UK Games Day 2013 : Pt II Forge World Seminar

Lagging even further behind the rest of my fellow Bloggers reporting the Games Day news, the Forge World seminar has been pretty comprehensively covered; but I hate not completing a mission and lets face it posts have been a rare thing on the 'Edge this year. So for what it's worth here is what I scribbled down during the very entertaining briefing by Tony Cottrell & Alan Bligh, along with some more pictures from the Battle of Phall diorama (The taking of the Contrador), oh and some miniature provisionally called Primarch Number 5, wonder who that could be?

40k News:

Imperial Armour Vol II 'Warmachines of the Adeptus Astartes' will contain all the vehicle updates for 6th and include 'newer releases' such as the Spartan and Sicaran.

The Sicaran Tank does exist in 40k verse, but in very limited quantities and is considered a Chapter Relic.

The book will also have a section covering in lots of detail backgrounds of various historical Space Marine Battles entitled 'Selected Glories'.

It's slated 'if they get it back from the printers in time' for a pre Christmas release and should be current for at least a month before the ever prolific Forge World brings something else out.

Horus Heresy:

New models:  (WIP)
The Legion Basilisk (Although the Marine crew look like they're having tea at the back, no cups and saucers will be provided in the kit)

A MkIIB Land Raider Achilles

Legion Kharybdis Assault/Boarding Claw (can be posed landed or in flight).

Mechanicum Thralls ( these should be compatible with GW Guard Plastics although they will come as a complete package, they will be split at the waist ).

Mechanicum Myrmidons Heavy units for the Mechanicum (Bigger than Terminators)

The 5th Primarch (as above), picture only flashed up for a matter of seconds, still very much a WIP but quite obviously Horus. Scheduled for next year.

(Pre Order)
Space Marine Fire Raptor variant of the Storm Eagle, the Cupola's will have several weapon mount options including auto cannons and heavy bolters, with the option of modelling the armoured casing closed or open exposing the Marine Gunner (who's probably grinning inside his helmet and shouting 'Get Some!' 'Get Some!'.)

(1 Month Release Window)

The Sicaran Venator

(2 Month Release Window)

Lorgar

(3 month Release Window)

Iron Hands Medusan Immortals (Breaching Squad)

Death Guard Grave Warden Terminators

Night Lords Night Raptors (Assault marines)

Books:

Horus Heresy Book 3 'Extermination'

Will conclude the trilogy covering the Isstvan Campaign, featuring the Battles for Isstvan 5 , Phall and the First Battle of Paramar.

Legion Forces covered will be The Raven Guard, Iron Warriors, Alpha Legion and Imperial Fists.

Rules for the Primarchs Corax, Perturabo, Dorn and Alpharius/Omegon. Also some special characters and formations such as Sigismund and The Iron Circle (although Pertarabo doesn't technically form this until after Phall).

Also included, the Titan Legions Gryphonicus (War Griffons) and (Fureans) Tiger Eyes.

Slated for release around Easter, they want to try and get production up to two books a year but that is more an aspiration than a solid deadline.

(The next trillogy)

Book 4 (1) 'Inferno'

The Battle of Prospero, Legion Forces covered will be Space Wolves and Thousand Sons (obviously); also included Custodes and Sisters of Silence.

Aspiration to release for Christmas 2014

Book 4 (2) ?

The Battles of Signus and Saron? (Not sure if I got the right spelling for this, can't find any background at present). Legion Forces Blood Angels and Dark Angels; also included Daemons and Dark Mechanicus.

Book 5 (3) ?

The Battle of Calth, Legion Forces Ultramarines and Word Bearers; also included The Imperial Army.

Some Q&A from the floor   (or Tony Cottrell's on the board / not on the board game show)

These are not direct quotes, I couldn't scribble that fast, just a general idea of what was asked and answered.

Will FW be doing anything for Dark Eldar? 

Aspiration to do a Dark Eldar book in the future (not on the board at present).

Will you be building a Warlord Titan?

Warlord Titan WILL be built.

Speaking to the exceptionally talented and all round nice guy Will Hayes in the main hall, he suggested he would like to do it, stating he has learnt a lot from designing the War Hound and then the Reaver,constantly refining and making the builds less complicated (reducing the number of individual parts) for the modeller, whilst retaining the detail and pose options.

We then got sidetracked with a very interesting discussion about Carcharodons (his own army), fluff in general and the art of subtlety when writing backgrounds to armies; which would merit a post all of it's own.

When will you be releasing a a miniature for Corax? 

Corax is about 12 months out and will have his winged flight pack.

Will the rule system remain current throughout the Heresy series or will the books need updating as with the current Imperial Armour publications following 6th Ed? 

Heresy is a long long way off completion, Calth is probably only 20% of the way into the conflict. They joked that there were probably 30 books in the series. So rules may evolve but they probably won't be going back to re-write them.

Will there be two miniatures for Alpharius and Omegon?

Alan quipped that they would just look like any other Marine and Tony had a marketing brainwave, they'll just make two tactical marines and charge us £50 for them.

Any plans for more Xenos races? Squats for example.

Squats are NOT on the board (except when Tony is on holiday then someone sneaks them on) they'll never get made unless of course Tony dies whilst away and nobody notices that they shouldn't be on there, then they will. (So Squat fans take out your contracts for a holiday hit now).

As always a big thank you to all the Forge World team for sharing their knowledge and abundant enthusiasm.