Best Helsmiths of Hashut Models for Your Warhammer Army

The Helsmiths of Hashut are one of the most striking Chaos factions in Warhammer Age of Sigmar, combining brutal industry, daemonic pacts, and heavily armored warriors. If you are considering starting this army—or expanding beyond the first box you bought—it can be hard to decide which kits to prioritize. This guide walks through the key units, explains what they do on the tabletop, and offers practical recommendations on which models to pick up first depending on your playstyle and budget.

Understanding the Helsmiths of Hashut Playstyle

Before choosing specific miniatures, it helps to understand how the faction tends to play. Most Helsmiths lists lean into a mix of:

• Durable infantry that can hold objectives while grinding down enemies.
• Daemonic constructs and monsters that hit hard and draw attention.
• Support heroes who hand out buffs, manipulate control scores, and manage demonic power resources.
• Short- to mid-range firepower to soften up targets before a decisive charge.

On the tabletop, that usually means a slow but relentless force that wants to push into the mid-board, claim territory, and use layered abilities to overpower opponents in crucial fights. Their rules often encourage careful positioning and resource management rather than pure speed or alpha strikes.

Core Strengths

• High toughness and armor: Many units are hard to shift, letting you sit on objectives.
• Strong synergies: Heroes can dramatically improve nearby units.
• Reliable damage: Both melee and shooting attacks tend to be efficient, especially when supported.

Key Weaknesses

• Limited mobility: Outside of cavalry or mounted pieces, the army is not particularly fast.
• Reliance on heroes: Losing key support characters can significantly weaken your force.
• Potentially elite model count: Many powerful models are expensive in points, so you must play carefully with fewer bodies.

Starting Point: The Helsmiths of Hashut Army Set

For most players, the natural entry point is the Helsmiths of Hashut Army Set. Games Workshop frequently uses army sets to introduce new factions, and they typically include a cohesive mix of heroes and battleline units along with rules and accessories. The official product listing confirms that the Helsmiths box is a complete Spearhead-scale force suitable for smaller games and as a foundation for larger armies.¹

The army set is usually the most cost-efficient way to get:

• A legal, self-contained force for small games.
• A hero with unique rules or enhancements.
• Exclusive or early-access printed materials such as a battletome or cards, which Games Workshop often includes in these boxes.¹

Recommendation: If you have not bought any Helsmiths models yet, get this box first. It provides a solid core and lets you experience the faction’s mechanics without immediately committing to a huge collection.

Heroes and Commanders: The Brains of Your Host

The Helsmiths army heavily relies on its leaders. Commanders shape your game plan, determine how your daemonic powers are distributed, and often carry your faction’s most dangerous abilities.

War Despot or Lord-Level Commander

Most lists start with a central warlord-type hero. This model typically:

• Improves control scores for nearby units, making it easier to capture and hold objectives.
• Grants command abilities that enhance attack or defense profiles of friendly units.
• Hits fairly hard in melee, sometimes mounted on a daemonic beast.

When to buy:

• If your army set already includes a strong commander, you may not need a second one immediately.
• Buy another warlord model when you want to experiment with different army builds (e.g., one list centered on infantry buffs, another on construct support).

Daemonsmiths and Sorcerous Support

Helsmiths rely on a mix of spellcasting and ritual-style abilities. A typical Daemonsmith-style hero often:

• Acts as a wizard, providing access to battle magic and faction-specific spells.
• Heals, repairs, or amplifies constructs and daemonic engines.
• Manipulates demonic power points, converting them into better saves, increased casting bonuses, or other effects.

Given how crucial magic and resource management are in Age of Sigmar more broadly, it’s no surprise that Games Workshop design emphasizes wizard heroes as key faction pieces.²

Recommended purchase order for heroes:

1. First hero: Your main warlord (from the army set if possible).
2. Second hero: A Daemonsmith or key wizard who supports constructs and controls demonic power.
3. Third hero: Specialist support, such as a more defensive or offensive character, depending on your chosen strategy.

