Sunday Preview - Space Marines, Kill Team and Legions Imperialis

[CL_Mission]

Sunday Preview of next weeks pre-orders

For Space Marine there's the missing Terminator Captain as well as various bits from Leviathan including a Heroes of the Chapter type box that will no doubt come with a heft price tag. There is the Space Marine Scout and Eldar Striking Scorpions Kill teams and a selections of kits for Legions Imperialis as well as the new book.

 

What's most interesting to me is that Striking Scorpions do come in a box of ten and not five. This is especially useful to know as it's a good indicator that Mandrakes will get the treatment. I am still tempted to get the new box with Mandrakes and Night Lords but knowing I can pick the Mandrakes up as a box of ten I'm not so concerned about missing out on it or passing it up.

 

[ThePenitentOne]

Huh- sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.

 

I bought salvation because I expected Scorpions to be release in boxes of five. Had that been the case, Salvation costs $10 CAD more than ten scorpions. Good deal, even if you aren't crazy about Scouts.

 

But as it turns out, I could have waited and got 10 scorpions for $70-80 CAD and thrown the $80-70 I saved at the Kroot box. Oh well. 

[chapter master 454]

Interesting to see on the captain that he has options for a weapon that technically doesn't matter which version he has as Combi-weapons are just one thing now. Perhaps another case of modeling team seperate from the rules team but still, interesting to note the Combi-Melta/Flamer Option (and with that possibly the other combi weapons too) but I ain't reading too much into it.

However I wager GW will have a hard time shifting Infernus marines due to second hand market struggling to shift them even at incredible rates (and that was with them unavailable outside of the leviathan box). The Biologis and Lieutenant is nice however the Albatross of the Leviathan sternguard doesn't help. Ballistus will likely sell just because it is a solid unit and people like dreadnoughts.

 

The scouts are a welcome addition too. It seems to be implied the scouts come in 10s too, so hopefully that means we have 2 squads worth from one box. Overall, decent stuff and finally clears the backlog marines have had now for some time. Now to follow up with a terminator lieutenant unit of any kind, or just give us a general release terminator ancient and we'll be good.

[Marshal Reinhard]

didnt think scouts would be this soon

[Sir Clausel]

1 hour ago, Marshal Reinhard said:

didnt think scouts would be this soon

Me neither but im happy about ! Which i think you are to ;)

Just remember that there is still a week until preorder and then there is yet another 2 weeks till release 

[Flaherty]

Interesting that there is no multi-part kit for the Infernus Marines. The Intercessors, Hellblasters, and Assault Intercessors all got a new kit with additional options as a companion to what was in their edition starter box. The lack of options in the codex should have been the tip-off, but I expected the pattern to continue.

[01RTB01]

1 hour ago, Flaherty said:

Interesting that there is no multi-part kit for the Infernus Marines. The Intercessors, Hellblasters, and Assault Intercessors all got a new kit with additional options as a companion to what was in their edition starter box. The lack of options in the codex should have been the tip-off, but I expected the pattern to continue.

Maybe harsh but have the infernus marines been popular enough to warrant a multipart kit?

[MoriyaSchism]

It's a bit of sad to see that the Ballistus Dreadnought isn't a multi-part kit. I will probably end up ordering the Terminator Captain. Really lovely model, the Aquila on the greave and the Crux Terminatus detail is the sort of thing I want to see in future Space Marine releases. Give me anything that isn't the same old Imperialis.

[ZeroWolf]

That must be the fastest we've seen individual kill teams go on sale from their original box...or at least, feels the fastest. I'm not in a hurry to get more of the Leviathan space marines (nids on the other hand) but that Terminator Captain is tempting, as it looks fun to paint.

[DuskRaider]

3 hours ago, chapter master 454 said:

Interesting to see on the captain that he has options for a weapon that technically doesn't matter which version he has as Combi-weapons are just one thing now. 

Oh yeah, they’re totally not incrementally dumbing down the rules each edition though. Pathetic. 

