Warmachine reveals Kithguard Fire Splitters at Lock & Load EU 2026

The clearest painter’s signal from Lock & Load EU 2026 was the Kithguard Fire Spitters Variant, a show-exclusive release that Steamforged said had gone “full Kithguard” with salvaged military gear and flaming machetes. Priced at $39.99, the variant does more than add another profile to the shelf, it sharpens the faction’s silhouette. For anyone building or repainting Warmachine’s Kithguard, the update makes the army’s identity read faster on the tabletop and gives a cleaner lane for weathering, heat effects, and worn-metal contrast.

That mattered because Lock & Load EU 2026, held May 15-17 at the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Sheffield, England, was not treated as a one-off preview stop. Goonhammer described it as Warmachine’s second preview stream of the year, and Steamforged framed the event as the big UK Warmachine weekend after Lock & Load US 2025. The company’s recap grouped the reveals into Dusk, Southern Kriels, Khymaera, and Brinebloods, which tells you the studio is using these weekends to refresh the visual lineup across several factions at once instead of feeding the range one model at a time.

If the Kithguard read as the most immediately approachable paint project, General Gunnbjorn was the most obvious display-piece lure. Steamforged put the Southern Kriels warcaster up for pre-order at $84.99, and his rules were already live in the Warmachine app. Goonhammer also noted that Gunnbjorn sits on an 80mm base, which makes him a conspicuous focal point in both army composition and on the painting desk. Larger base, bigger presence, bigger opportunity to build a scene around snow, rock, smoke, or battlefield debris.

The other release that painters should keep an eye on is the Fane of Nyrro, due June 23, 2026. Steamforged described the force as driven by hunger and built around Hysene the Executioner, with named elements including Sybaris, Strygon Riders, Fane Knights, the Sythyss Prophet, and Vordaks. Some army boxes include fixed warbeast loadouts designed to work with the force, which should make the collection feel more coherent out of the gate. Goonhammer also highlighted the faction’s Hunger mechanic, but from a hobby angle the bigger draw is the visual package, vampire imagery, sharp profiles, and room for rich reds, bone tones, and bruised metallics.

Seen together, the Lock & Load EU reveals point in the same direction as Steamforged’s 2025 keynote, which had already used the event format to launch Menoth’s return, new Kithguard details, and super-heavy warjacks. With the full keynote streamed on Warmachine’s YouTube channel and weekly follow-up updates carrying the momentum, the message to painters is plain: Warmachine is building factions to be recognized instantly, then giving them enough texture, scale, and centerpiece energy to reward a serious paint plan.