Everything Games Workshop Revealed at the 2026 AdeptiCon Preview

AdeptiCon was this week, and between nail-biting games and a classic midwestern spring chill, Games Workshop managed to sneak in the yearly preview show. I jest, of course, because for many the show itself is what AdeptiCon is known for, the time when we get fleeting glimpses at what awaits us in the coming summer. I wanted to take some time and recap everything we saw during this preview show, absent any mention of the biggest, and most expected reveal: Warhammer 40,000 11th Edition. That's to be saved for another day, but in the meantime, there's plenty to ponder. From crenelated contraptions of Ironweld might, to the return of heroes (and monsters) of ages past, let's dive in to what awaited us up in Milwaukee, this past week.

Yarrick Returns, Alongside a New Armored Column

What is dead may never die, and in the contest of 'not dying', Commissar Sebastian Yarrick is a gold medalist. Ol' Bale Eye is back, unsurprisingly, and he brings with him an armored column of the Astra Militarum to bolster forces looking to move faster, hit harder, and perish with all expedience. I'm personally of a mixed opinion when it comes to Yarrick, for while he's among the game's most storied characters, permanent consequences are a fleeting thing in the 41st millennium—having a character actually die, and stay dead, is a luxury basically just afforded to Sanguinius at this point (a character whose key narrative beat is dying tragically). The continuity of the universe, that any given tidbit mentioned in one chart, in one codex, will someday be a real model (shoutout to Von Ryan's Leapers) is both a blessing and a burden. That being said, Yarrick's new model is absolutely excellent, and everyone should appreciate how clearly held together purely by spite and servo-harnessing the man is.

Beyond Yarrick himself, the Guard received three brand-new vehicles, being the Hippogriff AFV, Centaur RFV, and Vigilance, the personal transport of one Commissar Thenia Graves. These do wonders to widen the range of Guard's lighter armor, and their aesthetic influence from the Rogal Dorn is undeniable. A bit rounder, a bit leaner, a bit more realistic...until you get to the massive gun, and you're right back to 40k. The Centaur seems a clear case for replacing the Taurox, though I imagine that would result in grumbling, so maybe the Guard has room enough for two tracked trucks. On the whole, this looks exciting for mechanized Guard players, especially those yearning for transport hopping, rather than tank fights.

Wazdakka Gutsmek Rolls Up

The Xenos release for Armageddon: The Return of Yarrick harkens back to a tradition that's long since been phased out: Rules for models that don't exist. As someone who started 40k the weekend plastic Gargoyles debuted (circa 2010), I grew up with codices having units like the Tyrannofex, Doom of Malan'tai, and Tervigon—none of which had models for whom GW sold (at the time). You were expected to kitbash, and from an Ork player's perspective, that was right and just. Enter Wazdakka Gutsmek, Biker of the Aporkalypse, who originated as one of these very models back in 2nd Edition, receiving rules in 4th Edition. I saw a number of Wazdakka conversions in my day, and the fact he had only a page of lore and single black & white portrait led to interpretations varying wildly; to say that his new model does all of them justice, though, is an understatement. Wazdakka Gutsmek rules. He is every bit the legendary Warbiker folks would expect...only slightly shackled by the fact we still haven't seen whether the original Warbikers are getting an update. That said, as much seems likely with Orks being the main enemy faction of 11th Edition's launch box. Only then will the Kult of Speed be sated.

Imperium Oddballs Stride Forth

Beyond the reveal of new models for Guard & Orks, two other factions were provided with new toys, both astride truly over-the-top mounts. First is Intranzia Fraye, rocking the old Karamazov-style walking pulpit, her 'Throne of Blame'. Talk of singling out foes in her coverage makes me worry Sisters are yet another army set to benefit from their own take on Oath, but as an Admech player I can tell you it all comes out in the wash. Far stranger than she is Inquisior Kroyle, representing the utter wackiness that comes with being a part of the Imperial Agents. Yes, Agents received a new model here, and better still, a new Battalion, so hopes are high they get treated like a real faction next edition. As an Inquisitor, though, Kroyle could perhaps slot into any number of armies—not unlike Draxus did, from early-to-mid 10th—so it's a good thing his mini is gorgeous.

