Future Directions (theory-crafting future release 40K)

[AfroCampbell]

I think with the new improved GW taking the story in so many interesting directions it will be interesting to hear the communities thoughts on where they think the storylines will go in future in terms of Vigilus, the wider Imperium, Eldar gods, Chaos in the Eye, events on Terra etc. 

In general it is a safe bet to say 'big shiny hero models' sell armies, and I think the return of several recently herald a likely pattern GW will continue to capitalise on, who do you think will return? Missing/Daemon Primarchs seem obvious, but there also seem other options.... 

 

Kirioth did a beautiful video outlining his theory regarding Vigilus:

in short - a facedown between Dante and Abby ending in Dante's near-death and elevation to Primaris or Sanguinor-like state in order to develop the BA storyline and bring about a decent new primarch-scale model to the Blood Angel model range. 

 

I have wondered about the Two Blades story in Horus Heresy fluff with the disappearance of Constantin Valdor, and I would think it would be likely that he is another prime example of a shiny new 'big' model to sell more Custodes alongside a wave two Custodes reinforcement in future (especially considering how widely popular they are). 
Story-wise I think some form of direct threat to Terra itself involving Magnus results in the return of Russ and Valdor in a future campaign focus - I think some of the seeds are already there in the fluff for this that would be easy to pick up and work with.

Thoughts on this? Do you think we will see Valdor? 

 

I think an interesting point yet to be fleshed out is what will happen to the Grey Knights with the development of Primaris marines, will we see them convert over to this or not? I think eventually it is inevitable to bring them in line from a scale perspective, but story-wise it will be interesting to see if they are willing to incorporate this?

 

In the fluff surrounding the creation of the new Primaris Marines there are hints that Cawl has gene-seed from traitor legions, I think it would be cool to see story-arcs surrounding this, and building on Guilliman's mis-trust of him, could we even see new loyalists with 'traitor' gene-seed?

 

I can imagine based on Blackstone Fortress models and other hints, (as well as what is just practical) we may see the development of the following also:

 

1) Traitor Guardsmen/ Lost and Damned being fleshed out with Gors, Guardsmen and access to many of the IG equipment similar to Genestealer Cults.

 

2) Dark Mechanicum - potentially alongside the above or as an entirely independent faction, if I was to guess I would say probably together.

 

3) Adeptus Arbites probably just for Necromunda I imagine, I believe someone mentioned this recently at the Weekender in casual conversation.

 

4) Inquisition - probably as an Index Imperialis Codex in White Dwarf soon after/along-side the release of Sisters of Battle. It would be really nice to see a multi-part plastic boxset but I would say that is definite wish-listing and probably unlikely

 

 

What are your thoughts where do you see Warhammer going in 2019 in terms of story and development? 

 

 

 

 

 

[Daimyo-Phaeron Lenoch]

Dream list:

Kardan Stronos crosses the Rubicon Primaris, and has almost no issues with it because he’s 75 percent machine already—gives GW an opportunity to make a second rubicon character with decent background (rubicon is most logical to continue waging wars at optimal strength) and give the Iron Hands a character. We’ve waited for far too long.

 

Silent King gets a model, rules, and comes back from wherever he is to lay a major beat down on the Tyranids, possibly returning with pariahs to provide mobile hive mind disruption. The Triarch Praetorians get a mini-dex, and more models, as well as a dynastic code lookalike.

 

Ferrus comes back as a LotD Primarch, along with new LotD kits. They’ve begun to include Primaris marines, who are even more monstrous than their brothers living or dead, and serve as some manner of berserker, with their biology driving a rage they are unable to cage, only leash until a fight.

 

Somewhat more realistic:

Ultramarines get a rubicon’ed Sicarius, who returns from wherever he is to help defend Vigilus—GW will use some of his last exploits to justify him beating Abbadon, or at least distracting him long enough for XIII to land a more severe blow. The rest of the 2nd company rides along, equipped with the rest of wave 2.

Grey Knights get some manner of Primaris, though it may simply be ‘rubicon them all, and when they’ve all crossed or died we can make new ones’. Kaldor hops out of the Warp long enough to get rubicon’ed, and then hops right back into go fight Angron or Fulgrim or another of the Daemon primarchs.

