The forges of Hashut burn again! The Helsmiths of Hashut, Age of Sigmar's long-awaited revival of the Chaos Dwarves, are finally here — and they’re everything we hoped for. Twisted armor, infernal guns, sneering hobgrots, and bull-headed monstrosities dripping with molten fury. These models ooze attitude and craftsmanship, and for players of the Gangfight Chronicle setting, they’re a goldmine for new warband ideas.
They look like the kind of warriors who never stop hammering metal, even when the battlefield itself is melting. Painting them feels like bottling volcanic heat — blackened iron, glowing runes, and smoke-stained beards.
TL;DR Summary
The Helsmiths of Hashut bring the Chaos Dwarves back from the depths, perfect for evil dwarf warbands in Gangfight Chronicle.
Quick Takeaways:
Helsmiths = modern Chaos Dwarves, ideal for Chronicle warbands.
Bull Centaurs count as Mounted Heavies; Infernal Razors use flintlock rifles.
Hobgrot Vandals make hilarious and deadly goblin-style Scouts.
Painters who love black iron and glowing lava. Kitbashers who enjoy converting ancient evils into something tabletop-ready. Gangfight players who want to bring the grim fire-worshipping dwarves of legend to life.
What’s new?
The Helsmiths of Hashut range (the new Chaos Dwarves of the Mortal Realms) gives you everything you’d want for a small, character-driven warband:
Hobgrot Vandals: Goblin-sized raiders armed with crude blades and a gleeful disregard for safety.
Infernal Cohort: Heavily armored dwarves swinging brutal forge-weapons — the beating heart of your force.
War Despot: The warlord, master of slaves and forges alike.
Demonsmith: Part wizard, part blacksmith — pure evil craftsmanship.
Bull Centaurs: Half-dwarf, half-bull heavies that thunder through your enemies.
Infernal Razors: Chaos Dwarf gunners with smoke-belching rifles perfect for long-range dominance.
How Could These Models Fit into Gangfight?
In the Chronicle setting, the Helsmiths slot perfectly as an infernal dwarven warband — Chaos Dwarves reborn as artisans of destruction.
Model / Unit
Setting
Role
Loadout
Traits
Cost
War Despot
Chronicle
Leader (Captain)
Great Weapon or Flintlock Rifle
Fearless, Grit
High
Demonsmith
Chronicle
Specialist (Acolyte)
Hand Weapon, Alchemy Kit
Alchemy, Healing
Medium
Infernal Cohort
Chronicle
Operative (Champion)
Hand Weapon, Shield
Grit, Fearless
Medium
Bull Centaur
Chronicle
Heavy (Mounted)
Great Weapon
Mounted, Fearless
High
Infernal Razor
Chronicle
Specialist (Champion)
Flintlock Rifle
Overwatch, Tracking
Medium
Hobgrot Vandal
Chronicle
Scout (Acolyte)
Hand Weapon, Throwing Knives
Quick Draw, Fearless
Low
Why Are They Great for Conversions or Dioramas?
Because Chaos Dwarves have always been about excess — the more metal, horns, and smoke, the better. The Helsmiths’ detailed armor plates and cruel facial masks practically beg for creative conversions. Add chains, glowing runes, or molten bases and you’ll have models that look ready to step off a heavy-metal album cover.
For dioramas, picture a lava-lit forge scene — Bull Centaurs hauling cauldrons of magma while Hobgrots dance around tossing explosives. It’s industrial fantasy at its absolute best.
How Would You Paint Them for Maximum Impact?
Prime black. Drybrush dark steel. Add heat — orange, yellow, red — glowing from vents and weapon seams. Wash with brown or purple to cool it down, then re-highlight the edges with silver.
For Hobgrots, lean into grimy greens and stained armor. They’re comic relief with a death wish — a splash of color in a sea of soot.
Pro tip: for a molten look, blend red to yellow inside weapon barrels and eye slits, then hit it with a touch of gloss varnish. Instant forge-fire effect.
Is This a Good Value Set for Collectors?
Absolutely, however the army set seems to be sold out online. You may be able to find it at local retailers. Between the variety of poses, character models, and the nostalgia factor of Chaos Dwarves reborn, this range is a dream for painters and kitbashers alike. You can build a complete Gangfight warband straight from the box — or spread them across multiple themed teams.
Even if you never roll dice, these sculpts belong in every fantasy painter’s collection.
Scenario Hooks
Engagement: A corrupted forge deep underground has gone silent. The Helsmiths’ molten creations wander free. Complications: Rivals seek the forge’s heart — a demon core still burning. The Chaos Dwarves will destroy anyone who approaches. Conclusion: The War Despot seals the cavern in fire, swearing that Hashut alone will decide who’s worthy to wield his flame.
Homebrew Suggestion: Add a “Lava Flow” event each round — the ground shifts, dealing damage to anyone standing still for too long. Mobility becomes survival.
