40K: Its Time For A New 40K Race
When was the last time 40K had some new blood injected into it’s universe? I think it’s about time we get a new player in the Grim Dark.
Looking at 40k, it’s might be surprising to say, but it’s been a LONG time since we got a new race. “But wait, we just got XXX Army!?” Yes – but that’s not a new race. Let me explain.
40K New Races In The Grim Dark
Let’s take a look at the recent 40k releases that folks would call new armies:
Custodes
They just came out and are certainly a new army. But are they? They basically come from the Horus Heresy Line and the models came out at the tail end of 7th. They have been in the lore since the begining, too. We just haven’t had models for them until the last couple years.
Imperial Knights
The Imperial Knights are kind of new, right? Well yes…they were game changers, and are a newer army – but really it’s just the one kit with lots of options. Sure, they have the upcoming Armiger, but that brings them up to a whopping 2 kits. And that kit is very similar, just smaller than the Knight Kit. Plus Knights have been around since Epic – so they are hardly a new race.
Death Guard / Thousand Sons
New models, new army for sure – but new race? Chaos Marines in all flavors have been around since the Heresy. The closest thing that’s a new “race” would maybe be Tzaangors – but those are also based in old Rogue Trader/Warhammer lore (they are just Tzeentch Beastmen). So those aren’t even new to the lore.
Adeptus Mechanicus
Again – while I love the model range, the Ad Mech certainly fit into the “New Army, Not New Race” category. The Ad Mech has been hinted at and written about since the beginning, too. While they are certainly making more of an impact on the lore now more than ever, they still don’t count as a new race in my book.
Genestealer Cult
The Genestealer Cult is not a new race. They aren’t even a new army. They got their start back in the Rogue Trader era. They pre-date the Tyranids! They got a much needed update and new model-line for sure, but that does not constitute a new race.
In fact, Harlequins, Deathwatch and even the Necrons aren’t new. It might be hard to believe, but it’s true. The last “new” race we got was…
The T’au
That’s right – these young upstarts were the newest race in the Galaxy. The First “Tau” codex came out 17 years ago. That’s how long it’s been since 40k got a new race.
New Races Are A Thing GW Does
When I’m talking about a new race – I’m talking about a completely new concept for a race. Something that hasn’t been explored in the lore/artwork before. It’s not unprecidented by GW to do it either. For proof, we just have to turn to Age of Sigmar.
Stormcast Eternals
As much as folks make the Stormcast/Space Marines comparison, they are a completely new race. In both model line and lore, the Stormcasts started from scratch and were a new race added to the “new” Warhammer: Age of Sigmar.
Kharadron Overlords
The Kharadron Overlords might be re-imagined steampunk Dwarves, but they are so vastly different from their long-dead kin, it’s fair to call them a new race. They got an entire model line and lore to match – they fit the “New race” checklist to me!
Idoneth Deepkin
We don’t know what the heck is happening with these newcomers. But the “Fishman” model was from 30 years ago and that was one model. And while GW has teased fish people in the past (and even had rules for them in the Warhammer Fantasy 1st) they never got a real treatment. Now they are coming from the deep!
If you’re keeping score at home that’s 3-1, in favor of new races of Age of Sigmar vs 40k. I think it’s time for a new race to emerge from the shadows in 40k!
So what do you think? Is it time for 40k to get a brand new Race? Or are you content with just getting new models/armies based on old lore? Let us know in the comments below!
