This month, Games Workshop will begin taking pre-orders for the updated Codex:  Astra Militarum as well as a trio of new tank kits for use with Warhammer 40,000:  the Rogal Dorn Battle Tank, the Baneblade, and the Leman Russ Battle Tank.

The Astra Militarum represents the traditional soldiers of the Imperium of Man.  Without the gene manipulation or specialized equipment of the more famous Space Marines, these troopers nonetheless make up the bulk of the Imperium’s forces, relying on their numbers and overwhelming firepower in pursuit of victory.  The Codex:  Astra Militarum provides all of the rules and army lists needed to bring this “Hammer of the Emperor” to the tabletop battlefield.

Named for the legendary Primarch, the Rogal Dorn Battle Tank offers a middle-weight tank option for Astra Militarum armies.  This model kit offers multiple construction options, including single or double main guns and an array of smaller support weapons.

On the larger end of the scale, the Baneblade provides a versatile chassis for no less than eight different tank configurations, any of which can be built using this model kit:  Baneblade, Banehammer, Banesword, Doomhammer, Hellhammer, Shadowsword, Stormlord, or Stormsword.  It also comes with an extra sponson sprue for even more customization options.

A long-time mainstay of Astra Militarum forces, the Leman Russ Battle Tank kit gets an upgrade by including multiple turret and weapon options in a single kit, allowing players to build Leman Russ, Demolisher, Executioner, Vanquisher, Eradicator, Punisher, or Exterminator variants, plus extra sponson weapon choices.

All models are supplied unpainted, and assembly is required.  Each kit can assemble one tank.

The company is also offering new terrain (see "Battle on a Spaceship with New ‘Warhammer 40,000’ Terrain Set") and Space Marine boxed sets (see "Games Workshop Announces Four ‘Space Marine Battleforce’ Boxes").