The Sabbat Worlds Crusade

[Brother-serpent Tylydox]

 

For more than twenty years, ever since the very first tale of Gaunt’s Ghosts, the Sabbat Worlds Crusade has fascinated fans of Warhammer 40,000 fiction. Very soon, you’ll be able to explore that massive conflict as never before in a detailed and gorgeous A4 background book, The Sabbat Worlds Crusade, written by Dan Abnett.

 

The Sabbat Worlds Crusade is a reimagining of the original 2005 edition, vastly expanded into a definitive account of the campaign, from its tumultuous beginnings to the great victory detailed in the pages of the Gaunt’s Ghosts novel Anarch. It’s filled with captivating lore, stunning artwork and detailed maps.

 

Most of all, it’s a fascinating companion piece to the novels, giving you an insight into key characters from the series – including many who’ve never been pictured before.

 

The book is a treasure trove for anyone wanting to recreate the Sabbat Worlds Crusade on the tabletop, taking an enthralling look at the uniforms and equipment of other forces that fought in the crusade, such as the Vitrian Dragoons, the Royal Volpone Bluebloods and even a trio of Space Marine Chapters.

 

There are also colour schemes for tank companies and Imperial Navy wings, such as the Phantine Air Corps from Double Eagle – perfect for Aeronautica Imperialis players. There are even Titan colour schemes in case you fancy theming your Adeptus Titanicus battlegroups.

 

For devotees of the Dark Gods and other enemies of the Imperium, there are also uniform guides and details for the servants of Chaos in the Sabbat Worlds, like the Blood Pact and Sons of Sek, as well as some of the xenos foes the Imperial forces battled as they reconquered the sector.

 

The narrative that unfolds across the book begins with the opening moves of the crusade, in which Warmaster Slaydo fought for a foothold in the Chaos-infested Sabbat Worlds, and a young commissar called Ibram Gaunt battled at his side, earning glory, fame and a unique position. After the crusade’s first great victory at Balhaut, where Slaydo tragically fell and was replaced by the mercurial Warmaster Macaroth, Gaunt was granted the rank of colonel and was sent to found new regiments on the world of Tanith.

 

From here, The Sabbat Worlds Crusade turns its attention to the greatest exploits of Gaunt’s Ghosts, as detailed in their novels. It also shows what else is going on across the crusade at the same time, adding depth and providing insights into the effect that the Ghosts’ famous victories had on the greater crusade. Many of these events are depicted in breathtaking artwork, such as the triumphant return of Saint Sabbat from beyond the bounds of death in Sabbat Martyr.

 

The narrative goes all the way up to the most recent events of the Crusade, including Gaunt’s promotion into the upper echelons of Crusade command and the glorious victory he snatched from the jaws of defeat on Urdesh in Anarch. Of course, there’s some suitably bombastic artwork illustrating this historic event.

 

You’ll be able to claim your own copy of this spectacular tome when it goes up for pre-order on Saturday. Until then, you can pick up the entire Gaunt’s Ghosts series as eBooks – perfect for catching up before you read the overarching story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 4, 2019 by Tylydox

[aa.logan]

They’re really hammering the new releases; I’d hoped to have a week or two reading other stuff than my Weekender purchases, but this has pushed it’s way to the top of the reading queue. What I’ve seen of it so far is absolutely lovely, so that’s no real hardship, but still...

[Brother-serpent Tylydox]

Somebody should tell Pink that the two bayonets are for posers only.

 

[Indefragable]

Who the F is that IG regiment with the bird-feather armor?

 

Hot damn.

[Mechanicus Tech-Support]

I'm gonna hazard a guess and say the Vitrian Dragoons

[Brother Lunkhead]

Yup. Looks like the Vitrian Dragoons to me as well. 

 

Thanks for the teaser Brother Tylydox. I've got the original, but looks like I'll have to pick this one up too...…..sigh ......what a burden

[betrayer41]

The amount of Money I would spend on a cool not Cadian updated IG army....yikes

[Brother Lunkhead]

The amount of Money I would spend on a cool not Cadian updated IG army....yikes

 

That's why I'll be waiting for the Not Limited Edition

[Fire Golem]

 

The amount of Money I would spend on a cool not Cadian updated IG army....yikes

 

That's why I'll be waiting for the Not Limited Edition

 

Of this book? This is just the edition. I wouldn’t wait, if it’s like Liber Chaotica it’ll just be the one print run. 

[Brother Lunkhead]

 

 

The amount of Money I would spend on a cool not Cadian updated IG army....yikes

 

That's why I'll be waiting for the Not Limited Edition

 

Of this book? This is just the edition. I wouldn’t wait, if it’s like Liber Chaotica it’ll just be the one print run. 

 

 

Not only am I cheap, but patient and lucky as .… ok, lucky when it comes to book collecting..... I'll cast my luck to the wind  

[Lord Marshal]

There's something about the new artstyle that's just not doing it for me. It's a bit... clean, colourful, soulless? Especially the Blood Pact soldier (go figure). Hell, compare the relatively modern-ish art of Criid next to the more recent one of Mkoll and it bleeds through.

 

The scene depictions they'd previewed look good so far though, especially Sabbat.

