Whilst the forces of Grand Cathay march from beyond The Great Bastion to rid The Old World of the forces of Chaos, the enemy has struck a blow against their homeland and we learned more about that AND the new Warhammer: The Old World miniatures as part of the big Warhammer Preview.

Astromancers // Warhammer: The Old World

Aiding in the defence of The Great Bastion are new wizards for the forces of Grand Cathay. The Astromancers are masters of powerful incantations and rituals that can use their magical prowess to not only enhance their allies but also bring ruin to their enemies.

This set comes with both a mounted and on-foot version of the Astromancers, offering a variety of options for you to choose from in designing your perfect Astromancers. You can either make them a wise, old sage or a younger warrior mage with something to prove. Maybe even do a bit of mixing and matching!

Crowmen also join the Astromancers, as you can see by the additional miniature in the set. They are familiars but find themselves shrouded in mystery.

Levy & Heavy Guns

Whilst the Astromancers concern themselves with the big picture aspects of defending the empire, the vast majority of the fighting is left to the citizen soldiers who have been called up in this time of need to help defend Grand Cathay.

Peasant Levy // Warhammer: The Old World

The provinces have raised their Peasant Levies and now they are marching to war. There is a great variety of options within the set that mirror the diverse peoples who have grabbed a spear or a bow and now find themselves fighting against terrifying foes. They might not be the most skilled of fighters but they make up for it with dogged determination.

Supporting the Levy as they march forward are the new Crane Gun Teams and their Iron Hail Gunners.

Crane & Iron Hail Gun Teams // Warhammer: The Old World

If you're looking to blast your enemies away, then you've got some neat options, crafted within the foundries of Nan-Gau. One option is wielded by the Crane Gunner Teams, where one soldier holds the rifle, which is then rested on a large shield hefted by their companion.

You also have the Iron Hail Gunners, who use much shorter-range weaponry. They are often deployed to protect the flanks of the army, laying down a brutal amount of firepower. Tactically, the front rank will fire before kneeling and letting the second range blast over the tops of their heads.

Reinforcement Set & Rules

All of these new miniatures will be part of a new Reinforcement Set that will be useful for those expanding existing Grand Cathay armies on the tabletop.

Defenders of the Great Bastion // Warhammer: The Old World

This set comes with your Astromancers (and the Familiar) alongside an eight-person Crane Gun Team, twelve Iron Hail Gunners and thirty Peasant Levy that can be armed with whatever weapons you prefer.

All of the new rules for these forces of Grand Cathay will then be found within a new Arcane Journal, The Breaching of the Great Bastion.

The Breaching of the Great Bastion // Warhammer: The Old World

This new supplement looks at the lore and rules for the commonfolk mustering to fight to defend Grand Cathay. The new Grand Cathay Army List replaces the original (although Games Workshop has stressed you'll need the existing Arcane Journal: Grand Cathay for other unit profiles and enhancements - this just changes Army Construction), plus you'll also find a new Army of Infamy - Warriors of Wind and Field.

There is also a bunch of additional material, including a narrative scenario, The Battle of Nan-Li, which showcases that Chaos incursion against an army of peasants!

Could this be enough to drag you into Warhammer: The Old World and Grand Cathay?