Orlock Takes the Wheel

House Orlock is taking over this weekend’s Warhammer preorders, and it is bringing more than another box of gangers.

New specialists, veteran leaders, Cyber-Mastiffs, and some particularly intimidating Ogryns arrive alongside an expanded set of gang rules. Black Library adds stories from the Horus Heresy, the Mortal Realms, and Grand Cathay, while several classic Tzeentch miniatures return through Made to Order.

There are also two direct-only offerings worth separating from the regular release lineup before anyone starts planning their order.

Road Warriors Mean Business

The new Orlock Road Warriors kit builds eight fighters across four specialist types: Road Enforcers, Road Shooters, Road Engineers, and Road Blasters. Their equipment includes options such as dual shotguns, boltguns, pneumatic hammers, and scrap welders.

What stands out is how clearly the miniatures communicate their industrial background.

The heavy boots, reinforced clothing, goggles, tool belts, and mechanical equipment make them look like a working crew that has become exceptionally good at defending itself. There is variety between the fighters without losing that shared identity.

We particularly like the models carrying industrial equipment. They give the gang something more distinctive than another collection of people holding different guns.

For painters, the mixture of worn metal, leather, cloth, and exposed skin should make these an interesting change from large areas of power armor.

Leaders, Dogs, and Ogryns

The Orlock Road Sergeants & Cyber-Mastiffs set contains one Road Captain, five Road Sergeants, and two Cyber-Mastiffs, with weapon and cosmetic choices for personalizing the fighters.

The more elaborate equipment helps distinguish these veterans from the Road Warriors. The dogs are an appealing addition, too. A scarred gang leader accompanied by an equally unpleasant-looking augmented companion immediately suggests a character worth following through a campaign.

Then there are the Ogryn Minders.

This two-model kit offers ripper guns, mauls, knuckledusters, and the enormous spud-jacker wrench, alongside customization options.

These are our miniature picks from the wave. Their oversized workwear and industrial weapons fit the Orlocks perfectly, while the folded-arms pose shown in the preview has the expression of someone who has already decided this conversation is over.

They bring plenty of personality without needing an elaborate scenic base to explain it.

More Ways to Run the Gang

Underhive Journal: Orlock – The House of Iron supports the release with new fighter rules, equipment, background, and campaign options.

Road Gangs take to customizable outrider quads, while Wrecking Crews pursue a more destructive approach to salvaging the underhive. Existing gangs also gain additional options rather than being left behind by the new formations.

That is the part we find most useful. New models become more interesting when they suggest a different campaign, not just another purchase for the same roster.

The accompanying Orlock Card Pack contains 24 cards, while the House Orlock dice set includes eight dice covering standard rolls, injuries, firepower, and scatter. Both accessories are available while stocks last.

Classic Tzeentch: Direct Only

Five returning kits make up the Tzeentch Made to Order selection: the Exalted Greater Daemon of Tzeentch, Greater Daemon of Tzeentch, Fatemaster on Disc, Fluxmaster on Disc, and the Blue Scribes.

The Exalted Greater Daemon is a resin kit; the other four are metal. These are returning classic miniatures, not newly sculpted plastic replacements.

The Blue Scribes remain the standout for us. Two daemons surrounded by books, scrolls, ink, and an unreasonable amount of paperwork make for a wonderfully strange painting project.

All five Tzeentch Made to Order releases are Games Workshop direct-only and will not be available through Wargame Portal.

Some of these miniatures also have Legends rules or supplied bases that differ from current event guidance, so check the relevant requirements before planning an organized-play collection around them.

The Eisenstein Returns

James Swallow’s The Flight of the Eisenstein returns in a new Horus Heresy Saga hardback, following Nathaniel Garro’s desperate attempt to escape the Isstvan system and carry word of Horus’s betrayal to Terra.

This is a new presentation of an existing novel, not a newly written installment. French- and German-language paperback editions are also included in the announcement.

The new cover is particularly effective. Garro stands aboard the ship with destruction visible beyond its windows, giving the escape a sense of urgency before you reach the first page.

The collector’s version, listed by GW as the Premium Edition, features a faux-leather cover, metal emblem, decorated page edges, and a ribbon marker.

The Premium Edition is Games Workshop direct-only and will not be available through Wargame Portal. Its ordering window opens separately on Wednesday, November 4, at 3 p.m. UK time, while stocks last. It is not joining the main weekend preorder opening.

That direct-only restriction concerns the Premium Edition, not the regular hardback.

Galaxy in Flames Returns in Paperback

Ben Counter’s Galaxy in Flames also receives a paperback release, returning readers to the betrayal on Isstvan III.

Alongside The Flight of the Eisenstein, it gives this week’s reading selection a strong early-Heresy focus. These are returning stories in new editions, making them relevant both to readers working through the series and collectors choosing their preferred format.

Whisperblade Heads Into Shyish

Hal Wilson’s Whisperblade arrives in hardback, following Freeguild spy and enforcer Zelef Eryx on a dangerous expedition into the Realm of Death.

The crusade is searching for Udriste, a lost fortress whose knowledge might save Lethis. As the journey continues, madness and infighting threaten the very soldiers Eryx is responsible for keeping under control.

That tension is what interests us. A character charged with maintaining discipline becomes considerably more compelling when the people around him are beginning to unravel.

Of the announced premises, this looks like the choice for readers who prefer their Age of Sigmar stories grounded in vulnerable people rather than seemingly unstoppable heroes.

Grand Cathay Gets Its Novel

Blood of the Bastion by Evan Dicken also arrives in hardback, bringing Grand Cathay its first full-length Black Library novel.

Veteran soldier Yao Kai has achieved his ambition of becoming Master of the Snake Gate, only to uncover a Chaos conspiracy threatening the Great Bastion from within.

The combination of military responsibility, personal ambition, and internal betrayal gives the story an appealing starting point. We are particularly interested in seeing Cathay through someone responsible for defending it, rather than viewing the empire only through its most powerful figures.

For anyone building a Grand Cathay army, this could provide a welcome opportunity to explore the people and places behind the miniatures.

Our Take

The Orlock expansion works because the models look like they belong together while still offering distinct personalities. The Ogryn Minders would be our first painting project, with the Journal providing the larger campaign possibilities.

Black Library makes the week considerably broader than Necromunda alone. There are returning Heresy stories, an unsettling Freeguild expedition, and a new perspective on Grand Cathay.

Just keep the ordering routes separate: the classic Tzeentch Made to Order models and The Flight of the Eisenstein Premium Edition are direct-only releases, not part of Wargame Portal’s offering.