Thoughts for new races/Factions in 40K

[Sarto ripped claw]

There has been talk of new factions in 40K for a while as it has been a while since one has ben introduced.

 

I thought it maybe fun for people to give ideas as to what could be next either based on lore and cannon or just your own immagination / wishes.

 

My Idea would be given that a primarch has returned and has seen what has happened to the imperium and how it has been bastardised from its intended purpose to the now "imperial cult". To set the scene we see two more prmarchs returning because they are my favourite  (in order) and because i feel their personalities would lend credance to the narrative, Leman Russ and Lionel "the lion" Johnson. Both Primarchs would share Guillimans disdain for the Eclisarchy but unlike thei brother they would not be unwilling to eradicate it. Now Guilliman has his brothers by his side he would feel more confident that the sight of three primarchs saying the same thing about how the Eclisiarchy and the inquisition being the opposite of what the emperor would want.

 

While there is 3 primarchs  denouncing the cult this would lead A massive proportion of the imperium to do the same but others would be more reluctant. When eventually the trio of primarchs release the information, buried for melenia, that the Cult was based on a book written by Lorgar. More imperial citizens abandon the cult revearing the Emperor regaurding him as their lord and savour but NOT a god.

 

BUt pockets of citizens on worlds across the imperium stay loyal to the heretcal Cult and with the eclisiarchy leave the imperium with parts of all Adepyus deprtments joning them all save for Astartes with the gene line from the 3 Primarchs.

 

This cult still believeing them selves loyal to the Emperor but at odds to who he is to the imperium as a whoe will fight the imperium for what they believe in but will also fight heretic and xeno alike there will be times they may side with any of the other faction in order to defeat a greater enemy force.

 

 

If you have any other ideas for factions please share them here.

[RandyB]

The current number of factions is already a product management nightmare. The announced increased production capacity will help, but the breadth and variety of product and potential product continues to leave customers unsatisfied.

 

Another faction would either be pure lore with no new product lines, which is pointless for selling product, or it would be yet another incomplete model line.

 

Either way, removing a faction or three would be a better choice, despite the fan rage that would result.

[Sarto ripped claw]

The current number of factions is already a product management nightmare. The announced increased production capacity will help, but the breadth and variety of product and potential product continues to leave customers unsatisfied.

 

Another faction would either be pure lore with no new product lines, which is pointless for selling product, or it would be yet another incomplete model line.

 

Either way, removing a faction or three would be a better choice, despite the fan rage that would result.

 

Lol was just a small bit of fun.

[RandyB]

Lore speculation is always fun. Here's some lore ideas that fit your speculation:

 

Human pocket empire(s): in areas of the galaxy never contacted in the Great Crusade or later, "there may yet be brothers of man, who even now fight to survive..." Perhaps they even have intact and functional STC.

 

"Lost" Genestealer cults: cults whose originating hive fleet has been lost - destroyed, consumed by the Warp, failed to make the intergalactic transit, whatever. The Star Children ain't coming for these cultists.

 

Antiorks: if Orks are chaotic (though not Chaos-aligned), these guys are order personified. Same kind of group mind as Orks, only no individual ambition or internecine conflicts.

 

Old Mechanicum: one or more Forge Worlds that rejected the Treaty of Mars, do not recognize the Emperor as the Omnissiah, still align themselves with humanity, and reject Chaos and the powers thereof.

[Sergeant Centurion]

I can say Q´orl, they supossed to have a great empire but never be represented in miniatures. Maybe in Black Stone Fortress.

[Scammel]

Human offshoots/abhumans, which are far more comfortable using the technologies the Imperium abandoned (forms of AI or more readily available gene manipulation in particular) always struck me as a deep well from which to draw. You'd probably end up with similar themes to the Tau, on the one hand visceral disgust on the Imperium's part at the technology, on the other hand a deep insecurity about how another, reasonably-cultured race seems to get by in contradiction to dogma.

Edited March 5, 2020 by Scammel

[Mr Smith]

 

"Lost" Genestealer cults: cults whose originating hive fleet has been lost - destroyed, consumed by the Warp, failed to make the intergalactic transit, whatever. The Star Children ain't coming for these cultists.

 

 

Would these guys even 'activate' without an inbound Hive Fleet?  I would think they just continue spreading throughout society, only dimly aware of their true purpose aside from the shared bond with other hybrids.

