Sunday, September 8, 2013

Faeit's Rumor Tarot: Traitorous Legions, Dark Elves, and More


This was a  big rumor week, with a lot to sift through. The highlights include information about Chaos Space Marine codex Supplements, Sister's of Battle, Space Wolves and Blood Angels, and lots of Warhammer Fantasy, ranging from 9th Edition to the upcoming release of Dark Elves.


If a man dedicates his life to good deeds and the welfare of others, he will die unthanked and unremembered. If he exercises his genius bringing misery and death to billions, his name will echo through the millennia for a hundred lifetimes. Infamy is always more preferable to ignominy.
- Fabius Bile at the Desecration of Kanzuz IX

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.

Chaos Space Marines

Traitor Legions
There was a lot of talk mid week about Chaos Space Marine codex supplements, from Books of the Chaos Gods to the Traitor legions. Filling out the Chaos Space Marines seems to be a high priority, and one that many of us would love to see.

This rumor was trimmed down, full the full version and more details, just follow the link.

*via a very solid source on Faeit 212
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/09/all-major-traitor-legions-will-be.html
Chaos Space Marines are getting supplements for all of the major traitor legions.

These will be more and more complex as time goes on (as will all supplements) and are ordered based around how much they affect the game/core codex, and not based on anything else primarily.

World Eaters, Thousand Sons, Death Guard, Emperor's Children, Iron Warriors, Alpha Legion, Word Bearers and Night Lords will all get their due treatment and be fleshed out into characterful factions.

Keep in mind that though mono-god Legions are coming, it's very much so desired by essentially everyone, but it's being handled carefully.

Warzones however we're going to start seeing a lot more of, which will coincide with codex launches or between them to bridge codexes together (expect one for Tyranids and Ultramarines).

Also, despite being in the core codex, Space Marines will also be seeing Chapter Supplements to help deviate them farther.

Books of the Chaos Gods
via Rumour Sauce on Dakka
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/09/book-of-tzeentch-and-marked-terminators.html
Chaos will be receiving some serious treatment very soon in the form of 4 new supplements, I do not have a release date (I couldn't even get an approximate) but what I could get was the following information about what the supplements will do...

- There will be 4 supplements released within short succession, possibly even all at once
- They will be called "The Book of Khorne", "The Book of Nurgle", "The Book of Tzeentch" and "The Book of Slanesh"
- They will work for both chaos space marines AND chaos Daemons in a very unique way
- each will have its own unique warlord traits and some new wargear options

allowing players to take units from BOTH Codex: Chaos Space Marines AND Codex: Chaos Daemons without the need to ally so long as they all follow the same god. For example in the book of khorne you can take any unit from either codex as long as it doesnt have Daemon of nurgle, slaanesh or tzeentch or mark of nurgle, slaanesh or Tzeentch.


via Tim the Theif on Faeit 212
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/09/book-of-tzeentch-supplement-new-gw.html
Warhammer 40.000
 -Imperial Guard along with a Tank Company supplement
-No Ork Kult of Speed supplement for now

-"Book of Tzeentch" supplement is being processed at the moment; Rubric Terminators & Cult of Sorcerers planned, very limited selections

via Rumour Sauce on Dakka
UPDATE 
After reading the glllowing rumour
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/09/book-of-tzeentch-supplement-new-gw.html on Faeit212 I contacted my source to hopefully get some confirmation. Unfortunately he has informed me that the rumour is not 100% accurate. Here are the responses he gave me:

-there will be no cult terminators as these are easily reprisented by marked terminators. ..
-GW have moved away from the idea of a group launch and will be relasing the digital edition of the book of tzeench in the second half of 2014
( The rubric terminator rumour is likely a result of this next point)
-any CSM unit with both MoT and a bolt weapon may take inferno bolts for an extra cost




Imperial Guard

The Imperial Guard codex is looking to show up sometime around the beginning of 2014, either for a January or March release. So its still early to be getting detailed Imperial Guard release information, but this set is said to come from a playtest.

via an anonymous source on Faeit 212
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/09/starting-off-september-imperial-guard.html
This is from a supposed playtesting document I was able to flip through ( I have no way to verify that this was actually a real playtesting document, but I thought most of it sounds pretty reasonable):

Company Command is now the only, real“ HQ you can chose but you can swap the Commander for a Lord-Commissar.
Primaris Psyker are now Advisors, Bodyguards are gone .
Only Cadian named characters in this document.
Salamander is in as transport for CCS/PCS, open-topped Chimera with Autocannon, transports 6.
Engineeers are Elite now (but 1-3 per slot), can buff squads in the vicinity (think Force Field and such).
Priests must join a squad and won’t take HQ slots.

