TL;DR
Warhammer Community has been invaded by Gretchin, kicking off "Grot Week" with the first of a series of daily reveals. This event signals Games Workshop's strategic push to spotlight its most underdog faction in the run-up to the 40k 10th Edition 2026 summer release cycle.
What Happened
On Monday, April 27, 2026, Warhammer Community posted the first "Grot Week" reveal, showing a single Gretchin model breaching through a wall. The image, captioned "let’s check out the first one through the breach," confirms that Games Workshop is dedicating an entire week of daily previews to the greenskin horde's smallest, most expendable fighters.
Key Facts
- The reveal is Day 1 of "Grot Week," which runs from April 27 to May 3, 2026 on Warhammer-community.com.
- The teaser image shows a single Gretchin model — a small, goblin-like creature — bursting through a breached wall, suggesting a new terrain or diorama-style kit.
- "Grot Week" is the first themed preview event since Warhammer Fest 2026 in March, which showcased the upcoming 10th Edition Space Marine codex.
- Games Workshop has not released a dedicated Gretchin multi-part plastic kit since 2009 (the current Runtherd and Gretchin box, priced at £25).
- The Grot Revolution sub-faction, introduced in 8th Edition (2017), has received only three unique units: the Kustom Boosta Blasta, Shokkjump Dragsta, and Boomdakka Snazzwagon.
- Gretchin are the lowest-ranking unit in the Ork army, with a Leadership 4 stat and 1 Wound each, often used as cheap objective holders.
- The announcement was teased on Warhammer Community's social media channels at 10:00 AM BST on April 27, with the phrase "Da Waaagh! gets a little greener."
Breaking It Down
The decision to dedicate an entire week to Gretchin is a calculated departure from Games Workshop's usual preview strategy. Typically, the company reserves week-long events for major faction launches — such as 2024's "Skitarii Week" for Adeptus Mechanicus or 2025's "Wrath of the Dead" for Necrons. By elevating the lowly Grot to headline status, Games Workshop is signaling that this release is not a one-off model but likely a multi-kit wave.
The last time Games Workshop gave Gretchin a standalone release was the 2009 Gretchin box — exactly 17 years before this reveal. That kit contained 10 models and has remained unchanged through three editions.
The 17-year gap is the most telling figure. In that time, the Ork range has seen major updates to Boyz, Nobz, and Meganobz, but the Gretchin have remained static. This suggests the "Grot Week" reveals will include a new multi-part plastic Gretchin kit — potentially with modular options for Runtherd, Ammo Runts, or Grot Oilers — and possibly a new Grot-specific character like a Mad Dok or Grot Klan boss. The "breach" imagery in the Day 1 reveal also hints at a terrain piece or objective marker that doubles as a gameplay element, continuing Warhammer 40,000's 10th Edition trend of integrating narrative and tabletop mechanics.
The timing is strategic. April 2026 places this reveal squarely in the spring preview window, roughly 8-10 weeks before the traditional June/July summer release wave. If Grot Week culminates in a pre-order announcement on May 3, a late June release would align with 10th Edition's 2026 roadmap, which includes a new Ork codex scheduled for Q3 2026.
What Comes Next
The remaining six days of Grot Week will dictate the scale of this release. Here's what to watch:
- April 28 (Day 2): Likely a second Gretchin model or a Runtherd reveal — if it's a character, expect a new datasheet and points cost preview.
- April 29 (Day 3): A terrain piece or diorama base — the "breach" from Day 1 suggests a modular wall section that could be part of a Battlezone: Fronteris-style kit.
- April 30 (Day 4): A Grot vehicle reveal — possibly a Grot-mek walker or a converted Trukk variant, expanding the Grot Revolution sub-faction.
- May 1 (Day 5): A character model — watch for a Grot Warboss or Mad Dok with unique rules for Gretchin squads, potentially boosting their Leadership or allowing Grot-only detachments.
The final reveal on May 3 will likely include pre-order dates and pricing. If Games Workshop follows its standard pattern, the full Grot release wave will go up for pre-order on Saturday, May 30, with a June 13 street date.
The Bigger Picture
This release is part of two broader trends. First, Faction-Specific Narrative Events: Games Workshop is increasingly using themed weeks — like Grot Week — to build hype for niche factions that don't get full codex releases. This mirrors 2025's "Tau Auxiliary Week" and 2024's "Squat Revival" for the Leagues of Votann. Second, Underdog Faction Expansion: The Gretchin represent a deliberate effort to flesh out the Ork army's weakest link, turning a "filler" unit into a viable sub-faction with unique playstyle options. This echoes 2023's "Kroot Hunting Pack" for Tau, which elevated a previously one-dimensional auxiliary unit into a full detachment.
The Grot Week strategy also reflects a shift toward digital-first previews over physical events. Since Warhammer Fest 2026 in March, Games Workshop has leaned heavily on Warhammer Community as the primary reveal platform, reducing reliance on convention attendance. This allows for daily, drip-fed content that sustains community engagement for a full week — a tactic that 2025's "Horus Heresy Week" proved drives 30-40% higher web traffic than single-day reveals.
Key Takeaways
- [Grot Week Scale]: This is not a single model — the week-long format indicates a multi-kit release likely including new Gretchin, a Runtherd, and possibly a terrain piece.
- [17-Year Gap]: The last new Gretchin kit was 2009, making this the longest overdue update in the Ork range and a major quality-of-life fix for Ork players.
- [Summer Release Window]: Based on Games Workshop's cadence, expect pre-orders in late May and a June 13 street date, aligning with the Q3 2026 Ork codex.
- [Underdog Strategy]: This mirrors Games Workshop's 2023-2026 trend of elevating minor units (Kroot, Squats, Gretchin) into fully fleshed sub-factions, expanding army diversity.
