Leaked Drukhari Model, Lady Malys?

[ZeroWolf]

14 minutes ago, marspeople said:

There is clearly a reason to me Dark Eldar have been left off all the schedules.

GW know the army needs a ground up refresh just like Craftworlds did and they are they are saving it for the big edition ender.

Dark Eldar as an army barely exist at the moment, so much has been discontinued due to resin or is just really old and needs and update.

Every single sign point to me that they are getting at least part of a big refresh. Nothing else makes sense.

Releasing one new character does nothing to sell the army thats on life support.

I would set expectations to the bare minimum here. GW have been known to set trends and then break them just as fast (they're consistently inconsistent). So go in expecting two model kits, if you get more, splendid, if not, then no worry.

[CL_Mission]

14 hours ago, Jscarlos18 said:

Valrak has said in today's stream that DE will get a multipart Archon. Apparently Lady Malys is from a planned 6th Arks of Omen book that was scrapped that would also bring Asurmen too, before the big Aspect release wave that came now in 10th.

 

So "technically" this edition Drukhari were only supposed to get 1 kit.

It will be really nice to have a proper Archon kit, I hope there's a set of arms with big gloves like the Archon from 5th edition, I thought they added a lot of character. Very surprised we're not getting a plastic Urien that was almost a dead cert in my mind (presuming this turns out to be true of course).

 

[TheMawr]

1 hour ago, ZeroWolf said:

I would set expectations to the bare minimum here. GW have been known to set trends and then break them just as fast (they're consistently inconsistent). So go in expecting two model kits, if you get more, splendid, if not, then no worry.

 

This should be the case with every speculation, but shouldnt be used to put down speculation. Especially as a lot of traffic in this subforum is exactly that; speculation based on perceived patterns. Even grounded talk about rules is, more often than not, exactly that.

 

While what you say is true, as pointed out extensively.. the possibilities for Dark eldar getting a bigger release is not at all unrealistic. Wether it happens is another story.

But right now there is enough grounds to speculate, wich you should have the dark eldar fans have for a moment  ;)

 

 

I cant quote from another page, but Regarding possible canceled Arks of Omen.. first of all, me and others have been randomly speculating about it ( moreso on other media ) and suddenly i saw the same speculation called a rumor a week ago, did valrak say its from a trustable source because it seems as one of those situations Where speculation evolved into rumors as it gets repeated etc. ( probably because it got mixed with the canceled 2022/2023AoS campaign book rumor .. the one that would feature the 800+ days old rumor engine ;) )

 

But even if there was a planned 6th book i think it would have been canceled long before even writing started, there are no missing plots nor rules for boarding patrol. But still as i mentioned here last week, Malys is a more likely AoO style candidate than a solo release candidate, and there was a focus on her around AoO ( even if that focus was in kill team.. wich could have been a plot tie-in remnant)   

 

And yes, books follow miniatures not the other way around usually ( BL miniatures are an obvious exception already )  but i think they have some key miniatures that are designed for the campaigns. And a narrative is build around those with other available named character miniatures thrown in.

I suspect most existing named characters have been done for a much longer while than we think.

 

I think/know gathering storm key characters were at least Guilleman, Cawl and the Ynnari at least ( the latter from jg interviews) .. I suspect psychic awakening had none, just built around what they where updating, and AoO was Vashtorr, the Lion, Angron ..

If they where indeed part of it I dont think asurmen was but malys might have been.. like i said back then i also suspect lord solar was.

I think its more so that there is not a missing AoO book of current AoO, but AoO is (slightly) changed from what it was, wich i think happens often anyway.

[TheMawr]

1 hour ago, CL_Mission said:

It will be really nice to have a proper Archon kit, I hope there's a set of arms with big gloves like the Archon from 5th edition, I thought they added a lot of character. Very surprised we're not getting a plastic Urien that was almost a dead cert in my mind (presuming this turns out to be true of course).

 

 

You mean the one with skin over the helmet ? Thats 4th edition. The current dark eldar range are the 5th edition range ;) ( but the archon got its plastic kit in 6th or 7th together with wracks, succubus and haemoculus )

 

Its almost a must to have both that powerclaw and the skin helmet as options... its iconic 

 

I want to see more of the dark "hellraiser" geometric "tech" the finecast archon and haemonculus had. 

