RUMORS: Warhammer 40k Squats Leagues of Votann Latest

The model itself is really sweet and honestly, the name change is probably a good thing as it just sounds cool. But we won’t mind if you call them by their OG name!

These warriors have a long and proud martial history, and to those who aren’t on their bad side, they’re known as the Leagues of Votann – though they refer to themselves as Kin.

Although their civilisation shares common roots with Humanity, the Leagues of Votann have an uneasy relationship with the Imperium of Man. Unlike their superstitious Human cousins, the Leagues emerged from the Age of Strife with far more of their ancient technology intact, including some infamous advances the Imperium would consider extremely heretical.

This is a cool idea in terms of weaponry as well. It looks like you just won’t have shorter Guardsmen with Lasguns or something like that. Let’s just hope they have some really cool weapons!

Their knack for science and a headstrong nature make for skilled warriors backed up by reliable weaponry, as you can see from even this basic trooper. And while there’s no love lost between the Leagues of Votann and Humankind, the resurgence of Chaos and ascendent xenos hordes mean there are usually more pressing concerns than fighting each other.

How Big the Leagues of Votann 40k Models Are

The first thing you might notice is that they look a little squat compared to many other races in the galaxy. Measuring up at around 4ft (1.4m) on average, Kin are minuscule compared to the warriors of the Adeptus Astartes, but they can pack almost as much of a punch.

As you can see, they definitely kept them fairly small, but we also wish they had thrown an Imperial Guard model in there. However, from this comparison, they do appear to be still shorter than an IG model, which makes sense.

RUMORS: Even More New 40k Leagues of Votann Minaitures

Like we said Warhammer Community teased even more new 40k Squats miniatures for the Leagues of Votann in their reveal video, but let’s take a look at the rumored new units coming for them first then compare them to these:

• The units inside will be an Ancient (HQ), ten troopers (supposedly with padded armor and sunglasses), 5 Exo-suits, and 1 Thudd gun (Heavy Support).

So obviously, the padded armor bit was false; perhaps the OP of these rumors had not gotten a look at the models yet. To us, they look more like the Terran suits worn in Starcraft.

Here are the outlines of four more Squats models from the reveal video that seem to share some similarities with the first model we have already seen.

This new model looks to have some sort of climbing gear that may or may not have been a rumor engine pic as well. It also looks to be in the same pattern of armor.

This model looks to have a drum-fed weapon, also with a similar armor pattern to the first, and an extra piece of wargear on his pack.

This miniature appears to have a pistol-type weapon, similar armor with no helmet, and some sort of wargear or icon attached to his pack.

Lastly, this image appears to show a new pattern that may be helmeted with some sort of power weapon and hand weapon similar in style to Terminators. Perhaps this is a shot of the famous “exo-armor” that we have seen in years past?

New Warhammer 40k Squats Leagues of Votann Lore Revealed!

A secretive people in a galaxy full of mortal threats, the Kin do not discuss the nature of the Votann with outsiders – by sacred custom and sensible caution. The word is used freely enough, but no-one beyond the Leagues has any clue what it refers to.

There’s good reason for this reticence – if the secrets of the Votann were ever revealed to the galaxy at large, the uneasy peace between the Leagues and the Imperium of Man would quickly crumble.

Why? The Votann are Ancestor Cores – super-cogitators, gestalt repositories of inherited wisdom and knowledge. Each League has its own Votann, central to its way of life, and no Kin would hesitate to lay down their lives to protect it – these venerable cogitators are as sacred to the Kin as gods are to the more spiritual races. That’s the sort of thing the Adeptus Mechanicus has strong opinions on.

This really allows GW to lean into new/old weapons that will set them apart from the rest of the armies in 40k. Plus, all this talk of ancient tech also really gives them the opportunity to bring about some really old stuff back into the game.

Also, the Votanns themselves are a really cool idea, supercomputers that just give all the answers. We’re sure they get 42 a lot of the time, but hey, what can you expect?

Within these self-organising datastacks and quantum infocores is held all the information a people might need to survive among the stars – weapon specifications, military theory, genealogical data, science, philosophy, and even Standard Template Constructs. There is an unimaginable wealth of lore buried in each Votann, which cannot be allowed to fall into the more superstitious hands of outsiders.

Of course, the 41st Millennium being what it is, not all is well among the Votann – it turns out that even machines of near-limitless power can eventually run out of memory. Whoever first created these marvels did not design them for tens of thousands of years of constant operation, and the sheer weight of data they are forced to compute has begun to slow them down.

Well, it wouldn’t be 40k without tech failing! This would also lead to some really cool scenarios you could play out with them hunting for tech to fix up the machines. They also mention that it can now take decades or centuries for the info to pop out!

Again though, they are really changing them into a proper faction with a backstory all focused around sticking to the old ways, but a need to venture out. Now with all this revealed, we’d not at all be surprised to see them with some super old robots to help them out!

The First Warhammer 40k Leagues of Votann Rules!

As promised, we can now dive into the new rules previewed for the Leagues of Votann, aka the Squats, from Warhammer Community.

Could this be due to a rigorous martial tradition, or a bit of technological assistance from the Votann? The answer is likely somewhere in between.

Combined with solid void-hardened armour and their knack for sticking around in close combat, these guys march in squads of up to 20 with high-tech guns blazing before charging in to mop up survivors.

Right out the gate, these new guys are pretty similar to Primaris Assault Intercessors as far as statlines are concerned, with the only major difference being -1″ movement and -1 wound in comparison.

Additionally, GW has clear hints about an ability to stay in close combat longer than you’d expect for a 1 wound model, so it’ll be interesting to see the squad’s abilities!