Veterans, get some lose some“. Size 5-10, can take 1 heavy wepaon or 1 special weapon per 5 soldiers. Bastogne is gone but every Veteran Sarge can give orders now. Can still take shotguns and get option to take pistol & CCW. New Veteran ability allows charging out of transport.

Special Weapon and Heavy Weapon Squads are now 10 men each.

Vendetta is gone, instead Valkyries can take the Vendettas-loadout for +45 points.

Only one entry for Sentinels, no armor upgrade, closed cabin has no game effect but is just cosmetical.

Thunderer/Destroyer is in, Thunderer is a cheap Demolisher with nothing but a hull-mounted Demolisher cannon. Destroyer is a dedicated tank hunter with a laser-lance weapon. Have a, hull-down“ rule that makes them extremely hard to kill if in cover, seem to be area-control units.

There was talk about a new Cadian Veteran plastic set, 5 miniatures with all options.

Heavy Weapon Squad will be repacked to include one sprue of standard Cadian infantry.
Special Weapon Squads might get their own box with a new special weapon sprue (which is also used for Veteran box).



Tyranids

Tyranids had some sketchy rumors this week, and to just do a quick wrap up of what was said, check out the following. Just do not put much into these rumors. Tyranids are still lined up for November.

via 4chan
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/09/rumored-tyranid-cover-found-probably-not.html
The pic above is the codex cover for the Tyranid codex

*via an Anonymous Source on Faeit 212
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/09/tyranid-codex-cover-answer-blood-angels.html
this is artwork created by jon Sullivan for a BL book/audio and not for the upcoming codex cover.

Have New Tyranids Been Revealed?
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/09/have-new-tyranids-been-revealed.html

Here is the picture in question from an already released White Dwarf, and can be found on several different sites including. Who found it first I have no idea, since both seemed to go up at about the same time.
https://www.facebook.com/lee.jerrum.12?hc_location=stream
https://www.facebook.com/ForgeTheNarrative

When it comes down to it, the pictures are blurry, but does indeed seem to be a heirodule from Forgeworld. The studio army shown is also one that has been shown in White Dwarf before, and there are known to be some custom models done on it.

So while I am going to say No to this one, as its rather obvious after a little digging to what the beast is.



Space Wolves

http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/09/space-wolves-on-horizon.html
*via an anonymous source on Faeit 212
Space Wolves coming in May, alongside another csm supplement

*via Tim the Thief on Faeit 212
May: Space Wolves
The Sons of Russ returns with a Focus on they greatest Enemy: The Sorcerers of the Thousand Sons Legion.



Blood Angels

*via an anonymous source on Faeit 212
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/09/tyranid-codex-cover-answer-blood-angels.html
Codex BA is being worked on but is still about a year away from hitting the shelves.
looks like BA are most likely having units from codex SM previously not available being added to the codex.

Sisters of Battle

*via Best_Pone on Warseer
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/09/sisters-of-battle-digital-codex.html#more
Codex: Sisters of Battle
An interesting tidbit I overheard being discussed recently is that Sisters of Battle are getting a digital codex release soon. Unfortunately, I'm still in the dark as to if there will be a physical codex release, or whether this is new material or just a repackaging of the current list.



Forgeworld

via Tim the Theif on Faeit 212
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/09/book-of-tzeentch-supplement-new-gw.html
 The new GW Page
 -New Hobby content on the Page; Paint &; Tactical Guides
-Special Content for "Insiders"; Codices and Armybooks will in the future contain a code for specials on the page, only for book owner!

