The third chapter of 10th Edition 40k’s ‘End of Edition’ campaign is finally underway, and although I may be biased, it seems to be the most exciting thus far. We have the introduction of two massive new kits, support for armies that feel necessary given their age in the game, and new rules for Apocalypse, all in this three-book set. While we’ve only heard a little bit about the contents within, I want to make some bold predictions, based on the previous two chapters (being 500 Worlds & Maelstrom, respectively). I have a pretty good track record when it comes to making educated guesses, and seeing the patterns in this release wave might color this article in a brand-new light once we see things finally unfold. That means I’m covering detachments & datasheets as a fun way to indulge all of our imaginations, prior to this set going up for preorder sometime in March. Strap in, because this book’s going to have crab-on-crab violence the likes we’ve never seen before. That makes more sense in context, I assure you.
First and foremost, let’s lay the groundwork: Reign of Iron is bringing 6 new kits, and a minimum of 11 new datasheets, being Thulia Ghuld & Kravek Morne as Epic Heroes, Hastarii Exterminators/Fusileers, Mutilators, the Knight Destrier, and Defiler (Usable, in theory, by Chaos Space Marines and the four God-specific Legions). There’s a few unknown elements—will the Destrier be usable by Chaos Knights (gut says no, given the reveal article), and similarly, will Mutilators escape the bonds of just being in CSM (again, probably not).
What each of these units actually adds to their respective armies varies in terms of utility; Mutilators as the melee version of Obliterators are likely doomed to be a Deep Strike charge unit that needs to roll a 9”+ to have an impact, but in detachments that make those rolls easier they could have a home. They’re likely a bit faster and smaller than actual Obliterators, as that unit was sized down to 2 in their plastic refresh, so I’m expecting something like 3 models at 2+/5++, T6/4W. One step down from Obliterators in every way, but with the same flexible melee power they had back in the resin days. After all, their capability of mutating any melee weapon via their fleshmetal is the selling point!
Via Games Workshop
Then there’s Kravek Morne himself, the new Iron Warriors character who’s either set to lead a unit of Obliterators/Mutilators, or stand by his brethren and receive Lone Operative. If I had to hazard a guess, he’ll be returning 1 model or d3 wounds to a relevant fleshmetal unit or Vehicle, and giving it some kind of buff. A named Warpsmith should expect about as much. In terms of the final Chaos unit at play here, the Defiler is in my estimation due to receive a redux complete enough to match its model’s glow-up. Moreover, this may be the opportunity they use to finally sunset the Soul Grinder, although it’s hard to say whether the new Defiler is truly Titanic. I mean that literally—while it’s certainly big, it doesn’t exactly size up to other existing Titanic units like the Lord of Skulls, or a Knight chassis. I fully expect it to be Chaos Space Marines’ spiritual Onager Dunecrawler: A massive, hard to maneuver pie plate with an incredibly customizable model, that takes a pretty perfect meta to see play. On the majority of maps, moving a model like this is going to be rough, especially if it lacks a full traversal rule or Stratagem to get over ruins. Still, it’s hard to deny that it’ll be absolutely sick to see one (or more) of these on the table in front of you.
Via Minicompare
Speaking of spiritual Onager Dunecrawlers, Admech’s receiving 2 new kits, and 3 new units, between Thulia Ghuld and a dual-version of Hastarii. Hastarii seem an obvious shoo-in for T4 Skitarii on 32mm bases with some better, heavier guns, but to me the real question is whether they’ll be takeable in 10s. You’re forced to dedicate the squad Alpha to not having the fun gun, so taking a double-size squad effectively buys a free Neutron Fusil/Eradication Caster. The close-ranged version, the Exterminators with Casters, will certainly have both a dissipated & focused firing mode (as we see with other Eradication weapons), and for a special rule I’d love to see some kind of ‘splash damage’, where the target spread some extra mortals to nearby allies. The Fusileers seem a far easier callout: They’ll have single-shot, anti-vehicle guns with some kind of debuff on hit. Whether that’s the -1BS/WS we see on the Dominus’ Dataspike, or similar, their reveal article sure does make it sound like these models have the old-school version of Haywire. That’s a rule we’ve not seen in a while, and it’d be a joy to have it back. As for Thulia herself, it seems she’ll have Lone Op within 3”, same as Cawl, with a shootier profile and -1AP in melee, and an aura that provides extra Strength, or perhaps Sustained Hits, within ~6”.
Via Warhammer Community
As for the Knight Destrier, what can I say: It’s a mid-class melee Knight, unlikely to receive Titanic/Towering, that seems to have some kind of once-per-game movement buff. I can already foresee these getting turn 1 charges into opponents with substandard screens, and I genuinely hope it’s ‘just okay’, for the sake of game balance. There’s never been a fun Knight meta, I can say that as a tournament grinder. Still, the Destrier seems to be merely the first of an entire new class of Knight, the Bellatus, meaning it’s likely we see other versions as datasheets or upgrade sprues in the future; it’s almost always easier to balance Knights as single-loadout sheets, and split their names and rules across available weaponry.
What all this leads to is one juicy sentence at the end of Reign of Iron’s reveal: New Detachments for CSM, Admech, Knights, Chaos Knights, and…Space Marines? Genuinely shocking, to think they couldn’t go a release without some kind of attention.
Via Warhammer Community
Per the previous End of Edition books, there’s likely 6 detachments total, and this is the aspect I’m surest about: One for Vashtorr-centric CSM, as an update to Soulforged Warpack, a fleshmetal-themed Iron Warriors detachment (an update to Fellhammer Siege-Host), made to best use Kravek Morne and the new Mutilators, and a ranged-centric Admech detachment, based on Thulia, the Hastarii, and Onager Dunecrawlers. As for the other three, we know Freeblades are returning, which is likely an update to Questor Forgepact with Admech soup intended, Chaos Knights might receive a less-chaosy Renegade detachment ala Huron, and Space Marines will, uh…See, the thing is, Space Marines at this point have more detachments than some factions have units, and while I get they’re popular, the amount of new ground to tread is wearing quite thin. Maybe it’s a way to better ally in Knights, as seems the theme of this book? After all, some Knight Houses like Vornherr were sworn to specific Legions during the Horus Heresy. There’s also a world where the Chaos Knights detachment adds in Warpsmiths and Morne, as infernal mechanics, but part of me wonders if that’s already explored with the Iconoclast Fiefdom. While the previous book had ‘wild card’ detachments for two factions not supported, being Orks’ Freebooterz & Votanns’ Mercenaries, I don’t know how much design space is left for either Marines or Chaos Knights. I may be biased in saying so, but one of the Admech detachments being Knight Soup doesn’t exactly bode well, either.
Via Warhammer Community
That being said, no matter how much support any given army receives in this book, I’m more excited for the models than I’ve been in a while. As someone with over 4,000pts of Admech, and a burgeoning World Eaters force, I basically get to double dip in terms of this release. A new Defiler is exactly what the Blood Cult ordered, I say, and getting a fantastic hammer in Thulia Ghuld for Cult Mechanicus is plenty exciting! I feel as though all of the units, save the Mutilators, do genuinely fill holes in the existing forces at play in Reign of Iron, no matter my feelings on Knights. Admech’s second named character? A massive win! An update to the ‘ugliest kit in 40k’, as voted by thousands? Utterly beautiful.
What do you predict for the datasheets & detachments of Reign of Iron, now that we know its name? Do you think it will launch with army boxes, or individual kits? What do you want to see next, in this End of Edition campaign series? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