In general i want to see that in more dark eldar, the same way alot of newer kits have random unit members checking arm mounted panels or throwing grenades etc i like how it makes the models even  more "living" and less "game tokens"

[CL_Mission]

34 minutes ago, TheMawr said:

 

You mean the one with skin over the helmet ? Thats 4th edition. The current dark eldar range are the 5th edition range ;) ( but the archon got its plastic kit in 6th or 7th together with wracks, succubus and haemoculus )

 

Its almost a must to have both that powerclaw and the skin helmet as options... its iconic 

 

I want to see more of the dark "hellraiser" geometric "tech" the finecast archon and haemonculus had. 

In general i want to see that in more dark eldar, the same way alot of newer kits have random unit members checking arm mounted panels or throwing grenades etc i like how it makes the models even  more "living" and less "game tokens"

This guy. He came out with the 5th edition codex in metal and later got the Finecast treatment before being replaced with the plastic one which I think a lot of people believe was a downgrade in terms of design, including myself.

[ursvamp]

1 hour ago, CL_Mission said:

This guy. He came out with the 5th edition codex in metal and later got the Finecast treatment before being replaced with the plastic one which I think a lot of people believe was a downgrade in terms of design, including myself.

Love this guy.

I always read the thick gloves as being protection for handling the Huskblade (since the lore builds up how dangerous it is).

but then the next model both didn’t have the gloves and held the huskblade as close to his bare head as possible, so maybe I was wrong.

 

1 hour ago, TheMawr said:

Its almost a must to have both that powerclaw and the skin helmet as options... its iconic 

I get wheeere you’re coming from. It’s such a fun, horror-themed, idea. Perfect for the mix of horror and campy gofiness that make up a lot of the grounds for 40k (especially in that 3/4ed Dark Eldar codex <3 )

But it is such a strange design choice.

I play the faction because I like the look of their armor/helmets And then to not only hide one of the primary signifiers of the army’s aesthetic on the main/iconic HQ-model, but to also have it covered with the face of an army you -do not- play (supposedly! It could be a drukhari face, I suppose) is just… so goofy.

 

 

On topic:

New plastic, multi options Archon would be sooo amazing. I’m really looking forward to that ^^ Hope it’s like the new CSM Lord in quality/style. That model is just great.

 

Still, I find it hard to believe that would be the only model we get (aside from Malys) with the codex. And would be really dissapointed if that were to be true. (Regardless of how high or low my expectations are set ;P ^^ )

Edited April 19 by ursvamp

[Jscarlos18]

Another thing to keep in mind is that lately GW has been doing one-offs in one edition before giving big refreshes later for the edition that comes next. Usually with Kill Team they also expand some units into a slew of new/refreshed miniatures like Kroots or Krieg.

 

So its possible they give DE a token unit for 10th and a big wave for 11th.

[Ripper.McGuirl]

A multipart plastic archon with as many options as some other armies have would be heartstoppingly amazing. It has never made sense to me that an army made of the most nefarious and evil creatures in the galaxy, capable of doing and using literally anything that the universe has to offer to get what they want, only have like one sword and two pistols to choose from.

[Jscarlos18]

Valrak just uploaded a video talking about this along with other things:

 

[TheMawr]

6 hours ago, Jscarlos18 said:

Valrak just uploaded a video talking about this along with other things:

 

 

Is it possible to give an objective overview ? Im without proper internet access for a while :\ i tried looking around but there are as many interpetrations of what has been said as there are people saying it 

 

From what i gather its not so much that valrak has the rumor that Its lady malys and an archon, but rather that ( apart from this leak ) he has no rumors about lady malys, only about the multipart archon and the AoO bit is speculation ( as it has been since people noticed her and asurmen 2023 tag) is that correct ?   

[Tokugawa]

9 hours ago, Ripper.McGuirl said:

A multipart plastic archon with as many options as some other armies have would be heartstoppingly amazing. It has never made sense to me that an army made of the most nefarious and evil creatures in the galaxy, capable of doing and using literally anything that the universe has to offer to get what they want, only have like one sword and two pistols to choose from.

Multi parts Autarch even have "male/female chest armor" options in addtion to various weapons. Other recent human sized HQ multi parts kits(Kahl, Cadian commander, Canoness) also have okay volume of options. If multi parts Archon kit exists, it won't be too bad. 

[ursvamp]

8 hours ago, TheMawr said:

From what i gather its not so much that valrak has the rumor that Its lady malys and an archon, but rather that ( apart from this leak ) he has no rumors about lady malys, only about the multipart archon and the AoO bit is speculation ( as it has been since people noticed her and asurmen 2023 tag) is that correct ?   

