Imperial Guard Rumor Mill

[NonSequitur]

Here are some really poor images that show the box art of the new command squads and the Valkyrie. They come from the GW stores preview sheet.

Valkyrie img5.imageshack.us/img5/2951/valkryie.jpg
Command Squads img150.imageshack.us/img150/9738/boxes.jpg

I got all of the following information from a GW stores preview sheet, looked like a fax or came from a PDF file, so it is as official as it gets.

I can confirm that the new Imperial Guard squad boxes are 10 men and they appear to be exactly like the current sprues, for both Cadian and Catachan squads . Also lumbering behemoth applies to the main weapon, regardless of whether it is ordnance or not, and some combination of the other weapons if you move up to six inches. Russes apparently can still move a full 12 inches.

Valkyries can be purchased as fast attack vehicle squads of up to three, it looks like they are not a squad transport like a rhino but act more like a land raider where any squad can ride. I would assume that they could then be upgraded to Vendettas on a per-model basis (speculation).

The officer orders sound great, I don't know how much a regular officer gets, but Creed (special character who is now an upgrade to a command squad and therefore doesn't take up a second HQ slot, I don't know if this means that he replaces the existing officer or what) gets 4. These orders include one extra shot per lasgun for the effected unit and also one called "TANK" where the unit gets better anti-tank capabilities, can't remember if its to hit or to penetrate or if its a modifier to the table but it does something ;D. There are others, including one from Creed that makes the unit fearless and gives them furious charge, but I don't remember them all.

Also, it appears that all tanks (hellhounds, Russes, artillery, etc...) can be taken in squadrons of three , but they are actual squadrons and must follow all relevant rules that apply to squadrons . There might be some limitations or requisites, such as you must take all three tanks to get a squadron or something stupid like that (speculation on my part), but the sheet did not go into any specifics, it just said "tanks can come in squadrons of three" or something very much like that . So nine Leman Russes and nine hellhounds, without having to play Apocalypse rules, that sounds ouchie. One thing is certain, if this can be used in a reasonable way (read "I don't shot myself in the foot for doing it") , I will need a Techpriest because I will have 6 or 7 vehicles (4+ Russes) every battle (assuming theyfix the techpreist so its not a useless piece of junk).

[Andrew]

Well, aside from the Valkyrie gunship being the Vulture, not Vendetta (stupid name), I like it. I highly doubt you'll need all 3 to make a squadron...ALL other units that can be squadroned are 1-3.

Oh, and I'm challenging you this week Carl, as you're now within 3 ranks of me!

[NonSequitur]

I accept! Here is something I found on Dakka Dakka:
www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/450/232594.page

Six posts down the page there is a summery from people who have apperently seen the inside of the codex and posted it on Warseer. Lists point values and where some of the units are located on the force organization chart, not the whole dex but the fast attack and heavy support options. Squadrons will be 1-3 of practically every class of tank, except for the Deathstrike or the Manticor. Apperently track guards are out of the Codex, this saddens me because I thought that would be the ultimate counter to the problem of imobilization and squadrons . Well, hopefully, I'll be able to look throught the Codex this weekend, GW stores are allowing those who preorder the Codex to get a peak inside.

[Andrew]

Release Summary:
The new Codex is designed around the Imperial Guard Infantry Company - a rank upon rank of soldiers supported by a huge array of armoured vehicles and battle tanks. The range is well supported with plastic box sets for two famous Imperial Guard regiments - the Catachan Jungle Fighters and Cadian Shock Troops - as well as a number of vehicles including battle tanks, troop transports and scout walkers.

The key themes of the Imperial Guard army - lots of men, lots of tanks - are highlighted in this Codex. Infantry Platoon squads can be deployed together as a single scoring unit of up to fifty men can (sic), and tanks can be chosen in squadrons of up to three vehicles: this brutal mass of bodies and armour is what the Imperial Guard is all about.

The Codex includes a number of special characters, including famous officers such as Captain Al'Rahem of the Tallarn Desert Raiders, Commander Chenkov of Valhalla and Colonel 'Iron Hand' Straken of Catachan. Each of these characters has a unique rule or set of orders that conveys the character of his home regiment. In addition, legends such as Commissar Yarrick and Ursarkar Creed are brought up to date, and new characters such as Knight Commander Pask of Cadia and the Catachan Devil Gunnery Sergeant Harker are presented.

