The Old World Almanack closes its current chapter with a wild, braying bang as JTY and Warhammer lore sage Gadge return to walk us through the savage pages of Arcane Journal: Beastmen.
Let’s break down the highlights.
Dark Tidings in Westerland
The story picks up on the snowy outskirts of Laurelorn Forest, where a ravaged village’s survivors stumble upon a Middenheim mercenary company. Despite their warnings, the hardened soldiers dismiss the ragged survivors — but soon find themselves surrounded by Beastmen in a deadly ambush. This encounter leads into a scenario you can play yourself, with JTY and team eager to hear how your tabletop tales unfold.
Spotlight on Kralmaw and Ghorros
Kralmaw, Prophet of Ruin, is a brand-new character with an impressive new Forge World resin miniature. Blind and seething with prophetic visions, Kralmaw carries a 4+ Ward save and wields magic through his eerie Leering Spirit familiar. Though his Weapon Skill is low, his battlefield presence looms large, especially as he alone senses the rebirth of Morghur the Shadowgave and the far-off rise of Asavar Kul.
Ghorros, Sire of a Thousand Young, is a returning metal miniature, famously the Father of All Centigors. Whether ancient or merely boastful, Ghorros boosts Centigor strength and thrives in the Wild Herd Army of Infamy, aligning with Kralmaw to lead powerful, unpredictable raiding parties.
Armies of Infamy
The Wild Herd offers a mixed composition of Gors, Ungors, and warhounds, driven by beastmasters and bolstered with magic and mutations. Kitbashers will love the Warped Gors, with plenty of creative opportunities using Chaos Spawn parts. This list leans heavily on Ambush tactics, rewarding aggressive, chaotic play.
The Minotaur Blood Herd is pure brute force — an all-Minotaur army with Doombull lords, Gorebull heroes, and a mix of Ghorgons, Cygors, Razorgors, Harpies, and rare Chaos Ogres or Trolls. With access to Gifts of Chaos and rampant Frenzy, this is one of the most savage, hard-hitting lineups in the game.
Magic, Artifacts, and Relics
The Lore of Primal Magic evokes the dark, feral forests of the Old World, layering Fear and Terror across the battlefield. Iconic magic items return, like the Brass Cleaver, Axe of Khorgor, Gore Banner, Hail of Doom Arrow, and Blade of Leaping Gold. The standout is the Black Maul — an 80-point relic that boosts Strength, Attacks, and AP. On a Frenzied Doombull, you could unleash a staggering 13 attacks, making it a centerpiece of monstrous carnage.
Miniatures and Terrain
Several classics have been remastered in Forge World resin, including the Jabberslythe, Cockatrice, and Doombull, making them more striking and hobby-friendly. The Preyton and the Centigor Chieftain (from Mordheim) also make their return. Core Beastmen troops hail from mid-2000s sculpts, still fitting seamlessly into modern armies alongside updated plastic Beastlords. Herdstones return as thematic terrain pieces, enhancing Beastmen magic, ferocity, and demoralizing nearby enemies. JTY suggests simple hobby builds — think foamcore, rocks, skulls, and plenty of Blood for the Blood God paint — to bring these chaotic altars to life.
Closing the Almanack
Condensing the vast, twisted history of the Beastmen into just 48 pages was a challenge, but the team has distilled the best of the 80s and 90s lore alongside material from the last two Beastmen books. With this series of the Old World Almanack wrapped, we await future entries — including the arrival of the Storm Dragon and Grand Cathay’s expeditionary forces — and the inevitable clash against the rising Dark Gods. Stay tuned and follow the Great Plan…
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