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Peasant Levies form the numerical heart of Grand Cathay’s defensive strategy. Recruited from the sprawling villages, townships, and rural settlements that dot the landscape beyond the empire’s massive walled metropolises, these soldiers represent the common folk answering the call to arms.
Crane Gun Teams are the premier long-range marksmen of Grand Cathay. These specialised units utilise exceptionally long-barrelled firearms, typically operated by two-man teams from the industrial city of Nan-Gau. To ensure pinpoint accuracy and stability, the weapon is often mounted directly onto a heavy tower shield, allowing the crew to remain protected while picking off high-value targets. When deployed in massed ranks, the sheer volume of high-velocity fire is nothing short of devastating to enemy formations.
From the high seat of Nan-Gau, Miao Ying commands the armies of the Great Bastion, serving as the iron-willed protector of Northern Cathay.
Miao Ying in her human form.
Even among the divine lineage of Dragons, she is known for a temperament that is exceptionally cold and aloof—a byproduct of the centuries she has spent fulfilling the solemn charge granted to her by the Celestial Dragon.
While her siblings often eye her position with a mix of envy and resentment, viewing her as their father’s clear favourite, the Storm Dragon does little to bridge the gap. Instead, she wears the immense weight of her duty as a badge of superiority, frequently distancing herself from her kin and lording her authority over them whenever they convene.
Soaring high above the battlefield, Sky Lanterns represent the pinnacle of Cathayan ingenuity.
These remarkable machines allow the Celestial Dragon’s armies to maintain a watchful eye over their foes and orchestrate their forces with precision. Encased in an armoured gondola suspended beneath, a Cathayan Magistrate expertly signals troops and directs the devastating fire of war machines using an array of fans and banners.
Should airborne threats or missile attacks draw near, dedicated Crane Gunners are on hand, unleashing pinpoint volleys from their elevated perch.
This model was on display at Warhammer World.
The armies of Grand Cathay are led by Shugengan Lords, individuals whose very lineage connects them to the divine power of the Celestial Dragon. Often descendants of the Dragon’s own offspring, they are natural sorcerers, mastering the Elemental Winds with the same innate skill they demonstrate with a blade. The Celestial Court holds the most formidable of these Dragon-blooded in deep reverence, for they lead the charge in battle, their powerful presence in the thick of the fray inspiring the armies of the Dragon Emperor to victory.
The Gate Masters of the Celestial Cities command the Jade Warriors, Grand Cathay’s elite professional soldiers.
Their training focuses intensely on defending their city’s walls, a skill they share with every soldier under their command.
They serve as a critical conduit for the will of their Lord Magistrate, who grants them unparalleled trust among all their military officers.
The Jade Warriors form the steadfast, professional core of Grand Cathay’s disciplined armies. Named for the sacred stone of the Dragon Emperor, which symbolises the unyielding nature of his vast empire, these infantrymen are renowned throughout the Old World for their exceptional training and exquisite equipment.
Each city-state within Cathay fields its own regiments, arming them with finely crafted hand weapons and shields, or elegant halberds with crescent blades. In battle, they stand as an implacable, emerald wall, against which the chaotic hordes and barbarian incursions from beyond the Great Bastion are destined to break, embodying the unwavering resolve of the Celestial Dragon’s domain.
When I made a trip to Warhammer World in June 2025 I was pleased to see the then new models for the Army of Grand Cathay for Warhammer Old World on display. I really liked the Cathayan Sentinel especially the paint job which made it look like it was terracotta. I also saw a posting on the Warhammer Community site about where Lewis from the Warhammer Studio had painted some Jade Warriors as terracotta warriors.
I started thinking about creating and painting a whole army in this style, so I bought a Cathayan Sentinel and the Grand Cathay Battalion.
I started constructing the Jade Warriors.
There are quite a few parts for each model. You can construct the Jade Warriors either holding swords or armed with halberds.
I noticed that after making them, that they were facing in the wrong direction, so I removed them from their bases and stuck them, now facing the right direction.
Next step will be to make some more models.
A testament to the Dragon’s unparalleled command of the Elemental Winds, Cathayan Sentinels are not merely statues, but colossal, animated warriors brought forth from the very earth.
While popular lore often refers to ‘Terracotta Sentinels’, reserving that specific term for the guardians meticulously crafted from magically charged red earth along the Great Bastion, these towering figures can in fact be fashioned from any stone native to the lands they safeguard.
This allows them to seamlessly emerge from the landscape, adding to their mystique. On the battlefield, their true might is unleashed. They are nigh impervious to the sharpest blade or the heaviest blow, their stone forms shrugging off attacks that would fell a lesser warrior. With each ponderous, powerful swing of their colossal armaments, they are capable of scything through entire regiments, transforming disciplined formations into scattered, broken ranks.
On a recent visit to Warhammer World I took some more photographs of the Cathayan Sentinel.
I have a Cathayan Sentinel on the workbench.
When I made a trip to Warhammer World in June 2025 I was pleased to see the then new models for the Army of Grand Cathay for Warhammer Old World on display. I really liked the Cathayan Sentinel especially the paint job which made it look like it was terracotta.
Though one model does not make an army, and the other Cathay forces would need painting.
However… in a recent blog post I noted a posting on the Warhammer Community where Lewis from the Warhammer Studio had painted some Jade Warriors as terracotta warriors.
I decided to do something different and paint a unit of terracotta Jade Warriors to match my Cathayan Sentinel. They were painted mainly with drybrushes, which I intentionally left quite dusty and textured to give the illusion of the hard terracotta. This was followed by washes to provide some deeper shadows, then static grass and foliage were added to give them an ancient feel, as if they’ve just been awoken in Grand Cathay’s time of need.
I started thinking about creating and painting a whole army in this style.
The first box for that army arrived, and it was the huge Cathayan Sentinel. The next box was the Grand Cathay Battalion Box.
In this box you get:
2x Cathayan Grand Cannons or Fire Rain Rocket Batteries
10x Jade Lancers
30x Jade Warriors
Good value compared to buying miniatures separately.
I will be painting the Jade Warriors and Jade Lancers as terracotta.
The Jade Warriors can be assembled as one large unit, two units of 15 warriors, or three units of 10 warriors – each with their own optional champion, standard bearer, and musician. Likewise the Jade Lancers can be assembled as one large unit or two units of five warriors.
I am thinking large units at this time.
As for the Cathayan Grand Cannons I am thinking that the crews should be terracotta in appearance, but not sure about the cannons. Something to think about.