 Forgeworld
 -will be available on the new shop like the other GW-Products
-great crusade and unification wars books after horus heresy, BL already working on novels
-Wh40k Rulebook special Edition in HH and GC design
-Horus Heresy Apocalypse book

via an Anonymous Source on Faeit 212
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/09/tyranid-codex-cover-answer-blood-angels.html
HH betrayal book should be up for release November / December.



This is from a very reliable source here on Faeit 212, and really gets into the details of what the thinking is on Forgeworld, and what its future holds.

*via an anonymous source on Faeit 212
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/09/can-forgeworld-move-to-gw-site.html
Forgeworld isn't going on the normal GW site.  There's been talks about it about a year ago, but it would change the costing and generally increase the cost of Forgeworld by a huge margin due to a number of factors (some of which have been openly disclosed on your very site).  

As it stands Forgeworld is incredibly profitable with it's far lower cost of operation than GW, but it also has far less production capability and requirements, alongside a far smaller number of units sold.  In the past we've seen GW's profits increase, despite unit sales declining, and that has been due to cost increases. 

Some people recently compared the costs of the plastic commander vs. commander culln, where one is mass produced and the other hand poured.

It's worth noting that the templates for injection molds cast an unfathomably larger amount than the pour molds.  The sculptors get paid the same, but know that they have to limit themselves in different ways because it's done in different mediums.  GW sculpts are intended for plastic, a lot of them are now done or redone in CAD.  FW hand sculpts all of their characters.

Next, Forgeworld simply can't mass-produce items like GW can, and if out of nowhere everyone wanted a Forgeworld special character in the same numbers as that GW commander, they would end up backlogged for months, which would drive people irate for different reasons.  "Save 4 gbp" isn't really going to satisfy someone waiting 3-4 months.  Also it's the same team casting all the models, so you wouldn't just be waiting for that commander, you'd be making other people wait for their other items too.

If the demand was suddenly there for foregworld at a GW level, they'd have to switch their production methods and with that would change their costs and quality (it would decline in detail, but also reduce warping) and in turn would kill off their own demand.

It's niche.  It will stay niche.  Despite it's growth, which has in turn seen ample growth in forgeworld staff, it's cost to return ratios remain more linear: as they increase their supply capabilities they likewise increase their costs for production save for the initial investment of paying a sculptor.  Which, truth be told isn't so much the case, as the FW sculptors have been getting paid more as of late to accommodate the success of the business.



Warhammer Fantasy 

Fantasy 9th Edition
This first bit is from a very reliable source, and often gives great insight to what we will see, and some of the thinking behind the rumors.

http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/09/if-warhammer-fantasy-9th-edition-were.html
*via an anonymous source on Faeit 212
If 9th edition were coming out, it would have the rules for all of the armies found in brief within the Core Rulebook.  This would be for a player's reference to know the gist of what they might face against, not so much to make an army list and play from.

That said, if 9th edition were coming out, any army that does not receive a hardback 8th edition rulebook will notice that in the 9th edition core book their rules will be slightly more detailed, including points costs changes and the like; but they would still need their 7th edition arnybook to play in earnest.

Said armies would also be the first to get updated with 9th edition books if the new edition were coming out.

Also, any armybook after and including Lizardmen also is being built with the next edition already in mind, regardless of when 9th is actually going to come out.

Fantasy Release Schedule
*via Tim the Thief on Faeit 212
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-next-three-army-books.html
October: Dark Elves
The October will bring Dark Elves with a new Armybook, not Dwarfs!

February: Dwarfs
The Dwarf release has Switched to February

April: Bretonnians

Dark Elves
*via 40kRadio
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/09/a-dark-october-dark-elves.html
NEW RUMORS for Warhammer Fantasy! My "source" has sent me pictures of the new Dark Elf release. The Dark Elves will be out in October with a slew of new models:

1) NEW Plastic Dark Elf Warrior Box(Makes Spearmen, swordsmen, & crossbowmen)
2) NEW PLastic Dark Riders/Warlocks
3) NEW Plastic Blackguard/Executioners
4) NEW Plastic Coldone Chariot/Scroungerunner(Pulled by horses)
5) NEW Plastic Cauldron of Blood/Blood Throne(This model is AMAZING)
6) NEW Plastic Hydra/Kraken
7) NEW Plastic Witch Elf box

This will be a huge release and the Dark Elves will be the best looking Fantasy army, IMHO. These models are breathe taking and Dark Elf fans will have their minds blown!

