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Offline Temperance

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Where is 40k Going?
« on: April 10, 2020, 09:28:18 PM »
So, obviously no one has a crystal ball, but I'm wondering what you guys think:

I sort of have the itch to jump into 40k again for some reason...

However, I've been silently watching GW for awhile now (haven't -really- played since ~4th) and feel like I have some cause to pause. My main worry is whether something I buy now would remain - fully - support for a very significant length of time.

1) GW blew up WHF. Like, completely. A lot of the AoS races are substantially different in look and feel, not to mention the game itself is a completely different beast now.

2) It seemed they wanted to do this with 40k too, but pulled back. As a result we have new marines with a very different aesthetic, that are more or less mandatory purchases. If not now, then in the future for anyone who wants an army that remains supported (and as a past Brettonian player in WHF, I can tell you exactly how fun a completely unsupported army is for me: Not).

3) Other 40k stuff is still the same... for now?

Do you guys think GW stopped plans for a huge overhaul? Or do they just want to do it gradually, with one army at a time getting completely overhauled? I mean, the Ynnari got put on pause, but there's no reason GW couldn't go back and very heavily redesign the Eldar (to the point where what they become simply isn't what they were, in terms of models and/or rules).

The models are crazy expensive. I can sort of make my peace with that, if they're something I collect very slowly and spend a lot of time painting. Treat them as art instead of a game, and that's more palatable. But the game is still the underlying reason I'd buy anything. And if either the look or mechanics of an army did a huge shift on me, possibly to the point of everything I buy now entering the lane of slowly-planned-obsolescence... that's an issue. For me, at least. The stuff is expensive enough for me that I want to feel secure in the belief that whatever I buy is going to stay supported, and not get completely overhauled.

Anyways. Like I said, I know no one has a crystal ball. But do you guys have any thoughts on where GW is going with this?


PS: Slightly related question. The deluxe digital codexes you can buy from GW, do they get auto updates when FAQs etc come out? Or is it effectively just a static digital copy of the regular codex, but with the ability to get 360 degree views of minis and stuff?
« Last Edit: April 10, 2020, 09:37:26 PM by Temperance »

Offline Partninja

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Re: Where is 40k Going?
« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2020, 09:51:57 PM »
Now is the best time to get into 40k as everything WILL be supported. They're currently doing a campaign series called Psychic Awakening that is giving every army additional rules to help keep everyone on an even playing field.

In my opinion, you seem to be focusing the things you hear about on competitive circuits. Don't do that. Play semi-competitive games at most with your friends and it will always be great.

Are there a ton of new primaris marines that are the "meta" competitive pick? Yes. However all the old marine are still perfectly viable for anything outside of that.

The only real complaint I'll give about this edition is you need more than one or two books to get all of your rules if you want to stay up to date. Very annoying. 

Offline Lord of Winter and War

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Re: Where is 40k Going?
« Reply #2 on: April 11, 2020, 12:01:34 AM »
I would be very surprised if we see traditional marines leave the codex anytime soon We won't see non-primaris kits released by GW, but the existing stuff is staying.

Age of Sigmar, and 40k are both pretty stable games. We will see (probably this year, pandemic willing) 9th edition of 40k released. it'll be like the 2nd edition of the aos rules, where they tidy up and clarify the rules after a few years of the game being out.

I do see psychic awakening as the 40k version of Malign portents for Age of Sigmar. In AoS, we had the necroquake, which lead a huge narrative push, and endless spells.

I could see psychic awakening having a big narrative push to the 40k setting, and maybe their own version of endless spells added to the game.

However, everything released for 40k so far is here to stay, and all rules will be the same with a new edition.

This is also the best time to play 40k. Balance between the armies is the best it's ever been, and gw is doing a very good job with balancing units with it's spring and fall updates.

Also, you can still totally run your brettonia in Age of Sigmar, as a grand alliance order army. Their rules are available for free, and their points are in the generals handbook! They are also pretty good!

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Offline Blazinghand

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Re: Where is 40k Going?
« Reply #3 on: April 11, 2020, 12:05:11 AM »
I'd say as someone who has played 40k on and off for a decade and a half, that overall things are looking up for the hobby. A lot of this has to do with the leadership change that happened around 2015. At about that time, CEO Tom Kirby stepped down, and Kevin Rountree took over. The end of WHB and the dawn of AoS (as well as the end of Brets and TKs) happened due to decisions under Kirby's watch, though some of those played out in the first few months of Rountree.

With Rountree, though, we've seen massively increased community engagement, making the game more accessible, and turning out tons of fantastic new minis for AoS and for 40k. The number of new start collecting boxes is way up, and a lot of factions have gotten attention they haven't in the past (plastic sisters! plastic aspects! admech new minis! plastic custodes!)

Primaris marines are pretty sweet and I think were basically GW's attempts to introduce a Mark X line of power armor and a truescale-style redesign. I think it's likely that there were internal discussions about how to handle it, and it was decided that it would be too much to release the new tactical sculpts (intercessors) as Tactical Marines Mark X. So they decided to play it safe and make them separate, lore-wise and rules-wise, specifically so those who already own marines minis can keep playing. nothing to be concerned about there imo.

