You wait 20 years for a Zoat and two come along at once.
My predictions last year missed the global pandemic but, as it wasn’t a release from Games Workshop, it doesn’t count.
Last year we got Sisters of Battle, Primaris Marines, Necrons, High Elves and a most of the AOS Slaanesh range. In 2021 there is going to be a continuation of the disruptions of 2020 which will almost certainly effect GW releases. Let’s find out…
40k
Because of the disruptions expected in 2021 I think we see…
• Codex Emperors Children and…
• Fulgrim.
• Lucius the Eternal.
• Noise Marines.
• Slaanesh Hell-Strider scout titan.
I picked Fulgrim with a full Noise Marine release last year and as much as it’s a cop out to pick them again, I think the popularity of the single Noise Marine launched a couple of years back and the arrival of Fabius Bile in 2020 makes this a solid pick.
Or…
• A Craftworld Eldar codex mini release with:
• Rangers / Pathfinders.
• Some of the more exotic plastic aspect warriors. I hope for Warp Spiders but it could be any of the squads with a known Phoenix Lord.
• No Avatar
This will be a release that tides the Eldar players over until 2023 when they can be a part of the 40k 10th edition starter set.
Also
• Ork codex with that new miniature, I think it’s a Mad Doc of some kind.
• Ad Mech codex with only that teased Ad Mech miniature.
• Sisters of Battle codex and wave of releases including:
• Death cult assassins.
• A preacher.
• A missionary.
• Ordo Hereticus Inquisitor.
AOS
• The rest of the Slaanesh Hedonites release including that floating palanquin.
Age of Sigmar is tricky to predict as we haven’t seen what Games Workshop does with the 3rd edition of one of their flagship games. So I’ve made two predictions:
Guess 1
• A new chamber of Stormcast Eternals, the Logister Chamber
Opposing them will be….
• Vampire Pirates, (they will be called Vampirates by someone on the Warhammer Community team). They will look a lot like Flesh Eater Courts mixed with sharks and have a small flying ship in the starter set.
Guess 2 (more likely)
• The Covenant Chamber, a group of Stormcast Golems who are unleashed to fight against the betrayal of…
• The Dark Elves, or as they will be known, the Umbraneth.
• Female Umbraneth Lord in the boxed set.
• Malerion (released separately).
• If this happens then Vampirates will be a separate release.
Shadespire
• Chaos Warriors, Lizardmen, Vampire/Pirates, Savage Orruks, Ossiarch Bone-Reapers and the Sea Elves (Idoneth Deepkin) for Q1-2.
• A new boxed set in Q4 with the new Stormcast releases and whoever is in the AOS boxed set (this is why I think we will see Umbraneth in the boxed set).
Necromunda
• Cawdor and Delaque upgrades (already known).
• Spyrers in Q4. Let’s face it, they would need a massive redesign.
Adeptus Titanicus
• Warbringer with Volcano Cannon (almost certainly).
• Banelord Titan.
After this, I’m not sure what else you could add to the base game and still keep it in the Heresy setting. Ideally I hope for a 2022 release of Epic 40k with a Space Marine company and a Ork Gargant in the boxed set.
• No Imperator Titan.
• No Eldar Titans. Unless this is the direction the games goes in but that’s a big kit for a small game.
Aeronautica Imperialis
• This year we will see either Space Marines or Eldar.
Both factions have decent and popular ranges however putting both in the same expansion box is like putting a hat on a hat.
• I’m guessing the second faction in this boxed set will be Chaos but no-one will care because a plastic Thunderhawk is what people want AND BY THORS HAMMER THEY SHALL HAVE IT.
Bloodbowl
• The people demand Chaos Dwarfs AND BY THE BEARD OF ODIN THEY SHALL HAVE THEM.
Lord of the Rings
• More rescaled releases, probably something that goes well with the TV series, mind you, this might be the last chance to get a plastic version of the film version of Sauron.
Forgeworld Primarch:
• Forgeworld will release Jhagetti Khan. Surely.
Not going to see due to COVID
• New Lord of the Rings TV show or base set.
• Eisenhorn TV show or tie in game.
• In person versions of Golden Demon, Adepticon, or Salute.
• Warhammer Quest – 2021 edition. Warhammer Quest is reaching the 4 year mark for the specialist game refreshes and might be due a new edition either this year or next. However it’s unlikely given the AOS starter set this year so much more likely to be 2022.
• GorkaMorka, I think it’s possible to see this teased for Orktober. It would be a similar system to Warcry with 6 themed Ork gangs but I don’t think it can be squeezed into the release schedule.
• Battlefleet Gothic. I think this will replace Aeronautica Imperialis once all those factions are released.
Also
• I think we will see a big push to create a online store that sells 3D printed 3rd party conversion kits that fit existing GW models. Something that looks like what Forgeworld used to do with Imperial Guard tanks. Something like a more user friendly Shapeways.
What do you think?
