Age of Sigmar Stormbringer Magazine

Hachette and Games Workshop teamed up for the fourth time and now it is time for the release of STORMBRINGER in Germany.

For those unfamiliar with the concept, it is a collection series of magazines, that include a set of miniatures which each issue (in some cases paints instead) and Stormbringer is the latest instalment of this format.

In the past there have been two series on Warhammer 40,000, with Conquest and Imperium, covering (Primaris) Space Marines against Necrons and Death Guard, matching the releases of the Dark Imperium and Indomitus, the 8th and 9th edition starter sets. As well as Mortal Realms, the first Age of Sigmar series, featuring the Stormcast Eternals against Nighthaunt from the Soul Wars boxed set of the 2nd edition of Age of Sigmar.

Stormbringer is built around the release of Dominion, Age of Sigmar's 3rd edition starter set. The large boxed set is out-of-production, but you can grab the smaller sets in three different sizes still at Games Workshop, covering the Stormcast Eternals vs. Kruleboyz, Order vs Destruction.

While Dominion was a boxed set, without terrain but with full sized forces and rules, the three boxed sets all cover rules, and even terrain but give you smaller forces to tip-toe into wargaming in the Age of Sigmar. Extremis is the same content as Harbinger miniature-wise, but replaces the card board for a full set of hard plastic terrain kits by Citadel.

• Age of Sigmar Warrior Starter Set (18 miniatures and card board terrain) - 40 EUR
• Age of Sigmar Harbinger Starter Set (32 miniatures and card board terrain) - 80 EUR
• Age of Sigmar Extremis Starter Set (32 miniatures and plastic terrain) - 145 EUR

Stormbringer started on January 10th in Germany, with earlier releases last year for the UK (February '23) and US (November '23) markets. The first issue was 2,99 EUR, the second issue (release 31.01.24) 5,99 EUR and from the third issue (07.02.24) ongoing it will be 10,99 EUR. It will be published weekly, with subscriptions shipping combined about every four weeks / monthly.

We went for the subscription model, as picking up the issue each week at the newsagent was too much of a gamble. In prior series, certain issues for example with terrain were highly sought after and quickly sold out. To avoid that risk, we signed up for the subscription model.

During this week, we received our first shipment of issues 01 to 03, as a special signing bonus the third issue was free and you'll only be charged 9,98 EUR (for issue 1 + 2) and even get another gift on top, which you can see on the side of the first image. Some tools to get you started. We will look into that further below.

Issue 01 at 2,99 EUR is a no-brainer, you get two heroes, a Knight Arcanum from the Stormcast Eternals and Kruleboyz Killaboss and Stab-grot, both from the above-mentioned Dominion set, along with the magazine.

Both models come in a small sprue, even with an option each. The female Knight Arcanum has two heads, bare headed or with helmet, while the Killaboss has either a morning star or shield as an option. The models are designed to be push-fit, as we know them for example from the Warhammer Underworlds range and theoretically wouldn't need glue for assembly.

The magazine itself gives you an introduction on the lore of Age of Sigmar, along with the assembly instructions and painting tips. And to ease you in gently into wargaming, there are simplified rules to get the dice rolling, including a field-based variant of the game.

The first issue comes with additional information and content on the series. You get a preview on the content of the subscription / series, a poster with an art print on one side and information on the models to be released in the upcoming issues. Games Workshop even created a special Stormcast Stormhosts (that's what the different legions or chapters of Stormcast Eternals are named) for Stormbringer, called the Iron Thanes. And similar to the starter sets like Harbinger, they included a foldable gaming mat, with two designs.

And there is a collection overview for the factions of the Order and Destruction, as both sides make use of multiple forces allied with either the Stormcasts Eternals (Kharadron Overlords and Sylvaneth) or Kruleboyz (Ironjawz and Gloomspite Gitz). We will go further into detail on this in an article of its own, as to cover the whole release would go beyond the scope of this article).

And the back of each magazine, gives you a preview on the next issues. In this case, we know them as they were delivered at the same time, and we will get another 10 Kruleboyz Gutrippaz and Stormcast Eternals Vindictors. About the saving of this issue, you paid 2,99 EUR for two heroes that are usually sold around the 25 to 30 EUR range each. Nothing to argue here, proper savings.