Features & Benefits of Codex: Imperial Guard:
- Reduced points costs and Infantry Platoon special rules allow Imperial Guard armies to rival even Ork and Tyranid hordes for huge units. Plastic box sets and the two Battleforce sets allow customers to build such an army quickly and conveniently.

- Chimera fighting vehicles are now the standard Transport upgrade for Imperial Guard squads, and can be chosen without need for special rules or variant army organisation: any Imperial Guard army can be fielded as Mechanised Infantry.

- Command Squads can now influence nearby Infantry Squads through the use of the orders rules. These range from allowing nearby Guardsmen an extra shot with their lasguns, benefiting from improved cover saves, or receiving a bonus to their anti-tank shooting. These rules make the Command Squads more important than ever before, and introduce a new dynamic into the Imperial Guard army.

- Tanks can be fielded in squadrons of up to three vehicles as a single choice on the Force Organisation chart, allowing players to include more than ever in their armies.

- The expanded army list includes several tank designs available from Forge World, such as the Medusa, Hydra Flak Tank and Leman Russ Vanquisher.

- This book revisits many of the Imperial themes of the Guard army, including new character types like Astropaths, Primaris Psykers and Lord Commissars. Touches like these firmly place these human soldiers in the grim darkness of the 41st Millennium."

- Leman Russ special rule: "Lumbering Behemoth" - a Leman Russ that remained stationary or moved up to 6" can fire its turret weapon in addition to any other weapons it may fire - even if the turret weapon is ordnance.

Models
May 2nd
-Cadian Shock Troops (box of 10 plastic guardsmen). "Can be used to build Infantry Squads and Conscript Squads, and more exotic squads such as Veteran Squads and Penal Legion squads. Repackaged box set offers an Infantry Squad in a single purchase, and includes options for flamers, grenade launchers, vox-caster and Sergeant. Vox-casters are more useful than ever before as they allow officers to re-roll the Leadership test to determine whether their orders are issued successfully or not.

-Catachan Jungle Fighters (box of 10 plastic guardsmen). Same info as above.

-Imperial Guard Command Squad (5 figure plastic box set). "79 components on sprue, including plasma gun, meltagun sniper rifle, heavy flamer, respirators, power weapon and power fist."

-Catachan Command Squad (5 figure plastic box set). "81 components on sprue, including plasma gun, meltagun, sniper rifle, heavy flamer, power weapon and power fist."

-Primaris Psyker (1 figure blister). HQ choice Psyker Lord. Lightning Arc: Assault 2D6 Strength 6 psychic attack. Nightshroud: enemy units must pass a Leadership test to shoot the Psyker or his squad.

-Imperial Guard Sentinel (1 figure box set). Can build a single Armoured Sentinel or Scout Sentinel from the Imperial Guard Codex. Armoured Sentinels have Front Armour 12, Scout Sentinels are open-topped but have the Scouts and Move Through Cover special rules. Weapon options include multi-laser, autocannon, lascannon, heavy flamer, plasma cannon, and missile launcher. Replaces all existing Sentinel box sets in range. Can be upgraded with hunter-killer missiles, searchlights, camo netting and smoke launchers.

-Imperial Guard Ratlings (5 figure blister). Abhuman snipers with Stealth and Infiltrate special rules. Characteristic snacks modelled onto bases. Sculpted by Dave Thomas.

-Imperial Guard Valkyrie (1 plastic model kit). Includes multi-laser and lascannon weapon options, multiple rocket pods and Hellstrike missiles, plus optional heavy bolter sponsons. Includes new clear plastic flying stand for Warhammer 40,000 vehicles. Can be fielded in squadrons of 1-3 Valkyrie Assault Carriers per Fast Attack choice. Transport capacity of 12 models. Grav Chute Insertion: embarked squads can deep strike over any point the Valkyrie moves over in its Movement phase, taking dangerous terrain tests as they land.

May 16
-Imperial Guard Cadian Battleforce. - Imperial Guard Cadian Command Squad, 20 Imperial Guard Cadian Shock Troops, 3 Imperial Guard Cadian Heavy Weapons Teams, 1 Imperial Guard Sentinel.

-Imperial Guard Catachan Battleforce. -Imperial Guard Catachan Command Squad, 20 Imperial Guard Catachan Jungle Fighters, 3 Imperial Guard Catachan Heavy Weapons Teams, 1 Imperial Guard Sentinel.

