The Year Ends with a Bang: Total War 40k, Plastic Trench Crusade, and Wargaming News December 2025
Santa is checking his list, but in this hobby, being “bad” usually means you have better loot.
While everyone else is asking for socks, the wargaming world has dropped reveals to close out the year. So if you missed the headlines while dodging awkward questions at the dinner table, don’t worry.
Here is what you should actually put on your wishlist for a new year.
And also, you can listen about everything with our commentary in our recent podcast.
Between Coats: Our Little Journalism Corner
Digital Warhammer Finally Caught Up to the Standard.
With the announcement of Total War: Warhammer 40,000, it is officially time to call it: we are living in the absolute peak era of Warhammer gaming.
For the long time, we had to survive on… well, not scraps, but it wasn’t fine dining either. Sure, the original Dawn of War was a certified classic, but… we don’t talk about the sequels. And the first Space Marine was… okay. But for decades, Warhammer video games felt like a niche interest, often plagued by “AA” jank or budget constraints.
Look at where we are now.
Space Marine 2 set a new standard for cinematic action. Rogue Trader proved that a 40k RPG could be just as deep and complex as Baldur’s Gate. Boltgun nailed the retro shooter feel, and Darktide perfected the horde survival loop. Warhammer stopped being a skin for mediocre games.
However, if we are allowed to be greedy, there is still one specific itch that hasn’t been scratched.
We are desperate for a true First-Person Shooter in the style of Battlefield or Squad. We want that massive scale: 64 vs 64 players where you aren’t a superhero Space Marine, but a Guardsman holding a trench line. Imagine the tactical depth of Squad, requiring high cooperation to take down a single Killa Kan, or calling in actual artillery strikes using coordinates. That is the immersion we are still waiting for.
But for now? We are more than happy to wait for the strategy giants. Total War: 40,000 is on the horizon, we are still holding out hope for a Dawn of War 4 that returns to its roots, and after the success of Rogue Trader, a Dark Heresy will have to be successful as well.
It’s a good time to be a gamer: tabletop, and PC/Console one at once.
Festive Warhammer: Who Actually Buys This Stuff?
Every December, like clockwork, it happens. The grim darkness of the far future gets a little… brighter. A little sillier.
Da Red Gobbo returns with a new commemorative miniature, and suddenly the store shelves are full of Squig-themed socks and oversized hoodies.
It begs the question we hear every year: Does anybody actually buy this stuff?
The answer is a resounding yes. And honestly? We get it.
We spend 11 months of the year stressing over “grimdark realism,” blending NMM on power armors, and painting endless trim. These festive minis are a chance to just have fun. They are silly and they capture a specific moment in hobby history. They are low-stakes painting projects that remind us that, at its heart, this hobby is about playing with… toy soldiers.
Then there is the “Lifestyle” gear.
On paper, wearing a ravenous face-biter on your feet sounds ridiculous. But in practice? It’s the perfect “secret handshake.” It’s a way to be cozy during the long Northern Hemisphere winter while subtly nodding to your tribe. Plus painting for four hours straight requires maximum comfort.
So, why do we buy it? Because Warhammer can be serious, heavy, and expensive. These festive drops are none of those things. They are just pure joy wrapped in a Squig wrap.
And sometimes, that’s exactly what the hobby doctor ordered.
December Warhammer News Summary
December Warhammer News Summary
Total War Goes Grimdark
It’s finally happening. At The Game Awards, Creative Assembly confirmed the dream project: Total War: Warhammer 40,000. It launches with Space Marines, Astra Militarum, Orks, and Aeldari, marking the series debut on consoles.
The Curse is Broken
Warhammer Quest: Darkwater has officially hit the shelves, and the launch looks solid. The game is readily available, avoiding the instant sell-out issues that plagued Cursed City. You can actually head to the store and grab a copy without fighting scalpers.
Exclusives Return for the Holidays
Boxing Day brings a second chance to grab two fan-favorite models previously limited to events. The Kroot “The Hunter Strikes” and the “Steel Rook” Arch-Knight will hit Warhammer stores on December 26th. If you can’t make it to a shop, a Made-to-Order run starts online on January 17th.
