Admiring brand new miniature wargame models in shiny display cases is one of my favorite bits of conventions like Gen Con - and on my visit to Steamforged Games I came across two brand new, never before seen Warmachine cadres they sneakily popped on display, without telling anyone or announcing them! The team refused to comment further on them for now, but they promise a full reveal is coming very soon.
Steamforged's revived and revamped version of Warmachine is fast becoming one of the best miniature wargames on shelves right now, with new models and factions coming thick and fast - most recently the very spooky new Old Umbrey range.
But these minis are something different. The first cadre is really intriguing. These elves could be a new part of the undead elven Dusk faction, with a clutch of elegant, sword wielding characters - their feather capes and katanas mark them out as Nyss elves. Their race has really had a tough time of it, with most of them corrupted by the Dragon Everblight, and the rest turned undead when their god Nyssor was destroyed.
With them are two fearsome looking sabertoothed-cat type creatures, making this cadre feel very hunter-themed. They have the right proportions to be Warbeasts, suggesting this is another Warlock led faction or subfaction.
The other cadre is very definitely Orgoth, but not as we know them - these guys are undead. During the first Orgoth invasion of Immoren they built many fortresses, magical laboratories, and tomb complexes, and it looks like the fresh invasion of the Orgoth Sea Raiders has brought the dead out of retirement.
Of the figures in the case, the force that looks most like the leader is an evil looking sorcerer type wielding a very metal whip made of vertebrae. The Old Orgoth didn't have access to Warjacks - the prototypes of the massive war engines were actually invented by the Immorese to repel the invaders - so we take it that this guy is a Warlock.
The core fighters are heavily armored skellies, armed with shields, broadswords, and javelins. We can expect these horny boys to be chucking out damage in melee and ranged combat.
A massive construct with soul-fires burning in its shoulders and skulls packed into its midriff was tucked in beside the Nyss elves, but it's unmistakeably an Orgoth figure - Steamforged actually teased this miniature during its Adepticon showcase, and in the flesh it's even more impressive.
Finally, and possibly the most Warmachine-coded of these new models, the Orgoth have a chunky armored brute, kitted out with two hulking, glowing melee weapons for close combat destruction - the biggest Fellblades we've yet seen. Those shoulder pads would put even the Space Marines to shame, too.
Right now, we don't know much more than that - are these separate cadre kits? An upcoming boxset? Plastic or Resin? When will we get our hands on them, and how much will they cost? We'll be asking Steamforged all these questions, never fear.
In the meantime, if you want to engage in delightful nerdy speculation about these cracking new minis - join the free Wargamer Discord community and let us know your theories. When we know more, all the details will be right here on Wargamer - and keep it here for lots more coverage direct from Gen Con 2025 in Indianapolis!