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So, we don't have much good information about the new edition except that it's coming soon and we can probably expect to see a new boxed starter set shortly after. We've got rumours saying that it's blood angels vs. orks, or astra militarum vs. orks, or astra militarum vs. eldar or space wolves vs. orks. I don't think any of them are especially reliable though, so let's start making educated guesses...

There's almost certainly going to be an Imperial side. The Imperium is the most significant, iconic faction in 40k and the most popular. GW are never going to release a box set of aliens fighting aliens. Humans have to be in the mix somewhere.

Blood Angels seem like a good candidate. They are the most likely imperial faction to get an update soon and there is a gap in the market for generic marine units with blood angels iconography. Several of their character sculpts are showing their age too, so we might get one of them in plastic.

Space Wolves seem possible. Like the blood angels, they are due an update soon-ish, although their model line seems to have fewer opportunities to plug gaps. A space wolf biker unit or a vehicle would work though.

Or we could have one of the other space marine chapters. They seem a bit less likely, since they had a codex six months ago and their model line is almost all plastic. Plastic techmarine and servitors would be nice, but you could put them with blood angels just as easily.

The Astra Militarum would be a bit of a shock, since GW have always had space marines in their starter set, but there's a lot of opportunity for new models there; we could get plastic rough riders, a psyker battle squad, plastic ratlings, some interesting veteran models (maybe with camo gear, carapace and/or shotguns), improved catachan sculpts and so on. I don't think it's likely that they would do a new regiment in plastic, but I guess it's just about possible that they are going to do a small 'wave' of AM infantry sometime this year, possibly with a supplement.

I very much doubt that they will be facing off against chaos. Chaos marines were in the last set and aren't likely to get an updated codex soon and chaos daemons seems like a potential PR disaster in some markets, plus they had a recent update too.

So, we're almost certainly going to see xenos of some kind. Eldar and Tau seem very unlikely; they aren't obviously villainous enough to make good enemies for an imperium force and both have had recent updates. The only thing which would make eldar slightly plausible is the opportunity for plastic aspect warriors and jetbike warlocks.

Tyranids seem possible. Their last release was just recent enough that they might still be considered 'hot' enough to make it into the starter. Lots of models which could really do with being remade in plastic too - pyrovores, biovores, zoanthropes, lictors and a couple of the special characters look pretty ropey.

Orks are probably a bit more likely. They have been consistently popular enough to make it into two of the previous five starter sets, they are due an update soon and their product line has lots of gaps - probably too many to fill with a standard codex release. A warboss with mega-armour or on a bike would make a great centrepiece unit and there are chances to do new buggies, biker nobs, ardboyz, flash gits, painboys, meganobs, big guns, kommandos, tankbustas and whatever new units the codex adds. Of all the xeno options, they seems most probable to me.

Then we've got necrons and dark eldar. I guess they are due for updates at some point in the near future and the DE at least have quite a few opportunities for plastic kits. Not impossible, but not likely, in my opinion.

So, the top contenders are probably Blood Angels and Orks. There has been a rumour to that effect, but I suspect that it's someone following the same lines of reasoning that I just did and taking a guess rather than insider knowledge.

What models are we likely to get in the box? The last two sets have been rather good at providing a decent mix of unit types: we've had infantry, bikes, walkers and characters in both and DV also had psykers. We're probably not going to see cavalry, beasts, fliers or monstrous creatures, but jump infantry, artillery and normal vehicles seem possible.

The orks will almost certainly be led by a warboss. Either in mega armour or on a bike. Probably accompanied by an appropriate retinue of nobs. I think bikers are more likely than mega-armour because they add another unit type and they aren't as well suited to a proper kit with alternative build as meganobs. The only other option which seems plausible to me would be a special character, like wazdakka.

The marines will most likely get a librarian. Maybe even Mephiston. Possibly a priest or a captain too.

Some assault marines for blood angels seems like an obvious choice.

They can round out their troops choices with a tactical squad or some scouts. Scouts seem like they would benefit from new sculpts more, but tacticals would be a better place to put a librarian. Could be both, of course. Or the librarian could have a jump pack and go with assault marines, or there could be a command squad for him.

Orks will probably get some basic boys. Hopefully with shootas this time. One rumour says they will be 'ardboys, which makes a certain degree of sense - they don't really have an official model, but it's probably not worth releasing a new kit when you can make them from spare bits in the boys set.

A buggy for the orks or a land speeder for the marines would introduce vehicle rules. Or they could actually go with a full-sized transport this time. Great opportunity to do a looted wagon, if they are still including them in the ork codex and they aren't releasing a kit otherwise (actually seems fairly unlikely, now I say that). Or they could stick with the walkers and maybe have a killa kan or two in there.

Big guns would add yet another unit type, but they seem more likely to get a proper box so that they can be built with different guns.

Here ya go, just posted.

http://pinsofwar.com/warhammer40k-7th-edition-starter-set/

 Cptskillet wrote:
Here ya go, just posted.

http://pinsofwar.com/warhammer40k-7th-edition-starter-set/

That... sucks.

 BlackTemplar1 wrote:

 Cptskillet wrote:
Here ya go, just posted.

http://pinsofwar.com/warhammer40k-7th-edition-starter-set/

That... sucks.

That's great. At least for me. I was going to buy another box set. Good to know, I will have an updated mini rule book for it when I want those miniatures again.

Awww, I was hoping Imperium vs. Necrons.

Oh well. DV is a great kit.

Aww. That's a shame.

Personally, I would have gone with Imperial Guard vs Chaos Marines, letting the power armor be on the other foot for once while the "Piles of quishies" was on the good side for once.

Alas, it was not to be.

For 8th, or 7th if this is truly 6th Revised? I'll go out on a limb and be crazy: Sisters of Battle (Sculpted by newly-hired Victoria of Victoria's Miniatures) vs Dark Eldar.You still get your power armor, you get your plastic SIsters, and the Dark Eldar need a dance partner. EVerything fits!

While I would have liked something like IG or 'nids, DV is a pretty good set and I don't really mind it staying on.

Yea, I was disappointed also =/ but this should just prove it's more of a 6.5 then a true new edition.

 Cptskillet wrote:
Here ya go, just posted.

http://pinsofwar.com/warhammer40k-7th-edition-starter-set/

Well, this is not a bad idea to keep most of the starterset from the 6th edition as it is.

How about the rule book included? Will it contain the full rule set?

Here's how we'll tell.

We'll buy the new rulebook, look at the image on the back of the rulebook. These will be our new armies for the starter kit.

 Scipio Africanus wrote:
Here's how we'll tell.

We'll buy the new rulebook, look at the image on the back of the rulebook. These will be our new armies for the starter kit.

That requires waiting for the new rulebook to come out

Sisters of Battle vs. Necrons would be cool.

Won't happen, but it'd be cool.

Starter sets (from US discounter) are one of the few GW products worth the money. Really happy with my 2x Dark Vengeance boxes, and probably would have grabbed 2x of a new one if it looked good too. Ahh well.