Battleline and Core Infantry Choices

Infantry is where the Helsmiths truly feel like a grinding, industrial horde. Even if the faction leans elite in terms of points, you will still want a solid base of bodies to screen and sit on objectives.

Infernal Cohorts with Spears

These are the workhorse units of many Helsmith lists. Typically, they are:

• Battleline in Helsmiths forces, ensuring they count fully for army requirements.
• Armed with spears or polearms that attack from behind the front row.
• Reasonably durable when supported by hero abilities.

On the tabletop, spear-armed cohorts are excellent at:

• Forming a defensive wall around your heroes and artillery-like constructs.
• Retaliating with respectable damage when enemies charge in.
• Benefiting from buffs like extra rend, improved hit rolls, or enhanced ward saves.

How many boxes? For a standard 2,000-point force, aiming for two to three units of infantry is a good baseline. That might mean:

• Army set contents (often 1 unit).
• One additional infantry box to bring you up to 2–3 units.

Ranged Infantry: Blunderbusses and Flame Weapons

Helsmiths ranged units bring short- to mid-range firepower, often via:

• Blunderbusses or heavy firearms that can unleash devastating volleys at close range.
• Flame projectors or similar weapons that excel at clearing lightly armored units.

While they usually sacrifice some melee prowess for shooting, they are invaluable for:

• Softening up enemy hammers before they reach your lines.
• Picking off small units or wounded heroes who hide behind cover.
• Threatening objectives that enemies think are safe at mid-board.

Purchasing tip: Start with a single ranged unit. If you enjoy that playstyle or plan to build a firebase strategy, add a second box later.

Daemonic Engines, Monsters, and Cavalry

The most visually impressive Helsmiths models are often their daemonic engines and monstrous mounts. These kits are usually centerpieces that double as high-impact units and painting showpieces.

Daemonic Constructs

Construct-style units typically share several traits:

• High wounds and strong saves, making them durable focal points.
• Powerful melee attacks, sometimes supplemented by breath or ranged weapons.
• Synergy with Daemonsmiths, who can repair or buff them.

Because large models often shape how you and your opponent move across the battlefield, even a single construct can dictate the flow of the game. Well-placed heavy units can block lanes, anchor flanks, or slam into enemy elites.

When to buy constructs:

• After you own the army set and at least one extra infantry kit.
• When you want a clear centerpiece model around which to build your list.

Cavalry and Fast Attack Options

Many Helsmiths-style lists benefit from at least one unit with higher movement. Cavalry or fast daemonic beasts are useful for:

• Flanking enemy units and forcing them to split their attention.
• Objective snatching in the mid to late game.
• Capitalizing on buffs that enhance the speed or hitting power of mounted models.

Leaked reviews and unboxing content of Helsmiths rules highlight the importance of mobility buffs and power-point-based movement boosts for cavalry and monsters, which can add significant tactical flexibility to an otherwise slow army.³

Buying advice: If you enjoy aggressive, proactive play, prioritize a cavalry kit soon after your first construct. If you prefer methodical, castle-style play, you can delay cavalry and focus on more infantry or artillery-like pieces.

Suggested Purchase Roadmaps

Different players have different priorities. Below are three sample purchase paths based on common goals: budget, competitive ambition, and hobby enjoyment.

1. Budget-Friendly Path

This route focuses on getting a fun, functional army while minimizing cost and duplicate purchases.

1. Helsmiths of Hashut Army Set – Core force, hero, and rules bundle.
2. Infantry box – Expand your battleline and objective control.
3. Single construct or monster – Add a clear hammer unit.
4. Optional second ranged unit – Only if you find you lack shooting.

2. Competitive-Focused Path

For players aiming at tournament-level games, staying close to current rules and points values is vital. Games Workshop’s matched play updates and balance dataslates, usually released through official channels, continually adjust faction power levels and unit efficiency.⁴

A competitive-minded roadmap might look like this:

1. Helsmiths of Hashut Army Set – Gives you the core “intended” starting package.
2. Second infantry kit – Aim for 2–3 scoring units.
3. Daemonsmith or key wizard hero – Maximize synergies and access to critical spells.
4. Large construct or monster – A points-efficient hammer that works well with buffs.
5. Fast unit (cavalry or flying beast) – To contest distant objectives and threaten soft spots.

