New Heresy rumors

Full write up by pendraigg

Crusade Imperialis Red Book
This will contain all the army lists from Solar Auxilia, Militia and Warp Cults as well as Knight Households. Simply put - everything that does not already have a Red Book available. No planned changes, may have a few rules tweaks but probably not any points value changes. The new Knight chassis' like the Warden will be included as well as the up-to-date wargear like the Gatling cannon.

Legion Crusade Red Book
This is going to be a straight re-print with the latest units like the Leviathan, Xiphon, Damocles Command Rhino etc added. No points values changes as FW are happy with the points values but some units may have added rules or abilities to reflect their higher points cost.

Istvaan Campaign Red Book
This book will see the biggest changes. Several Legion-elite units are having rules tweaks but not points value changes, as they are under-performing compared to newer units. Units like Phoenix Guard and Justearin are top of the list for changes. The original four Legions from Betrayal are also having some of their Legiones Astartes rules tweaked but not massively changed. Emperors Children for example are going to have more advantages if they charge in assault whilst Sons of Horus are having Merciless Fighters changed. The SoH rule has gone through a lot of changes of which one possible change could be bonuses with certain weapons like pistols and other weapons not mentioned, at short range. I didn't get details for other changes.

Book 6
No collectors edition coming. Contains lots of Rites of War of which loads in other threads has been written. One detail on the White Scars RoW is that it will focus on bikes and other quick units. The other WS RoW is shared with the Shattered Legions and represents some of the tactics of the WS legionaries thrown out by Jaghatai for supporting Horus - these tactics are then picked up by "dodgy" Shattered Legion forces.

Specialist Games
Forge World is effectively being divided into three parts all overseen by Tony Cottarel in an Emperor Palpatine-esq way (in my mind at least). One section is led by Alan Bligh and will continue producing all the normal 40k, 30k and Age of Sigmar that we are used to. Second section is led by Andy Hoare and is focusing on the traditional specialist games that we would recognise from the past like Necromunda, Blood Bowl etc. The final section is going to focus on Lord of the Rings. Each section includes the manager and three developers.

In terms of models, there will be a core focus in plastic in the starting box sets that will be designed by the SG department and then manufactured by the main Studio. Blood Bowl is currently in development but mentions were made about Adeptus Titanicus coming back to its roots of a Titan vs Titan game set in the heresy and additional Necormunda gangs made in resin. All of this is still in very early days of development and chat. The new department opens officially on the 18th January.

One final point is that the main GW Studio is not going to develop the Horus Heresy / Age of Darkness as that it staying within FW. This may include further plastics however as FW may be branching into plastic manufacture in the future as mentioned with the traditional specialist games above.

Imperial Armour 16
This is Red Scorpions with Ad. Mech allies fighting Tau on an abandoned Forge World. The Red Scorpions will have lots of Legion equipment like Leviathans and Kharbydis Assault Claws with 40k rules while the Ad. Mech will have a lot of the 30k vehicles ported to 40k without Volkite or Battle-Automata. Mention was made of possible resin Skitarii upgrades.

New models
Corax looks much better painted and close up than he does in the pictures as do the new Raven Guard assault troops. The Ordinatus has been modelled with a volcano cannon and to my mind, looks better for it. The Warlord is getting new weapons - a plasma weapon and a siege claw with an inbuilt Vulcan Mega-bolter in the same way as the Contemptor CC weapons. Head hunters appear to be upgrades as opposed to new kit but it does confirm they only have combi-bolters. The Thousand Sons upgrades look great painted and the metallic FW scheme looks awesome "in the flesh". Can't wait to see this scheme on vehicles.

Book 7
This is confirmed for later publication this year. It has been confirmed as Prospero so get your flea powder ready for the all the VIth Legion froth that is going to emerge. Personally, I want to see Sisters of Silence and Custodes models.

Horus Heresy Masterclass Book
I almost feel dirty looking at this book as it is basically pornography for gamers. Does not contain full legion painting guides as we once thought but it does have the details for several key units and for Imperial Fist players, a good guide for painting yellow. It also contains guides for the two big terrain builds on the display boards like Calth and that looks helpful. Haven't had a proper look through it yet, but I'll squeeze a good look in later.