Faeit’s 40k Rumor Tarot: Tau and The Mythical Beast
This week we had some mixed rumors, which included a conflicting bit about Space Marines being released in June. Otherwise most of the week was filled to the brim about the new Tau release that are now up for pre-orders.
The alien is not intrinsically evil. Do not hate him. Pity him his ignorance. Seek to understand his differences And acquaint him with his inadequacies. Only then will he accept his place in the Greater Good. -Firewarrior
Tau
This week seemed to be all about the Tau, and what information could be gleaned from the pages of early White Dwarf holders. From images to rules, we were able to get a glimpse into what the new Tau codex is going to look like.
Here are a few of the things we have learned from various sources, Siyath, librerian_samae, revenant J J, Sildani, and Dominic.
*The artist for that fantastic cover art is Raymond Swanland
*Longstrike gives his tank BS5, Tank Hunter and Preferred Enemy: IG
*Darkstrider’s actual name seems to be Mayamoto. He makes the squad of FWs or Pathfinders he joins treat their target unit as having -1T.
*There is some disagreement on Crisis Suit Team size whether its 3 or 4 (probably 3)
*Pathfinders appear to have lost a point of armor
*Stealth suits still get Stealth and Shrouded
*Broadsides still get TL plasma or SMS as secondary weapons, in addition to a single Seeker on a shoulder mount
*The Broadside’s alternate primary, the High Yield Missile Pod, appears to be an amped-up MP rather than an SMS variant
*The Recon Drone (the big one in the Pathfinder kit) sits in the turret cupola of a devilfish, and serves some kind of C&C and fire support role… and carries a burst cannon!
*It looks like the Commander comes with more than one set of hands (or his hands are poseable), as they’re shown both open-handed and fists-clenched.
*The Dawn Blade is described as being a power glaive.
*Shadowsun’s shield drones are not the standard type. Hers are called out specifically as MV52 Shield Drones.
*She also appears to be able to join units now, as in the battrep she is deployed in the middle of the stealth unit and later the ‘nid player refers to the XV-15s as “her Stealth team” as a Zoathrope brood and Tyrant open up on them, finishing off the team and wounding her.
*Markerlights appear to be able to completely negate a cover save with a single hit. Other uses sound like they’re the same.
*Submunition rounds are apparently an upgrade for the Hammerhead.
*Repulsor Impact Field: carried by one of the Shas’vre bodyguards. D6 S4 AP- hits to an attacker at initiative 10! It gacks a Genestealer at one point.
*Sun Sharks/Razorsharks are quite small. Article describes the main fuselage as Piranha-sized with Devilfish proportions.
*All of the weapons, support systems, and heads from the Crisis, Enforcer, Broadside and Riptide kits (except the Riptide and Broadside main guns) are interchangeable with one another.
*the names of the new drones are out
Grav-Inhibitor drone, Pulse Accelerator -, and a recon drone. The others aren’t mentioned, but a total of 6 different can be made from the Patfinder kit.
*supporting over watch is army wide
*sub munitions is an upgrade for hammer heads
*disruption pod is a 6+ (invulnerable???) save
*the Razorshark can swap it’s burst cannon for a missile pod, houses two seeker missiles in compartments above it’s wings – plus that the main armament is indeed a quad ion weapon with 360 arc.
*All ion weapons are apparently overchargeable.
*This leads us to the two Interceptor Drones on the Sunshark. They’re detachable, and armed with ionrifles that can be overcharged to produce a S8 Blast each.
*the Sunshark’s weaponry is twin-linked missile pod, 2 Interceptor Drones with twin-linked ionrifles, 2 seeker missiles and of course the main bombing armament. And the Sunshark is a Fast Attack choice in the FOC.
*Velocity Tracker is the Skyfire upgrade. Riptides and Broadsides at least can field these.
*Stealth teams are still in Elite-slot. And the upgrade for BS2 overwatch is called “Counterfire defence systems”.
*the Riptide’s Ion Accelerator is S8 Large Blast when overcharged. Not S9
Space Marines
Early this week we had a conflicting rumor that Space Marines would be released ahead of Eldar, and that we would see them in June. While this is much earlier and out of the Hastings order, its worth repeating, simply because of the validity of the source. Personally I believe that Eldar are still next, but sometimes you just never know.
Also this week, we took a look at rumors of a new Dreadnought, and this comes from over on Warseer from Bob Hunk.
Space Marine Mini-Contemptor Dreadnought
this sounds a lot like something that I’ve seen play tested at certain events. Might be a coincidence but if it’s the same thing then I’d expect this “suit” to essentially be a mini-Contemptor dreadnought similar to the RT-era type, designed for living Marine heroes to wear into battle and then leave afterwards. Walker, WS/BS 5, AV11, 5++ save, two power fists (with alternative weapons) and an optional jump pack.
Eldar
According to last week’s rumors, Eldar are next on the release order, and are scheduled for later in the year. Personally I think (speculation here) that Eldar will be right before or after our Apocalypse release, and Space Marines will fill the October or November time slot.
There was a little Eldar news this week, although its hard to say if it amounts to anything.
via Phil from the Faeit 212
two things to note from the hall of Minatures.
1) big artwork display going up for high elves.
2) all Beil-tan Eldar were missing, except for the wraith guard! Could this mean that if they being used for white dwarf or the new codex artwork we are without a doubt finally getting our plastic wraith guard.
via an anonymous source for Darnok
The only change in 40k was I no longer have to stock any Eldar (not even DA or Guardians).
The Plastic Thunderhawk
At the back of April’s White Dwarf is an image called “Parting Shot”, of a Thunderhawk Gunship chasing down some ork flyers and a couple stormtalons. This has led to all sorts of rumor speculation of a plastic Thunderhawk release around the corner to coincide with a 6th edition Apocalypse release.
Is it possible? Something like this would break the wallets of many of us. There are some differences in the model shown in the image, and the Forgeworld model, but they are mostly cosmetic. Its hard to tell at the moment if this is the mythical beast of our hobby, a plastic Thunderhawk.
Make sure to check back here at Bell of Lost Souls often to find out the latest on what is coming, and then join the conversation over on Faeit 212.
The mythical beast of 40k (plastic thunderhawk) has once again been possibly sighted. Is it going to become a reality?