The Theyn is the Squad leader of the Hearthkyn, and with an extra wound, attack, and leadership, he is exactly what is respected of a squad leader! Slightly better, but still squarely in the same realm of power level as the rest of their squad.

New Leagues of Votann Sagitaur ATV Revealed by GW!

Designed for surveying inhospitable alien terrain, the Sagitaur is a rapid-response ATV suited to scouting operations and lightning-fast armoured offensives alongside Hernkyn Pioneers. Its armoured carapace is durable enough to shrug off everything from rockslides to plasma blasts, making it an ideal spearhead for any League-sponsored colonisation effort.

They gave this a rover look for exploring, and it has a distinct look compared to many other Warhammer 40k vehicles.

Sagitaurs usually operate in pairs – they’re remarkably heavily-armed for their size, with a nose-mounted twin bolt cannon complemented by a swivelling turret weapon, such as a HYLas beam cannon, L7 missile launcher, or MATR autocannon. 

Mentioning they work in pairs gives us a big look into how you can run them. Probably something like running two will only take up one slot, or you might have to take two when you look at the rules they mention below.

Once they’re right up in enemy lines, they disgorge their ornery cargo – a full squad of infantry, which can be split between the two vehicles. These hardy warriors pop out, engage enemy units with their superior weaponry, and claim vital objectives – while the Sagitaurs speed off to deliver their heavy firepower wherever it’s needed.

So, they will be troop carriers, and we’re not exactly sure how splitting up the units will work, but maybe that means each can only carry five models?

New Leagues of Votann Squats Trike Hernkyn Pioneer

We’ve seen a few models for the Leagues of Votann, and we wished for more! Well, this is a totally different style than we’ve seen, and pretty cool for sure with the retro vibes!

You’ve heard of flying pigs – well, what about a flying hog? For anyone who hasn’t been following the Leagues since parachute pants and giant shoulder pads were in fashion,* here’s the kind of trike the Kin were riding around in the 1980s.

Though the old Squat Trikes were noticeably less airborne, you can see a number of key design cues that carried over to the Hernkyn Pioneer… as well as a few places where the technology of the Leagues of Votann has clearly diverged from the Imperium. There’s no mistaking this for a Space Marine bike!

Overall, this is a pretty sweet model, and it’s cool to see them keep with that old Squats trike miniatures aesthetic for the new Leagues of Votann.

And check out the tough-and-testy triker holding the handlebars of the Hernkyn Pioneer! It’s our first look at a female Kin, clad in a coat and goggles worthy of any aviating outrider. In the Leagues of Votann, when the clan-family calls, everyone answers.

We’re all for Squats, so any miniature or vehicle kit previewed for them is exactly what we want to see!

New Divergent Ironhead Squat Prospectors Coming to Necromunda!

Yes, you wait 30 years for the return of the Squats, and then they all come back at once! These are the Ironhead Squat Prospectors – tough and resourceful miners out in the ash wastes who are more than capable of defending themselves from anyone that tries to take the treasures they dig up.

It looks like Squats are taking over all the aspects of the 40k universe, and these are divergent cousins of the Leagues of Votann kin!

 

The gang comes loaded with cool kit from boltguns to heavy stubbers, and they’re not afraid to use mining equipment like stone burners and power hammers in a fight either.

They say they will be slow but super tough, good at shooting, and have great tech!

These really harken back to the old days, which is just awesome for anyone with that hard-hitting Squat nostalgia.

When the Imperium went through its rebuilding was Necromunda, Squats settled there, and guess what? They are still there kicking butt and searching for treasure. They are actually quite distant cousins, supposedly from the Leagues of Votann. So we’re not sure how they will work together, or if they are just totally something their own.

They mention they are super far apart, so we doubt they can be used in Warhammer 40k with rules. But then, they say they have some shared heritage, so who knows?

So, for now, at least, we have “seen” lots of new models and some rules for the upcoming Leagues of Votann Squats army!  While Games Workshop says it will be a few months before we see them, we’re sure there will be teasers and lore articles galore in the meantime!

Necromunda Squats: Battlesuit Vartijan Exo-Driller Armor

These suits of rugged exo-armour were originally designed to protect Squat miners in the most hostile environments – and the ash wastes definitely qualify. They’ve been upgraded over the centuries with heavier weapons and better defenses, and Prospector gangs now bring them along to fight off Ash Waste Nomads or other hostiles trying to claim the prime dig sites out in the Necromundan badlands.

The Battlesuit Vartijan Exo-Driller is pretty cool and has a similar feel to the Squats themselves. We haven’t seen really any rules for them yet, but we expect this to hit quite hard and hopefully be very hard to kill!

The Vartijan Exo-Driller is a widely-used variant, named after the legendary Squat engineer Valya Vartijan, of the Svardhol mining clan – make sure you give thanks to her every time it stomps an enemy fighter into jam. Aside from its piston-powered pulverising fist and seismic crusher, the suit’s also armed with a Squat-made heavy flamer – which can be replaced with a heavy bolter for even more serious killing potential.

The good news is their rules will be in the Outlands book, so we don’t have too long to wait to see what they can do!

Love everything squats- then check out the latest on the new Leagues of Votann below.

• New 40k Squats Leagues of Votann Rules & Rumors
• Leagues of Votaan Squat Trikes Are Back!
• What the New ‘Votann’ Are in Warhammer 40k
• Leagues of Votann Miniatures & Rumors

Here’s the most up-to-date list of new Games Workshop bits from preview models that we should watch out for. Click on the gallery above to see dozens of Rumor Engines with new models still left to be revealed!

All the Newest GW Model & Rules Previews