40K End Times (Plastic Horus Heresy)

[Erik Setzer]

I can understand a new armour mark, but not all other marks being phased out but I wouldn't put it past GW to do this as they really are rabid about their IP protection.

New size bases were bad enough. Change the looks of their best-selling army from what it's been for 25 years or so? If they're doing that, then something weird is going on with the company. That's a desperation move. That's not something a sane company or one in good shape does. You're risking alienating the people who play your most popular army, pissing off the largest part of your customer base, and for what? You're still making power armoured super soldiers, which is still not something you can copyright. I guess it'll make all those add-ons from CH and others useless, so they'll think, "Yeah, we pissed off most of our customers, but we really stuck it to those minor guys on the side who sell products that require people to buy our products first!"

[40kGamer]

New size bases were bad enough. Change the looks of their best-selling army from what it's been for 25 years or so? If they're doing that, then something weird is going on with the company. That's a desperation move. That's not something a sane company or one in good shape does. You're risking alienating the people who play your most popular army, pissing off the largest part of your customer base, and for what? You're still making power armoured super soldiers, which is still not something you can copyright. I guess it'll make all those add-ons from CH and others useless, so they'll think, "Yeah, we pissed off most of our customers, but we really stuck it to those minor guys on the side who sell products that require people to buy our products first!"

This is why I don't see GW ever doing fluff sized marines. They really can't risk a massive change to their flagship army in their flagship product line.

[eldargal]

I can see there being a new MK of armour, that's a kit that would sell. Replacing older ones including the tactical kit that was completely redone after fifteen years or so recently? No.

[Asymmetrical Xeno]

I'm pretty happy with 40k lately if I'm being honest, I mean I do have my criticisms like anyone else but they have been starting to do the sort of stuff I've wanted them to do for years now with Knights, Tempestus and Harlequins AKA new armies (albeit mini ones) I'd love to see some new xenos (as long as they didn't have legs) though.

A new SM armour mark is a strange rumour but an interesting one even if it is a load of Polux (thanks MrMystery) - if a new STC got discovered for a previously unseen armour mark and the mechanicum staerting to manufacture it en-masse and rolling it out to the existing or newer chapters - that could be very appealing and something that could also sell a lot, but I doubt they would do it as a "replacement" of the existing kits, especially since the SM and BA ones are so recent.

[odinsgrandson]

"Fluff sized marines" are a pretty crazy variety of sizes. I started a [URL="http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/634292.page"]thread over on Dakka[/URL] where I collected references for Marines sizes, and they varied a lot.

The lowest number GW officially gave was a little under 6'10" for a marine height. Other sources got them as tall as nine feet, and the average size officially given was 7' tall.

Honestly, I tend to think of the miniatures themselves as a source of fluff, so I side with some of the shorter marines.

But the "True Scale" projects often end up with some really cool looking minis, so I say more power to you.


- Back on topic-

I think that 40k won't see a huge shakeup that ends the universe anytime soon because it isn't doing as poorly (sales-wise) as WFB.

However, I do think that there's room for the fluff to move forward. I played in a few of GW's summer campaigns, and I was always disappointed that they didn't change the fluff. Especially the 13th Black Crusade basically ended with everything the way it had started (when Chaos had clearly won on nearly every front, and should at least have expanded their influence).

After that, I'd really love to see some events that move things forward and change some of the way that the fluff is happening. Maybe a few important characters could be killed off, or we could actually find out what happens when the Golden Throne gets turned off.

[40kGamer]

"Fluff sized marines" are a pretty crazy variety of sizes. I started a [URL="http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/634292.page"]thread over on Dakka[/URL] where I collected references for Marines sizes, and they varied a lot.

The lowest number GW officially gave was a little under 6'10" for a marine height. Other sources got them as tall as nine feet, and the average size officially given was 7' tall.

Honestly, I tend to think of the miniatures themselves as a source of fluff, so I side with some of the shorter marines.

But the "True Scale" projects often end up with some really cool looking minis, so I say more power to you.

Marine size references change dramatically based on the source but I can't recall anywhere in the fluff where marines are physically smaller than guardsman. I settled on 8 feet for Space Wolves and made the assumption that 28mm represented a height of 6 feet putting armoured marines at 40mm. Bulking out the armour to get rid of the super model thighs was just a happy bonus and the fact that unaltered heads and weapons look fine on models that are upscaled by 40% speaks volumes too.

[DrBored]

I can see there being a new MK of armour, that's a kit that would sell. Replacing older ones including the tactical kit that was completely redone after fifteen years or so recently? No.

Agreed.

Most likely, unless the new mark is a whole new unit that is bigger, fits on the new bases (which I doubt for other reasons) and does something totally different on the battlefield (which, really, what could it, since Space Marines have so many units), the new mark will simply...

be snuck into another box's update. Devastators are the only basic Space Marine infantry box that hasn't been updated that comes to mind, so I could see them sneaking it into there.

Now, the main reason they won't put Space Marines on the bigger base is simply because the size conventions wouldn't work. Putting models on bigger bases means they take up more room, which means people have less room in their bags, boxes, and shelves to store them, which means people will buy less. You don't want people buying less of the BASIC TROOP. Bigger bases are meant to be for specialized units, or units that come in smaller numbers, even if they're only a little bigger.

So no, they're not invalidating current Space Marine models, they'll just throw a new design of armor into some box, or make a captain model with it (probably with a plasma pistol and power fist).

[Erik Setzer]

Now, the main reason they won't put Space Marines on the bigger base is simply because the size conventions wouldn't work. Putting models on bigger bases means they take up more room, which means people have less room in their bags, boxes, and shelves to store them, which means people will buy less. You don't want people buying less of the BASIC TROOP. Bigger bases are meant to be for specialized units, or units that come in smaller numbers, even if they're only a little bigger.

Except the first unit box to receive them was actually a Blood Angels TACTICAL Squad. And given the move of Death Company to Elites, leaving just Tactical Squads and Scouts as BA Troops choices, they are back to being the basic troops for Blood Angels. And they're on larger bases. So... yeah.

(Which also makes them look silly when in the middle of elite units all around with smaller bases.

[Aldavaer]

Just to add to the speculation frenzy by adding two and two to make 5.

Maybe they are going to take a leaf out of the Battletech books. The two missing pre-heresy legions are going to return, having stayed with science equipped with a new mark of armour and new vehicles to overthrow the corrupt imperium and set mankind on its golden path. This new chapter the Dark Hunters are secretly the forerunners of the 2 legions on a scouting mission.

[Horncastle]

Just to add to the speculation frenzy by adding two and two to make 5.

Maybe they are going to take a leaf out of the Battletech books. The two missing pre-heresy legions are going to return, having stayed with science equipped with a new mark of armour and new vehicles to overthrow the corrupt imperium and set mankind on its golden path. This new chapter the Dark Hunters are secretly the forerunners of the 2 legions on a scouting mission.

Like Wolf's Dragoons.