Wait a minute! Its Tuesday. Doesn’t that mean we should be seeing a new Magic the Gathering article? Why are you doing a Warhammer 40k article today James? Have you gone mad? Fear not my dear readers, everything is fine. It’s just with Warhammer 40,000’s 9th edition officially launching this weekend just gone we have a lot to talk about. As a result, for this week only, I’ll be bringing you a double helping of 40k content.
In today’s article we will be looking at the Indomitus Box Set, as well as what the next few months of the new edition will look like. Tomorrow we will be returning with the next instalment of our new year painting challenge and seeing what myself and the rest of the community have been up to over the last four weeks. Don’t worry Magic fans. I’ll be back next week with the first in a five-part deck building series for all of you. for know though, lets dive into the grim dark future where there is only war.
Best Box Ever!
When Games Workshop stated that Indomitus would be the “best 40k box set ever”, they were setting themselves quite a high bar to clear. As Warhammer 40,000 has evolved over the years, so too has its starter box sets. Starting with the second edition box set (which was my first) they have improved these two-player sets time and time again. While it might not be everyone favourite, I was a huge fan of the Dark Imperium box, and I thought it would be very hard for them to top the quality of this set. But after getting my hands on the new box myself, I can say the Games Workshop knocked it out of the park.
First of all, the new miniatures (both Space Marine and Necrons) are incredible sculpts, with the characters in particular been extremely well made. While some would prefer multi part kits, I think in box sets like these the mono-pose style of miniature is more that acceptable (especially when they are up to this standard). Each force comes to around a 1,000 points when consulting the new chapter approved, which is great for starting your very own crusade.
Next up we have the rulebook. As well as been full of lore and exciting sneak peeks at where the story of 40k is going, there are the full rules for match play, as well as the crusade rules (which I’m very excited to get a start with). There is also something I never thought I would see in a rulebook ever again. Hobbyist armies.
Something I miss from previous edition of the game is a focus on designers and staff members armies. In past books it was common to see armies and collections from a variety of different members of the community, with my personal favourite been John Blanche’s converted force from the 2nd edition Chaos Space Marine codex. Nowadays it is rare to see something other than the work of the ‘eavy metal team in anything other than White Dwarf, which is a shame. While they are great painted miniatures, they don’t have the same heart as these armies, and it’s nice to see them return here.
The Future?
So Indomitus is a great set, filled with lots to keep us all business over the next couple of weeks. But what can we expect next from New 40k? Well new Codexis of course. A new Necron and Space Marine codex’s (along with a ton of new miniatures) will be coming out in October according to the preview article released over on Warhammer Community. The Space Marine codex is particularly interesting, as it will be the basis for all* loyalist chapters moving forward. Blood Angels, Dark Angels, Space Wolves and Deathwatch will all now be getting the supplement treatment much like Ultramarines and Iron Hands. This makes a lot of sense to me, as nearly all Space Marine chapters are fundamentally the same aside from one or two unique characters and units.
We will also be seeing some heavy firepower for these two forces with the addition of a new Monolith kit and the Space Marine Gladiator. These two impressive kits, alongside the already previewed Chaplain on Bike, Invader ATV, Firestrike Servo-Turret and Lokhust Heavy Destroyer means that we can expect a lot of new toys for these two factions in the coming months.
Additionally, we will be getting three new core sets in a similar vein to the current 8th edition setup. Split into recruit, elite and command edition, these are perfect way to introduce yourself or someone else to the hobby. Not sure as to what the prices of these set will be as of yet, but using the current boxes as a guide, we should be expecting them to cost around £25, £50 and £95 respectively.
One of the great things about these new sets is that none of them have any understrength units. Something that always bothered me about First Strike is the fact that none of the units included have any enough models to make up the minimum strength required for play. Not so now as even the smallest box has enough to make the start of a combat patrol, making them not only great for beginners but excellent addition to someone wanting to add to their Space Marine or Necron forces.
But what about the rest of the armies in the 40k universe? What new toys are they getting? Well by the looks of it, a whole bunch of new models.
What does this mean for Death Guard, Drukhari, Adepta Sororitas, Adeptus Mechanicus and Orks? Well I guess we will have to wait and see.
I hope you have enjoyed this look into the new edition of 40k. If you want to share your thoughts on the future of Warhammer 40,000, or just want to chat or meme about 40K, then you can leave a comment below or contact me via twitter @MTGTengu directly. If you have enjoyed todays article, please like and subscribe to keep up to date with all we do here at Master of Magics. You want to support the site directly; you can join our Patreon for as little as a $1 a month. Until next time though remember, “There is only War.”
* Grey Knight however will be getting their own codex.
