The Bad Moon Warboss Nazdreg returns to both the tabletop and PC in Total War: Warhammer 40,000.
The Baddest Moon of all is returning to Warhammer 40,000 with a brand new sculpt this summer, but he’s not stopping there. Nazdreg Ug Urdgrub is making both a triumphant return to the tabletop and an equally triumphant debut in the upcoming Total War: Warhammer 40,000.
Moon Rise Glow Up
Massive and ostentatious, Nazdreg’s new sculpt looks every bit the part of the pre-eminent warboss among an Ork clan that prizes style over substance without skimping on the dakka. His hulking mega armor looks like it was hammered out of scavenged terminator suits (teleportation equipment included) and is a fearsome spectacle made even more impressive by the stylish addition of a back banner and fur stole. Klassy!
Nazdreg is among the oldest characters in the 40k setting, but he hasn’t had a model since the olden times of 2nd edition. Charming as the original figure was, I think it’s safe to say that Nazdreg has received one of the biggest glow-ups in recent 40k history. Just take a look in comparison. His Kustom Blasta X is nearly the size of the original sculpt’s entire torso, and the same can be said of his personal heavily modified powerklaw, Moonchewa.
If you’ve been playing Warhammer as long as I have, it’s always a little bittersweet to see the oldest models getting revised. Fortunately, Nazdreg’s new incarnation features a ton of delightful call-backs to his original sculpt. His kneepads still feature a leering badmoon on one leg and an equally leering skull on the other, but most critically, he’s retained his 90s iconic back banner. Just a fantastic ode to the early aesthetics of 40k without being a slavish recreation. He might be my favorite model released so far in the early days of 11th edition.
Supreme Kunnin’
Nazdreg’s all-new sculpt comes with all-new rules, and he is no slouch. Bad Moons excel at the Ork version of long-range warfare, but no warboss will turn his nose up at a good scrap, and Nazdreg is no exception. His Kustom Blasta X is the star of the show, though, so let’s start there.
Like most Kustom Blastas, Nazdreg’s has multiple firing modes. But unlike his lessers, Nazdreg can fire all three at once! Just a staggering amount of shots hitting on a very respectable (for an Ork) 4+. With 13 attacks split across three weapons, he’s putting out the firepower of a medium vehicle. A medium vehicle that can also slaughter his enemies in combat as both his Kustom Blasta and Moonchewa go to work. Cleave and Damage 3 on Moonchewa is bonkers good, and even the toughest infantry like Custodes or Terminators are in danger of being shredded.
Nazdreg also has a host of powerful abilities to buff his army and attached units. Notably, he and a unit to which he’s attached gain Deep Strike, letting you place him exactly where he needs to be. Supreme Kunnin’ and Intimidating Motivation let him manage his troops with efficiency that would make even a Commissar jealous.
Bad Moon Rising, Virtually and Otherwise
And as promised above, Nazdreg will also be making his way to the virtual battles of Total War: Warhammer 40,000. We’ve only been given a teaser, but here’s what we know so far…
We can confirm today that Nazdreg will be one of the key characters that you can battle with, and against, when the upcoming Total War: Warhammer 40,000 game launches. Nazdreg will feature heavily in some of the early in-game narrative, in events that tie in to the ongoing pivotal battles around Armageddon.
I’ve gotta say, I’m pretty excited about this reveal. I’ve loved the Bad Moons forever, especially some of the ancient 2nd edition sculpts. Nazdreg is hitting me firmly in my love of 40k’s core aesthetics and factions, and I just might have to get my hands on the Ork half of the Armageddon box after all…
Ghazkull, Wazdakka, and now Nazdreg. Can characters be far off for the Blood Axes, Deathskulls and Snakebites?
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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
