500 Worlds: Titus (Wardens of Ultramar & Nekrosor Ammentar)

[ZeroWolf]

28 minutes ago, NTaW said:

 

More likely I'd guess some stabby Canoptek option. We've seen a rise of them since plasmacytes, and they're what we got in the recent Kill Team box as ancillary units.

 

I have no idea the turnaround for game production, but I imagine both GW and Saber would be very interested in making more money. Add in all the licenced merch, Warhammer + content, and the deal with Amazon, and you may just be left with a big ol' company with a variety of income avenues tying it all together around their most (?) popular (see also: well known to the masses) character for better brand awareness.

 

I'm currently listening to Godblight and Guilliman remarks something along the lines of "I never rely on a single outcome". I don't find it hard to believe that GW would plan for a variety of possibilities so that they have a model or two sculpted and ready to go, to be released to capitalize on popularity or to be shoehorned in for one of those random character releases we get with Codex or Campaign books.

To be fair to GW they may have plans but it's the actual production part they fall down on as every machine they have is in high demand. That's why they plan machine use so thoroughly (i recall a report saying that they use three year cycles for production for this sort of thing so they know exactly where and when things are good to go)

 

Of course, this all goes to pot when something they don't print themselves gets messed up (see the rumoured reason as to why Cursed City had such a debacle of a launch)

[TheMawr]

16 hours ago, Halandaar said:

 

*Shrug* - regardless of whether every book shares the "500 Worlds" tagline, there are going to be more books and they're going to be in a similar format to this. 

 

I dont think it will necessarily be all a bookset with 4 books a map and stickers, whatever it all turns out to be, I can see this being special for the kick-off only. It could be ofcourse they are all booksets, but I dont think its a certainity.

 

 

16 hours ago, Halandaar said:

That said, if it's not part of a wider series you'd have to ask why the book isn't just called "Titus" rather than "500 Worlds - Titus" if the 500 Worlds bit isn't going to continue to be relevant. Why does 500 Worlds have its own logo in a new typeface, why is that logo printed on the front of a Necron Battalion box of not to tie multiple similar products together, etc. 

 

Thats a fair point, even if I do believe that GW is fickle enough to have all of that just for a one-off. Thing is that some of the other rumors dont really fit the 500 worlds branding ( getting back to some of that later.) but even two 500 worlds booksets would warrant the Titus subtitle. Going arbitrarily with only one other 500 world bookset.. it could be that the follow up is 500 Worlds Huron a dark counter to the titus set, narratively not pitted against eldar corsairs* but rather having moved away from the Maelstrom to invade ultramar. With perhaps the Sisters of Battle rumors being his opposition instead. Or yet more Ultramarines and a 500 Worlds Cassius or something.

 

As for the battalion box thing, no matter how it all turns out, I dont think the Necron one is the only one coming alongside Titus, it wouldnt be the first time that more boxes are revealed at a later date. The text of the reveal article also mentions this "the 500 Worlds: Titus set includes War on the Vespator Front, a complete campaign system for Warhammer 40,000 that pits three alliances against each other" wich implies to me there is at least a third player in the story here, wich is not alligned to either Titus or Necron side. But also is not something that will get new releases or detachment rules*.. but still very likely a battalion box ( Deathguard maybe ? ). I also think a spacemarine battalion box is likely as well.

 

16 hours ago, Halandaar said:

I mean, this is the format end-of-edition campaigns take: campaign book focusing on a few factions in part of a wider conflict, with new supporting miniatures and bundle boxes. They've even already shown us the models that will need future publications to deliver their rules (Tyranid, Votann, Tau) so the idea that this is a standalone is weird to me. 

 

I agree the 3 xenos miniatures are very likely tied to something, but its much less likely to be 500 worlds, because there would have been no reason to be as hush hush about it considering they announced 500 worlds at the very same preview show. Wether there is more 500 worlds or not ( signs seem to point to it.) these 3 do not seem to be part of it, and are likely part of something else they are not ready to announce the details of yet because we have 500 worlds first.. no matter how many installments that has and wich of the rumors belong to that.

 

It wouldnt be the first time they had a rather assymetric approach to this end-rush campaigns. Everything is very remniscent of the end of 7th edition to me. With 500 worlds being a rough equivalent to the Black crusade campaign ( Traitors hate and Angels Blade ) and these other things gearing up for the Gathering storm equivalent to follow it shortly.

But just as people remember only Gathering storm as the end of edition campaign of 7th.. a rumor whisperer could also make such a misidentification in this case.

