Codex & Edition Roadmap, The Return of More Primarchs, My Prediction

[ChapterMasterGodfrey]

11th Edition is coming late Q2 or Q3, 2026. At this point I think that is inevitable. Just looking at the release cycle since 7th ediiton makes that a safe bet:

• 7th Edition Launch: Q2 2014 (May)

• 8th Edition Launch: Q2 2017 (June) - Marked starting point of "new" GW. Where their stock exploded.

• 9th Edition Launch: Q3 2020 (July) - Covid.

• 10th Edition Launch: Q2 2023 (June)

 

So, with 11th edition approximately 16 months away, there's a lot GW need to do between now and then. In 8th Edition, GW had given every 7th Edition faction a codex an 8th edition codex by Q1 2019, approximately a year and a half before the launch of 9th Edition. They then went into codecies for new factions, 2.0 codecies and campaign books which had content for every faction.

 

That just isn't going to happen in 10th. 9th launched mid-covid and it was a doubled edged sword. On the one hand, business boomed as peple were stuck inside. On the other, like all businesses, GW endured supply chain issues caused by Covid and the increased demand. This is visualised were in early 9th we went whole quarters with just two codex releases. Compared to early 8th where they release nine codecies in the first two full quarters. I think this may have played into the descision to make 8th books 9th compatble - to try and ease that load.

 

In 10th, GW face the same and new problems. Covid supply chain issues may have eased but the explosive popularity of the hobby has caused warehousing isses. One look at the GW website will show you the stock issues they are facing. The rate at which codecies are releasing is even slower than 9th. However, the digital and importantly, free, indexes (as well as 2-page detachments) have helped ease this. This is where the app has really been a saving grace for GW, even if you disagree with the price etc.

 

So, what does this mean for the rest of 10th and the launch of 11th? Well, looking at the newest roadmap, it's reasonable to assume and say the following:

• Q1 2025: Astra Militarum, Aeldari, Emperor's Children

• Q2 2025: World Eaters, Death Guard, Thousand Sons

• Q3 2025: Grey Knights, Black Templars, Space Wolves

• Q4 2025: Chaos Knights, Imperial Knights

• Q1 2026: Leagues of Votann, Drukhari

 

This would require a codex release pace GW has struggled to achieve recently, but to be ready for 11th edition, they have to. I thinkit is also fair to say in 2025 they've already picked up the pace.

 

Traditionally, GW have always closed out editons with a campaign, Gathering Storm, Psychic Awakening, Arks of Omen. in 11th edition, I think they will really, really struggle to do that. We've barely had the mid-edition campaign content that 8th saw with Vigilus and 9th saw with the War-Zone books. 10th has only had the crusade books Tyranic War and Pariah Nexus. BUT they could squeeze it in. I think the "Salamander" on the road map is the mid-edition campaign book 10th is thusfar missing. it would preovide a good place to release those rumoured marine characters and maybe... just maybe...

 

Primarchs

Let me begin by saying GW will bring back every Primarch they physically can (the canonically alive ones) and the "dead" ones will remain behind glass that has "break glass if about to become bankrupt" on it. Fulgrim is coming at a weird time. Mid-edition where other Primarchs have been towards the end or the launch of editions. However, could we be getting to a new phase of Primarchs where it's mid edition and edition change (either end or start)? I think the next Primarchs to release will be in the following order:

• Fulgrim (4 traitor vs 2 loyalists)

• Leman Russ (4 traitor vs 3 loyalists)

• The Khan (4 traitor vs 4 loyalists) (more on why I think he's this position in a moment)

• Lorgar (5 traitor vs 4 loyalists)

• Pertuabo (6 traitor vs 4 loyalists)

• Dorn (6 traitor vs 5 loyalists)

• One of either Corax, Vulkan OR Alpharius/Omegon

• One of either Corax, Vulkan OR Alpharius/Omegon

• One of either Corax, Vulkan OR Alpharius/Omegon

 

Leman Russ WILL be the next loyalist. Space Wolves are the next divergent chapter/legion who's primarch can come back. Now, the real question is when. I really think it could be Q3 2025 for that mid-edition campaign rumoured to be on Armageddon wih the other Space Marine characters, in line with Codex Supplement: Space Wolves.

