My divination's once were clouded and fraught with peril; they are now clear, and the threads of time have revealed opportunity. Our focus is Black and White, Sword and Shield, and with it, we shall strike into the heart of our enemies, and drive them back to the hells with which came.
What a busy week it has been. Lots of rumors have hit, with the biggest sections being the Black Templar. Of course we had a new skirmish games coming from Games Workshop, followed by news of Sisters of Battle, Ravenguard, and much more.
Each week, Faeit's Rumor Tarot will take a look at what rumors came up among the myriad of games that were covered here on Faeit 212. On occasion I will be breaking any weekend developments that were discovered or revealed, so keep a watch out, for on the Faeit's Tarot, you never know what secrets there may be.
One new thing on Faeit's Rumor Tarot: I am linking back to the original article here on Faeit 212, simply because not all of the rumor often makes it into this weekly round-up. (it will allow for more coverage in the future as well)
Breaking Rumors: Another Tau Supplement
For those of you that follow Faeit 212, you will remember that we have been talking about mini-dexes for a long time (about a year). Now that these codex supplements are here, one of the old rumors was about Tau allies, the Kroot and Vespid getting their own supplement.
via an Anonymous Source on Faeit 212
Tau Mercs
another Tau Supplement is in the works, it lines up with a few other rumours I've heard about the Tau before it was released to the world. Vespid and Kroot HQ choices, and the ability to play a non "Tau" Lists.
Codex Supplements
Codex Supplements are here to stay, and yet many people were concerned that codex supplements would continue to be only 2 pages of rules, or that long delays between digital and hardcover would be the rule, rather than the exception. These rumor bits dive into these subjects to give us an understanding what is going on with codex supplements.
We know know for a fact that the hardcover Farsight codex supplement will not be seen until October. This was the official announcement; "a hardback paper version of the book (much like the Iyanden Supplement for Codex: Eldar) will be release later in the year in October."
From Faeit 212
The Farsight supplement will be a good example of what supplements will be to follow. It has more rules changes than the Iyanden one and expect the future supplements to provide more and more rules changes as well.
Supplements are currently being released "in order" of few rules to most rules changes. Iyanden had hardly any, Farsight Enclave has more, and so on. If a sourcebook has too many rules, then GW can rope it back. Rather than run this living experiment with books that need lots of rules, but offering only few so that it fits the model, GW picked the races that needed very few rules to start with and are working their way up (hence Black Legion and not say, Night Lords).
Codex Supplement Delays
From Faeit 212
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/07/farsight-between-digital-to-hardcover.html
As for the delay between digital and print:
It's to due with a physical production backlog. The current printers used can't actually keep up with the volume of production needed.
Codexes take precedence over sourcebooks. The idea existed to simply wait on sourcebooks, but realistically there's no gap large enough between top tier releases (army books) to squeeze them in.
Instead, the Digital model helps in two ways. First, it lets people who want it get it as soon as it's ready. Second, it let's GW coordinate the releases a lot more smoothly until a second printer is acquired (as is the case with the softcover books, they will be coming from a new printer). Third, it alleviates some of the production stress since people are less likely to buy a hard copy for something they have a digital copy of.
The idea of cross-platform, cross-media production of the same book is not a money grab. GW of course doesn't mind if you buy the interactive book, the ebook and the hardcover, but it's not the goal. The goal (much like the LEs) is to provide "something for everyone," no matter what your taste is.
So the Digital will come out when it's ready or when it's timed properly, and hopefully the print will line up, but Supplements aren't about to bump codexes behind since that would upset more people than it would please.
In the future, expect the releases to be a lot closer to one another and eventually sync up within a week.
Ravenguard
We know that rumors point to the White Scars as being the first Space Marine codex supplement on its way, and that one more is due to be out this year. Now we have a good idea what that second supplement should be. Ravenguard.
From Faeit 212
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/07/space-marines-ravenguard-and-more.html
As currently planned, the Ravenguard supplement will be after the 6th edition space marine book (which will be soon) and will coincide with forgeworld's HH Book 3, Massacre pt 2.
The Space Marine chapter supplements will offer a fair amount of divergence (much more than Iyanden), while still staying true to the space marine core book.
In the coming months though we are going to be smothered (pleasantly) in space marine goodies, with every other or every third month releasing a space marine supplement, after the main book comes out.
