Experimental plastic kits, "proper" aliens in 40k

[Asymmetrical Xeno]

Because I derailed the eldar rumour thread in news and rumours I thought id open up a new topic here about the subject as it is too interesting a concept :

Considering the rate at which Games-Workshop is producing plastic injection molds, I think they could reasonably produce a single 'experimental' kit which could supply an entire army. Look at the Grey Knights Strike Squad - can easily be used to build units from each part of the FOC. Perhaps even pare it down to a single plastic sprue that can be used to make two of a variety of, say, "squid aliens" - if their appearance is inorganic, won't need to worry about repetitive posing, can just have the models articulate during assembly.

That's kinda how I envisioned enslavers done when I made the proof of concept army some years ago, yeah. Allthough I think that sort of image is a bit redundant now due to those spore mine focussed nid models from late last year. I think the Energy based aliens would be a good fit though and GW seem to be able to do lots of "effects" based plastic parts like that nowadays that look really good, so it would be cool to see all that put into a singular faction.

Unit options: fleshy tentacles as tarpit, bladed tentacles as assault and amputated tentacles replaced with guns. Maybe include a single small "vehicle segment" on the sprue, so if you buy 4+ kits you have enough to make a centipede-vehicle. (1 HP = 1 segment, can buy additional segments for +x pts. Can transport 1 model for each HP it has remaining.)

Love the idea of a centipede vehicle made from parts from multiple boxes, very clever idea! Stuff like that is exactly how I could see a "all in one" single plastic kit for an entire faction working. I doubt it would kill their entire business in one fell shot to release one box like that either. Technically all these "new" factions are "risks" to a degree, too.

I see this idea kicking around sometimes, and consider it fairly flawed. A humanoid form might be the best form for tool manipulation, climbing and running in a wooded-plains-type environment, that can be derived from a tetrapod bodyplan, but that is a very, very specific set of conditions.

Yeah, the rest of the universe seems a lot more inhospitable towards the fragile human form.

[Rev. Tiberius Jackhammer]

Quick reference for anyone reading the thread; here are the three existing official pieces of artwork concerning Enslavers; a Rogue Trader sketch and a sketch + conversion from a White Dwarf creature feature. There might be new artwork in one of Fantasy Flight Game's RPGs, but for the life of me I can't find any.


As Asymmetrical Xeno said, many of their visual cues have been gobbled up by the Tyranids - a shame, since these might be the most-requested non-humanoid race. Their Creature Feature rules had them as a "universal HQ" unit which could be included in any army - I think this concept would work very well with 7th edition's focus on Formations.

Perhaps a "modern" version could draw inspiration from Halo's Engineers, with a stronger focus on Oceanic stylings, having them encrusted in Warp -barnacles and -coral.

[Asymmetrical Xeno]

Wow, that's from Halo? I take back what I said about Halo before, I thought all of it's aliens looked like utter s**t but those actually look good.

[Haighus]

Perhaps ironically, those aliens are essentially artificial biological computers/maintenence workers made by the Forerunners, so I guess you would say the Forerunners have good taste...
The actual game design looks a bit different, namely they have longer necks and a head with different armour.

[Renegade]

Regarding these. [URL="http://redelf.narod.ru/pi/w40k/cre_enslavers.jpg"]http://redelf.narod.ru/pi/w40k/cre_enslavers.jpg[/URL]

Don't we already have Slaanesh for tentacle fetishes?

[Rev. Tiberius Jackhammer]

Wow, that's from Halo? I take back what I said about Halo before, I thought all of it's aliens looked like utter s**t but those actually look good.

Eh, don't get too excited. Those are very, very minor in the games - they only appear in two side stories, never in the main/numbered series. Rest is just a mixture of slightly above average humanoid and star trek humanoid designs.

Don't we already have Slaanesh for tentacle fetishes?

Are there any Slaanesh models with tentacles? Some of Tzeentch's stuff is fun for tentacles, especially the last generation of metal/resin Horrors, but still not quite full-fledged non-humanoid.

[Asymmetrical Xeno]

Eh, don't get too excited. Those are very, very minor in the games - they only appear in two side stories, never in the main/numbered series. Rest is just a mixture of slightly above average humanoid and star trek humanoid designs.

Ah, I figured as much - boring and conservative like sadly the vast majority of non-litterature SF media.

Are there any Slaanesh models with tentacles? Some of Tzeentch's stuff is fun for tentacles, especially the last generation of metal/resin Horrors, but still not quite full-fledged non-humanoid.

The previous horrors weren't too bad, but they didn't go far enough - and then they replaced them with those awful plastic ones which were a total backstep imo.

[Haighus]

Eh, don't get too excited. Those are very, very minor in the games - they only appear in two side stories, never in the main/numbered series. Rest is just a mixture of slightly above average humanoid and star trek humanoid designs.

Are there any Slaanesh models with tentacles? Some of Tzeentch's stuff is fun for tentacles, especially the last generation of metal/resin Horrors, but still not quite full-fledged non-humanoid.

Not that minor- they are common in Reach (which whilst not in thenumbered series was Bungie's swan song and a full game) and the entire plot of the campaign in Halo 3: ODST revolves around them. Also feature heavily in some of the novels. Also, technically the Hunters aren't bipedal, as the same species also forms Scarabs; they are probably just mimicing the rest of the Covenant by assuming a humanoid form.

As for Slannesh, the chariot rider has tentaclely whip things, but I think that is it.

[Renegade]

Not that minor- they are common in Reach (which whilst not in thenumbered series was Bungie's swan song and a full game) and the entire plot of the campaign in Halo 3: ODST revolves around them. Also feature heavily in some of the novels. Also, technically the Hunters aren't bipedal, as the same species also forms Scarabs; they are probably just mimicing the rest of the Covenant by assuming a humanoid form.

As for Slannesh, the chariot rider has tentaclely whip things, but I think that is it.

Probably old conversion pieces (remember the cool stuff from around the Lost and the Damned times) and having reading too much Black Library...

[Haighus]

Going back on topic, I think the concept of one-kit armies for providing flavour would be great, and would be perfect for making mercenary-style xenos. Whilst it would not be the most imaginitive option, Tarrellian dog-soldiers would be a good example, and maybe some of the other races mentioned as being associates of the Tau.

Also, I reckon Q'Orl would be good- they pretty much have 3, maybe 4 units by current fluff- a standard form, standard form with wings, and a larger soldier-like form, as well as a sort of larval form that I'm not sure how would be used in game. That could easily be one kit with wing options and a single larger Q'Orl as a sort of squad leader. Maybe through in some larvae in a similar style to Rippers or Scarabs in 'Nid and Necron kits. Add in a wide variety of bionic weapon/equipment attachments and you could make several units from one kit.