Heroes of the Free Cities

The new wave of models for the Cities of Sigmar only further entrench their aesthetic in what can only be described as 'Manuscript-core', and it seems they have that market cornered. Between the highly-individualized Gallants and breathtaking Cogfort, that's a niche which seems to grow in popularity day by day. Starting with the Heroes, we have a new pair of Battlemages, each utterly devoted to their respective school. Moreover, that section of the faction now has a named Leader: Erasmus Zonn, set in the defacto magic city for 4th Edition, Settler's Gain. The Collegiate Arcane has three more notches in its belt, and soon enough between Warhammer Quest releases and AoS proper we'll have covered all the original Winds of Magic. This release also touches on an aspect of Cities that's been ignored in recent releases: Their cosmopolitan nature. We mentioned Zonn, but his story begins with being taught by Lumineth scholars to the point where he could surpass them, a degree of cooperation that's far less likely to exist in Sigmar's sister game. To contrast, Jorvan Kreel reminds us of what happens when those bonds break down. After the city of Anvilgard was fully subsumed by the cults of Morathi-Khaine and turned into their capital of Har Kuron, the remaining humans and duardin were exiled or killed. Now, Kreel's out for revenge. Although this wave is once again human-centric (aside from some gargants), fans of the lore should appreciate the overtures made to remind players that surviving in the Mortal Realms is a group effort.

Sigmar's Faithful Are His Wall

As for said humans, though, this wave has made many a convert to the Dawnbringer Crusades, I can tell you that much. Two new types of infantry, the versatile Grenadiers and inspiring Gallants, both join the fray as ways for Freeguild-centered armies to better contest the midboard...beyond swarming it with bodies. Gate Gargants meanwhile serve as the undisputed king and queen of holding the line, as upsized versions of the Fusil-Major you now take as a unit. My fingers are crossed we get some flavorful rule about moving between the two bases, but it's far too early to say. All of us are here for one reason, though, and that's AoS' second take on a Knight-style unit, the Cogfort. Available in both ranged-centric Cannonade and melee-transport Conqueror varieties, these are explicitly able to be taken in any army as a Regiment of Renown, because frankly no matter what you're playing, it's likely you want one. Look at the thing, it's gorgeous! As someone who's adored conversions for my entire Warhammer tenure, possibilities surge through my mind at the thought of kitbashing one of these up (until I remember I played, past tense, Beasts of Chaos). Centerpieces like this are what AoS is made of, and I cannot wait to see amazing modellers and painters get their hands on one of these gigantic things. As a final note, also included was faction terrain, as everyone's now getting, in the form of the Dawner's Triumph, and yet another foot hero intended to bless a Cogfort, your Mallus Forgepriest. Neither excite me immensely, but your mileage may vary.

Refreshin' Eshin

Far less keen to be team players are the brand-new Skaven, but for a lot of players they're arguably AoS's more exciting set of reveals. Finally, after 24 long years, both Gutter & Night Runners have received gorgeous plastic kits. As a bit of background, due to the age of many of the clan's models (and they did not age well) Eshin has languished as the least-popular way to play Skaven since the launch of AoS. Prior to this wave, the only modern plastic to their name was the Deathmaster, and one Underworlds Warband in Skittershank's Clawpack. The new Runners kit appears to be a dual-build, as many had expected for their eventual refresh, but in spite of that they've done a phenomenal job of making each unit feel unique. The idea of fielding an Eshin-themed force now has far greater appeal, and with them being released alongside some of the new Cities models in City of Ash, it's a great way to start your very own force of rats (doubly so for the Vermintide fans in the audience)!

A Nightmare Emerges on Devlan

Along much the same line as Wazdakka Gutsmek, the Kill Team preview from AdeptiCon arrived with a blast from the past. Back once more to terrorize Devlan after a decade-long hiatus, everyone give it up for: The Red Terror! On the topic of characters never truly going away, this breathtaking new vision of the apex Ravener is a cherry on top of 10th Edition's refresh wave. I doubt it will have the option to lead Raveners, mind you (leave that to the Hyper-Adapted sort) but the Terror's existed as a harbinger of Hive Fleet Kraken since the early 2000s. Facing off against it in a brand-new Kill Team game type are a crack squad of stealthy survivalist Astra Militarum, capable of hunting one of the galaxy's most infamous bioforms. That's right, it's...Spectre Squad. Wait, hang on, that's not right, it was supposed to say 'Catachans'. It's not as though the current Catachan Jungle Fighters kit is older than the original Red Terror, right? Oh? Oh. Well, the Spectre Squad Kill Team are still plenty neat, and the specialization between things like guides, a 2-model mortar squad, and more gives it a more grounded feel than most regiments we've seen. Moreover, the new game mode also sees the return of both the Zoat & Ambull as single-model threats along the lines of The Red Terror, which is a welcome sight—that Ambull is a treat to paint!

