Okay, settle in, grab a brew (or something stronger, depending on who you play!), and let’s talk about the glorious, messy, spectacular world of Warhammer: Age of Sigmar and the armies clashing across its Mortal Realms. Forget neat little categories for a second; AoS is a vibrant explosion of fantasy concepts turned up to eleven, all vying for dominance, survival, or just a really good scrap.
At the heart of it all, you’ve got these big umbrella groups called Grand Alliances. Think of them like massive, dysfunctional families with shared goals… sort of.
First up, there’s Grand Alliance: Order. Now, ‘Order’ sounds nice and tidy, right? Like everyone’s queuing properly and filing their taxes. Well, kind of. These are the factions generally trying to build things up, protect civilisation, and push back the darkness. But don’t mistake that for them all being pals. Oh no. Leading the charge are the Stormcast Eternals. Sigmar’s golden boys and girls, literally forged from lightning and the souls of heroes. They’re teleporting demigods in heavy armour, sent down to kick Chaos butt and reclaim the realms. They look epic, hit hard, and have that whole ‘dying is just a temporary setback’ vibe, though it comes at a cost to their humanity. They’re the poster children for AoS, and for good reason.
But Order isn’t just shiny armour. You’ve got the Cities of Sigmar. This is where the regular folk live – humans, duardin (dwarfs), and aelves (elves) rubbing shoulders, holding the line with grit, faith, and black powder. They’re a melting pot, representing the flickering flame of hope in a dark world. Their strength lies in numbers, combined arms, and sheer bloody-minded determination. They field everything from ranks of sturdy spearmen and crossbows to mighty steam tanks and wizard battle-shrines.
Then you have the Aelves, and they’re a diverse bunch. The Lumineth Realm-lords are the high elves dialled way past perfectionist. They’re arrogant, supernaturally skilled, masters of magic and martial discipline, seeking enlightenment even as they slice you apart with mathematical precision. They float around on ethereal mountain spirits and command intricate phalanxes. On the totally opposite, murdery end of the Aelf spectrum are the Daughters of Khaine. Led by the scheming Morathi, this is a cult dedicated to the god of murder. Think fast, deadly witch-aelves, gladiatorial fighters, and winged harpies, all fueled by blood rites and religious ecstasy. They’re fragile but incredibly killy. Somewhere out in the deep, dark ocean are the Idoneth Deepkin, sea-aelves who raid the coasts to steal souls because theirs are withered. They ride giant sea monsters like eels and turtles, emerging from ethereal mists to strike without warning. Creepy, tragic, and very cool visually.
Let’s not forget the Duardin! Besides the ones in the Cities, you’ve got the Fyreslayers. These are near-naked, mohawked duardin berserkers obsessed with Ur-Gold, the magical essence of their dead god Grimnir, which they hammer into runes on their skin. They’re mercenaries to the core, fighting with fiery axes for anyone who can pay them in their precious gold. Think intense heat, stubbornness, and lots of bare flesh and orange hair. Then, soaring above the realms are the Kharadron Overlords. These aren’t your typical fantasy dwarfs. They’re steampunk sky-pirates and merchants living in airborne cities, armed with cannons, rivet guns, and flying contraptions. They follow a strict code based on profit and contracts, bringing advanced technology and aerial firepower to the battlefield.
Nature itself gets a look-in with the Sylvaneth. These are Alarielle’s children, sentient tree-folk ranging from nimble Dryads to towering Treelords. They fight to protect the life-magic of the realms, moving through hidden pathways and unleashing nature’s wrath. Beautiful, but deadly when angered. And finally, for Order, we have the Seraphon. Lizardmen riding dinosaurs! Except these guys are celestial beings, servants of the Old Ones, guided by ancient, powerful Slann mage-priests. They can be summoned from the stars or manifest as solid jungle-dwelling warriors, wielding cosmic magic and fielding hordes of saurus, skinks, and massive, star-beast monstrosities. Aztec dinosaurs from space – what’s not to love?
Right, take a breath. That’s just Order! Now, let’s wade into the muck with Grand Alliance: Chaos. These folks follow the four (sometimes five, depending on who you ask and what edition it is) Dark Gods, or sometimes just Chaos Undivided. They want to corrupt, conquer, and tear down everything Order builds. The big, iconic force here are the Slaves to Darkness. These are your classic Chaos Warriors, knights, and marauders clad in black iron, sworn to the gods collectively or individually, often led by the terrifying Archaon the Everchosen. They’re tough, versatile, and embody the relentless encroaching threat of Chaos.
Each Chaos God has its dedicated followers too. The Blades of Khorne are all about blood, skulls, and mindless violence. Berserkers, blood-soaked daemons, and brass-clad warriors charge headlong into battle, seeking only to kill in the name of their rage-filled god. Simple, direct, and brutal. The Disciples of Tzeentch are the complete opposite. They worship the god of change, magic, and schemes. Expect powerful sorcerers, flocks of screeching bird-daemons, cunning acolytes, and reality-warping horrors. They’re tricky, unpredictable, and love messing with fate (and your battle plan).
