Warhammer Underworlds Warband Overview

There are a lot of different Warbands for Underworlds and they can be hard to get a clear picture on what season each one belongs to and what is legal in the various format.

This is our updated Warhammer Underworlds Warband list and overview.

Terms you should know about Warhammer Underworlds Warbands

Some terms that you may hear often regarding the type a warband belongs to are highlighted below. For now, you should focus on the format you are interested in and which miniatures look the coolest to you, but for reference:

• Aggro: represents the most aggressive warbands, those that hit hard and are rewarded for killing fast. With the introduction of Primacy in Direchasm, these warbands have more tools to obtain even more glory points.
• Control/Objective: represents the warband that play for board control and/or that prefer to control the objectives or deny them to their opponents. They are usually not the strongest and tend to have a more defensive approach.
• Flex: represent the more flexible warbands, able to adapt to their opponent and counter their decks. Probably the most unpredictable of the warbands with advantages against predictable warbands but also the hardest to design and master.

Remember that since every deck can be customized with any legal card, it is possible to change the approach a warband plays with different cards, so the way to play will largely depend on your own preference.

All current Warbands in Underworlds (in order of release):

Be aware that season 1-2 warbands can be hard to get, so getting them second hand or directly from GW is usually the best option.

Underworlds Warbands from Season 1: Shadespire

Steelheart’s Champions

Steelheart’s Champions are one of the two warbands of the original Shadespire set, the first ever to be released. They represent the Warrior Chamber of the Stormcast Eternals, the first of the Chambers sent by Sigmar to free the realms. They can play different styles, but the warbands lack a little from having three pretty similar fighter profiles.

Garrek’s Reavers

Garrek’s Reavers are the other starting warband of the original shadespire set: 5 Bloodreavers fighting for Khorne. They can play the aggro game, but as most of Season 1 warbands they aged quite a bit and not super competetive.

Sepulchral Guard

The Sepulchral Guard was the first warband to introduce fighters able to return to play after being taken out of action, a key mechanic to play this warband at its best. They are a group of 7 skeletons belonging to the Legions of Nagash and their favourite playstyle is closer to Control than anything else.

They were re-released in 2023 as part of a new starter set.

Ironskull’s Boyz

This group of Ironjawz ‘Ardboys once hit hard and strong for a competitive Aggro warband. Now they suffer their age and slow movement. While they look cool, not super recomended.

The Chosen Axes

The Chosen Axes are led by the Auric Runefather Fjul-Grimnir and battle in Shadespire to fulfil their oath and restore their honour as Fyreslayers. In the game they can play different styles but suffer from slow movement and not so easy inspiring conditions.

Spiteclaw’s Swarm

Skritch Spiteclaw leads this group of Skaven from Clan Verminus in search of loot in the cursed city. In the game they are the absolute winners of all Shadespire warbands, the one that most survived the test of time, with powerful mechanics including resurrection and speed, and the ability to play any type of game. Rivals of the Underworld set re-introduces this warband with updated cards and a new Rival deck.

The Farstriders

The Farstriders represent the Vanguard Chamber of the Stormcast Eternals. The ability to hit from afar makes them still useful, especially in Aggro plays.

They were re-released in 2023 as part of a new starter set.

Magore’s Fiends

Magore Redhand is a Khorne Champion leading his Blood Warriors and Flesh Hound inside Shadespire revelling in the continuous bloodshed. In game they are the typical Aggro warband with few cards up their sleeves even today.

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Underworlds Warbands from Season 2: Nightvault

Stormsire’s Cursebreakers

Averon Stormsire, a Knight-Incantor of the Sacrosanct Chamber of the Stormcast Eternals, leads his two Evocator companions in the Nightvault starter set. They were one of the most powerful magic warbands available and even today they can still play Aggro with some good results.

Thorns of the Briar Queen

On the other side of the Nightvault starter set the Briar Queen, freed by Nagash, leads her horde of Nighthaunt Chainrasps in search of trespassers to bring them back to the Nightvault for eternal torture. They are a good flex warband, with one powerful ability to move all Chainrasps in one activation allowing them to play for Objectives, if required, or surround your enemies to use some support. Rivals of the Underworld set re-introduces this warband with updated cards and a new Rival deck.

