More than just skulls and spikes, Warhammer 40,000 Leviathan still defines the new edition

Reviewed: ad hoc news Software & Services desk. Edited and checked on 2026-06-18, 16:14. Details in the imprint.

With the Warhammer 40,000 Leviathan boxed set, Games Workshop still offers that moment when you lift the lid and feel like you are tipping an entire universe onto your table. Heavy sprues, thick rulebook, the promise of countless evenings of dice and paint.

What Leviathan actually includes

Open Leviathan and the first impression is mass. Games Workshop packed in 2 full armies, Space Marines and Tyranids, plus a hardback core rulebook, datacards and gaming accessories that carry players straight into the current edition of Warhammer 40,000.

The Space Marine contingent is built around elite Terminators, a Captain in Terminator Armour, and supporting infantry that show off the new, chunkier proportions of modern Primaris design. Opposite them, the Tyranids spill across the table as chitinous gaunts, screeching monsters and a towering winged leader beast.

Rules, feel and target group

Leviathan launched as the flagship starter box for the 10th Edition rules of Warhammer 40,000, which streamlined core mechanics and layered complexity into army-specific datasheets. It gives newcomers a single, coherent rulebook instead of scattered PDFs and supplements.

On the table the set feels intentionally asymmetric. Space Marines play like a resilient anvil with precise shooting and brutal counter-charges, while Tyranids are a flowing tide that tests your ability to screen, position and pick priority targets. That contrast keeps even early learning games tense.

From unpainted grey to painted pride

In the hand, the miniatures are sharply detailed. Iconography on armour plates, stretched Tyranid sinews, tiny purity seals - it all rewards slow, careful painting. For hobbyists, half the fun of Leviathan is turning that intimidating grey plastic pile into two fully painted forces.

The sprues are dense and push-fit in places, so absolute beginners will need a good pair of clippers and a bit of patience. But there is a quiet satisfaction when those first fully built squads stand ready on their bases, even without a drop of paint.

How it stacks up on value

Games Workshop originally priced Leviathan as a limited-run launch box that effectively bundled two separate Combat Patrol sized forces and the rulebook at a discount versus buying components individually. In many regions it sold out on pre-order within hours, especially through independent stores.

On the secondary market, sealed copies still trade above original recommended pricing in some countries, reflecting collector interest in the exclusive miniatures and the hardback core book cover variant. For active players, second-hand boxes can still be a practical way to pick up large blocks of Marines or Tyranids.

Where it fits in Games Workshop's strategy

Leviathan is more than just a big box. It embodies Games Workshop's strategy of using heavyweight starter sets to anchor each new Warhammer 40,000 edition, concentrating rules, models and narrative into a single hero product that drives both retail and community buzz.

On the markets, shares of Games Workshop Group PLC (GB0003718474) trade in London on the LSE in British pounds, with investors watching how core sets like Leviathan convert into sustained rulebook, model and licensing revenue over each edition cycle.

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