It’s Warmachine Wednesday! This week, make way for the notorious P.I.G’s as the Thornfall Alliance are sweeping across the Warmachine Tribe on MyMiniFactory, ready for you to print, paint, and play. And we aren’t stopping there. The Dominated Strike Reavers, Crucible Guard Vulcan, and Brinebloods Terrain are now available in the Warmachine 3D store.

Midas' Milkshake is bringing all the boars to the yard in today’s lore drop in the Warmachine app. And damn right, you should take a look. From humble beginnings to the inner circle of the great Lord Carver, Midas is more than your usual bone grinder. Seriously, don’t drink his milkshake; it likely contains ample amounts of viscera and mud.

Plus, get the first look at how Lytiersis, one of the farrow’s most fearsome character warbeasts, plays on the table in today’s Warmachine app rules drop.

But we’re not all about the hogs this January. The Dominated will be up for pre-order in the Steamforged store from January 8. That’s the Dark Operations Dominated Stormblades, Winter Korps, and Strike Reavers, ready to be bent to your will.

Today’s TL,DR

• Let slip the hogs of war over on Warmachine 3D

• Lytiersis rules drop – Lytiersis’ rules squeal into the Warmachine app

• Heroes & Villains Midas lore drop – from humble beginnings to inner circle

• Pre-orders are live  - Get your pre-orders in for the dominated slaves of the Dark Operations

• New MiniCrate – The Blighted Spinner, a darker twist on a Khymaera staple

• January 21 balance update – Check out part 1 of the upcoming balance update with part 2 coming soon

Let slip the hogs of war

Clear a space on your print bed, you're going to need it! The Thornfall Alliance are here, and they’ve made themselves comfortable on Warmachine 3D. Pick up your own piggy (or several) with the new Welcome Pack that’s free to Tribe subscribers, containing a 30-point force ready to play right off your print bed — as well as all the terrain, base toppers, objectives, and defenses you need to make them feel right at home.

But it's not only the Thornfall Alliance in the Welcome Pack. Get both the Thornfall Alliance and the Hive Mind force when you join the Warmachine Tribe. 

The subscription costs less than a rattle can a month. As well as getting immediate access to more than 140 STLs in the Welcome Pack, you’ll get monthly Warmachine STL drops, 50% off the Warmachine 3D store (which includes models from previous months), and loyalty rewards every 3 months.. That's something to squeal about.

Subscribe to the Warmachine Tribe

Twice the bite, twice the brutality — Lytiersis rules drop

A force to be reckoned with, Lytiersis exists in brutal harmony with his master, Midas. Touched by bone grinder magic, Lytiersis throws himself into the frey to gorge and slaughter any who stand in Midas’s way, harvesting the remnants of his prey to use in primitive magics before turning them over to his master for his own dark plans.

Update your app now for immediate, free access to Lytiersis’ rules.

Lore drop: Heroes & Villains Midas

Although unremarkable as a youth, Midas quickly became a solitary creature as he aged. He was given to wandering away from the settlement and into the surrounding wilderness for days at a time, surviving by himself on whatever sustenance he might find, and inevitably lost in thought when he quietly returned.

During these bouts of self-imposed isolation, Midas regularly observed stronger creatures feeding upon their prey. With every occurrence his fascination with these predators grew, and it was not long before he came to feel an affinity with these beasts. Seeking to glimpse deeper into their primal existence and grasp the root of their power, Midas’ instincts drove him to approach the elders of his village, and demand they teach him the lore of the bone grinders.

Midas immediately took to the role, finding a deep interest in dissecting corpses to understand their inner workings. He worked without pause to amass a vast collection of supplies for further examination—dried cartilage and sinew, powdered intestine, bone chippings, and carefully preserved fluids of various natures. Each new subject was an opportunity to learn more and amass a larger store of resources.

Once the elders judged him ready, Midas began to learn the many rituals that a bone grinder must master. In developing his craft Midas soon discovered a natural affinity for the arcane. While his peers struggled to comprehend the intricacies of drawing upon the spirits of the beasts they dissected and conjuring hexes, Midas reveled in such practices. He quickly developed an understanding of the fleeting essence that might be summoned from the remains at his disposal. 

The more Midas learned, however, the greater his dissatisfaction became with the other bone grinders in his village. His innate talent had fueled a rapid ascent through the ranks, but having reached the limits of the elders' knowledge, he found it severely wanting. They had devoted their craft not to developing a true understanding of the latent power held by the flesh, bones, and organs of beasts and the like, but to maintaining their position within the tribe's social structure. 

Even from his own limited experience, Midas knew the totems and curses the elders created were weak and lacked potency at best, or were entirely powerless contrivances made to dupe and misguide at worst. It was of little surprise to him. Real strength came from fresh corpses, unspoiled by decay and with the spirit still lingering. The elders typically only dealt in the remains of creatures that had long since perished.

Frustrated, Midas began to accompany the village’s brigands when they raided the surrounding settlements, using the opportunity to butcher fresher corpses. It was of little use. Humans, bogrin, Tharn, and farrow were of no interest. Even the trollkin and gatormen were lacking as subjects. What beasts he did encounter were invariably smaller creatures of little significance, without potent enough spirits. It had become obvious to Midas that in order to further his knowledge, he would need to once more venture into the perilous wilds.

Ferociously cunning and cunningly ferocious, Midas stands out as one of the most prominent bone grinders in the Thornfall Alliance, feasting upon the lives he’s taken, granting him the vigor and strength to carry out his work. Explore how Midas got his beginnings and how he came to serve Lord Carver BMMD Esq.III. in this week's Warmachine app lore drop.

Pre-order your new volunteers

Get ready to be dominated! The Dark Operations have been up to their old tricks again, enslaving others to do their bidding, and now you can too! 

Add dominated… we mean new volunteers to your army. The Dominated Stormblades, Winter Korps, and Strike Reavers will be available to pre-order right here from January 8.

MiniCrate preview – Blighted Spinner, Khymaera Shadowflame Shard

Slithering into this month's MiniCrate, the limited edition Blighted Spinner will be available between December 27 and January 27. To nab this twisted Khymaera variant before it breaks free, make sure you subscribe before the end of the month.

A skilled apothecary, the Blighted Spinner puts dark spin (pun intended) on the model found in the Khymaera Shadowflame Shard Auxiliary Expansion, complete with the Khymaeric vipers it milks for potent venom to brew concoctions for bolstering allies or crippling foes.

Download the Warmachine app

Download the Warmachine app for the latest lore, model stats and abilities, list-building tools, and more.