What AoS factions would you like to see?

[Asymmetrical Xeno]

Personally I am liking the direction of having new factions based off stuff from older ones a lot more as they seem to be picking the parts I actually like such as Sylvaneth.

Hoping for a focus on the witch elves when it comes to the Aelves. They already have about 4 units between the two kits and a focus on the medusa imagery from the shrine would be really awesome and a bit conan-ish!

Also like to see an undead ethereal faction as I love the swirly ghosts like the spirit host kit, right up my street those!

Seems like the flood doors are open, what factions would you like to see come from the older ones?

[Erik Setzer]

As ethereals go, there's that starter box with Hexwraiths, Spirit Hosts, and Mortis Engine labeled "Malignants." The latest GW email also had a bit showing Nagash with "The Deathlords Approach!" right above an ad for that box. So they might be their own sub-faction of Undead, also including units like the Morghasts (who are basically spirit warriors), Banshees, and Wraiths. Maybe not all technically ethereal, but certain spirit-themed.

At the very least, you can just theme an army around them, should be viable.

- - - Updated - - -

Ah. So okay, turns out "Deathlords" is the title they gave to the "faction" representing the End Times additions for Undead, and the Spirit Hosts are part of the "Nighthaunt." So I guess the true ethereals are Nighthaunt, and the Morghasts, Mortarchs, and Nagash are Deathlords. But hey, you've got a name for ethereals!

(Kind of wish I'd read the front page story I had open in another tab before posting. :P)

[Mr Mystery]

I'm keen to see the AoS take on your bog standard humans.

The various short stories show that far more survived the Age of Chaos than was first apparent. There's one city in particular that worships Tyrion, and was still able to field Luminarks.

As much as I'm keen to see the aesthetic, I really want to see how they fit into the background, and whether tephe different realms will offer different perks or flavours.

[Kirsten]

humans are what I want to see.

I had thought that as far as elves go, we would probably see a much reduced elf army. seeing as the End Times set up the three factions combining, and the armies having so much overlap in terms of units and models. great weapon unit each, halberd unit each etc. but given the way Age of Sigmar is focussing on specific elements of each army, like Sylvaneth, Slayers, etc. I think we will actually see the elves divided on different lines. rather than being dark, high and wood as in 8th, or all together, I think we will see a witch elf faction with witch elves, executioners etc. then for example a Phoenix King style faction with your spears, bows, repeaters etc.

[Asymmetrical Xeno]

You are on team witch elf too then? I guess like the fyreslayers are to WHFB Slayers, their culture might be quiet different. Then again the lizardmen range has zero changes (which was kinda boring imo) so I guess it depends.

Yeah, humans might be the most interesting - i never cared for empire or brettonians myself so id be curious to see what new ones would be like. I'd like to see persian or chinese inspired humans myself (from a visual point of view anyway) rather than european inspired humans.

[Mr Mystery]

I suspect we'll see additions to the range of humans. Got nothing to back that up, it's just a hunch.

[Kirsten]

I wouldn't say team witch elf exactly, just seems like a probably faction.

humans could separate out along the lines of knights, militia, engineers.

[Erik Setzer]

The various short stories show that far more survived the Age of Chaos than was first apparent.

I'm not sure the team(s) they have writing AoS background and stories are really communicating well with each other, which could explain why it feels even more disjointed and contradictory than the original Star Wars EU ended up. For instance, I see talk of technological civilizations, but then there's no evidence of that, and you read that there's human civilizations, but then you read a story and it suggests all that's left is an unsustainable group of people. (One story in particular bugged me as it said people were lucky to live past 20, and the young and sick were picked off first as the easiest, which made it hard to see how they could breed fast enough to not already be extinct.)

To have things be interesting, you need those civilizations to exist. Which means at some point they'll have to properly retcon a large part of the core story where it was claimed that Chaos won and drove everyone back and reigned supreme for hundreds of years. You can just explain that off as the history being just oral stories being passed around and not entirely reliable. Maybe it's a cop out, but if it lets you make the story more interesting in the long run and gives you more freedom, why not do it?

If they fix that, I'd look forward to some "technomancers." Proper ones, with something higher than just steampunk. Like close to model level tech, but mixed with magic.

And heck, let's see what Clan Skryre is up to these days, considering they can create warp tunnels, so their technology level, especially after thousands of years, should be pretty advanced. I mean, they were already building beam weapon and a cannon that could blow up the moon. Give them more time, they should have a lot more advanced stuff (even if it's still prone to breaking down, and it has to be, because that's part of the fun of playing Skaven). I think it'd be particularly amusing to see the warp tunnel technology used as a weapon.

[Asymmetrical Xeno]

So you want to see super magically advanced skaven? That could be cool if done right and it does point to them being split into the various clans.

[Erik Setzer]

So you want to see super magically advanced skaven? That could be cool if done right and it does point to them being split into the various clans.

I suppose their tech would be regarded as "magic," but Skryre was more about using technology to manipulate things, and I'd like to see that pushed to the next level.

Skaven were already capable of being "split," especially with minor additions. IIRC, right now you've got:

Moulder - Masters, Giant Rats, Rat Swarms, Rat Ogres, Hellpit Abominations? (HPA's are largely a Skryre project, too.)
Skryre - Warlock Engineers, Weapon Teams, Jezzails, Stormfiends, Warpfire Cannon, Doomwheel, Poisoned Wind Globadiers.
Eshin - Assassins, Night Runners, Gutter Runners.
Pestilens - Plague Priests, Plague Monks, Plague Censer Bearers, Plague Furnace, Plagueclaw Catapult. (They really could use a thesaurus.)

And, of course, the Grey Seers were their own thing.

Heck, there's even a Verminlord for Pestilens and Eshin (plus a generic fighter, and a Grey Seer themed VL).

Eshin are the ones most in need of fleshing out, but they had an army list in Storm of Chaos, so that could be used for influence. Otherwise, most of them are in solid shape, especially using Clanrats as filler. Pestilens would probably just stay much as they are. Moulder, just give them more beasties (Skaven cavalry on giant rats, because why not?). Skryre, more insane weaponry and some kind of cannon that can rip holes in reality. Maybe even let them "deep strike" units, but with potential for it to go hideously wrong.

Skryre Wish List:

Reality-Ripping Cannon
Deep Striking Troops
Skaven in Mecha-armor (that looks properly shoddy)
Ratling Gun and Warpfire Thrower Packs
Skaven tank

Even more amusing if it looks like a mix of technology levels, like some of them have been bounced around time because of their messing with the Warp, and brought back stuff they didn't understand.