Shadow Crusade Supplement wishlisting and theorising

[Captain Idaho]

Courage and honour, brothers!

(Insert Blood for the Blood god or whatever here as may be appropriate!)

I think it's very likely, once the initial releases for Horus Heresy have finished we will see campaign books with new units, characters and rules for various factions throughout the Heresy.

A large and significant "event" was the Shadow Crusade, pitting the World Eaters and Word Bearers against the Ultramarines (plus assorted supporting elements). The saga here is substantial but suffice to say my favourite Heresy book is probably Betrayer.

I've always been an Ultramarines fan so there's a bunch of characters I'd like to see included here. Orfeo Cassandar and the forces of Armatura are very interesting to me. He met a sticky end but is very much a cool character.

Tetarchs of Ultramar really excite me too. As well as Aeonid Thiel.

Drakus Garrod is another one, but whether he looks as cool as the 3d Printed one we've all seen remains to be seen 

Not sure what additional units we might see? Maybe just some Rites of War.

What do people think we will see most likely from this particular Campaign? Decent World Eaters and Word Bearers stuff for sure, but maybe Daemon expansions (like the Daemon Brutes) and some of the other Imperial forces on Maccragge?

What sorts of Rites of War and how they work is a cool twist. Perhaps a Breacher themed one, with Praetorians as Troops. More Vindicators. (remember that final battle scene on Armatura?)

Let me know what you think?

Edited September 30, 2022 by Captain Idaho

[sarabando]

if it gets a big release id expect a boxed set. id image that would be when the release mk2 or mk5 tbh and id wish for a mk4 casterferrum too. 

[Captain Idaho]

Good point. MK5 is great and would be amazing to see.

[SlickSamos]

Interesting!  I loved the books set in that region of space, and Betrayer also stands out for me as one of the best HH books.

13 hours ago, Captain Idaho said:

Not sure what additional units we might see?

For me, there are a few Legiones Astartes units that I think are missing from the main roster which I would love to see in whichever expansion/update we see next:

• Generic Veteran w/ Bikes Squad (definitely for normal and hopefully for Jetbike, only WS have access to a jetbike one)
• Generic Veteran w/ Jump Pack Squad (though some factions have faction specific versions, e.g. Raptors)

And Wargear:

• Chain Axes are missing as an option for many units - would be really cool to have them as an option for Assault & Despoilers 
• Combat Blades are also missing - would be good to have them as a cheaper option for Tacts and Seekers and they make a lot more sense for Recon and Scouts than Chainswords

I have thoughts on likely points costs and many thoughts about the lack of consistency that the legion specific Veterans w/ Jump Packs are costed - but here's not the place for that...

W.r.t. specific units outside of named characters:

• A wider range of upgrades on the Gal Vorbak particularly w.r.t. movement and melee choices 
• A very angry dreadnaught side-grade for World Eaters (c.f. Red Butchers)

12 hours ago, sarabando said:

if it gets a big release id expect a boxed set

An exciting thought for sure!  I'd expect 2 new plastic HQ, 20 plastic Assault Marines and probably a Deimos Pattern Demolisher as this would fulfil the new HQ, Infantry and Tank criteria that they targeted in the last box set.  I'd also be excited for 20 Plastic Breachers, I don't know what the other tank/dreadnaught would be to create the 'split the box into two forces' aspect of all of their starter box sets...

Edited October 1, 2022 by SlickSamos

[Captain Idaho]

Good points! Yeah a boxed set that had (tor example) 10 Breachers, 10 Assault Marine bodies for use by the new modular design models. Really grants the Legions a further expansion and can also be used specifically for the Campaign (Ultramarines and World Eaters specifically)

[WrathOfTheLion]

I think WE and WB are untrusted allies?

Might be good for the context of missions to alter the alliance chart when fighting in the Shadow Crusade. Maybe a specific RoW to take an allied detachment of WE with WB or vice versa.

[Captain Idaho]

Been thinking about Ultramarines getting a unique Seekers squad... Censured squads. These dudes were trained by Thiel and pioneered as a daemon/Chaos killing unit, whilst retaining Thiel's theories on combating opposing Astartes. Could be an interesting concept and not just a made up FW unit when they're in the HH novels.