[Black Cohort]

this release kind of feels like they just put whatever dozen kits they finally have enough stock of to sell up for pre-order.  You have a half dozen random marine kits, an eldar kit, the day 1 DLC of Legions Imperialis with 4 kits, but 2 of those kits should have released back with the core launch because they have rules in the core book, not the DLC book.

[Flaherty]

2 hours ago, 01RTB01 said:

Maybe harsh but have the infernus marines been popular enough to warrant a multipart kit?

Fair point, but the other multi-part squads were clearly ready to go before any sales/play data made the case for them. I get it, flamers are kind of a niche unit, but it is weird to have a unit that isn't compatible with the upgrade shoulder pads. Folks can use transfers, of course. Still, it seems like a bit of corner cutting not to have a multi-part kit with a sergeant, a heavy option, or something to help them stand out. That said, bikers also have gotten short shrift, so I guess anything out side the core profiles is going to be a second-class citizen of the imperium!

[chapter master 454]

The infernus I feel is another one of those "dead-end" units GW had gotten a little too deep on developing and couldn't pull out. Infernus feel a lot like Suppressors in many ways, though I suppose Infernus actually got a seperate release which further begs questions regarding suppressors. Primaris era units all feel like they are trying to entice those who love heresy back to 40k like "look, just like heresy; mono-weapon squads!" "Just like heresy, primarchs doing dodgy things".

 

Though that all being said and done: Infernus marines are just garbage because they are just "Flamers the squad" and Primaris units still lack an actual good transport for such units. I mean...goodness...if only marines had some sort of APC like the guard Chimera or the Aeldari Wave Serpent or Tau Devilfish...if only they had some sort of incredibly ubiquitious transport vehicle that was cheap to field and only purpose was to carry infantry across the board with a capacity of say...12 so characters can also join in. Hmm...if only there was such a thing in 40k, it may even be iconic in its own right...what would we call it...I know...a Unicorn! No...those don't exist much like what I am describing

 

[Matrindur]

16 minutes ago, chapter master 454 said:

The infernus I feel is another one of those "dead-end" units GW had gotten a little too deep on developing and couldn't pull out. Infernus feel a lot like Suppressors in many ways, though I suppose Infernus actually got a seperate release which further begs questions regarding suppressors. Primaris era units all feel like they are trying to entice those who love heresy back to 40k like "look, just like heresy; mono-weapon squads!" "Just like heresy, primarchs doing dodgy things".

 

Infernus are on their own sprue so its just a case of throwing that in a box. The Suppressors share a sprue with other stuff so to make a solo release they would need to make a new mould which they don't seem to want 

Edited February 12 by Matrindur

[Kastor Krieg]

56 minutes ago, chapter master 454 said:

The infernus I feel is another one of those "dead-end" units GW had gotten a little too deep on developing and couldn't pull out. Infernus feel a lot like Suppressors in many ways, though I suppose Infernus actually got a seperate release which further begs questions regarding suppressors. Primaris era units all feel like they are trying to entice those who love heresy back to 40k like "look, just like heresy; mono-weapon squads!" "Just like heresy, primarchs doing dodgy things".

 

Though that all being said and done: Infernus marines are just garbage because they are just "Flamers the squad" and Primaris units still lack an actual good transport for such units. I mean...goodness...if only marines had some sort of APC like the guard Chimera or the Aeldari Wave Serpent or Tau Devilfish...if only they had some sort of incredibly ubiquitious transport vehicle that was cheap to field and only purpose was to carry infantry across the board with a capacity of say...12 so characters can also join in. Hmm...if only there was such a thing in 40k, it may even be iconic in its own right...what would we call it...I know...a Unicorn! No...those don't exist much like what I am describing

You mean like one could put 5 Infernus into and they could shoot out of the top hatches while mounted? Or one that drops from the sky with 10 inside, at 9" from the enemy, flooding them with promethium? Like... a pod, or something? :D

 

Not to mention the squad exists chiefly for us to have pyreblaster marines to put into Crusader Squads.

