2022 Age of Sigmar Release Predictions

[Neil Arthur Hotep]

Since it's the start of the year and we know next to nothing about any upcoming Age of Sigmar releases, let's have some fun making a few guesses for a bit. That way we can all come back a the end of the year and see how wrong we were 😎

I'm personally working from the perspective that GW releases about three big model drops and one new faction for AoS per year. Everything else just gets a battletome and a hero (or maybe no hero, or maybe some extra support through Underworlds/Warcry).

With that in mind, my predictions for this year's releases are these:

• We know Idoneth and Fyreslayers get a new hero each as part of their battle box, and that's probably all they will get.
• Idoneth get their battletome soon after the box releases, Fyreslayers don't.
• The new army this year is a new type of Grungni-dwarf. That faction gets souped with Fyreslayers and Dispossessed. KO retain their own codex, but are coalition.
• The major model releases this year are Grungni-dwarves, Beasts of Chaos and Ossiarch Bonereapers.
• Nighthaunt, Gitz and Khorne get tome updates with a single hero in addition to that. Skaven and Flesh Eater Courts get skipped because they will receive larger updates in the future.

So overall, I would predict six battletomes and 3 big model releases, with one new faction.

For the more distant future, I think this edition we will see Malerion elves, Chaos Dwarves and a new Destruction faction as new armies. Beasts, OBR, FEC, Skaven, Cities (Freeguild), Ogors and Sylvaneth will get significant model releases. Probably Lumineth, too, even though that's just running the faction into the ground.

[Gaz Taylor]

18 minutes ago, Neil Arthur Hotep said:

So overall, I would predict six battletomes and 3 big model releases, with one new faction.

That sounds feasible although I’m not sure about the new faction. Personally I suspect the release schedule is in tatters for AOS due to various things and they are currently working out how to get stuff to shops. This is why I personally doubt a new faction this year. 
 

I hope I’m proven wrong but that’s just how I can see things playing out. 

[Neil Arthur Hotep]

2 minutes ago, Gaz Taylor said:

That sounds feasible although I’m not sure about the new faction. Personally I suspect the release schedule is in tatters for AOS due to various things and they are currently working out how to get stuff to shops. This is why I personally doubt a new faction this year. 
 

I hope I’m proven wrong but that’s just how I can see things playing out. 

Fair enough on that. I was more thinking of a world where everything goes more or less like normal, although it would definitely not be surprising if a lot of stuff gets delayed again this year.

[EntMan]

42 minutes ago, Neil Arthur Hotep said:

The new army this year is a new type of Grungni-dwarf. That faction gets souped with Fyreslayers and Dispossessed. KO retain their own codex, but are coalition.

If you are predicting Dispossessed going in the Dwarf Soup are you also predicting their removal from Cities? And the Dwarfy bits of Ironweld Arsenal?

Maybe dwarf soup will be able to include Dwarf keyworded Cities units as coalition?

Edited January 11, 2022 by EntMan

[Neil Arthur Hotep]

6 minutes ago, EntMan said:

If you are predicting Dispossessed going in the Dwarf Soup are you also predicting their removal from Cities? And the Dwarfy bits of Ironweld Arsenal?

If I were in charge they would be playable in Dwarf Soup and Cities as regular (non-coallition) units. I say this because as cool as Cities is, I don't think the army is stable in its current form. I think Cities subfactions will get spun out into other books over a longer period of time until only a certain core remains, which will then be updated into it's own distinct army (likely with a lot of city dependent coalition options).

This is basically the Legions of Nagash model: First make a big soup book to a lot of models playable quickly, then slowly take it apart by making some models dual allegiance (Nighthaunt models, Morghasts and Arkhan in OBR), and finally completely sever those ties and give the remaining army a nice makeover (Gravelords). I think Cities will essentially develop in the same way.

EDIT: As for Ironweld, I would kill that subfaction keyword. Gyrocopters and -bomber are just DISPOSSESSED WARMACHINE, while Steam Tanks, Helblasters and Helstorms become FREEGUILD WARMACHINE.

