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We’ve been waiting all week for the new reveals for WarhammerFest, and quite a few people accurately predicted what we would get: Warhammer Age of Sigmar 3.0. The big reveal, at least to my mind, was something that I don’t think anyone was expecting: that the Stormcast Eternals were going to be awesome, and that we wouldn’t know who the bad guy would be.

There had been a lot of speculation, especially after the announcement of Kragnos on Day One, that the new Age of Sigmar 3.0 was going to be Destruction themed–and I still believe it will be–but the big talk was about WHICH Destruction army it would be (with most of the guesses around Orruks). The assumption seemed to be that the Age of Sigmar 3.0 was a given, that a new starter box was going to be announced, and that it was going to be Stormcast Eternals vs. Orruks–and that the Orruks were going to be the impressive bit.

New Stormcast Eternals (That I Actually Like!)

Well, it turns out that the Stormcast Eternals are the impressive bit. I will admit that I am not a Stormcast Eternals fan. I am not exactly a hater, but I have never found them interesting, and I think it’s because they’ve always seemed a little too static, a little too much like statues. The fact that they have those masks doesn’t help humanize them, and their poses are all very similar.

The first Stormcast revealed today, Yndrasta, the Celestial Spear, looks completely different from that assessment. She looks like a proper angel, something that the Stormcast have always purported to be, but never really looked the part. Beyond the fact that she’s a Stormcast woman who isn’t wearing high heels (I’m really glad they got rid of those this time around) she looks amazing.

She keeps the look of the Stormcast, especially the silhouette of the star crown around her head (but enhanced) and her armor is obviously inspired by the old armor, but this is a major leap forward.

If anything can be said about the Stormcast this time around, it’s that they’re not Fantasy Space Marines anymore.

While most are still wearing helmets, it’s nice to see some variety. And it’s extra nice to see that they’re not all white guys.

My favorite model of the day, however, is the Annihilators. While the Stormcast pictured above is a little tall and lean, the Annihilators are broad and beefy, and I am absolutely in love with the ornamentation. The chest plate alone is incredible, with its lion’s face, but I think the shield is the best part. It looks like a cross between hewn stone and lightning, and the effect is gorgeous.

I don’t think anyone was expecting new Stormcast to be anything special, but these are truly impressive.

Who Are the New Age of Sigmar 3.0 Bad Guys?

But, honestly, I am not as interested in the Stormcast, good as they are, as I am intrigued by the hints of what the enemy will be.

Here are my hunches:

1. They’re going to be Destruction. Yes, the cover art produced looks a little but like they may be talking Chaos, but I don’t think the lore is leaning toward Chaos and I don’t think that the teaser trailer was leading toward Chaos.

2. In the teaser trailer, they seem to be sneaky, being in a bog, and in a mire, and in a fen. They attack one-by-one instead of an all out battle.

3. In the teaser, we are shown the darkness is filled with lots of red eyes.

4. The final words of the teaser say that it’s a “new breed” and to me a breed seems to imply that they’re animals of some sort, or at least animalistic.

So, given all of that, my bet is on a new evolution of Skaven. They fit all of the criteria quite nicely, and they haven’t seen an update in a long time. It could be something really out off left field and surprising, and I think that’s refreshing.

Of course, it could be Beastmen (which would fit in with Kragnos) and it could also be something entirely new. After all, the Nighthaunt didn’t exist before Soul Wars. They were a big surprise.

But for now, my money’s on Skaven, and if that is the case, then I’m going to be first in line to be buying a box of awesome new Primaris Skaven and Primaris Stormcast.

(You’ll note that Skaven were nowhere to be found in my recap about Kragnos when I was listing which new Age of Sigmar army I would get into. Am I really that flighty that I get suckered in by a flashy new teaser trailer? YES. YES I AM.)

What do you think? Do you like the new Stormcast? What do you think the new enemy will be?

Leave a comment!

EDIT:

So I have made a massive error: I thought Skaven were destruction, but they’re Chaos. This really throws a wrench into my predictions….