 

Then, I'm saying The Khan. A loyalist double header to make it 4 v 4. Why? Well, a couple of reasons.

 

Notice I think Drukhari and LoV will get maximum 6 months with their codecies before 11th? Well I think LoV will be appeased because 10th books will carry over to 11th (as will the app functionality). This descision will be based on GW warhousing and supply issues, plus why sunset an app after one edition and do major dev work on it for it to run a new ruleset? Drukhari will be appeased by being the 11th edition launch box antagonists and getting a much, much needed range refresh. This also ties well with the rumours of Space Marine's next wave being "fast attack", that will go opposite the hit and run Drukhari quite well I think. In fact, just thinking about it now, one rumoured new Space Marine unit is a Land Speeder. I'm sure you all are at least aware of the 3rd edition launch box vs the then Dark Eldar that featured a Land Speeder.

 

Drukhari will step into the limelight, hopefully with the ongoing 4th Tyranic War as the backdrop in the Segmentum Pacificus, striking at belliguered Imperial Forces. Those familiar with The Khan's story will know that this offers an ideal set up for his return. I also think from a story perspective, Russ and The Khan's return doesn't upset the staus quo of Guilliman as Lord Commander. They're firmly field commanders not desk commanders.

 

Then after that, Lorgar's return is straight forward and to be honest, now with Vashtorr, so is Perturabo's. By then though, we're in late 11th edition 2029, looking at the launch of 12th Edition. Perturabo's return heralds Dorn's return, one handed and angry. Hopefully from Trazyn's vault as Vashtor and Perturabo's war in the Pariah Nexus kicks up a notch.

 

Anyway... if you read all that, thank you. It was just some thoughts I had when a few pieces clicked together in my head. Of course, I could be completely wong, up the wrong tree and without a paddle!

 

TL;DR: I predict:

• Russ will be the next primarch after Fulgrim, Then The Khan.

• Armageddon campaign book for Russ & new SM characters

• 11th Editon will launch in Q2/3 2026. 10th Edition books will be compatible.

• 11th Launch will be Fast Attack Space Marines vs Drukhari

• Drukhari storyline will herald The Khan

• Following Primarchs will be Lorgar and Perturabo.

[ZeroWolf]

It must be said, there's talk that 11th is actually coming this year and that it is indeed a 10.5 deal (like how 9th was for 8th).

 

No rumours on a primarch yet and it would definitely be finished by now and probably painted up for photos and promotional material. I believe Russ is most likely to return next by virtue of Space Wolves being somewhat popular (and indeed, not hampered by being dead, unlike the primarch of another popular divergent chapter). What I'm less sure of (at the moment) is if Russ will return in 10th  especially if they've altered the time scale for this edition change.

 

The thought occurs though that there may be some logic in it. That by bringing 11th forward by a few months (only real possible chance for 11th to drop, if it did, would be late autumn/early winter) but keeping 12th edition date locked to 2029, you'd create a four year cycle, which is better than nothing in terms of codex life cycles.

[ChapterMasterGodfrey]

2 minutes ago, ZeroWolf said:

It must be said, there's talk that 11th is actually coming this year and that it is indeed a 10.5 deal (like how 9th was for 8th).

 

No rumours on a primarch yet and it would definitely be finished by now and probably painted up for photos and promotional material. I believe Russ is most likely to return next by virtue of Space Wolves being somewhat popular (and indeed, not hampered by being dead, unlike the primarch of another popular divergent chapter). What I'm less sure of (at the moment) is if Russ will return in 10th  especially if they've altered the time scale for this edition change.

 

The thought occurs though that there may be some logic in it. That by bringing 11th forward by a few months (only real possible chance for 11th to drop, if it did, would be late autumn/early winter) but keeping 12th edition date locked to 2029, you'd create a four year cycle, which is better than nothing in terms of codex life cycles.

