Yes, we know. There has been a glut of new and exciting information about a certain new edition for a certain grimdark sci-fi wargame. But if there's one person who can knock a Space Marine off his pedestal, it's Adam, Prince of Eternia - otherwise known as He-Man. Not content with bringing us a Scooby Doo boardgame, CMON have now announced that the Masters of the Universe Board Game will be launching on kickstarter in 2021. Thundercats Ho! (Oh no wait, that's the wrong cartoon... but seriously, who doesn't want to see He-Man and Skeletor finally settle their feud on the table?). Doubtless we'll be seeing renders of the models soon!
We've got some KeyForge news, too! Fantasy Flight Games have announced that House Sanctum is returning to the Crucible armed with a range of tools to help defeat the new Mutant threat. Typically a robust and well-armoured House, Sanctum will have a wealth of options when it comes to mixing it up in the new era of KeyForge.
You'll still be able to capture and protect aember, stealing it from under your opponent's nose through sheer audacity and strength. Artefacts like Orb of Wonder will allow you to hunt through your deck for a specific card, ensuring that you can deal with each threat as it presents itself. So, if you find mutations icky and monstrous, House Sanctum is the place for you!
FFG have also announced solo rules for X-Wing 2.0! Currently at the beta stage, players are being invited to access the rules and provide feedback to the design team. This looks like a fun new way to play the game, with players squaring off against waves of AI-controlled foes, and it's going to be fascinating to see what sort of experience it provides. It's certainly going to be fun to team up with a friend or two and play as a squadron tackling the Empire, so what are you waiting for? Crank up Danger Zone and get flying!
Don't get your head out of the clouds just yet, because a new starter set for Aeronautica Imperialis is on the way! In Skies of Fire, the Astra Militarum will be chasing the T'au through the air, exchanging gunfire and missiles as the assets below cower in fear! As with the original set, the models are just superb and even the most ardent tread-head will be tempted to swap tank for bomber after just a cursory glance. Just look at those Valkyries and Tiger Sharks!
Meanwhile, on the ground, peace is finally being restored to the Warhammer 40,000 universe and a new age of prosperity and cooperation has begun. Just kidding, the exact opposite of that is happening! With the new edition taking shape, everyone is getting a buff to ensure that each army is ready to dish out cataclysmic levels of pain.
First up, Daemons have received some tasty new strategems and rules. Khorne gets access to the Slaughterborne trait, adding extra attacks and increased strength in melee, and the Blood Drinker Talisman allows the wielder to regain lost wounds as it chews through the enemy lines.
Slaanesh units can use Fear Seeker to chase broken foes, regaining wounds for each enemy that flees the field. Fiends can also sing the Song of Discordant Despair to reduce the leadership of nearby enemies, allowing them to literally feed on the terror they evoke.
Nurgle now has ways to ensure that spells cannot be nullified, with the Tome of a Thousand Poxes, and Exalted Great Unclean Ones can literally roll over their opponents with Avalanche of Rotten Flesh. There are also sickeningly delightful new rules that allow plaguebearer cavalry to explode in a shower of rotten guts when they die, inflicting mortal wounds on nearby enemies.
If you like to feel your hair ruffled by the wind of change, then don't fear, for Tzeentch has not been forgotten. In a manner fitting for this trickster God, Chaos Daemons aligned to Tzeentch can nullify auras projected by enemy characters, remove psychic powers from the opponent's hand, and inflict mortal wounds with their Flamers. These new powers are really characterful and help make each God's forces even more distinct. It won't hurt that they make these armies a little more viable and terrifying, too.
Prefer your giant warriors to be made of metal instead of sorcery-infused flesh? Well, Chaos Knights got some awesome buffs too. Add extra wounds to House Herpetrax knights, fight first with House Lucaris and unleash the Fury of Surtr's Wake with House Khymere as you unload pent-up heat on nearby enemy units. The new Psychic Awakening book, Engine War, includes rules for creating your own Houses, enabling you to pick on vehicles more effectively or inflict more damage with overwatch.
Do you prefer playing as the nobles rather than the fallen scions of corrupted houses? Well, Imperial Knights got some new gear. Armiger Helverins can fire at maximum capacity with the new stratagem Thin Their Ranks, helping Knight players deal with a more numerous opposition. Belligerent Machine Spirit let Knight Wardens wipe out mobs at point blank range with their Avenger gatling cannons. Also, pledging allegiance to either the Emperor or the Machine Spirit provides boons that allow Knights to regain lost wounds per turn, or heroically intervene at a greater distance. Knight players are sure to find lots to cheer about here!
Finally this week, if you like creepy Martian cyborgs who worship machines, then you've been blessed by the gods! The new Engine War book will include a range of new rules and abilities to help you dominate the table.
With rules to create your own Forge World, you can reduce the strength of enemy long-range weapons, weaken opposing melee attacks, or use Canticles such as Panegyric Procession to remove the penalty for moving and firing heavy weapons, as well as boost their strength stat! New Warlord Traits offer a wealth of new aura abilities too, so you can increase the number of hits your units score when shooting, reroll charges and speed up your advance.
So if you thought things were slowing down in preparation for Ninth Edition, think again. With all these new rules and abilities, the battlefields of this new edition are going to be truly dangerous places to be! So will you be bolstering your ranks with new models in readiness for the coming storm, or will you be too busy seeking out House Sanctum cards or chasing down Empire ships with your Rebel mates? Let us know below!