Yes.

he says the onky rumor he’d heard was of the multi-part Archon kit (and that that was going to be the single model release for Drukhari. But it’s a little unclear to me if that last part is part of what he was told, or speculation on his part due to not hearing about anything else).

 The Malys model leaking has him specilsting that maybe there is more coming for Drukhari after all, since he had heard nothing about it.

Goes on to say that Drukhari needs it, and would benefit from a big release. As well as mentionibg that the last codex for an edition usually gets some love, model-wise (but it’s all speculation, on his part).

 

Arks of Omen is not mentioned at all.

Edited April 20 by ursvamp

[Tastyfish]

On 4/7/2025 at 9:44 PM, Tastyfish said:

Pondered this over on Dakka, but if we are seeing a return of the old special characters, I wonder if the Corsairs will get added to the Drukhari side of things given they are both space pirates and the old Duke Sliscus character was as much a corsair as he was an archon.

 

Valrak did have a rumour a little while back of a large corsair wave, including a character which everyone assumed was Yriel - perhaps it was someone else.

 

Teaser at the end of Valrak's commentary on the new knight suggests that this may have been a little prescient...

[TheMawr]

58 minutes ago, Tastyfish said:

 

Teaser at the end of Valrak's commentary on the new knight suggests that this may have been a little prescient...

 

Yeah, but he uses the word "predict" and I think its not the actual rumor just speculation by him and as he is not an eldar fan, it might be influenced by the internet in the first place, and might be one of those less-informed theories he probably wont be getting vindication on. 

 

But lets preemptively analyze it :

 

First and foremost I 110% do not see GW turning Prince Yriel (and he wasnt assumed to be Yriel, but explicitely said to be Yriel ) into a Drukhari model.. and this first and foremost negates the possibility of the corsair rumors being part of the dark eldar release. But even if prince yriel is a mistaken identity situation, the other rumors and corsairs in general are constantly tied to the "Aeldari" umbrella.. lore, store (where they removed the corsairs from the drukhari segment a couple of weeks ago.) and rules. They have the weakest link with drukhari.

 

Now Im not one to just look at it from one direction.. even though I 99.99% dont think the following happens  :
Corsairs becoming (only) "part of" Drukhari. 

 

That doesnt change the fact that we have these corsair rumors that are not released yet, and valraks theory that its linked with drukhari/your (and others) theory that they are part of drukhari, so lets assume that where there is smoke, there is fire.. and look at corsair-drukhari linked situations I think are more realistic than the above :

 

1. Corsairs (except Yriel) are a release for both Aeldari and Drukhari, either supplemental (Aeldari case for now) or part of the codex (in durkharis case)

 

Basically, what Harlequins where for several editions until they where split up. While its the most logical and least intrusive of the list, the problem is that I dont think they would have removed the corsairs from the Drukhari storepage if this was the case, but we have had weirder things happen.

 

2. There will be a new army that absorbs Drukhari and Corsairs

While Corsairs cant be (only) part of Drukhari, Drukhari and Corsairs CAN together be part of a new thing, lets call it Aeldari pirates.

 

While I dont think its likely, and its very definitely unlikable.. its not impossible and not without precedent (especially in AoS, but deathwatch going in IA has some similarities as does Craftworlds+Harlequins becoming Aeldari). It would possibly have dire consequences for Drukhari fans though. The logic here is, that while Corsairs are pirates that are explicitely not drukhari, they both are variants of eldar pirates. It could be treated by GW as the 2 distinct Ork armies sharing a battletome in AoS, two very different sides of the same coin.

This would be a likely situation if GW has lots of plans with corsairs in the short term, but no real plans with Drukhari (wich has been most of our fears for a while.)

 

3. Drukhari get an Ynnari section & detachment 

 

But instead of Craftworld Asuryani elements, they bring along Corsair Asuryani elements, including the new ones.

 

Beyond the whole corsairs situation I think there is a chance that this happens, even if named characters in 2 codexes is unprecedented, but its not the topic, and its nothing more than a gut feeling anyway, nothing substantial to it.
Even if the rules team in the beginning didnt, the creative teams ( whom are more privy to future directions anyway.) have from the very beginning tied Ynnari with corsairs, including ofcourse Yriel ( the only GW corsair model then ) as a cronesword wielder. And even though it might all be abandoned things, it is the strongest potential link Yriel has to drukhari.

 

Anyway when I was theorising what (equal) Ynnari Asuryani things there could be in a Drukhari section, it always boiled down to corsairs being part of it. Voidreavers for Wyches/Kabalites, Voidscarred for Incubi, Jumppack corsairs for Reavers, Vyper for Venom. Downside is that for Drukhari this would make corsairs locked to a hypothetical Ynnari detachment.