Oh really? I didn't know that! If they brought it forward to this year though, even Q4, could they squeeze the remaining 10th ed. codecies in before launch? With the number of factions, a four year cycle would surly be preferable. Yeah Russ could come launch of 11th, I just thought The Khan coming with Drukhari would make sense especially if Space Marines launch in 11th with fast attack stuff.

 

Thanks for taking the time to read it though. I also posted this on reddit and even though I did so just for discussion people seem to have reacted negatively to it.

[firestorm40k]

I agree they'll bring back all the surviving Primarchs, but I think Dorn is more likely to return before the Khan. A pattern I've noticed is that the narrative events around Primarch returns have seen match-ups that didn't happen during the Heresy:

 

Magnus v Guilliman

Mortarion v Guilliman 

Angron v Lion

 

I agree that Russ is next, so I think the narrative leading to the end of 10th will feature Fulgrim v Russ. 

 

When Dorn returns, I doubt it will coincide with Perturabo, as they faced off during the Heresy (at the Siege, though it was more a shouting match ) then during the Scouring (the Iron Cage). 

 

As far as I'm aware, Dorn didn't take on Lorgar during the Heresy, so I think it's possible - likely, even - that their returns will be part of the same narrative. I can imagine that Dorn will be leading some kind of Crusade with Imperial Fists and (especially!) Black Templars at the forefront - this could be juxtaposed with Lorgar leading a Chaos war of 'faith' of some description.  My point being, the situation will set up a wider conflict that is more than 'two Primarchs having a punch up', but would be fitting for their characters to be involved, at the forefront, even (if that makes sense ). 

 

I can see Corax and Omegon being returned as part of the same narrative - again, they never faced off during the Heresy, and given that they're all about stealth and subterfuge, not only does it make for an interesting conflict, but GW could make a neat narrative where it doesn't become clear they're involved until the very end!

[SvenIronhand]

In my A.E (Absolute Eldar) field. Wake me when Russ's model drops. 

[ChapterMasterGodfrey]

5 hours ago, firestorm40k said:

I agree they'll bring back all the surviving Primarchs, but I think Dorn is more likely to return before the Khan. A pattern I've noticed is that the narrative events around Primarch returns have seen match-ups that didn't happen during the Heresy:

 

Magnus v Guilliman

Mortarion v Guilliman 

Angron v Lion

 

I agree that Russ is next, so I think the narrative leading to the end of 10th will feature Fulgrim v Russ. 

 

When Dorn returns, I doubt it will coincide with Perturabo, as they faced off during the Heresy (at the Siege, though it was more a shouting match ) then during the Scouring (the Iron Cage). 

 

As far as I'm aware, Dorn didn't take on Lorgar during the Heresy, so I think it's possible - likely, even - that their returns will be part of the same narrative. I can imagine that Dorn will be leading some kind of Crusade with Imperial Fists and (especially!) Black Templars at the forefront - this could be juxtaposed with Lorgar leading a Chaos war of 'faith' of some description.  My point being, the situation will set up a wider conflict that is more than 'two Primarchs having a punch up', but would be fitting for their characters to be involved, at the forefront, even (if that makes sense ). 

 

I can see Corax and Omegon being returned as part of the same narrative - again, they never faced off during the Heresy, and given that they're all about stealth and subterfuge, not only does it make for an interesting conflict, but GW could make a neat narrative where it doesn't become clear they're involved until the very end!

That sounds great honestly on all your points! I hadn’t noticed the match ups pattern. Dorn vs Lorgar could be really great if you think about Black Templars being faithful readers of Lorgar’s Lectitio Divinitatus. and yes a last minute Corax vs Alpharius reveal would be so sweat.

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

6 hours ago, ZeroWolf said:

It must be said, there's talk that 11th is actually coming this year and that it is indeed a 10.5 deal (like how 9th was for 8th).

 

No rumours on a primarch yet and it would definitely be finished by now and probably painted up for photos and promotional material. I believe Russ is most likely to return next by virtue of Space Wolves being somewhat popular (and indeed, not hampered by being dead, unlike the primarch of another popular divergent chapter). What I'm less sure of (at the moment) is if Russ will return in 10th  especially if they've altered the time scale for this edition change.

