Heresy & Heroes

This has been a great 12 months of 40k, and, being a hopeless optimist, I’m really looking forward to the next 12. Alas, I’m a little long in the tooth to be penning letters to Jolly Old Saint Nick regarding what I’d like for Christmas (besides, he’s quite obviously some form of Tzeentchian daemon), but I still have some wishes. As well as all the ‘peace on earth’ and ‘win the lottery’ nonsense, I have a fair few desires that centre around 40k in 2014. Here are a few of the bits and pieces that’d make me as happy as a Snotling on Krissmas…

A year of hordes
2013 and the start of 6th has been dominated by Elite armies getting their new books. Now, I’m not a horde player, but as someone who takes a variety of Elite Armies into battle, I love killing hordes. Not because I believe that they’re easier to kill – far from it – but because they’re fun to take on. With Nids, Orks and Guard all due to get new codices, people like me get our favourite opposition updated and with new units, weapons and rules, there’s always more fun to be had through playing and learning. Whether it’s my Grey Knights fighting a swarm of nids, or my Death Guard holding off the green tide, these are my favourite challenges and I can’t wait to take on the newly updated armies throughout the year. I’m just really hoping they get some fun new units and rules to make those encounters even more fun.

New and Revived game types
The big boy and lil’un of game types have already arrived in the form of Apocalypse and Kill Team, and we got Escalation and Stronghold Assault thrown into the bargain. That’s pretty good for variety, but the game type I’d love to see an update to is Cities of Death. Of all the old books, Cities of Death was by far my favourite. It offered a host of great little rules and offered so much scope for terrain and figure converting and building, and the games were brilliant fun. If GW could bring me this is in the new year, I’d be ecstatic. What’s more, I can’t wait to see the other plans. I can’t wait to see the new game types they put forward. Here’s hoping they come up with some good’uns!

More amazing models – in plastic
We got some crackers in 2013. From the gargantuan Wraithknight and Riptide, to the more standard-sized Farseers, Space Marine Captains and Daemonic Heralds, we were blessed over the last 12 months. We’re in a Golden Age of miniatures and have come so far from static poses and limited sizes. What’s more, we’re seeing far less Finecast in the releases each month. For all its promise and potential, it came with as many bubbles and breakages and now that GW are heading more into the world of plastic characters, I’m even more optimistic for the new year.

Forge World to keep Forge-worlding
I am a huge fan of Forge World and I don’t want them to change a bit. I just want them to keep creating their wonderful, amazing minis. I want more Contemptors, more Grav Tanks, more IA books, more, more, more! If I’m going to go broke buying plastic crack, let it be the very finest of Forge World.
So that’s what I want. How about you? Stick a comment below and let me know what you want to see in 2014. Onwards!