The Eyes of the Nine

The Eyes of the Nine is led by Vortemis the All-seeing, a powerful Tzeentch sorcerer. One of their tricks was the ability to summon the Blue Horror and transform it into a Brimstone Horror on death, this however can lead to generate easy glory points for your enemies. They play best in holding objectives but are a difficult warband to master.

Zarbag’s Gitz

Zarbag is a Moonclan Grot of the Gloomspite Gitz, followed by a group of other Grots and Squigs representing the craziness and randomness of the Gloomspite. They are the warband with the highest number of models, which can be an advantage to hold objectives but a disadvantage against aggro warbands. Rivals of the Underworld set re-introduces this warband with updated cards and a new Rival deck.

Godsworn Hunt

Theddra Skull-scryer leads this Darkoath warband usable in Slaves to Darkness armies. Grawl is also the first doggy available in the game, here’s hoping for more of them in Age of Sigmar. As a warband they generally play aggro and are relatively easy to use but their low wounds may mean conceding a few glory points to your adversary.

Mollog’s Mob

Mollog is a Troggoth and he leads the weirdest warband in Warhammer Underworld. While technically his minions count as fighters, this warband is really a one-man warband. And what a man… ehm Troggoth, he can one-hit obliterate almost every other fighter in the game. You will obviously not play to control objective with them, but with Primacy in Direchasm this warband definitely has risen to the top as an aggro bunch. Rivals of the Underworld set re-introduces this warband with updated cards and a new Rival deck.

Thundrik’s Profiteers

The Thundrik’s Profiteers is a band of 4 Kharadron Overlords and as such, always in search of profit even if it means going into a cursed city. In game they are slow but have powerful ranged options making them a good flex warband.

Ylthari’s Guardians

Ylthari is the leader of this group of Tree-Revenants of the Sylvaneth army strongly focussed on magic and healing. As such, they can play different roles and are a flex warband although quite difficult to use for beginners.

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Underworlds Warbands from Season 3: Beastgrave

Grashrak’s Despoilers

Grashrak Fellhoof is a Bray-Shaman of the Beasts of Chaos leading the 6-fighter group of Gor-herd in the deepest corners of Beastgrave in search of fresh prey. This warband is included in the Beastgrave starter set and in game can play different roles, being a good example of flex.

Skaeth’s Wild Hunt

Skaeth’s Wild Hunt are the first examples of the Kurnothi, aelf-like creatures worshipping Kurnoth, currently associated with the Sylvaneth. They are also part of the Beastgrave starter set and play mostly aggro, heavily using the Hunter keyword. Great for learning the game.

The Grymwatch

The ghouls of the Flesh-Eater Courts are delusional beings thinking to be noble knights while in reality they are deformed cannibals. Duke Crakmarrow is not exempt from the same delusion and leads his ghouls deep in the mountain to slay the monster that is supposed to lay inside. In game they are a powerful warband more reliant on aggro but equally adaptable to hold objectives.

Rippa’s Snarlfangs

Rippa Narkbad was exiled when losing a leadership contest and took his two best friends with him in exile. Beastgrave was then able to attract him with the promise of a sword that would let him exact his revenge. Although they are currently the only Snarlfang riders, they belong to the Gloomspite Gitz army in age of sigmar. In game they are some of the most powerful aggro warband out there with good inspiration mechanics and mobility.

Ironsoul’s Condemners

The Ironsoul’s Condemners are Sequitors from the Sacrosanct Chamber of the Stormcast Eternals and their Prime, Gwynne Ironsoul, is a stern commander. This warband belongs to a special set called Dreadfane, in certain countries available as a stand-alone simplified Warhammer Underworlds, coming with their own complete deck. They are mostly an aggro warband suffering from slow movement but great inspiration mechanic.

Lady Harrow’s Mournflight

This group of Myrmourn Banshees belongs to the Nighthaunt faction and, as the Ironsoul’s Condemners, is part of the Dreadfane expansion set. This is currently one of the strongest warbands, able to play flex in almost any game thanks to their high defence.