Overall, in terms of lore support, mini support, and rules support, I think the 8e-and-forward GW has inspired more confidence in me than previously, particularly with their desire to make the game easy to get into, and provide annual updates to points values and rules (as well as their regular FAQ PDFs).

Now, the downside of GW coming out with a bunch of awesome new sculpts is that the old sculpts are no longer the newest sculpts, yes, but you'll hardly hear me complaining about that! Plastic Aspect Warriors! Plastic Sisters! etc
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Offline Temperance

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Re: Where is 40k Going?
« Reply #4 on: April 11, 2020, 01:32:43 AM »
Thanks for the replies so far guys, appreciated.

Just to clarify, regarding Brets, traditional marines, et al the point isn’t that they can’t be played (they certainly can) so much as that they’re not going to get updates ever again.

The fact they have a nominal place in AoS is great. But it’s not likely to evolve from there.

I guess to distill my post, a short form question would be better phrased as:
1) Are there 40k armies, beyond traditional marines, that are likely to stop receiving any future updates or models. (Even if their current models retain index rules or the equivalent for every future edition).

At any rate, thanks again. Cheers.
« Last Edit: April 11, 2020, 01:36:05 AM by Temperance »

Offline Blazinghand

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Re: Where is 40k Going?
« Reply #5 on: April 11, 2020, 02:06:42 AM »
Thanks for the replies so far guys, appreciated.

Just to clarify, regarding Brets, traditional marines, et al the point isn’t that they can’t be played (they certainly can) so much as that they’re not going to get updates ever again.

The fact they have a nominal place in AoS is great. But it’s not likely to evolve from there.

I guess to distill my post, a short form question would be better phrased as:
1) Are there 40k armies, beyond traditional marines, that are likely to stop receiving any future updates or models. (Even if their current models retain index rules or the equivalent for every future edition).

At any rate, thanks again. Cheers.

Hmm, well first off, there are a bunch of armies without codexes and only FW support, like DKOK, Corsairs, etc. Nobody has "guaranteed" new releases, but these guys are very unlikely to get them.

Next are the armies with codexes. Of those, the ones that have gone the longest without new minis are probably nids (if you don't count GSCs) and Grey Knights. There's no way Nids are getting squatted, though I wouldn't expect tons of new minis for Grey Knights all the time.

All the factions with codexes are getting or have already gotten a major rules refresh as part of psychic awakening.

If you want the best possible rules and minis support from GW, play a faction with relatively new sculpts that a lot of people play, such as Space Marines, Imperial Guard, Craftworld Eldar, Chaos Space Marines, Chaos Daemons, etc. Some of the minor imperial faction armies have gotten good attention recently and are likely to continue to get some - particularly admech, but also sisters (!) and custodes.

Overall, I think there's nothing to be concerned about, as long as you select a faction with a codex.
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Offline Lord of Winter and War

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Re: Where is 40k Going?
« Reply #6 on: April 11, 2020, 10:30:29 AM »

1) Are there 40k armies, beyond traditional marines, that are likely to stop receiving any future updates or models. (Even if their current models retain index rules or the equivalent for every future edition).


From Games Workshop, no.
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Offline Temperance

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Re: Where is 40k Going?
« Reply #7 on: April 12, 2020, 10:05:15 AM »
Thanks all.

I’m honestly a bit (positively) surprised by the general optimism here.  That’s nice to see.  I I think I will dip my toes in the water, albeit slowly.

IG sound like a pretty tempting path to go down, with some howling griffon (for painting joy) and sob (for spiritual guidance, and mini-buying-excuses) allies tagging along.  ... Although I haven’t totally ruled out Eldar. Will ponder.

Anyways, thanks again!  You’ve all been very helpful.

Offline Lord of Winter and War

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Re: Where is 40k Going?
« Reply #8 on: April 12, 2020, 01:51:02 PM »
Thanks all.

I’m honestly a bit (positively) surprised by the general optimism here.  That’s nice to see.  I I think I will dip my toes in the water, albeit slowly.

IG sound like a pretty tempting path to go down, with some howling griffon (for painting joy) and sob (for spiritual guidance, and mini-buying-excuses) allies tagging along.  ... Although I haven’t totally ruled out Eldar. Will ponder.

Anyways, thanks again!  You’ve all been very helpful.


There is no reason for anything but optimism. we were in the golden age of warhammer, and the games have support we could only have dreamed of years ago.

Really,  I don't think it matters too mutch which of the armies you want to collect. I'd worry more about getting models you'll want to paint.

I also recommend picking up a copy of the rulebook,  so you can get an idea of how army building works, read the rules,  and catch up on the lore. You can get a digital copy from the warhammer digital website.

Not too mutch point in worrying which models to get right now,  as game workshop is closed worldwide for any physical products you might want to get.
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Offline Partninja

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Re: Where is 40k Going?
« Reply #9 on: April 12, 2020, 05:56:40 PM »
GW is not the only place to purchase from.

 


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