 

The thought occurs though that there may be some logic in it. That by bringing 11th forward by a few months (only real possible chance for 11th to drop, if it did, would be late autumn/early winter) but keeping 12th edition date locked to 2029, you'd create a four year cycle, which is better than nothing in terms of codex life cycles.

Even if Russ isn’t ready for the release of 11th I wouldn’t be surprised to see him 3-6 months after.

[Special Officer Doofy]

I think Dorn and Alpharius/Omegon should be the last ones to come back as they all died in the lore and then were later retconned to not being dead. Dorn was a skeleton in a glove, killed during the first black crusade. His body was on display in the inner chapel of the reclusiam aboard the Phalanx. Alpharius was killed in the Battle of Pluto by Dorn and later Omegon killed by Guilliman on Eskrador, but they will write it off as the whole "No, I am Alpharius" shtick. My hot take is leave all three dead and it's 6 vs 6. It's only a matter of time and they retcon more and bring the rest of the dead back. Death will mean nothing in the setting. Might as well, primarchs in 40k sell right? I'm slowly coming around to the belief that bringing primarchs back into the setting was a bad idea. 

Edited 13 hours ago by Special Officer Doofy

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

17 minutes ago, Special Officer Doofy said:

I think Dorn and Alpharius/Omegon should be the last ones to come back as they all died in the lore and then were later retconned to not being dead. Dorn was a skeleton in a glove, killed during the first black crusade. His body was on display in the inner chapel of the reclusiam aboard the Phalanx. Alpharius was killed in the Battle of Pluto by Dorn and later Omegon killed by Guilliman on Eskrador, but they will write it off as the whole "No, I am Alpharius" shtick. My hot take is leave all three dead and it's 6 vs 6. It's only a matter of time and they retcon more and bring the rest of the dead back. Death will mean nothing in the setting. Might as well, primarchs in 40k sell right? I'm slowly coming around to the belief that bringing primarchs back into the setting was a bad idea. 

The eldar god of khaine is officially dead, yet he fights when he is summoned via some sort of wraith construct according to lexicanum.

 

the dead primarchs are worshipped and have been worshipped for thousands of years at this point. They’re all literally demigods by now if not minor gods themselves. There’s no reason they couldn’t return in avatar form for the game since there’s long standing precedent for it.

 

when I came back to the hobby I knew bringing primarchs back was stupid, but aside from Horus, since one came back the rest should come back. All or nothing imho.

Edited 13 hours ago by Inquisitor_Lensoven

[Special Officer Doofy]

10 minutes ago, Inquisitor_Lensoven said:

The eldar god of khaine is officially dead, yet he fights when he is summoned via some sort of wraith construct according to lexicanum.

 

Wrong, Khaine was never officially dead. Before Slaanesh could absorb Khaine's essence, Khorne came in and claimed him. During the struggle between the two Chaos Gods, Khaine was driven into the material world, where his psychic core shattered into a thousand pieces. Using one of the shards, he could be animated again to possess a metallic construct body and go to war when needed by sacrificing the body of an Exarch to Khaine on the eve of battle. I mean even the 4th paragraph of the lexicanum you reference starts with "Khaine is one of the three surviving gods of the Eldar". Has absolutely nothing to do with worship or the primarchs. 

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

15 minutes ago, Special Officer Doofy said:

 

Wrong, Khaine was never officially dead. Before Slaanesh could absorb Khaine's essence, Khorne came in and claimed him. During the struggle between the two Chaos Gods, Khaine was driven into the material world, where his psychic core shattered into a thousand pieces. Using one of the shards, he could be animated again to possess a metallic construct body and go to war when needed by sacrificing the body of an Exarch to Khaine on the eve of battle. I mean even the 4th paragraph of the lexicanum you reference starts with "Khaine is one of the three surviving gods of the Eldar". Has absolutely nothing to do with worship or the primarchs. 

And the dead primarchs souls are all completely intact in the warp, which would make it even easier to for them to empower an avatar

 

do you understand how the warp works and how gods are created within it?