[Gederas]

The current number of factions is already a product management nightmare. The announced increased production capacity will help, but the breadth and variety of product and potential product continues to leave customers unsatisfied.

 

Another faction would either be pure lore with no new product lines, which is pointless for selling product, or it would be yet another incomplete model line.

 

Either way, removing a faction or three would be a better choice, despite the fan rage that would result.

Are you sure? 40k has 23 full Factions (27 if you count Sisters of Silence, Renegades & Heretics, Inquisition and Titans), as does Age of Sigmar, and there's at least TWO factions being added there (Lumineth Realm-Lords and Sons of Behemat) and Games Workshop seems to be able to balance all of it. Some stuff goes out of stock for a while, but that's honestly seeming to be because of the production bottleneck they have right now

[Axineton]

Just bring back Squats I reckon. They could do it but they’d have to adjust the lore I suppose. 

[Brother Tyler]

I'd prefer to see existing "factions" added to tabletop representation - Adeptus Arbites, Demiurg (i.e., Squats re-imagined), Eldar Corsairs (used to exist via Forge World, now an afterthought), Chaos Cultists (i.e., give us a range and rules that don't rely on Heretic Astartes), Inquisition, Rogue Traders, Sisters of Silence (expanding on the sparse range), Voidsmen-at-Arms (e.g., Imperial Navy boarding parties), and sub-factions that don't have accurate representation (e.g., Astra Militarum regiments that don't look like Cadians, Alpha Legion, White Scars, etc.). There is far too much stuff that doesn't have suitable models to justify adding even more factions. GW should round out the existing factions before they start on new ones (e.g., get the Primaris range done before starting something new).

 

I could see some oddball mini-factions via several avenues:

• xenos races aligned with the T'au (allows for one or two types of squads of that race)
• xenos races aligned with the Drukhari (allows for single models of that race)
• abhumans (most likely as Astra Militarum segments)
• sanctioned xenos aligned with the Imperium (single models that might accompany Inquisitors and the like)
• Chaos servants (another route for abhumans, but allows for other races)
• Necromunda (gives lots of room for one-offs and a handful of models to represent something new without needing a full WH40K range)

Blackstone Fortress and Necromunda provide a good path for unique models or mini-ranges (e.g., a handful of models for that "faction"). GW can release the models with the appropriate game and then give WH40K datasheets just as they've done with the Blackstone Fortress miniatures. Kill Team might be another vehicle for this, though GW has demonstrated that Kill Team usually follows from WH40K/Blackstone Fortress.

 

The only "new" faction I could see justifying interruption of the existing ranges that haven't been fully fleshed out is the Demiurg. We've seen one via Necromunda

 

I'm not even going to touch on what lore advancements new/expanded (mini-)factions might bring. It's bad enough guessing what miniatures GW might consider without then trying to take the leap into the lore they would use to justify it.

[Guest Triszin]

What Tyler said, and revamp of old kits and modernization of everyone's lines before something new new

[Leif Bearclaw]

No, no, no. No 'Imperial Schism'. That would be stupid. Gathering Storm and aftermath have already massively shafted the Imperium overall, we don't need 'Horus Hertesy/Age of Apostasy 2: Electric Boogaloo' when the galaxy's split in half, every planet ever mentioned as being important seems to have a Genestealer Cult, Chaos is rampaging at levels not seen since the Heresy, the biggest Ork Waaagh since Ullanor is brewing, Hive Fleets all over the place etc.

 

As for actual 'new factions'? World Eaters and Emperor's Children. After getting separate dexes for Sons and DG, rounding out equal treatment for all 4 Cult Legions should really be prioritised before anything else novel.

[Marshal Rohr]

Entirely new factions:

-Traitor Guard, Warp Cults, and Renegades

- Exodites and Corsairs

- Awakened Men of Iron

 

 

Expanding Sub-Factions

- Mechanicus Tech-Guard

- Militarum Regiments

- Gue’vesa

- Frateris Militia

- Renegade Space Marines

- Demiurg/Squats

- Kroot Revamp

- Cybernetica

[RandyB]

 

 

 

"Lost" Genestealer cults: cults whose originating hive fleet has been lost - destroyed, consumed by the Warp, failed to make the intergalactic transit, whatever. The Star Children ain't coming for these cultists.

