Baseless speculation - next wave of Primaris

[Lord Nord in Gravis Armour]

Melee on Taticus all I want. You guys can have whatever after.

 

Well, like I wrote above, I think that's coming too - the Breacher-style units with the shields and chainswords from the Iron Hands supplement.

 

Having given more thought to the airborne close-range squads, I am liking the idea more and more of two separate kits:

 

Oppressors - the shorter-range version of the Suppressors, showing up in the presumed new starter set with a burst-fire weapon. Then, when the MPK kit comes out, they could not only have multibuild potential with a Suppressor option, but GW could include their new favorite shtick of differentiating weapons via a magazine/scope bit. So the MPK Oppressors could not only have that short-range burst-fire option, but also a scoped longer-range mode for those times when they plan on sitting back on an upper floor and being more selective with their targets. This wouldn't come close to the Eliminators' Bolt Sniper Rifles, but would give the unit a little more versatility. I mean, I think most of us are expecting the Suppressors to have a second weapons option in their MPK kit, so if they end up sharing a multibuild box with another squad (an idea several people had before me), then it would only be fair for the second squad sharing the box to have a couple of weapons options as well. Of course, I'd been thinking that other option would be melee-based, but now I'm leaning toward just two different ranged option.

 

And then there could still be the melee flying dudes - there wouldn't be too much hue and cry if they didn't show up right away in the box as there would already be the long-awaited Primaris melee dudes in the Breacher models. Then, when the MPK wave rolls out, having melee jumpy dudes would just be an unexpected bonus (though they would have their own discrete niche and not simply mirror the Breachers - fast attack, longer movement, and the FLY keyword vs. shields and heavier armor for the Breachers.

 

As for the name, I'm liking the term "Shriekers." Yeah, it's a nod to Shrike, but I could also see a Phobos-variant flying squad take a page out of the Reivers' playbook and adapt the "Terror Troops" ability with some kind of noise-based psyop. Bad enough to have a bunch of flying space marines show up and tear into your defensive positions but having them emitting banshee-style high-pitched screams at the same time could have an effect on leadership similar to the Terror Troops ability. Of course, at least for narrative purposes, they'd have the ability to configure for silent running, but just having some external speakers blasting some unearthly caterwalling (or even "Ride of the Valkyries") as the defenders attempt to organize themselves against the attack would be very Reiver-like.

 

So those are at least my squad-type predictions for this year:

 

Breachers (Tacticus melee unit)

Bikes (basically a given with the photo leak. Tacticus dudes - I haven't really thought about what they'll do to differentiate them from firstborn bikers)

Oppressors (Omnis-pattern dudes with two different ranged options)

Suppressors (multi-build with the Oppressors, second weapons option in the kit)

Shriekers (Shrike-pattern jumpy melee guys)

 

I've even narrowed down my thoughts on the 2021 wave to four or five different squads, which I think will complete the range aside from ongoing character models and chapter-specific stuff. I might bore you all with those predictions later.

[Panzer]

Melee on Taticus all I want. You guys can have whatever after.

I want melee footslogging in Gravis and melee with JPs in Tacticus. Then I'm good. :P

[Blindhamster]

 

Melee on Taticus all I want. You guys can have whatever after.

I want melee footslogging in Gravis and melee with JPs in Tacticus. Then I'm good.

 

 

All i want is melee, i dont want them to have phobos and i want them to have actual good melee weapons.

 

I'd also like gravis captains to get an overhaul to get some extra rules maybe.

[redmapa]

If these new Primaris Bikes can have access to just one power weapon then they will already be miles ahead of any other Primaris unit in terms of melee. They would be T5 W3 A2 with a very fast movement stats, essentially harder and faster Intercessors, which right now need a transport to be used aggressively. My wish for these bikers has always been that they should be the equivalent to jump units in terms of role, so give them access to power weapons and chainswords but I doubt that will be the case.

[Dracos]

Thats the same stat line as an Inceptor missing the Inceptors 3rd attack. Inceptors are bikers kinda. Its why if there are bikers I'd want them with Stormshields and cheaper than Inceptors. Let the Sgt have a Thunder hammer ;)

[Blindhamster]

It's a very interesting question really. What form would a melee unit take. I really doubt a bike unit will become the premier melee unit for primaris. I'd bet on either a gravis unit or a tacticus unit or maybe even a proper veteran unit.

 

Shields would be cool!

[Blindhamster]

As far as bikes go, I'd imagine another mobile hub platform rather than a melee unit tbh. Cant seem them changing the usual role of bikes, although I guess dark Angel's have a melee bike unit.

[Dracos]

For Primaris I see them going 5++ combat shields. 6++ is worthless but Primaris are pretty durable against anything not dedicated melee. Already hold their own against most other power armor troops. I'd still rather they get a combat weapon with -1 AP rather than another attack. I want them to be good but without needing to have a blender worth of attacks.