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I was wondering, will GW ever add a new race to the mix?

Considering all the races available, pretty much every base is covered. (Uber-Tech Fish-People, Super-Soldiers, Robed Super-Soldiers, German Super-Soldiers, Nordic Super-Soldiers, Vampire Super-Soldiers, Overzealous Super-Soldiers, Nuns with Super-Soldier gear, Evil Super-Soldier, Zombie-Bots, Humans, Space Elves, Dark Space Elves, Space Orkz, Space Buggies (Formerly Space Dinosaurs) and Not-Quite-Space Daemons.

While a number of codices have come and gone via white dwarf, do you think another race will ever be fully introduced via its own dedicated codex (not a WD or IA codex) or do you think the current races will simply be rehashed with addons or outright changes to its codex?

For addons, I mean adding more units to a single codex via adding a new race (think Tau with Space Dwarves)
Outright changes are like the omission of Pariahs from the newer Necron Codex and adding new units in order to "force" players to buy more merchandise.

The only faction that possably might get a codex would be the Ad Mech.

Sticking an entirely new faction into the fluff can cause some problems(see Tau) and only the Ad Mech out of all the races in 40k not currently with a codex would actually qualify for one. Them and Genestealers.

They can't keep their current armies updated. The only new codex I can see being released is for the imperial fists unfortunately.

For the time being, GW seems to have its hands full. They barely manage to support what they already have. Or they do not manage, depending on where you stand.

So, I would expect nothing beyond possible additions to existing codices.

There are a number of Xenos races in GW's fluff not yet represented, however. But whilst I could certainly see potential in them being fleshed out as a proper army, I maintain it'd just get "too much" for the company to handle.

I'd agree, unless GW wanted to do what many CSM players have been clamoring for and split up the CSM book into multiple books (unlikely), the AdMech is the only faction with enough existing fluff to make their integration into the game work.

I highly doubt that GW will make another army. They have too many to update and work with at the moment. To be honest I don't want to see another race added.

I doubt it. On the one hand...

Harriticus wrote:They can't keep their current armies updated.

... on the other hand, they already have a fair number of armies. I don't see how the universe really needs any more.

Plus, we haven't seen a new army released in over 10 years (so, like half the time 40k has existed), which rather supports the idea that we're done seeing new armies.

Come on, its not like the game would be ruined if the release schedule was increased by another 4ish weeks between codex releases.

Plus GW has proven they can and will be updating codices at a quicker rate.

Heck, last year for Fantesy they released 3 codices in the span of a few months.

I would like to see the return of mercenaries. That'd work for new races, but could possibly cause balance trouble.

 Ailaros wrote:
Plus, we haven't seen a new army released in over 10 years (so, like half the time 40k has existed), which rather supports the idea that we're done seeing new armies.

I dunno. I think Necrons and Dark Eldar got such a hugely significant expansion, that they can be classed as new armies. Particularly Dark Eldar, which had the entire range redone.

The issue with adding a new race is twofold. Not only do they have to somehow fit into the lore of the 40k universe, but they also have to occupy a mechanical niche that currently isn't filled. The only real niches that I could possibly see that could be occupied are an all AV list (ie, basic troops are infantry sized walkers with AV8, 2 HP) and some sort of analog to WFB Vampire Counts. And too be honest I'm not sure how you could execute either option in 40k's framework.

-Loki- wrote: I think Necrons and Dark Eldar got such a hugely significant expansion, that they can be classed as new armies. Particularly Dark Eldar, which had the entire range redone.

Exactly. I think that there are enough armies that require a complete redo that that will take up all their efforts in creating a new army that we haven't ever seen before.

I see what you folks mean. I was looking at:

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Codices_%28List%29#.UJmE2GfsyW8

and almost 1/2 of the "current" codices are 2 editions behind. This confuses me since GW's stocks are nearly 3X what they were just 2 years ago. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if the Ad Mech or another SM chapter got its own codex before others were updated .

Considering codices being released roughly 2-3 times a year and each BRB lasting (on average) 5 years, I guess they do already have too much on their plate /shrug.

EDIT: typos

Hanith wrote:
I see what you folks mean. I was looking at:

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Codices_%28List%29#.UJmE2GfsyW8

and almost 1/2 of the "current" codices are 2 editions behind. This confuses me since GW's stocks are nearly 3X what they were just 2 years ago. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if the Ad Mech or another SM chapter got its own codex before others were updated .

Considering codices being released roughly 2-3 times a year and each BRB lasting (on average) 5 years, I guess they do already ahve too much on their plate /shrug.