 

 

 

* There is another option here, combined with the christmas video and that the Eldar corsairs feel more imminent due to rumors age and increasing details as well as the lack of 40k rebox of the KT corsairs despite being quite popular. But thats also a bit more wishful thinking fueled theory wich I dont trust myself. That there will be a codex or codex supplement for eldar corsairs around the time of 500 worlds Titus ( battalion box to be revealed at christmas ) kind of mimicking World eaters codex and releases coming alongside Arks of Omen Angron. As this wouldnt need their "lore", detachments and rules to be present in the 500 world Titus books.

 

As always just theorising for the sake of theorising :)

[Lord Marshal]

Fluff article from WarCom.

 

Bad news for Charion (and Acheran) fans:
 

Quote

Acheran’s illustrious service came to an end upon the hive world of Trygg – a vital and seemingly loyal stronghold that safeguarded the Pyremoat System from Tyranid incursion. After a Munitorum survey vessel and its escort of Mordian Iron Guard disappeared, letting out a single psychic scream before vanishing without a trace, Acheran led a strike force to investigate, accompanied by his decorated Lieutenant, Brother Chairon.

 

What they found was a powerful Genestealer Cult embedded in the primary hive, their influence stretching from the undercity all the way up to the spires, poised to crack open the world’s defences when the Tyranids arrived. The cult’s uprising had already begun, and threatened to spread across the planet. In order to contain it, Acheran chose to activate the hive’s anti-atomic lockdown protocols, sealing his entire force inside the city with a nearly endless horde of enraged cultists. 

 

This noble choice, to sacrifice himself and his brothers, kept the Genestealer Cult bottled up, and saved the world – and a vulnerable sector – from certain doom. Every last Space Marine that landed on Trygg was slowly worn down in a series of increasingly desperate battles. When Imperial reinforcements arrived to purge the last of the cult, they discovered that Acheran, Chairon, and the rest of their brothers had sold their lives to cull untold numbers of xenos hybrids.

 

 

Edited yesterday at 03:02 PM by Lord Marshal

[darkhorse0607]

Imagine being the devs/voice actors/writers for SM2 and putting a lot of work into Acheran and Chairon only to have them killed off in a short Warhammer Community article 

 

Where the story is fairly similar to Captain Invictus' sacrifice/defense of the polar fortress

Edited yesterday at 03:19 PM by darkhorse0607

[Subtleknife]

Im still bitter it says Acheran gave himself a whole strike squad when all I ever got in SM 2 is two battle brothers....

 

An odd choice to kill off Chairon imo, at least give him a heroic death onscreen in SM3. Tbf, that could be an excellent tutorial mission for SM3, you go play as Acheran and get ambushed and get an epic last stand with Chairon before it cuts to the 'now' with Titus.

Edited yesterday at 03:19 PM by Subtleknife

[StrangerOrders]

On one hand, at least Chairon made Lieutenant before his death (guess he overcame Gadriel in ranks only to die, makes me recall FMA for some reason).

 

On the other, thats two captains of Second Company Leandros either got killed or nearly did lol.

[Casual Heresy]

Yeah, not gonna lie, I hate this end for Acheran and Chairon. 

 

Acheran did have to die in order for Titus to take over I think, but he could have at least been interred in a dreadnought.

 

Chairon dieing off screen is arguably worse. He was a good character in my opinion and I would have loved to see him back as part of Titus' squad in Space Marine 3.

 

The only way I'll be happy with this turn of the lore is if BL come out with a really dramatic, well written novel of Chairon and Acheran's last stand (give Halo Reach but Ultramarine you cowards!). But we all know what hope leads to....

Edited yesterday at 03:25 PM by Casual Heresy

[Kyari]

I am honestly super irked about Chairon specifically. He was great, this feels like such an odd choice. I'm worried the Strike Force in question will also include the multiplayer characters :(

[ZeroWolf]

2 hours ago, TheMawr said:

 

I dont think it will necessarily be all a bookset with 4 books a map and stickers, whatever it all turns out to be, I can see this being special for the kick-off only. It could be ofcourse they are all booksets, but I dont think its a certainity.

 

 

 

Thats a fair point, even if I do believe that GW is fickle enough to have all of that just for a one-off. Thing is that some of the other rumors dont really fit the 500 worlds branding ( getting back to some of that later.) but even two 500 worlds booksets would warrant the Titus subtitle. Going arbitrarily with only one other 500 world bookset.. it could be that the follow up is 500 Worlds Huron a dark counter to the titus set, narratively not pitted against eldar corsairs* but rather having moved away from the Maelstrom to invade ultramar. With perhaps the Sisters of Battle rumors being his opposition instead. Or yet more Ultramarines and a 500 Worlds Cassius or something.

