2012 releases

[ihavetoomuchminis]

Do you people know there's another game, right? (2 if we take LOTR into account). Seeing people predicting 3 or 4 consecutive months of 40k releases makes me think "how long have you been in the hobby? 2 weeks?"

[drbored]

Can you point us to the rumors that fit this guess? I don't know that I've seen any DA codex release rumors other than guesses in the WD spine threads (which also included a DA/Chaos combined codex guess and new rules for Cypher and The Fallen guesses, and all sorts of other wild guesses - which may be right, but were mostly the good folks of the forums just responding and wishlisting when they realized there was a multipart image being revealed over the course of several months). I'm still not convinced that there is any rumor or any evidence concerning the nature of the image on the spines (other than "it probably won't stop halfway."). With 40K releasing in July, DA being in the starter box, and this year being the 25th anniversary for 40K, there just seem to be a lot of possibilities for a teaser campaign to promote. However, if you've seen DA release rumors, I'd love to know where they are, because I guess must have missed them.

All I've got is conjecture and logic that tend to serve me pretty well. People can hope and wish and pray and wishlist and guess and ponder, but I've noticed that the more people do that, the farther it gets away from logic.

All we really know is that the White Dwarf spine is probably a Dark Angel. Why is it on a White Dwarf? Why are they spreading the image across 12 months? The MOST far fetched answer is that they're going to cram a Dark Angels and Chaos Marines Codex release within the same year as the Hobbit and Warriors of Chaos. The LEAST far fetched answer is that the final White Dwarf in December will announce the release of Dark Angels in the following year. January/February is a common slot for a Codex, and if Chaos Marines is released in August and Warriors of Chaos is released in October, and the Hobbit comes out in November/December, then January/February is the best place for that.

It's all conjecture, it's all guesses. In my opinion, an announcement in the final White Dwarf leading to the release of Dark Angels in 2013 seems now like the least ridiculous hypothesis.

[Harry]

You may remember I posted this back towards the end of January?
This list I worked out over my Christmas Hols.
I am not sure I would change much .... except swap Dark Angels for Eldar in the starter ... because hastings said so.
Oh, and move Warriors of chaos a bit later ... because hasting said so.
Oh and there might be some Daemons and a few fliers in there.
But other than that ... I was bang on.

Jul : 6th edition.
Aug : Warriors of Chaos
Sep : Starter set : Eldar v’s Chaos?
Oct : First 6th edition release? Space Marines? (Collective assumtion ... I don't think so.) Chaos space marines? (My guess)
Nov : THE HOBBIT!!!! BLOODBOWL???
Eldar Second 6th edition release!
Dec :

2013

First 40K release of 2013 (Feb?) Tau.



Regarding Tau and Eldar I didn't hear when these started so it is difficult to predict which will come first but they were both being worked on back when I was putting this list together. I am pretty sure Tau are the first release of 2013 and I don't think the Eldar are far behind them ... But wouldn't like to bet pie on it.

[panic_puppet]

I would take a punt on Dark Angels being the first army of 2013 or very late 2012 (i.e. November/December), on the grounds that that's what the WD spines look like they're going to make a picture of, and it would make sense for the last one to complete the image, and reveal it as the next thing. Therefore, Decembers issue will complete the spine image, and I think we'll have the full image on the inside back cover with the caption "Next Month: Dark Angels". Alternative (but less likely) is that December completes the spine image AND is the issue that they're released.

[simonbeard]

I feel like there is some Dark Angel wishilisting going on here. I may be completely wrong (I mean we are dabbling in the world of rumors here), but I think this multi-spine image is no more likely a prep for a DA launch than it is a fun magazine spine design for the 25th anniversary of 40K or the 6th ed release (not heralding a release of any kind, just fun graphics for those who read WD). I'm not sure I've ever seen any product release hinted at that far in advance by GW. And since a DA codex release at the end of this year/beginning of next has been totally absent from any of the codex release rumors, I'll assume that the spine doesn't suggest any of that sort of product release.

As for Harry's thoughts...