Edited December 4, 2019 by Lord Marshal

[Knockagh]

I think I will actually burst if I don’t get the map and book. Probably grab the badges too if I can. Bit narked the badges are colourful little things and not brass or white metal british military types. Apparently the coloured badges are similar to American army ones......if that’s your thing! Personally I like our simpler British military aesthetic.

[Kelborn]

Looks pretty damn good.

I'm curious about that ones and the maps prizes. Would love to get both of them but I'm not that fortunate when it comes to purchasing LEs.

[Knockagh]

Perhaps they will do a bundle offer. That would be nice and easy

[Fire Golem]

Looks pretty damn good.

I'm curious about that ones and the maps prizes. Would love to get both of them but I'm not that fortunate when it comes to purchasing LEs.

The book is £40, I think the map is £30. The map is limited edition but the book isn’t (although it probably practically is, like Liber Chaotica). 

[DarkChaplain]

On the other hand, the last edition(s) of Collected Visions / Visions of Heresy have been available pretty much consistently since they released, including on Amazon, and BL has been much better about maintaining stock on omnibuses the past years, or legacy books with larger fanbases.

[Lord_Caerolion]

If that Blood Pact trooper doesn't get turned into a new "wat" meme, I'm gonna be a little disappointed.

[Lord Marshal]

Not only am I cheap, but patient and lucky as  .… ok, lucky when it comes to book collecting..... I'll cast my luck to the wind

Born under a lucky star, eh?

Edited December 4, 2019 by Lord Marshal

[Brother Lunkhead]

There's something about the new artstyle that's just not doing it for me. It's a bit... clean, colourful, soulless? Especially the Blood Pact soldier (go figure). Hell, compare the relatively modern-ish art of Criid next to the more recent one of Mkoll and it bleeds through.

 

The scene depictions they'd previewed look good so far though, especially Sabbat.

 

I definitely see your point. It's a bit like what you find the Osprey Men-at-Arms books. Still.... could be worse.

 

Not only am I cheap, but patient and lucky as  .… ok, lucky when it comes to book collecting..... I'll cast my luck to the wind

Born under a lucky star, eh?

 

 

More like a lucky book.

[b1soul]

Looks very nice. I think 40K would benefit greatly from Star Wars style background books. The fluff sections in Forge World's Imperial Armour and Horus Heresy series provide juicy campaign narratives/descriptions and some decent but limited artwork, but I think there would be an appetite for background books simply exploring the setting, detailing how Imperial civilian society, key institutions, technology work.

 

I think something like a background book fleshing out the post-Indomitus, reconstituted Realm of Ultramar would be fascinating.

[Knockagh]

Looks very nice. I think 40K would benefit greatly from Star Wars style background books. The fluff sections in Forge World's Imperial Armour and Horus Heresy series provide juicy campaign narratives/descriptions and some decent but limited artwork, but I think there would be an appetite for background books simply exploring the setting, detailing how Imperial civilian society, key institutions, technology work.

 

I think something like a background book fleshing out the post-Indomitus, reconstituted Realm of Ultramar would be fascinating.

The necromunda books have to some extent done exactly that. The art in them is fabulous. But they are still predominantly gamer books. I agree though background books would be superb. The FW black books give legion histories that aren’t matched anywhere else. Goldmines.

[Kenzaburo]

Oh man, I so need to get this. I absolutely love the GG series - it has been part of my adult life for so many years.

 

Was a release date mentioned? 

 

Also, who are the guy and lady to the left and right of Criid supposed to be? Rawne in his later years and Curth? I have only read up to right before Salvation's Reach, so don't spoil me, please, if one of them has gone the way of the dodo. ^^

 

Also: I miss Caffran. Damn.

[Fire Golem]

Oh man, I so need to get this. I absolutely love the GG series - it has been part of my adult life for so many years.

 

Was a release date mentioned?

 

Also, who are the guy and lady to the left and right of Criid supposed to be? Rawne in his later years and Curth? I have only read up to right before Salvation's Reach, so don't spoil me, please, if one of them has gone the way of the dodo. ^^

 

Also: I miss Caffran. Damn.

Preorder is this Saturday (7th).

[Sandlemad]

There's something about the new artstyle that's just not doing it for me. It's a bit... clean, colourful, soulless? Especially the Blood Pact soldier (go figure). Hell, compare the relatively modern-ish art of Criid next to the more recent one of Mkoll and it bleeds through.

 

The scene depictions they'd previewed look good so far though, especially Sabbat.

 

Yeah, it's kind of characteristic of some of the late 7th ed. codex art or the FFG art. For some of it you could take the view that it's appropriate for a mildly propagandistic in-universe depiction in an in-universe book, particularly the one of Gaunt and the marine with their spears, but after a while it feels a bit like special pleading: "it's meant to look bland and uninteresting".

 

They're not dreadful works but they do fall down compared to that one of Criid or even compared to illustrations from the previous Sabbat Worlds book, stuff like the portraits of Slaydo (I think an Adrian Smith piece) or Macaroth or the admittedly less useful for tabletop modelling illustrations of the Blood Pact.

[Lord Marshal]

Will be the map/badges/coasters be sold on Saturday or were those Weekender-only?