 

As for the battalion box thing, no matter how it all turns out, I dont think the Necron one is the only one coming alongside Titus, it wouldnt be the first time that more boxes are revealed at a later date. The text of the reveal article also mentions this "the 500 Worlds: Titus set includes War on the Vespator Front, a complete campaign system for Warhammer 40,000 that pits three alliances against each other" wich implies to me there is at least a third player in the story here, wich is not alligned to either Titus or Necron side. But also is not something that will get new releases or detachment rules*.. but still very likely a battalion box ( Deathguard maybe ? ). I also think a spacemarine battalion box is likely as well.

 

 

I agree the 3 xenos miniatures are very likely tied to something, but its much less likely to be 500 worlds, because there would have been no reason to be as hush hush about it considering they announced 500 worlds at the very same preview show. Wether there is more 500 worlds or not ( signs seem to point to it.) these 3 do not seem to be part of it, and are likely part of something else they are not ready to announce the details of yet because we have 500 worlds first.. no matter how many installments that has and wich of the rumors belong to that.

 

It wouldnt be the first time they had a rather assymetric approach to this end-rush campaigns. Everything is very remniscent of the end of 7th edition to me. With 500 worlds being a rough equivalent to the Black crusade campaign ( Traitors hate and Angels Blade ) and these other things gearing up for the Gathering storm equivalent to follow it shortly.

But just as people remember only Gathering storm as the end of edition campaign of 7th.. a rumor whisperer could also make such a misidentification in this case.

 

 

 

* There is another option here, combined with the christmas video and that the Eldar corsairs feel more imminent due to rumors age and increasing details as well as the lack of 40k rebox of the KT corsairs despite being quite popular. But thats also a bit more wishful thinking fueled theory wich I dont trust myself. That there will be a codex or codex supplement for eldar corsairs around the time of 500 worlds Titus ( battalion box to be revealed at christmas ) kind of mimicking World eaters codex and releases coming alongside Arks of Omen Angron. As this wouldnt need their "lore", detachments and rules to be present in the 500 world Titus books.

 

As always just theorising for the sake of theorising :)

Worth pointing out that the rules for the models won't appear in the books and will instead be online, probably appearing on WarCom as a PDF and jumping straight on the app. They have stated in the past that they dont want players chugging around several books to play their army.

[Casual Heresy]

Just now, ZeroWolf said:

Worth pointing out that the rules for the models won't appear in the books and will instead be online, probably appearing on WarCom as a PDF and jumping straight on the app. They have stated in the past that they dont want players chugging around several books to play their army.

 

I believe they said they would be online as well as being in the book.

[irlLordy]

Thats a pretty narratively unsatisfying end to those characters, hopefully it gets fleshed out either in the game, or via Black Library. Also, how many lieutenants has the 2nd company gone through now? It seems like they have a new one for every narrative event, and they never get mentioned again afterwards.

Edited yesterday at 04:32 PM by irlLordy

[Sergeant Centurion]

They go as they live, as two of the most beautifull space marines ever lived.

[Nephaston]

56 minutes ago, Lord Marshal said:

Fluff article from WarCom.

 

Bad news for Charion (and Acheran) fans:
 

 

Not my beautiful boy, noooo!

[Evil Eye]

Aww man, not Chairon, he was my favourite!

[Odd-ad]

I don't mind the concept of the story too much in itself, it's a very noble sacrifice, but I really don't think it was needed.

 

Titus doesn't have to be 2nd company captain, they could have made him captain of another company, or outside the usual chain, like Sicarius is. "Captain-general of the Tetrarchs" or something,  so that you can add extra lore about parts of the Inquisition side-eying Guilliman for naming something after the Custodes. Or to create tension with the Lion or whichever primarch they bring back next.

 

And if they really needed to kill Acheran, at least do it in a full book. Or like @Casual Heresy said; a Halo: Reach style game where we slowly lose our strike force in a heroic last stand.

 

And Chairon got done dirty, man. Why not keep him as Titus' lieutenant? Metaurus is specifically called a sergeant, so it's not like they couldn't have both.

