40K Deep Thought: Xenos Need to be Unified
With Chaos Knights just arrived, the Xenos races need a way to keep up with the Joneses (Imperium, and Chaos).
Chaos Knights is here, and the Meta will be changed. We’re already talked about how 2019 is clearly the year of Chaos and we will be seeing who wins the battle of the Imperial vs Chaos soup lists foe the next year.
But that leaves a whole lot of armies and players feeling like they are just spectators in the game.
Don’t Pity the Aeldari
First up, don’t feel bad for the Aeldari. They have:
- Craftworld Eldar
- Drukhari
- Harlequins
Between those three books, they have been hit with the nerf bat multiple times and keep on coming back strong. You just can’t keep some totally busted combos down… Heck GW may even drop in an Exodite codex one of these days. The Aeldari have a small list of codexes, but they punch above their weight.
The Nids are Munching
Next, we move onto the faction that USED to be all by themselves – Tyranids. The last couple of years have been very good for them allies-wise and they now have access in various ways to:
- Tyranids
- Genestealer Cults
- Astra Militarum
It’s an extremely divergent play-style based on which way you take the allies combo these guys, and they need some power overhauls – mainly on the Tyranid side of things. Things could be better for the Great Devourer, but at least they now have a family to share the allies combos and tabletop with. They also get to eat them after the battle.
The Loners
Now we hit the real issue. These guys:
- T’au Empire
- Orks
- Necrons
The last loners of the galaxy. Maybe GW is purposely leaving them all by themselves to give players who HATE allies a place to feel at home. Maybe, but I doubt it. In an unforgiving galaxy, everyone needs friends, and these races aren’t exactly kicking butt at the top tables in the game. What we need is a way – any way to unify these guys into … something – anything!
Some ideas off the top of my head:
- A Dogs of War Mercenaries book to give new units to all three.
- A narrative campaign to unify them into a Confederation of some type.
Possible narratives could be either a classic Alliance of Necessity, as the three races realize they are screwed in an ever more dangerous galaxy. Alternatively, you could see one of these races subduing and subjugating the others forming a de facto empire with vassal states. I can see either the T’au or Necrons attempting this. The Orks would be coming along with the winners just to enjoy the guaranteed good fights – because there is no subjugating the greenskins.
It’s Been Done Before
I’d like to introduce all you grimdark players to this thing called …Age of Sigmar. When GW launched it, they had to figure out how to consolidate all the old Warhammer Fantasy factions into 4 Grand Alliances. The path they chose led to some very uncomfortable “allies”. Hey Dark Elves and Dwarves – you’re now bros! Shoehorning some “classic enemies” of the 40K universe into distrustful allies would be child’s play.
About that Other Pathway…
Finally, you need a solid fluff background to pull off big changes. Everybody take a look at that map. We’re all familiar with the Nachmund Gauntlet where Vigilus lies over on the Galactic Northwest. But note there is ANOTHER passage over on the Easter Fringe near the Ymga Monolith. Do you know what else is right over there? Tons of Necrons, T’au and Orks. What better reason to spark a bitter contest or alliance in a xenos infested part of the universe than the ultimate prize – the only passage through the Great Rift on that side of the galaxy.
I’m not saying any particular solution is the correct one. What I’m saying is that multiple editions past the addition of allies into the game – GW needs to “Age of Sigmarize” the factions and make the loners be able to fight on an equal footing with everyone else. It’s right for the meta, it’s right for the game, and coming up with a compelling reason is child’s play for the Design Team.
~ Do you think the game should continue to have “loner” factions with no allies?