1. It looks like we can expect Warriors of Chaos later than August (attributed to Hastings). Should we expect to see it in October? Putting what in August? The Chaos codex? He also mentioned both fliers and daemons, perhaps they'll show up in August.
2. Eldar or Tau as the second 6th ed codex (in his calendar it falls end of 2012, but may also fall in early 2013).
3. Possible Bloodbowl release alongside The Hobbit

...all very tasty rumors. Tasty like pie. Mmmmm...

Edit: or maybe the Daemons are the fantasy models the OP was talking about for June?

[FerociousBeast]

I'm still putting Dark Angels as the second 6E codex, at the risk of challenging the redoubtable Harry. The first codex after a new edition has always been Space Marines, and while we're already breaking that rule, I find it hard to believe GW would tarry too long before a loyalist marine book was released. Secondly, 8E WFB's first releases were the starter set's armies, IIRC. Thirdly, several rumors have had the DA codex coming soon. And finally, while certainly not conclusive on its own, the WD spine makes a nice cherry on top of the rest of the more solid evidence.

[Silvertongue]

Secondly, 8E WFB's first releases were the starter set's armies, IIRC.

You're wrong in this. Skaven were released in feb, IIRC, and the starter came in september AFTER that. As for High Elves, they haven't been renewed yet at all. So no, the starter set armies were not released after 8th at all.

[Romanus]

Regarding Tau and Eldar I didn't hear when these started so it is difficult to predict which will come first but they were both being worked on back when I was putting this list together. I am pretty sure Tau are the first release of 2013 and I don't think the Eldar are far behind them ... But wouldn't like to bet pie on it.

Hey Harry,

As always its a welcome to have your esteemed wisdom join us on a rumour board . I know that Eldar are being worked on at the moment, but its mostly throwing around Ideas and seeing how they work. I'm not 100% sure on the design sequence that GW follows but this would seem pretty prelim to me. I know that this has been going on for around six months so far, with some pretty nifty ideas being tried. Thats all I'll say on the matter though.

Cheers,
Rom

[Starfarer]

Hey Harry,

As always its a welcome to have your esteemed wisdom join us on a rumour board . I know that Eldar are being worked on at the moment, but its mostly throwing around Ideas and seeing how they work. I'm not 100% sure on the design sequence that GW follows but this would seem pretty prelim to me. I know that this has been going on for around six months so far, with some pretty nifty ideas being tried. Thats all I'll say on the matter though.

Cheers,
Rom

Thanks for providing some insight on the 2012 schedule and beyond! If we do get CSM in August directly after 6th in July I will be very, very happy indeed.

Good to see Eldar in the works, as they're an old favorite from 2nd edition I'd love to get back into. With Phil Kelly at the helm I have no doubt they will be amazing.

I know Harry has mentioned a Blood Bowl rerelease this Fall, do you have any info you care to share regarding that?

Thanks again for the info!

[Shas'O'Stormblade]

With Phil Kelly at the helm I have no doubt they will be amazing.

It was my understanding that Phil Kelly didn't want to do them again. Something about being bored with them.

[Cheexsta]

It was my understanding that Phil Kelly didn't want to do them again. Something about being bored with them.

I thought that was Jes? He had just finished sculpting the Dark Eldar and so wanted to take a break from the pointy-ears for a bit?

Might be misremembering, though.

[Fable]

It was my understanding that Phil Kelly didn't want to do them again. Something about being bored with them.

He did not say he was bored with them. He said he didn't want to get trapped into being the "xenos guy" and that he thought it might be weird going back over his own work. He didn't say he wouldn't do it if offered or ordered.

[Starfarer]

I thought that was Jes? He had just finished sculpting the Dark Eldar and so wanted to take a break from the pointy-ears for a bit?

Might be misremembering, though.

Jes did say he wanted a break from Eldar and did not want to do Eldar right after finishing DE. However, the design of both were supposedly closely linked, so I believe at least some preliminary work was already done on Eldar by Jes.