 

Would these guys even 'activate' without an inbound Hive Fleet? I would think they just continue spreading throughout society, only dimly aware of their true purpose aside from the shared bond with other hybrids.

Both Vigilus and Psychic Awakening have had GSC "activated" by other events, with no hive fleet anywhere nearby.

[Sandlemad]

I'd be 100% here for a full Kroot Mercenaries revamp. Overall there's certainly a few background factions who could benefit from being brought out of the shadows as a new faction but I'd agree that most are probable more fitting as 'mini-factions' on the order of a Harlequins release or some of the smaller AoS factions. 

 

 

Expanding Sub-Factions
- Mechanicus Tech-Guard

 

What are these guys exactly? I think I recall them from the Taghmata organisation chart but wasn't clear on what they are, if not part of the skitarii legions.

[Guest Triszin]

Entirely new factions:

-Traitor Guard, Warp Cults, and Renegades

- Exodites and Corsairs

- Awakened Men of Iron

 

 

Expanding Sub-Factions

- Mechanicus Tech-Guard

- Militarum Regiments

- Gue’vesa

- Frateris Militia

- Renegade Space Marines

- Demiurg/Squats

- Kroot Revamp

- Cybernetica

Men of iron.

 

Use adeptus titanicusimperial Titans pieces in 40k. Here's a rule book of rules!

[Marshal Rohr]

I'd be 100% here for a full Kroot Mercenaries revamp. Overall there's certainly a few background factions who could benefit from being brought out of the shadows as a new faction but I'd agree that most are probable more fitting as 'mini-factions' on the order of a Harlequins release or some of the smaller AoS factions.

 

 

 

Expanding Sub-Factions

- Mechanicus Tech-Guard

What are these guys exactly? I think I recall them from the Taghmata organisation chart but wasn't clear on what they are, if not part of the skitarii legions.

They’re Augmented troops but not Skitarii that use standard lasguns and armored vehicles

[Marshal Loss]

Dark Mechanicum for me is the biggie, even more so than LATD; take the insanity of the Adeptus Mechanicus, dial it up to 11, and then shove a daemon in it.

 

Other than that I'd just like to see a new Xenos race. The Khrave could be cool and would fit really well into the era of the "Psychic Awakening".

[MARK0SIAN]

I think a new race would be cool but it’s really difficult to think of one that would offer anything genuinely new in terms of playstyle/mechanics or experience on the table.

 

I think you’d definitely have to go for another Xenos race as the human side of things (both loyalist and traitor) already feels a bit overcrowded, even if you went for an abhuman strain.

 

There’s plenty of Xenos threats only referred to in vague terms like in the ghoul stars. I’d start with one of those and pluck one from obscurity and make it something totally new. As for how you’d make it unique on the table though I’m still not sure :(

[Schlitzaf]

My feeling is this;

First easy ‘adds’:

Gue’vsa (Brood Brothers Rules for Tau)

Kroot Mercanaries (Add Knarlocs to range, Master Shaper, Vultures (Winged Kroot), and Kroot Trackers)

Lost & Damned (Take Blackstone Chaos Faction Rules remove the unit maximums, increase model maximums in units. Add Leman Russes + potentially Daemon Engine)

 

Easy but Hard Adds

Exodites/Corsairs (“Aether” (Space) Aeldari) - Designed to be the missing link between Drukhari and Asuryani. With Exodites being Asurynai to Corsair being Drukhari. Using a rule similar to Drukhai Raid Detachments. Reuse Transports from Asuryani and Drukhari Range. Then Sister Style “1 Box” Update (ie a troop box thay can be 3-4 different “unit” options). Then HQ.

[DuskRaider]

Dark Mechanicum

 

/End

[Scammel]

No, no, no. No 'Imperial Schism'. That would be stupid. Gathering Storm and aftermath have already massively shafted the Imperium overall, we don't need 'Horus Hertesy/Age of Apostasy 2: Electric Boogaloo' when the galaxy's split in half, every planet ever mentioned as being important seems to have a Genestealer Cult, Chaos is rampaging at levels not seen since the Heresy, the biggest Ork Waaagh since Ullanor is brewing, Hive Fleets all over the place etc.

