Part of our Fyreslayers & Khazalite Holds hub: every Fyreslayers & Khazalite Holds guide, lore page and painting tutorial in one place. Browse every Combat Patrol & Spearhead guide.
The Spearhead: Fyreslayers box is a 26-model force of axe-swinging duardin berserkers led by a Battlesmith. In Spearhead games it plays as the Saga Axeband. It’s a simple, aggressive army that suits players who want to charge in and fight. There’s one big caveat in late 2026, though: Fyreslayers have just been folded into the new Khazalite Holds battletome, and two of the units in this box are on their way out of the main rules. This guide explains what that means for you.
What’s in the Fyreslayers Spearhead box?
| Unit | Models | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Battlesmith (General) | 1 | Support hero whose icon makes nearby units harder to hurt |
| Hearthguard Berzerkers | 5 | Elite bodyguards with flamestrike poleaxes |
| Vulkite Berzerkers | 20 (four units of 5) | Fast, furious axe-fighters and the core of the army |
That’s 26 models. The box began life as the Fyreslayers Vanguard box and was renamed Spearhead for Age of Sigmar’s 4th edition.
Fyreslayers and the Khazalite Holds
On 31 October 2026, Games Workshop released the Khazalite Holds battletome and Army Set. Fyreslayers no longer have their own battletome. Instead, they’re a section inside the Khazalite book. You can still play a pure Fyreslayer army, but several Fyreslayer warscrolls have been dropped from the book. Reports of the new book list the Vulkite Berzerkers and the Battlesmith among the units moving to Warhammer Legends in about a year, with their rules kept in a free supplement on Warhammer Community until then.
What this means for this box:
- At the time of writing, the Saga Axeband Spearhead rules are still published, so you can keep playing it in Spearhead games.
- The Khazalite book has its own Fyreslayer Spearhead, the Magmic Fyrd: an Auric Runefather on Magmadroth, an Auric Runesmiter, 9 Vulkyn Flameseekers and 5 Auric Hearthguard. As far as we can tell there’s no single box for it, so you’d build it from separate kits.
- If you want a long-term Fyreslayer army, the Hearthguard Berzerkers from this box stay in the new book, but the Vulkites will eventually be Legends-only.
So if you’re brand new, think carefully before buying this box. If you already own it, it still gives you a fun Spearhead army.
The Spearhead rules
Like every Spearhead force, the Saga Axeband has a battle trait, a choice of two regiment abilities and four enhancements for your general.
Battle trait: Awaken the Runes
At the start of each of your turns you activate one of four ur-gold runes, and each rune can only be used once per battle. That’s one rune per round in a four-round game. Roll a dice: on a 6 you get an enhanced effect too. The runes are:
- Rune of Fury: +1 to hit in combat (enhanced: +1 Attack as well).
- Rune of Searing Heat: +1 Rend in melee (enhanced: +1 Damage as well).
- Rune of Fiery Determination: a 5+ ward for your units (enhanced: +1 to save too).
- Rune of Relentless Zeal: +2″ Move (enhanced: +2 to charge rolls too).
Choosing the right rune for each round is the main decision you’ll make all game.
Regiment abilities (pick one)
- Magmic Tunnels: at the start of the battle, up to two units can redeploy anywhere more than 6″ from the enemy. Great for getting Vulkites onto objectives fast.
- Fyresteel Throwing Axes: each turn, units within 10″ of the enemy can hurl axes for a chance of mortal damage. It gives this melee army some much-needed ranged damage.
Enhancements (pick one for the Battlesmith)
- Too Stubborn to Die: the Battlesmith heals at the start of every turn.
- Horn of Grimnir: may bring a slain model back to each damaged unit.
- Spirit of Grimnir: lets you re-roll the rune activation roll, making enhanced effects more likely.
- Powerful Presence: boosts the Battlesmith’s control score on objectives.
What each unit does
Battlesmith
The Battlesmith carries an icon of Grimnir that improves the saves of nearby friendly units, and once per battle he can plant it to give them a ward as well. He fights decently with his battle-axe but is far more valuable keeping everyone else alive. Keep him within 12″ of as many units as you can.
Hearthguard Berzerkers
Your elite unit. While your general stands close to them, both the Hearthguard and the general get a 5+ ward. They make a superb bodyguard for the Battlesmith and a tough block for the most important objective.
Vulkite Berzerkers
Four units of five Vulkites are your main fighting force. They get an extra attack on the turn they charge, so they want to charge every turn. Four small units also let you spread across several objectives at once.
