Reading James Workshop's Runes

[ChapterMasterGodfrey]

I posted this on Reddit and got a mixed response (including being called autistic (I'm not, but I more object to that being used as an insult)). Please let me know your thoughts:

 

When you look back over the last nine and a half years' worth of Warhammer 40,000 releases, discernible patterns emerge...

Obviously, the three year edition cycle is well documented:

• End of Q2 2017: Dark Imperium - Warhammer 40,000 8th Edition

• Q3 2020: Indomitus - Warhammer 40,000 9th Edition

• End of Q2 2023: Leviathan - Warhammer 40,000 10th Edition

• Q3 2026: Armageddon - Warhammer 40,000 11th Edition

You can put a safe bet on May/June 2029 delivering 12th Edition. In fact, as patterns emerge within patterns... you can, I think at least, safely bet on 12th Edition being a total rules reset and the return of Indexes.

 

Beyond the edition cycle however there are yet more patterns. The "End of Edition Campaign" is one we all know about, Gathering Storm, Psychic Awakening, Arks of Omen, and 10th edition's 500 Worlds, The Maelstrom, The Eye of Terror and Armageddon: The Return of Yarrick.

 

Where the narrative focus will be, and, more interestingly, who the narrative focus will be on in Q1 & Q2 2029, I don't know exactly... but more on that later.

 

Space Marines are obviously a huge part of Warhammer 40,000 and love them or loath them, their releases essentially pay for the all the others. Beyond always being one half of the launch box (as is their right!), the loyalist Adeptus Astartes always get more goodies as part of their Codex Launch release wave at the top of every edition.

 

Tomorrow, as part of the big summer preview, we can expect to see the new Multi-Part Outriders, Captain on a Bike and new Dreadnought*

 

Beyond that though, Marines always get even more stuff in the final year of an edition, before the start of the end of edition narrative campaign. In 8th edition, as part of Shadowspear, we got more Phobos marines. In 9th edition, right before Arks of Omen, we got Strike Force Agastus and the Brutalis Dread, Desolation Squad and a new Multi-Part LT. In 10th, again just before 500 Worlds, we got the Crux Terminatus Battleforce - the first place to get the Assault Terminators.

 

What will we get in Q4 2028/Q1 2029? Perhaps the long rumoured "redo" of the Rhino and Land Raider?

 

The next pattern I've seen opens up a lot of room for speculation and plays into the final pattern I've seen... Every Edition since and including 8th has introduced at least 2 new Codecies to the range:

• 8th - Death Guard, Adeptus Custodes and Chaos Knights

• 9th - Leagues of Votann and World Eaters

• 10th - Imperial Agents (still counts) and Emperors Children

 

Whilst I feel the game is crying out for more Xenos factions I think that one of the two minimum new codecies in 11th will be Dark Mechanicum. After that, could Eldar Exodites (rumoured to start life as a Kill Team) be expanded to be their own stand alone faction?

 

I actually don't think there will be any new loyalist or traitor codecies in 11th. I think the four special loyalists (BA, BT, DA & SW) will lose "supplement" on their books - as hinted to by their unique points costings in the Munitorum Field Manual. I also don't think Codex: Iron Warriors is going to be a thing despite....

 

Primarchs. New Primarchs. My favourite pattern.

 

To steal from Pacific Rim, The Primarchs came back with a bang and a "double event". In Q4 2016 and Q1 2017, Magnus the Red and Roboute Guilliman respectively released. Whilst there was a bit of time between the two, they still came as part of the same narrative event.

 

Then, Mortarion in Q3 2017 as part of the DG codex release wave. Then nothing... for 22 quarters until Angron returned in Q1 2023 with the Lion in Q2 2023, both as Arks of Omen. Then Fulgrim came in Q1 2025 - a bit of an outlier as a mid edition Primarch.

 

So the Primarch Pattern is an end of edition double event (traitor and loyalist) followed up by a codex release single event (traitor).

 

So far who has made total sense. The traitors were obvious picks as the mono-god traitors. Guilliman was also obvious (poster boy Ultramarines). The next loyalist being the Lion also made sense as DA have their own book. Sanguinius won't be returning until there is serious financial emergency at GW. Dorn returning causes a bit of a headache with BT being their own book but IF being in the regular SM codex. So welcome back Leman Russ next

 

As for the when... The double events were 7th and 9th, odd # editions. This will be followed up with a Codex release Primarch. Which codex? Codex: Chaos Space marines. Who? The Chaos Undivided Primarch; Lorgar. So therefore...

 

TL;DR:

Q2 2029 End of Edition Campaign will see two primarchs return; Perturabo and Leman Russ - who are both conveniently in the Eye or Terror. This after Codex: Dark Mechanicum drops roughly halfway through 11th edition in Q4 2027/Q1 2028. Then, Lorgar with the 12th Edition Codex: Chaos Space Marines some time in 2030 (CSM usually release around 12-18mo after edition launch).

Edited June 26 by ChapterMasterGodfrey

[ZeroWolf]

Don't have much to add but its worth pointing out that Strike Force Augustus dropped in between books 2 and 3 of Arks of Omens.

 

Also, i can't remember correctly but I think Valrak had heard runours of an Iron Warriors codex. Though personally, I think arguments could be made for Iron Warriors, Alpha Legion, Word Bearers and Night lords to be codex supplements rather than stand alone books like the god legions.

 

I think there was also rumours about DM for a good while now, especially getting their profile raised via HH and LI releases. Also don't think exodites will get a book till 12th

[Evil Eye]

Eldar Exodites would be brilliant if they decide to make them into a proper army. Honestly slightly surprised there hasn't been more; if memory serves they never even got a supplement/mini-dex during 3E!

[SvenIronhand]

Looking in my crystal ball, there will be Space Marines. Oh god, so many space marines! I can't buy them all...

[jaxom]

5 hours ago, Evil Eye said:

Eldar Exodites would be brilliant if they decide to make them into a proper army. Honestly slightly surprised there hasn't been more; if memory serves they never even got a supplement/mini-dex during 3E!

I think it’s because they have something of a Squat problem (not identical problem, but similar). Exodites are consistent with lore, but not consistent with faction paradigm. They don’t seem have an active motivation for conflict beyond the confines of their Maiden Worlds. Their modus operandi is basically chill out, protected from Slaanesh by World Spirit, play with their dinosaurs, and murder interlopers. If the interlopers are too strong, summon Craftworlders. Makes for a good hobby project for lore enthusiasts, but hard to sell alongside existing factions. There could be a solution, but it could be a monkey’s paw. Leagues of Votann check all the paradigm boxes, but not everyone was pleased by getting Leagues of Votann instead of a faction perfectly matching old Squat lore.

 

EDIT: I AM SO HAPPY TO BE WRONG!

Edited June 26 by jaxom