Edited yesterday at 04:17 PM by Odd-ad

[darkhorse0607]

1 hour ago, Casual Heresy said:

The only way I'll be happy with this turn of the lore is if BL come out with a really dramatic, well written novel of Chairon and Acheran's last stand (give Halo Reach but Ultramarine you cowards!). But we all know what hope leads to....

 

If they do this before they write the same thing for the 1st company during the invasion of Ultramar (which ironically has almost the same plot) then I riot

[SvenIronhand]

1 hour ago, darkhorse0607 said:

Where the story is fairly similar to Captain Invictus' sacrifice/defense of the polar fortress

What a stretch.

[darkhorse0607]

14 minutes ago, SvenIronhand said:

What a stretch.

 

Maybe, 

 

-Company captain undertakes a mission to a remote (either by geography or isolation as a hab sector) location 

-Company can't receive reinforcements once there (due to the Tyranids at Macragge, or Archeran sealing themselves in)

-Company is fighting Tyranids/Genestealers

-Only after the company is wiped out do reinforcements arrive to find out they fought to the last man

-Because of their actions, they buy enough time to save the rest of the planet

 

So yeah, maybe it's a stretch because it's Tyranids vs Genestealers, polar fortress versus hab zone, etc,  but it's not all that different in the overall scheme

Edited yesterday at 05:09 PM by darkhorse0607

[Uprising]

Thank goodness Acheran is dead.  I hated that character so much in the story, that its a common joke in my friend group to this day.  RIP Charion on the other hand.  He was a great,  pouring one out for him.  

[phandaal]

2 hours ago, Casual Heresy said:

Yeah, not gonna lie, I hate this end for Acheran and Chairon. 

 

Acheran did have to die in order for Titus to take over I think, but he could have at least been interred in a dreadnought.

 

Chairon dieing off screen is arguably worse. He was a good character in my opinion and I would have loved to see him back as part of Titus' squad in Space Marine 3.

 

The only way I'll be happy with this turn of the lore is if BL come out with a really dramatic, well written novel of Chairon and Acheran's last stand (give Halo Reach but Ultramarine you cowards!). But we all know what hope leads to....

 

As a fan of Captain Balthasar, I feel your pain. And no, do not hope for anything better than a random blurb.

[SvenIronhand]

56 minutes ago, darkhorse0607 said:

So yeah, maybe it's a stretch because it's Tyranids vs Genestealers, polar fortress versus hab zone, etc,  but it's not all that different in the overall scheme

Yeah, but how many valiant last stands to the last man do marines make in general? That's why it's a stretch. 

[Marshal Reinhard]

I had always viewed Acheran as dead. Correct me if I'm wrong, but when we first learned of him was with Vigilus and Shadowspear right? It pretty much sounded like he died there (when does a falling building ever kill a space marine though?) So learning that he lived at the same time as learning that he died again doesn't feel too much of let down?

 

Shame about my boi Chairon though

[Plaguecaster]

Yeah this is stupid

To build up those characters in space marine 2 only for GW to kill them off screen in some stupid community articles is just pathetic from  GW 

[Lord Nord in Gravis Armour]

1 hour ago, Marshal Reinhard said:

I had always viewed Acheran as dead. Correct me if I'm wrong, but when we first learned of him was with Vigilus and Shadowspear right? It pretty much sounded like he died there (when does a falling building ever kill a space marine though?) So learning that he lived at the same time as learning that he died again doesn't feel too much of let down?

 

Not quite right about his first appearance. He was in the 8th-Ed Codex about twenty months before he showed up in Shadowspear. (EDIT: And I just realized he was identified in the Dark Imperium set about a month ahead of that).

 

Otherwise though... yeah. There was zero attention given to the fact that he was just magically still alive after Nemendghast. That's why it's been my expectation for years now that he was simply keeping someone else's spot warm and would ultimately be killed off (again, FOR REAL THIS TIME!) and replaced whenever they got around to bringing out a named character model as 2nd Company Captain. Of course, I'd been assuming it would be Sicarius, who'd be told by Guilliman that the galaxy needed him more out there leading a battle company instead of being his watchdog.

 

It wound up being Titus rather than Sicarius, but otherwise it went down exactly like I figured.

 

Edited yesterday at 07:57 PM by Lord Nord in Gravis Armour

[HeadlessCross]

1 hour ago, Plaguecaster said:

Yeah this is stupid

To build up those characters in space marine 2 only for GW to kill them off screen in some stupid community articles is just pathetic from  GW 

Sometimes characters just have to die. If anything, I welcome it as long as people can still use their models.