Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Am I right in saying that GW is not introducing any new named characters these days? Old ones that have no pre-existing models are disappearing from codices and no new ones are being introduced at all.

Soon all we have are generic HQ choices...

When the new guard dex dropped everyone said marbo etc would be in a data slate but this never happened. I have no clue what gw are up too.

 tau tse tung wrote:
I have no clue what gw are up too.

They too.

New special characters require new models. They aren't going to produce rules for things without models ever again.

Making new models for special characters is not a good use of money, since they're one of the worst selling units.

s far as I know, only Guard and Dark Eldar lost character entries? Who else did?

 DarknessEternal wrote:
New special characters require new models. They aren't going to produce rules for things without models ever again.

Making new models for special characters is not a good use of money, since they're one of the worst selling units.

Then hopefully the new Space Marine upgrade sprues sell well enough to warrant them doing more for other armies.

I made a plastic Ragnar Blackmane with a standard SW set of legs, bolt pistol and torso front by combining them with the torso back, frost blade, backpack and unhelmeted head from that upgrade sprue. I could have used any of those parts in any other combination to make a generic character. It's win-win for GW.

s far as I know, only Guard and Dark Eldar lost character entries? Who else did?

Grey Knights lost Grand Master Mordrak and Justicar Thawn. Tyranids lost Parasite of Mortrex, Doom of Malan'Tai, and possibly others? Not sure.

Didn’t some new named characters come out in the sanctus reach box? Ork and SW? They might be tied to a limited edition box, but they do exist.

Edit:

BA as well, IIRC.

Space wolves got harald deathwolf in the codex.

Orks lost Wazdakka Gutsmek and Old Zogwort.

EDIT: AM also lost Al'Rahem even though the model is still available on the GW webstore.

But that's a good point about the limited edition boxes, for example Orks got Grukk Face Rippa character + model (although it was merely a re-hash of the existing AOBR warboss).

I didn't realize that about Harald, maybe all hope is not lost.

I wouldn't expect GW to release rules for characters that don't have models, but you would think they could come up with some cool ones and many people would like to buy, thus making designing a model for it worthwile. Or maybe even a multi-part plastic character, that would allow you to make a "generic one" or a "named one". Could be tricky to design though, unless you just had a spare head, torso and weapons etc.

Some of the generic HQ's are so bland and uninspiring, I demand more character! :-)

Between Gruk Facerippa, Captain Karlaen, the Spawn of Cryptus and that Space Wolf guy I don't bother remembering, we still get Special Characters, but don't expect them to last longer than a codex edition. When Genestealer costs go down (wishful thinking) the Children of Cryptus will be WAY overpriced or the basic rules will have changed.

I think that will be the excuse to keep up Special Characters there. One-offs that won't outlive the current codex. Best we can hope for.

I was supremely disappointed to not find an IH special character in the new Marines codex. Gotta go FW if I want a special character with those chapter tactics.

I can't imagine the disappointment faced by people who don't play the power armored boy scouts.

Zodfrey wrote:
Am I right in saying that GW is not introducing any new named characters these days? Old ones that have no pre-existing models are disappearing from codices and no new ones are being introduced at all.

Soon all we have are generic HQ choices...

Except that the special named characters who do have minis available are still in every codex as before, and have not disappeared at all. The new Space Marine and DA codecies still have the same named characters as before. So only generic HQ choices does not look likely any time soon, though I can't say I would be upset if special characters disappeared as I have never been all that into them. I far prefer creating my own characters and having them build their own legacy of deeds instead. Would be cool if there were ways to make them as interesting as the special characters, though, either through unique equipment options, or through extra skill/ability purchases.

Skriker

Yeah I know they've kept the ones that have models, as per my original post I was wondering will they ever introduce new ones into the codex.

As for getting unique wargear for your made up special characters, there is always the relic list that you can use. If you're playing with friends you could agree that only one particular special character gets to use a particular relic etc, thus making them a bit more "special". Like a guy who wears special glasses. :-)

Isn't this all to do with the chapterhouse thingy? They don't want to introduce Special Characters that don't have models so that other companies can't make models for them and nor do they want to create something that has wishy-washy copyright issues (i.e. you can't really copyright 'Marbo' because that's just a person's name). Something like that anyway, I'm not really sure.

Well, you cant really copyright marbo because it's such a blatant ripoff of rambo...

 DarkLink wrote:
Well, you cant really copyright marbo because it's such a blatant ripoff of rambo...

this

Havent had a new one since 6th ed Necrons, to my knowledge. (Or was it 5th?) In any event, that's the last new character introduction to my knowledge.

A lot of them were removed to counter the holes in their IP protection following the Chapterhouse lawsuit.

I sincerely hope the next Dark Eldar codex addresses this, since we are crippled as it is.

Yup also dissapointed that there was no new Special IC for Deamonkin.

Some kind of KDK Lord would have been cool.

All those missed opportunities...

While I do like and appreciate special characters in the game, and enjoy using them on rare occasions, I find that I personally much prefer to make my own named characters in my lists and use them.

For example, I have always fielded my Blood Angels as the 5th Battle Company, and typically field a Captain as my HQ choice for my armies. From waaaaay back in 3rd edition when I started playing, this Captain has always been named Aedon. As of the last Blood Angels Codex (5th edition, abomination that it was) the Captain of the 5th Battle company was listed as Captain Sendini, the Keeper of the Arsenal.

So, Aedon has morphed into Captain Aedon Sendini, Captain of the Blood Angels 5th Battle Company, Keeper of the Arsenal.

I'll be embarking on the third iteration in miniature form of my Captain in the near future. I still have the original version of him, but sadly the second version has been lost due to being damaged beyond repair in a tragic gaming accident.

While he won't be the be-all-end-all Captain Smashfether equivalent, he will be able to hold his own in combat against most opponents. At least, that's my hope anyway.

As for the removal of named characters from different codexes, I do find it a little disconcerting, especially as we saw in the most recent guard codex when not only Marbo was axed (which I can understand why he was, but still didn't like it happening despite never using him personally) But also losing Al'Rahem and Chenkov were both pretty crap blows to the army since each one offered a unique way to play the force if you ran them. Still, I wish they'd just give the Guard Army Doctrines similar to how you can run Chapter Tactics. Make them less powerful of course. Just things to add flavor, such as Mordians getting a 'free' re-roll of orders checks to represent how disciplined they are (no need to purchase Voxcasters for them), or Catachans getting Move Through Cover on their infantry, etc. etc.

That's my opinion. Take it easy everyone.

-Red__Thirst-

I think every army book should have something like chapter tactics. They're just cool.

As has been pointed out, new characters are still a thing; they just appear primarily in smaller one-offs like campaign books. Considering they're now obligated to create a model for any chaacter they introduce, I suspect the new break-neck pace that they've been releasing books has made special characters feel like an unnecessary addition to their work load. They'd have to consider not only all the existing units (even existing SC) rules but also worry about this new guy on the block, plus they'd have to write fluff and make a model for them. Which doesn't sound like much, but look at how fast the books have been coming out.

I imagine new special characters won't be coming out with new 'dexes for a while. Instead, they'll be introduced in other releases that introduce the characters as incentives to purchase the product. Not overly concerned with the fluff between Karlaen and the Spawn of Cryptus? How about new formations and characters? Ah, now we've got your attention. Let's discuss how much you'll be paying us for this new supplement...

It's not a terrible way to handle it really, though I'd certainly like it more if they released books that were essentially just compilations of all the SCs, formations, etc. in one place so that players didn't feel like they were being charged $40 for a short story and two pages of rules.

Not all supplements have characters in them though. Clan Raukaan doesn't, even though it was the PERFECT EXCUSE to finally stat Kardan Stronos

I'm pretty sure since 3rd ed with IG regiments and craftworld eldar stuff we have all wanted chapter tatics.bwho doesn't want ways to more Tailor your army towards the theme that inspired them to begin with.

I personally never use named chars, I much prefer to name my own. But I liked their inclusion in the universe and on the table top, and am sad to see them go.

I really hope the special edition characters make their way into the regular catalog eventually. Probably won't happen until each codex is replaced.

 casvalremdeikun wrote:
I really hope the special edition characters make their way into the regular catalog eventually. Probably won't happen until each codex is replaced.

This would be great, but it would probably mean that they'd have to keep producing and selling those special edition models, which seems unlikely to happen.
On the other hand, wouldn't it make financial sense to keep selling a model once you've already designed it and made a mold for it, the investment has already been put it. They should milk it more. :-)

 j31c3n wrote:

 DarkLink wrote:
Well, you cant really copyright marbo because it's such a blatant ripoff of rambo...

this

We're talking about the company that tried to copyright "Space Marine."

Yeah, but do they really think they can copyright something that's boledfacedly based on a popular Sylvester Stallone property? That'd be like naming a character Nuck Chorris.

 Red__Thirst wrote:


For example, I have always fielded my Blood Angels as the 5th Battle Company, and typically field a Captain as my HQ choice for my armies. From waaaaay back in 3rd edition when I started playing, this Captain has always been named Aedon. As of the last Blood Angels Codex (5th edition, abomination that it was) the Captain of the 5th Battle company was listed as Captain Sendini, the Keeper of the Arsenal.

that was one enchouraging sign about the new space Marine codex, there's no chapters whose entire arsenal is spelled out in perfect "every man accounted for, every captain named" detail. instead the over all structure was given, but eneugh info was left vague to allow us flexability

Zodfrey wrote:

 casvalremdeikun wrote:
I really hope the special edition characters make their way into the regular catalog eventually. Probably won't happen until each codex is replaced.

This would be great, but it would probably mean that they'd have to keep producing and selling those special edition models, which seems unlikely to happen.
On the other hand, wouldn't it make financial sense to keep selling a model once you've already designed it and made a mold for it, the investment has already been put it. They should milk it more. :-)

one would think that after a while they would release the special characters from the boxes sets. Otherwise those molds are just collecting dust. Might as well use them and charge $30 for a character.

Edit: my Blood Angels are the 3rd Company. You might ask "But Casval, isn't that Tycho's Company?". To which I say, Tycho is dead, this is the new guy.

as someone else mentioned, Stormclaw had a few new named characters, with only two of them (face-rippa and dragongaze) recieving actual models.