-Imperial Guard Regimental Advisors (3 figure blister). Includes Officer of the Fleet, Astropath and Master of Ordnance. Can be added to Imperial Guard Command Company HQ Squad. Whilst the Officer of the Fleet is alive, your opponent must subtract 1 from all his reserves rolls. Add +1 to all reserves rolls whilst the Astropath is alive. Master of Ordnance can unleash a Strength 9, AP3 Ordnance Barrage with unlimited range if he does not move.

-Imperial Guard Lord Commissar (1 figure blister). HQ choice: leader-commissar who inspires his troops by leading from the front.

[NonSequitur]

Yep, that appears to be the same thing I saw in the GW store a few days ago, confirms some stuff, leaves others to be revealed latter; the suspense, it is too much!

[Andrew]

HEADQUARTERS
Chenkov
-Is a Special Character Infantry Platoon commander
- Can upgrade the conscript squad in his platoon to allow him to use the order ‘Send in the next wave’ for 75 points.
- ‘Send in the next wave’: The squad is immediately removed and next turn comes from the table edge (like reserves) at full starting strength.

Al'Rahem
Allows a unit to Fire in the shooting phase and still run.
Instakills on a roll of a 6 in combat

Mogul Kamir
He and his unit are subject to Rage.

Sly Marbo
Deploys similar to a Callidus Assassin. Has a Demo Charge and always wound on 2+'s in assault. He also retains his Sniper Pistol.

There is a Tank Commander upgrade, called Sergeant (?) Pasc, he gives the tank a BS of 4 and has an additional special ability against tanks and Monsterous Creatures, he costs around 50pts.

Order Rules:
- HQ Commanders must order first, then Platoon Commanders, then Squad commanders (if they can)
- Done at the start of the shooting phase. If a unit does any action in the shooting phase before orders are given, they cant benefit from any order
- Vox allows a unit to reroll failed Ld tests for orders
- Company Officer can give 2 orders and may order any squad with a vox or within 12”
- Platoon officers can give 1 order and may order any squad in their platoons with a vox or within 6”
- Some squad leaders can order their own squad (Veterans?)
- Unit must pass a Ld test, Double one means they understand and can take another Order, passed Ld means 1 order, failed Ld means no Order and Double 6 means no Order and unit does nothing this turn.
- A double 6 on a Ld test will prevent any further orders in that turn.

List of Orders:
-Tank!: +1 AP against vehicles (possibly Tank Hunter)
-Fire in ranks: All weapons may fire 1 extra shot (May only be Lasguns)
-Down!: A unit which goes to ground gains an additional +1 Cover Save bonus
- Move!: A unit rolls 2D6 when running and picks the highest
- (HQ Commander only): Bring it down! Twin links weapons shooting at tanks, MC’s etc.
- Rally: Instantly rallies a unit, can be used to lose the downside of using ‘Down!’

-Basic Company Commanders are around 50pts.

-Officers are NO LONGER Independent Characters.

-The new Advisors, Officer of the Fleet, Master of Ordnance and Astropath are around 30pts each, Sanctioned Pyskers are no longer Advisor upgrades.

-Bodyguards are around 15pts and allow you to allocate two wounds which would affect their officer against them instead.

-Medics now give the unit the Feel No Pain USR.

ELITES
Stormtroopers are 16pts each, you may pick one of three missions, Behind Enemy Lines which grants the USR Move Though Cover, Recon which grants Out Flank or Arial Assualt which gives them a reroll of scatter dice for deep strike and Valkyrie disembarks.

-Sanctioned Psykers - Have a number of powers:
- The Psykers may drop 1 Ld from an enemy unit for every sanctioned psyker alive at the time. - Soulstorm is range:36 SX AP:d6 Heavy1, Blast. Gains +1 Strength per psyker in the unit.
- Comes as a Sanctioned Psyker unit, of 4-9 Psykers and a Commissar Handler.
-The Pysker Chior starts at around 60pts for an Overseer and 4 Pyskers.
- On any perils of the warp the Commissar will shoot D3 Psykers.

TROOPS
-Infantry Platoons consist of, Command Section, 2-5 Infantry Squads, 0-5 Heavy Weapons Squads, 0-3 Special Weapons Squads, 0-1 Conscript Platoons

-The 2-5 Infantry Squads can be marged into a single unit.