Edited February 12 by Kastor Krieg

[Tokugawa]

Sprues of Infernus squad are very cheap(less than $10 for 5 models) on secondary market right now, and few people want to buy them…

[AutumnEffect]

The problem could partly be the meta for Infernus marines. I've only seen a handful of what could really be called 'horde' armies in competitive circles and it's been some skew Tyranid builds.

 

For most scenarios, the incidental anti-infantry you get with Marines is enough. Perhaps if horde armies see a rise then so will Infernus stock.

[jimbo1701]

Really curious about the pricing for this release. Anyone spotted a list yet?

[01RTB01]

39 minutes ago, jimbo1701 said:

Really curious about the pricing for this release. Anyone spotted a list yet?

Nope. As I feared, with the retailer's resources page being advertised by every man and his dog we've now lost access to it. As such, no prices now.

[Redcomet]

15 hours ago, 01RTB01 said:

Maybe harsh but have the infernus marines been popular enough to warrant a multipart kit?

Any multipart kit would have been done WAY before any indication of their popularity. And how would you judge said popularity anyway? 

[Matcap86]

52 minutes ago, 01RTB01 said:

Nope. As I feared, with the retailer's resources page being advertised by every man and his dog we've now lost access to it. As such, no prices now.

I bring relief

 

Prices in Euros

Legions Imperialis Astartes Support: 40,-

Legions Imperialis Solar Auxilia Support: 40.-

Legions Imperialis The Great Slaughter Book: 40,-

Legions Imperialis Spartan Assault Tanks: 40,-

Legions Imperialis Malcador Infernus/Valdors: 40,-

Legions Imperialis Cards: 15,-

Killteam Blades of Khaine: 60,-

Killteam Space marine Scouts: 55,-

Ballistus Dreadnought: 55,-

Infernus Squad: 45,-

Captain in terminator armour: 34,-

Edited February 12 by Matcap86

[darkhorse0607]

40 minutes ago, Matcap86 said:

I bring relief

 

Prices in Euros

Legions Imperialis Astartes Support: 40,-

Legions Imperialis Solar Auxilia Support: 40.-

Legions Imperialis The Great Slaughter Book: 40,-

Legions Imperialis Spartan Assault Tanks: 40,-

Legions Imperialis Malcador Infernus/Valdors: 40,-

Legions Imperialis Cards: 15,-

Killteam Blades of Khaine: 60,-

Killteam Space marine Scouts: 55,-

Ballistus Dreadnought: 55,-

Infernus Squad: 45,-

Captain in terminator armour: 34,-

 

Wonder if they're going to be putting the Easy-To-Build tag on the boxes like previously, or if some poor soul is going to grab the Infernus marines and an upgrade pack to try and make them look blinged out only to find out they cant even replace the shoulder pads

[TheMawr]

I was very wrong on scorpions/blades of khaine killteam theories, of all my speculation did not expect to be wrong there.

 

As for infernus marines, comparing them to the 8th edition approach is pointless, since 9th they focused more on "efficient" starterset sprue build up..  even more so in 10th. Where a lot of the models can double as the seperate kits. Like necron warriors, destroyers, the new Tyranid types etc. 

 

As in, there is little doubt for me  its released exactly as planned. Just like those many other units.

[Lord Nord in Gravis Armour]

I had several thoughts about this preview, but I might just do a separate post in the Astartes forum so as not to drag this thread off-track.

 

Keeping my comments to things germane to the upcoming releases (most of which have already been brought up):

 

1) We can see now that there was no tie-in wave of new multipose Assault Terminators intended to launch alongside the Terminator Captain, though that was a fair hope given the timing close to the Dark Angels release. It may have been the supply issue others suggested, or they might have simply wanted a legit new attention-getter to drop alongside the standalone releases of all the Leviathan ETB kits.

