The Chaos Gods never do anything quietly. So, the Great Game spills into everything they touch. Even a simple battleforce box becomes a flex.
Additionally, the whole pitch here is pure rivalry. One god gets a shiny new box, and then the rest demand one too. Therefore, early 2026 is shaping up like a boxed set brawl.
The Great Game Goes Retail
The idea is straightforward and very Chaos. The gods love corrupting mortals, but they love dunking on each other even more. So, the Great Game can happen on a battlefield or inside someone’s skull. That vibe carries into these new Warhammer 40,000 battleforces. Additionally, the text jokes nobody knows who secured a box first. However, once word got out, the others had to match it, because competition is basically their religion. All four boxes are due to drop in early 2026, and each one brings a very on brand toolkit.
Lords of Excess Battleforce: Emperor’s Children Bring Speed and Sonic Firepower
The Emperor’s Children kick off with Lords of Excess. It is presented as fast and deadly, and it leans into a combined arms playstyle. So, you start by laying down serious shooting pressure. You get two units of six Noise Marines, plus 10 Tormentors. Additionally, that means waves of sonic nonsense and bolt shells hitting the enemy before they can breathe.
Then the plan shifts into the stabby part. After the shooting softens targets, a Daemon Prince and 10 Infractors rush in to finish the job. Meanwhile, your ranged units can hold objectives and keep firing. So, it reads like a clean and cruel game plan. Additionally, the article jokes it is exactly the sort of tidy violence Fulgrim would love.
Khorne Daemonkin Battleforce: Charge, Grind, Repeat
Khorne’s box is Khorne Daemonkin, and it is described as a combined force of mortals and daemons from his realm. So, it is not subtle, and it is not trying to be. Additionally, it is designed to pair with the Detachment of the same name, which is a clear rules hook.
The force is led by a Lord on Juggernaut, because of course it is. He charges ahead of six Bloodcrushers, all riding vicious Khornate steeds. Then, once the charge lands, the enemy gets buried under boots and blades. The melee pile on is led by 10 Khorne Berzerkers. Additionally, 20 Bloodletters show up to keep the skull tally climbing for the Skull Throne. So, it is close combat all the time. However, if you chose Khorne, you already signed up for that life.
Sekhmet Coven Battleforce: Thousand Sons Go All In on Elite Muscle
The Thousand Sons usually win by spells and smugness. However, the article argues that to beat the other gods, they have to go full throttle. So, Sekhmet Coven ditches the usual Rubric Marine core. Instead, it focuses on the biggest and toughest pieces they have.
Your command staff is an Infernal Master plus a coven of three Exalted Sorcerers. So, you still have plenty of wizard leadership. Then the heavy hitters stomp in. You get 10 Scarab Occult Terminators and a colossal Mutalith Vortex Beast. Additionally, the vibe is pushing through lines and causing havoc. It even jokes that opponents might wonder why you did not hang back and cast spells like normal. So, this box reads like Thousand Sons doing a Terminator brick and monster punch, but with sorcerers calling the shots.
Vile Vectorium Battleforce: Death Guard Go Elite, Then Flood the Board
Nurgle normally shows up slowly and wins by persistence. However, he cannot afford to be lazy when the other gods are competing. So, Vile Vectorium is framed as the Grandfather actually choosing action for once. It is an elite force led by Lord Felthius, who gets called notorious.
Felthius comes with his three Tainted Cohort bodyguards. Additionally, the core includes three Deathshroud Terminators and three Foetid Bloat-drones. So, you get a tough terminator wall and fast hovering horrors. The article claims that hard core can smash almost any foe. However, it also adds the practical layer that wins games. You get 20 Poxwalkers to provide enough warm-ish bodies to screen and protect the heavy hitters. So, it is the classic Death Guard vibe of elite killers wrapped in a disgusting meat shield.
Summary
These battleforces feel like four different ways to start a Chaos project in early 2026. So, Emperor’s Children bring speed, shooting, and a clean melee finisher. Additionally, Khorne is pure charge and blender violence with Berzerkers and Bloodletters. Meanwhile, Thousand Sons go elite with Terminators, stacked sorcerers, and a Mutalith wrecking ball. Finally, Death Guard bring Felthius led elites backed by drones and a carpet of Poxwalkers.
If you want a new army that has a clear identity out of the box, these are built for that. Additionally, the only real question is which god you want whispering in your ear.
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