As 2019 comes to a close, it’s time to gather up the previews spotted earlier on and begin to look toward the horizons of 2020. Check out what’s on the way!
2019 has been an exciting year. And with previews still going strong for all avenues of Games Workshop, there are still plenty of releases waiting to hit the shelves. With that said, we’ll be going over what’s left to get released in the last month of 2019 as well as what’s on the way in 2020.
Get Even More Value From GW’s 40k Christmas Battleforces
These battleforces are just the beginning for Warhammer 40k. If you’re starting a new army this Christmas, here’s what to buy next…
Warcry Warband- Spire Tyrants
Spire Tyrants are a newly-previewed Warcy Warband coming to the game sometime as well. These are the trained, professional Gladiators of the eight points. Based on earlier previews, it looks like these guys will also be able to join your Slaves to Darkness armies as well.
More Warcry Monsters
Ogroid Myrmidon
Fomoroid Crusher
Mindstealer Sphiranx
These Monsters were revealed a few months back during the latter half of 2019. These We don’t know the full details and rules on these minis just yet. However, we know they’re coming to Warcry, and specifically, the Ogroid Myrmidon was previewed in a Slaves to Darkness Army picture along with the Spire Tyrants! They both may be joining their ranks as a backbone unit.
Boxing Day Mini? May or May Not be Amazonia Model
In the midst of multiple rumors and conflicting stories, the Amazonia model that emerged from the web earlier this year may or may not be the Boxing Day mini. Remember, we heard last year that the Boxing Day mini wasn’t up to snuff so it was pulled…There’s a lot of mystery revolving around what special mini we could be getting.
Sisters of Battle: Beyond the Army Set
There is a lot still in store for Sisters. We’ll be going over a broad look at what’s still on the way. However, you can get the full details on the latest units to join the army if you’re thinking about picking these girls up.
One of the most unique models out of the entire 40k line is the Triumph of St. Katherine. This is a literal funeral procession that’s going to be walking onto the frontline of the grimdark universe.
Penitent Engines
First seen in the Army Set with buzzsaws, it’s also getting a multipart feature with dangling flails and heavy bolters.
Arco Flagellant Squads
To be sentenced to arco-flagellation is to become little more than a weaponised, utterly berserk killer. Over the course of a long, painful process, the convict’s mind is wiped, replaced only with an uncontrollable urge to mete out violent destruction upon their prey.
Arco Flagellants are nothing new. They have always been exception melee glass cannons. However, their biggest weakness in-game was a lack of mobility and survivability. If they could manage to make it into combat, however, they will certainly devastate other Infantry units.
Sisters of Battle Retributors
The heavy weapons unit for the Sisters are getting a rework and we have to say we’re pretty happy with the results.
You might remember the Heavy Bolter from a while back. It was previewed along with a handful of other weapons.
Retributors are also getting a resculpted Heavy Flamer! But these aren’t just any Heavy Flamers. These are loaded with the classic Sisters iconography and style. From Fleur de Lise and medieval-looking barrel extensions, these girls are looking unique. Plus, from the two pics above, we can see that there’s going to be all kinds of variations between the models.
Sister Repentia
You’ve got to love a Repentia. What others accomplish through tactics, strategy and tech, these Sisters do through the precise and intense application of rage – and chainswords the size of Space Marines! Next year, adding these frenzied fanatics to your army is going to get even easier thanks to the multipose Repentia kit!
Packed with dynamic poses and plenty of options for customisation, this set will be great for fleshing out your Repentia squads – and flensing the flesh from your enemies! Look out for these sometime next year.
Battle Sisters Squad
We had seen these Images of new Sororitas units. Now we have a closer look at the painted and unpainted versions of them as well!
Coming from the mouth of GW, the basic Troops kit will also offer two other unit builds:
What’s more, this set also builds you Dominions, forward-scouting vehicle killers and special-weapon wielders, as well as Celestians, elite bodyguards who’ll carve up anyone who dares attack your Canonesses. These units are marked by their own special components.
Sisters have had so much love put into them, each model looks like it could be a character in their own right.
From the Warhammer Open event, we have our first pictures of the sprues. These look to have enough torso back for 6 sisters, and fronts for five. There is also a good chance that the box of ten will probably have two sets of sprues inside it.
You can see the sprues also have the special weapon options for making Dominion squads as well as a cherub, and standard.
