Review: The High Elves March Again – and the Mechanicum Roars in Legions Imperialis

Review: The High Elves March Again – and the Mechanicum Roars in Legions Imperialis

This week’s reveals take us from the gleaming spires of Ulthuan to the battle-scarred forge worlds of the distant past. The High Elves continue their triumphant return to Warhammer: The Old World with a sweeping wave of infantry, cavalry, and sky-chariots—while Legions Imperialis brings a steel tide of Mechanicum armor to the tabletop. It’s a strong showing for both games, and a compelling reminder of what makes each setting so unique. Here’s our take on this week’s new kits.


The High Elves – Elegance with Edge

High Elf Mages

This dual-kit captures the mystical heart of Ulthuan’s armies. The foot mage comes with multiple head and staff options as well as a variety of base elements to help set the tone—academic sage, battle-seer, or courtly advisor. The mounted mage adds momentum and grandeur, perched atop a barded elven steed. The sculpting is crisp, refined, and unmistakably High Elven.

Takeaway: A flexible and beautiful centerpiece for spellcasting support.

Dragon Princes of Caledor

Few cavalry units carry the same narrative weight as the Dragon Princes. These sculpts embody the pride and fire of Caledor’s finest—elaborate armor, distinctive helms, and a forward-thrusting momentum that practically leaps off the base. The ability to field them as two distinct units adds tactical flexibility.

Takeaway: Visually arresting and tactically elite. A fitting elite for any highborn host.

Elven Archers & Spearmen

Both core kits come in units of 32, with options to form two smaller squads each. The Archers are alert and agile, while the Spearmen stand in disciplined ranks with leveled weapons—a subtle but effective contrast. Details like flowing robes, crested helms, and finely-sculpted faces elevate them far above generic rank-and-file. They strike a good balance between modularity and sculpted character.

Takeaway: Strong foundational units, with sculpt quality that respects their narrative pedigree.

Tiranoc Chariots

A two-in-one kit that gives you the option to build either Tiranoc or Lion Chariots—complete with modular war lions should you go with the former. The chariots are elegant without looking fragile, and the lions are full of energy and expression. It’s a nostalgic piece, modernized with clean details and practical assembly.

Takeaway: Versatile, characterful, and one of the standout kits from this wave.

Lothern Skycutter

There’s something fantastical in the best sense about the Skycutter. A flying chariot pulled by a Swiftfeather Roc, armed with a compact bolt thrower and supported by a bonus High Elf Lord on foot. It’s dynamic, elegant, and distinctly High Elven in both concept and form. The flying base creates a wonderful vertical element in an army that already thrives on precision and grace.

Takeaway: Bold design, strong narrative presence, and great synergy of parts.


Legions Imperialis – The Mechanicum Unleashed

Karacnos Assault Tank Squadron

Built on the Triaros chassis, the Karacnos trades transport capacity for a brutal mortar array. Despite being miniaturized for epic scale, the model retains striking details—radiation vents, mortars, and aggressive treads. The silhouette is distinctive and thematic, fitting the Mechanicum’s grim industrial profile.

Takeaway: Heavy fire support that looks as mean as it sounds.

Krios Squadron

This six-model set offers strong variety with weapon loadouts ranging from lightning cannons to devastating pulsar-fusils. The sleek hull and squat profile feel fast and brutal—everything you'd want from a skirmishing tank in the Mechanicum's arsenal. It channels that ‘ancient but advanced’ aesthetic with surprising clarity at small scale.

Takeaway: Tactical flexibility in a tight, aggressive package. One of the more versatile kits available.

Acastus Knights Asterius

Rivaling Warhound Titans in destructive power, these Acastus Knights are walking fortresses. The twin magna lascannons or conversion beam cannons look suitably oversized and deadly, and there’s a pleasing symmetry to their design. Despite their scale, the kits don’t sacrifice articulation or grandeur.

Takeaway: If you want the feeling of fielding mini-gods of war, this is it.

Cerastus Knights Atrapos

Fierce and lean, the Atrapos is a specialized hunter of other Knights, armed with singularity cannons and lascutters. The sculpt feels more dynamic and aggressive than some of its counterparts—angular armor plating, stalking gait, and a hunched menace that comes through even in this small scale.

Takeaway: Built to duel, these are narrative and gameplay driven models with bite.

Questoris Knights Magaera and Styrix

This four-Knight kit offers a mix of two designs, both heavier and more technologically advanced than their Imperial counterparts. From ionic flare shields to auto-repair systems, these models exude a Mechanicum superiority complex that feels earned. Visually, they’re bulkier and more arcane, but still readable on the battlefield.

Takeaway: Great thematic fit for Mechanicum players looking to differentiate their Knight households.


Final Verdict

This release wave excels on nearly every front. The High Elf kits embrace their narrative roots while updating classic units with elegant modern sculpts. Every piece—be it infantry, cavalry, or airborne chariot—feels considered, evocative, and rooted in the lore of Ulthuan. Meanwhile, Legions Imperialis continues to impress with miniature marvels of battlefield engineering. The Mechanicum tanks and Knights strike a powerful silhouette and offer real depth in build and role.

No single kit feels like filler here. Each one has a reason to exist, a place on the tabletop, and a story to tell. Whether you're assembling ranks of spearmen beneath the Tower of Hoeth or marching war-automatons across a shattered moon, this is a release wave that delivers in form, function, and flavor.

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