Edited 12 hours ago by Inquisitor_Lensoven

[Special Officer Doofy]

7 minutes ago, Inquisitor_Lensoven said:

And the dead primarchs souls are all completely intact in the warp, which would make it even easier to for them to empower an avatar

 

do you understand how the warp works and how gods are created within it?

 

Yes, I understand how the warp works and the very, very, very few gods that are/were created from it, and all were created from it, not from mortals whose soul entered it and then are worshipped. Again, Khaine is not in the warp.

 

Do you understand that you should read reference material when referring to it?

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

1 hour ago, Special Officer Doofy said:

 

Yes, I understand how the warp works and the very, very, very few gods that are/were created from it, and all were created from it, not from mortals whose soul entered it and then are worshipped. Again, Khaine is not in the warp.

 

Do you understand that you should read reference material when referring to it?

I mean the emperor literally became a god that way…

[Bouargh]

@ChapterMasterGodfrey: do not forget that the shiw at the LVO tournament updated the roadmap for, I would say, Q2Q3. Makes me think the release rate could be faster than the one you foresee and that we could get surprises (the salamender stuff, the rumoured corsair faction...). Salies may even be troubleshooting the primarchs releases expectations...

 

Edited 6 hours ago by Bouargh
Pasted Roadmap LVO

[Special Officer Doofy]

4 hours ago, Inquisitor_Lensoven said:

I mean the emperor literally became a god that way…

 

Still wrong. 

 

"Little is known about the majority of the Emperor's life; of who he was and what he did before he emerged as the great Emperor of Mankind, only the Emperor himself remembers. It is said that the Emperor's birth, while a natural process, was actually the result of a scheme created by the wisest and most powerful of living humans at that time; the conclave of Shamans. These men, termed 'shamans' by their society, were powerful psykers with great experience of the Warp. Finding their souls - and those of humanity - endangered by the growing perils of the Warp-gods, these psykers decided to pool their power into one human, a being they called 'the New Man'. Already having gained the power to reincarnate themselves (upon death, the shamans' souls would transfer to the Warp, accumulating power enough to reincarnate as human) the shamans entered a suicide-pact. Thousands of them poisoned themselves and sped their souls to the warp at the same time. Presumably pooling their soul-energy and using their reincarnation ability, they brought about the birth of their New Man - the Emperor - one year later.

 

The Emperor was born to mortal parents on Terra in the 8th Millennium BC in a primitive proto-Hittite village along the banks of the Sakarya River (in Anatolia), manifesting his powers as a youth. While a young adolescent, the Emperor's father was murdered by his uncle. While preparing his fathers body for a primitive funeral ritual, he received a vision of his murder. Later, the boy who would become the Emperor calmly approached his uncle and stopped his heart with his psychic abilities, displaying neither sorrow nor malice. According to the Emperor himself, this was the moment he realized that humanity needed law, order, and the guidance of a ruler. Shortly after, he left his village for the first city of humanity (likely ancient Sumeria)." - copy and pasted from the lexicanum that you didn't read, with the citation number references removed for easier reading.

 

That has nothing to do with people worshipping him or him assuming some avatar. He got his powers and was created by ritual sacrifice of psykers (that happened to meet in the warp to fuse into one being) and reincarnation, and is now sustained on the golden throne still through ritual sacrifice of psyker, not worship. Again, that has nothing to do with people worshipping him so much that he comes back alive or assumes an avatar. The Iron Hands can't worship dead Ferrus Manus back into existence. Maybe in the future with some terrible writing they can. Even demigods that come from the warp like Vashtorr the Arkifane are not a mortal human ever. Vashtorr came into existence independently in the Warp as a result of mortals' obsessive pursuit of technological innovation at all costs. 