-Infantry Squad come in at 50pts, weapons options come in at 5pts for Mortars, 10pts for Heavy Bolters and Autocannon, 15pts for Missile Launchers, 20pts for Lascannon, 5pts for Grenade Launchers and Flamers, 10pts for Meltaguns and 15pts for Plasma Guns.

-Heavy Weapons Squads start at 60pts with 3 Mortars, and each weapon can be upgraded as follows, 5pts for Heavy Bolters and Autocannon, 10pts for Missile Launchers, 15pts for Lascannon.

-Special Weapons Squads are able to take 3 Demo Charges.

-Conscripts are Lasgun only units.

-Commissars come in at about 35pts basic.

-Veterans Squads may take Carapace.

Fast Attack:
- Fast Tanks Squadron:
- You may choose any of the following tanks in a 1-3 tank squadron.
- Hellhound: 130 pts. Tank, fast. You can change the heavy bolter by a flamer for free or by a multi-melta by 15 pts. Extra armour 15 pts, searchlight 1 pts, heavy stubborn 10 pts, hunter-killer missile 10 pts, dozer blade 10 pts.
- Banewolf: 130 pts. Tank, fast. You can change the heavy bolter by a flamer for free or by a multi-melta by 15 pts. Extra armour 15 pts, searchlight 1 pts, heavy stubborn 10 pts, hunter-killer missile 10 pts, dozer blade 10 pts.
- Devil Dog: 120 pts. Tank, fast. You can change the heavy bolter by a flamer for free or by a multi-melta by 15 pts. Extra armour 15 pts, searchlight 1 pts, heavy stubborn 10 pts, hunter-killer missile 10 pts, dozer blade 10 pts.

The entire squadron can buy smoke launchers for 5 pts/mini or camo-netting for 20 pts/mini.

- Sentinel Squadron:
- Scout Sentinel: 35 pts, open-topped, scouts, move through cover, multilaser. Auto-cannon 5 pts, heavy flamer 5 pts, missile launcher 10 pts, laser cannon 15 pts. Searchlight 1 pt, hunter-killer missile 10 pts, the entire squadron can buy smoke launcher for 5 pts/mini and/or camo-netting for 10 pts / mini.



- Valkyrie: 100 pts.. Armour: 12-12-10
Skimmer, fast, scout, may deep strike
Equipment and weapons: extra armour, searchlight, 2 hellstrike missiles, multilaser
Options: change multilaser to laser-cannon +15 pts, change hellstrike missile for 2 multiple rockets pods for +30 pts, heavy bolters for +10 pts.
Can be bought in a 1-3 squadron.
Transport 12 models, they have the “grav chute insertion” (deep strike from the valk)



- Vendetta: 130 pts.. Armour: 12-12-10
Skimmer, fast, scout, may deep strike
Equipment and weapons: extra armour, searchlight, 3 twin-linked las-cannons
Options: change 2 las-cannon for 2 hellfury missiles for free, heavy bolters for +10 pts.
Can be bought in a 1-3 squadron.
Transport 12 models, they have the “grav chute insertion” rule.

Heavy Support:
Lemas Russ Squadron
Composition:vehicle squadron composed of 1-3 Leman Russ or Leman Russ Demolishers in any combination.

- Leman Russ Battle Tank. 150 pts Hull Heavy Bolter. May change it for a lascannon for 15 pts, may have sponsons with: heavy bolters 20 pts, multi-melta 30 pts, plasma cannons 40 pts.
LR may have Heavy stubborn for 10 pts, dozer blade 10 pts, h-k missile 10 pts, extra armour 15 pts. Entire squadron with camo-netting for 20 pts/model. One of the squadron tanks can be the squadron leader for 50 pts.

Same options for the next tanks:

- Leman Russ Exterminator: 150 pts.
- Leman Russ Vanquiser: 155 pts.
- Leman Russ Eradicator: 160 pts.
- Leman Russ Demolisher: 165 pts.
- Leman Russ Punisher: 180 pts.
- Leman Russ Executioner: 190 pts.

Artillery Squadron, 1-3 models in a squadron. Same options as the LR’s. Can be topped for 15 pts / model, the camo-netting cost 30 pts /model.

- Basilisk: 125 pts.
- Medusa: 135 pts. Can buy siege bombs for 5 pts.
- Colossus: 140 pts.
- Griffon: 75 pts.
- Hydra: 75 pts. Camo-netting cost 20 pts for it.