How to play the Saga Axeband
Deployment
Set up the Battlesmith and Hearthguard together in the centre, with the Vulkites spread across the front. If you took Magmic Tunnels, plan which two units will pop out near distant objectives at the start of the game.
Turn by turn
- Round 1: Use the Rune of Relentless Zeal to cross the board quickly, or Fiery Determination if your opponent has a lot of shooting. Take objectives.
- Round 2: The big fight round. Fury or Searing Heat turns your Vulkite charges into something very dangerous.
- Rounds 3 and 4: Use whichever runes are left. Fiery Determination is excellent late on, when you’re defending objectives.
Common mistakes
- Using all your best runes early. Each rune works once, so don’t waste Fury on a turn without a big fight.
- Leaving the Battlesmith behind. His save bonus only reaches 12″, so he has to keep up with the army.
- Charging one Vulkite unit at a time. Five models alone won’t break much. Charge together.
What to watch out for
The Saga Axeband has almost no shooting unless you take the throwing axes, so armies that hang back and shoot can be a problem. Use Relentless Zeal or Magmic Tunnels to close the gap quickly. Against big monsters, save Searing Heat for the turn you fight them, as the extra Rend and Damage matter most against tough targets.
Building and painting notes
Fyreslayers are mostly bare skin, wild orange hair and lots of gold. That’s a great project for practising skin tones and metallics. A gold spray undercoat, then skin and hair painted over the top, saves a lot of time. Our Fyreslayers painting guide walks you through it.
Expanding beyond Spearhead
Because of the Khazalite changes, plan carefully. Units that stay in the Khazalite Holds book include the Auric Runefather and Runeson, Auric Runesmiter and Flamekeeper, Vulkyn Flameseekers, Auric Hearthguard and Hearthguard Berzerkers. The Magmic Fyrd Spearhead is a good guide to what a modern Fyreslayer force looks like. You can also combine Fyreslayers with the new Khazalite duardin in one army. Our Khazalite Holds guide explains the new book, our Fyreslayers lore deep dive covers the story, and our Fyreslayers army hub collects all our Fyreslayer guides.
Where to Buy the Box
The Fyreslayers Spearhead box covered in this guide is listed on Amazon US through third-party sellers. Given the Khazalite Holds changes above, check the latest rules download before you buy.
Price details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.As an Amazon Associate, Warhammer Guild earns from qualifying purchases.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Fyreslayers being removed from Age of Sigmar?
No. They’ve moved into the Khazalite Holds battletome and you can still play them on their own. Some of their older warscrolls, including Vulkite Berzerkers and the Battlesmith, are expected to move to Legends in about a year.
Can I still play the Fyreslayers Spearhead box?
Yes. The Saga Axeband Spearhead rules are still published at the time of writing. Check the Warhammer Age of Sigmar app for the latest version, as Games Workshop may update Spearhead forces after the new book.
What is the Magmic Fyrd?
It’s the new Fyreslayer Spearhead in the Khazalite Holds battletome: an Auric Runefather on Magmadroth, an Auric Runesmiter, Vulkyn Flameseekers and Auric Hearthguard. It isn’t the same as this box.
Should a beginner buy the Fyreslayers Spearhead?
If you love the models and mostly want to play Spearhead, it’s still a fun, simple army. If you want to build a full army for years to come, look at the Khazalite Holds Army Set or the units that remain in the new book first.
What is Spearhead in Age of Sigmar?
Spearhead is Age of Sigmar 4th Edition’s small, fast game mode. Each player uses a fixed force from a single Spearhead box, with its own battle trait, regiment abilities and enhancements, on a smaller board. Games are quick, there’s no list-building, and it’s the easiest way to learn the rules before a full 1,000 or 2,000-point army.
Can I use the Fyreslayers Spearhead box in a normal game?
Yes. The models work in matched play, but you use the full warscrolls and normal unit sizes, not the Saga Axeband’s Spearhead rules. In a standard game the 20 Vulkite Berzerkers become two units of 10. Remember that the Vulkites and Battlesmith are expected to move to Legends about a year after Khazalite Holds.
Related Content
- Fyreslayers – Warhammer Age of Sigmar Guide — apply this guide to a specific army
- How to Play Warhammer 40k — Complete Beginner’s Guide — learn the core rules of Warhammer 40K
- Ossiarch Bonereapers Spearhead — Box Review & Guide — explore another helpful guide
- All Warhammer 40k Factions Ranked — Tier List — see which factions rank highest