The Empire of Grand Cathay has made its power known in the Old World, but back on home turf disaster has struck – the Great Bastion is under concerted attack from the forces of Chaos, and should it fall, the will of the Celestial Dragon will shatter with it.
Only the citizens and warriors of the Northern Provinces can stand against the barbaric horde that threatens the Bastion’s sanctity, and in a daring gambit they have allowed a vanguard force to breach one small portion of the fortification – funneling the foe into a massed army of peasant levies, supported by a whole load of guns and some fancy-looking Wizards.
Astromancers of the Celestial Court
The Celestial Court is where the study of magic is conducted in Grand Cathay. It’s the place to go for those who want to learn the mystic ways of the Dragons, containing countless texts written by their immortal lords over many centuries. Astromancers are the primary Wizards of Grand Cathay, able to perform powerful incantations and rituals thanks to the slowing of the Winds of Magic by the machinations of the Celestial Dragon.
They take to battle both on foot and on the backs of Cathayan Warhorses, wearing fine robes and ornate medallions that befit their station.
You’ll also notice that the new Astromancers are accompanied by a Crowman, a small familiar whose provenance is a mystery.
Crane Gun Team
Copious firearms of all shapes and sizes are produced by the smoke-belching foundries of Nan-Gau and deployed in defence of Grand Cathay, with one of the most common being the long-barrelled rifles used by Crane Gunner Teams. Carried by a pair of gunners, and usually fixed to a tower shield for greater stability, these extremely accurate rifles are used to lay low enemy regiments, and single out heroes and monsters for swift execution.
Iron Hail Gunners
More deadly still are the heavy blunderbusses lugged into battle by Iron Hail Gunners. Far shorter-ranged than the Crane Gun, they are frequently used to protect an army’s flanks from cavalry charges, or to mow down enemies in the tight-knit confines of cities. By fighting in ranks they can lay down brutal volleys of fire, with their first rank hastily kneeling or lying down as the second rank unleashes its own barrage.
Peasant Levy
Grand Cathay is populated by hundreds of thousands of people, many of whom live outside its great walled cities in villages and small settlements. When the Celestial Dragon demands it, a province must be able to raise large peasant levies to aid the more well-equipped and professional armies. What they lack in skill they make up for in effort, wielding long spears and war bows en masse to prove their worth to the Dragons who rule them, even creating flowing cloth banners that ripple in the wind like their masters.
Defenders of the Great Bastion Army Reinforcement Set
You’ll be able to muck in with the defence, or expand your existing Grand Cathay army, with the Defenders of the Great Bastion Army Reinforcement Set, which will be the first place you can get these new miniatures. It contains 53 individual models split between two heroes and a familiar, a unit of eight Crane Gun Teams, 12 Iron Hail Gunners, and a mass of 30 Peasant Levy.
Arcane Journal: The Breaching of the Great Bastion
Profiles for all of the above units will be present in Arcane Journal: The Breaching of the Great Bastion, an upcoming 48-page supplement that focuses on the defence of Grand Cathay by the commonfolk of the Northern Provinces. It provides a deeper look at the empire and its people, a timeline of the Age of Dragons, descriptions of the Celestial Dragon Emperor’s realms and how magic is studied and used, and more details on the armies of Grand Cathay.
It also documents the mounting shadow of Chaos, their assault on the Great Bastion, and the plan to quell the threat. A new Grand Cathay Army List that replaces the original* is included, alongside a new Army of Infamy – Warriors of Wind and Field – plus rules for Celestial Forged armour, Masters of the Elemental Winds, and the Will of the Dragons. A special narrative scenario, The Battle of Nan-Li, also gives you the chance to take on the Chaos incursion with a grand army of peasants.
There’s plenty more coming to the Old World in the future, but for now you can check out the rest of the Warhammer Preview by clicking the button below.
world championships preview
see all the reveals
* You’ll still need Arcane Journal: Grand Cathay for the existing unit profiles and enhancements within, but Army Construction changes based on the new units in the new journal.
