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Note Skaven models are now heading out of production; likely as an update is around the corner and a revamp for the range. Below I've listed all the likely models, basically the metal models which are almost certain to go out of production; and the finecast which might or might not (varies army to army).

If there are any you want now would be the time to get hold of them. The Warlord for Metal is now listed out of production; Ikit Claw and the Warp Grinder team are also listed as out of stock (product page not store page) and that might well upgrade to out of production.
Expect all metal to vanish from the store when the new Battletome dropes. Note thus far we've on idea if GW will re-introduce any of the dropped model types or not; even if they replace them it might be months or years before new versions appear.

Note this is all UK GW store; other territories might have different stock levels and report differently.

Metal

Warlock Engineers https://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/Skaven-Warlock-Engineers

Arch Warlock (Ikit Claw) https://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/Arch-Warlock

Pack Master https://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/Packmaster

Ratling Gun (note doesn't say its metal but the warp grinder still is, so I assume this one is metal too) https://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/Ratling-Gun-Weapon-Team

Skryre Acolytes https://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/Skryre-Acolytes

Assassin https://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/Skaven-Assassin-with-Twin-Blades

Warp Grinder Team https://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/Skaven-Warp-Grinder-Weapon-Team

Warlord https://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/Warlord-Spinetail OUT OF PRODUCTION


Finecast models - might be replaced or potentially removed:

Warplock Jezzails https://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/Skaven-Warplock-Jezzails

Doom-Flayer Weapon Team https://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/Doom-Flayer-Weapon-Team

Skaven Assassin https://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/Deathmaster-Snikch

Plague Priest https://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/Pestilens-Plague-Priest

Skaven Warlord https://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/Queek-Headtaker


Material not mentioned on GW Store page - assuming metal but could be finecast any who can confirm would be a big help:

Plague Censer Bearers https://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/Pestilens-Plague-Censer-Bearers

Rat Swarms https://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/Skaven-Rat-Swarms

Gutter Runners https://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/Skaven-Gutter-Runners

Having built my skryre army years ago some of these models were usually out of stock even back then--the warp grinder I had to put 'email me' and it was 6 weeks before they did while I had to ebay an Arch-Warlock. Arch warlock and grinder team I'd bet are just sold out as they often are rather than discontinued. And IMO there is simply no way they'll get rid of the ratling gun without replacing it--it's too iconic. Others are desperately in need of new kits so I'd expect them to be gone but replaced (acolytes, jezzails, censer bearers, gutter runners). But for people who want to get their hands on those sculpts specifically it's a good heads up.

IMO the ones that are at risk of being gone without replacement have plastic options already; warlock engineer, packmaster, warlord, plague priest. The metal assassin is probably leaving (since Deathmaster Snikch is now a generic assassin and obviously the better sculpt), and the rat swarms since GW has been moving away from swarm type models for a while now. The doomflayer I'd say maybe, simply because it has always been bad in-game so I suspect it never sold very well.

Lets not forget Skaven got new Ogres, warpfire thrower, lobber, pack master and an engineer leader in the Island for Blood kit and far as I know they've not returned. GW has had them on the cards though I think they messed up by putting HE on the same sprues as Skaven back then.

That said I'd agree in that I'd hope/expect many to return. A single plastic kit could do the gattling/fire/lobber/grinder even with a kit as simple as 2 generic rats with backpack and weapon front changes for each of the 4 options.

They could also do a new rat kit with ogres, packmasters and giant rats all thrown in (the one they have up now really is showing its age even though it is in plastic and, as noted, new rat ogres did come out at some point in the near past).


I agree there's a lot of really iconic models that would be likely to return. Still GW hasn't kept any other metal around - far as I know Skaven is the last of the metal (unless there's a metal Gutbuster model kicking around?). So it wouldn't surprise me if they stripped out all the metal when they come to revamp the Skaven.

We also don't know how big a release Skaven is getting; it might just be Battletome and the new Engineer model. They've not put anything else in the Carrion boxed set and if they had multiple new sculpts you'd think they would. We've also no idea when it might come - Cultists waited 6 months or more (or something to that tune) between their duel faction box and getting a Codex. So Skaven could be a month or more away before the box then half a year away before any major release.

I just hope any new rats get a bit more fur on them - I've noticed that a fair few newer rats have had distinctly less fur on their arms and legs; going for almost a near totally skin covered body - rats need fur (unless their pestilens then they need boils and fur)

 Overread wrote:
I just hope any new rats get a bit more fur on them - I've noticed that a fair few newer rats have had distinctly less fur on their arms and legs; going for almost a near totally skin covered body - rats need fur (unless their pestilens then they need boils and fur)

They toned down the old fur style. The older style of fur was really lazy and kind of predetermined the location of color.
Now its more cartoon streamlined. The fur is implied by the spikes of hair at joints and around other details like jawlines and muscle definition.
I think it looks a lot better than the lazy "moss" effect of yesteryear.

 NinthMusketeer wrote:
Having built my skryre army years ago some of these models were usually out of stock even back then--the warp grinder I had to put 'email me' and it was 6 weeks before they did while I had to ebay an Arch-Warlock. Arch warlock and grinder team I'd bet are just sold out as they often are rather than discontinued. And IMO there is simply no way they'll get rid of the ratling gun without replacing it--it's too iconic. Others are desperately in need of new kits so I'd expect them to be gone but replaced (acolytes, jezzails, censer bearers, gutter runners). But for people who want to get their hands on those sculpts specifically it's a good heads up.

IMO the ones that are at risk of being gone without replacement have plastic options already; warlock engineer, packmaster, warlord, plague priest. The metal assassin is probably leaving (since Deathmaster Snikch is now a generic assassin and obviously the better sculpt), and the rat swarms since GW has been moving away from swarm type models for a while now. The doomflayer I'd say maybe, simply because it has always been bad in-game so I suspect it never sold very well.

It wouldn't surprise me if the Skaven got a rat version of the Scuttletide endless spell as a replacement for Rat Swarms.

Vemintide was scuttletide before it was cool!