Flippy

I am acting like Cities is some kind of privileged army? We clearly have a very different perspective on this, so let’s just finish with this conclusion.

Sure they will and I can totally see this second wave coming, let’s say, with the launch of AoS 5th edition. Meanwhile, please GW, show some love for those lowly and neglected.

I will finish my Idoneth Warcry warband.

Sure. Then, with a healthy amount of minis at our disposal, we can bounce between eel spam, shark spam and Namarti spam. Truly, a well rounded faction.

While I know their typical behaviour (and I don't usually complain) it is somewhat intriguing that GW always seems to gravitate towards this flawed 40k approach with main (every year brings new SM!) and background factions (Warp Spiders celebrate their 30th birthday this year. Stay strong!). Sometimes, I would really like to just seat and listen during their management board meetings.

If you count multi-assembly as single kit, we have: FS: 5 heroes, 1 monster, 2 units. One terrain piece and spells kit. The most neglected army of all. IDK: 4 heroes, 2 monster-heroes, 4 units, 1 big monster, terrain piece. KO: 7 heroes (!), 3 units, 3 ships. I would say that of all half-baked factions, IDK and KO are obviously more developed than FS, and OBR are a step ahead of IDK / KO, thanks to WHFB leftovers (Nagash, Arkhan, Morghasts).

Let's examine CoS, and new kits only, shall we? Monster leader? Check. Foot general? Check. Mounted general? Check. Magic / special leader? Check. Mage? Check. War machine? Check. Infantry? Check. Shooters? Check. Cavalry? Check. And there is still Command Corps and Fusil Major. Seems very decent - and even more so if you don't play them, right?

Maybe, but if there is any fairness in GW planning (not that i believe in it), both CoS and FEC should now stand at the very end of a long, long queue.

I don't know... CoS received 11 kits (a lot!) and FEC got 9, which means that they now how about the same number as FS, KO and IDK - but, of course, on top of their existing, older range. While I can imagine something for CoS (not that it's really needed, but it is a varied faction, important in narrative) I would say that FEC are done for a very long time.

Two recently refreshed armies? Why would we expect wave 2 any time soon?

The Namarti warriors for my Warcry band are ready. Very happy with my efforts so far!

Of course this would be much, much better for the setting and all the factions involved. "All Death factions under Nagash" is an extremely limiting and dull concept. As much as I despise the current iteration of Teclis, I am also very happy that he removed Nagash, even if only temporarily.

I use varnish, and for many different purposes. In my head, varnish application is a rite which confirms that the model is done. In the material world it does actually protect the model; I use a lot of contrast paints and these rub off very easily on the edges when unprotected. It can also significantly alter the final look. I used to apply predominantly satin varnishes (brush or can) and once I switched to matte the difference is very noticeable- though hard to describe without the pictures, so… the first picture is all-satin varnish from AP (I would rather classify it as gloss). The second one is matte (Tamiya TS-80 flat clear, extremely good), with gloss varnish (Vallejo brush-on) applied to eyes, jewels and metals.

Good question. In the past (i.e. 25 years ago) I used to collect Elves exclusively – High Elves , then Wood Elves (and some Eldar). That was very much a Tolkien-inspired sentiment and I always felt that the main story of the Old World is the story of Elves. Fast forward to AoS and it turned out that the High Elves are no more and their so-called spiritual successors are aesthetically very different. I love Dawnriders, Wardens, Lord-Regent and Eltharion… and that would be all. I started with Ironjawz, as the physique champions of the Mortal Realms. They seemed easy to collect (not many kits), easy to paint and easy to play with a very high level of verisimilitude (vey important!) – they act exactly how you would expect them to, based on the fluff and the looks of the models. I also had some Kharadron, bought for me by a friend after he organised the sale of High Elves. I really like the models, but at the same time I find their strong ravenously-capitalistic theme problematic… Anyway, I finished a small but reasonable army and shelved them. No intention to expand here. Then came Bonereapers, as they really scratched the “proper army” itch. Infantry, cavalry, war machines, military supremacy. It also helped that – of all Death factions – they are the least “evil”. I think they are the biggest army I currently own – and almost fully painted. I will likely expand them once they receive their second wave from GW. Seraphon swept me with their refresh; not a single weak model! I really like their current “magitek deamons of order” angle and intend to expand my force even further. I’m also building an Idoneth Warcry band and this may of course lead to the full AoS army. So, it seems that in the end (as IDK are the last faction that I was always interested in) I will always come back to the Elves. As for why – I would say it’s always the combination of models, background and the way background is reflected in the game. I never really cared about the win ratio and even stopped using OBR and Starborne Seraphon the moment they felt OP.

Thanks! This combination is prevalent in my Seraphon and I've also used it for OBR (slightly different hues though). I now have to remind myself to avoid purple for Idoneth.

Isn't that as close as it gets?

I was asking myself exactly same question. My bet is that the kroot rider might be smaller, 60x35, but let's wait and see.

Very nice; the conversion potential is strong in this one.

Aquaskinks done!

I will not argue with you. But I think that my main points still stand. First, GW does not care that much about some obscure parts of Skaven lore. Second, the GHR is not (as a lore element and as a plot device) treated in the same way as main Chaos Gods - which means that whatever GW does with him should not be extrapolated to the Big 4.

But the Horned Rat is a minor, tribal god of rat-people. Again, I don't like these god-level models at all, but his incarnation would not be out of place alongside the likes of Nagash or Teclis.

I always struggle to understand this. The chapter identity will be restored, sooner or later, and marines will not dissolve while they wait in the cabinet for a year or two. If someone is so attached to the lore of their army, why sell?

I am by no means an expert on the Skaven lore, but my feeling is that some of these theories are way over-complicated. The GW site describe the model as follows: Verminlords are living icons of ruin; towering figures possessed of raw power and feral savagery. As avatars of the Horned Rat they can call upon fell energies, manipulating the weak-willed into doing almost anything they will. Can a minor Chaos God appear on the tabletop as a result of narrative in which he tries to achieve more? Sure thing. Even though I don't like huge god-level models, we already have a plethora of characters on similar power level.

Regarding the Battlescroll - I just noticed that that there are just two Orruk Warclans in existence. Guess it's semi-official now. The BoC points were touched though... barely.

It's not hard to see where this sentiment comes from, to be fair.