40K Deep Thought: Chaos Is Being Set Up for the Future
I have a funny feeling you can see the future of Chaos in the grimdark – by carefully studying the Imperium.
We all love a good villain, and let’s be frank – the REAL villains of 40K are THE FASCIST TOTALITARIAN IMPERIUM… ahem, I mean CHAOS! Yup, it’s CHAOS, now stop staring at me Inquisitor…
We are almost done with the previous 7th Edition codexes for 8th Edition and the obvious candidates for the future are already being discussed. But I think you can see a long-term plan at work in the current layout of the Imperial codexes. You know how GW loves a good loooooong term plan. Just as the Dark Eldar are a twisted counterpart to the Craftworld Eldar, the fluff AND the existing model range strongly supports a future dark reflection of the Imperium – that swears fealty to the Ruinous Powers.
Take a look at this:
Logic suggests, we overthrow the Imperium
A Mirror Darkly…
What I want you to look at is the current codexes and model ranges out for the Imperium and just how easy it would be for GW to expand Chaos over the next couple of years. Let’s start off with the mighty Astartes.
- Codex Space Marines
- Codex Space Wolves
- Codex Dark Angels
- Codex Blood Angels
I’m not even mentioning Grey Knights and Deathwatch but you get the point. The game needs another loyal marine codex like a fish needs a bicycle. But on the naughty side of the aisle we have:
- Codex Chaos Space Marines
- Codex Death Guard
- Codex Thousand Sons
Can we please get better minis?
All we need is Codex Emperor’s Children and Codex World Eaters, full of god specific units, vehicles and the Odd Couple of 40K: Angron & Fulgrim (sitcom coming Fall 2020).
Next we hit two of the game’s relatively recent codexes:
- Codex Adeptus Mechanicus
- Codex Imperial Knights
These are both super easy and would be insanely popular. Be honest; who wouldn’t sign up for either or these:
- Codex Dark Mechanicus
This codex would be a reflection of the Ad-mech book, gathering all the Daemon Engine models and adding some new ones, along with some creepy chaos-Skitarii equivalents – all marching to way under the dread banners of the Dark Magos’ SIGN ME UP FOR THAT! Stick some named Dark Magos (like Evil-Cawl) in there and grind the Imperium to dust under your daemon-bound treads!
- Codex Renegade Knights
Holy canolli, this one is even easier – ONE Chaos Knight Upgrade Sprue. Make it a good one with new shoulder pads, faceplates, and a new chaos weapon or two. Just make this a mirror of the brand new book with sub-factions to famed fallen Knight houses and some bound to each of the chaos powers. Again – an easy production task for GW with a big payoff. The lack of any renegade rules in Codex Imperial Knights points me in this books direction.
The nice thing is that a lot of existing GW minis could be used to pad out these books and there are enough of them to keep GW busy for years to come. I love my xenos, but at the end of the day to me – the beating heart of 40K is the estranged family hatred of the Imperium vs Chaos. I’d love to see GW give them (and us the players) lots of love in the months and years to come.
~Which of these would you buy, and which ones should GW do first?
