It really is getting close to the end of the magazine series, however we aren’t quite there yet!

It’s time to look at one of the final batches of issues we’ve had of the Warhammer Age of Sigmar Stormbringer magazine series from the legends at Hachette Partworks.

Our thanks, as always, to Hachette for sending us these issues to share with you lovely folks.

If you missed the last batch of issues then head over to this link right here to catch up, and don’t forget you can also check out the full contents of Stormbringer from Matt’s post way back before we started getting the issues.

Little disclaimer, as we look at the value of the issues we are basing them on the prices on Warhammer.com compared to the issue cost of £9.99 (unless otherwise specified). 

Enough chitter-chatter, let’s check out the issues:

Issue 71

Includes: Knight-Questor Flesh & Coelia Greenshade Paints
Value: £2.75 gets you a pot of Knight-Questor Flesh, whilst £4.75 gets you some Coelia Greenshade. Together that us a cost of £7.50, so this issue works out a little more expensive then getting the pots individually, however you do get the invaluable paint guide for your minis so far.

Issue Contents:

With every batch of issues we get a magazine which includes paints. Whilst they may not be the most exciting thing, they are imperative for the painting progress of the series.

The magazine itself opens up with a look at the Death faction known as the Ossiarch Bonereapers. It’s important to remember that this series is really aimed at those new to the hobby, and ideally you (and maybe a friend) are painting along as the issues land.

A turn of the page and we are greeted with a bit or lore focusing on a conflict between the Idoneth Deepkin and the Fyreslayers. Following on from that we have even more lore, this time focusing on another different faction in the Skaven (who are, we can safely say, in the headlines at the moment). This includes a breakdown of all the major clans that make up the Skaven.

We then have a big section, the painting bit, where the issue shows you where you will be applying the two new colours you’ve got with this issue. As we’ve come to expect, the following pages are detailed guides to where to paint.

The issue then switches focus to the Kharadron Overlords, as it introduces the Battle Trait for the faction. Again, you have to remember this series is based in 3rd edition, so all the traits and warscrolls are firmly from the previous edition. Following the explanation of the traits comes a full image driven guide to how those rules work.

Finally, the magazine wraps up with The Last Stand, the final Battlepack for Stormbringer. Fall Back! is the name of the first battleplan for this battlepack.

Issue 72

Includes: Lord Commander Bastian Carthalos
Value: Bastian costs £28 over on Warhammer.com, so a good saving of £18.01.

Issue Contents:

First and foremost, I love the model that comes with this issue. Bastian Carthalos is the Lord Commander of the Hammers of Sigmar, a faction within the Stormcast Eternals (however you can use him with any Stormcast Eternals force, in both 3rd and 4th edition).

Having torn myself away from the sprue, it’s time to go through the contents of the magazine itself. It opens up with a nice bit of lore focusing on another large character from the Age of Sigmar, Archaon: The Everchosen, the Chaos big-bad. Some gorgeous black and white artwork here as the text gives you a great bit of background on Archaon.

With any issues that include models the issue always has a bit of a narrative section, where you can either roll a dice or choose different narrative fun bits and bobs. In this instance for Bastian, you can give him a bit of a back story on why he is joining your growing Order army and his Chosen Tactics. He also has a mini checklist of objectives that you can try to complete during your games of Sigmar.

This section is swiftly followed by a guide on how to assemble your model. This is a clear and concise guide on building Bastian, even describing how you can do so in sub-assemblies to make it easier to paint him. Speaking of, this is followed by the comprehensive painting guide using paints that have been included so far in the magazine series. Again it also shows the sub-assemblies and how to paint those.

We then have his full warscroll for 3rd edition, which includes a full detailed guide on how his unique abilities work.

Valley of Shadows is the second battleplan for this battlepack, which leads us to the end of the issue.

Issue 73

Includes: 10 x Orruk Ardboys
Value: These would cost you £40 in your local Warhammer store or via Warhammer.com, so a massive saving of £30.01!

Issue Contents:

Yes, this issue does include 10 of the new Orruk Ardboys! I was expecting this issue to have the old ones, but no! What a bonus!

The Realm of Fire is the focus on the opening page of the magazine, with a piece of lore called Fires of Civilisation, which has a particular focus on the Cities of Sigmar that call the realm there home.

The Ardboys get the narrative treatment next, with charts for working out the background and tactics. The how to build guide is as detailed as ever, with box outs for the interchangeable parts. The painting guide follows, as always using the paints collected thus far.

The warscroll follows for the Orruks, with a further breakdown of the unique abilities from the warscroll.

To wrap up this issue we have the Ambush at Brutestomb Bluff, the third battleplan for the final battlepack.

Issue 74

Includes: Guardian Idol Scenery Piece
Value: You cannot buy this terrain individually, however for the size of it, compared to other GW products, I think it’s safe to value at around £20, which based on that is a £10 saving. 

Issue Contents:

We get a second Guardian Idol with this issue. It’s a great little scenery piece, and the two will look great flanking a building or similar.

The issue opens up with a fantastic piece of art showing an Orruk Gore Grunta smashing in to some Fyreslayers. The image leads in to some more lore for the Ironjawz, specifically discussing the weapons and and armour.

In the previous issues we’ve seen the Anatomy of various races, and the feature requires in this issue and it focuses on Grots! Small in stature, but big on personality!

A feature on the Chaos Gods follows, taking us through each of the major Chaos factions (including the Skaven! Yes-Yes!). If you haven’t read much about the Chaos Gods up to this point, this section really gives you the feeling of what each of them about! (Blood for the Blood God!!)

Following this we have the comprehensive building instructions for the scenery piece, as well as the painting guide.

We get a bunch of tactics pages next, helping you understand the best ways to get the most out of your models. Getting the tic-tacs treatment this time are Gardus Steel Soul, Bastion Carthalos, Ironskullz Boyz and the Ardboys.

Finishing off the last issue of this batch of magazines is the 4th battleplan, Lines of Power, which includes some special rules and looks like a fun battleplan to play out.

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And so that brings this batch of issues to a close. We don’t have many to go now, but we’ll be back with the next supply drop very soon!