An all-new board game set in the 40k universe is coming, along with a new starter and the return of a Middle-earth favorite.
Three new games are coming from Games Workshop later this year. The all-new Tacticus is an adaptation of the popular video game (a tabletop adaptation of a video game adaptation of a tabletop game?). Tacticus is accompanied by a mass market version of the upcoming 40k introductory set, and the return of the Lord of the Rings themed ‘Battle in Balin’s Tomb.’ All three of these games will release later in 2026 through a variety of sales channels.
Warhammer 40,000: Tacticus – The Miniatures Game
The turn-based tactical action of Warhammer 40,000: Tacticus is coming full circle with its first tabletop incarnation. This fast-paced firefight between three Space Marines and three Death Guard takes place on a small board based on the video game’s own arena. The confined environment of the tiny board ensures that the action is brutal and will require all of your wits to achieve victory. Draw cards and utilize each of your three models’ unique abilities to conquer your opponent, who will be doing the same in an effort to defeat you.
Tactics includes six push-fit miniatures accompanied by all the cards, reference sheets, and tokens you’ll need to play. The accompanying companion booklet covers everything from assembly instructions to the rules themselves. As well, a code will be included that unlocks a new hero for your games of Tacticus. Use it to gain access to Veteran Sergeant Ramus in your digital roster.
Tacticus will be exclusive to Target stores in the US, followed by release in Germany and Australia.
Warhammer 40,000: Beginner Set
First previewed a few weeks ago, it seems that this introductory set is meant to be a mass-market introduction to Warhammer. A Space Marine Lieutenant leads five Intercessors in battle against an Ork Nob and five boyz in this small-scale skirmish. The models are accompanied by a playmat, card terrain, a range ruler, and six dice. This appears to be a slightly different set than the other introductory box and does not include any paints or paintbrushes but is otherwise identical in content. It’s unclear where this set will be available for purchase at this time.
The Lord of the Rings: Battle in Balin’s Tomb
Originally released in 2021, the Battle in Balin’s Tomb board game brings to life one of the most thrilling sequences in Peter Jackson’s Fellowship of the Ring. The whole Fellowship is included as miniatures, scaled perfectly for use in Middle-earth Strategy Battles, and is opposed by twelve Moria Goblins and a fearsome Cave Troll. A two-player board game, it’s nevertheless a fantastic introduction to miniatures hobby gaming and was very popular on its original release.
The re-release of Battle in Balin’s Tomb will come later this year for select retail stores in the USA, Germany, and Australia.
Any of these three games will make a great holiday present for new gamers this year!
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Simon Berman has been a wargamer since 1993 and has worked in the tabletop games industry since 2008 as a staff writer for the first three editions of WARMACHINE and HORDES. These days he’s the General President of the Brush Wielders Union, a worldwide organization of miniatures painters of all skill levels, a freelance games writer who has contributed to a number of roleplaying games like Eclipse Phase, Dune: Adventures in the Imperium, and The Hammer and the Stake. He runs his own small-press publishing company, Strix Publishing, and paints more miniatures than he can keep track of. Simon lives with his wife in Tacoma, Washington along with a number of cats and a pack of savage wiener dogs.
Source: Bell of Lost Souls