Edited January 11, 2022 by Neil Arthur Hotep

[Maogrim]

I would expect a small Sylvaneth release im the style of the recent Maggotkin release. Sylvaneth seem to have a decently developed range, including terrain and Endless spells, but I believe they need an updated tome and Warscroll cards to include the new Warscroll for Alarielle and the important Warsong Revenant (and maybe the Underworlds Warband. Don't know if they are akready in there). It's a shame that new Sylvaneth players need to buy an outdated tome, a Broken Realms and FAQs just to keep track of their faction. 

Edited January 11, 2022 by Maogrim

[Doko]

I wish you are rigth,i would love get new dwarfs and i love soups as are soooo fun to do lists and play and collect.

To get it better i would love get kharadrons in so i have a reason to buy some haha.

But i would be happy with any dwarf release i dont mind for what facction

[Gaz Taylor]

41 minutes ago, Neil Arthur Hotep said:

Fair enough on that. I was more thinking of a world where everything goes more or less like normal, although it would definitely not be surprising if a lot of stuff gets delayed again this year.

I hope I’m wrong but I’m still expecting lots of disruption in the UK due to the various real world stuff going on. I’m fully expecting anything they have planned for AOS to be moved around and would really not be surprised if it’s more focused on a book and a model type of release. 

[Dingding123]

I'd love to see a Gitz monster in the form of a new Troggoth and a new warscroll for Fellwaters.  Another pass at point values for Grots and Grot-buffers would be sweet as well (75 for a Loonboss is pretty ridiculous haha).

[zilberfrid]

A return of Classic Castle! Oh, that's LEGO.

Stargrave mercenaries 2! Oh, that's Northstar

Deathfields Cannon Fodder 2! Oh, that's Wargames Atlantic.

So AoS.

I predict about a hero per faction that gets a battletome this year.

Plus a few Knight Questors or similar Stormcast heroes.

Then about three boxes of units to replace some old sets.

Then a few Ossiarch kits.

Perhaps a new faction, pro is that this gives life to the line, con is that we're not out of the woods in global restrictions. I'd expect Malarion's elves over Chaos Dwarves, because we already have them.

ADDITION: 1-2 new Cities through supplements.

Edited January 12, 2022 by zilberfrid

[Baron Klatz]

6 hours ago, Neil Arthur Hotep said:

EDIT: As for Ironweld, I would kill that subfaction keyword. Gyrocopters and -bomber are just DISPOSSESSED WARMACHINE, while Steam Tanks, Helblasters and Helstorms become FREEGUILD WARMACHINE.

I’m hoping the opposite there, I’d want Ironweld & Greywater to be their own “break out” sub-faction in a new Dawncrusaders Battletome that replaces the Dispossessed units & the combined Freeguild warmachines entirely.

There’s so many cool ideas (both canon & fanon) that can completely overhaul the old holdovers and give them a proper place in the magi-tech heavy Mortal Realms. Cogforts, Steam-crawlers and any number of steamsuit nobility.

 

 

As for predictions, I’m with the groups that think this will be a slow year due to supply issues they’re recovering from. 
 

also with the rumor guy that predicted Red Harvest & the Fyreslayer vs Deepkin box who said Sylvaneth and NightHaunt this year and possibly end on something for Slaves to Darkness.

I think we’ll get a pure Fyreslayer tome which will be where they put Avatar-Gotrek to match with the new Realmslayer novel and so he’s not floating around “Miscellaneous” in the app anymore now that the old dwarves faction is truly dead and sadly I think Ossiarchs will be towards the end of the edition now that they’re getting a white dwarf update. 
 

Un-sadly that could also herald a big new release for them. Finally unleashing whatever new bone golem warrior/harvestor monsters they made from all the Ulgu bones & Hysh bones they collected from Morathi-khaine’s bargains & battles with the Lumineth invasions to fit with 4th edition venturing into the Realm of Shadow and Malerion’s plots.

Edited January 11, 2022 by Baron Klatz

[Neil Arthur Hotep]

28 minutes ago, Baron Klatz said:

I’m hoping the opposite there, I’d want Ironweld & Greywater to be their own “break out” sub-faction in a new Dawncrusaders Battletome that replaces the Dispossessed units & the combined Freeguild warmachines entirely.