Huh, my perception was the precise opposite - the Imperium's having the best time it's had for 10,000 years and the Cicatrix Maledictum's impact is somewhat dwarfed by new, better Space Marines, the rebirth of Astartes heroes, the snazzy Indomitus Crusade and the return of a Primarch so benign that it jars with the tone of the setting.

 

It's true that there seem to be 'more' baddies at large, but that seems to be more the product of GW trying to make sure everyone has a slice of the story pie with every release, and I'm stumped to remember any meaningful Imperial losses since Gathering Storm. The return of Calgar was the strongest signal yet that the setting is less Grim and Dark than it used to be (considering he's now pretty redundant as the Ultramarine head honcho, and thus might have been a reasonable free hit for Chaos), and I wish I could say I was surprised that Abaddon was repulsed yet again.

 

I'll confess that I just remembered Cadia whilst typing that up. More of that, please.

Edited March 6, 2020 by Scammel

[Sarto ripped claw]

 

No, no, no. No 'Imperial Schism'. That would be stupid. Gathering Storm and aftermath have already massively shafted the Imperium overall, we don't need 'Horus Hertesy/Age of Apostasy 2: Electric Boogaloo' when the galaxy's split in half, every planet ever mentioned as being important seems to have a Genestealer Cult, Chaos is rampaging at levels not seen since the Heresy, the biggest Ork Waaagh since Ullanor is brewing, Hive Fleets all over the place etc.

Huh, my perception was the precise opposite - the Imperium's having the best time it's had for 10,000 years and the Cicatrix Maledictum's impact is somewhat dwarfed by new, better Space Marines, the rebirth of Astartes heroes, the snazzy Indomitus Crusade and the return of a Primarch so benign that it jars with the tone of the setting.

 

It's true that there seems to be 'more' baddies at large, but that seems to be more the product of GW trying to make sure everyone has a slice of the story pie with every release, and I'm stumped to remember any meaningful Imperial losses since Gathering Storm. The return of Calgar was the strongest signal yet that the setting is less Grim and Dark than it used to be (considering he's now pretty redundant as the Ultramarine head honcho, and thus might have been a reasonable free hit for Chaos), and I wish I could say I was surprised that Abaddon was repulsed yet again.

 

I'll confess that I just remembered Cadia whilst typing that up. More of that, please.

 

 

Totally agree and with a further 2 primarchs returning i invisage the lion commanding the south of the mellidictum (sol side) Guillimen on the other side and Russ being allowed to go on a rampage. if the imperium had that level of bulk back 1 ultimate strategist with another two both capable strategists i think the imperiums enemies would think twice before attempting anything. Yes there is more talk of the imperiums enemies but I'm quite certain in a universe where there is only war this is not that xenos and heretics are more active but that its been reported on more.

[Dagoth Ur]

-Dark Mechanicum: these I would personally implement as a lot more of a cybernetica focused force than the 40k Mechanicus. Hell, make them a partial crunch equivalent of Custodes just to jazz things up. Murder Servitors, Mutant Tech-Rabble, chaos-fuelled Thallx/Castellax/Thanatar, more variants of Automata in general and the sorts.

 

-The Lost and the Damned: a full on army list that consists mostly of mutants, renegade guardsmen, mortal auxilia and with some sauced up chaos space marines in elite slots. Similar to the Tyrant's Legion from back in the day 'cept more mortals and, y'know, actually playable.

 

-Knight Households: I feel like one way of fixing and making knight armies more interesting would be to add mortals to it. Knecht regiments, scions, medieval-esque techpriest clades and the sorts. This is less of a new army and more of a serious expansion I guess.

 

-Eldar Corsairs: Do I even need to explain this? Space Elves. But also pirates.

[Halandaar]

Have to agree with many of the other posts; there's so much that already exists within the lore that has minimal or zero tabletop representation as it is, and ultimately this is a model-selling business; they aren't going to take the time to write a new faction into the background (at least not one that isn't just cannon fodder for everybody else) without a supporting model range.

 

Everything "new" we've seen recently (Genestealer Cults, AdMech, Custodes, Knights) has been pulled from the old lore. The last time something genuinely new appeared was the T'au, and people still whine about them to this day.

 

I appreciate that it's a massive galaxy with millions of unknowns and the potential for new races and ranges is infinite, but ultimately I'd just rather see Eldar Exodites and/or Corsairs finally get their day in the sun, rather than the Sloopmen of Xorbon IV or whatever.