FAQs
Q: Are the Helsmiths basically new Chaos Dwarves? A: Exactly — they’re Warhammer’s reimagined Chaos Dwarves, dripping with the same dark forge-energy fans have loved for decades.
Q: Can Bull Centaurs be mounted units in Gangfight? A: Yes! They count as Mounted Heavies and gain the Mounted trait.
Q: What’s the best loadout for Infernal Razors? A: Flintlock Rifles — long-range, heavy-impact weapons that suit their stance perfectly.
Q: Can Hobgrots fight alongside dwarves in Gangfight? A: Definitely. Treat them as low-cost Scouts or Acolytes for chaotic variety.
Q: Are these models good for kitbashing? A: Fantastic. Swap heads, add pipes, or build mechanical limbs to blend them into Aeon or First Strike settings.
Q: What’s the easiest way to get a lava effect? A: Use contrast paints over a bright undercoat, then drybrush the cracks with light yellow or white.
Glossary
Chaos Dwarves: The corrupted, forge-obsessed kin of classic dwarves; now reimagined as Helsmiths of Hashut. Kitbash: Mixing parts from different kits to make something unique. Wash: Thinned paint used to bring out details and shadows. Pigment: Dry powder for realistic weathering. Trait: Special ability defining a model’s strengths or tactics.
Author / E-E-A-T
Written by Tim Kline — founder of SkirmishGames.com and Gangfight Games.
Mantic Games has officially opened pre-orders for Kings of War: 4th Edition, marking a major update to the company’s flagship fantasy wargame. The new edition brings refined rules, fresh artwork, and streamlined gameplay designed to make large-scale battles faster and more tactical than ever.
TL;DR
Mantic Games has launched pre-orders for Kings of War 4th Edition with several bundle options:
Essential Bundles including the new rulebook and starter armies.
Two-Player Starter Set with full armies and accessories.
Updated digital and print rulebooks available for order.
What’s in the New Edition
The 4th Edition focuses on cleaner mechanics, improved balance between factions, and faster army building. Mantic has promised a smoother experience for both veterans and newcomers, with intuitive unit profiles and simplified combat resolution. The new Two-Player Starter Set includes two full armies, a rulebook, tokens, and everything needed to start playing immediately.
Alongside it, the Essential Bundles are tailored for existing players who just need the updated rules and a few reinforcements. Each bundle includes the hardback rulebook, updated army lists, and exclusive bonuses for early pre-orders through Mantic’s store.
Pre-orders are now live on ManticGames.com, with a full retail launch expected soon.
Why It Matters for Skirmish Gamers
While Kings of War is known for epic mass battles, the new edition’s streamlined core makes it easier than ever to adapt for smaller skirmishes. Fans of Gangfight could easily use the new miniatures for custom fantasy warbands — from dwarven clans to undead legions. The versatile unit designs and dynamic poses fit perfectly into narrative-driven campaigns and smaller, character-focused engagements.
Mantic’s push for accessibility makes this edition a great entry point for hobbyists looking to expand into larger-scale wargaming or create crossover skirmish forces.
Guild Ball is officially back! Steamforged Games has opened pre-orders for The Lumberjacks, a brand-new team for the beloved fantasy football skirmish game. These resin miniatures mark the return of Guild Ball after years of dormancy, with gameplay updates and fan-favorite mechanics intact.
TL;DR
New Lumberjacks team available now for pre-order
Updated rules and components for modern play
A long-awaited revival of the fan-favorite skirmish sport
The Return of a Cult Classic
Guild Ball fans, grab your playbooks—Steamforged Games has resurrected the fantasy football brawler with a new lineup: The Lumberjacks. This forest-themed team trades city cobblestones for timber-laden battlegrounds, featuring rugged sculpts and melee-heavy playstyles that perfectly embody the game’s blend of sport and skirmish combat.
The new team is now up for pre-order directly from Steamforged Games, promising high-quality resin miniatures and refreshed gameplay materials. While the company has yet to announce a full retail relaunch or organized play calendar, this release signals the first major step in bringing Guild Ball back to tables worldwide.
What It Means for Skirmish Gamers
For tabletop fans who love tactical, small-squad skirmishes, Guild Ball’s return is exciting news. Its mix of positioning, momentum management, and cinematic combat feels right at home alongside systems like Gangfight, where tight turns and clever combos define the action. The Lumberjacks’ brawny aesthetic could easily double as a mercenary crew or forest faction in custom Gangfight campaigns.
Steamforged has hinted at future content and community support, suggesting this isn’t just a nostalgic one-off. The return of Guild Ball could reawaken one of the most strategic and thematic skirmish sports games ever made.
Relicblade has announced an impressive new addition to their fantasy skirmish range — the Hard Plastic Battle Pigs, a fresh multi-pose kit that brings durable plastic to their previously metal model line.
