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I think we can all agree that the current IG models are showing their age. With Cadia gone the Cadians aren't really your rank-and-file troops anymore (canonically) Mind you, I'm a bit biased here as I have a problem with the fact that the "elite" Cadians are being marketed as your run-of-the-mill guardsman. But that's beside the point. The Catachans and Cadians need new models but should GW should just give them new sculpts or should they update the range. Right now there are only two regiments you can get out of the box, three if you count DK. What kind of changes do you think GW should make?

Also heroic scale. Love it or hate it?

There's a fairly in depth conversation about what guard need in this thread here, including a new range of regiments: https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/796216.page

However, I will just re-post what I placed there. This is all on the justification that GW can make outstanding human models based for 40k (Necromunda, as those kits are outstanding nearly across the board) and they can make kits that are dual or multi use.

 endlesswaltz123 wrote:

Really though, truly... 3 different boxes of infantry (with corresponding command, special and heavy weapon squads), that can make at least 2-3 different regiments each via head, weapon and maybe arm/torso swap in extreme cases, and generic upgrade sprues for veterens. You then have 6-9 different regiment aesthetic styles, everything else can be fulfilled within rules and doctrines to add flavour to the guard then, no need for jump packs etc... All the flavour right there.

*Long coat style, that can fulfil DKoK, Valhalla etc
*Standard shortcoat/flak armour design, this could be the most varied and realistically could fulfil cadian, mordian, praetorian, tallarn even, maybe elysian drop troops etc... Obviously with the amount of different heads required, some of this should be fulfilled with separate upgrade sprues but you get the point. Even steel legion if done correctly (long booted legs being the major design change, though I suppose the same is needed for mordian and praetorian anyway)
*Light infantry, fulfil catachan and tanith style. i.e. cloaks, helmets and covered arms, or not.

Then the nature of the components in the box would allow for diverse self-created regiments.

Some redesign of the regiments should be expected and most likely required to fulfil the above, but as long as the flavour is right it would be all good and it fulfils everyones needs.

Catachens certainly need new sculpts. Cadians have aged pretty well, but could do with an updated spruce with all the special weapons on it, to eliminate the need for the pewter/resin character/weapon upgrades.

I like the scale of the Cadian kits.

I'd love to see lasgun on arms upgrade kits, which could be used to convert your own regiments from other human kits GW sells.

Just gimme this.

I understand the OP question as being focussed on the aesthetic component, right?

I personally don't mind heroic scale, but getting a bit more realistic would make it look better if you include 3rd party stuff. Therefore I would want to see it but completely understand that economically it makes little sense for GW.

Apart from that: what I would want to see is based on the basic premise that I would like to have the opportunity to have varied looking IG forces and not uniformity. I'm aware that some would like the opposite and thus can ignore what I write now:

1. As most of our dudes run around with Lasguns I think one might come a long way towards customization. Just to dream a bit: imagine 2 or three small boxes (like the skulls for base decoration), each with 20-30 Lasguns/Lasgunarms of different patterns. Maybe one rustical looking Auogun (assuming the same rules as lasguns), one futuristic looking like I don't know... Ryza maybe. And the classic Lucius from the DKOK.
2. Simultanously: I would love to have more head options. I know there are tons of 3rd parties and it might not be economically feasible, but being able to just get a pack of unhelmeted human heads, or different helmets, barrets etc. pp at your local GW shop sounds nice at least to me.
3. Regarding the bodies I'm completely undecided, so I won't go in there

vehicles:
4. Again just a personal wish, feel free to find it dumb: as someone who enjoys kitbashing I would welcome if a potential redesign of the vehicles would go the extra mile to adjust the angles and widths of armorplates etc. to the same values. Oftentimes they are already, or almost. But it would be pretty cool if you could for example stick a LR upper hull on a Chimera lower hull and if would look natural without needing to use greenstuf/sanding away a mm or two. Or if the small Baneblade turrets on the sponsons would easily fit on a chimera hull etc. In my opinion it would also make sense regarding the whole STC System.
5. I would prefer if we would stay at just one walker and no grav-tanks. Treads are fine, but some weels and/or halftracks would be a welcome addition (again: because I like a more varied look)
6. I would like to keep the "angled-straight armorplates with rivets" surfaces.

 jaredb wrote:
Catachens certainly need new sculpts. Cadians have aged pretty well, but could do with an updated spruce with all the special weapons on it, to eliminate the need for the pewter/resin character/weapon upgrades.

I like the scale of the Cadian kits.