What’s more, this set also builds you Dominions, forward-scouting vehicle killers and special-weapon wielders, as well as Celestians, elite bodyguards who’ll carve up anyone who dares attack your Canonesses. These units are marked by their own special components.
The Sister Superior also has a choice of weapons from the combi flamer above top to this condemnor crossbow bolter. Sisters have had so much love put into them, each model looks like it could be a character in their own right.
Zephyrim/ Seraphim Combo Box
The incoming multipart Seraphim combine the dynamic airborne poses you’d expect with a swath of optional extras. Of course, the holy trinity of bolter, flamer and melta is represented, as is a brand-new kit option – the elite combat-specialists of the Zephyrim.
Sister Hospitaller
First seen with a Bane-type mask and special Sororitas object in her right hand, it looks like the model was tweaked once more and painted up.
You can tell that the Hospitaller had her cool little religious pendant in her hand changed some with her face fully open under her hood.
She looks to be a two sprue kit with custom basing bits, similar to Feirros, and may retail for $40.
Diologus & Imagifier Models Spotted
GW has certainly come a long way. The new Diologus model was first spotted in an early teaser photo. However, was officially unveiled with some serious cosmetic upgrades.
The Imagifier also got a helping hand. Carrying what looks to be some vague idol to Celestine, she’ll be a must-have unit to inspire the rest of your ranks.
Multipart Canoness Options
Canonesses also got more love from GW getting some pretty amazing multipart options. From staves to power swords, plasma pistols to inferno pistols. the Canoness is looking to be able to fit a variety of frontline roles.
Junith Eruita on the Pulpit of Doom
The heroes of the Sisters of Battle aren’t just Living Saints, like Celestine – among their number are storied commanders as legendary as any Space Marine Captain. Perhaps foremost among them is Junith Eruita, a Canoness Superior of the Order of Our Martyred Lady with a centre-piece kit so magnificent it rivals any model in the Warhammer 40,000 range!
Junith was another model recently spotted circulating around the web. It didn’t take long to GW to pull the curtain back on this one. How could you say no to a named Sister floating around on a pulpit carrying four flamers???
From the looks of it, Junith will be arriving on three smaller squad sized sprues, and mount on a regular flight base.
Other Sisters of Battle Vehicle Kits for 2020
The Rhino is another unit we are waiting to see. These were originally previewed to come with circular doors. However, it appears to have been changed some point after its first preview.
Sisters of Battle Immolator
Immolator with Flame weapon option
Immolator with Flame weapon option, unpainted. Get a load of that clear plastic weapons cowl! There is also a Heavy Bolter weapon variant as well.
Painted up with Contrast paints or washes you could emulate the look of stained glass on this pretty easily. Don’t let the model scare you.
Sisters of Battle Exorcist
Exorcist with Lady Ga-Ga style helmeted weapons operator.
You may want to assemble and paint the weapons pulpit separately so that you don’t miss any shred of detail with your brush. There are a lot of cracks and crevices that may be tricky to get to once the mini is put together.
Simply stunning, and full of class when fully painted. The appeal of the new Sisters vehicle designs is very intoxicating, to say the least.
Sisters of Battle- Battle Sanctum
The Battle Sanctum rules sheet was spotted recently and it looks like it might not be a flying vehicle after all, as many of us thought.
It looks like the Battle Sanctum is a terrain piece lying in wait. The key giveaways are that once it’s set up, it can’t move and you can throw Infantry dudes and dudettes inside to man the walls. It’s only Power Level 3, and it costs 50 points.
But how big will it be? Can we take multiple in a list? These are just a few of the questions that seeing this rules sheet brings up.
Adeptus Mechanicus Archaeopter Stratoraptor & Transvector
The Adeptus Mechanicus are also bringing in a couple of new inventions harking back to early flight designs from mankind.
This awesome glider/flyer is coming with two unit options, the Stratroraptor and Transvector. One which looks to be carrying a payload of bombs. However, they’re also the first model we’ve seen to get a new (and way better looking) flight stand.
Even More Psychic Awakening Progression
When 2019 ends, we will have a total of three Psychic Awakening books under our belt. And for the most part, GW really rapid-fired these out to the shelves. Looking to 2020, they’ve already previewed the next three books in the series. Those being:
- Ritual of the Damned (new update showed Grey Knights, Thousand Sons, and Dark Angels insignias).
- The Greater Good
- Saga of the Beast
Each book will be accompanied by an epic champion to lead the charge in this terrible age. These legendary heroes will include reborn, reimagined and brand-new characters, but we can’t reveal any more details at the moment.