The second issue gives you a magazine and 10 Kruleboyz Gutrippaz at 5,99 EUR.

The Gutrippaz are the old kit from the Dominion release and not the new multi-part plastic kit, which means they don't have options for a banner or regular hand weapons. These models can only be assembled with spears. These models are push-fit and can be assembled without glue after clean up from the sprue and mould-lines.

The magazine itself continues with more information on the background of the Age of Sigmar and the factions of Order. I really like that they add a bit of narrative aspect, for example tables with names for your models, which gives the whole thing a more roleplaying aspect. Once again, we receive an preview on the next issues, with a unit of Stormcast Eternals and paints in issue #04.

About savings, the new kit of Gutrippaz is 45 EURs with three sprues for 10 models and additional options. But even if we would cut that down by 33%, we're still far below RRP with the 5,99 EUR price badge.

Issue number three gives you 5 Vindictors at 10,99 EUR. And with this one we're moving from clamshell plastics to a plastic bag for the miniatures.

The Vindictors boxed set has a RRP of 45 EURs, but provides you with ten models. So, this is half a boxed set, but you're not missing out on anything as the box includes two sets of the three sprues you have at hand. Regular hard plastic, multi-part miniatures. These are push-fit as well and provide you with various options, along helmets and bare-heads, you can build a Vindictor-Prime, and a Standard bearer with an Azyrite Signifier. Of course, the miniatures come with the fitting bases.

Each issue moves further through the lore, so does this one and in addition to the assembly and painting instructions on the Vindictors, we get a name table for this unit as well. And another preview on the next issues. We will receive a starter brush and four pots of paint with issue #04 and an exclusive named praetor model with issue #05. Savings on this issue is solid, half a box of Vindictors is 22,50 EUR, and you paid 10,99 EUR.

To this point, a regular subscription customer has costs of 9,98 and got already miniatures for a total RRP of about 100 EURs. Picking up the issues individually at the newsagent would be 10,99 EUR more, as the third issue wouldn't be free. And if you're a subscriber you get an additional gift with some tools to get you started, covering plastic glue, a mould line remover and a pair of side cutters. The glue is a regular Citadel hobby product at 7 EUR, the other two are not part of the official / current tool range, but add around another 10 EUR of value.

There is an additional option for subscribers to go for a Premium add-on. This means paying 2 EURs on top of each issue but adding bonus content to the 4th, 7th, 10th and 13th delivery. As the publication started earlier in other countries, we know this magazine will run for ~80 issues. This adds 160 EURs to the bill, but provides us with miniatures worth 456,50 EUR RRP.

How much will the entire subscription cost? Well, if we take the 80 issues as a benchmark, subtract the three issues you can already sign up for at 9,98 EUR, that leaves us with 77 further magazines at 10,99 EUR each -  a total of 846,23 EUR over the duration of roughly 20 months, almost two years. That sounds like a lot, but a quick sum-up comparing the contents, the miniatures of the Order already provide you with a total of more than 800 EURs RRP, with the Destruction side ending up in the same weight class, with another roughly 150 EURs worth of terrain and 34 paint pots that are at least 3,60 EUR each. Long story short, total savings should end up at 60% and more compared to buying the items without discount at Games Workshop directly.

From my point of view, if you're already subscribing, go for the premium update. It's 160 EURs and the magnificent model of Krondys is 130 EUR already, with further big kits to come.

We will cover the releases of the Stormbringer magazine, most likely on a monthly bases, the same way as they arrive, with unboxing as we did above with an overview on the issues, their content and their savings. Along with reviews on the more interesting / larger kits, like the premium upgrades.

Beyond that, I think this series is a perfect project to share with somebody, which brings the load and costs further down. And on top, if you don't fancy the additional factions, like Iron Jawz or Sylvaneth, you can trade in these against miniatures you prefer with your wargaming buddies easily (or use the smaller factions to get newcomers started).

Warhammer Age of Sigmar Stormbringer is distributed by Hachette Collections

The reviewed product item was provided by the manufacturer.