The Winds Blow in Hysh

They have the formula down at this point, between an absolutely killer character model, expressive secondary models that don't steal the spotlight, and who could forget the all-important mascot. Thyrielle's Zephyrites are gorgeous, and add a bit of flair to Hurakan Temple Lumineth. You could say I'm a big fan. Terrible pun aside, it sounds as though this warband does a great job of rewarding on-the-fly thinking, for those able to adapt to changing objectives during the course of a game. Underworlds has reached maturity in terms of its internal complexity, and to see it played at the highest level is always a treat—this is one release I'm looking forward to watching on-stream, that's for sure. Tzul, the antelope-fox-thing, is closer to a token than a model in the band; this is likely wise, as the sight of crushing someone's beloved pet beneath a Chaos-tainted mace is too grisly a sight for even battle-hardened Aelves.

Dangerous Simpletons, and Simply Dangerous

For the first time in plastic, it's Charonite Ogryns! They have been among the most-beloved aspects of the Solar Auxilia since their codification as a real army, being the human answer to Astartes during the middle of the Heresy. The very existence of Charonites doesn't just prove the persistence of humanity, or how powerful the Angels of Death truly are within the setting, but gives proper respect to the often-comedic Ogryn. Everyone comes out of the scuffle looking cooler for it. There's also Rapiers for the Auxilia, which is all well and good, but the final gem of the Horus Heresy reveals is without a doubt the Spartan Prometheus. The conceit of this armored transport is 'What if Rhino, but biggest', and I admire the forward-thinking tech-adepts who had that bright idea. Chock full of Bolters, often full of Marines, and likely very difficult to maneuver through terrain, it truly epitomizes the will of Dorn, i.e. the simplest answer that works. We also saw the next Journal previewed, centering around the largest tank battle of the era, on Tallarn. People commonly think of the Tallarn Desert Raiders when that planet comes to mind, but often it's forgotten why they're Desert Raider. This battle left a scar on the human culture and ecosystem so deep that what they're now known for is a direct result of the conflict covered in this upcoming book. Sick.

The War of the Rohirrim Comes to the Tabletop

For those not aware, in 2024 a new Lord of the Rings movie arrived, set in the same canon as Peter Jackon's trilogy; it was, in a number of ways, better than The Hobbit trilogy, and yet when I've asked casual fans nobody knew what I was talking about. I've buried the lede in saying this, but it's because Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim...was an animated film. Not an incredible feature by my estimation, but it introduced the Hill Tribesmen we saw in the preview as a historic, hated enemy of Rohan. They get to slot in nicely to the Dunlendings force in more modern LotR, and provide some neat tricks to the fragile faction. The stars of the show, however, are the modern re-imaginings of the Riders of Rohan. To see the current sculpting prowess of Games Workshop on display here is a treat, and as someone who, growing up, had some of the originals...this is basically what I saw them as, through rosy glasses. On top of that, in the stream it was said that they're incredibly modular, meaning you can treat them as a true hobby project, and have different Riders across a whole charging row.

Final Thoughts

For as much as this preview show was about looking forward, with 11th Edition on the horizon, it was likewise about looking back. Dredged forth from the annals of Editions' past were named characters newer players had likely only heard mention of in lore deep-dives, or seen in game store display cases. Kits like the Riders of Rohan have now been rendered in such detail that could only have been dreamt about, for those who saw The Two Towers on release. For as much as I wish the stories in the 41st millennium, Mortal Realms, and to a lesser extent Middle Earth could have genuine forward momentum, who's to say the current generation shouldn't have the glee of experiencing endless war on Armageddon? We tell these stories, visit these worlds, venerate these characters again and again, reinventing them better each time, because they're compelling narratives and concepts. Not unlike so many great tragedies, knowing the ending leads once more to the beginning isn't a thing of disappointment, but catharsis. Old Bale Eye lives, mortals fight back against the dark, and Armageddon burns. Warhammer is a game—a hobby—built on cycles.

Still the wheel turns. The last part of the preview show kicked off coverage for what we had a feeling would arrive this June: 40k, 11th Edition. Goonhammer's coverage of everything we know so far drops on Saturday, so don't touch that dial!

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