Age of Sigmar: Shadow Aelf Vanguard
The Khainite Shadowstalkers are heading to Warcry first. Here’s hoping they are a sign of things to come.
The Games Workshop Preview over the weekend had some really great reveals. The Khainite Shadowstalkers were one of them and it got me excited to see what else GW has in store for the range.
On the surface viewing of this preview we see the three models that GW has teased us with:
During the preview they mentioned the repeater crossbows, the shadow cloak and of course the similiarities to the Mistweaver from Warhammer Quest:
These guys scream of Dark Elf Assassins from Warhammer Fantasy:
Sure – these are from Blood Bowl. But they are still Dark Elf Assassins…
These new aelves are very Cloak and Dagger and that was a huge part of the appeal and tactics of the Dark Elves from Warhammer Fantasy. You never knew where that Assassin was going to pop-up and start slaying your forces when the battlelines hit.
But there was one more model, or should we say type of model, that was teased by this video:
Witch Aelves. This one was pretty hard to miss as it’s an iconic silhouette.
But Witch Aelves are already an entire army – The Daughters of Khaine. So what gives? Well, I think it’s pretty obvious based on the names…
Daughters of Khaine. Khainite Shadowstakers. We’re very clearly getting either a combined army or at the minimum an allied forces. It’s kind of a smart move on GW’s part, too. Witch Aelves can be used to fill out some gaps in the Shadow Aelves while they ramp-up that range. Assassins and Witches are right up there with Repeater Crossbows and Executioners in my mind when it comes to the old Dark Elf range. They go together like peanut butter and jelly!
Clearly, we’re seeing the Vanguard of the Aelves from the Realm of Shadow. We’ve gotten hints and teases about them before and now we’re finally getting some movement for them on the model front. I’ll be very curious where GW takes this one next as the hope is that they will take this trio of models and create a range around similar themes. Add a splash of Witch Aelves in the mix and we’re good to go!
Maybe toss in some Executioners, too?
One concern I do have about these models and the addition of the Witch Aelves it that we could get a whole Ironjaws/Bonecrusher thing where they end up getting rolled into one new book – Orruk Warclans. I think that would be a mistake as the Daughters of Khaine are already a pretty well established faction. And the Daughters of Khaine seem pretty set in their ways with Morathi at the helm – at least in the lore. But hey, that could all change soon enough…
I have a feeling that it’s not going to be a cheap relocation fee…
Who’s excited for the Khainite Shadowstalkers and more from the Shadow Aelves?!
