Cities of Sigmar review part 2: Erasmus Zonn, Battlemages & a Dawner’s Triumph

Magic, monuments, and battlemages: the Cities of Sigmar’s 2026 release wave saves some of its most characterful models for last. In this second part of our mega review, we’re putting Erasmus Zonn, the Collegiate Battlemages, and the new faction terrain piece Dawner’s Triumph under the microscope. We’ve gone through every sprue in detail and have high-res sprue images for you, so read on.

The new Cities of Sigmar release wave will be available for pre-order starting Saturday, 16 May 2026. The pre-order period lasts two weeks, with the official release date set for 30 May 2026.

Cities of Sigmar mega review part 2

The first part of our Cities of Sigmar mega review covered the mighty Cogfort and the Gate Gargants. Here comes part 2 featuring Erasmus Zonn, the Aqshian Pyrocaster, Amthyst Knellmage, and Dawner’s Triumph.

Jorvan Kreel, Heir of the Kraken, the Mallus Forgepriest, the Freeguild Gallants, and the Freeguild Grenadiers from the Cities of Ash box are also receiving separate releases. For full details on those kits, check our Spearhead: Cities of Ash review.

Erasmus Zonn review: Settler’s Gain’s greatest arcanist rides into plastic

Erasmus Zonn, The Enlighted One, is Settler’s Gain’s most brilliant arcanist, a master of Hyshian magic and experienced realm-wanderer. The kit contains a sprue with two small segments, a 75mm oval base, and an assembly guide. The RRP is £42.50 / €55 / $69.

Zonn on his mount Glyphwing is a genuinely stylish model. He embodies the extravagance befitting a Master of Realmsphere magic, yet his appearance, the armour of his mount, and his Lantern of All-Knowledge remain deeply rooted in the angular, geometric design language of the Cities of Sigmar. The sculpt isn’t particularly large, sitting on “only” a 75mm oval base, and at this price that’s a fairly steep ask.

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

There are no build or posing options and no extra bits; the kit is monopose. The scenic base is separate from Glyphwing’s feet and can be left off without much trouble. Assembly isn’t too demanding, and seam lines are well hidden throughout, save for a small area on the mount’s hindquarters.

Aqshian Pyrocaster and Amethyst Knellmage: fire, death, but very little flexibility

Battlemages and Warhammer have always gone hand in hand. The old Empire multi-part kit for Warhammer Fantasy offered a build-your-own wizard sprue, but for the Cities of Sigmar the designers opted for individual models with strong individual character instead. The RRP for each is £25 / €32.50 / $40. That price bracket used to be reserved for larger Space Marine character models, but times change.

The Aqshian Pyrocaster with his evocative pose is my favourite of the two. The flame effect perfectly underlines the action-packed stance, and it’s a fully separate part not attached to the staff, so it can be left off entirely if you prefer. Beyond that, the model is unfortunately monopose with no extra bits. At least one alternate head would have been a welcome addition.

The Amethyst Knellmage is also monopose. The visor of the bell helmet sits on a hinge, though, letting you choose between open and closed, and the face beneath is fully sculpted. The feet are attached to the base; removing them is possible, but you’d need to find an alternative since they’re angled. The overall pose doesn’t quite win me over as much as the Pyrocaster’s. The model feels top-heavy with those broad shoulders and the large bell helmet, and a wider stance would have balanced it better in my opinion. That said, the Knellmage gives off strong Blasphemous vibes, which I’m very much here for.

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

Dawner’s Triumph review: the Cities of Sigmar terrain piece that’s secretly a bitz goldmine

Dawner’s Triumph is the new faction terrain piece for the Cities of Sigmar, a monument and testament to the bold Dawnbringers who have laid down their lives in pursuit of Sigmar’s glorious future.

The kit contains a large sprue, a 100mm round base, and an assembly guide. The RRP is £40 / €51.50 / $65.

As is usual for terrain pieces and Endless Spells, Dawner’s Triumph is a “designed in the UK, made in China” kit, meaning production is outsourced rather than coming from the Lenton factory. Games Workshop appears to have found a new manufacturing partner, though, and the difference shows. Where previous terrain pieces and Endless Spells often suffered from soft details and pronounced mould lines, Dawner’s Triumph is noticeably more crisply cast. It doesn’t quite reach the standard of regular plastic kits, but the many candles and the tiny inscriptions on the plinth are rendered sharply.

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

The model is also a genuine bitz treasure trove. Into the hollow on the back of the statue you can place one of two icons (parts 20 and 21). Beyond that, you get 12 candle parts (22 to 33), 5 small offering bowls (34 to 39), 5 parchments and scrolls (39 to 43), 1 beer tankard (44), 1 hourglass (45), 14 purity seals (46 to 59), and 12 skulls (60 to 71), all of which can be placed freely on the available surfaces across the model. That, and the height of almost 200 mm, is in my book considerably more value than the £2.50 pricier Erasmus Zonn.

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.