TL;DR
The new Relicblade Battle Pigs kit is the game’s first release in hard plastic, offering hobbyists:
High-quality multi-pose pig warriors with customizable parts
Easier conversions and lighter models for gameplay
A big step forward for indie miniature production
Pig Power on the Tabletop
With the new hard plastic Battle Pigs, Relicblade is shifting the game’s production toward a more modern standard — offering the same gritty detail of his sculpts, but in a format that’s easier to assemble and modify.
Each Battle Pig sports the trademark mix of humor and brutality that defines Relicblade’s world: muscle-bound boar warriors in patchwork armor, brandishing cleavers and axes. The hard plastic format allows for dynamic posing, weapon swaps, and potential cross-kit customization with other miniatures — making them appealing even beyond the Relicblade system.
Skirmish-Ready for Any Game
For players using the Gangfight Skirmish Game System, these Battle Pigs can easily form the core of a savage warband in Chronicle, our fantasy setting. Their bulky frames make perfect stand-ins for Heavy or Leader characters — brutal melee specialists or mutant enforcers from the darker corners of the world.
The move to plastic could also open doors for broader distribution and accessibility, signaling a new era for indie wargames where small creators can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with major brands.
No firm release date has been confirmed yet, but fans can follow the official Relicblade site for updates and preorder announcements.
Para Bellum Wargames has unveiled The Nepenthe Campaign, a massive narrative event that gives Conquest: The Last Argument of Kings players the power to influence the ongoing lore of Eä. But there’s more here than a global story—this set is a treasure trove for skirmish fans, especially anyone building custom Chronicle warbands for Gangfight.
TL;DR
The Nepenthe Campaign adds map-based global play to Conquest, letting players’ results shape official lore. It also includes diverse miniatures perfect for Gangfight conversions.
Participate in a living campaign for Conquest and First Blood
Each faction’s victories alter the world map and unlock new lore
Fantastic source of models for custom Gangfight: Chronicle warbands
Conquest Meets Global Storytelling
The Nepenthe Campaign is a community-driven event where every recorded battle influences the story’s outcome. Players log their games on Para Bellum’s official website, with the combined results determining the shifting control of regions across Eä’s Nepenthe frontier.
Each faction earns new narrative chapters, world events, and lore entries—turning this into a truly living campaign. Para Bellum is encouraging players from both The Last Argument of Kings and First Blood to join, with updates rolling out weekly.
For skirmish enthusiasts, this release also doubles as a model goldmine. Conquest’s hard plastic kits are highly modular, with detailed human, alien, and monstrous designs that slot beautifully into Gangfight’s Chronicle setting—a world where steampunk relics, mutated knights, and ancient horrors collide.
Chronicle Crossover Potential
If you’re building forces for Gangfight: Chronicle, The Nepenthe Campaign packs a wealth of creative potential. The heavily armored Dweghom and Spire biomancers make perfect Leaders or Specialists, while Nords and Hundred Kingdoms infantry can easily form balanced warbands straight from the box. With just one or two Conquest sprues, you can assemble multiple Chronicle gangs—each with their own unique aesthetic and lore roots tied to Eä.
Conquest models fit naturally into the broader Gangfight system, whether you’re creating elite explorer teams, demonic cults, or rogue knights. Their tall scale (38mm) also allows for cinematic conversions and character-level storytelling—exactly what Chronicle is all about.
North Star Military Figures has revealed the upcoming Human Heavy Infantry set for the Oathmark fantasy range, arriving this November. These all-new plastic miniatures bring fully armored warriors to the human kingdoms — a long-awaited upgrade that captures the grit and realism of classic fantasy armies.
TL;DR
New plastic Human Heavy Infantry are coming to Oathmark in November.
Fully armored troops with swords, axes, and maces.
Includes interchangeable heads and shields.
Ideal for both mass battles and narrative skirmish games.
Heavily Armored, Highly Customizable
The kit features multipart plastic sprues, giving hobbyists freedom to assemble unique poses and weapon combinations. Each warrior is clad in heavy mail and plate armor, complete with visored helmets and detailed shields. The realistic proportions and clean sculpting match the rest of the Oathmark human range, allowing seamless integration with existing units.
For painters, this set is a dream project: broad armor panels perfect for metallic drybrushing, and enough surface texture to experiment with rust, grime, or heraldic designs. Whether you want to field them as royal guards or grizzled mercenaries, the versatility of this plastic kit makes it a strong addition to any collection.
Hobby and Gameplay Relevance
In skirmish-scale games, these models shine as elite captains, bodyguards, or veteran knights—tougher and more imposing than regular troops. Their classic design also makes them excellent bases for conversions or fantasy RPG characters.
With their clean detail, heavy armor, and modular design, Oathmark’s new Human Heavy Infantry look ready to march across battlefields large and small — a perfect blend of rank-and-file tradition and hobbyist freedom.
