The Old World is getting its first true two-player starter set, and it arrives with some of the most detailed Chaos sculpts Games Workshop have ever produced. We’re unboxing the Warhammer: The Old World 2026 Core Set, which brings brand-new Chaos Warriors, Chaos Knights, and Champions alongside a sizeable Grand Cathay host, all packed in with a revised hardcover rulebook. In this review, we go through every kit in detail with high-res sprue images and a 4K unboxing video.
The new Warhammer: The Old World Core Set will be available for pre-order starting Saturday, July 4 2026. The pre-order period lasts two weeks, with the official release date set for July 18 2026. The RRP is £150 / 190 € / $240.
Included in the box are:
54 miniatures, inc. 22 brand new Warriors of Chaos models:
- 1 Aspiring Champion on a Daemonic Mount and 1 Aspiring Champion on foot
- 16 Chaos Warriors
- 4 Chaos Knights
32 Grand Cathay miniatures:
- 1 Gate Keeper on a Cathayan Warhorse and 1 Gate Keeper on foot
- 20 Jade Warriors
- 5 Jade Lancers
- 1 Cathayan Grand Cannon / Fire Rain Rocket Battery with Ogre Loader and 3 Crew
Plus the following gaming components and accessories:
- Revised 1st Edition The Old World Rulebook
- Booklet with muster lists for the models in the box
- 2 reference sheets
- Assembly instructions booklet
- Double-sided paper gaming mat
- Transparent orange plastic flame and explosion templates
- Golden plastic ruler
- 20 white dice (inc. 2 scatter dice)
- Combined Cathay and Chaos transfer sheet
Here I go through all of the box contents, inc. a page-by-page flip-through the assembly guide and a look into the revised rulebook:
Warhammer: The Old World 2026 Core Set reviewed
The box is large, thick, and heavy. Mostly thanks to the hardcover rulebook, which is an absolute brick. My cardboard insert couldn’t keep the rulebook in place during shipping, and a few parts had broken off the sprues by the time it arrived. I may just have been unlucky, but keep an eye on that when you buy the box.
54 miniatures are included, noticeably fewer than the previous Tomb Kings (93 models) and Bretonnian Core Sets (76 models). Those were a touch pricier though, and aside from a single new centrepiece model each, they consisted entirely of older sculpts. The new Core Set takes a different approach: a classic two-player box with two small Battle March armies. The Warriors of Chaos miniatures are completely new, while the Cathay models were released only last year.
Warriors of Chaos unboxing
Let’s start with the 22 Chaos Warrior miniatures, which have received a spectacular evolution.
New Chaos Warriors reviewed: a glow-up rooted in the old days
The Chaos Marauders got their long-overdue update recently (my review here), and now the Chaos Warriors follow suit. The Old World Warriors of Chaos Battalion still contained the older Warhammer Fantasy iterations, and the 2019 Age of Sigmar Chaos Warriors were a logical evolution of that aesthetic. These new Old World Chaos Warriors take a step sideways. The chunky proportions and level of detail sit roughly in line with the Age of Sigmar Chaos Chosen from 2022, but the baroque armour details draw clear inspiration from the first multipart Chaos Warriors regiment kit of 1997, with some the helmet shapes harking back even further, nodding to the very first plastic Chaos Warriors. The new Old World Chaos Warriors also wear heavy fur cloaks that match the new Chaos Marauders and the biting cold of the north they march from.
The Core Set contains 16 Chaos Warriors on 30mm square bases. A single kit makes 8 models across three medium-sized sprues, and the box contains two of these kits (2 x 3 sprues with 8 models each, giving you 16 Warriors in total). Of the three sprues per kit, two are identical and each contain four different bodies and poses, which are therefore duplicated. The third sprue per kit holds accessories including the command unit parts and shields. You can build one large unit of 16 models with the Core Set, or two regiments of 8 with a full command section each.
Patreon bonus content: Ultra high-res, uncompressed versions of these sprue images (and backsides of the sprues) can be downloaded here.