I might be wrong about Phil Kelly, especially since every questionable rumor has him tied to every upcoming codex, but I would be really surprised if he didn't turn out to be the writer. This is not a rumor, by the way, just speculation, but I thought I remember hearing this previously.

[Sildani]

If they're at the "brainstorming" phase of Eldar, and that's been going on for six months, then it seems thst they're about 18 months away, based on a couple of comments from the Studio guys that a Codex takes about 2 years to write, start to finish, with brainstorming being the first step. So, Eldar in the fall of 2013 sounds about right.

And yes, Jes said he wanted a break from Eldar design after the massive Dark Eldar redo, and at the same time Kelly said he didn't necessarily want to do the Eldar and get pigeonholed as the "Xenos guy". Pity, because I think he's the only one there who honestly likes Eldar, with the possible exception of Jervis... and how long since he's written a Codex?

[Prodigalson]

I remember reading a quote that said they didn't like to do the same army codex to codex... I.e. they will probably want a fresh take on eldr.

[Spell_of_Destruction]

He did not say he was bored with them. He said he didn't want to get trapped into being the "xenos guy" and that he thought it might be weird going back over his own work. He didn't say he wouldn't do it if offered or ordered.

I'd be surprised if PK wouldn't want to do it again particularly as he seemed to be on a pretty short leash with the 4th ed codex. The codex may have been 'his work' but it was really just an update of Gav's third ed codex.

I wonder how much of the 'restrained' nature of PK's codex was down to his remit and the codex philosophy at the time and how much was down to his own design tendencies. He did a great job with Dark Eldar and I'd love Craftworld Eldar to receive a similar job but then he also did the Space Wolf codex...

I guess that any new Eldar codex is going to be 'conservative' - they are one of the most established races. One of the things that GW has been able to do with the release of Chapter specific codeces, Dark Eldar and Necrons is to release a ton of models for units that never previously existed. Apart from a few new vehicles I don't see Eldar getting many new units to play with.

[Nehemiah]

But then I firmly believe that just as there will always be some kind of Imperial Marines in the starter the other army will always be one of the less ambigous enemies so no IG, SoB, Tau or Eldar in the starter.

Not sure I would call the Edlar ambiguous. We have already seen a starter with Dark Eldar, and I would say the Eldar are at least on par with Tyranids in ambiguity.

[Corsair Princess]

I'd be surprised if PK wouldn't want to do it again particularly as he seemed to be on a pretty short leash with the 4th ed codex. The codex may have been 'his work' but it was really just an update of Gav's third ed codex.

I wonder how much of the 'restrained' nature of PK's codex was down to his remit and the codex philosophy at the time and how much was down to his own design tendencies. He did a great job with Dark Eldar and I'd love Craftworld Eldar to receive a similar job but then he also did the Space Wolf codex...

I guess that any new Eldar codex is going to be 'conservative' - they are one of the most established races. One of the things that GW has been able to do with the release of Chapter specific codeces, Dark Eldar and Necrons is to release a ton of models for units that never previously existed. Apart from a few new vehicles I don't see Eldar getting many new units to play with.

I doubt they'd skimp on new infantry for a new codex, and the rumors have said there'd be a new aspect or two, they have just as much room for new stuff as the other codexes.

[decker_cky]

BLOODBOWL???

DO WANT!

[KarlPedder]

Not sure I would call the Edlar ambiguous. We have already seen a starter with Dark Eldar, and I would say the Eldar are at least on par with Tyranids in ambiguity.

I really don't think you understand where I'm coming from Craftworld Eldar, Tau, IG etc simply lack the obvious contrast in asthetics from Space Marines to serve as the "enemies" in the starter they could replace Space Marines as the "good guys" but lets face it thats probably never going to happen. Orks, Chaos, DE, Tyranids and Necrons have an obvious asthetic quality thats says "bag guy". The starter is marketed as a gateway to new players the primary target audience being teens/pre teens who potentially know nothing about the fluff having two forces in the starter with distinct visual reinforcement of the "good guy/bad guy" match up is far smarter than some of the more visually ambigous matchings and for these purposes the Craftworld Eldar are considerably more ambigous than Tyranids.