Black Templar
The Black Templar were very much a highlight of the week, as the rumors seemed to just pour in. Last week we had the breaking information that we would see a full codex for the Black Templar at the end of the year.
There were three sets of Black Templar rumors that are coming from an earlier playtest set. Remember that changes occur in playtests, but that they give us a great idea on the direction a codex is going.
On Faeit 212
In so far as Black Templar: They are getting a full book not a supplement. The direction of the book is on "crusades," and differentiating the Black Templar when they persecute Xenos as opposed to when they put the Witch to the sword.
They are seeing a lot of changes from their previous incarnation, and are no longer a shooting army (despite the intention of the previous book, they were received as a shooting army).
The army will have a "knights in space" kind of feel with wargear being a very big importance for the characters, and vows similar to old bretonians. The struggle there is with book keeping, but it is a pretty cool concept.
Crusade squads with their hybrid neophyte and space marine combinations are gone. Which will probably anger a lot of people without pleasing any (since in the past you could just take 0 neophytes so in essence this is just removing choices), but take it for what it's worth.
The whole "move after taking casualties" thing is gone and has been replaced with something more similar to battle trance (but less swift, and more assault oriented).
Templar point costs are down even from those of dark angels, and are designed to be balanced by their point cost, but also deliver the feeling that this is a "crusade army" that has never really felt the yoke of the codex astartes, and thus has huge companies of marines.
On Faeit 212 Parts 1 and 2
Neophytes get their own unit entry, 5-10 unit size, they're 0-X max, where X = squads with the crusader keyword (crusader squad, sword brethren, assault squads, bike squads). It seems like the terminators either don't take squires anymore or they fall under sword brethren.
They get attached to squads with the crusade keyword at the start of the game when the main squad is deployed or they can be deployed independently.
They're troops, but if they are attached to a unit they take on whatever squad type the parent squad is. Otherwise though they take up no force org.
Initiates come with bp/ccw and grenades, one in 5 can take an assault gun, and their squad size is 1-20. 11 points each. They can replace their weapons with bolters for a price. They're bs3, and can buy bs4 for a price.
Can take land raiders as dedicated transports at a really decent price reduction.
All power armoured models roll 3D6, pick the two highest to charge. Casualties they take from overwatch are done after initiative 1 attacks are resolved and before combat resolution using the new "closest models." (basically distributed as CC)
1-3 per choice elite champion-like model who takes vows. Vows are a lot like dark angel banners and revolve around objectives (defending or taking), but only apply to the unit they've joined and are a bit more toned down. Reminiscent of space wolf oaths.
HQs get access to better vows, and are different for chaplains and Captains. Emperor's champion is only required in games over 1500 points, does not take up an HQ slot and does not have macro-vows anymore, instead...
The army buys a vow for 0-40 points for every 1,000 or more points the army is. You can only buy one vow and it basically stacks in cost the bigger the army is.
Some vows are cheaper than others.
Vows have either an anti- psyker or xenos feel.
Wargear is significantly cheaper for BT characters.
Squads that have taken casualties are subject to rage for the remainder of the game.
Neophytes:
Scout Stat line.
They do not take up a force organization slot, but count as troops for all intents and purposes (Scoring etc).
They do not have infiltrate, or move through cover. They also are not subject to rage after taking a casualty.
The number of Neophyte Squads you can take equals the number of Initiate, Assault, Bike and Sword Brethren squads total you have in the army.
Sword Brethren Terminators do not increase this limit.
Once purchased, as a 5-10 unit choice they are their own selection.
When deploying Squads with the Crusade keyword (Initiates, Assault, Bikes) you can attach a Neophyte squad to it. This then becomes one unit for all intents and purposes for the remainder of the game and cannot be split.
If the squad numbers 5 models, Neophytes can buy Bikes. They cannot buy jump packs. They come with bolt pistol and CCW and they cannot take special weapons. Those on bikes can upgrade to grenade launchers though. Neophytes can take shotguns
If you don't want to attach them, you can just deploy them as their own unit.
From what it seems, you can put Neophytes with bikes into squads without bikes, and vice versa.