Feeling unwell? That might be the Maggotkin of Nurgle. Followers of the Plague God spread disease, decay, and corruption, but in a weirdly jovial way. Rotting warriors, bloated daemons called Great Unclean Ones, buzzing flies, and shambling plaguebearers endure incredible punishment while infecting everything around them. Gross, resilient, and surprisingly cheerful about the end of all things. Then there are the Hedonites of Slaanesh, devoted to the god of excess, pleasure, and pain. They are lightning-fast, mesmerisingly beautiful (and terrifying), and deadly precise. Daemonettes dance across the battlefield alongside mortals seeking sensation, overwhelming their foes with speed and sensory overload.
Chaos isn’t just about the big four gods, though. Lurking beneath the realms are the Skaven. An entire race of treacherous, backstabbing ratmen living in a vast Under-Empire. They wield warped technology, virulent plagues, dark magic, and sheer overwhelming numbers. They’re cowardly but dangerous, always plotting, and prone to their own contraptions blowing up in their faces. And roaming the wilds are the Beasts of Chaos, the primal face of Chaos. Goat-headed Gors, bull-headed Bullgors, monstrous Cygors and Ghorgons – they despise civilisation and seek to tear it down, emerging from forests and ruins to ambush and defile.
Feeling a chill? That’s probably Grand Alliance: Death creeping up on you. This entire alliance is pretty much under the skeletal thumb of Nagash, the self-proclaimed Supreme Lord of the Undead. He wants everything dead and under his control. Simple goals, really. Spearheading his legions are the Soulblight Gravelords. This is your classic vampire faction. Aristocratic bloodsuckers lead hordes of zombies, skeletons, dire wolves, and bat-monsters. Different vampire bloodlines offer varied playstyles, from bestial terror to knightly charges and necromantic mastery.
Then there are Nagash’s pride and joy, the Ossiarch Bonereapers. These aren’t shambling undead; they’re bespoke constructs made from magically reinforced bone, animated by trapped souls. They march in terrifyingly disciplined ranks, collecting a ‘tithe’ of bone from the living. They’re methodical, relentless, and visually unique, like some kind of skeletal H.R. Giger nightmare. If ghosts are more your thing, the Nighthaunt are floating sheets and chains made manifest. Cursed spirits ripped from their eternal rest, they glide through terrain, terrifying their foes and reaping a grim harvest. Led by spectral lords and ladies, they’re ethereal nightmares given form. And perhaps the most tragic and disturbing faction are the Flesh-eater Courts. These are ghouls, utterly convinced they are noble knights and ladies of glittering kingdoms. They see themselves feasting at grand banquets while actually tearing flesh from bone. Their courts are ruled by delusional Abhorrant Ghoul Kings (often devolved vampires), leading their ‘subjects’ in horrifying charges.
Last, but certainly not least, we have Grand Alliance: Destruction. These factions aren’t necessarily evil like Chaos, nor are they trying to build anything like Order. They just want to fight, smash, eat, and generally cause a ruckus because that’s what they do. It’s in their nature. The undisputed kings of krumpin’ are the Orruk Warclans. Greenskins are back, baby! You’ve got the heavily armoured, brutally direct Ironjawz; the cunning, swamp-dwelling Kruleboyz who prefer sneaky tactics and poison; and the savage, bone-wearing Bonesplitterz who hunt massive beasts. All united by the WAAAGH!, a primal energy that drives them to fight harder and louder. Orcs gonna orc, and it’s glorious.
Skittering around in the dark, often allied with the Orruks but definitely their own brand of crazy, are the Gloomspite Gitz. Goblins! And squigs! And troggoths (trolls)! These lunatic cave-dwellers worship the Bad Moon, emerging from dank caverns in chittering hordes. Expect bouncing mushroom-monsters (Squigs), hordes of cowardly Grots stabbing wildly, lumbering Troggoths regenerating wounds, and weird spider-riding loonies. They’re unpredictable, numerous, and utterly bonkers.
If size matters, then the Ogor Mawtribes are for you. Hulking, blubbery Ogors driven by an insatiable hunger, constantly migrating across the realms in search of their next meal (which is basically anything). They ride massive, woolly beasts like Stonehorns and Thundertusks into battle, supported by swarms of their goblin-like Gnoblar hangers-on. Big, tough, and always hungry. And speaking of big… sometimes you just want to field actual Sons of Behemat. Giants! Massive, lumbering behemoths who can smash fortifications, punt heroes across the battlefield, and generally make a huge mess. They can be hired as mercenaries by other factions or fielded as an army in their own right. Simple concept, massive impact.
Phew! And that’s just scratching the surface, really. Each of these factions has sub-factions, special characters, unique lore, and distinct ways they play on the tabletop. Age of Sigmar is a huge, wild sandbox filled with some of the most creative and over-the-top fantasy concepts out there. Whether you want to be a shining hero, a cackling villain, a shambling corpse, or just a big green dude looking for a fight, there’s probably an army (or three) that will grab your imagination. The best way to find your faction? Dive into the lore, check out the models, maybe watch a few battle reports, and see who calls to you across the war-torn Mortal Realms. Happy gaming!