The following vehicles cannot be bought in a squadron:

- Manticore: 160 pts.
- Deathstrike: 160 pts.

[NonSequitur]

The Valkyrie Vendetta sounds too powerful according to that, 130 pts. for THREE twin linked lascannons ! And its a 12 man transport, well I will hopefully see the official Codex tomorrow and see if that is right . Not only is that not balanced inside of the Codex, why take a Leman Russ Vanquisher if you can have a Vendetta, for CHEAPER but is also not balanced to the other codices, its cheaper than a predator with only one twin-linked lascannon and two regulars with more positive benefits with only one less bs and front armor . I can smell the new power-gamming Guard list, and it smells like... VICTORY!!!

In other news, here is a clear picture of the sentinel box: i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj192/ToughTonka/newSentinal.jpg

And also the official Imperial Guard GW preview: www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?community=&catId=&categoryId=&pIndex=0&aId=13200003&start=1

[dragonbait]

Well it looks like I'll be getting a few more guardsmen units and just take my demonhunters as allies. It should work out just fine, anyone happen to have images of the Cadian Command Squad Sprues?

[Andrew]

They're on the previous pages.

[NonSequitur]

Well, no luck with seeing the new Codex . redshirt said something, something it should have been there by then. I did however manage to have what I think I could easily call the worst gaming experience so far. It suffices to say it was an Apocalypse game in a GW store where one side had 7 super-heavy/titan units and a likely 1000~ point lead verses 3 super-heavy/titan class units . All that and the deployment zones were set up so you could not set up units more than 36 inches away from the enemy. I only had ~750 of an original 2500 pts. by the end of our turn three, the opponents went first . Its like the redshirts did not think to balance the sides. Seriously, our club has put infinitely better organized mega-battles together. But enough of my bad day.

I have seen some posts on other sites, DakkaDakka I think, where they have confirmed most of the things in Andrew's post. Apparently the Guard platoons can combine the five infantry squads and platoon command squad, so possibly 55 man Guard squad with feel no pain ;D. There will be a ~50 pt. tank commander upgrade that will add balistic skill 4 or5 depending on whether you move or not and also add 1 ap to the main weapon when shooting at tanks and reroll to wound against monsterus creaturs. Hopefully we will get some better leaks in the coming weeks.

[NonSequitur]

Apparently, the 55 man unit was a missinterpretation, just a 50 man combined squad and the 5 man platoon command squad as seperate entities.

The veteran squad will be between 70 and 80 pts. depending on which site you listen to and will be able to choose between several 30 pt. up grades one for a demo charge and melta bombs, one for gaining infiltrate, and the one that upgrades to carapace armor.

Ogryns are somewhere between 35 and 40 pts. a piece. Some people also think that the tanks can still get track gaurds while others insist they don't. There is also room for speculation concerning the smoke launcher upgrade, it is apparently 5 pts. by most sources.

Untill a comprehensive leak, or a scan surfaces, or I see the Codex my self, its all up in the air as for exact pts. and abilities.

[NonSequitur]

Found it, the scanned Leman Russ data page, no point cost but it does include the really blurry fluff and parietal images of the new Russes.

warseer.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=54931&d=1237942009

The thing is that all of the tanks look like they have Forge world style turrets. The vents on the back of the turrets imply this. This could be very useful seeing as the Forge World style turrets would not be too hard to switch out weapons if they were made of hollow plastic rather than solid resin.

[NonSequitur]

Please take the folowing image with a grain of salt, it is a rumored new Leman Russ.



It is a compleat redesign of the Russ and it draws a lot of insperation from the Baneblade, obviously. There are reasons it could be the new Russ and resons it could not be .

For it being the new Russ; the parts appear to be all plastic and unpainted, it also uses a very simmilar turret to a CAD image shown at I beleive the UK Gamesday.

warseer.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=52171&d=1234206422

Against it being the new Russ, it is a compleat redesign and goes against leaked and scaned pages from the Codex show the Russ to be illustrated in the same way it always has.

So the jury is out untill more information can be learned, its probably a conversion just like the Punisher in the WD was said to be. It isequally likely that it is the roughdraft of the new Leman Russ that GW rejected under Forgeworlds suggestion, this has been mentioned on several forums as the primary reason that the Leman Russ will not be issued in the first set of releases, or possibly even the second set.

