This month, we are a little light on the hard-hitting news so we are going heavy on the visuals with a ton of never-before-seen screenshots just for newsletter readers.

Warrior Priest

*Be sure to check out the recent Warrior Priest profile on GameSpot.com for additional screens and video.

Chaos Magus

Chaos Zealot

The sword was truly a massive weapon. A normal man would have struggled to wield it with two hands, yet the Chosen of Tzeentch handled it with one iron-gauntleted wrist like it was a fencing blade from Tilea. Lady Falkenheim may command the fires of Aqshy, but Ansharru, the Lord of Change trapped within the blade, would not be denied his opportunity to feed.

Realm vs. Realm® combat really heats up in the painting Chosen vs. Bright Wizard as a heavily armored Chaos warrior and a mage of the Empire engage in a close-quarters battle. It was painted by acclaimed Games Workshop artist, Adrian Smith.

Initial Concept Sketch

This month we profile the Chaos ravaged landscape of the Troll Country.

As the name suggests, this arid, rocky land is infested with Trolls of every kind. In the valleys and crevasses where small streamsstill flow, River Trolls tromp through the muck in search of theirnext meal. On the wind-swept highland slopes, hard-skinned Stone Trolls slumber in dank caves by night and spend their days chasing wild goats or beating upon each other with crude clubs made from the trunks of trees. Far to the north lurk the most dangerous Trolls of all, the vile Chaos Trolls. Exposure to the mutating energies of Chaos has provided these creatures with awesome, savage strength and unnatural fortitude.

Read More About the Troll Country >>

From Norsca to the Inevitable City, the worshippers of Chaos carve out a harsh existence in these northern lands and some semblance of civilization has taken root. Here you will find towns and strongholds, temples and towers, with architecture as diverse as the worshippers of Chaos.

The Norse are a savage people of the north and their buildings resemble Viking longhouses ornamented with carved figureheads of the Raven God. Like its barbarian builders, this architecture has a rough and primal quality.

In cities and towns formerly occupied by the Empire and now overrun by Chaos, you will find warped, twisted, and mutated structures that bare little resemblance to their original form. In these buildings, the taint of Chaos has taken hold and manifests as sickly tumors of fleshy matter, tentacles, eyeballs, and grotesque visages ripped into what once was stone and wood.

Throughout the realm of Chaos you will find the magical fortresses and temples of Tzeentch. Magic flames, the eye of Tzeentch, Chaos runes, and other displays of wizardry adorn these impregnable stone structures capped with vicious metal claws. Many of these buildings float implausibly above the ground and have been known to appear upside down!

Finally, dotting the desolate landscape of the north are the brass and stone structures of Khorne, the Blood God. These formidable buildings are detailed with metal stained red with blood, an abundance of skulls, boiling flows of molten brass, and, of course, lots of spikes!

Each month, we go behind-the-scenes with Senior Designer, Josh Drescher, for an insiders look at the development of WAR.

Click Image to Watch Podcast

In this month's Production Podcast, we take an in-depth look at The Realm War in Warhammer Online. You'll get a visual explanation for how Victory Points are gained (or lost) in RvR, and how they ultimately affect the Battlefronts and determine Zone Control. Take a few minutes to learn more about Battlefields, Skirmishes, and Scenarios and then set your strategic plan into motion to lead your Realm to Victory!

** Special Bonus Video **

Ever wonder what it’s really like to work on an MMO? You may think that it’s all fun and games, with lots of smiling happy people. Well, think again! This is the dark underbelly of the development beast that is rarely seen by the outside world. WARNING: Those of you with a weak constitution are advised to skip this shocking exposé and skip down to the Video of the Month.

 
Click Image to Watch the Special Bonus Video

Each newsletter, the Video of the Month brings you a fresh, new look at WAR in action! These videos are not highly polished marketing trailers, but clips of raw game footage showcasing many of the cool features of WAR.

Click Image to Watch Video

This month, we have a short video to share with you that was created as a placeholder login screen for our pre-beta build. The reason we are so excited about this clip is that it shows, for the first time, what we’ll be able to do in the game with our new lighting tool. All of the great images you have seen of the game to date have been without proper lighting. Now that the tool is done, the art team has started lighting the world and we’ll be rolling out new images as early as next month. Wait until you see what a dramatic difference it makes!

Join Creative Director, Paul Barnett, and his trusty video phone for a truly unique look at the making of WAR. This month we get to see the Magus on his disk, take a sneak peak at Karak Eight Peaks, and learn what Paul really does when he is in his office.

View the Video Blog >>

The 2007 Road Show is under way and we are bringing WAR to a town near you! Visit our booth and engage in head-to-head combat in one of the new RvR Scenarios. Plus, meet members of the team and walk off with cool giveaways.

Fifty (50) lucky winners will also earn a spot in the beta test. You must be present to win. Visit the booth for more details.

Fan art submissions are coming in on a regular basis, and we thought we’d share this month’s favorites. Keep the artwork coming!

Dwarven Slayer By Brian Crawford	Imperial Griffon By Marta
Brets vs HighElves By Michael Boatwright	Orcs vs HighElves By Michael Boatwright
Lord Malus DarkBlade By Michael Boatwright	Ironbreaker Veteran By Magnus Nysträm

Visit the Fan Art Gallery >>

Feeling creative? Send us your WAR-inspired art. We will choose the best entries and feature them in upcoming newsletters and on our website. Note to aspiring artists: Color submissions will usually get more love than ones done in pencil!

Submit your artwork >>

Welcome to the WAR Grab Bag, where our friendly neighborhood community manager answers the most pressing, the most popular, and the most interesting questions from fans. Keep those questions coming, as we’re eager to hear what you have to say!

Check out this month’s Grab Bag >>

The WAR beta test is still a long way off, but now is your chance to secure a spot for when it does go live. Each month we'll randomly select 5 names from the newsletter subscriber database for entry into the beta test.* If you have already created and confirmed a Warhammer newsletter account, then you're automatically entered into the drawing every month. If you haven't set up a password protected account yet, click here to register.

A. Chauvin/Europe
D. Thomas/Europe
K. Vicks/North America
B. O'Donnell/North America
M. Stonex/Australia and New Zealand

Decorate your desktop with new wallpapers featuring the latest art of WAR. New Buddy Icons are also available.

February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006

Each month we’ll be shining the spotlight on WAR fan sites that exemplify what we consider to be
the best in WAR community spirit.

Check out this excellent new
comic strip based on WAR. New comics are posted every Monday. 

Chaos Zealot

Dwarf Hammerer

Empire Witch Hunter

Empire Bright Wizard

Orcs!

Is your WAR fan site doing
something cool, informative,
or fun? Let us know by sending an email to sweathers at ea dot com
and you could be featured in the
next community spotlight.

Download the WAR Fan Site kit.