Currently there are many kicking around different threads, but thought it would be better to have one thread to discuss them and keep them contained.
There was a sizeable rumour post on Warseer today that I thought was worth sharing.
Quote Originally Posted by Ikitlagriffe View Post
Courage and forbearance to all lovers of Battle.
I summarized here everything I lately collected, and you seem to ignore or misinterpret. I am not paid by anyone to deceive you. I’m the most confident about aesthetic and visual questions, and about skaven stuff. Friendly.
Anyone who wants to know what there is in V9 has to imagine that this is the V8 ; it will be 90% right.
Rule changes have been made to stabilize and streamline some points, particularly at the formation units and their interaction with the characters, from what I was told.
About the armies that follow (“factions” J ) : they won’t be "bundling" of existing armies, but almost all new prospects. These are all new units with an aesthetic different from what we knew and new historic lines, new characters, we could almost consider some of them as new “races”. Nevertheless, each new release will be integrated into one or more pre-existent conventional armies. Some new units, for example, will just belong to “Forces of Order” or “Forces of Destruction”. No stress. You can keep your old collection (all your collection), and enjoy with it.
V9 will not be just one book, but a box with other things such as a volume focused on two types of battles : clashes "lord of battles "in standard format creating links between games, and smaller battles with “pre-organised” armies (that's what you took for a skirmish game I think).
About this “skirmish” game: I’m not completely sure about that : this has taken many different forms over the settings but it seems to be one of the most tested aspects in recent years by GW teams. It is not intended to be the main way to play Battle. Currently, forces will be selected from a list of predefined choices, more restrained that the currents army books, without worrying percentage points, points themselves will not so important anymore: it will be destabilizing for the old players, but the number of miniatures contained in a unit or its point value could be no longer as important as before in this system. Players would have the choice to comply or not the points. A book will summarize the possible choices for all existing armies. It was thought just for fun, and almost all special rules of existing models could be ignored because of it.
About round bases : there would be a misunderstanding at this level too. Some Warhammer miniatures will indeed now sold on round bases, but it’s the consequence of some simplified rules and not a transition to a new system, or 40k-like, or I don’t know what. No link with the new “skirmish game”. The elements attached to units will be on round base (as skaven regimental weapons or dark elves cauldron of blood for example, but also characters according to pictures I’ve seen), are no longer joined the unit but move next to, and may have a round or oval base. But if your old version is not on a round base, you can still play with, no problem.
About “waiting” armies : for the bretonnians, there is a book that will follow this year, but perhaps we can’t call this “army book” because it will be very different from what you had until then. It will be closer from the End Times books recently issued. There will be in it new units, which could join the Forces of Order, and very close from a Bretonnian army, but not only. For the Skavens, the amount of new stuff approaching is just unprecedented (although I have no visibility on dates). It won’t be really “skavens” as we knew them, but a sort of evolution type very nice and inspired. No merger with Chaos for them (anyway, no merger for anyone!). About Beastmen, they don’t have directly the same processing, to the best of my knowledge, but no doubt they will benefit from a wealth of new opportunities for chaos. I had no evidence that it’s matter of squatting them, nor nobody else.
The quantity of new stuff for Battle will be just incredible, if all that is planed comes out. New releases will be essentially new entries, unique monsters, characters, and elite units of 2 to 5 figures. This will change progressively the overall appearance of the armies, with fewer miniatures (but larger). There will always be a place for large infantry units; however I don’t have a precise view of the new rules, that's why I can’t say if it will always be interesting to play big infantry units, or not.
or broken down a little more clearly.
Quote Originally Posted by Harry View Post
9th edition will be 90% the same as 8th edition.
The new 'Factions' will not be made up from the existing armies but new armies.
(Or they will look so different from the existing armies they might as well be new armies)
These new armies will be made from new units/characters
The new units will have a very different aesthetic from existing miniatures.
The new units can be used by one or more of the existing armies.
OR can just be used as units for generic 'Forces of order' Or forces of destruction' armies.
I can keep my "OLD COLLECTION"
(AKA Brand new army I just dropped a ton of cash on ... Thanks for that!!! )
... but don't expect any new miniatures for a while?
9th Edition will get a boxed set.
In the box will be a rule book? Or a book that links the game in the box to the main rule book / a skirmish Rule book / and a Warhammer armies book.
The warhammer armies book will have a limited army list for each faction.
There is a points system.
But it is not compulsory (So you can pick 'X' number of characters/units from the selection)
Skirmish is not intended to be the main way to play Warhammer ... but an alternative.
This will be a simple starter game without a lot of complex special rules. An introductory game.
Some fantasy miniatures will be supplied on round bases due to rules changes
... but not all.... just skirmishing units and units attached to ranked units?
...and big Warmachines?
Characters will be on round bases. (Or oval bases for cavalry)
... and so characters can no longer join ranked up units.
I do not need to re-base my existing characters to use them.
Round bases are nothing to do with the new skirmish game.
You don't know what is going on with round bases.
Bretonnians will not get a new army book and will not get any new units.
There will be some units which are a bit like Bretonnians in a new 'Forces of order' book
Loads of stuff coming for Skaven but you don't know when.
New skaven stuff will not look like the existing Skaven stuff but an evolution. (I think we can see where they are going looking at the recent stuff)
Beastmen ... future is uncertain but you guess they will find a place in Chaos.
Lots of new stuff to come for Fantasy.
Most stuff will be new units monsters or characters.
Elite units will be smaller 2-5 minis.
Look of armies will change.
Smaller armies with less miniatures and more big stuff.
No information about new rules.