Edited 6 hours ago by Special Officer Doofy
Grammar

[firestorm40k]

7 hours ago, Special Officer Doofy said:

I think Dorn and Alpharius/Omegon should be the last ones to come back as they all died in the lore and then were later retconned to not being dead. Dorn was a skeleton in a glove, killed during the first black crusade. His body was on display in the inner chapel of the reclusiam aboard the Phalanx. Alpharius was killed in the Battle of Pluto by Dorn and later Omegon killed by Guilliman on Eskrador

You're correct about the original lore - it's changed a lot since then (as you say, retconned ) so there's a lot more ambiguity about their fates (well, not so much Alpharius ). 

 

I don't think Dorn will be last to come back, simply because of the popularity of Imperial Fists and Black Templars (especially), and if they followed the pattern above (Primarchs that didn't clash during the Heresy), they've already done Dorn v Alpharius. On the other hand (no pun intended at Rogal's cost ) they could make a narrative about Omegon looking for vengeance on Dorn for killing his twin. 

 

We'll see what happens in the next few years - either way, GW will continue bringing Primarchs back to 40k because they like selling models, and the Primarchs have been big sellers (look how often The Lion has been 'Temporarily Out of Stock' since he was released). 

[ZeroWolf]

I'll also point out that the direction GW seem to be heading into the lore with the Big E is that yes, worship can definitely empower you into godlike status, like with the power that Robute had when the big E possessed (and resurrected) him. Power enough to set Nurgles garden alight as a warning.

 

Of course, with new narrative leads, direction could change again (if they're going to try and sell us a narrative, then they need to own it, and release narrative related novels about every 6 months at least)

 

Dorn will be a interesting one when they choose to bring him back. They'll have to make a decision with him as Imperial Fists now play second fiddle to their own successor chapter, the Black Templars. So while their still gene-sons of Dorn, he is still the Imperial Fists primarch. How will GW square that circle? Create a rule where he can lead any Imperial Fists, Black Templar, Crimson Fists force and they all gain the Last Wall keyword allowing him to lead any of them? What colour scheme would they give him that would let him fit in?

 

If they want Dorn to stick with Imperial Fists, then they have their work cut out for them to make them a popular army to rival their successors.

[Karhedron]

31 minutes ago, ZeroWolf said:

If they want Dorn to stick with Imperial Fists, then they have their work cut out for them to make them a popular army to rival their successors.

 

Rather than look on that as a problem. they could take it as an opportunity to expand the Fists' roster and bring in Chapter-specific units like Huscarls.

[ChapterMasterGodfrey]

4 hours ago, Bouargh said:

@ChapterMasterGodfrey: do not forget that the shiw at the LVO tournament updated the roadmap for, I would say, Q2Q3. Makes me think the release rate could be faster than the one you foresee and that we could get surprises (the salamender stuff, the rumoured corsair faction...). Salies may even be troubleshooting the primarchs releases expectations...

 

Good points. However, I personally interpret the e salamander on the road map as the representative for that mysterious release where the compliant chapters are getting characters. Whether that’s a campaign or just a model drop remains to be seen. I’m holding out hope for an Armageddon campaign released concurrently with Codex Supplement Space Wolves and Leman Russ himself.

[ChapterMasterGodfrey]

3 hours ago, firestorm40k said:

You're correct about the original lore - it's changed a lot since then (as you say, retconned ) so there's a lot more ambiguity about their fates (well, not so much Alpharius ). 

 

I don't think Dorn will be last to come back, simply because of the popularity of Imperial Fists and Black Templars (especially), and if they followed the pattern above (Primarchs that didn't clash during the Heresy), they've already done Dorn v Alpharius. On the other hand (no pun intended at Rogal's cost ) they could make a narrative about Omegon looking for vengeance on Dorn for killing his twin. 

 

We'll see what happens in the next few years - either way, GW will continue bringing Primarchs back to 40k because they like selling models, and the Primarchs have been big sellers (look how often The Lion has been 'Temporarily Out of Stock' since he was released). 

Now that Dorn v Lorgar has been mentioned that’s all I’ll accept haha it’s too cool. Could go full on faith v faith and by the end maybe Dorn has a realisation of faith. Would be a good turn from his heresy standpoint.

[Emperor Ming]

At this rate on the horizon will be 11th

Edited 1 hour ago by Emperor Ming