40K: Fluff Developments We Need to See This Year
How will the fluff change this year?
A new year has dawned and with it endless opportunity. I’ve already talked about some of the things I’m hoping to see in 2018, and today I wanted to elaborate on one of those things a bit. 2017 saw the 40K story move forward like almost never before, and I want 2018 to keep that momentum. So lets talk about some things I’d love to see happen in the fluff this year.
The Lion and The Wolf
I think it goes pretty much without saying that we will get at least one or more Primarchs this year. We’ve heard all kinds of crazy rumors from Fulgrim to Sanginuis. Pretty much everyone but Horus has been rumored to be returning. It’s really gotten to the point were talking about Primarches coming back is pretty low hanging fruit. However, if they’ve got to come back I think the one of the best ways to do it would be to bring back the Lion and the Wolf together. Russ and Johnson’s rivalry is an ancient part of 40K lore, and has been embedded in their forces (and the people who play them.)
Currently there are good signs and reasons for both these guys to make a return to 40K, but it seems that to bring back one without the other would leave them feeling incomplete. Why not build a cool campaign around them both coming back, and their mistrust for each other, building into an alliance. Maybe they could end their feud, or build on their love triangle with Magnus. Lots of good options here!
Abaddon’s Next Move
For the past several editions Abaddon has acted as the de facto leader of Chaos. One of the few leaders capable of brings the various chaotic factions together for a single purpose. He has either been the Imperium’s largest threat or an 80’s cartoon villain swearing that he’ll get the Emperor next time. However at long last, Abaddon has won a major victory, destorying Cadia and opening the Great Rift. Though this event set a lot of things in motion, and has spawned major wars all across the Galaxy we haven’t heard a lot from Abaddon since his victory. Sure there are some things saying he plans on pushing towards Terra and spreading Chaos, ect., but that is basically the generic Chaos plan.
No, what we need is his next BIG plan. His next major attack. That, or he needs to die. See, though Adaddon was the major Chaos leader for a long time, that was before the Primarches were in game. We’ve gotta ask, now that they are back, whats his role? I mean, it seems a little silly, that Morty and Magnus are messing around with sideshow battles, if Abaddon is leading the main charge. Either way, lets see some more movement here.
The Death of Craftworlds
I’ve already talked a bit about why I think the Craftworlds need to die. But what it really boils down to is the most logical way to advance the Aeldari story line is with the Ynnari, and for them to grow the other Eldar factions have to start dying off. Lets have some movement towards a united Eldar race, and lets see the other factions start to fade. Alternatively lets see them go to war with the Ynnari, maybe to purge them as heretics. That seems like a pretty 40K thing.
Something For the Orks and T’au to Do.
Games Workshop is building a pretty cool narrative right now, about Chaos’ big push, and the Imperium transforming to meet it. It’s a tale being played out on a galactic scale, and has plenty of interesting parts. Most of the major factions have roles to play. Even the Tyranids are still out there munching away as the possible end game. However both the T’au and Orks seem pretty left out of the larger narrative. Neither race are doing anything on a galactic scale, or really influencing major events in any way. Aside from just kind of surviving, they have been relegated to footnotes. Lets seem them given some big role.
The T’au for instance could enter into a new big expansion phase, possibly picking up a bunch of worlds that have been left adrift by the Great Rift (it rhymes) and building a major empire. Maybe they could even ally with the Imperials somehow. Orks likewise need something. Maybe they could join with Chaos, or something, anything to make them feel relevant.
Turn The Necrons Into Good Guys
The Necrons hate Chaos. Some of them went so far as to help and defend Cadia. They may also hold the key to closing the great rift, and healing the damage done to reality. Though they come off as evil, life terminating robots, could they really be good guys? Yes. Lets have this happen, lets have them ally with Guilliman and the Imperials to fight Chaos. They’ve done it before vs the Nids, so its not impossible. Lets see the Necrons, really adjust to the Galaxy and become defenders of order – cold robotic order.
An Imperial Civil War
Guilliman (or the Eldar) effectively staged and coup and took over the Imperium. Though this led to major shake ups within the government, there was surprisingly little resistance. You would honestly think that there would be more people openly angry that a guy thought dead for 10,000 years had just come back and taken over. There are in fact some hints that people are not as OK with this as they seem. Plenty of important people don’t 100% like Cawl or the Primaris marines for instance. Moreover if any of the other Primarchs came back, you’d better bet they wouldn’t be too happy with Guilliman. They were after all pretty upset the last time he tried something like this. All of this means we’ve got some fertile ground for an Imperial civil war. Maybe the Primarches will fight over who should run things. Maybe the High Lords/some of the important chapters will fight Guilliman. Maybe people within the Mechanicus will oppose Cawl. There are endless opportunities here. It doesn’t even have to be an open Civil War, just a bunch of hints about a shadow war (not on Armageddon this time) would be cool.
What fluff developments would you like to see this year? Let us know, down in the comments!
