Midlife Heresy: A Warhammer Podcast

Grab your power armor and your scorecards, because the Midlife Heresy boys are tackling the ultimate grimdark question: Who is the absolute greatest villain in Warhammer 40,000?This week, Matt and Lucas lay down strict judging criteria based on evilness, setting impact, miniature coolness, and just how badly you want to hit them in the jaw. We put eight of the galaxy’s worst offenders on trial—from Abaddon’s "meme-escaping" black crusades to Fabius Bile’s human-skin trench coat chic.

...the Audience Strikes Back...Normally on this podcast, we complain about rules updates, grey plastic, and hobbying challenges in the midlife. But today, we’re doing something radical: being positive. We’re taking an episode to read out the incredibly kind messages and reviews left by you, the listeners.

Why read a 120-page codex when you can just button-mash your way through a horde of Orks? This week on Midlife Heresy, we’re taking a deeply biased, intensely nostalgic trip through three decades of Warhammer video games. From the ancient 90s era—where tutorials didn't exist and the developers actively hated you—to the absolute peak of Dawn of War (yes, we discuss why DoW III hurt us), right up to modern masterpieces like Space Marine 2. We debate whether 40K or Fantasy makes a better game, pitch some utterly ridiculous dream titles (Ork mechanics powered by pure belief, anyone?), and confess to buying absolute train wrecks just because the box art looked cool.Don't let your vox-casters fail you—hit that Follow button on Spotify so you never miss an episode!

Today, Midlife Heresy commits the ultimate midlife sin: competence. For our very first guest episode, we’re joined by the masterminds behind Black Mantle to discuss how grown adults end up spending their precious evening hours edge-highlighting tiny plastic shoulders. We dive deep into hobby origin stories, confront our collective Piles of Shame, and ask the hard-hitting questions: Are airbrushes essential tools or just expensive propaganda? Why does everyone secretly want to drink the paint water? Plus, Matt and Lucas pitch some groundbreaking (and deeply unhinged) new product ideas, including an alarm system designed to save your £30 brush from a caffeine-induced death. Grab a beverage, hide your grey plastic, and join the heresy.

Let’s be honest: your Warhammer 40K addiction started with a box of Space Marines. It's okay, you’re in a safe space. This week, we’re dissecting the "gateway drug" of the grimdark future. We break down why everyone starts with these genetic super-soldiers, why they’re incredibly forgiving on the tabletop, and how to choose a Chapter you’ll actually still love after painting your 40th identical shoulder pad. Whether you want to play the poster-boy Ultramarines or tragic space vampires, we’ve got your roadmap to avoid the dreaded "default army guy" syndrome.

Grab your Rosette and prepare to judge, because this week we’re playing Inquisitor with the hobby we love/hate. From the mortal sin of "Tactical Grey" armies to the questionable morality of chasing the meta, we’re ruling on what’s acceptable in the 41st Millennium and what deserves a viral orbital bombardment.Is 3D printing a whole army a crime against the Golden Throne? Is canceling a game because your kid has a fever a valid excuse, or just low-tier cowardice? We’re settling the arguments that ruin friendships, break gaming groups, and make your spouse wonder why you own 4,000 points of unpainted plastic.

In this episode we tackle the ultimate tactical nightmare: introducing your offspring to the hobby without filing for bankruptcy or losing your sanity. We’ve all had the dream of a tactical protégé sitting across the table, but the reality involves more spilled Nuln Oil, broken models and chewed dice than the codex prepares you for. Join us as we bridge the gap from Peppa Pig to Plasma Guns and hear why sometimes the greatest victory is losing a game to a six-year-old.

This week, we’re tackling the terrifying prospect of Henry Cavill finally bringing the 41st Millennium to the silver screen. Is the world ready for a multi-million dollar budget dedicated to space-fascists and self flagellation? Can Hollywood resist the urge to give a Chaos Cultist a quirky redemption arc, humorous quips and a "relatable" backstory?

"How much have you actually spent on Warhammer?" This week, we’re peeling back the curtain on the "sticker shock" of the hobby—from the £30 "thousand cuts" to the reality of building a full 2,000pt army. We also reframe the debate: Is Warhammer actually more expensive than a golf membership, football season tickets, or a high-end gaming PC? We discuss balancing disposable income with family life and the guilt of "buying toys", share practical tips on using the second-hand market and the "build before buy" rule.And the Big Question: If you added it all up, would you do it all again?

In this episode of Midlife Heresy, Matt and Lucas dive deep into the gene-vaults to examine the twenty extraordinary sons of the Emperor: The Primarchs.The two brothers discuss the impending sibling betrayal, nature vs. nurture, how their homeworlds shaped them, and most importantly - The Ultimate Dinner Party. We decide which Primarch we’d actually invite over for Sunday roast. Who’s up for a chat, and who’s going to break the dining room table and kill the cat?

This episode takes us from the muddy trenches of the Imperial Guard to the elegant, doomed spires of the Aeldari. If the Guard represents the struggle of the present, the Eldar represent the terrifying weight of the past.We’re diving into the "tragic aristocrats" of Warhammer 40,000—a race that ruled the stars, sex-partied a Chaos God into existence, and which have a highly-specialised tabletop army which one of our hosts can never quite win a battle with...

“You’re nineteen, the sky is on fire, and you’re the only thing standing between a nightmare and your home. All you have is a lasgun, a spade and the soldier next to you.”In this episode of Midlife Heresy, we explore the "Wall of Guns"—the Imperial Guard. In a universe filled with genetically engineered gods and literal demons, why is it the ordinary, fragile human soldier that captures our imagination as we get older in Warhammer 40k?We’re moving past the "cool factor" of Space Marines to discuss the emotional weight of being a reluctant survivor in a cosmic nightmare. From the industrial tragedy of the trenches to the legendary grit of figures like Commissar Yarrick and Ciaphas Cain, we ask if the Guard’s courage is more meaningful precisely because they can feel fear.

In this episode of Midlife Heresy, we’re stepping away from the rulebooks and dice to explore the soul of the hobby. We ask the defining question: When did Warhammer stop being a game of toy soldiers and become a living, breathing universe?From the tragic beauty of 4th Edition Wood Elves to the gritty, historical echoes of the Battle of Glazer’s River, we discuss the specific moments the "Grimdark" clicked. We dive deep into why decaying empires and impossible odds resonate more than traditional heroics, and whether the expansion of the Horus Heresy deepened the myth or stripped away the mystery.

In this episode we discuss our return to Warhammer 40k after over 20 years. We talk about what brought us back, what's different in the modern 40k universe, and what we love about being back in the grimdark future.We also discuss how the lore, models and community have evolved - and whether Warhammer is better now than it was back then.If you're thinking about getting back into Warhammer 40k, or you've recently returned, this one is for you.