Stormhosts are the organisational divisions of the Stormcast Eternals, each with unique heraldry, history, and fighting style. Major Stormhosts include the Hallowed Knights, Celestial Vindicators, Hammers of Sigmar, and Astral Templars. Think of Stormhosts as the Age of Sigmar equivalent of Space Marine chapters — each has a distinct identity, colour scheme, and battlefield role.
When Sigmar forged the Stormcast Eternals from the souls of worthy mortal heroes, he organised them into Stormhosts — independent fighting forces, each led by their own commanders and each bearing distinctive heraldry. While all Stormcast share the same divine origin and core abilities, each Stormhost has developed its own culture, traditions, and preferred methods of war based on the mortal heroes who were reforged into its ranks and the campaigns they have fought since their creation.
Understanding Stormhosts is essential for any Age of Sigmar player or lore enthusiast because they define both the narrative identity and the tabletop rules of your Stormcast army. This guide covers the major Stormhosts, their histories, colour schemes, and what makes each one unique.
How Are Stormhosts Organised?
Each Stormhost is a self-contained military force comprising multiple chambers. The primary fighting force is the Strike Chamber, which contains the main battle line. Support comes from Extremis Chambers (mounted warriors), Vanguard Chambers (scouts and rangers), and Sacrosanct Chambers (mage-warriors). Each chamber is further divided into retinues and conclaves.
The organisational structure mirrors that of a well-ordered military force:
- Lord-Commander — the overall leader of the Stormhost, answering directly to Sigmar himself.
- Chamber commanders — each chamber is led by a Lord-Celestant, Lord-Arcanum, or equivalent rank depending on the chamber type.
- Retinues — the basic tactical unit, comprising a leader and a squad of warriors. Multiple retinues form a chamber.
- Conclaves — specialised groupings of specific unit types, such as Prosecutor conclaves or Judicator conclaves.
While all Stormhosts follow this basic structure, each adapts it to their preferred fighting style. The Hammers of Sigmar maintain a balanced force across all chambers, while the Celestial Vindicators focus heavily on their Strike Chambers for aggressive assaults.
What Are the Major Stormhosts?
There are dozens of Stormhosts in the lore, but several stand out as the most prominent and well-developed. These major Stormhosts form the backbone of the Stormcast narrative and are the ones most frequently featured in battletomes, novels, and campaign books.
Hammers of Sigmar
The Hammers of Sigmar are the first and most renowned Stormhost, serving as Sigmar’s personal vanguard. They wear gold armour with blue accents and are the poster boys of Age of Sigmar — every starter set and most marketing material features their colour scheme. Their Lord-Commander is Vandus Hammerhand, one of the first Stormcast created and a hero of countless battles.
The Hammers of Sigmar are defined by their versatility and reliability. They are not specialists — they excel across all aspects of warfare, from ranged combat to close assault to magical support. Their discipline and tactical flexibility make them the benchmark against which all other Stormhosts are measured.
Hallowed Knights
The Hallowed Knights are defined by their unshakeable faith. Their battle cry — “Only the Faithful!” — reflects their absolute devotion to Sigmar’s cause. They wear silver armour with white and blue accents, distinguishing them from the gold of the Hammers of Sigmar. The Hallowed Knights are the most religiously devoted Stormhost, and their faith provides genuine protection against the corruption of Chaos.
Their faith is not merely spiritual — it has tangible power. Hallowed Knights have resisted daemonic possession, broken Chaos enchantments through prayer alone, and endured wounds that would fell other Stormcast through sheer willpower fuelled by their belief. This makes them particularly effective against Chaos forces, where their faith acts as a shield against corruption.
Celestial Vindicators
The Celestial Vindicators are consumed by righteous fury. They wear dark blue and turquoise armour, and their warriors are driven by an overwhelming anger against the forces of Chaos and Death. This fury makes them ferocious in combat but sometimes difficult to control — they have been known to ignore tactical orders in favour of charging headlong into the enemy.
The Vindicators’ rage stems from the mortal lives of their warriors. Many were reforged from souls who experienced terrible suffering at the hands of Chaos — victims of daemonic incursions, survivors of corrupted civilisations, warriors who watched their families destroyed. This trauma, preserved through the Reforging process, fuels an anger that burns eternally.
Astral Templars
The Astral Templars are wild, beast-hunting warriors who prefer stalking monstrous prey to fighting in formation. They wear dark bronze armour with amber accents and are drawn primarily from the beast-hunters and monster-slayers of the Mortal Realms. Their approach to warfare is more individualistic than other Stormhosts — they favour hunting packs and ambush tactics over rigid battle lines.
The Astral Templars have a particular affinity for the Realm of Ghur (the Realm of Beasts), where their hunting skills are perfectly suited. They collect trophies from their kills and adorn their armour with bones, pelts, and teeth from the monsters they have slain. This gives their warriors a more savage appearance than the polished perfection of other Stormhosts.
