Games Workshop has revealed a brand new core set for Warhammer: the Old World, a packed box set that will pit an army of brand new Warriors of Chaos models against the staunch defenders of Cathay. Announced during the Warhammer preview stream on Friday, the set also contains a revised edition of the game’s weighty rulebook.
Weirdly, this is the first two player starter set for Warhammer: The Old World, and it’s coming out more than two years after the game launched. The models in the box are multipart kits, not push-fits, and should be of an equivalent complexity level to the rest of the Old World range – which might make your eyes twitch if you’ve built Chaos Marauders – so even though it’s a product for people new to the game, it still looks to be aimed at experienced wargamers rather than total beginners.
We don’t know why GW waited this long to make a starter set for the game: perhaps it was so they could offer a set made entirely of new models and not re-releases from the retro Warhammer range. The Cathayan models in the set were released in 2025, while the Warriors of Chaos are brand spanking new.
The new Warhammer: The Old World core set contains:
- Chaos Aspiring Champion on Daemonic mount
- Chaos Aspiring Champion on foot
- Chaos Knights x 4
- Chaos Warriors x 16
- Gate keeper on warhorse
- Gate keeper on foot
- Jade Warriors x 20
- Jade Lancers x 5
- Grand cannon
I’m going to make the wild assumption that all of the new Chaos minis will be sold separately at some point, and that the two Chaos Champions will come boxed together, just like all the other new infantry-and-cavalry character duos GW has released for the Old World factions.
The box set will include a revised version of the Old World rulebook – not a new edition, but hopefully containing all the errata the game has accumulated. That would be extremely welcome: the core rules errata fill six pages, overwriting individual paragraphs scattered throughout the entire rulebook in ways that substantially change the feel of the game.
One really interesting inclusion here is a paper battle map to play on, and the inclusion of a Battle March booklet which has complete army lists for the two forces, plus dice, tokens, and range rulers. This really is an attempt at an all-in-one starter set for the game. Hopefully this is a vote of confidence that the game can appeal to new players, and isn’t just a nostalgia trip for grognards like me.
Lots will depend on the price, of course. The core set contains as much plastic as you’d find in an Old World Battalion box set – MSRP $195 (£115) – plus a hardback rulebook – MSRP $73.50 / £44.50 – so even assuming GW covers the other contents and the higher quality cardboard for this kind of box set, I’m going to estimate $270 / £170. GW hasn’t announced the release date yet, but we’ll keep you posted!
Oh heck, there’s a new Chaos Dragon too
Alongside the new core set, GW snuck in a very large extra surprise: a gigantic new Chaos Dragon model! GW confirms this kit’s dragon rider can be built as either a Chaos Lord or a Chaos Sorcerer, and whichever you choose, you’ll be able to build the other one on foot from the same box.
The Chaos Dragon with Chaos Lord mount is a big damn deal: not only will it be a charismatic centerpiece, but the last chaos dragon model was a special character called Galrauch, possessed by a great daemon, who had no rider – the previous chaos dragon rider model was from 1997.
Building a force for The Old World, keen to start one, or curious to know what the fuss is about? Come and chat in the friendly Wargamer Discord community!
Source: Wargamer
