A brand-new army is marching its way onto the Warhammer Age of Sigmar battlefield, and it might be familiar to long-term hobbyists; the Chaos Dwarfs have returned, though now they have a different name.
Unveiled as part of the Big Summer Warhammer Preview 2025, this old-school faction has been given a top-to-bottom refresh and a new title to go with that redesign - they're now called the 'Helsmiths of Hashut.' These Chaos Dwarfs will first be available in the Helsmiths of Hashut Army Set, followed by a wave of heroes, troops, artillery, and elite units that'll be sold separately. Unfortunately, we don't have a release date for any of the above just yet.
The Helsmiths of Hashut Army Set seems to be a good way to kick off your collection; it contains the Battletome rulebook, appropriate Warscrolls, and a collection of heavily-armored infantry alongside a mortar and massive 'Dominator Engine' that's basically a giant robot bull powered by magic.
You can't get your hands on the Helsmiths just yet, but I suspect the best places to find them when that time comes will be Miniature Market or Rogue Traders Gaming in the US. Meanwhile, Wayland Games or Magic Madhouse should be the go-to for UK fans. These typically offer discounts of 10 to 20% on Warhammer products ahead of launch.
You can then add to your burgeoning Chaos Dwarf host with characters who wield demonic sorcery, or bolster it instead with monsters and gunners (yes, those devastating blunderbusses from yesteryear are back to give you grief). Oh, and don't forget the cannon-fodder. The Helsmiths of Hashut are elite warriors on the whole, so they'll be supported by goblinoid Hobgrots who fill out the ranks with expendable muscle.
Although the range is completely new, the Helsmiths of Hashut have roots way back in Warhammer history. While they go by a different name these days, there's no mistaking the tusks and adoration for giant hats; this is a revamp of the decades-old Chaos Dwarfs. It's been a long time coming, too; although they were an intimidating army to face off against in the now-defunct Warhammer Fantasy Battles, they were gradually phased out until the faction vanished from the game. While they've popped up since then in spinoffs like Blood Bowl, we haven't seen the Chaos Dwarfs as a true, playable army for ages. That makes this reveal one old-school fans are likely to be stoked about.
In terms of lore, the Helsmiths of Hashut are Duardin (A.K.A dwarves) who didn't abandon their mountain holds during an age of Chaos long past, unlike the sky pirate Kharadron Overlords. Rather, they held their ground and made not-at-all-dodgy deals with a demonic bull-god, Hashut, to survive. Because contracts like that never go wrong, their society fell to evil and is now run by warmongering tyrants. That's why the carnage left behind by a Skaven invasion (as seen in Skaventide) is the perfect opportunity to strike. And boy, are the Helsmiths eager to stomp all over mortal lands and crush them beneath their boots. Or, in some cases, hooves.
We'll have to wait patiently to start that conquest, though, because a release date has yet to be revealed. However, the fact that we got a good look at everything in the range means that launch isn't likely to be far away. Watch this space.
More Warhammer dwarves, please
- Kharadron Overlords Spearhead: $145 at Amazon
-
Age of Sigmar Introductory Set:
$65$55.25 at Amazon - See all Warhammer Age of Sigmar at Amazon
For more tabletop goodness, check out the best board games or the best tabletop RPGs.
