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Starting Dusk Fane of Nyrro: Which Warmachine Box Should You Buy First?
For a focused first step into Dusk Fane of Nyrro, start with Executioner's Toll if you want Hysene and a melee-led Command force. Choose one of the larger themed army boxes if you already know which warlock and collection you want to build. Death's Whisper, Court of Shadows and The Gathering Darkness each offer a different starting point.
Fane of Nyrro is a Warmachine army from Steamforged Games. Its range does not follow the same Battlegroup Box, Core Expansion and Auxiliary Expansion structure used by several other armies. This guide compares the four main boxed options carried by Toy Snowman, our Montreal-based Canadian hobby store.
Which Fane of Nyrro box fits your first project?
| Set | Leader and theme | A useful reason to choose it |
|---|---|---|
| Executioner's Toll | Hysene, the Executioner; a melee strike force | You want a focused Command-level project built around Hysene and her Fane Knights. |
| Death's Whisper | Ashmael, Keeper of Whispers; assassins and supporting warbeasts | You prefer Ashmael's models and want an army box with both a Strygon and a Vordak. |
| Court of Shadows | Auricant Vorsalys; an arcane-themed force | You want Vorsalys, Horkos and the units gathered around them. |
| The Gathering Darkness | Harasheth, the Gorged Darkness; endurance and restoration | You like Harasheth's theme and want a collection featuring Hollowed and Styrge Hounds. |
Steamforged introduced these larger army boxes as themed forces for Skirmish-sized games, approximately 50 points. Use the current rules and costs in the Warmachine app to build the exact list you will play.
What comes in Executioner's Toll?
The set contains Hysene, the Executioner; Sybaris, a character warbeast; a Strygon Rider solo; the Fane Knights unit; and a Sythyss Prophet unit attachment.
Our recommendation is to begin here if those are the models that made you interested in Fane of Nyrro. It gives your first hobby project a clear centre: one named warlock and a themed group around her. You can learn that force before deciding which parts of the wider range you actually want.
How are the three larger army boxes different?
Death's Whisper includes Ashmael, Jylvana the Tormented, the Klyvenesh, a Strygon, a Vordak, a Sythyss Overseer, Blood Sirens and Fane Stalkers. Its mix of assassins, support and two warbeasts makes it worth comparing if you want several types of model in your first collection.
Court of Shadows centres on Auricant Vorsalys. Its listed contents include Thaemara, Horkos, a Strygon, three Lesser Eldritch, the Devoted and the Merciless. Choose it because you want that leader and selection of models; its arcane theme gives it a different identity from Hysene's strike force.
The Gathering Darkness contains Harasheth, a Vordak, Riven, a Razorbat Alpha, the Forsaken, Styrge Hounds, Hollowed and the Merciless. Its product description emphasises a resilient force and Harasheth's ability to restore fallen warriors.
Do the army boxes include every warbeast option?
No. Steamforged's army-box explanation says the included Strygon and Vordak models have fixed loadouts that differ between sets. The separate warbeast boxes provide additional build options. Compare the exact configuration you need before buying a second box just to obtain a particular weapon or head.
For example, our Death's Whisper listing specifies a Strygon with Snapping Maw and Claws and a Vordak with Alpha Head and Poisonous Barbs. That is more useful buying information than simply counting two warbeasts.
Do you need to buy all four sets?
No. Pick one starting project, assemble it and learn its rules. When you want to expand, decide whether you need a new leader, another unit or a specific warbeast configuration. Compare contents for overlap: owning two different boxes does not mean every included model is new to your collection.
Budget for suitable assembly supplies, a play area and gaming accessories as well as miniatures. Check the product instructions for materials and preparation. A digital rules reference is available through the official app.
Where should a Canadian beginner start?
Compare Executioner's Toll with the army box whose leader interests you most. Toy Snowman's linked listings show current CAD prices and availability. For help choosing between the two Dusk armies, read our House Kallyss versus Fane of Nyrro guide.
More Warmachine buying guides
- Starting Warmachine: Command Starter or Battlegroup Box?
- House Kallyss vs Fane of Nyrro: Which Dusk Army Is Right for You?
- What Should You Buy After Your Warmachine Command Starter?
Product details and official references checked November 8, 2026. Rules, points, prices and availability can change. Product pages show current CAD pricing and stock or preorder status. Images show manufacturer product presentations, including painted examples.
Sources and product checks
Box contents were checked against the Toy Snowman product pages linked above. Official references: