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.

-

That's a very interesting question.

When I read the fluff, I have the feeling there are two main categories; those who were saved in the city of Sigmar and those who were not, left alone to Chaos.

Given the advanced technology of Azryheim, I picture its citizens to have quite a lot of "high fantasy" features; maybe some magic used for everyday life, with clothes more refined or even "impossible" in a normal way.

On the other hand, I see those left in the lands taken by Chaos as litteral barbarians, in a "Conan the Barbarian" way. They certainly have grim features and still use skulls and such (because Warhammer ), but not in a "Khorne" way - they still maintain something "fierce". A bit like Sigmar in the first days, while he was mortal.

The Cult of Sigmar...I don't know. I believe the flagellants and warriors priests are more from those "lost people" left to Chaos. In Azyrheim, I believe the cult should be more advanced and refined.

But then, I'm not sure we will really see "citizens" of Age of Sigmar world in miniatures. Unless they're ready for war.

Honestly, they'll probably do exactly the same things as they've done with every faction's release aside from the two new ones; put the exact same models on new bases.
While it might be nice to see new sculpts of new cultures, I don't think it's very likely.

I mean, Lizardmen went from Lizardmen, Aztec themed lizard people created by the Old Ones, to Serapham, essentially Daemons of Order and didn't get a single new sculpt for their release.

Now, what I'd love to see is new models, fluff on the various civilizations and cultures, and models that match.

Lots of possibilities to be sure. I can definitely see the older models still in use, though. (Especially the demigryph knights)

There were multiple kingdoms, tribes and empires mentioned in the fluff and some were even named, like the Lantic Empire which was last to fall, and they could make a grand mix of fantasy imperial guard (Azryheim soldiers), knights, barbarians and anything they really want to throw in.

I'm really looking forward to see what they might do with Bretonnia's descendants. A Arthurian-style high fantasy army that uses lots of different creatures as mounts and has a habit of building beautiful castles in every corner of the eight realms would be tops.

The Empire and Brettonians as they were *are* the Free People, and I don't think the aesthetic for them is going to change massively, but they'll undergo a similar evolution - less 2D poses, etc. That's really all I'm hoping for there!

The ones I'm really excited about to see if anything happens with are the humans who have been left in the mortal realms. As things are, scattered barbarian tribes. But once Sigmar's got a foothold... they get to organise and rebuild.

The Lantic Empire sound interesting. Where does information about them currently reside?

 Bottle wrote:
The Lantic Empire sound interesting. Where does information about them currently reside?

Just that they were the last great civilisation to fall

Kislevs

Free peoples who are actually free, not servants to that jerk Sigmar.

Personally, I'm hoping the human faction is split into two factions as Bottle mentioned in the OP.

Specifically though I want the gryphons, guns, and Cult of Sigmar to be retained and made into an Azyrheim faction to represent the army of Sigmar pre-Stormcast. And I imagine they would look much different aesthetically given they have the direct assistance of Sigmar as well as training from the other incarnates such as Grungi.

Second, I think everyone can agree Bretonnia will no longer be supported at some point during the product evolution of AoS (not that we all agree to like it, just that it will happen), so that would leave room in the product line for another different human faction which would make most sense to be non-Azyrheim humans. I only hope though that GW doesn't build the faction around the barbarian depiction in the Realm of Fire because of all the realms that was the one hardest hit by Chaos. Rather, have the barbaric theme there but build it around the idea of civilizations being raised in a hostile environment with none of the freebies that Azerheim was given. So still have knights but rather than gryphon knights make them beast cavalry (like barbarians with great-swords on monsters or something) and rather than the knowledge or blessing of Sigmar they rely on powerful sorcerors (the Empire battle mage basically).

Basically Azyrheim humans are refined and reliant on engineering and holy fury, while the Realmsmen are more savage with barbaric might and wild magic.

 toasteroven wrote:
Free peoples who are actually free, not servants to that jerk Sigmar.

Errr the empire in the old world were servants of sigmar it has not really changed..... Fluff wise the people are rediscovering their faith in sigmar according to the Call of Archaon novels. What you can do is base your free people on one of the counties of the empire since sigmar was worshiped everywhere including the death realm shockingly did not think nagash would allow such a thing. Now bret's? after the elf shannigans I could easily see em switching faiths or who knows you can have a faction of humans in the realm of life who worship Alarielle. Now financially I could see GW dropping brets who knows their metal models may be rebased and changed into finecast.

Plenty of humans in the old world didn't worship Sigmar at all.

 toasteroven wrote:
Plenty of humans in the old world didn't worship Sigmar at all.

Well yes there are people who follow the other incarnates/gods in the curent setting in the recent audiobook mannfred and Tarsus meet people who worship nagash and in the recent realm gate book a necromancer and vampire muse over whats going to happen to those who don't wish to follow sigmar after he "free's" the realms. They are introducing the notion through the stormcast book and other fluff does sigmar really want to save all the realms or just bring it under himself as the big god? What will happen if the others disagree with him? I mean he has an army of stormcasts and humans.

Oh and nagash really, really does not like sigmar or the stormcast its pretty great and he wants to make everything like the death realm. What's interesting is that in the past these characters were caught in a game of gods in the old world and now? They are playing the same game here with others lives.

 toasteroven wrote:
Plenty of humans in the old world didn't worship Sigmar at all.

Archaon was one of those lads. He was proved wrong in the end.

I was more talking about how the old world had, you know, an entire world that wasn't the empire, filled with people who had little to do with Sigmar.

 shinros wrote:

 toasteroven wrote:
Plenty of humans in the old world didn't worship Sigmar at all.

Well yes there are people who follow the other incarnates/gods in the curent setting in the recent audiobook mannfred and Tarsus meet people who worship nagash and in the recent realm gate book a necromancer and vampire muse over whats going to happen to those who don't wish to follow sigmar after he "free's" the realms. They are introducing the notion through the stormcast book and other fluff does sigmar really want to save all the realms or just bring it under himself as the big god? What will happen if the others disagree with him? I mean he has an army of stormcasts and humans.

Oh and nagash really, really does not like sigmar or the stormcast its pretty great and he wants to make everything like the death realm. What's interesting is that in the past these characters were caught in a game of gods in the old world and now? They are playing the same game here with others lives.

I am definitely more interested in this sort of thing.

Me too. In the personal fluff I have made for my Age of Sigmar armies, Sigmar is a petty and close-minded God driven to obsession over his grudge against chaos, and certainly not worthy of admiration. The plight of the little person in Age of Sigmar is the part that interests me the most, sadly GW loves being a tease when it comes to information in that regard.

Too much to hope for a non-European group?

I'd love something based on (East) India or Native Americans (who as I understand it were not frogs).

 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Too much to hope for a non-European group?

I'd love something based on (East) India or Native Americans (who as I understand it were not frogs).

There was a mix of skin tones for the Bloodreavers so maybe we'll get some more exotic looking human factions!

 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Too much to hope for a non-European group?

I'd love something based on (East) India or Native Americans (who as I understand it were not frogs).

Remember the realms are infinite and reading the books and listening to the audibooks mortals have many different cultures and backgrounds mundane and magical.

 Bottle wrote:

 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Too much to hope for a non-European group?

I'd love something based on (East) India or Native Americans (who as I understand it were not frogs).

There was a mix of skin tones for the Bloodreavers so maybe we'll get some more exotic looking human factions!

You can paint your soldiers any skin color you want. At least 1/4 of my 250+ Empire models are black skinned.

As for factions I hope to see more different armor customizations options, basically more heads/helmets style to choose from or more shield packs. Especially Zulu shield packs would be cool. What I don't want is a brand new single style that looks out of place or too exotic. Give me some normal humans with chainmail and leather armor but different style, I hope it will be mostly mundane as shinros wrote, because the more magical the less exotic the exotic stuff gets.

Gunman006 wrote:

 Bottle wrote:

 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Too much to hope for a non-European group?

I'd love something based on (East) India or Native Americans (who as I understand it were not frogs).

There was a mix of skin tones for the Bloodreavers so maybe we'll get some more exotic looking human factions!

You can paint your soldiers any skin color you want. At least 1/4 of my 250+ Empire models are black skinned.

Lol, that's not the point I was making. The point is if the GW studio are creating multicultural bands of chaos it could be setting the precedent for other cultures to be introduced into the setting which is something to be excited about. :-)

 Bottle wrote:

Gunman006 wrote:

 Bottle wrote:

 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
Too much to hope for a non-European group?

I'd love something based on (East) India or Native Americans (who as I understand it were not frogs).

There was a mix of skin tones for the Bloodreavers so maybe we'll get some more exotic looking human factions!

You can paint your soldiers any skin color you want. At least 1/4 of my 250+ Empire models are black skinned.

Lol, that's not the point I was making. The point is if the GW studio are creating multicultural bands of chaos it could be setting the precedent for other cultures to be introduced into the setting which is something to be excited about. :-)

Yeah sorry I interpreted your post as different skin color was not possible before AoS fluff.

More customization is always good, I just hope they don't eliminate the already existing culture/fashion/clothing styles for the new ones. In other words, please continue the hats with feathers.

As a fellow empire collector, I agree 100%! They can be as steampunk as GW wants but please keep the hats with feathers!