The Divine Prince & Heavy Metal
While the major 40k campaigns are a 2026 story, Necromunda and Legions Imperialis are closing out 2025 with a bang. Ozostium Aranthus returns to reclaim Hive Primus. Meanwhile, Horus Heresy fans get the Saturnine Terminators in epic scale.
Winter Reads
Word Bearers & Death Korps Winter is the perfect time to catch up on lore, and Black Library is dropping two great books early next year. Apostle by David Annandale follows a Word Bearer champion twisting a holy scripture world to Chaos. Meanwhile, Death Rider by Rhuairidh James flips the script: a Commissar frantically trying to stop the Death Korps of Krieg from launching a suicidal charge against the T’au. Both are available for pre-order soon.
And that draws a line under 2025. It’s been a massive year, and these final reveals set a clear direction for what’s coming next. Now we just have a few weeks to actually build what we bought before the 2026 plastic will pour in.
Because certainly – it will 🙂
Other Wargaming News
Malediction: When Magic Meets Wargaming
We stumbled upon Malediction at Essen, and the concept hooked us immediately. It is not just a skirmish game with unit cards; it is a full-blown TCG hybrid where you build a 30-50 card deck that dictates your entire army.
The hook is brilliant: buying a faction deck automatically gets you the STL files for that army for free.
The gameplay itself uses a d20 system but relies heavily on card management to summon units and cast spells. We’ve been testing the “Order of the Shattered Throne” faction, and the tactical depth of managing your hand while positioning models on the board feels incredible. It’s a smart, modern way to distribute a game that completely removes the barrier to entry for anyone with a 3D printer.
Or a studio with a lot of 3D printers 😉 More info about Malediction soon!
Trench Crusade: Plastic Reinforcements & Sniper Priests
Trench Crusade is officially cementing its place on the tabletop with a major plastic expansion from Archon Studio. Coming in March 2026, the game expands beyond its 3D printed roots with three new hard plastic sets designed to bolster the forces of New Antioch.
The new wave features the Sniper Priests alongside core units like the Prussian Stosstruppen and Yeomen. It is a massive step forward, offering a shelf-ready entry point for players who want to jump into the Great War of Hell without needing a 3D printer or complex kitbashing skills.
Warmachine: Trollblood Veterans & Resin Returns.
Steamforged Games is tapping into the nostalgia of Hordes with the new Southern Kriels Kithguard Command Starter.
This 30-point pack brings a classic aesthetic back to the table, led by the unconventional warlock Sergeant Craghorn and his heavy gun. The set is packed with character, featuring the bomb-throwing Warbeast Klangor and the sniper Rhud Felleye.
Unlike the recent plastic waves, this unit is cast in high-quality resin to capture those craggy details.
If you have been missing the “hardened veteran” look of the old Trollbloods, this box is a perfect, character-rich entry point.
Star Wars Legion: The Great Repack
Atomic Mass Games is finally plugging the holes in the supply line. After the shift to the new ruleset left many shelves empty, a massive wave of repackaged kits is hitting the Asmodee webstore to rescue new players stuck with just starter sets.
The reinforcements arrive February 13, 2026, bringing essential units back into the fold. Rebels get the iconic T-47 Airspeeder, while the Clone Wars era sees a huge influx with Clone Commandos and a trio of Separatist droid expansions, including the deadly Magnaguards.
From the News Feed to Your Tabletop
December dropped the mic on 2025. Between the confirmation of Total War: Warhammer 40,000, the massive plastic reveal for Trench Crusade, and the long-awaited reinforcements for Star Wars: Legion, your “to-buy” list for 2026 probably just got a lot longer.
But we all know the danger here. It is easy to get hyped for a new New Antioch force or a Clone Commandos squad, but it is even easier to let those boxes sit unopened on a shelf. You don’t want to start the new year by adding to the pile of shame.
That is where we come in.
You focus on the digital battles in Total War and securing your pre-orders; we will handle the physical painting. Need a fully painted Trench Crusade warband ready for launch day? Or maybe you just want to clear your backlog before the new releases hit? We can help. Send us a message, and let’s make 2026 the year your army actually hits the table painted.
Book a commission here.