Another loyalist returns—personally I’d like to see Vulkan come back, or maybe Corax. However, I’m not sure when and where they’d return to make a massive story impact.

Guardsmen get a refresh, and another regiment is established as the mainline group.

 

For the memes/cool but widely nonessential

Trazyn un-pokéball’s Creed, who “Tactical Genius’’es a large imperial force in such a manner as to save a major, as-yet unidentified planet. Hilarity ensues as other things come un-pokéballed a la Cadia.

Caiphas Cain gets a model and rules, because despite a full funeral, he’s still on active duty.

Arbites get models, and are Agents of the Imperium—we’ll get one in a retinue of some variety to showcase the models before they get a full kit (hopefully).

 

Beyond that, I don’t really know what the year brings, or what I want it to bring...all we have so far is speculation and hope, and we all know what they say about hope... ;)

[Kinstryfe]

Firstly, let me say that the pure mechanical rage we would see if they brought back Ferrus as a LotD Primarch before the Iron Hands got a character would be absolutely epic.

 

Secondly, a bunch of things in no particular order.

 

Grey Knights - It's been said now that they, like the Custodes, are considered one of the crowning feats of engineering of The Emperor. I honestly don't think they'll get the Primaris treatment as they likely think that, like Custodes, they're already perfected for their given role in the Imperium. Given that some Grey Knights have gone toe to claw with daemon Primarchs and survived, they may actually be justified in thinking that too.

 

Custodes - I definitely see Valdor coming back, but only if his twin blade also returns. I do think that if the forgeworld beta rules prove popular (as models often drive fluff) we'll see a new miniwave of models accompanied by Custodes getting an expanded role in the fluff.

 

Chaos - I actually think Chaos may win on Vigilus, setting up a real-space base for them and a new inverse-Cadia situation. I think we'll see Chaos having to play defense for once, and I hope that we'd see more of the (above mentioned) crazy dark Mechanicus or mortals represented in a way that makes them different from GSC and AM. I could even see a chaotic empire arising, which would be a great change from what we tend to see.

 

Aeldari - I think we'll see the Ynnead thread continued. No idea where they'll go with it, but hopefully it'll be good.

 

Necrons - I'd love to see the newer, personality laden Necrons expanded upon, and for them to become more of a practical threat than a theoretical threat. I'd like to see small Necron empires pop up, either exterminating or enslaving the human populations. Maybe breeding programs to spread the pariah gene. Make the Imperium really sweat over whether It's worth dealing with them right now with all their other problems or just trying to ignore them and hope they'll be content with their new empires. But since it's GW, we'll probably get nothing like this.

 

Imperial Guard - The only thing I'm nearly sure if is that with Cadia gone the groundwork is laid for whenever they refresh the range and, due to copyright and trademark concerns, I can almost guarantee it'll be a brand new regiment and aesthetic they can protect instead of *insert historical military* in Space. I expect we'll see a lot of story focused on a new regiment at some point as a result.

 

Astartes - I honestly think that in the short term, the focus will shift even more (because it's already kind of there) to the triad of Ultramarines, Dark Angels, and Blood Angels. I genuinely see the Lion being the next loyalist back and, despite what many people seem to want, I can very easily see him being the Lord Solar (or in the old terms, Warmaster) to Guilliman's Regent. I similarly see Dante getting exchanged focus as Warden of Imperium Nihilus (or whatever his recent title is). I can see GW going this route because it would redeem the mistakes of Imperium Secondus, with the three legions involved forming the foundation of the modern Imperium with valuable knowledge learned during that experiment.

 

I'm sure I have more predictions, but that was enough typing for now :)

[Trevak Dal]

Standard policy should be to not have more than 3 of any given unit in your collection.

 

Magnetize where possible (hqs, common upgrades such as special weapons) or build for Cool factor (ex grey knight terminators with halberds).

[Sete]

I want Ghazghull prime Vs The Black Templar trio with a special visit by Daemon Angron and Primaris grey Knights at Armaggedon.

Vigilus will be a stalemate, and I dont expect any loyalist primarch soon. Expect it to be Ultramarine/Guilliman centered for a couple more years. If GW went above and beyond to put them at Vigilus after plague wars, and with Fulgrim still to appear with EC, obviously Guilliman will be involved and expect a Primaris Sicarius to appear at the head of the victrix guard.