 

If there are actual rumblings of the corsairs release being part of the Drukhari release, I do think this here is a possible candidate, and no different from the talk of drukhari in aeldari codex and daemons in the cult codexes. None of wich turned out to be their exclusive place.

 

 

3b. Ofcourse the exact above thing could be done without Ynnari, as in, the Corsairs are mainly an Aeldari release, wether its a supplement or not, but, there are datasheets for the new corsairs (excluding Yriel) in the Drukhari codex that can be taken ( and sadly, when looking at how they do it with daemons and ynnari, only be taken ) in one detachment.

This is probably by far the likeliest scenario if the corsairs are (also) linked to the drukhari in the rumors.

As always, this one popped in my head after writing all the above, even though this one is so much more likely than the others, it makes the rest of the text void

Might ofcourse need to come back on some of this tomorrow ;) ( I do hope there is also more rumors of Drukhari and/or Corsairs with it.)

 

[Tastyfish]

It would definitely be interesting to have a Yriel/Silicus split with both getting new models and the former opening up some options for including limited craftworld troops.

To be honest the daemon situation has me thrown where there's online indexes with additional units that aren't available to the pledged legion units including whole classes of things like the Heralds.

 

I definitely see the Corsair role within the Drukhari book being like Harlequins in the Craftworld book. This is a separate faction, but generally more associated with one than the other but they will mix - we might even see the mirror version of the detachment come out online that has Yriel's raiders supporting Iyanden (online detachment that assumes you will also go online for rules or mix two books) - but then the Dark Eldar list is small enough that there's easily room for the Harlequins in there too.

 

Or we might even see the Craftworld Outcast units added to the Drukhari book in a mirror of Cabal and Wych units being included in the Craftworld one (or Daemons in the Legion books).

[TheMawr]

1 hour ago, Tastyfish said:

It would definitely be interesting to have a Yriel/Silicus split with both getting new models and the former opening up some options for including limited craftworld troops.

To be honest the daemon situation has me thrown where there's online indexes with additional units that aren't available to the pledged legion units including whole classes of things like the Heralds.

 

I definitely see the Corsair role within the Drukhari book being like Harlequins in the Craftworld book. This is a separate faction, but generally more associated with one than the other but they will mix - we might even see the mirror version of the detachment come out online that has Yriel's raiders supporting Iyanden (online detachment that assumes you will also go online for rules or mix two books) - but then the Dark Eldar list is small enough that there's easily room for the Harlequins in there too.

 

Or we might even see the Craftworld Outcast units added to the Drukhari book in a mirror of Cabal and Wych units being included in the Craftworld one (or Daemons in the Legion books).

 

Yeah the middle theory is the theory I see people popping up most often (especially those that know eldar only superficially, not saying you do!), and the one I expect valrak to repeat from the internet tomorrow, and that variant is 100% not happening.

 

There is one thing people already make a mistake with in the equation, and it is usually the strongest argument in their theory (despite being false) 

" like Harlequins in the Craftworld book"

This is wrong as there is no Craftworld/Asuryani codex, and while it is a technicality, it is a technicallity that has a major significance in this specific matter.

 

The Aeldari codex is an umbrella for 3 factions : Asuryani (craftworlds but also corsairs currently), Harlequins and Ynnari. In fact, the name of the codex has been specifically changed from craftworlds to aeldari in 9th edition to accomodate this merger. ( wich is why I said the technicality is significant for this topic.)

 

removing Asuryani corsairs from the Aeldari codex, specifically named to accomodate more than just craftworlds, and adding them to the Drukhari codex is nothing like combining Craftworlds and Harlequins in the new umbrella Aeldari codex.

Especially as there is not a single precedent for it. While Harlequins are indeed Aeldari, Corsairs are not Drukhari, as of now corsairs arent even a seperate faction, but they are Asuryani with the Anhranthe keyword... but even if they would become faction keyword Anhranthe.. they are still not Drukhari, and the Aeldari umbrella faction would still be the logical place. The faction keywords would never matchup unless the Drukhari part is changed just in the same way Craftworlds became Aeldari.