I'd love to see lasgun on arms upgrade kits, which could be used to convert your own regiments from other human kits GW sells.

I really dislike the cadian models personally, I think the helmet it too clunky/awkward...

I thought this was a cadian, but apparently it is not as I learnt in the other thread, anyway... This is what I want cadians to look like personally, (bad arses!, though obviously not quite decked out in carapace and with a hell gun like here but you get the idea).

 endlesswaltz123 wrote:
There's a fairly in depth conversation about what guard need in this thread here, including a new range of regiments: https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/796216.page

Thanks, I'll look at it.

I'd like to see a really barebones infantry kit. Not cadians, not Catachan, just army dudes who could be any vanilla regiment. Then have upgrade sprues for each popular regiment available at launch, to make them into whichever regiment you want. Or mix, match and convert to make them into your own.

I know this would never happen, but it's what I would do

I want better looking tanks.

Cynista wrote:
I'd like to see a really barebones infantry kit. Not cadians, not Catachan, just army dudes who could be any vanilla regiment. Then have upgrade sprues for each popular regiment available at launch, to make them into whichever regiment you want. Or mix, match and convert to make them into your own.

I know this would never happen, but it's what I would do

Isn't the cadians the standard guard look though, which is replicated throughout thousands of regiments across the galaxy?

 endlesswaltz123 wrote:

Cynista wrote:
I'd like to see a really barebones infantry kit. Not cadians, not Catachan, just army dudes who could be any vanilla regiment. Then have upgrade sprues for each popular regiment available at launch, to make them into whichever regiment you want. Or mix, match and convert to make them into your own.

I know this would never happen, but it's what I would do

Isn't the cadians the standard guard look though, which is replicated throughout thousands of regiments across the galaxy?

I always saw that as just GWs way of justifying why there was only one type of model. "The Cadians are so cool so everyone wants to look just like the Cadians, just paint your army different colors and you've got your very own custom regiment from Planet XYZ!" Not saying that's not what the canon says but let's remember that GW is a miniature company first and a storyteller second. Not trying to attack them or you but that's what they are.

Cadians look generic enough to be the go-to imperial guard, so upgrade of their basic kit with more details would be nice.
Mixing male and female bodies this time would be almost a given, seeing as the Guard canonically never cared about that.

I'd love for them to release some themed kits for every regiment of renown, but seeing as GW would not release that many different types of humans ever again (sadly), i'd settle for winter guard (with hats to make them either vostroyan bearskins or valhallan ushankas) and "light" IG, covering anything catachan/tallaran/tanith (I know they all look different, but i'm being realistic here, better to have a good "starting point" than nothing).

I'd like a fighter and a bomber to round out the guard's flier options.

I'd like an officer character whose schtick is "Ab-human Auxilia whisperer"

Get rid of everything finecast by giving it new plastic.

Make regimental advisors stand out a bit more.

Rough Riders.

I'd like to see models for the major regiments; I don't have the same faith that everyone else does that it could be done with generic base models + regiment upgrade sprues; even if it was possible, it would be more expensive as you'd have to buy troop + upgrade sprue.

And I want Lieutenant level commanders that are HQ choices- not Elite Platoon Commanders. If the word "Commander" is in the name of the unit, it needs to be HQ, not Elite.

My caveat is that I don't have as much experience playing guard as most people who are likely to read this thread; my choices are based on rule of cool, not a detailed understanding of how the army plays in its current state.

I would like to see more Catachan special characters.

In regards to imperial navy bombers, it's a hard no from me, mainly as the marauder is for me a perfect model, and is the right size for a bomber.

Fighter bomber maybe, I think another heavier hitting gunship option other than the vendetta and vulture, the vendetta is great and all but I want hard hitting munitions, not lasers.

I know forgeworld have the avenger strike fighter but I must say I'm a little bit surprised they didn't double down with the concept, namely it being a proper 40k version of an A-10, the bolt cannon is great to be fair, but it's just not tough enough (Whilst a thunderbolt is a bit more like it).

As much as I would love to see all the old Regiments in plastic I think from the standpoint of where the game and current model stock is (and a business standpoint) it would be smarter for them to make a whole new standard regiment. Much like how mark X armor represents a new standard of equipment and design styles while also mirroring those of ages past guard can also get that treatment in their arms and armor. It dosent need to be a crazy new design but a cohesive new starting point for all infantry would be great for the game and be able to really pull together the whole line. You can then top it off with upgrade packs that include regiment specific heads and gear to make your regiment your own.

