A New Era of Grimdark: Trench Crusade Launches Its First Official Plastic Minis

The wait is finally over for fans of the dark, apocalyptic horror wargame, Trench Crusade. After a hugely successful crowdfunding campaign and months of anticipation, the skirmish-scale game is making the leap from high-end resin and 3D prints to official hard plastic miniatures, marking a major milestone for the surging indie title.

This move is a game-changer for the dark universe created by artist Mike Franchina, sculptor James Sherriff, and former Games Workshop designer Tuomas Pirinen (Mordheim).

What is Trench Crusade? A World of Eternal War

For those unfamiliar with the setting, Trench Crusade plunges players into a grimdark, alternate history where the First Crusade never ended. Instead, a heretical Templar order opened a Gate of Hell in Jerusalem circa 1099, unleashing demonic forces upon the Earth.

The game is set in the Year of Our Lord 1914, where the war for humanity’s soul rages on in endless, mud-choked trenches. The unique aesthetic blends the horrific religious iconography of the Crusades with the brutal, industrial machinery of early 20th-century warfare. Players command small warbands from a host of terrifying factions, including:

• Trench Pilgrims: Fanatical, gas-mask-wearing soldiers of the Church.
• The Iron Sultanate: A technologically advanced, alchemical power fighting the demonic tide.
• Various Heretic Cults and Demonic Legions.

The game is a grim, visceral nightmare where faith and unholy powers clash on the tabletop.

The First Plastic Set: Prussian  Warband

The official debut into plastic centers around a Warband for the Free State of Prussia, a faction that perfectly embodies the game’s weird-war setting.

The new boxed set is a complete skirmish force and includes:

• 1 x Hauptmann (Lieutenant)
• 1 x Feldkaplan (Trench Cleric)
• 3 x Stosstruppen (Prussian stormtroopers)
• 3 x Yeomen

The set is designed to allow players to field a ready-to-play force right out of the box. Notably, the hard plastic format offers greater ease of assembly, superior durability, and the opportunity for multi-part kits with alternate weapon poses and head options—a massive boon for hobbyists who love to customize.

Why Plastic Matters for the Future

The shift to hard plastic production, reportedly being manufactured by a reputable studio known for high-quality miniatures, signifies a major step in the growth of Trench Crusade:

1. Retail Expansion: Plastic production allows for much higher volume than resin casting, paving the way for the game to move from a direct-to-consumer model into local game stores worldwide.
2. Affordability & Accessibility: While the initial resin models were of exceptional quality, plastic kits generally offer a more cost-effective entry point, making the game more accessible to a wider audience.
3. Hobbyist Quality: The new miniatures maintain the extreme detail seen in Franchina and Sherriff’s original concepts, proving that the unique aesthetic translates beautifully to the new material.

The release of the Prussian  Warband is the first of what is expected to be a wave of new kits and expansions, hinting at a robust future for this cult-favorite wargame.

The Prussian  Warband is available for pre-order now and is scheduled to begin shipping in November 2025. Get ready to put on your gas mask, grab your religious relics, and join the endless war in the trenches!