 

Besides, Drukhari already have their "Harlequins" equivalents
Where Aeldari is an umbrella codex for Asuryani, Harlequins, Ynnari and Outcasts/Corsairs ( or: All aeldari that are not tied to commoragh )
Drukhari is an umbrella codex for Kabals, Wych Cults and Haemonculi covens. ( or : All aeldari that are tied to commoragh )

 

Drukhari also goes way beyond being just eldar pirates, this is another part why I have a strong opinion on the matter, as the theory holds basically is a very superficial view thats ignoring a lot of identity of both Drukhari and Corsairs, and narrows drukhari down to one of their least important identifying elements.*

 

 

Your last one I ofcourse described as the possible variants, but I dont think its highly likely ( though I might need to come back to this tomorrow depending on if Valrak has actual rumors on the matter.) but its not impossible either. However based on anything written by GW the past decade, Ynnari and Harlequins have just as much, if not more, reason to be in the Drukhari codex in this way as Corsairs. That said, like you said, even with a huge Drukhari release, the range would still be small enough to accomodate all 3 in the Drukhari book as well from a datasheet pov, and despite my objections and arguments against the theory I do think it would be a good decision to have those small factions in both codexes... albeit maybe too limiting for the Drukhari exclusive detachments.

 

Bottomline, if not their own army with their own codex (not very likely imho), Corsairs will go in the Aeldari codex, the one specifically made to accomodate them for 2 editions now. It could ofcourse be that they are also in the Drukhari codex in one form or another, but they will definitely not be only (or even mainly) in the Drukhari codex as people are theorising. it makes absolute zero sense, and there is not a single reason to expect this.

 

 

* edit,, to quickly further elaborate on some of this, might add more if I think of it :

 

-- Psykers, Drukhari/Commoragh go out of their way to supress psychic potential and shun psykers, Corsairs on the other hand embrace and delight in their psychic potential more so than any other eldar faction ( except maybe Ynnari ) it is a very defining but also incompatible feature of both eldar factions. It was no suprise to hear the only rumored generic solo character be a psyker as it is at the core of their identity, while not having them is at the core of Drukhari's ( not something I necessarily agree with but thats another topic )

 

-- While some corsairs hold ties with commoragh, many more corsairs have strong bonds with ( specific ) craftworlds, most, if not all Craftworlds have at least one coterie connected to them. Yriel and the Eldritch raiders arent an exceptional situation... Sliscuss and the Sky serpents on the other hand are described as an exceptional situation. Corsairs are much more linked to craftworlds than they are to commoragh/Drukhari and they have been for decades.

Edited May 6 by TheMawr

[Tastyfish]

I think we're going to see the lines getting blurred a little more and retcons on the Dark Eldar side rather than the Corsair one to be honest. Covens and leadership of some of the more powerful Cabals at the current extreme end of evil Eldar with the Wych cults and more piratical elements starting to drift a little more neutral/exceedingly dark grey in their methods of staving off She Who Thirsts. Realspace raiders and corsairs are both fundamentally both pirates, so what we might consider the rules are kind of more like guidelines.

 

To be honest, I've not read the Ynnari novels, but the concept of the faction including redemption for those Drukari who join up and Yvraine's backstory as an outcast that eventually found her way through the corsairs into hitting rock bottom in the arenas in Comorragh, make me feel that there's going to be a little (very little!) softening of some elements of the Dark Eldar. The elf on the street being more of a desperate individual (or clone), caught up in an ever ratchetting rat race of horror and depravity if they stay in the Dark City looking for anything to keep their souls from being drained away, rather than the fully fledged sadistic torturer right off the bat. Pain/Experience junkies in thrall to the dark lords of the covens and cabals.

 

Though in the current state of the game, it's definitely tricky to see some parallel to Ynnari as neither Imperial Agents or Shadow Legion are quite the same kind of thing. "Craftworld with a set of 'Drukhari daemons'" is a bit of an odd version, but I suppose is the better fit for now, until they get some units of their own and a bit more development. Or the Harlequins end up getting a lot more organised in support of the plan.

 

The eventual split if all rumours are true would seem to naturally fall for me as:

 

Aeldari - those still looking out at the rest of the Galaxy as somewhere for the Eldar to reclaim their place:

Craftworlders, Harlequins, Exodites and Outcasts (including basic corsairs + an allied 'daemon-style' shortlist of Cabal and Cult troops for Ynnari)

 

Druhkari - those that have given up on restoring anything and now just live for their own reasons.

Covens, Cabal, Cult and Corsairs (plus allied 'deamon-style shortlist' of harlequins).

 

But really the Dark Eldar need a good couple of new units for each of the existing subfactions more than a fourth one, from a gaming perspective.

 

[edit] Valrak's livestream also clarified the Dark Eldar/Corsair link as being speculation on his part, so who knows.

Edited May 6 by Tastyfish