 

2) No one should be surprised that the Terminator Captain has different combi options that mean nothing in 10th Edition rules-wise. The Sternguard squad suffered from the same thing and the kits were obviously designed in parallel. It isn't really a case of the model design team operating at odds with the rules team, it's just that the model design and production takes years longer than a lot of people seem to understand. Jes Goodwin once said that they had the first five years of Primaris releases planned out before they even announced the range and the paint team had the Bladeguard models done in all of those chapter colors a month before Shadowspear was even announced, yet it's been suggested that the Indomitus Marine designs were somehow a course correction to the consumer reaction to the Shadowspear and subsequent MPK Phobos Marines. Pretty neat trick to be able to time travel like that, but I'm digressing...

 

3) I suggested several months ago that the Infernus Marines might not get an MPK release. My logic was just that even prior to the Grand Endumbening (excuse me, "consolidation") of weapons profiles in 10th, I doubted the Pyreblasters were ever designed with rapid-fire or heavy variants a la the Bolt Rifle, Plasma Incinerator, and Heavy Bolt Rifle elements of the Intercessor, Hellblaster, and Heavy Intercessor squads. Minus that, I didn't think simply providing a kit with removable shoulder pads was enough incentive for GW to produce an MPK squad. However, I missed two things that other commenters posted out - a, the Infernus Sergeant really should have access to a proper melee weapon and b) any MPK Infernus box could be justified not with variant Pyreblaster options or other gubbins but with an alternate Squad build akin to the Infiltrator/Incursor kit. I find that logic pretty sound and I specifically think that a Grav Rifle (or other grav-equipped squad) would be a natural fit. HOWEVER, I also think that with the range being as dense as it already is - and with GW loving money as much as they do - it would make sense to drop the ETB squad as a separate box in 10th and milk every sale they can from that kit before giving us a proper MPK in 11th with the enticement of being able to build a different squad on top of easy interchangeability with chapter-specific shoulder pads. I think they'll eventually do the same thing with Outriders. Speaking of which...

 

4) I doubt very much that the Infernus Marines or the Ballistus Dread will be branded with an ETB logo. Back in 2017, the new ETB kits were released in a market where the full Intercessor, Reiver, Redemptor, and Aggressor kits already existed and there needed to be a way to differentiate them in listings and on shelves. That doesn't exist in this scenario and if you require further proof, just look at the Outriders packaging. With no MPK competitor, they released that ETB kit with nothing to identify it as such. So until and unless they release MPK versions of these kits, I expect them to sell with no indication that they're push-fit.

 

5) I was hoping the Ballistus would see an MPK release here. However, I think it's an even stronger candidate for eventual MPK release than the Infernus Squad. BUT rather than drop the full kit just a couple of months after the Brutalis MPK (never mind that they play very differently), I think once again GW is just holding off on an MPK product while they earn back every nickel they feel they can on the push-fit version for the next few years.

 

6) "Heroes of the Chapter" is the name for the leftover Leviathan Marine kit. Well, I guess anyone who'd been hoping that the similar kit from Dark Imperium would be available again can stop waiting. I can't see GW using the same exact name for two different kits unless one of those is sayonara bye-bye. And with the long-overdue release of the Lieutenant-with-actual-loadout-options last year, all of the character loadouts from Dark Imperium are finally covered... well, just in time for the difference in bolt rifle variants to no longer matter. But tomato tomahto...

 

I'll cut if off there before I dive into my Suppressor speculation which is definitely OT for this thread. If a mod decides this went too far into the weeds, can I just ask that you transfer this post over to the Astartes forum rather than deleting it completely? TIA and such.

[Deus_Ex_Machina]

11 hours ago, AutumnEffect said:

The problem could partly be the meta for Infernus marines. I've only seen a handful of what could really be called 'horde' armies in competitive circles and it's been some skew Tyranid builds.

 

For most scenarios, the incidental anti-infantry you get with Marines is enough. Perhaps if horde armies see a rise then so will Infernus stock.

I played my first HH 2.0 game this weekend. The marines had a flamer specialist squad and the opponent was Militia (pdf) who fielded 165 Levy troopers and 20 grenadiers in a 1000 pts game. Suffice to say the flamers were burning the same squad twice thanks to Endless Horde trait. Very fun game.