Anyone know what's in store for the Thousand Sons or Wolves

[CommissarHughes]

So I've been for new info about both legions and whatever rules and models they're going to get, but there doesn't seem to be any information beyond the few teases at the weekender, and I'd like to know something about what they'll get to start planning out what I need to order. So does anyone have anything solid about release dates or rules? Anything would be helpful.

[Mango Polo]

Nothing, the FW staff have been very particular about not proving rules, especially as the Thousand Sons are still being designed at this very moment.

 

Here's some blurbs that I wrote from attending the weekender.

 

1. The TS Contemptor and the new Achaen upgrade kits will be released some time around in April. Pictures at the end of the post)

 

2. Achaen kits are NOT for a special unit. What happened is the artist wanted to make the classic-style TS shoulderpads with the indentations, but that would have required making 2x the amount and he got told no. After the normalized TS pads were released though, he was able to get these approved.

 

As per his words, they are a work of love and should be used for whatever purpose.

 

3. The Artist also mentioned that the TS Contemptor would be getting decals to specifically go into the grooves of the legs. He seemed to imply that other Contemptors would get decals too, but I'm not sure.

 

Design note on the dread, the artist said he wanted to capture a little of the Chaos TS feel. The head's mouth and the side ornaments are exactly that.

Prospero Spireguards, will get rules. Very unlikely for any kind of model support, outside of a character. In general don't expect model ranges for specific Guard armies, only characters. No details on how they differentiate themselves from the current Guard rules.

 

Thousand Sons, full army. More details below. Magnus is expected right after Russ for modeling/release.

 

Space Wolves, full army. Equipment diverges from standard legions; not all core vehicles/equipment available, instead replaced by their own unique versions. Same for Consuls, not all available but their get special replacements/new types.

 

Custodes, full army. Tremendous firepower per model, unmatched mobility on the battlefield, they do not use standard legion vehicles/equipment. They also don't use artillery. Their gear comes from the Emperor's private vault; the stuff that he would never give to the legiones. Relics of the dark times, etc. They are described as the perfect bodyguards, of a superior design than the astartes... but because of that lacking in free will.

 

Sisters of Silence, allies/detachment, not enough to field by itself (mechanically).

 

Titan Legions, rules for various affiliations.

 

Forge World Arkhadine, additional Legio Cybernetica rules/options. Staff seemed unsure how much of Arkhadine would be fluff, and how much would be rules.

 

Thousand Sons not on Prospero, not a focus in the book. They will be mentioned, but there are no plans for details. Me: Would make sense to offer a Shattered Legion Theme, but from the sounds of it it's not really in the cards.

 

Thousand Sons. First, they are not Space Marines +1. The FW staff absolutely does not want that, especially in the form of stacking special rule on top of special rule. They do have "a cunning plan" for the implementation of TS which they are currently playtesting; they're not sure if it'll pan out. The staff would not comment on their game mechanics, but they said that the fluff will carry as much as possible into the flavor of the rules.

 

They are described as survivors. Every battle they take part in involves a struggle for survival. War of attrition is not an option, because they simply don't have the numbers to entertain that kind of strategy.

 

The staff mentioned that the disciplines/temples of the TS would offer a large variety of options in both rules and wargear. Also that aligning your TS with a temple would provide benefits, but also penalties. To paraphrase: every temple has certain habits/idiosyncrasies/prides/etc. that create flaws.

 

They use cybernetica automata to bolster their ranks. These would be the Cataphractii we know from A Thousand Sons, but from the overall session it sounded like they might have different types and a much more prevalent use. The TS see the robots as expendable troops, the opposite of their astartes in that regard. These automata are controlled using psychic crystals rather than the usual cortex-controllers. This makes the Mechanicum very angry; they brand it tech-heresy.

 

Forge World Arkhadine is working very closely with the Thousand Sons, and the Thousand Sons are encouraging Arkhadine to use the psychic crystals and other such applications of psychic powers. So when the Wolves are sent to deal with Magnus, the Mechanicum at large uses this as an opportunity to stamp out Arkhadine which is why multiple Titan Legions are attacking.

 

Prospero is a massively detailed battle. Space, land, psychic; the loyalist side wants to wipe out everything and anything that has associated itself with the Sons. The whole planet will become a psychic quagmire, from simple illusions to more horrific effects and bending space and time. We'll also have details about the aftermath of the psychic devastation on the planetside Wolves.

 

And yes, the book will address the hypocrisy of the Rune Priests ;)