Please remember that these are rumors, and to take with salt.
via Harry
The last rumors were a compilation of everything I had seen posted before the end of last year.
This set is the stuff that seems to have a bit more corroboration from different sources.
This is just my interpretation of the rumours ... I could have got stuff wrong and others may have got things right that have now been left out of this round up.
Rumours about the Timescale:
There are rumours of the Empire being released in April 2012
A date of the 7th of April has been suggested.
Rumours about the Book:
Nothing solid ... not even who has written the book ... but Jervis has been suggested.
The book is expected with the first wave of models in April.
Rumours about the army:
Nothing solid on army wide changes
Rumours about models:
Empire will get 4 plastic kits and 2 plastic one piece characters. (6 Plastic in total)
Also at least one new sculpt in finecast as well as some old models being redone in finecast.
This will see The Empire become the first fantasy army that can be all plastic.
Rumours of Characters/Lords/Heroes
I heard something about a mounted Wizard..... as a mount option for the Griffon. (Amber wizard)
Also something about a Jade wizard
I heard something about an engineer. I heard it was plastic and a very nice sculpt.
I heard something about a plastic Captain ... also very nice.
Marius Leitdorf will be re-released in Finecast.
Rumours of Karl Franz OR Lord/Hero on Griffon.
There are rumours of a plastic Lord/Hero on a Griffon that could 'pass' as Karl Franz. (Harry)
There is a rumour that it IS Karl Franz. (which is an interesting development as this is the first time we have seen a special, named character as a plastic kit). (Harry and Hastings)
“The new plastic Empire hero on griffon is also supposed to be very nice” (hastings)
Griffin, which to be honest is a bit of a let down. It's big, Manticore sized, and looks almost like an update of the Deathclaw mini only a bit more static, oddly it was painted a deep ruddy brown. (Darnock via birdy)
As you see opinions vary ... I heard it was BIG and the paint job and the camera angle have not done it any favours. So I shall wait until I have it in my hands before passing judgement.
More importantly I heard it has the option of KF a generic lord/hero or an Amber wizard.
Rumours of a plastic War Altar (and something new?)
There are rumours of a dual plastic kit which makes a War Altar and something else. (Harry, hastings, ghost21, malladin.ben)
It is rumoured that the War Altar can be customised to make Sigmar, Ulric or Morr. (ghost21)
There is a rumour that it makes a War Altar and a “College of Magic wizardlordmobile”. (NatTreehouse, Harry)
A war altar combo kit with a wizardy casting platform thing which had lots of globes almost like a celestial model. (Darnock via birdy)
Not much more to add to this from the previous rumors
Oh, except a nice little rumour from Kyte that the War Alter may be pushed into combat by Flagellants rather than pulled by horses.
I have heard the iconic statue of the griffon remains unchanged. (Not sure if this pours water on the customise for different religions rumour. I feel like I would have heard 'you can have a griffon like the last one or a big wolf' Didn't hear that. )
Rumours of new Warrior priests:
There were lots of rumours of new warrior priests early on.
I think that any new priests will be done for the plastic War Altar.
(Rather than an additional kit or individual sculpts)
Rumours of Demi-Griffon knights.
There are rumours of Demi-Griffon knights. (Eldargal and others )
Don't expect the same as the Forge World one ... expect something a bit different.
Rumours of knights:
So many conflicting rumours about Knights I don't know what to make of it.
I have heard nearly nothing about new Knights .... so I assume that is what is happening. (Nearly nothing. )
My guess is sprues have been seen/heard about for demi-griff knights...and conclusions have been leapt to.
But see what you can pick out of this lot.
Rumours of Inner Circle knights:
There is a rumour of a new box of inner circle knights with lots of options for different orders.(ghost21)
This is the reason for no new knights. (ghost21)
There is a rumour that the Inner Circle Knights and Demi-griffon knights are the same dual kit.
Rumours of new Knights:
No new knights. (hastings)
Rumour of the sprue re-cut for the knights. (ghost21)
Rumour of individual Knightly Orders rather than redone generic set. (eldargal)
Rumour of new Knights of Morr. (Mirbeau)
Rumour of more packs like the blazing sun bits pack to customize the existing knights. (ghost21)
Rumours of a Nuln Siege Cannon:
There were rumours of a BIG cannon ....
I have heard nothing about this .... so I assume this isn't happening.
There are rumours of some things back from 4th edition:
Rumours of Halflings:
There are rumours that halflings are back in the book BUT as I have not heard about new halfling plastics and I have heard the whole army can be done in plastic I am not convinced.
On the other hand it follows that IF they are in the book then there MUST be a halfling kit in the works.
Rumours of the War Wagon:
There is a rumour the War Wagon is back in the book with a combat, shooty or mixed option.(ghost21)
I have heard about a model from more than one person of a War Wagon which look like the warmaster wagon with a bunch of handgunners in the back. Now it could be this is just a scratch built conversion or it could be a new kit?
Either way I am not expecting it with the first wave of models. But then if it did exist I wouldn't be expecting it with the first wave but a few months after as they did with the Skaven kits so they didn't compete for sales.
But again we will know when we get the book because if it is in the book it must exist as a kit for the all plastic army to be possible.