Anvils of the Heldenhammer
The Anvils of the Heldenhammer are unique among the Stormhosts because they were reforged from the most ancient of mortal heroes — souls who died centuries or even millennia before Sigmar created the Stormcast. These warriors carry the weight of ages, and their ancient memories give them a wisdom and gravitas that other Stormhosts lack. They wear dark purple and gold armour.
However, their ancient origins come with a cost. The Anvils’ warriors sometimes struggle with fragmented memories of lives lived long ago, and the distance between their mortal existence and their current form can make them seem detached or melancholic. They fight with a grim determination rather than the righteous fury of the Vindicators or the faithful zeal of the Hallowed Knights.
Knights Excelsior
The Knights Excelsior are the most ruthless Stormhost, known for their absolute, uncompromising approach to purging Chaos. They wear white armour with blue details and approach warfare with a cold efficiency that unnerves even other Stormcast. The Knights Excelsior do not just defeat their enemies — they purge everything that has been touched by Chaos, including innocent civilians who may have been exposed to corruption.
This extremism makes the Knights Excelsior controversial. While their effectiveness against Chaos is undeniable, their willingness to destroy entire populations to prevent the spread of corruption places them at odds with Stormhosts like the Hallowed Knights, who prefer to save the innocent whenever possible.
How Do Stormhosts Differ in Battle?
On the tabletop, different Stormhosts receive different battle traits, command traits, and artefacts of power that reflect their lore and fighting style. These rules change between editions and battletome updates, but they generally provide meaningful tactical differences between Stormhosts.
Typical distinctions include:
- Hammers of Sigmar — balanced bonuses that improve all aspects of the army. Often receive re-roll abilities or enhanced command abilities.
- Hallowed Knights — bonuses against Chaos and Death armies, enhanced bravery, and abilities that reflect their unshakeable faith.
- Celestial Vindicators — combat bonuses, especially on the charge. Their rules reward aggressive play and getting into melee quickly.
- Astral Templars — bonuses against monsters, improved scouting and deployment options. Rewards hunting large targets.
- Anvils of the Heldenhammer — improved durability, late-game staying power, and abilities that reflect their ancient wisdom.
- Knights Excelsior — powerful offensive abilities with potential drawbacks, reflecting their all-or-nothing approach to war.
What Happens During Reforging?
Reforging is the process by which Sigmar creates and restores Stormcast Eternals. When a Stormcast falls in battle, their soul is returned to the Celestial Realm of Azyr, where they are reforged — rebuilt and returned to their Stormhost. However, each Reforging costs the warrior something. Memories fade, emotions dull, and personality erodes. After many Reforgings, a Stormcast can become a hollow shell — still a formidable warrior but diminished as a person.
This is one of the central tragedies of the Stormcast Eternals and differs between Stormhosts. The Hammers of Sigmar have been fighting the longest and have suffered the most Reforgings, meaning many of their veterans are significantly diminished. The Hallowed Knights’ faith seems to protect them somewhat from the effects of Reforging, while the Celestial Vindicators’ already-intense emotions become even more extreme with each rebirth.
How Do You Choose a Stormhost?
Choosing a Stormhost is similar to choosing a Space Marine chapter — it determines your army’s colour scheme, lore, and tabletop rules. Consider what appeals to you most: the balanced excellence of the Hammers, the faithful devotion of the Hallowed Knights, the savage fury of the Vindicators, or the monster-hunting prowess of the Astral Templars.
Factors to consider:
- Colour scheme — which colours appeal to you most? Gold (Hammers), silver (Hallowed Knights), dark blue (Vindicators), bronze (Astral Templars), purple (Anvils), or white (Knights Excelsior)?
- Lore — which narrative resonates with you? Faith, fury, hunting, ancient wisdom, or cold efficiency?
- Playstyle — which tabletop rules complement your preferred strategy? Check the current battletome for specific bonuses.
- Custom Stormhosts — you can also create your own Stormhost with custom heraldry and use the rules for whichever established Stormhost best fits your concept.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Stormhosts are there?
The exact number is never specified in the lore. Dozens have been named across various publications, and the implication is that there are many more. The major Stormhosts described above receive the most narrative attention and tabletop rules, but players are encouraged to create their own.
Are Stormhosts the same as Space Marine chapters?
They serve a similar narrative function — sub-factions within a larger force, each with distinct identity and rules. However, the organisational structure differs. Stormhosts are divided into chambers rather than companies, and their origin (divine reforging rather than biological gene-seed) creates different narrative possibilities.
Can I make up my own Stormhost?
Absolutely. Games Workshop actively encourages players to create their own Stormhosts with custom colour schemes and backstories. On the tabletop, you can use the rules of any established Stormhost while using your own heraldry.
Which Stormhost is best on the tabletop?
This changes with every battletome update and edition. Check the latest Stormcast Eternals battletome and competitive analyses for current recommendations. The Hammers of Sigmar are generally a safe, balanced choice that remains competitive across editions.
Do Stormhosts fight each other?
Stormhosts do not fight each other in open warfare, but tensions exist between them. The Knights Excelsior’s extreme methods have been criticised by more moderate Stormhosts, and philosophical differences about the proper way to wage Sigmar’s war create friction at the leadership level.
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