*via Monkeybusiness on Faeit 212
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/09/dark-elves-character-releases.html
Most of these characters are missing from that list. Only adding. Guys on 40k radio are pretty close from the real launch.
I've just seen the news about DE but I've found they missed some of the new possible characters...
Plastic Khaine Character
Plastic new Assasin Shadowblade
Plastic kit for Admiral of the Dark Fleet
Plastic kit Executioners Special Character

*via Lion275 from 40k Radio
http://natfka.blogspot.com/2013/09/dark-elf-sightings-reveal-large-october.html
Warlocks
-Warlocks appear to have one hand weapon
The new chariot crew is armed with spears and what looks to be a large crossbow or bolt thrower on the chariot.
-The warlocks are bare chested, and the weapons look mundane...aka not glowing. They look like large jagged daggers. They are held in reverse grips which looks pretty slick. The warlock champions eyes are glowing which IMO hints at some magical abilities. md as far as the warriors go I think a big difference will be the size of them. Look at the size difference between Isle of Blood Lothern Sea Guard and the normal High Elves spearman.

Warriors
-The new Warriors look quite different to me. But then again I am a big geek that notices stuff like that. They have cloaks that come down their back and all the helmets don't cover the eyes any more.

The cloaks hang down from underneath the shoulder armor and cover the back of the chain mail. It definitely is new for them but it looks really cool. The Druchii warriors also have shoulder armor. It makes them look simply awesome. The skull embossed on their shields looks great too.

Hydra
-The Hydra looks bigger and beefier. Like we said Dark Elves are setting the bar for the best range of models in WHFB.

I can't really tell the size from the pic. The two handlers are actually on the base so I don't have their base size to compare to.

the Hydra does have 2 handlers.

-The Kraken has 5 heads/fanged maws. The have spines and scales with smooth neck and belly flesh. Scales are painted a Dark Grey with the softer flesh painted blue.

Witch Elves
-The pictures we have of the Witch Elves has them with two hand weapons.

Black Guard
-Black Guard look very stalwart with large halberds and high helms with 3 spikes on each side with a flowing plume on top. Their armor is black trimmed in gold and they have dark purple cloaks. The unit champion is holding a sword by the hilt with the blade planted in the ground. Musician is a drummer.

Executioners
-The executioners have what look like skull helms, and their armor is a brighter silver than the Black Guard. Their tunics are red in color and the Draiches are all held on the left hand side of their bodies (their left our right). They look very cool ranked up.

Dark Riders
The Dark Riders are very cool looking. Sleek looking horses with only a bit of armor. All of the Riders are hunched over in the saddle to give the illusion of speeding fast cav. The helmets appear to be open faced and they are armed with spears in the picture I have, once again that doesn't mean they wont get crossbows (in the pictures we have they are in the back ground behind the Warlocks).

The Kraken
The Kraken doesn't have tentacles, it has four legs with webbed appendages ending in claws and it also has a tail.

The Cauldron of Blood/ Blood Throne
The Cauldron of Blood/Blood Throne look very cool. If you are a fan of the newer larger models GW has been putting out for WHFB you will really dig it. It is a bit toned down compared to the Empire Celestial Hurricanum/Luminark of Hysh and has blades and hooks on it to make it very sinister and Dark Elf.





Faeit's Rumor Tarot Week by Week
For your weekly rumors, Faeit's Rumor Tarot is the one stop location to catch up and make sure you did not miss any rumors. If you think you might of missed something, there is an easy navigation to check any previous weeks rumors, simply by clicking Faeit's Rumor Tarot on the menu links above this article, just under the Faeit 212 title.



Key
* Means there is more weight behind the rumor. For many various reasons, including strong source, other rumors matching it up, or many other reasons. Rumors not marked, do not mean they are not valid. These are just my personal notations on the various rumors reported on during the week. Please remember in the end, these are all rumors.