I expect a few more stupid releases for Primaris in the shape of gravis armour,(hopefully we are done with Phobos) and I expect they will go down eventually to a more classic design with the tacticus armour.

 

Overall storywise i expect it to be a small galaxy sindrome story, focusing on primarchs and Daemon primarchs.

Edited March 7, 2019 by Sete

[Charlo]

Good topic.

 

Quite honestly, I think it will be the Eldar next in the form of a Ynnarii codex or similar. They'll go the full hog to make it a unique force and probably restrict it in options a fair bit but still very thematic. It's been a few centuries since Guilliman's revival, what has that done to the Ynnarii cult? Has it grown larger with more followers? New ways of fighting and militaristic formations based around the soul burst?

 

To supplement this, you'll have the Emperor's children as the opposite force. Daemon Prince Fulgrim will probably rofl-stomp the Yncarne or something.

[D3L]

I can see parallels with their previous franchise, so I'll go with , a destroyed terra, galactic collapse,  fragmentary chaotic realms, anything goes story telling, quite an easy sell via marketing, requires no overheads or knowledge of previous lore, keep using old models while they try to scrabble for some permanency 

due to the resurgent popularity of settles of catan, we may even get hexagonal bases

[AfroCampbell]

I can see parallels with their previous franchise, so I'll go with , a destroyed terra, galactic collapse,  fragmentary chaotic realms, anything goes story telling, quite an easy sell via marketing, requires no overheads or knowledge of previous lore, keep using old models while they try to scrabble for some permanency 

 

due to the resurgent popularity of settles of catan, we may even get hexagonal bases

 

I think we can guarantee they wont follow the pattern of WFB, it lost such a huge chunk of the playerbase....

[Marshal Loss]

I think it's pretty clear (especially based on that Cruddace article in WD from the other month) that they had originally intended to do to 40k what they'd done to Age of Sigmar, but thought differently given the reaction to the lore. As such, the Ynnari have an uncertain place in the lore and I am very interested in what they are going to do for them. But I do agree with the posters above that Ynnari seem an obvious candidate for the next big revamp.

 

It's also pretty clear I think that in the short to medium term we're going to get EC and WE, and in the medium to long term we'll get Dark Mechanicus and Lost and the Damned. They're exploring the waters and must have their eye on the horizon. This is certainly an exciting time to be a 40k player.

[chapter master 454]

I want to know what will happen once Calgar and Gulliman meet again because I don't think those two have seen each other since back on UM home world and even there, Gulliman was berating Calgar. Now he is a Primaris and trying to take on Abbaddon effectively, if Gulliman arrives to Vigilus lost to the black legion while under Calgars command, I would imagine there will be some serious ramifications. First, didn't Gulliman state he isn't exactly happy with the Primaris program? I thought he regarded them in some distaste at some point. Now he comes, sees Calgar became one AND failed to secure Vigilus, to cap it all off to abbadon? Yea, Gulliman may just berate Calgar to a point where we see some serious civil war going on (almost a mirror to the Emperor and his sons, how he became aloof from them and thus was one factor leading to the heresy).

 

Ynnari need to get on with their ritual. Ether get to your prophecy or just get exposed as one big slannesh conspiracy plan co-planned with Tzeentch (or was it!) to finely let their lusty god of sins past eat their souls whole already.

 

Lion...wake up and tell us who are the real traitors. Then...do something about Gulliman because right now he is doing things...and it ain't working out so hot.

 

I agree with the necrons needing to get around to be actual problems and their main stick being "HEY...those bugs are stealing OUR GIMMICK. WE are the great harvester...not these starship "want to know more" knock-off rejects from ridley scots fever dreams!". Would be interesting to see what would happen there.

 

Tyranids need to ramp it up too...stop sticking your finger in the puddin and actually get to it already. Show us your true form (and thus create a really BIG reason why the dark imperium is in some serious soapy bubble)

[SickSix]

Well with Abbadon back and CSM getting a complete revamp I think the next big faction revamp will be Imperial and/or Orks. The IG need a serious model refresh. I think Armageddon is going to come to the fore pretty soon. And Orks got a big update but still need the rest of the line updated. Prime Ghaz is pretty much a given at this point.

