Astra Militarum Armageddon wave reviewed: Battalion, Hippogriff, Centaur & Commissar Graves

The Astra Militarum rolls out new armoured might with the Armageddon Battalion, the first place you can get your hands on two brand-new vehicles: the wheeled Hippogriff AFV and the rugged Centaur RSV troop transport. Alongside these, we’re also taking a look at Commissar Graves, the imposing new named character aboard her heavily modified Centaur “Vigilance”. We’ve gone through every sprue in detail and have high-res sprue images for you below, so read on for our full unboxing and review.

The Astra Militarum releases, along with the other Armageddon special characters, batallions, and the Armageddon: The Return of Yarrick books, will be available for pre-order starting Saturday, 25 April 2026. The pre-order period lasts two weeks, with the official release date set for 9 May 2026.

Box contents:

• 1 Centaur RSV
• 2 Hippogriff AFV
• 1 Rogal Dorn Battle Tank
• 10 Cadian Shock Troops
• 1 new Astra Militarum vehicle transfer sheet (with markings for Cadia, Catachan, Krieg, Valhalla, Steel Legion, Vostroya, Mordia, and Tallarn)
• 1 Cadian transfer sheet

The RRP is £160 / 206 € / $255.

Check out our 4K unboxing video, where I walk you through all of the components and the assembly guide step by step:

Centaur RSV reviewed

The new Centaur troop transport kit comprises three medium-sized sprue segments. Weapon options are limited to a heavy stubber, but you get plenty of cosmetic options alongside four fully modelled Cadians for the cargo bed and an optional gunner.

Patreon bonus content: Ultra high-res, uncompressed versions of these sprue images (and backsides of the sprues) can be downloaded here.

Build options:

• On the front bumper, you can attach either a tow rope (part 37) or two towing eyes (2x 31).
• Next to the gunner hatch, you can add one of three different sensor units (51 to 53).
• 4 optional Cadians with 9 different heads can be placed freely on the cargo bed (all compatible with regular Shock Troops models, though some arms are moulded onto the bodies).
• 10 optional equipment and stowage parts can be glued freely onto the vehicle, including wrenches, axes, shovels, and a spare lasgun (parts 38 to 50, with part 49 included twice).
• One of the vision hatches can be opened, fitting a Cadian who pokes his lasgun through the opening.
• The transport ramp opens and closes if you leave it unglued, and there’s an optional tow hitch (28).
• You can build an optional gunner, who comes with two additional heads wearing slimmer tank helmets (88 and 89), or keep the hatch closed.
• The Centaur’s front axle is articulated, letting you angle the front wheels straight, left, or right.

I really like the Centaur RSV. For me it’s a clear step forward from the Taurox, and drawing more heavily on real WWII and post-WWII armoured vehicles makes it feel more convincing. It also carries on the new design language established with the recent Sentinel redesign and the Dorn, particularly in the wheel arches with their rounded edges and ribbing (though these unfortunately require two additional parts 58 and 59, leaving a seam line running across the bodywork). Add to that the many optional details, the moving parts, and the fully modelled underside, and you have a very complete kit.

Hippogriff AFV reviewed

The Hippogriff AFV is a wheeled infantry fighting vehicle, something entirely new in the Astra Militarum roster. The kit is noticeably more compact than the Centaur and contains just two sprue segments.

Build options:

• You can build an optional Cadian commander for the turret hatch, with a choice between an outstretched arm (59) or an arm with laspistol (60), and two head options (tank helmet 61, cap 62). Alternatively, the hatch can stay closed.
• The turret clicks into place and rotates freely, and you can tilt the main weapon slightly up and down.
• Weapon choices include vigilator cannon, chiron gatling cannon, melta cannon, or heavy lascannon, plus a coaxial heavy stubber or meltagun. These push-fit into the turret, and are also easy to magnetize.
• Two larger stowage parts (64 and 65), two fuel canisters (2x 63), a shovel, and a tool (66 and 67) can all be attached freely to the hull.
• As with the Centaur, the front axle is articulated for subtle wheel positioning.

Patreon bonus content: Ultra high-res, uncompressed versions of these sprue images (and backsides of the sprues) can be downloaded here.

The Hippogriff shares that same grounded, realistic design aesthetic inspired by more modern armoured vehicles like the Saladin AFV and Sd.Kfz. 234, and I appreciate it just as much here. The kit is somewhat leaner than the Centaur but includes everything you need plus a few optional extras. The underside is fully detailed as well, with a multi-part suspension system for all six wheels (visible in the assembly guide in my unboxing video above). That suspension is a little fiddly and adds noticeably to the build time.

Rogal Dorn & Cadian Shock Troops reviewed

Alongside the new vehicles, the battalion also includes the ever-popular Rogal Dorn (my full review is linked here, and no, it unfortunately still has that large hole on the underside) and a complete 10-model squad of Cadian Shock Troops (my review of that kit is linked here).

Commissar Graves unboxing

Commissar Graves on her modified Centaur “Vigilance” comes on two large sprues, a 32mm base for the on-foot version, the new vehicle transfer sheet, and the assembly guide. The RRP is £62 / 80 € / $102.

• There are no real build options here, and unlike the standard Centaur, the Vigilance’s front axle is fixed.
• For The Right Hand (the Officio Prefectus aide with binoculars), you can choose between a male bare head (39) or a helmeted head with plume (40).
• The stubbers on the two gunners rotate, allowing for minor repositioning.
• You also get a separate on-foot version of Commissar Graves on a 32mm base.

Patreon bonus content: Ultra high-res, uncompressed versions of these sprue images (and backsides of the sprues) can be downloaded here.

Commissar Graves and her “pope-mobile” Vigilance lean hard into the more-is-more school of Warhammer design. The modified Centaur RSV gets heavy chain and wheel guards, a generous helping of gothic insignia, a front plough, and a platform shaped as sweeping Imperial eagles. Whether that’s your taste is another matter, but it captures the gloriously over-the-top nature of the Warhammer 40,000 setting rather perfectly.

Commissar Graves and her entourage are full of character, though, and the on-foot version standing on a scenic base of shattered steps is particularly striking. The design of her Officio Prefectus bodyguard is also worth noting: at first glance they recall Tempestus Scions, but closer inspection reveals a wholly distinct uniform with distinctive Pickelhaube-style helmets. Whether we’ll see more of this design in the future, or whether it stays a one-off for this kit, remains to be seen.

Where to get

You can find the latest GW releases at our 🇬🇧/🇪🇺 partner stores Wayland Games, Element Games, and Firestorm Games, at 🇩🇪 Taschengelddieb and PK-Pro, and at 🇺🇸 Noble Knight Games with a welcome discount of up to 20% over RRP. Using our links helps to support Tale of Painters at no additional cost to you, so thank you very much for using them!

I hope you found this review helpful, feel free to leave a reaction or comment below, or post your questions here or discuss on our Discord channel.