2020 is shaping up to be a massive year at Privateer Press. Not only will we see loads of new Riot Quest and Monsterpocalypse models…and not only will we see the release of the upcoming sci-fi miniatures wargame Warcaster…but there’s still much more coming out for WARMACHINE & HORDES this year as well!

In fact, let’s talk about that, shall we? Welcome to the 2020 WARMACHINE & HORDES Release Roadmap!

Now, before I get into the specifics, I want to preface all of this by saying “things change.” Dates change, models get pushed forward or back in production schedules, and so on. But as of today, February 4, 2020, this is where things are. If you see something that excites you that then gets moved around a bit due to an unforeseen change, our apologies in advance right here and now.

Okay, that said, let’s get into it!

The Events

Though Winter Rampage 2020 is currently wrapping up, we’ve got plenty more Organized Play events for your local store or club to enjoy this year. There will be a new Summer Rampage and Longest Night, as are traditional, and of course an updated Steamroller this summer.

For those of you who enjoyed the Oblivion narrative campaign, good news: we’re working right now on the next campaign to use with the Oblivion campaign system, and we’ll be releasing it for free online! All you’ll need is the core rules found in the Oblivion book and your Omen cards, and you can just plug the new set of campaign scenarios in to start playing the next chapter in the war against the Infernals.

The Conventions

Of course, Organized Play at your local store isn’t the only type of big events you can play in. We’ll be attending AdeptiCon, Gen Con, and more other conventions throughout the year—not to mention our own show, Lock & Load! In addition to competitive tournaments such as Masters or the Iron Gauntlet World Finals (which is also Masters format this year), we host all sorts of narrative events with awesome terrain tables, such as the original Battle of Boarsgate or the most recent skyship battle held at last year’s Lock & Load.

If you haven’t tried out one of these narrative mega events, you’re missing out! Part WARMACHINE, part RPG, your imagination gets to shine as you tell your own narrative that often (and spectacularly) breaks the normal rules of the game in fun ways. Speaking of which, if you’re wanting to catch up on the current fiction, make sure to check out the Henge Hold Scroll Twitter account, as new fiction regarding the Infernal invasion is being published daily!

Additionally, a lot of these big convention narrative events often lead to real models being made, like Holden being forever damned by the Grymkin, or the upcoming MiniCrate model of Admiral Carver!

For those of you attending Lock & Load this year, there’s going to be a very special alt sculpt you’re going to want to pick up. For now, let’s just say we’re doing something pretty cool based on how the Acts of War story ended!

The Models

As of right now, we’re about to kick off the Convergence wave of models, which should last through April. The models tested in last year’s CID, such as the new Aurora, Nemo, and Asphyxious, will all be hitting store shelves over the new couple of months.

As we move into the summer, we’re making room for Warcaster releases, and there’s going to be tons of them (more on this coming very soon)! But don’t fret: just because there isn’t a big WARMACHINE wave during those months doesn’t mean you won’t still be getting models to play in WARMACHINE & HORDES. How’s that you ask? Riot Quest.

The first anniversary of Riot Quest is coming up this year with the Mayhem Block (that’s the name of all the models in the first RQ year) wrapping up in June. At Gen Con 2020 in August, we’re going straight into the next Riot Quest block, Wintertime Wasteland. And just like the models in Mayhem, these new models will also be usable in WARMACHINE & HORDES as well!

The Wintertime block begins with a new Riot Quest starter box containing five brand-new models, and then we’ll see monthly Hero expansions from there, each and every one playable in WARMACHINE.

In the fall, though, it’s time to dive back into the next WARMACHINE model releases. Well, specifically I should say HORDES model releases because, while WARMACHINE has received a lot of love recently with Infernals, Order of Illumination, and all the new Convergence models, it’s now time for HORDES to shine!

First up will be a wave of new Legion of Everblight models. This wave release will be prefaced by a CID cycle where all of you get to test the new model rules (and several legacy model changes as well) and provide your feedback before the final rules go to print.

The new Legion waves focuses on Everblight’s response to the Infernal invasion and the arrival of the Archons. Specifically, Everblight’s egotistical response to the fact that other gods’ angels are running amok all across the world. How do you respond to that when you’re a megalomaniacal dragon? You make your own Archon and your own race of angels.

This wave will see the introduction of the Legion-only Blight Archon, a new bio-engineered race called the Virtues—specifically designed to protect the souls of the Legion’s blighted mortals—and Everblight’s favorite experiment …. Bethayne 2.

After the Legion wave is over, we’re on to some new Trollblood models (and a helpful Minion!). This will also have an accompanying CID much like the Legion wave.

The new Trollblood wave focuses on the Kriels that have seen a large number of human refugees flock to them seeking shelter during the Infernal war. With these refugees have come large stocks of modern weapons, supplies, and new technology, which the Kriels are more than happy to take off their hands.

Does Gunnbjorn 2 sound good to you? How about a new Trollblood/Farrow theme force that showcases the worshippers of Dhunia joining forces (and guns) to battle against the Infernals? All that and more will be arriving throughout the end of this year as the Trollblood wave finishes up around December 2020.

What’s after that? Well, as 2021 kicks off, get ready for some really, REALLY, twisted Grymkin models, including a look at what happens when the Defiers get their hands on a Menite Archon!

2020 is going to be an excellent year for WARMACHINE & HORDES and all of Privateer’s games. So, get ready—it’s about to be a wild ride.