 

Then there is Khorne and Slaanesh CSM factions to update. I think Khorne may tie into Amreggedon as well. Pretty sure it was stated that another ritual to bring Angry Ron back to realspace was mentioned in the Fall of Cadia book.

 

As much as I want to see anither loyalist Primarch, my gut is telling me it that we will get Angron and Fulgrim first.

 

I think the DA will have a big deal with Cypher and his merry band of Fallen and the Lion will return. And honestly I think this should be next. Chaos have two demon primarchs and now Abbadon. G-man can't handle that by himself.

[Ogun]

Predictions/wish listing:

 

Abbadon wins at Vigilus. Not entirely, I doubt GW will permit a complete floor wipe for the Imperium. There will be spark of hope, but control of the Nachmund Gauntlet will fall to Chaos. 

 

Really unlikely, but what I hope they do: Calgar is slain by Abbadon, or possibly horrendously wounded. I think killing Calgar though would be the best way to cement Abbadon's re-emergence on the scene. If Calgar is Primarised, but in the end even that doesn't help him, it really sends a message. It will also nicely set up some future confrontation with Guilliman. 

A more humble Sicarius becomes the new Chapter Master. 

 

The hints in the BA codex come to fruition. Some major incident forces the entire chapter to confront by the fact that the Primaris have the flaw, perhaps even magnified. An appropriately Grim Dark twist. 

 

 

New Cadians, and perhaps a new Guard army, the Vostroyans in plastic perhaps? They are the most 40k feeling of the Guard range and it would seem odd if GW didn't try to exploit that at some point. Cadians will have female trooper models at last. 

 

 

A few years down the line:

Guilliman and Cawl fall out. Already hinted at as a possibility in Dark Imperium. Guilliman finds Cawl has been doing things he shouldn't have and is forced to act. This precipitates some form of crisis with the Primaris. 

[Red_Shift]

Years ago one of the prime rumour mongers of yore (I think Hastings) said that guilliman, angron, mortarian and magnus would come back, along with Russ. He also predicted other things like gorkamorka that have all panned out. Therefore, I expect Russ to come in and save the day to some extent, ushering in new close combat primaris.

I also think after a hint from warhammer community that primaris scale terminators will come, probably alongside all of this.

 

I think the traitor geneseed stuff is just a cool easter egg left behind for people to mkae nice themed primaris chapters. i dont think it wil go any further

 

Grey knights will probably get a primaris revamp but ala AoS with some mini- daemon fighting chambers for the regular primaris chapters. Quite how grey knights will retain their current number one spot I'm not sure but it follows the AoS pattern.

 

I would like necrons to come in and be set up as a de-facto order faction, but not of nice guys. A stabilising influence against chaos and the nids, maybe unexpectedly pushing abaddon back at vigilus.

 

I'm sure an AM infantry revamp has to come at some point. Ynarri are a real unknown. GW also tend to switch focus between AoS and 40k on a yearly basis so I dont think release wise with chaos, space marines and sisters that we will see much more 40k this year and who knows where the focus will move to then?

[Exilyth]

We might see primaris techmarines. Unless there's a schism first.

[Aarik]

I think it's pretty clear (especially based on that Cruddace article in WD from the other month) that they had originally intended to do to 40k what they'd done to Age of Sigmar, but thought differently given the reaction to the lore. As such, the Ynnari have an uncertain place in the lore and I am very interested in what they are going to do for them. But I do agree with the posters above that Ynnari seem an obvious candidate for the next big revamp.

 

It's also pretty clear I think that in the short to medium term we're going to get EC and WE, and in the medium to long term we'll get Dark Mechanicus and Lost and the Damned. They're exploring the waters and must have their eye on the horizon. This is certainly an exciting time to be a 40k player.

 

That's an interesting point about the aborted "End Times."  What did the article say?

 

I agree that WE and EC are definitely coming at some point.  And I think that an Imperial Guard refresh will definitely happen, given that most of the kits are very dated.  My personal prediction is that it won't be a revamp of Cadians (especially since Cadia died), but instead a more gothic/sci fi looking regiment, probably some new amalgamation of Steel Legion/Death Korps/perhaps Vostroyans.  Eldar will likely get new kits, either with a refresh of Craftworlds or the expansion of Ynarri into their own full range. 