Don't misunderstand me: I would not want the model lines eliminated, just their subfaction keyword. This is because I think Ironweld Arsenal is a relic from the AoS 1 microfaction days and having the models properly integrated with their proper racial factions would give them the best shot at receiving future support (both in terms of new models and worthwhile synergy).

[novakai]

A lot of book release and few miniature releases and only army that probably didn't need it is my guess lol

as for coalition j be wary of them using it as a mechanic outside of fluffy lore usage, it seems like a trend that they are going away from souping units and really emphasizing that the units in your Book/ Pitch battle profile are the one you are using for your army.

Edit: i do think it going to be a slow year for AoS but not because of supply issues but rather they are going to favor 40K releases over AoS for at the least the first half of this year, it seems to me they are at least capable of churning out stuff despite the global issues just looking at the 40K slated stuff

Edited January 11, 2022 by novakai

[Ganigumo]

I think this year will be pretty light on AOS releases.

1. IDK (no new models outside of the battlebox hero)
2. Nighthaunt (with a foot hero, and possibly some cursed city tie ins)
3. Combined dwarf book with 1-2 extra kits on top of the fyreslayer battlebox hero (grugni stand-in and maybe one extra kit)

Then in no particular order

• Gitz book with one kit
• Khorne book with one kit
• FEC book with one kit
• A new army (chaos dwarves) or an army revamp (skaven or BoC) near the end of the year

[Harioch]

My prediction for this year is, in order :

-Idoneth and Fyreslayers. Only one new model, the one in the dual box. Their tomes between end of january and mid february.

- Another two tomes : Nighthaunt and Gloomspite Gitz. No new model. Expected during summer.

- End of the year: no new army but a refresh of  Skaven Eshin clan. With a tome for all Skaven. Yes I believe the Eshin rumor...

I also expect AoS content to be very light this year. Because it's still not one year into the new edition and 40k has a tight release calendar for half of the year. If we were to see a new duardin army or an updated range of Ossiarch it will be in 2023.

What I really want is an updated skaven, seraphon, ogres and expanded Fyreslayers. My Ossiarchs can wait a bit for new models....but not for a new battletome because they are in dire need of a new game mechanic in line with 3thd edition.

[novakai]

I have a feeling that Khorne is going to get models this edition in preparation to Worldeater coming out soon

Other Popular armies are getting second wave model treatment like Sylvaneath, Nighthaunt, Gloomspite Gits, Realmlords and slaves to darkness despite what people think they deserve. That just how GW rolls. Everyone most likely get a tome and one new model if any

Only Seraphon gets the rework treatment this edition

May not happen this year but could be next three year

[Baron Klatz]

2 hours ago, Neil Arthur Hotep said:

Don't misunderstand me: I would not want the model lines eliminated, just their subfaction keyword. This is because I think Ironweld Arsenal is a relic from the AoS 1 microfaction days and having the models properly integrated with their proper racial factions would give them the best shot at receiving future support (both in terms of new models and worthwhile synergy).

Oh, no worries about misunderstanding you! You brought your idea across very effectively about how to support older factions.  
 

I’m just in the mind of AoS ripping off the bandaid when it comes to dealing with old lines. So to me it’s not Ironweld Arsenal that are the relic but what it has to work with is(the old models) and it should grow to it’s full potential by making a clean slate. (I’d love Dawncrusaders being three sub-factions between Freeguild Crusaders, Ironweld Arsenal & Collegiate Arcane of all new mixed race units that replace all the current old chaps)

I’m much more for Lumineth-style overhauls so we can have that kind of fresh starts with unique new takes without getting dragged down by the past that keeps you guessing what may be on the chopping block.

Out with the old and in with the new I say! 😁

 

 

[Ragest]

Based on wich armies got a WD, my guess is that next books are Idk, Fyreslayers, Nighthaunt, Lumineth, Tzeentch, Khorne, Ogors, GSC and a new army, in not a particular order.

 

 

[dirkdragonslayer]

My prediction for Gloomspite Gitz is a battletome late in the year with a single obligatory hero to come with it. This will either be;

• A remake of an existing resin kit; probably the Loonboss with Great Cave Squig or Spiderfang Boss on Great Cave Spider. Something bigger that makes a marketable centerpiece.
• A new twist on an existing unit, like the Warlock Bombardier was for the Skaven. Maybe a Dankhold Hag or Squig-mounted Shaman.