3. Hobbyist and Collector Path

If you are motivated by modeling and painting more than by tournament performance, follow your aesthetic instincts while keeping a functional core.

• Start with the army set to ensure you have a playable force.
• Choose the centerpiece kit you like best, regardless of raw efficiency.
• Add varied units (one box each of infantry, cavalry, and constructs) to paint different textures: armor plates, flames, daemonic skin, machinery, etc.
• Use spare parts and conversions to add visual cohesion, such as recurring iconography or color accents.

Synergies to Consider When Buying

Helsmiths thrive on interlocking effects. When planning purchases, pay attention to how new kits extend or enhance these synergies.

Hero Auras and Control Scores

Many warlord and support heroes improve control scores or combat performance of nearby units. Because Age of Sigmar scenarios often hinge on controlling objectives for victory points, abilities that expand control range or increase control values can be game-defining.⁵

Buying with auras in mind:

• Ensure you have enough infantry to actually benefit from aura buffs.
• Consider a second hero when you frequently find yourself out of range or losing key models.

Demonic Power Management

Reviews and commentary on Helsmiths rules indicate a resource system built around demonic power points that can be spent for bonuses to casting, ward saves, and other enhancements.³ When planning purchases:

• Look for heroes that generate or spend power efficiently.
• Include at least one unit that scales well with these buffs—often a construct or elite infantry unit.

Ranged and Melee Balance

Although the faction leans more heavily towards melee, some shooting is extremely valuable for:

• Finishing off weakened units that retreat or teleport away.
• Threatening fragile support heroes hiding behind lines.
• Dealing with high-save targets using mortal-wound shooting or special rules.

Balanced collection approach: Aim for at least one ranged unit and one heavy melee unit in your first 1,000 points, then adjust based on your local meta.

FAQs: Buying and Building Helsmiths of Hashut

Is the Helsmiths of Hashut Army Set mandatory?

No, but it is strongly recommended. Army sets for new factions typically bundle rules, a hero, and battleline at a discount compared to buying separately. For Helsmiths, that makes the box a practical starting point unless you only want to pick up a single model to paint.

How many heroes do I need to start playing?

For small games around 1,000 points, one to two heroes are usually sufficient. As you move toward 2,000-point games, most Helsmiths forces benefit from two to three characters to fully leverage buffs, magic, and command abilities.

Should I focus on infantry or big monsters first?

Focus on infantry first. You need reliable scoring units to play most pitched battle missions. Once you have two or more infantry units and at least one hero, then add your preferred big monster or construct to give the army a dramatically harder punch.

Are Helsmiths a good first army for Age of Sigmar?

They can be, provided you enjoy a slower, more methodical playstyle. New players may find the reliance on careful positioning and buff layering more complex than some other factions, but the army rewards thoughtful planning and offers durable units that are forgiving of minor mistakes.

Where should I look for updated rules and points?

Always consult official Games Workshop publications and downloads. The main sources include:

• Age of Sigmar product pages for warscrolls and unit profiles.
• Warhammer Community downloads for free rules, FAQs, and balance updates.⁴

Final Thoughts

Building a Helsmiths of Hashut army is both a hobby and tactical journey. Start with the core army set if possible, then expand deliberately based on how you like to play. Prioritize:

• One or two key heroes that define your strategy.
• A solid base of infantry for scoring and screening.
• At least one centerpiece construct or monster for damage and threat projection.
• A modest amount of ranged firepower to answer fragile targets and soften up foes.

With that foundation in place, you can experiment with different unit combinations, explore narrative themes, and tune your list to your local meta. Whether you are marching to competitive events or simply throwing dice with friends, the Helsmiths of Hashut offer a thematic, visually impressive, and tactically rewarding army to collect and command.