Hammer and Bolter

Last updated
Hammer and Bolter
Hammer and Bolter Cover.jpg
Genre
Created by Games Workshop
Based on Warhammer 40,000 & Warhammer: Age of Sigmar
Directed byDylan Shipley
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes15
Production
AnimatorFarstride Features
Running time15-30 Minutes
Production company
  • Games Workshop
Original release
NetworkWarhammer Plus
ReleaseAugust 21, 2021 (2021-08-21) 
present (present)

Hammer and Bolter is an animated series based on the games Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer: Age of Sigmar. [1] 15 episodes were broadcast from August 2021 exclusively on Games Workshop's streaming website Warhammer+ [2]

Contents

Plot

Hammer and Bolter is an anthology series, with the first 8 episodes directed by Dylan Shipley. Each 30 minute episode focused on one particular faction from Games Workshop Warhammer 40,000 universe, such as the Imperial Guard, Chaos Space Marines, Orks, Necrons, or Tyranids. Some later episodes would switch to focus on factions from Games Workshop's Age of Sigmar game such as the Orruks, Cities of Sigmar, Slaves to Darkness, Witch Hunters, Skaven, Soulblight Vampires, or Stormcast Eternals. [3] The animation style is reminiscent of 1980s Japanese anime. [4]

Episodes

Hammer and Bolter Season 1
EpisodeTitleNotes
1Deaths HandAn Imperial inquisitor tries to cheat fate and prevent his predicted assassination. [5]
2Bound For GreatnessA monk in the Imperial library is tempted by the Chaos God Tzeentch to read the forbidden books that he is required to count every day.
3Old Bale EyeA veteran Ork tells two younger warriors about his encounter with Imperial commisar Yarrick. [6] [7]
4FangsThree new recruits to the Space Wolves prepare themselves for their rite of passage, while the elders place bets on which one will survive, passing to the next trials of becoming a Space Marine.
5A Question of FaithTwo nuns from the Sisters of Battle defend the tomb of a long-dead saint from Khorne cultists.
6Garden of GhostsAn Eldar warlock scours the devastated remains of his childhood craftworld for the spirit stones of fallen warriors to animate combat drones.
7Kill ProtocolA tech priest and her kastelan robot search for ancient archaeotech on a destroyed planet.
8Cadia Stands Imperial guardsmen defend a planet from tyranid invasion. [8]
9ArtefactsBlack Legion Chaos space marines and Dark Eldar race to be the first to acquire a powerful Necron artefact.
10Plague Song Death Guard Chaos Space Marines try to infect the Imperium of Man's webway with pestilence.
11Double or NothingOrruks threaten a sigmarite city.
12MonstersHigh in the peaks of Attramor, a horse-tribe of Darkoath warriors face a daily battle for survival. Jorvak Brand, the tribe's chieftain, has ambitions of a better future for his people, but their doom is only ever one night away.
13A New LifeA family searches for safe passage off a besieged imperial hive city with their new baby. [9] But not all is what it seems as the family's true colors is brought to light in a shocking twist.
14UndercityPeople are going missing on the streets of Hammerhal Aqsha. Can Witch Hunter Hanniver Toll and his reluctant colleague, the former Freeguild Captain, Armand Callis, work out what’s been going on? And just what will they discover in the sewers... [10]
15EternalWhen a captured Emperor's Children legionnaire is interrogated by the Exorcists Chapter, the vainglorious Lucius the Eternal sets out to silence him before he reveals the secrets of the 3rd Legion. [11]

Reviews

Critics have generally responded favorably to the series due to the quality of the animation, the dialog, and its faithfulness to the source material. [12] The episode Old Bale Eye received particularly high praise due to the presence of the fan-favorite character Commisar Yarrick. [13] [14]

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References

  1. "Hammer and Bolter (TV Series)". Radio Times.
  2. "Warhammer Plus: Hammer and Bolter returns next week". Wargamer. 30 September 2021.
  3. "Warhammer TV".
  4. "Review: Hammer and Bolter "A New Life"". Bubbleblabber. November 17, 2022.
  5. "Hammer and Bolter (TV Mini Series 2021– ) - IMDb" via www.imdb.com.
  6. Old Bale Eye
  7. Yarrick is powered by Orks
  8. Things to read and watch after Darktide
  9. A New Life
  10. "WarhammerTV - Hammer and Bolter". Warhammer TV. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  11. "Warhammer community". Warhammer Community. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
  12. Collins, Adrian (October 21, 2021). "REVIEW: Hammer and Bolter Episode 4: Fangs". Grimdark Magazine.
  13. Crowther, Matt (August 21, 2021). "Hammer and Bolter – Old Bale Eye Review and First Impressions".
  14. Warhammer plus a year on