GW revealed more about the 40k Leagues of Votann, including what the guilds are and a little more about their connection with the Tau.
It wasn’t that long time ago that GW showed off the first models for the faction, it’s nice to see the lore fleshed out as the faction release gets closer. The lore this time around is focused on how the guilds work and the breakdown of the societal structure.
Maybe the most exciting part, is they mention more about Tau, so it looks like the team-up of the factions is imminent.
Warhammer Community unveiled the new lore, but we’ll also take a look at the recent post and the size of Squats!
New 40k Leagues of Votann Guilds & Lore Revealed!
Most Kindreds have some means of defending themselves, and some are mighty battleforces in their own rights – but they tend to unite for protection under the banner of a League. These formal affiliations allow Kindreds to share the benefits of trade, military support, and so on. Leagues like the Ymyr Conglomerate are massive and ancient power blocs, but others have waned in power, or only risen to prominence in more recent times – such as the Seran-Tok Mercantile Leagues, who have profited greatly from trade with the T’au Empire.
This is the 3rd time they have mentioned a connection with Tau, so we expect them somehow to be able to ally, which would be pretty cool to see! Plus, they also talked about how you could take a small detachment in other armies, and it looks like Tau is one of them.
But what of the Guilds? These groups exist outside the bounds of Kindred or League, uniting all who practice a particular trade within a given region of Kin space. Whether you make a living by salvaging broken void craft or concocting nutritious liquid rations, there’s a Guild for you – setting standards, providing accreditation, and demanding tithes. Guild membership is voluntary – but there’s no love lost between Guildkin and freelancers, who regard each other as disreputable and hidebound, respectively.
competition – in practice, smaller Guilds rarely extend beyond a single Hold, and maintain key positions within their ruling bodies. Guildmasters typically sit on the Hearthspake – a Kindred’s governing council – as civilian representatives, alongside the military commanders of the Kinhosts and the Grimnyr.
Competition between Guilds can become heated, even drawing other species into the crossfire as jockeying Guildmasters sponsor Oathband expeditions to survey systems rich in resources. Anyone who happens to already inhabit these hotly-contested worlds are out of luck – existing civilisations and ecosystems are a much lower priority than beating rivals to the punch.
Despite their fractious natures, Guilds are invaluable to Kin society – their accumulated know-how and contacts are what smoothes trade and transit between disparate Kindreds, providing a web of organisation and support that runs throughout the Leagues. From star-mining and gravitic fracking to constructing the far-flung Holds that the Kin call home, every venture is marked by the high standards – and relentless competition – of the Guilds.
The Cthonian Mining Guilds are particularly powerful, embodying the belligerent acquisitiveness of the Kin. Fearless in the cause of locating, securing, and harvesting resources for their race, the Cthonians think nothing of braving environments so extreme that even other Kin would baulk at their hazards. You can expect to hear more about this particular Guild – and its much-modified members – soon enough.
It’s always cool to see more about the background, and it very easily seems like this is how they might break down the armies into different bonuses and such.
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.
Armour & Wargear
We know the Leagues have technology far outclassing much of that of the Imperium, and Void Armour is a prime example of this. While the Power Armour of the Adeptus Astartes is always evolving, and may be considered the peak of Imperial body protection, the Kin’s Void Armour takes personal defence to another level.
Void armour comprises hardened, jointed segments which are hooked into the void suit beneath. It is fashioned from magnaferrite weave, and often reinforced with adamantine and enhanced with microfield generators – providing the ultimate protection for these doughty warriors.
Here are some close-ups of the actual weapons they revealed.
They have many options just in the regular unit, so we expect the more specialized units to get plenty of special weapons.
If you love everything Squats, 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
View Gallery: 35 Images
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 For 2022
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About the Author: Travis Pasch
Travis Pasch
Job Title: Head Writer & Editor
Socials: @paschbass
About Travis Pasch: Travis has been a Warhammer 40k hobbyist since the 1990s, playing the game since Third Edition. Through extensive traveling, he’s seen a lot of the miniatures hobby from across the world, giving him a unique perspective on the latest gaming topics and trends.
Travis’s brother even owns a commission painting studio, where he’s picked up a lot of good advice and techniques for painting Warhammer and tabletop miniatures over the years, as well. Travis joined the Spikey Bits team in 2019 and has been the lead writer since 2020.
Currently, he’s working on converting all his 40k Adeptus Mechanicus models and becoming a true tech enjoyer, complete with both sad and happy robot noises!