The Wurmspat

The Wurmspat represent the power of Nurgle with a Sorceress and 2 Blightkings. While comparable to a Stormcast warband by number of models, wounds and movement, they are a level above thanks to decent mechanics, but they are too dependent on good magic cards. They can play both control and aggro.

Hrothgorn’s Mantrappers

Hrothgorn is an Icebrow Hunter of the Ogor Mawtribes accompanied by a Frost Sabre and a few Gnoblars. As a flex warband they can play many styles but their power comes from using Hunter/Quarry the most effectively and the strong presence of Hrothgorn himself.

Morgwaeth’s Blade Coven

Morgwaeth the Bloodied is a Hag Queen of the Daughters of Khaine accompanied by other loyal followers of Morathi. In game they are an aggro warband, but not one of the most powerful.

Morgok’s Krushas

These Ironjawz Brutes, Morgok’s Krushas, have been attracted to the Beastgrave by the sound of battle and are in for a good skrap! In game they are primarily used for their strength with aggro playstyle really taking advantage of the Primacy mechanic.

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Underworlds Warbands from Season 4: Direchasm

Myari’s Purifiers

Myari Lightcaller entered the Beastgrave together with her band of Lumineth Realm-Lords to prevent the full awakening of the mountain. They are part of the Direchasm starter set. In game they are a good flex warband mostly playing for control and able to generate passive glory really fast.

The Dread Pageant

The Dread Pageant led by Vasillac the Gifted is a warband of Hedonites searching for Slaanesh in Beastgrave before discovering the pleasure to torment the mountain itself. They are also part of Direchasm starter set. Despite having a difficult inspiration mechanic, they are a surprisingly good flex warband.

Khagra’s Ravagers

Khagra the Usurper and her band of Slaves to Darkness have the personal mission to desecrate every single chamber of the Beastgrave to finally obtain recognition from the Dark Gods. In game they have a particular mechanic based on Desecration and can play different styles without excelling in any.

Starblood Stalkers

The Starblood Stalkers is the first Seraphon warband to appear in Warhammer Underworlds and the first Seraphon models in a long while. The Skink-Priest Kixi-Taka has been tasked by the Slann Starmasters of the simple objective to kill Beastgrave to avoid its awakening as a Godbeast. Like any normal day in Seraphon’s lives… As a warband they take advantage of their size (6 fighters) for a mixture of aggro and holding objectives becoming soon one of the best warbands in game.

Crimson Court

The Crimson Court represents the first taste of the upcoming Soulblight Gravelords army, an army led by powerful vampires. As all vampires would, they are in Beastgrave just to satisfy their constant hunger for fresh blood. In game this is represented by an interesting mechanic that provides advantages when they give up to their frenzy or inspires them when they show restraint. As a low-damage output warband, they are more suited to hold objectives than aggro, but their high wounds characteristic can allow them some flexibility.

Storm of Celestus

Storm of Celestus and Drepur’s Wraithcreepers are the warbands of the new Warhammer Underworlds Starter Set that comes with all you need to start playing immediately the game including some pre-built decks. To further expand your warband, a new set of Essential Cards are available to all warbands and will be never be rotated.

Storm of Celestus takes advantage of the Easy to Build Castigator set that comes with a single Gryph-hound. They have been tasked by Sigmar to investigate the mystery behind Shadespire. In game they can hold objectives efficiently thanks to their ranged attacks and the extreme versatility of Sleek, the Gryph-hound.

Drepur’s Wraithcreepers

As Storm of Celestus, also Drepur’s Wraithcreepers comes from the new Warhammer Underworlds Starter Set. Drepur and his band are the Easy to Build Glaivewraith Stalkers from the Nighthaunt army, cursed by Nagash to forever hunt the Mirrored City’s inhabitants to find temporary respite only after each kill. In game they are a slow warband but with good range ideal for an aggro playstyle.

