Grand Cathay is under the cosh again, and this time the Chaos horde is hammering the Great Bastion.
The Northern Provinces are not folding though. Instead, they pull a classic defender’s gambit by allowing a small breach, then funneling the enemy into a kill box of disciplined fire and stubborn bodies. As a result, we get a fresh wave of kits and rules that spotlight peasants, precision gunners, and stargazing wizards. Consequently, the theme is clear: wisdom, willpower, and lots of very loud firearms.
Wizards, Rifles, Blunderbusses, and Banners in the Wind
Astromancers of the Celestial Court step forward as Cathay’s primary battlefield mages, channeling slowed Winds of Magic thanks to the Celestial Dragon’s machinations. They fight on foot or mounted, robed and medallioned, and notably arrive with a Crowman familiar whose origins are delightfully mysterious.
Meanwhile, the ranged backbone splits into two distinct flavors. Crane Gun Teams lug long-barrel rifles, brace them on tower shields, and calmly pick off monsters, heroes, and ranked threats with surgical accuracy.
By contrast, Iron Hail Gunners shove heavy blunderbusses into tight quarters and flanks, then lay down brutal ranked volleys as the front rank drops and the second rank fires. However, steel alone does not hold walls.
Peasant Levy swell the line with long spears and war bows, bringing numbers, grit, and rippling cloth banners that honor their Dragon rulers. Therefore, the Bastion defense becomes a layered trap: control the breach with guns, and plug it with people.
The Defenders of the Great Bastion Reinforcement Set
If you want to join the stand, the Defenders of the Great Bastion Army Reinforcement Set is the first stop. It packs 53 miniatures that immediately expand any Cathay force. You get two heroes plus a familiar for your magic core, eight Crane Gun Teams for precision fire, a dozen Iron Hail Gunners for short-range shock, and thirty Peasant Levy to flood objectives and hold the bloody gap. Consequently, a single box delivers the full tactical spread the narrative promises, from sniper lanes to shotgun alleys to spear walls.
Arcane Journal: The Breaching of the Great Bastion
Rules and lore land together in Arcane Journal: The Breaching of the Great Bastion, a focused 48-page supplement on the Northern Provinces’ people and their desperate defense. It deepens Cathay’s setting with a timeline of the Age of Dragons, insights into the Celestial Dragon Emperor’s realms, and an inside look at how magic is studied and applied. Additionally, it documents the rising shadow of Chaos, the assault itself, and the counter-plan that hinges on peasants, powder, and patience.
Importantly, a new Grand Cathay Army List replaces the original to reflect this doctrine, while an Army of Infamy called Warriors of Wind and Field leans into elemental mastery and massed levies. Furthermore, bespoke rules such as Celestial Forged armour, Masters of the Elemental Winds, and the Will of the Dragons layer crunchy synergies over the theme. Finally, the narrative scenario The Battle of Nan-Li lets you reenact the incursion with a true peasant grand army and see if your trap snaps shut.
Final Thoughts from the Bastion
This preview nails a distinctive Cathayan identity that rewards planning and pressure. You shape the field with Astromancers, then punish overreach with rifles, blunderbusses, and relentless levy blocks. Because the box delivers a complete battlefield puzzle and the Arcane Journal rewrites the list around it, the result feels cohesive and playable right away. Load the powder, steady the banners, and let the storm break on your walls. The Bastion holds if you do.
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