Yes, it is more likely that the Iron Hands would get a codex before they decided to add another race to the game. And if they did add another race, it'll just be another Imperial race.

I sure hope not. They don't even update the codices they could enough.

I'd rather see certain codexs dropped all together.

Or combined to simplify things.

A "Allies" supplemental would do.

 ZebioLizard2 wrote:
A "Allies" supplemental would do.

Totally. Could easily flesh out a number of minor factions (pirates, mercs, hive gangs, custodes), a number of xenos factions (kroot, demiurge, genestealer cults), dedicating a few pages of fluff to each faction and giving 3-5 units each (min of 2, obviously, for a HQ and Troop).

Of course... it would suck a bit if Ad Mech was in this book, but... I'd rather have it as an allied mini list than no list at all.

I agree with all of the above, just so I don't have to re-type it all.

Also, if GW was to release a new race for some odd reason they wouldn't just release it as a codex. More than likely they would release it with a new edition so they could properly re-write some of the fluff to include them and do that kinda thing. Although that's highly doubtful....

 Micky wrote:

 ZebioLizard2 wrote:
A "Allies" supplemental would do.

Totally. Could easily flesh out a number of minor factions (pirates, mercs, hive gangs, custodes), a number of xenos factions (kroot, demiurge, genestealer cults), dedicating a few pages of fluff to each faction and giving 3-5 units each (min of 2, obviously, for a HQ and Troop).

Of course... it would suck a bit if Ad Mech was in this book, but... I'd rather have it as an allied mini list than no list at all.

Ad Mech seem to be a Forgeworld thing. They've mentioned in the past they would like to tackle them, and the HH books are starting to trickle out some Mechanicus stuff.

An allies supplemental would be great. The 40k has never been as black and white as people claim - allies do happen, if only for just one battle in the 40k universe. And that's all it takes to justify taking allies. While the allies table is an okay start, it doesn't expand the game much. An allies codex would be fantastic.

I really think GW is done with races, but if they did add one they would probably bring back squats or adeptus mechanicus. Maybe even arbites. Probably not though, but maybe FW will do something with the latter two.

 Color Sgt. Kell wrote:
I really think GW is done with races, but if they did add one they would probably bring back squats or adeptus mechanicus. Maybe even arbites. Probably not though, but maybe FW will do something with the latter two.

Squats probably won't get done. The fact that they've been re-added into the fluff doesn't mean GW are looking at doing a codex for them. Beastmen got added back in as well. Squats (and Beastmen for that matter) are best left to an allies supplement. Arbites as well - they're a police force, not a military force. Making them a full army just doesn't work. Adding them as allies does, since you can present them as the local Arbites backing up your military.

Ad Mech, well, it's really something best left to Forgeworld. They've got the creative freedom to do it right.

Just joking with the squats, I know they probably won't come back. They do have a big fanbase though. I also think arbites are best left as counts as warrior alcolytes or guard.

I think GW might see how people spaz over Ad Mech in the next few Horus Heresy books and think "hey, we want some of that action in 40k!" and resculpt a bunch of them so that they're different from the FW ones.

 Micky wrote:
I think GW might see how people spaz over Ad Mech in the next few Horus Heresy books and think "hey, we want some of that action in 40k!" and resculpt a bunch of them so that they're different from the FW ones.

Heh, yeah so true. Like the trygon!

The closest that we'll see to seeing Squats again in 40k is the Demiurg, who are essentially non-campy space dwarfs (unlike the squats who were campy space dwarfs), and if we see them, it will likely either be in an 'CODEX: ALLIES" supplement or as auxiliaries for the Tau in the same manner as the Kroot and Vespids.

If GW really wanted to, they could keep all of the codices regularly updated. They just choose to follow their business plan of slowly releasing new codices only when they have a set of new models to sell with them.

Sure, I'd love to squats brought back, as well as the introduction of admech and other armies. I just don't think it will happen until GW changes their business model.

With allies as a core mechanic i could see some mini dexes for small allied forces to take, like Dogs of War was for fantasy.

Each could have (or it could be a large compilation of multiple forces) one or two units for each FOC slot.

Highly unlikely to the point of obsurdity.

1. They can't keep up with what they already have.
2. It is far easier to introduce new playable factions by modifying current codexes than coming out with new ones. Case in point: zombies and cultists. By simply adding a few unts to the csm dex they added a whole new "race".

ShatteredBlade wrote:I would like to see the return of mercenaries. That'd work for new races, but could possibly cause balance trouble.

A simple twig with allies pretty much allows mercanary armys.

To the OP: new races are added with every edition of Codex Tau.