Forging Narratives – literally all of them

Welcome to the first half of the 2026 Bolters at Dawn schedule! As is tradition, our year follows a rhythm – a natural ebb and flow of the competitive and narrative seasons. The opening months are devoted to narrative play and shared storytelling, with the second half of the year pivoting toward competitive events and culminating in BOLTERCON 2026, returning to West Chester from November 12–15. We closed out last year’s competitive season with BOLTERCON 2025 (get on this blog to see some recaps), and while we are excited to do it again later this year, now is the time to LAZER FOCUS on the campaigns unfolding in front of all of us.

We are jam-packed with narrative leagues across multiple systems. Each league is structured around escalation (your new favorite army and game system!), hobby progress, and evolving storylines. Our campaigns are designed to reward commitment, creativity, and immersion, giving every army and general time to grow into something memorable and possibly even infamous.

Without further ado, time for you to finally commit. Details below!

Age of Sigmar — Primal Ascension

The Age of Sigmar campaign, Primal Ascension, is already well underway. Set in the untamed wilds of Ghur, the campaign explores a land where something ancient and dangerous is stirring beneath the surface. This league is built to welcome new players into the system, give veterans an excuse to start fresh armies, and provide a narrative backdrop where grudges can be settled and legends forged over time.

Primal Ascension is 2000 point casual games (with option to play 1000 points), with home brewed missions and special rules!. We will also be including some missions and rules from the 2025 – 26 General’s Handbook. Each player is recommended to play at least 2 games a cycle, but it is not required.

Key dates

January 17: Campaign kickoff – 500 points painted
February 21: Round 2 kickoff – 1000 points painted
March 28: Round 3 kickoff – 1500 points painted
May 2: Round 4 kickoff – 2000 points painted
May 23: Sigmarpocalypse Finale – at least 2000 points painted

What is Sigmarpocalypse you might ask? Well, if you missed the throwdown at BOLTERCON 2025 you will not have basked in the 40k-Apocalypse-inspired ruleset. But why not bask in those rules in May?

Devon, aka EonFenrir, aka Praetorian of Righteous Indignation and Careful Kudos is your go-to contact for this dangerously hyped AoS league. Get in there and get busy!

The Old World — Age of Heroes

The Old World narrative league kicked off on Saturday, January 24, with the launch of Age of Heroes, a Path to Glory campaign focused on long-form storytelling and character development. War is coming, and this campaign is designed to place players firmly in the role of generals whose decisions shape not just individual battles, but the destiny of their armies.

Age of Heroes begins with small forces using Battle March rules and steadily escalates toward full-sized, fully painted armies. Across six campaign phases, punctuated by narrative doubles events and concluding with a capstone finale, heroes will rise, units will gain renown, and losses will leave lasting scars. Victories and defeats alike contribute to the evolving history of each force, ensuring that every game matters beyond the table.

Key dates

January 24: Phase 1 kickoff, 500 points
February 14: Phase 2 kickoff, 750 points
March 7: Phase 3 kickoff, 1000 points
March 28: Phase 4 kickoff, 1250 points
April 18: Narrative Doubles event and Phase 5 kickoff, 1500 points
May 9: Narrative Doubles event and Phase 6 kickoff, 1750 points
May 30: Narrative Doubles event
June 13: Capstone event, 2000 points

Players interested in this campaign should stay in close contact with Mike (aka mcbraine), with additional details and updates shared through the hallowed halls of our Discord.

Horus Heresy — War at Every Scale

The Horus Heresy narrative offerings this season explore conflict across dramatically different scales while remaining tightly connected in theme and story. The first of these, The Shattered Forge, launches as a Legions Imperialis escalation league set on the Forge World of Arcus, where control of industry and supply lines will determine the fate of the region.

Building on that foundation, The Silent Front begins as a Horus Heresy 3.0 narrative escalation series. This campaign starts in the claustrophobic confines of a research facility and gradually expands into open lunar battlefields that were largely untouched in previous offensives. Designed to dovetail narratively with The Shattered Forge, these campaigns together tell a broader story of a war fought simultaneously in tight corridors and across open expanses.

Key dates

February 22: The Shattered Forge kickoff (Legions Imperialis)
April 1: The Silent Front kickoff (Horus Heresy 3.0)
Ongoing escalation phases through spring 2026

All dates, registration details, and mission information can be found through Discord Events. Our very own Alex aka Turtle Corpse aka Hype and Morale Officer is your guide into this very dangerous realm. Why dangerous? Because those little duders and tanks are going to give you feels and then the wallet is lighter. But the hype is higher – so counting it as a personal win.

Warhammer 40,000 — Cataclysm in the Abyss

Warhammer 40,000 returns to narrative focus with Cataclysm in the Abyss, a Crusade campaign launching on March 14. This league continues the ongoing saga of Malik’s Damnation, a mysterious space hulk haunting the fringes of the Stygian System. After vanishing into the Warp years ago, the hulk has returned, drawing unprecedented Chaos and Xenos activity into the surrounding region. The Imperium is watching and waiting, but the nearby Hazeroth Abyss is making things much more interesting than anyone would like.

The campaign begins with boarding actions deep within the twisted corridors of the space hulk and escalates steadily into full strike force battles as control of Malik’s Damnation becomes essential to the Stygian System and the Calixis Sector as a whole. Hobby progress is built directly into the structure of the league, reinforcing the idea that armies evolve not only through experience, but through meatspace hobby identity as well.

Key dates

March 14: Phase 1, 500-point boarding actions (50% Bolters Ready)
April 11: Phase 2, 1000 points (75% Bolters Ready)
May 16: Phase 3, 2000 points (69% Bolters Ready)
June 13: Phase 4, 2000 points (87% Bolters Ready)
July 11: Bolters at Dawn Day Narrative finale event

Players are encouraged to complete the campaign survey – help set the stage for greatness! Our very own Praetorian of Righteous Indignation and Careful Kudos aka Joe aka 197mmCannon is the tip of the spear on this maddening journey into the depths of a warp-tainted space hulk, so ping him if you dare.

Community Updates

In additional club news, the previously scheduled Warhammer 40,000 3rd Edition RTT has been converted into a community day. With key players unable to attend, we’re going to pivot away from a formal RTT structure and instead focus on a more relaxed structure (rage without schedule pressure). Those vehicle damage tables do make the game clip along though, ykwim?

Come on down on February 7th and check things out – don’t forget the templates!

Be in the Know

Our beloved Discord remains the primary means of communication for all Bolters at Dawn leagues and events. If you are interested in joining our blessed club, you are always welcome to stop by, watch a game, and see what we are about. Narrative season is one of the best ways to integrate into our community and become part of the shared stories that define Bolters at Dawn. The first half of 2026 is shaping up to be a defining chapter, and we look forward to seeing these campaigns unfold across the tabletop / hobby desk / books of grudges!