Hedkrakka’s Madmob

Hedkrakka’s Madmob represents the first Bonesplitterz miniatures in a long while. They are an aggro warband with easy to inspire mechanic, although reliant on the leader remaining alive. Their movement of 3 can hinder them but improves when inspired.

Kainan’s Reapers

Kainan’s Reapers are elite fighters of the Ossiarch Bonereapers sent by Nagash to excise the Bone Tithe from the Silent People. Now trapped forever in Beastgrave, continue to collect bones, mechanic reflected in their inspire mechanic. This warband, with 6 fighters, is an aggro/horde warband that favours good positioning and attention. Kainan is a strong leader, but the other Mortek together can punch their weight. Attention to not leave too much Primacy on the table with those 2 wounds…

Elathain’s Soulraid

Elathain brought his soulraid in the belly of Beastgrave to harvest more souls than any other Idoneth could ever dream of. Now he just needs to find a way out… Their unusual inspire mechanic (automatic on turn 2 but uninspired on turn 3), a character (the fish) that is not deployed and keeps coming back without giving glory to your opponent, and other mechanics make this warband one of the most complex to muster. They can play a mix of control and aggro but they are not beginner-friendly.

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Underworlds Warbands from Season 5: Harrowdeep

Xandire’s Truthseekers

Calthia Xandire leads her Truthseekers to investigate the mysteries of Harrowdeep in the name of Sigmar. This warband is one of the Harrowdeep Starter Set and the sixth Stormcast Eternals warband, but the first to showcase the new stylish Thunderstrike Armour. They are an easy to learn warband with a punishing inspire mechanic and overall nothing else great to say about them.

Da Kunnin’ Krew

Fallen in Harrowdeep by chance, this Orruk warband of Kruleboyz has immediately enjoyed the place and the ability for constant cunning murder! They are part of the Harrowdeep Starter Set. As a starter faction it may be a bit complicated to use at its best, as it requires careful positioning and mastery of the support mechanic, but they provide numbers and few cunning tricks up their sleeve.

Blackpowder’s Buccaneers

Blackpowder’s Buccaneers were happily scoring Ulgu’s seas when a storm drowned them all the way to Harrowdeep so that they can continue their activities… under the sea. As a warband they have two new mechanics, including the ability to use your firearm only when charged, i.e. when you collected a Swag token. On the other side, all other fighters can break enemy upgrades to then collect those tokens. It is not your usual warband, could have been heavier pirate-y looking but there’s a parrot and a monkey.

The Exiled Dead

The Exiled Dead are a band of zombies led by the vampire Deintalos, self-exiled in the Nethermaze because of his experiments too hard to digest even for Soulbligh Gravelords. As a warband it has different rules that makes it more thematic than others. It has 7 fighters: the Leader that inspires when one of his minions takes out of action an enemy, 4 Conductive Minions, that start the game inspired and become uninspired when they are resurrected by the leader (but they obtain the Arc rule that gives them 1 dice more for adjacent minion), another wizard that inspires when his Minion attacks successfully and a Minion that works similarly to the other 4 but is controlled by the second wizard. Overall this is an aggro warband, with the ability to restore his fallen comrades and playing with two distinct groups that work together for the final objective.

Underworld warbands from Season 6: Nethermaze

The Shadeborn

The Shadeborn are Morathi’s aelven assassins sent in the shadows to pursue Morathi’s goals. They are part of the mid-season starter set called Nethermaze. In game they play like real assassins: hunting their enemies from the shades. This is reflected by their Shadow Ambush ability that allows to teleport on any other edge or cover tile as long as they are not on a starting hex (meaning it’s difficult to pull off on round 1). Their inspiration rule can also be challenging as it requires to attack previously wounded fighters and against low-wounds warbands they would struggle to inspire. And their inspiration is essential to survive as it improves their defence.

Skittershank’s Clawpack

Stikkershank and his Clawpack are a band of Clans Eshin Skaven stalking the Nethermaze in search of their next prey. They are a fast aggro warband that points to eliminate as fast as possible the enemy leader. Indeed this is the most common inspiring condition, but Skittershank and Padpaw require also only 4 wound counters on a leader and the rest can inspire just by attacking a leader in addition. Their movement 5 and their ability to stagger or pin down enemies is great for guaranteeing you choose your targets.

