Hunt for Russ

This article is based on information Games Workshop Canada created on their own behalf and may conflict with more general background material.

The Hunt for Russ Logo For the Event Location Fenris Outcome Undeterminable; probable escape for Leman Russ [See Trivia] Combatants Tyranids Space Wolves Commanders Hive Mind Leman Russ(POW)

The Hunt for Russ was a narrative event run by Games Workshop Canada at Games Day 2001.

It invloved a Tyranid invasion of Fenris, and the capture of the Space Wolves Primarch Leman Russ.^[1]

Battle

Leman Russ had been on a long, isolated journey across Fenris. He is described as being undefended. At that time the Tyranid Hive Mind decided that its priority would be the capture of a Primarch to collect pure gene-seed. A massive force of Spaces Wolves assembeled to rescue Leman Russ, following his capture by the Tyranids.^[1]

Images

• 

  Preview from the Canadian Games Workshop Website

• 

  Hunt for Russ Table

Trivia

The following information is not to be regarded as officially sanctioned and/ or is not written from an in-universe point of view. A detailed explanation of the term "Trivia" as used in the Lexicanum can be found here.

• The results of the battle were, as of 16 December 2025, unknown.
  • Andy Chambers attended the 2001 Games Day in Canada.^[3] When asked via email, he mentions that he no longer remembers the event, but that he felt it very unlikely the GW staff at the time would have allowed Leman Russ to fail - the fallout of that would be tremendous, so a space wolf victory was "almost guaranteed." Likewise, he mentions it's possible the game simply ran out of time and did not finish before the end of the Games Day.^[2]
• On January 7, 2026, a user by the name of Godhammer6 on Bluesky would self identify as one of the players in an archived photograph of the Hunt for Russ^{[See Images]}. Per their anecdotal report, the Hunt for Russ was not a singular "Mega Battle" style event, but rather a continuous game in which successions of players in line were given a full squad or unit, and once depleted, another player in line brought in and given a new squad/unit.
  • This setup appears feasibly as a way to introduce and familiarize new players to the Warhammer 40000 system. Since units would be endlessly reinforced on both sides, it could be inferred there was no traditional end objective or mission end in the traditional sense, the game ending only when it was time for Games Day to conclude (as suggested by Andy Chambers previously). See Hunt for Russ/Sources

Sources

• 1: White Dwarf 258 (US): Canadian Games Day, pgs. 61-65
• 2: Private Email with Andy Chambers via Roy Amkreutz of the Battlefleet Gothic Remastered discord.
• 3: Games Workshop Website - Canada - Games Day 2001 Coverage - Interview with Andy Chambers and Tim Adcock (archived from the original 22 March 2004, last accessed 17 December 2025)^{[GW Canada]}
• 4: Bluesky Thread (see Hunt for Russ/Sources