Build options per 8-model kit:
- 4 different bodies/poses, each appearing twice
- 8 different, freely interchangeable helmets on ball joints, plus 2 extra helmets for the Champion
- 16 different, freely interchangeable shoulder pads (fitting both left and right shoulders), plus 2 extra for the Champion (parts 6 and 7, plus 55)
- 8 different, freely interchangeable shields, plus 1 extra shield for the Champion (part 10)
- 10 freely interchangeable right forearms with hand weapons (7 unique designs; parts 36, 39, and 40 are included twice)
- An extra leg and back part with raised axe (parts 1 and 2) to build an alternative Champion pose from body/pose 3
- 1 left arm with banner (16 and 17) for the Standard Bearer, 1 arm pair with drum (22 to 25) for the Musician, both fitting all four bodies/poses
Whether the Chaos Warriors actually needed a resculpt is debatable. The Marauders update was long overdue, but there are certainly other core units in the Old World catalogue that could have used the attention more. That said, the new sculpts are genuinely spectacular, and the design references to the classic Chaos Warriors regiment give them a distinct identity all of their own.
That identity comes with a frankly staggering level of detail, though. Without drybrushing or Slapchop, building an army from these will become painful fast. Assembly can be a bit tricky, as they go together quite jigsaw-like. It’s also a shame that the sprue layout gives you one half of the kit duplicated, leaving just 4 base poses across 16 models. 8 models per kit rather than 10 is unusual for Old World too, and a different sprue layout could have addressed both issues. The interchangeable shields, helmets, shoulder pads, and weapons do help add variety, but there are no alternative weapon options beyond hand weapons and shields.
Chaos Knights reviewed: good things come in fours now
The Chaos Knights receive a matching glow-up in the new Old World Warriors of Chaos design language. Here the designers opted for units of 4 rather than 5: each kit contains 4 Knights on 30x60mm square bases across three sprues. The box includes two of these kits, giving you 8 models in total.
Patreon bonus content: Ultra high-res, uncompressed versions of these sprue images (and backsides of the sprues) can be downloaded here.
Build options per 4-model kit:
- 4 different riders/poses (legs are moulded directly onto the daemonic mounts)
- 10 different, freely interchangeable helmets on ball joints, plus 1 extra helmet for the Champion
- 8 different, freely interchangeable shoulder pads (fitting both left and right shoulders), plus 2 extra for the Champion (parts 10 and 11)
- 3 different, freely interchangeable shields, plus 1 extra shield for the Champion (part 13)
- 4 different, freely interchangeable right forearms with lances
- 1 extra right arm with flail (12) for the Champion, 1 extra right arm with banner (21 and 22) for the Standard Bearer, and 1 right arm with horn (31 and 32) for the Musician, all fitting every body
The old Warhammer Fantasy Chaos Knights kit was extremely variable and modular (and had 5 models rather than 4). The Slaves to Darkness versions for Age of Sigmar brought more dynamic poses but less variety. The Old World Chaos Knights share the Warriors’ insane level of detail, and the daemonic mounts in particular are packed with texture and layered surfaces: fur, chainmail, barding, armour, and fur cloaks all stacked on top of one another. The base size stays the same at 30 x 60mm, but the heavily armoured mounts make the models feel noticeably more imposing. One welcome detail: the heads, shoulder pads, and shields are cross-compatible with the on-foot Chaos Warriors, and every individual part has a slightly different design. Nothing has been recycled between the two kits. The weapon arms are also compatible, so with enough leftover weapons from the Chaos Warriors sprues, you could build a unit of Knights with hand weapons instead of lances.
Champions of Chaos reviewed: Aspiring Champions on foot and mounted
By now, most factions released for Warhammer: The Old World have received a combined hero kit with one mounted character and one on foot, one of which can be built as a Battle Standard Bearer. Now it’s Chaos’ turn. The Champions of Chaos kit rounds out the Core Set’s Warriors of Chaos force.
You get one Aspiring Champion on foot on a 30mm square base, and one mounted Aspiring Champion on a 40x60mm base, spread across 1 medium and 1 small sprue.
Patreon bonus content: Ultra high-res, uncompressed versions of these sprue images (and backsides of the sprues) can be downloaded here.
- The on-foot Aspiring Champion has 2 helmet options (parts 35 and 36 with a tail, or 37 with horns). He also carries a second sword in a scabbard on his belt, which is not removable.
- The mounted Aspiring Champion also has 2 helmet options (21 with horns, or 22 with tail and horns). He carries a shield on his back, again not removable.
- For the right hands you can choose between a large mace (42 and 43), a great axe (44), or an axe (45) and distribute them across the two models. For the left hands you can choose between a battle standard (38 and 39), a fist clutching a severed head (40), or a raised fist (41).
All told, a solid kit with a decent spread of weapon and head options. Beyond that, the stock poses can’t really be altered, which is worth bearing in mind if you’re thinking of picking up a second kit.
Grand Cathay host unboxing
The other half of the Core Set belongs to Grand Cathay, with 32 miniatures in total. I already covered the 20 Jade Warriors, 5 Jade Lancers, and the Grand Cannon (which can also be built as a Fire Rain Battery) in detail in my Grand Cathay Battalion review, so follow this link to find out more about these kits.
Patreon bonus content: Ultra high-res, uncompressed versions of these sprue images (and backsides of the sprues) can be downloaded here.
The Core Set also includes the Gate Masters of the Celestial Cities. This sprue gives you one Gate Keeper on foot on a 25mm square base and one mounted on a 30 × 60mm base. Build options include two head choices, one arm pair with Celestial Blade and Battle Standard, and one arm pair with shield and Celestial Blade, which you can distribute freely between the two models.
Alongside the miniatures, you also get a new transfer sheet covering designs for both Cathay and the Warriors of Chaos, partly printed in gold and silver, which you can see in the unboxing video above.
Inside the box: Core Set gaming components reviewed
Alongside the rulebook, the box contains a booklet with pre-built Battle March army lists for the included miniatures, which come down to about 650 pts each. Plus an assembly booklet (note that to match the muster army list, the assembly guide will recommend building the Jade Warriors with hand weapons), two cardboard reference sheets, a two-part ruler in gold plastic marked in inches, and white dice inc. a pair of scatter dice.
There’s also a gaming mat, though not the thick cardboard gaming boards found in Kill Team and other Warhammer starter sets. This one is printed on paper, so it’s better described as a poster mat. The size is approx. 30″ x 44″ / 76 cm x 111 cm, which is the minimum recommended size for Battle March games (maximum size is 36″ x 48″). One side features a classic green field, photographed from a real gaming table, and the other a slightly darker swamp green.
What’s new in the revised rulebook?
The new rulebook is explicitly not a new edition. The back cover carries the label “Revised 1st Edition”. Instead, it incorporates the substantial V1.5.2 errata and rules update released recently, widely referred to by the community as 1.5th Edition. Don’t expect changes to the structure of the rules section, though.
The presentation and lore sections of the book are largely unchanged, though Cathay receives slightly more coverage and there is some new art. The miniature photography section now also features Cathay models and newer Chaos releases like the Marauders (the new Chaos Warriors are absent, however).
The biggest addition is almost certainly the inclusion of the new Battle March format, the 400 to 750 point small-scale play format for Warhammer: The Old World. You get all the rules, a starter scenario, and 6 map layouts. The revised rulebook does not include the full content from the simultaneously released Battle March General’s Compendium, however. That separate book adds example muster lists, campaign rules, six narrative scenarios, and additional rules and special magic items for use in Battle March games.
Where to get
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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.
8.0 Score
Pros
- New Chaos Warriors and Knights among the most detailed Old World sculpts to date
- Heads, shoulder pads, and shields cross-compatible between Warriors and Knights kits
- Revised rulebook integrates the 1.5 errata and adds (basic) Battle March rules
Cons
- Only 4 base poses across 16 Chaos Warriors due to duplicated sprue layout
- Gaming mat printed on paper rather than the sturdy cardboard found in other starter sets
- No alternative weapon options beyond hand weapons and shields for the Warriors
Final Verdict
The 2026 Core Set is what Warhammer: The Old World needed. A true starter set, anchored by spectacular new Chaos Warriors and Knights that draw confidently on the aesthetic of the classic 1990s range. The level of detail is out of this world, though it does demand more time at the painting desk than what Old World and Fantasy collectors might be used to. The Cathay side is solid if familiar, and the revised rulebook is a genuinely useful update that brings the rules in line with the current errata. The paper gaming mat and the duplicated Chaos Warrior sprue layout are the two most obvious corners cut, but neither undermines what is otherwise a well-rounded box.
Regarding the Chaos Knights, you wrote “The box includes two of these kits, giving you 8 models in total.” – aren’t there just 4 in the box? Otherwise great stuff.