Hexbane’s Hunters

Hexbane and his hunters somehow survived drowning in Ulgu and found themselves in the Nethermaze and now continue their witch hunt in the depths of the maze. It’s a particular warband with different inspiration mechanisms: Hexbane himself as to take down an enemy, the woman inspires when Hexbane is inspired, the brute inspires when Hexbane is attacked and the other 3 when any of them dies. And that’s the easiest as you can sacrifice a dog turn 1 to achieve this. For the rest, the warband plays a lot on getting free upgrades when a friend is killed, upgrades and deaths that can provide easy Objectives but has an overall low-count of Wounds.

Gorechosen of Dromm

Dromm and his Gorechosen are a band of Khorne followers infiltrating the Nethermaze to make Ulgu bleed in the name of Khorne. They are a decent aggro warband with an inspiration mechanic bases on giving or receiving damage and few more abilities based on their own Blood Tithe token.

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Underworld warbands from Season 7: Gnarlwood

Gnarlspirit Pack

The Gnarlspirit Pack is a group of Darkoath (Slaves to Darkness) led by Sarrakkar Blackwing, each consumed by an animalistic spirit that leads them to their next blood-spilling mission.

They have an interesting mechanic that triggers during their activation by adding or removing Spirit counters. As long as they don’t have a Spirit encounter they remain inspired. If they have Spirit counters, then they have other bonuses (Overcome) meaning that not always inspiring is beneficial.

They are a balanced aggro warband, with 4 fighters and a good mechanic that you can easily control. Perfect for beginners.

Sons of Velmorn

Velmorn was a king at the beginning of the Age of Chaos that tried to protect his realm from the invading forces by obtaining the Tyrant’s Crown artefact. Unfortunately that was not exactly what he expected and the crown, while giving him incredible powers, also took his life transforming him in a Wight King and his sons in Grave Guards.

They prefer board control with their 5 fighters, with a splash of aggro. Their inspiring mechanic requires them to score a critical while attacking or supporting a fighter, with the 3 Grave Guards able to inspire one of them each end of round if the above failed, and Velmorn himself able to support all Grave Guards independently from his proximity.

Grinkrak’s Looncourt

Grinkrak and his Looncourt are a group of grots believing to be valiant knights fulfilling the most noble quests armed with random weapons that include also a Squigapult (grot mushrooms are clearly the best!). In game they have interesting mechanics like the fact that they can complete quests (specific objectives) to inspire and their Rival Deck Fearsome Fortress plays on the objective game by adding an extra one to the table. However they feel a bit short on everything, probably not ideal for competitive matches.

Gryselle’s Arenai

Gryselle is a priest of the Cult of Khaine that decided that, to please her god, there’s nothing better than the unending slaughter in the root-halls beneath the Gnarlwood. In game they act as a fast and damaging warband but extremely fragile. However their fragility can be mitigated by their main trait Acrobatic that reduces the damage taken for each Dodge rolled (to a minimum of 1). Each fighter has its own inspire mechanic or they can all inspire on third round.

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Underworld warbands from Season 8: Wyrdhollow

Domitan’s Stormcoven

Domitan, the Eye of the Storm, is a Knight-Arcanum called by Sigmar with his Stormcoven to stop any chaotic and nefarious activity going on in the Wyrdhollow as they could spell doom for the entire realm. In game, they are good wizards, whose inspiration condition rotates so that you almost always have the active fighter inspired but only one at a time. They have good magic-based objectives and are a beginner-friendly warband.

Ephilim’s Pandaemonium

Ephilim the Unknownable is a sorcerer who previously worked in the Silver Tower of the Eater of Tomes to the impossible task of cataloguing all possible demonic mutations. Once the tower was destroyed, he hastily escaped with its menagerie to the Wyrdhollow, becoming soon intrigued by the local volatile energies that can be used for demonic invocations. In game, they are one of the weirdest warband to date with a mechanic that allows them each round to inspire, stagger, guard and push a different minion (they are called Changers and exclude the leader). They fulfil many roles but will require expertise to master.