They mentioned that these were going to be released in January, February, and March of 2020 respectively so we won’t have to wait too long to see what new rules and models lie in store for us!
Chibis in Color
There are a few models here that could stand to be hit with some nuln oil. But these are the 40k Chibis we’ve been seeing for a while now in full color! These were first spotted at SPIEL and might be the perfect addition to your hobby shelf.
30k Blood Angels Units Ahead: Angel’s Tears Previewed
The Angel’s Tears are the Blood Angels’ equivalent of Destroyer squads from other Space Marines Legions. Equipped with jump packs and armed with weapons designed to annihilate their enemies, they are true Angels of Death. Whether they are armed with volkite serpenta or Angel’s Tears grenade launchers, their arrival heralds total destruction.
Forge World previewed models for the new unit coming to the Blood Angels called The Angel’s Tears. If you remember, we’ve actually first seen their rules sheet in the Malevolence book with all the other Blood Angel hotness.
Horus Heresy Campaign Book Nine Announced- Crusade
Another campaign book is also coming next year pitting Dark Angels and Night Lords against one another in the Thramas sector. It’ll be titled “Crusade” and we can also expect new models (probably Legion-specific) to hit the arsenal as well.
That’s not all! Along with the book, 2020 will see some amazing new models released that tie in with the Thramas conflict – all of which we’ll take a look at in due time. Meanwhile, the Siege of Terra series from Black Library will continue apace as Horus and the traitors press on with their attack on the Imperial Palace.
Adeptus Titanicus Getting Continued Support
While it was left unclear of what we have in store EXACTLY for Titanicus in 2020, they also made a short announcement that more models were on the way along with continued campaigns to keep stirring up conflict.
Looking to 2020, most of the year is still shrouded in mystery. However, GW has given us a platform of Sisters, Ad Mech, and Psychic Awakening releases to stand on at the very beginning.
What else do you think is in store for games like 40k and AoS as we move into 2020? Will you be starting Night Lords or Dark Angels in 30k when their campaign book drops?
LATEST: Even More Warhammer 9th Edition Rumors Emerge
Coming from BoLS once again, there is even more that’s being tacked on to the rumor details from above.
- About four faction supplement books are left before the new edition arrives. (probably once Psychic Awakening concludes)
- Endless Psychic Powers are coming. Similar to Endless Spells in AoS. (This would make sense to see with the new “awakening” of Psykers across real-space).
- The Endless Psychic Powers will be coming in a small box set similar to Malign Sorcery in AoS when Endless Spells were first introduced.
- Flyers might be getting a total rework on how they operate.
With all of this taken into account, it seems that there’s a substantial amount of reasonable talk emerging about a new edition. There has been new word after new word and it’s beginning to gather a little bit of weight. There aren’t any outlying changes that seem too difficult to believe either. With that said, the general conclusion about all this looks to be that 40k will be picking up even more AoS-style elements.
One of the more interesting possibilities to think about might be the Psychic Phase being moved before the movement phase!
Ad Mech Rumors: Hephaestons- New Heavy Infantry Unit
These rumors were first spotted on Bolter and Chainsword with multiple users chiming in. In short, there was a new heavy infantry unit mentioned for the Ad Mech that had some early sketch ideas seen as far back with the Skitarii Duneriders.
On the topic of Ad Mech support in 8th, a user named Marshall Rohr said:
I got the sense that both it [the Skorpius Dunerider] and the Astartes’ Executioner were bumped up from their slots as part of support waves in 2020 so that GW could pretend they actually had some tie-in products for the Apocalypse release. The Executioner was really a square peg among this year’s Vanguard releases and the Skorpius could very well have been planned for release alongside the Archaeopter and the Hephaestons, plus whatever else.
Replying to Marshall on Hephaestons, Lord Nord said:
Heavy Skitarii, according to the designers’ sketchbook which was shown alongside the Skorpius model. They were stated to take up twice as many slots in the transport as regular Skitarii.
Now that the Hephaestons were mentioned with the Skorpius Dunerider, a user named Burni posted up some early sketch designs of the Hephaeston weapons that were compiled with early Dunerider concept art.
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Did GW have a plan for all these units to release at once with a new supplement? Has GW decided to just use their units as supplemental hype for other releases in 8th? Will the Hephaestons be a Troops choice or something like a Heavy Support?
Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group, and sign up to get your free hobby updates newsletter (with discount coupon codes) each morning as well!
About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