Initiates:
Initiates have the stats of a basic marine, except their BS which is 3. It's +1 point per model (and the whole squad has to buy it), to get up to BS 4. For 1 more point, you swap their chainsword for a bolter. They are 10-20. Only assault special weapons (meltaguns, plasmaguns or flamers) can be taken. No heavy weapons. Instead of assault weapons they can take power weapons. They can replace both their BP and CCW for a Heavy Chainsword. They do not have sergeants, and are leadership 8.
Yes it's possible to take 20 Initiates and 10 Neophytes it seems.
Castellans:
Castellans are a 0-3 per slot elites choice. They are independent characters and take on vows that are reminiscent of oaths of moment from the books. Things like taking objectives, or defending them till the end and confer that benefit to initiates (or better) that are in the same squad as them. They can't take more than one vow and vows have different point costs. They get access to all sorts of interesting wargear, and unique wargear. They do not have to take wargear or vows, and are more expensive than a wolf guard, despite having the same stats. They are leadership 9.
This playtest set is incomplete and out of date, but since it's only one version out, it should be pretty close to what is currently being used.
Sisters of Battle
Just to be upfront, these were not really rumors, but were conversations with codex authors, that came out of the Enter the Citadel event at Warhammer World. I thought since this was big news this last week, that it was worth mentioning here.
via Enigwolf (thanks for the links)
I attended all of the Design sessions and because there weren't many people around, I manage to have very good, long conversions with Phil Kelly, Jervis Johnson, Guy Haley, and Jes Goodwin. I asked almost all of them about SoBs, and from the sounds of it it's not in the pipeline anytime soon. However, Phil Kelly has expressed interest in it, although he really wants to work on the IG 'dex because there's a certain "human" element to it missing from all the other races. He also mentioned that there are 3 Citadel Designers who have full SoB armies as their main army, and reassured me that they're still around. It's apparently also hard to "get rid" of a dex's contents once introduced, so no fear of Codex: Black Templars, etc. becoming a supplement. I prodded him more about how Witchhunter and Daemonhunters became Codex: GK, and he told me he wasn't involved in that, but it was an oddity within the office.
Oh yeah, one last thing about the Sisters of Battle. According to Phil Kelly, the reason why they never got plastic minis was because they couldn't be plastic moulded by the current process. He wasn't really sure what the issue was, but there was something about the sculpt which meant that it could only be cast in metal. Presumably this led to declining SoB sales and a lack of development in them as a result.
Inquisition
Games Workshop looks to be on the verge of stepping back into the skirmish scene with a new game called Inquisition. The best part is, it doesnt look like we will have to wait very long for it. Lets hope it sticks and gets continuous support.
From TastyTaste on Blood of Kittens
GW is about to enter the skirmish scene with the release of Warhammer 40k: Inquisition
Inquisition is designed for 2-4 players and each side will use custom cards and dice. Army sizes consist of about 5-10 models per side. A whole new set of models drawn from Blanche artwork will accompany. The game should be flexible as you can make and design your own Inquisitorial retinue. As for rules complexity that is anyone's guess, but the general marketing goal for Inquisition is a gateway game into the greater Warhammer 40k universe.
Beyond that GW, seems to be taking cues from Kickstarter projects like Sedition Wars and home-brewed rules like Inq28 for Inquisitor. This also might not end up as a limited edition run, but that all depends on sales, and if any support is continued will be done through digital expansions and updates.
Warhammer Fantasy
Lizard Men
We are very likely to only be a few days away from leaks and images from the next White Dwarf. It is highly expected that these will result in revealing a new Lizard Men army book for Warhammer Fantasy.
From thalamus over on Warseer
In a Forum over here in Germany, there has been recently stated, that by hearsay a retailer told:
LM are definitely coming in August.
The release contains the AB and "only" two or three new releases in total. There hasn't been any information, if "new releases" means two or three boxes and whether the boxes are only single kits or contain at least one dual kit. What we know is, that one of those boxes contain Terradons and maybe something additional. So it is still unclear, if i.e. a own magic lore can be expected and if one of the new releases means cards for the new magic lore.
The reason, why the retailer shared this info, was that he is going on vacation during the normal preordering phase, so he gave it a bit earlier to ensure an on-date delivery.
To sum up, very little can be contributed, but I think, we should not be so doubtful. A lack of rumour doesn't mean per se there will be no release at all...