The Headsmen’s Curse

Terminus is a sentient blade created by Nagash to enact his will and sentence to death the transgressors. It is always accompanied by a Nighthaunt procession of nameless souls whose only duty is to wield the blade, sharpen it, carry the chopping block and sentence the condemned. In game they use a specific plot for which first an enemy needs to be allocated a Condemned token, and then, upon his execution, they are collected. The third one inspires the entire warband. It is possible to get 3 from one kill within certain conditions. This is an unusual aggro warband, focussing on the main leader to kill the opponent, but with everyone else supporting and if they die, they can be resurrected.

Skabbik’s Plaguepack

Skabbik and his Plaguepack have been sent to the Wyrdhollow to find a foul ingredient for the 8th Great Plague to accomplish the quest of the Clans Pestilens to complete all 13 Great Plagues and deliver all realms to the Great Horned Rat. Their plot mechanic involves corrupting 2 or more territories to inspire the entire warband. To corrupt one, they need to have either 2 fighters on that territory or 1 befouler on an objective in that territory. This warband, while being on the fragile side, will benefit from early upgrades and a flexible approach to control the board.

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Underworld warbands from Season 9: Deathgorge

The Thricefold Discord

The Thricefold Discord is a group of 3 Heralds of Slaanesh that hated each other so much that they continuously put obstacles in each other way in such a striking and harmful way that they were sentenced by Syll’Eske to form their very own allegiance, go to the Deathgorge and work in unison to retrieve 666 souls. In game, they can play different playstyles and their main inspiration mechanism requires another one of them to fail an attack, defence or cast roll or to die. They even have upgrade cards that are given to the enemy for a partial buff followed by a heavy debuff.

Cyreni’s Razors

Cyreni of the Abyss and her Idoneth Deepkin warband are in search of souls deep within the Deathgorge because finding a reliable source of trapped souls could be a game-changer for her entire race. In game, they are a flex warband which plays like a tide, inspiring in your third power step on round 1, on the second one on round 2 and on the first one on round 3. They un-inspire at the end of each round.

Daggok’s Stab-Ladz

Daggok and his group of Orruk Kruleboyz are roaming the Deathgorge in search of adversaries to literally steal their thoughts from the decapitated head. In game they work with a plot that adds new scheme gambits that have an immediate effect and a triggering condition that allows the scheme to be put aside. Various objectives then count how many schemes have been completed. The inspire conditions also play on the various fighters performing reactions or complex machinations making this warband unique in its playstyle.

Zondara’s Gravebreakers

Zondara Rivenheart, once a wizard of Ghur, is desperately in love with Ferlain, that has been cursed to become a beast. Therefore the next most sensible strategy to revert the curse is to become a Necromancer, summon some zombies and go in search of long-buried artefacts and glimpses of lost knowledge. They are a mixed warband with the ability to resurrect the 3 zombies (and in doing so inspiring them) or use them to pick a specific upgrade from your power deck, while Zondara can heal or damage at the end of her activation.

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Brethren of the Bolt

The Brethren of the Bolt are fanatical followers of the Cult Unberogen struck by Sigmar’s lightning and hell-bent to worship Azyr’s divine energies at the cost of wearing a lightning rod as a hat. In game this translated with all fighters starting as inspired and un-inspiring after each successful attack with the chance to re-inspire by supporting a companion or by being used as a vessel for a ranged attack. They are a control warband that can do a little bit of everything but good positioning will be essential.

The Skinnerkin

The Skinnerkin are Flesh-eater Courts chefs obsessed with the idea of cooking the best meats available in all Mortal Realms. Little matters that they are instead butchering people left and right and that the Wintermaw is not the best place to find prime cuts… They are the classic aggro warband, trying to get straight to the point as their inspire mechanism revolves around collecting Haunch tokens, mostly from attacks or similar abilities, and once you have 3, you can inspire your warband.

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Other great resources:

• Warhammer Underworlds Beginner’s Guide
• The Official Warhammer Underworlds website
• Warcry Bladeborne Warband Overview