New plastic Catachan squad.
New longcoat or steel legion squad/command squad/heavy weapon squad
A non-special captain for each regiment with 'Imperial weirdness' hangers on
Rough riders
Thunderbolt fighter/bomber
Baneblade-sized super transport tank
Engineering/minesweeper tank
Old school land speeder!

I'm not fond of the Cadians or Catachans, but found that Victoria Miniatures produces a lot of optional IG infantry.

I'd like to see an updated line of Catachans with a little less "Arnold" proportions. However, I know I can find solid alternative models. I don't play in a GW shop, so using non GW will have no impact on me.

If they redo Catachans, they need to lean into the "Baby Ogryn" they're mocked as by the Imperium at large.

 endlesswaltz123 wrote:
In regards to imperial navy bombers, it's a hard no from me, mainly as the marauder is for me a perfect model, and is the right size for a bomber.

Fighter bomber maybe, I think another heavier hitting gunship option other than the vendetta and vulture, the vendetta is great and all but I want hard hitting munitions, not lasers.

I know forgeworld have the avenger strike fighter but I must say I'm a little bit surprised they didn't double down with the concept, namely it being a proper 40k version of an A-10, the bolt cannon is great to be fair, but it's just not tough enough (Whilst a thunderbolt is a bit more like it).

Unfortunately, my finances don't allow me to consider forgeworld models, so from my point of view, guard only have one flyer: the Valkyrie.

I am all for making any and/or ALL of the FW guard flyers into plastic kits sold by GW.

In fact, the Avenger would be the perfect choice because it used to have the Adepta Sororitas Keyword- so they could release the base version for guard and add an upgrade sprue for the Sisters version- kinda like the Nephilim Jet Fighter/ Ravenwing Dark Talon. It is a license to print money. I'd preorder 2 of the Sisters in a heartbeat. I'd say 3, except I think it's impractical to field 3 fighters. If GW went down this road, the truly genius move would be to build an upgrade sprue to the Valkyrie and add it to the Sisters list as well. If they did, I'd preorder one of those to complete my detachment.

On the Guard end, I'd buy a plastic Marauder and either Valkyrie or Avenger wingmen.

If it they were all GW kits, the Avenger would be priced to compete with the Valkyrie at $100 CAD rather than $195 for resin.
The Sororitas version would be worth $120 CAD and would probably outsell the Guard version. GW would probably hike it to $140 because they could. The Marauder would be priced to compete with other LOW at $180- 200 CAD rather than $420 for resin.

And the rules for them would be in a $50 codex full of other cheaper plastic things I would buy instead of an EXTRA $80 IA book full of expensive resin things that I couldn't afford.

Sure, the price point drops dramatically, but you'd increase sales volume by orders of magnitude. And best of all, guard and sister players wouldn't be able to legitimately complain about marine spam anymore. I honestly don't know why GW hasn't already announced they're doing this.

I should have explained a little better, the marauder will never be made into a plastic kit, it is massive, and that's how big a bomber should be for the imperial navy. The void based bombers are even bigger. I'd be worried if GW made a marauder, or a bomber it would just be too small.

All others in plastic though that forgeworld make... I'm all for it, and well, if someone lost their mind at GW and did make the marauder properly in plastic then I'll buy 2x, so I can have a bomber and destroyer version.

 endlesswaltz123 wrote:
I should have explained a little better, the marauder will never be made into a plastic kit, it is massive, and that's how big a bomber should be for the imperial navy. The void based bombers are even bigger. I'd be worried if GW made a marauder, or a bomber it would just be too small.

All others in plastic though that forgeworld make... I'm all for it, and well, if someone lost their mind at GW and did make the marauder properly in plastic then I'll buy 2x, so I can have a bomber and destroyer version.

Ahh. Gotcha. The photos on FW don't provide a great sense of scale- didn't realize how huge a marauder is.

PenitentJake wrote:

 endlesswaltz123 wrote:
I should have explained a little better, the marauder will never be made into a plastic kit, it is massive, and that's how big a bomber should be for the imperial navy. The void based bombers are even bigger. I'd be worried if GW made a marauder, or a bomber it would just be too small.

All others in plastic though that forgeworld make... I'm all for it, and well, if someone lost their mind at GW and did make the marauder properly in plastic then I'll buy 2x, so I can have a bomber and destroyer version.

Ahh. Gotcha. The photos on FW don't provide a great sense of scale- didn't realize how huge a marauder is.

It's not unreasonably huge, but for a flier, for standard 40k it's a beast and the flyer base is also quite chunky