 

Lost and the Damned I think is another candidate to be turned into a faction, given all the recent models that would fit perfectly in the army.  And more importantly, they were a faction before. 

 

Dark Mechanicus I don't think will become it's own faction, but I would be very happy to be proven wrong.  I think the challenge would be finding a unique aesthetic niche for them between Adeptus Mechanicus and the CSM daemon engines.

 

It could be interesting if LatD was similar to GSC with a main range of chaos mutants/beastmen, etc. that could ally in detachments of IG and Adeptus Mechanicus. 

[Doctor Perils]

EDIT:

I'm changing this post quite a bit because most of it has already been said.

 

First of all, let's look at what ranges could do with a bit of a spruce up (ie, that could do with getting a Primarch-class character) - this will exclude space marines of different types:

- Orks with new Gazhkull

- Necrons with Silent King

- Tyranids with some kind of Über-Lord (possibly crossed with a Zooanthrope)

- Tau with possibly some kind of mixed-caste character (perhaps an Ethereal in a Suit) or the ghost of Aun'shi

- Dark Eldar with a new Asdrubael Vect

- Eldar with possibly a new unique Avatar of Khaine ?

 

In addition, Ynnari and AdMech could probably do with an expanded standard range (they already have their Primarch-Class characters).

Imperial Guard need an entirely refreshed infantry range, as well as a new Primarch-class character (Creed? A new Macharius equivalent?) - I personally hope this will be a greatcoat set, along with head options to make either Armageddon SL, Vostalan FB, Valhallans, Krieg (Perhaps a slightly different look for Mordians)...

 

Next, I believe the following Primaris "Chambers" (for lack of a better word) are coming in the near-to-mid future:

- CQC, with Chainswords, flame, Melta, and possibly shotguns or Frag weapons. This would fit for BA, BT, RG, Sallies, SW

- Vehicle / Techmarines + Terminator/Centurion/Gravis equivalents: IH, IF, DA(DW)

- Bikers or Jetbikers : DA(RW), WS

 

At this point in time, I think it's fair to assume most of these things will be coming along some sort of campaign, so here's what I can see happening (from most to least likely, with no timeframe in mind):

- Emperor's Children vs Ynnari, perhaps on a Craftworld or in the Webway?

 

- Armageddon 4 part one: Gazhkull, new Guard models (possibly even Yarrick?!)

 

- Armageddon 4 part two: CQC Primaris Chamber (perhaps another Rubiconed character, like Helbrecht or Ragnar, and/or Russ) vs Angron and Co.

 

- Asdrubael Vect attacks Ophelia VII, giving us DE vs SoB

 

- New Forgebane, with the Silent King and his Praetorians, vs expanded AdMech (with new transports, flyer and/or some kind of psychic unit), or the Primaris vehicle and "terminator" expansion

 

- Damocles redux: Tau Gundam Primarch-class vs. Primaris Bikers

[Trevak Dal]

I think Guilliman's 'distaste' for the Primaris program was like Liquid Snake describing Les Enfants Terribles-the Terrible Children.

 

Just a sort of play at words, gallows humor. The "blasphemous hordes of Cawl" being blasphemous by dint of innovation in modular tech and back stepping in so far as combat roles (but that might be gw trying to square peg the "buy more :cuss" slogan like how they can't use old vehicles and old Marines have to be X tall to ride in Repulsors)

[Marshal Rohr]

The best thing GW could do to bring back the real feeling of the universe that made it what it is would be a guard range revamp where the regiments of renown each get a command squad, infantry squad, and heavy weapons squad. Krieg/Valhallans, Steel Legion/Vostroyans, and Cadians/Catachans for a total of 9 new molds.

 

If Chaos and Space Marines are going down the ‘kitbashing discouraged’ route, at least make one faction where players can express their individuality.

Edited March 10, 2019 by Marshal Rohr

[RWJP]

Really unlikely, but what I hope they do: Calgar is slain by Abbadon, or possibly horrendously wounded. I think killing Calgar though would be the best way to cement Abbadon's re-emergence on the scene. If Calgar is Primarised, but in the end even that doesn't help him, it really sends a message. It will also nicely set up some future confrontation with Guilliman. 

A more humble Sicarius becomes the new Chapter Master. 