They will finally make the Shaman council box useful, the Dankholds will get the Monster Keyword, and Spiderfang will be forgotten.

[Public Universal Duardin]

I think we could see Malerion this year--we'll get them in Underworlds by Summer and a full release to Christmas 2022.

I will take a safe guess on battletomes for Nighthaunt, Sylvaneth and take a wild punt on one for Blades of Khorne. Why guess THEM of all factions? Because I like to live dangerously. Anyway, all new battletomes get a single hero miniature to accompany them.

I predict I will hype up the possibility to get some new Drycha Hamadreth lore in Battletome: Sylvaneth (2022). I also predict I will be gravely disappointed once again, and post a meme about it on reddit to moderate acclaim. I will also receive one (1) PM afterwards linking to my comment in this thread.

I foresee lots of discussion online about future rumour engines being Chaos Duardin and Valaya Duardin, only to find out Squats are coming back to 40K. A single Chaos Squat will bring the Rumour Thread to a meltdown and locked for 12 hours.

Addendum: I like the way look at Ironweld Arsenal, @Neil Arthur Hotep ,they're a clear relic from the microfaction era of AoS and even if they could be the Mechanicus of CoS, I think it's far easier for GW to merge them with existing keywords. I would love to see "Mechanicus, but AoS" tho, but that's pretty much wishlisting. Do you think lore will be soft retconned? Or will Ironweld still exist lore-wise?

Edited January 12, 2022 by Public Universal Duardin

[Baron Klatz]

50 minutes ago, Public Universal Duardin said:

Do you think lore will be soft retconned? Or will Ironweld still exist lore-wise?

I mean at worst they’d just get dialed back to a Freeguild faction(likely with Duardin coalitions) as the majority being human engineers from Greywater Fastness and leave the Dispossessed’s fate to Grungni and whether they’ll be updated or die off under the shadow of new super-dawi he forged with those souls he’s keeping.

the Ironweld Arsenal is waaay too ingrained with all the big mechanical happenings around the Realms that doesn’t involve Kharadron.

 

 

(last pic is from “Steel and Steam” which had a field day with fleshing out the Ironweld as can be seen with their art of factories mass producing things like Steam tanks so even bestial cities like Excelsis can have a defense brigade of 20 tanks on call)

Edited January 12, 2022 by Baron Klatz

[Neverchosen]

My predictions are pretty light (don't worry I will get into the weeds of my hopes in a later post), we are still in the middle of a massive pandemic and the trade situation in the UK still seems shaky at best. I already posted in the rumour thread (and got a reaction from a certain well known member of the forum) that makes me suspect that I am somewhat close to the mark.

Idoneth, Fyreslayers (in some form), Nighthaunt, Ogors (Small release), and Slaves to Darkness. I guessed those as they all felt highly plausible for a number of reasons and I think that we will get them all this year with the possible exception of Slaves to Darkness which might get pushed back. I think there will be other releases in between but I feel less confident as to what they will be. The armies I have not guessed will also be small releases primarily with a tome and a new model. I think Underworlds and Cursed City will release some fantastic models that will help fill out some of the lines a little more but also not be the most useable on the tabletop. I think each new battletome will bring with it a new Vanguard box, so load up on those Beastclaw and Flesh Eater start collecting box while you still can. I feel that Coalition rules will become more common and it is possible we are going to get a few armies souped (either with existing armies or by releasing new semi-independent subfactions). Overall I think that we will feel a little snubbed this year but I also feel like 2023 will be a huge year for AOS. 

So my more specific predictions would be something like this:
Idoneth Deepkin (Akhelian Thrallmaster)
Duardin Soup (Auric Flamekeeper, I am wary about guessing here if we will get new releases but I hope so)
Nighthaunt (New hero/centrepiece model) 
Ogor Mawtribess (Plastic Butcher)
Slaves to Darkness/Beast Soup (Updated Knights and Warriors for S2D, BoC will get a few Resin kits updated to plastic)
Ossiarch Bone Reapers (Small release featuring Archers, a new hero and maybe a chariot)
Gloomspite Gitz (mid sized release refreshing a subfaction)
I am not confident on any of the specific releases which I added in parentheses, but these are the armies I feel are most likely to get released.