[Andrew]

Aw heck no. That's just the retard racer version of a baneblade. Seriously, you can easily see all the parts where they were hacked and such. Nice conversion, though what purpose it serves as it's far too big for a leman russ while being too small for a superheavy.

I feel I can say with 100% certainty that this is NOT a leman russ at all.

[NonSequitur]

Yeah, I really don't like it either, it just dosen't seem right. I am pretty sure that your right that it is probably a custom build, but the turret is errily similar to the revealed CAD pictures.

However, after carfully looking over Baneblade/Shadowsword, the parts are similar but not exact. There a different rivit counts, different part sizes, different heavy bolters, headlights are different, sponson mountings, lead drive wheels are different on the insides, it is all familiar but all at the same time distinctly different.

I remember, a while back on ebay someone was selling a recast Leman Russ using Russ, Chimera, and Land Raider components. It was a compleat mulitpart model cast from his own resin molds. It very well might be that someone has made their own Leman Russ, because there is little else this can be, too small to be a Banblade class, slightly too short to be a Manchurius, and only a few inches longer and wider than a Leman Russ (it appears to be larger than a Russ but smaller than a Radier hard to tell without a comparison model). Its probably someone just trying to get some free publicity by getting picked up on all of the major 40k forums. The guy who did it suposedly only has one picture in his Photo bucket acount and only made a few posts on Warseer (?) before showing it off.

I highly doubt that GW would be stupid enogh to do such a compleatly radical redesign of the Leman Russ, a truly iconic unit if there has ever been one in the history of 40k. It just would not be right on so many levels. I certainly would not want one of these models over the current Russ.

Any other thoughts about it?

[dragonbait]

I'd say gotta be a custom for sure. The armour plates where the headlights are mounted even remind me of a land raider, which judging from the side-sponson heavy bolters, this thing is about in that size range, if not just slightly larger. It looks alright, but like you said Carl, it ain't right.

[Andrew]

It uses the tracks of a baneblade, minus one "section" (I counted the rivets and everything else, they are the same =P) and so that's the scale. The middle turret is just one of the sponsons turrets with a heavy bolter instead of lascannon. The glacis is different, the top plate is different, and the fuel drums are different.

[NonSequitur]

Here is a comprehensive view of the differences between the "new" "Russ" and the Baneblade that shows everything I noticed and some things that I did not.



I'll repeat myself, I still don't like it, I don't like it one bit. Sidenote, I also do not like the direction that the new Codex is moving, does not help my playstyle out too much, but aircalvery and super tank heavy and super infantry heavy, but mixed seems like it could be too weak, personal oppinion.

[NonSequitur]

Here are some more pictures of sentinels including a how to assemble diagram from the box.

1.bp.blogspot.com/_tCQH9GegMWA/SczE_ImCBnI/AAAAAAAAASY/sM7xZTadPXI/s1600-h/sentineld.JPG

johnstoysoldiers.blogspot.com/2009/03/new-sentinel-kit.html

johnstoysoldiers.blogspot.com/2009/03/sentinel-kit.html

And also some scaned images from the Codex.

4.bp.blogspot.com/_tCQH9GegMWA/SckoLwvNyfI/AAAAAAAAARA/AriSBhYDZw4/s1600-h/IGC4.JPG

2.bp.blogspot.com/_tCQH9GegMWA/Sckohs64VPI/AAAAAAAAARI/6KvWZPNAmP4/s1600-h/IGC3.JPG

1.bp.blogspot.com/_tCQH9GegMWA/Scko0oyHSNI/AAAAAAAAARQ/43IMgaqSzbA/s1600-h/IGC2.JPG

1.bp.blogspot.com/_tCQH9GegMWA/Scko_1WaoFI/AAAAAAAAARY/Zk6wl3tj19s/s1600-h/IGC1.JPG

[Andrew]

I like how they made that plasma cannon look low-tech enough for guardsmen to use. Neat.

Some thoughts on the cover art. I've never seen the design for that kind of drop ship anywhere in fluff, ever. It looks fantastic...but almost too modern-like for the Imperium. But then, they are trying to update from various artworks from the 80's...heh. Clearly, the tanks on the cover there too are in the style of the current tanks. Those pictures above? 100% only conversions, there is no way they are anything but a conversion for funsies. Rumor squashed.