There is absolutely no chance GW would kill off Calgar. It would be plain stupid for GW to release a new model with all the fanfare and then say "Oh, now he's dead"

 

This is exactly the same reason why people like Kirioth are suggesting that Abaddon won't face Guilliman as it would be stupid for GW to revamp Abaddon and then have him get pulverised by a Primarch.

 

If Abaddon "kills" any character on Vigilus it's likely going to be one of the other chapters such as the Blood Angels in order to make Abaddon look threatening, without involving him beating down a Primarch or the most recently upgraded Chapter Master. Any character he does "kill" will also most likely survive by the skin of his teeth and go through the Rubicon Primaris to save him.

 

 

[Marshal Rohr]

Is Kantor on Vigilus? He’s not Primarized yet

[Xwingt65]

Years ago one of the prime rumour mongers of yore (I think Hastings) said that guilliman, angron, mortarian and magnus would come back, along with Russ. He also predicted other things like gorkamorka that have all panned out. Therefore, I expect Russ to come in and save the day to some extent, ushering in new close combat primaris.

I also think after a hint from warhammer community that primaris scale terminators will come, probably alongside all of this.

 

I think the traitor geneseed stuff is just a cool easter egg left behind for people to mkae nice themed primaris chapters. i dont think it wil go any further

 

Grey knights will probably get a primaris revamp but ala AoS with some mini- daemon fighting chambers for the regular primaris chapters. Quite how grey knights will retain their current number one spot I'm not sure but it follows the AoS pattern.

 

I would like necrons to come in and be set up as a de-facto order faction, but not of nice guys. A stabilising influence against chaos and the nids, maybe unexpectedly pushing abaddon back at vigilus.

 

I'm sure an AM infantry revamp has to come at some point. Ynarri are a real unknown. GW also tend to switch focus between AoS and 40k on a yearly basis so I dont think release wise with chaos, space marines and sisters that we will see much more 40k this year and who knows where the focus will move to then?

I can see the Necron thing happening. There are plenty of Order factions in AoS that aren’t exactly good guys.

[Bryan Blaire]

We might see primaris techmarines.

I believe that Jes Goodwin so much as said Techmarines in his discussion about showing different things about Primaris. I may have misheard, but it sounded to me like there was a plan for having them.

[Aramis K]

I expect Ynnari because they have to move on from all the finecast aspect warriors. I love the aspects, but I'm not expecting plastic kits, it'll be some new twist on armoured Eldar. Maybe just new aspects, or aspects of death not khaine.

 

After or at the end of Vigilus I think we'll see something bigger for the Blood Angels. Some sort of Dante extra.

[Bulwyf]

I expect Fulgrim and Angron to have 40k models. Fulgrim in the fluff has been running around since the Gathering Storm timelne wise IIRC. Angron popping back up at Armageddon also wouldn't surprise. Quite some time ago a source I trust told me that once all existing 7th edition armies got their codex that after that at some point Emperor's Children and World Eater's are getting their own codex.

 

I expect that to happen with Fulgrim and Angron leading their sons. I do expect Russ to come back since in the fluff for some time now the Space Wolves have been hit hard. G-man can't handle 4 demon primarchs plus Abby by himself. I expect Russ to come back and we'll see CC specialist Primaris at the same time to fit in with the SW motif of melee masters.

 

The Dark Eldar codex mentions that Vect is now some kind of eldar demi god at this point. I could see him getting a new model to make him primarch level opponent.

[Jarl Caldersson]

[quote name="Bulwyf" post="5273948" timestamp="1552253177"

 

I expect that to happen with Fulgrim and Angron leading their sons. I do expect Russ to come back since in the fluff for some time now the Space Wolves have been hit hard. G-man can't handle 4 demon primarchs plus Abby by himself. I expect Russ to come back and we'll see CC specialist Primaris at the same time to fit in with the SW motif of melee masters.

 

 

Well that rumor of GW wanting the 40k universe to revolve around Guilliman is proving more and more true. I do not think we will see any loyalist primarch for at least another year or 2.

 

I do agree Angron and Fulgrim will come back. I suspect Fulgrim before Angron. Along with Ghaz at some point. Tyranids and IG I do not think will get a Primarch level model. Eldar I have no idea what to expect.