tome. This thing is truly massive, impractically so, and is by far my biggest gripe with the Warhammer 40K Leviathan set. It's effectively the 10th Edition Core Rules and the Crusade: Tyrannic War books smashed together into one behemoth of a book, and I can’t help but feel it would've made far more sense to pack in separate exclusive editions of these books instead.

Before you even get to the Core Rules in the Leviathan book, 200 pages or so of the absolute basics of the hobby and background of the Warhammer 40,000 universe are in the way, and over 100 more pages follow! It's a good job that the new 10th Edition rules are available for free online because I can't imagine lugging this weighty book to gaming clubs or friends’ houses along with a whole army of toy soldiers. As a limited-edition box that seems angled more towards existing players than new ones – especially given the new Warhammer 40,000 starter sets on the horizon – the Leviathan book doesn't quite fit.

The sheer density of it is both a blessing and a curse as it tries to cater to all aspects of Warhammer 40,000 but seems unapproachable for new players and lacking for the most hardcore of fans. In fact, experienced fans should definitely look to the excellent 66-card Chapter Approved: Leviathan Mission Deck that's also in the Leviathan set. With an array of Primary Objectives, Mission Rules, Deployments, Secondary Objectives, and the new Gambits, you've got endless ways to wage war in 10th Edition with this card deck – definitely a must-have for any players looking for options beyond the Combat Patrol and Only War modes. 

Casting a wide net

Adding to the disappointment, Games Workshop continues its campaign of increasing facelessness with this book too. Credit for the tome is given to the vague 'Warhammer Design Studio' and not the individuals paving the way for this new edition. With a dramatic shift to free, digital rules, the Leviathan set could've represented another progressive step for the tabletop games giant, rolling back its increasingly impersonal presentation with appropriate recognition. Alas.

Despite my issues with its excessive book, the Warhammer 40K Leviathan set is an undeniable steal when it comes to value for money. With more than two Combat Patrols' worth of brilliantly designed and fantastically varied models, the $250 / £150 price tag is worth it for the minis alone. Find a fellow 40K fan to split both the cost and the Space Marine and Tyranid forces, and it’s an even better package.

But don't let the fact that it's a good deal sway you to an impulse purchase if you find Leviathan boxes still lurking in your local Warhammer or games shop. The Leviathan set clearly tries to cast a wide net when it comes to its audience, featuring an odd mix of products that are aimed at both new hobbyists and veterans, but might not fully satisfy either. New players should hold tight and pray to the Emperor that they can get one of the new and more accommodating starter sets. 

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