Games Workshop has officially unveiled the winners of its annual ‘Miniature of the Year’ vote, and 2025 has evidently been the year of heavy hitters.
The community vote, which polls thousands of hobbyists on their favourite releases of the last 12 months, saw victories for the Space Wolves, the Soulblight Gravelords, and Grand Cathay. While the headline winners, Logan Grimnar, Prince Vhordrai, and Miao Ying, are spectacular centrepieces, the rankings reveal a fascinating trend: 2025 was the year fans finally got the updates they had been demanding for decades.
Warhammer 40,000: The Great Wolf Reigns
In a year that saw the return of a Daemon Primarch, it is perhaps a testament to the enduring popularity of the Space Wolves that Logan Grimnar took the top spot.
The Chapter Master of the Vlka Fenryka, reimagined in 2025 clad in new Tactical Dreadnought Armour with his axe Morkai and accompanied by his wolves Tyrnak and Fenrir, managed to hold off the forces of Chaos to secure the win.
This is no small feat. Fulgrim, Daemon Primarch of Slaanesh, a model that dominated online discourse for months, came in second by a margin of just 200 votes. For a loyalist Chapter Master to outsell and outvote a Primarch suggests that the Space Wolves’ refresh struck a powerful chord with the player base.
Perhaps the most significant story in the top five, however, is the presence of Lhykhis, Phoenix Lord of the Warp Spiders.
Games Workshop noted in the announcement, “Lhykhis, Phoenix Lord of the Warp Spiders, teleports into fourth place.”
For Aeldari players, this fourth-place finish is a vindication. After nearly three decades of waiting for updated Warp Spider models, the return of their “lost” Phoenix Lord was a standout moment of 2025. Seeing her rank so highly confirms that the appetite for refreshing the oldest corners of the Aeldari range remains voracious.
The Top 5 for Warhammer 40,000:
- Logan Grimnar (Space Wolves)
- Fulgrim, Daemon Primarch of Slaanesh (Emperor’s Children)
- Aethon Shaan (Raven Guard)
- Lhykhis (Aeldari)
- Lord Marshal Dreir (Astra Militarum/Solar Auxilia)
Age of Sigmar: The Hour of Death
In the Mortal Realms, the narrative has been dominated by the Skaven-led Vermindoom and the subsequent Hour of Ruin. Yet, despite the ratmen’s prominence in the lore, they failed to crack the top five. Instead, the Grand Alliance of Death swept the board.
Prince Vhordrai, Lord of the Crimson Keep, claimed the crown. The success of this kit is likely due to its versatility; as Games Workshop pointed out, the kit splits its vote. The alternative build, the Revenant Draconith, secured third place on its own merits. Had the votes for the two builds been combined, the margin of victory would have been staggering.
This dominance of “monster-mash” style kits highlights a shift in Age of Sigmar collecting habits. Players are increasingly gravitating towards large, painting-project centrepieces rather than rank-and-file infantry.
The Top 5 for Age of Sigmar:
- Prince Vhordrai, Lord of the Crimson Keep
- Urkhan, the Dark Warden
- Revenant Draconith
- Dominator Engine
- Wight King on Skeletal Steed
The Old World & Specialist Games: The Dragon Awakens
For fans of Warhammer: The Old World, 2025 was defined by the arrival of Grand Cathay.
For years, this faction existed primarily within the digital realm of Creative Assembly’s Total War series. Bringing them to the tabletop in plastic was a gamble that has clearly paid off. Miao Ying, the Storm Dragon, took first place in the ‘Best of the Rest’ category.
The model, which includes both her human and dragon forms, represents a bridge between video game fans and tabletop wargamers. Her victory over established favourites from The Horus Heresy—such as the Saturnine Siege Dreadnought—proves that The Old World has established a dedicated and enthusiastic community that rivals the sci-fi giants.
The Top 5 for Specialist Games:
- Miao Ying, the Storm Dragon (The Old World)
- Saturnine Praetor (The Horus Heresy)
- Warhammer Quest: Darkwater (Boxed Game)
- Saturnine Siege Dreadnought – Chiron Configuration (The Horus Heresy)
- Sky Lantern (The Old World)
What This Means for 2026
The voting patterns this year send a clear message to the design studio: nostalgia sells, but only when it is backed by modern sculpting technology. Whether it is a reimagined Logan Grimnar or the debut of the long-rumoured Lhykhis, fans are rewarding updates to classic lore over entirely new inventions.
With rumours circulating about the next phase of the Hour of Ruin narrative, it will be interesting to see if the Skaven can claw their way into the rankings next year, or if the undead hold on to the Mortal Realms is absolute.
If these miniatures have inspired you to take your own stories to the tabletop, you can find a vast array of Warhammer roleplaying games, including Soulbound and Wrath & Glory, at DriveThruRPG or Amazon.
