Warhammer TV hosts the first public battle report featuring the new Codex: Orks, days ahead of its pre-order launch.
Games Workshop's Warhammer Community published an article on 22 August 2026 titled "New Orks Codex exclusive on Warhammer TV," announcing that Warhammer TV, accessible via the Warhammer+ subscription service, will broadcast the first full battle report demonstrating the new Codex: Orks in action. The episode pits Ghazghkull Thraka's Ork horde against a Necron army described as being "packed with C'tan," marking the first time the codex's rules are shown in a complete game format anywhere. The broadcast arrives just days before Codex: Orks becomes available for pre-order, positioning the episode as a final preview for fans awaiting the release.
The article confirms the codex was still "a couple of days away" from pre-order at the time of publication, aligning with Warhammer Community's separate Sunday Preview article that set pre-orders for Saturday, 22 August, and a release date of 5 September. That Sunday Preview also confirmed Codex: Orks as the first codex of Warhammer 40,000's new edition, giving the greenskins a prominent early spotlight in the game's latest rules cycle.
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Ghazghkull Thraka Leads Orks Against C'tan-Backed Necrons
The centerpiece of the Warhammer TV episode is a battle report featuring Ghazghkull Thraka's Ork force squaring off against a Necron army built around C'tan units. Warhammer Community published the full Ork army list to accompany the broadcast, allowing viewers to follow the game and understand how the codex's new detachments and datasheets interact on the tabletop.
The published Ork list draws from three detachments included in Codex: Orks: Green Tide, Dread Mob, and Brute Bosses. Named units in the list include Ghazghkull Thraka, Nazdreg, Meganobz, a Warboss, a Big Boss, Boyz, two units of Gretchin, two units of Killa Kans, two entries of Big Mek Dakkarig, Boss Snikrot, and Kommandos, among other units. The exact composition of the opposing Necron list was not fully detailed in the available research, though Warhammer Community indicated that both sides' lists were shared for viewers to study.
Codex: Orks as the New Edition's Flagship Release
Warhammer Community's Sunday Preview article, "Orks rampage in next week," explicitly describes Codex: Orks as "the first codex of the new edition of Warhammer 40,000," cementing the Orks' position as the flagship faction for this stage of the game's rules development. The codex includes 15 detachments, according to both the Sunday Preview and a dedicated companion article titled "15 new Ork detachments let you build your perfect Waaagh!"
That detachment article explains that the game's new detachment system allows players to mix and match their preferred detachments, significantly expanding the number of possible army-building combinations. Named detachments referenced across Warhammer Community's coverage include Green Tide, Dread Mob, Brute Bosses, Kult of Speed, Blitz Brigade, Bully Boyz, and Rollin' Deff. The codex also introduces an expanded Waaagh! army rule designed to interact with these detachments.
Beyond the detachment count, Codex: Orks reportedly contains datasheets for more than 50 units. Each physical copy includes a printed code that unlocks the Ork rules within the Warhammer 40,000 app and functions as an ongoing subscription throughout the edition's lifespan, delivering regular rules updates, balance changes, additional detachments, new lore content, and advanced hobby guides. A Collector's Edition version of the codex is also planned, featuring a hardback cover, gold foil detailing, green foil page edges, and a green ribbon bookmark, though its rules content is identical to the standard edition.
Companion Content Builds Ahead of Pre-Orders
The Warhammer TV exclusive is part of a broader promotional push surrounding the new codex. Warhammer Community published a companion article on 21 August 2026, "Build a better Waaagh! – Warhammer Community cooks up their ideal Ork armies," in which staff members constructed sample army lists using detachments such as Kult of Speed, Blitz Brigade, and Brute Bosses, complete with points breakdowns for units including a Warboss equipped with a power klaw and kombi-rokkit leading a squad of Nobz.
A separate piece featured Adrian from Tabletop Titans discussing how to build a Waaagh! around army dispositions, highlighting detachments like Bully Boyz and Rollin' Deff and how they can be paired to balance objective holding, killing power, and action-focused units. These articles, published in the days surrounding the Warhammer TV battle report, reinforce Games Workshop's messaging around flexibility and depth in the new codex's design.
Early Reactions Mix Hype With Rules Concerns
Community reaction to the codex has included both enthusiasm and scrutiny. An article on Bell of Lost Souls, titled "Warhammer 40K Hot Mess – Ork Datasheets Have Too Many Rules!", suggests some commentators view the new Ork datasheets as overly complex, a perspective that stands in contrast to Games Workshop's promotional framing of the codex as offering flexibility and strategic depth through its 15 detachments.
Meanwhile, YouTube commentary covering the Sunday Preview has amplified Warhammer Community's official messaging, reiterating the pre-order and release dates while directing viewers toward the Warhammer TV battle report as the first opportunity to see the codex's rules played out in full. These reactions represent community and third-party commentary rather than official statements from Games Workshop.
