40K: Phil Kelly Talks The Lore of Tooth & Claw
What the heck are Space Wolves doing fighting the Genestealer Cult? Didn’t the Adeptus Mechanicus JUST get into with them in the Kill Team box? For those answers and more Games Workshop has unleashed Phil Kelly to talk about Tooth and Claw!
Our excitement in seeing the Space Wolves and the Genestealer Cult is growing as we get more information about the boxed set. At the same time, we were wondering how the Space Wolves ended up fighting the Genestealer Cult. Turns out that Games Workshop does have a plan and a good thematic reason for this particular showdown – and they sent Phil Kelly in to do the explaining:
One big reveal in the video was the reason the Genestealer Cults launched their uprising in the first place – an Ork invasion caused the Genestealer Cults to pre-maturely launch their revolt. Oops. This of course get noticed by the higher-ups and it triggers the arrival of the Space Wolves. But hey – it sets up the next string of Codex releases pretty conveniently don’t you think?!
The Warhammer Community team also goes into more detail on why the planet Vigilus is such a big deal. Thanks to the Cicatrix Maledictum (aka Great Rift) the only stable route through is the Nachmund Gauntlet. Vigilus is located on the far side of this “safe” zone and that’s why it’s so important.
The planet is well defended. Most of the inhabitants of the planet live in massive “continent-sized hive sprawls” that are protected by “Bastion-class force fields.” This was apparently very effective because the Ork Waagh! that attacked the planet could not overcome the force fields. Interestingly enough, they didn’t leave the planet. Instead the Orks decided to have a little fun:
“…the greenskins were unable to assail the hive sprawls beyond, so took to seeking entertainment elsewhere by engaging in violent races across the sweeping open plains that separate the vast hive sprawls.”
Uh…what?! Is this a hint at a Gorkamorka revival?
One can hope…
But this is the Grimdark and nothing stays safe forever. Thanks to the Great Rift, the Force Fields that once protected the hive sprawls started to experience “glitches.” Those problems eventually caused the shields to drop and the Orks were able to flood in. I guess we’ll have to wait on that Gorkamorka revival after-all.
Anyway, as mentioned above that’s the trigger for the Genestealer Cult to launch their surprise attack. That added pressure on the planetary defenders forces them to put out a distress call which is answered by Primaris Battle Leader Haldor Icepelt of the Space Wolves. The Space Wolves break-through the Orky flotilla orbiting the planet and arrive to save the day…or so they hope.
Tooth and Claw appears to focus mainly on the Genestealer Cult and the Space Wolves… for now. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Orks managed to muscle their way into this conflict however. The Space Wolves are attacking the Cult in their subterranean labyrinth while the planetary forces are dealing with the orks on the surface. It’s only a matter of time before one of those battles spills over on to the other.
Vigilus: A Nexus for the power of plot!
