This year has been amazing, filled to the brim with releases from Games Workshop. Out of all of them, none has held more promise then the galactic, story line shattering campaign as Psychic Awakening has.
For those unfamiliar with the Psychic Awakening, this event has been increasing in tempo and unveiling more information for the future of the Warhammer 40,000 universe and game since October 2019.
Each month has been full of leaked information, short story tie-ins and of course individual Psychic Awakening books containing story development, new missions, new and old art; and most importantly new rules to elevate armies to a new standard of play, bring them partially inline with the new powerful format that the Space Marine Codex and supplements of 2019. Each book will contain new rules for at least (2) of the (24) factions. Additionally, each release has seen between (1) and (4) new models.
This new 'premium early access' comes at a steep cost of $40.00 however. Games Workshop really needs to invest in a subscription service for this type of content or their codices, but that's a story for another day.
Psychic Awakening in 2020 will begin with Ritual of the Damned, followed by The Greater Good and ending with Saga of the Beast in March. Further books have yet to be revealed.
Psychic Awakening 4: Ritual of the Damned will feature Dark Angels, Grey Knights and the Thousand Sons. We are predicting that the new model(s) will be Dark Angels. Our reasoning? Well, Grey Knights received a brand new character model at the end of 7th edition (Grand Master Voldus) and Thousand Sons have received a new Ahriman, Magnus the Red, Sorcerers, Rubric Marine and Scarab Cult Terminators. They have no models in immediate need of a new kit.
Dark Angels, however, are in need of a new kit (no the Lieutenant does not count) for any of their numerous characters such as Azrael, Asmodai, Ezekiel, Sammiel and Belial. We do not think it will be any of these characters though. It seems more likely that Company Master Lazarous (that name though) who replaced Company Master Balthazar (Dark Vengeance 6th edition) and crossed the rubicon to become the first Company Master that was a Primaris Space Marine. September 2019 helps cement him as the logical choice for January 2020's model release along side Ritual of the Damned.
Something we have discussed on our Twitch/Youtube channel before others mind you.
Psychic Awakening 5: The Greater Good will feature the Tau and either Death Guard or Genestealer Cults (speculating on the Death Guard/Genestealer). We have little information at this time. Regardless we do not see Death Guard or Genestealer Cults getting new models, as they are in the same boat as Thousand Sons (see above).
We do see the Tau receiving a psychic character/upgrade though. Wait, what? Tau don't have psychics we hear you scream. Yes and no is our answer to that. The Tau themselves are not a psychic race, however they do have a subjugated race called the Nicassar. The Nicassar have been featured primarily in the Battlefleet Gothic game and no where else until 2019. The Deathwatch book called Shadowbreaker sees the reemergence of the Nicassar in Warhammer 40,000 lore, though only mentioned in passing (we aren't going to spoil more than that however).
What are they, what do they look like, where is the art? We have none, except a model of one of their Battlefleet Gothic ships. However, it is reported that Jervis Johnson has said something to the effect of 'they look like flat polar bears'. Whether that was a joke or not, we do not know. In fact, no one knows, except GW and they are keeping quiet.
Will the Nicassar make it into the game? We don't know but it is our best lead, however, it is possible they have subjugated another race as well. Another possibility, is due to the psychic awakening events, and the rapid evolution that the Tau go through, we might see the emergence of the first psychic tau. It wouldn't be a retcon, it wouldn't be spitting in the eye of lore, it actually would fit.
Psychic Awakening 6: Saga of the Beast will feature the Space Wolves and Orks (speculating on Orks). Last but not least, this is the one a lot of fans are looking forward to as its potential promise of a lot of awesome story telling and new miniatures has us gripping the edge of our seat.
We are predicting the return of two (2) well-known staples of the Ork and Space Wolves. Ragnar Blackmane and Ghazghkull Mag Ururk Thraka in this tale of two of the most savage races in Warhammer 40,000 that love the thrill of combat, especially close quarters.
We predict that the massive ork waaagh that Ghazghkull has gathered to his side are heading to Armageddon (or *redacted* as it is originally known as). The Space Wolves will be heading there in numbers to lock horns with the massive ork invasion. We predict that this will not go well for the Space Wolves, that they and the Imperium will lose the world to the orks. This will set up a new wave of models and units for the orks coming in 2020/2021!
Well? What do you think of our predictions? Are we on the money with these or too much wish listing?
edit note: adjusted the numbers for the psychic awakening subheadings, we were off by one.
John
