Warhammer 40K’s new $299 boxed set makes a statement of its commitment

Warhammer 40,000’s most exciting setting, the small unit skirmish game Necromunda, is getting a massive new boxed set. Polygon has received confirmation from independent retailers that the new boxed set is available. Necromunda: Ash Wastes will retail for $299, and it goes up for pre-order online at the official Games Workshop website this weekend, where it’s expected to list at the same price. And yes, that’s an awful lot for a big box of unassembled plastic parts, a book, and some cardboard bits. This is also a subtle change in the size of 40K Hobby, as well as a display of strength in the face increased competition.

In 1995, the original Necromunda system was published in White Dwarf. The system was revived using a revised ruleset, and more elaborate miniatures in plastic. For example, a single 28-millimeter miniature could easily contain 12 or more tiny parts — including a wee little cigar the fraction of the size of a grain of rice that was a real pain to glue into place, thank you very much. This opened up a world of customization and modding that was unimaginable before.

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Now out of print, 2017’s Necromunda: UnderhiveYou can find it for around $175 on Amazon. An updated version of this starter set is available. Hive War with NecromundaThe price of a similar product is about the same, but Dark Uprising: Necromunda This set is more sought-after and therefore, higher in price among collectors. These sets come with a variety of plastic scenery, markers and dice as well as a manual.

Why is that? Ash WastesIt will cost you almost twice as much. On Monday, an early look at the contents revealed how large it is. The box contains two gangs with 10 miniaturized characters, four four-wheeled cars, and four mounted soldiers. That’s far more fighters than any of the boxed sets that have come before. Ash WastesThe new comprehensive rulebook is also included, as well as a shorter-form narrative campaign and some dice.

Image: Games Workshop via YouTube

But the real cherry on top for fans of Necromunda are the bits of elaborate scenery on offer in the form of “habitation blocks.” In 40K fiction, they’re basically slum-like modular housing that can last for millennia with zero upkeep — but for hobbyists they may as well be catnip. While previous Necromunda terrain sets were, except for a few exceptions, relatively simple and limited in variation, the new Necromunda terrain blocks are more flexible, allowing you to make modifications right from the box. There’s very little reason that your terrain should look like anyone else’s, and that’s very exciting.

What’s more, the modularity of this terrain clearly displays a desire to expand the range of scenery available to fans of Necromunda. For as low as $300, you can make compatible terrain sets. Ash WastesIn the very near future, fans will have an opportunity to purchase it. These habitation blocks are still in the planning stages. You can also see it hereIt appears that the kit includes a simple way to link bits from your collection (or those you may want to build) with the parts in the box. A close examination of a playthrough on the Warhammer Plus subscription service clearly shows there isn’t an Apple Lightning connector needed here, just gravity.

The Necromunda boxed sets are designed to reflect what makes the hobby unique: fan-created, original designs that blur lines between tabletop wargaming, and art.

This expansion will also expand the lore of the game by adding an entirely new setting and faction, which are both previously unknown territory. In short, it’s a statement piece — a statement piece that costs $300.

Why not make such a bold move now? Over the last several years of the pandemic, even with many consumers unable to play together in public, Games Workshop’s sales have been through the roof. The 3D-printing technology has seen a rise in consumer acceptance, which is also reflected in the increase of sales and earnings. But instead of just rehashing the same old Space Marine factions with different details and paint schemes, Games Workshop is doing the work to expand its other franchises — Necromunda among them. Games Workshop is continuing support for new products like Warhammer: Underworlds and Blood Bowl, as well as old favourites like Warhammer: Age of Sigmar and Blood Bowl. What’s next? The Warhammer 30,000 line is being relaunched, also known as the Horus Heresy.

Image: Games Workshop via YouTube

There’s a reason why Necromunda: Ash WastesThe cost of a brand new gaming console is twice that of assembling it. It’s because Games Workshop expects consumers to spend as much time putting it together, painting it, and playing with it as they do with their Nintendo Switch. From Monday’s reveal, that looks very possible. Games Workshop appears to be able to support and expand these products, which is the most important thing. Games Workshop appears to be investing its record earnings in expanding the business. This includes more research and development and more lore. It also seems to produce more detailed models than fans are demanding.

The increasing depth and complexity in their product offering — positioned alongside the beloved lore that underpins it all — will be hard for even 3D printers to compete with.