Age Of SigmarEdit
Age of Sigmar is a tabletop wargame published by Games Workshop that debuted in 2015 as the successor to Warhammer Fantasy Battles following the collapse of the Old World. It centers on the Mortal Realms, a vast and perilous setting in which grand armies of mortals, gods, and malevolent forces clash across shifting realms of magic. The game blends competitive play with narrative campaigns, painting, and model collecting, and it has evolved into a continuing hobby ecosystem featuring new factions, novels, and campaign books.
The release of Age of Sigmar marked a significant shift in how the fantasy wargaming hobby is structured and marketed. The initial launch aimed to streamline rules and broaden accessibility, while expanding the universe with a rapidly growing roster of factions and realm-based storytelling. Since then, the line has grown through periodic rule updates, new battletomes, and campaign supplements that keep the game fresh for both competitive players and hobbyists. The core product is complemented by community events, independent tournaments, and a robust line of modeling kits and paints that drive a large, global hobby economy. Age of Sigmar as a living property thus sits at the intersection of game design, pop fantasy storytelling, and hobby culture, with Cities of Sigmar and other factions featuring prominently in both tabletop play and associated media like novels and battle reports.
History
Origins and early development
Age of Sigmar arrived as a replacement for the aging fantasy system, with a reimagined world structure and an emphasis on faster, more streamlined play. The early years emphasized rapid model releases and a willingness to experiment with how rules and narrative arcs interact on the tabletop. This period included the introduction of core factions and the first wave of battletomes, which codified army rules, lore, and painting guides for players.
Transition to a multi-faction ecosystem
Over time, Games Workshop expanded the game beyond a handful of core armies, organizing the setting into broad thematic groups and rivalries that could be explored through campaigns and narrative seasons. The model range grew to include a wider variety of playstyles, from highly mobile gunline fleets to deeply thematic undead legions and storm-born infantry. A recurring feature of expansion has been the emergence of battletomes that both reflect the lore and re-balance mechanics to maintain competitive parity.
Second edition and ongoing evolution
In 2021, Age of Sigmar transitioned to a second edition that refined core rules, enhanced the balance of power among factions, and expanded realm-based gameplay options. The Generals Handbook series has served as a central vehicle for updating rules, points values, and campaign systems, reinforcing the game as a living, adaptable platform. The second edition also broadened accessibility for new players while continuing to support long-time hobbyists with complex, nuanced options for veterans.
Gameplay and design
Core mechanics
Age of Sigmar centers on army-building around a points-based system, with players selecting units, heroes, and artifacts to create cohesive battlegroups. The game emphasizes fast deployment, the use of command abilities, and the interplay between unit tactics and strategic objectives. A hallmark of the design is to reward decisive play—bold charges, timely use of powerful artefacts, and synergy among battalions—while keeping the rules approachable enough for newcomers to pick up quickly.
Narrative and campaigns
Campaign play and narrative seasons are common, with players encouraged to weave their battles into broader storylines that reflect the setting’s shifting realms. The Mortal Realms concept provides a flexible backdrop for stories about divine intervention, blood-pact bargains, and ancient rivalries that shape the outcomes of individual games and ongoing campaigns. The hobby aspect—modeling, painting, and terrain-building—remains a central draw for many players, alongside competitive play.
Realm mechanics and updates
The game has integrated realm-based features and campaign hooks that encourage players to engage with the wider universe beyond pure skirmish or tabletop balance. Regular updates through battletomes and campaign books help maintain freshness in army-building and strategy, while preserving a recognizable core ruleset that supports both narrative and competitive play.
Factions and settings
Age of Sigmar organizes its armies into four broad grand alliances, with a wide roster of factions within each:
Order (often associated with discipline, craftsmanship, and lawful order): notable factions include the Stormcast Eternals (the armored, divine agents of the God-King), the Cities of Sigmar, and the modern Lumineth Realm-lords, who bring high-level magic and refined discipline to the tabletop. Stormcast Eternals Lumineth Realm-lords Cities of Sigmar
Chaos (power, corruption, and ruin): armies here draw on demonic legions and mortal followers corrupted by dark gods. Players often see armies that emphasize speed, disruption, and brutal melee power. Chaos Legions of Chaos
Death (undying legions, necromancy, and the passage of souls): factions include the Nighthaunt, Flesh-eater Courts, and Ossiarch Bonereapers, among others, each bringing a distinct approach to war, magic, and command over the dead. Nighthaunt Flesh-Eater Courts Ossiarch Bonereapers
Destruction (rage, salvage, and raw power): Orcs and their allies, goblin clans, and other brutal forces populate this alliance, delivering fast, aggressive play and large-scale melee. Notable Destruction factions include the Orruk Warclans and the Gloomspite Gitz. Orruk Warclans Gloomspite Gitz
The game’s lore and faction design emphasize heroism, tragedy, and grand-scale conflict across the Mortal Realms, with battletomes and campaign books providing ongoing expansions to the setting. The setting itself—often framed around the interplay of celestial powers, ancient pacts, and the fate of the Realms—continues to attract players who enjoy both the storytelling and the tactical challenges of building and commanding diverse warbands.
Controversies and debates
Age of Sigmar has generated debates within its community that reflect broader tensions in fantasy hobby culture, especially around how the setting evolves and who it serves.
Origins and direction of the setting Some longtime fans felt that the shift from the Old World to the Mortal Realms represented a departure from a beloved fantasy baseline. Proponents of the new direction argue that a fresh setting invites broader audiences, supports new storytelling angles, and keeps the hobby dynamic in a crowded market. The tension here centers on nostalgia versus continued evolution, with supporters highlighting opportunities for accessible entry points and new player growth.
Accessibility, balance, and business model Critics have pointed to pricing and the cadence of model releases as barriers to entry for casual hobbyists. Advocates for the approach argue that ongoing support, regular new factions, and a robust ecosystem of books, models, and terrain best serve a growing, global community capable of sustaining a large hobby economy. The balance question—keeping armies fun to play while remaining deeply strategic—remains a live debate as new codices and rules circulate.
Representation and narrative direction The hobby has increasingly engaged questions about inclusivity and representation within its lore and product lines. Some fans welcome broader representation and more diverse storytelling as a natural extension of modern fantasy worlds. Others resist these shifts, arguing that the core appeal should remain focused on mythic heroism, core combat mechanics, and traditional archetypes, rather than social or identity-driven redesigns. Proponents of broader representation contend that it expands the audience and reflects real-world demographics, while opponents warn that overemphasis on identity politics can distract from balance, lore coherence, and gameplay.
Widespread updates versus backward compatibility As the rules ecosystem expands, there are ongoing discussions about how much backward compatibility should be preserved and how smoothly new editions should integrate with older collections. Supporters of frequent updates emphasize ongoing balance and freshness; critics worry about fragmentation and the pressure on players to continually invest in new books and models.
In this context, the community often frames debates in terms of what makes the game enduring: strong core rules, compelling lore, and a hobby experience that remains welcoming to both new painters and veteran tacticians. The debates around representation, balance, and business strategy are typically framed by different visions of what the hobby should look like in ten or twenty years—whether as a traditional, tightly balanced competitive game, or as a broad platform for storytelling, model-building, and mass-genre fantasy culture.