After a brief lull in the run up to Christmas, the Warhammer 40,000 release schedule will be back to its usual relentless pace in the new year. As 2024 ends, we’re recapping every new 40k kit and Codex that Games Workshop has already previewed for 2025, and sharing our predictions about what else might be lurking in the shadows.
Games Workshop revealed the basic roadmap for next year’s Warhammer 40k releases at the Nova Open in August, with the Astra Militarum, Aeldari, and Imperial Knights all set to receive new Codexes.
Then in November, the firm previewed new Astra Militarum and Aeldari models at the World Championships of Warhammer. It also confirmed that the Emperor’s Children would receive a standalone Warhammer 40k Codex and new models at some point in the new year.
Here are all the new Warhammer 40k releases that GW has revealed for 2025, when they’re coming, and our predictions for what else is on the way:
Warhammer 40k releases confirmed for 2025
Astra Militarum
The Astra Militarum will be the first Warhammer 40k faction released in 2025, arriving in January or February. Fans can look forward to the following new sets:
- Death Korps of Krieg army set, containing a special edition Codex, Krieg Combat Engineers, Artillery Gun, Lord Marshall Dreir, Death Riders, and Datacards.
- Krieg Command squad.
- Krieg Heavy Weapons Team.
- Updated Astra Militarum Combat Patrol containing Kasrkin, Atillan Rough Riders, and a Cadian Command Squad.
The contents of the Krieg army set will be available separately at a later date. The Ratling Sniper unit, released in the Kill Team: Brutal and Cunning expansion, will also get a standalone release – if this follows the same cadence as the independent release of the Tempestus Aquilons from Kill Team: Hive Storm, expect them to arrive in March.
Astra Militarum treadheads who want to play with some true relics of war can also look forward to new plastic models for the Malcador Infernus and Valdor Tank Hunter. These kits will be part of the Horus Heresy range, but they can be used in Astra Militarum army lists in 40k thanks to the Imperial Armour rules.
Aeldari
Games Workshop has finally committed to replacing the oldest part of the Aeldari model range: the long-serving Aspect Warriors kits. The following new releases are coming at some point in 2025, after the Astra Militarum.
- Codex Aeldari.
- Phoenix Lord Fuegan, and the Fire Dragons.
- Phoenix Lord Asurmen.
- Phoenix Lord Lychis, and the Warp Spiders.
- Phoenix Lord Baharroth, and the Swooping Hawks.
Following these releases, only one Aspect Warrior unit will not have an updated kit – the Dire Avengers – and the only Phoenix Lord without a plastic kit will be Karandras of the Striking Scorpions. As GW is releasing Asurmen, the master of the Dire Avengers, it seems extremely likely that they’ll get a new kit – most likely via Kill Team.
Imperial Knights
Games Workshop has confirmed that Imperial Knights will get an updated Warhammer 40k Codex in 2025, with the roadmap suggesting they’re third on the release slate. It’s pretty rare for the Knights to receive new datasheets, so we don’t have our hopes up that they will be joined by any totally new units.
However, some kits might make the leap from resin to more affordable plastic. The Knights Magaera, Styrix, Atrapos, Moirax, Asterius, and Porphyrion are all resin (or part-resin) Horus Heresy models that can be used in Warhammer 40k thanks to Imperial Armour rules.
These Knights are all associated with the Mechanicum, a Horus Heresy faction that GW has confirmed will receive more models. We’re keeping our mechadendrites crossed…
Emperor’s Children
The Emperor’s Children will finally become a standalone Warhammer 40k faction in 2025, with their own Codex and original models. GW has already previewed digital sculpts for Noise Marine components, and the special character Lucius the Eternal, and the daemon Primarch Fulgrim, are certain to receive new models.
Based on what happened the last time GW promoted a Chaos Space Marine force from subfaction to standalone army, we should also expect new Slaanesh-worshiping cultist auxiliaries, elite units, and Legion-specific characters. If we’re really, really lucky, we might get something inspired by the Sonic Dreadnought…
Warhammer 40k releases we predict for 2025
2025 Codex predictions
Four new armies, with three guaranteed to receive a substantial wave of new models, certainly feels like a lot. But Games Workshop raced through nine Codex and Codex supplement releases in 2024. Even if the design team slacks off the pace a little, we expect four or five more armies will get a new Codex and models in 2025, on top of the four that have already been confirmed.
Chaos is really lagging behind in Codex releases this edition, with five factions still using Indexes. As the World Eaters released at the tail end of ninth edition 40k with a small range of models, it would make sense for them to get a substantial ‘wave two’ release partway into the edition – similar to how the Sisters of Battle plastic range was released during eighth edition 40k and expanded substantially during ninth.
After that, another Chaos release would help close the gap between Chaos and Imperial factions. With the Imperial Knights confirmed for 2025, a Chaos Knights Codex release would be symmetrical – assuming Games Workshop doesn’t want to spread out its armies of big lads across two years.
The Leagues of Votann range is the smallest Xenos faction, which makes it a good candidate for a mid-edition expansion for the same reasons as the World Eaters. And with the Tyranids being the narrative focus for 10th edition, a Genestealer Cults Codex would make thematic sense.
Despite there being two Imperium of Man armies already confirmed for 2025, there are no Space Marine Chapters on the lineup. Both the Space Wolves and Grey Knights are in an awkward spot with model ranges that look fine but hardly stunning compared to everything else, so would make great candidates for updates – but the Black Templars are always popular…
Speaking of Space Marines, it has been a suspiciously long time since Games Workshop released a new unit for the poster boys of 40k. Two years ago we might joke that GW planned to release a new Primaris Lieutenant model. But as the sculpts for Vanguard Veterans, Terminator Assault Squad, and Centurions are all showing their age, they feel like more likely candidates.
Kill Team predictions
Assuming Games Workshop sticks to a tempo of one Kill Team expansion every three months, we should get four packs and eight new Kill Teams in 2024. These teams will either be totally new units or new sculpts for existing ones.
As noted above, with the release of Asurmen for the Aeldari, a Dire Avengers Kill Team seems very likely, especially as the models can already be used in the Blades of Khaine Kill Team. Beyond that though, things are much harder to predict. Kill Team is where Games Workshop gets most creative with new infantry models, so anything is possible.
So, instead of ending this article by writing out a wish-list, we’ll ask what you want to see in 2025! You can find Wargamer on Twitter, Facebook, and BlueSky Social – drop us a comment with your hopes for the new year! For more festive Warhammer reading, here’s everything you need to know about Warhammer 40k’s version of Christmas.
Source: Wargamer