Edited January 12, 2022 by Neverchosen

[KingBrodd]

I'm going to temper my expectations and each of these Factions will get a new Tome. I'll also add a few hopes in here but otherwise here goes;

IDK -  Hero. Hopefully a new unit.

Fyreslayers - Hero. Hopefully a new unit.

Nighthaunt - Hero.

OBR - Mortek Archers.

Khorne - Hero.

Mawtribes - Hero. Hopefully a new Vanguard box built the same as the SC STD with a new Plastic Butcher and 12 dynamically posed Gluttons.

[Gitzdee]

Where did we get the idea of Duardin getting anything more than the battlebox? At this point im actually starting to think this will be all for a while.

Im also wondering where all the talk about Gloomspite Gitz is comming from, does anyone know? I do think they need an updated battletome but i think the model range looks best of all the Destruction factions. If they do release a hero and tome combo i am hoping for something Spiderfang related. Troggs and Squigs got all the nice stuff and i'd like some new lore in the Spiderfang corner. I think they can do a lot more with a Spider-god themed faction.

6 hours ago, Neverchosen said:

Idoneth, Fyreslayers (in some form), Nighthaunt, Ogors (Small release), and Slaves to Darkness. I guessed those as they all felt highly plausible for a number of reasons and I think that we will get them all this year with the possible exception of Slaves to Darkness which might get pushed back. 

This would be a nice line up for the year.

I'm also looking forward to the Underworlds Warbands to be honest, They have some real awesome looking models and are a blast to paint. I've been happily surprised by the subfactions they picked at least for all the Destruction releases.

Edited January 12, 2022 by Iksdee

[Neil Arthur Hotep]

9 hours ago, Public Universal Duardin said:

Addendum: I like the way look at Ironweld Arsenal, @Neil Arthur Hotep ,they're a clear relic from the microfaction era of AoS and even if they could be the Mechanicus of CoS, I think it's far easier for GW to merge them with existing keywords. I would love to see "Mechanicus, but AoS" tho, but that's pretty much wishlisting. Do you think lore will be soft retconned? Or will Ironweld still exist lore-wise?

It's not like I work at GW or anything so I don't know how much interesting my take on this will be, but I don't see a reason to retcon the Ironweld lore in the event that their subfaction keyword gets removed. I think it would be totally fine to keep them in the fluff just as they are: Duardin and human engineers working together on their war machines. With how well the Cities fluff has been established, I think it's unlikely that future releases will totally change their lore as the strongholds of order, where all the mortal races live together and engage in jolly cooperation. If Dispossessed become part of a mixed Duarding book, then I think there will still be a city in which they are a coallition option (and the good kind of coallition that benefits from allegiance abilities, hopefully), even after the individual subfactions have been more or less fully separated. The same goes for Gyrocopters and -bombers if they take them with them to Grungniland.

The other option I could see would be to do a big Sylvaneth release (Kurnothi and reintegrated Wanderers) and as part of that advance the narrative to say that Greywater and the Ironweld Arsenal are destroyed as part of Alarielle finally removing the polluting fortress city from her realm. Remaining engineers could then seek refuge with their respective factions (Grungni dwarves/Freeguild in other cities). I think it would be a bit of a waste to destroy Greywater Fastness like that, since it's a cool location with lots of fun lore, but I think it's not out of the question.

 

47 minutes ago, Iksdee said:

Where did we get the idea of Duardin getting anything more than the battlebox? At this point im actually starting to think this will be all for a while.

Im also wondering where all the talk about Gloomspite Gitz is comming from, does anyone know?

Grungni's return was a big plot point of Broken Realms and it has been mentioned in the 3rd edition fluff that he's working on something. To me, that's as close as you can get to clearly telegraphing that Duarding are in our future. What happens with Fyreslayers will be our first big indication of what that will mean, though. If they get a codex announced soon, then Dwarf soup is probably off the menu, but if not I'd say it's highly likely.

As for Gloomspite, I think they will get a book and a hero this year. I say this because they are one of the oldest books, currently, and are due for a new tome. But they got a big range update just three years ago, which makes it unlikely that they will get anything substantial this time around.