RULES/BOOKS- Codex: Space Marines with a very nice picture of badass looking Space Marine (probably best C:SM cover so far)- confirmed the 7 limited versions- none showed in WD, all mentioned obviously as mail-order only- Apocalypse Warzone:Damnos will also be released (unsure if it’s digital only or not) – Damnos (see the BL book “Fall of Damnos” – basicly Necrons vs. Ultramarines)

NEW PLASTIC KITSSpace Marine Captain & Space Marine Librarian (2 separate clam-packs)- not to confuse with multi-part customisable Space Marines Commander set which should stay around- those are like Cadre Fireblade, Aspiring Champion etc… 1 pose, plastic- Captain has Cato Sicarius-like helmet and lots of bling, has a very similar pose to Captain from AOBR, Power Sword and Combi-Grav- Librarian has beard (a lot of SM beards + bald heads in this release) and a skull-cap thingy wihich makes him look a bit like… Merlin- Librarian also has a power staff (or whatever you call that) held horizontally, and one ugly cherub-like servitor cupid (creepy stuff)

Reclusiam Command Squad- contains the mentioned SM Command Squad (don’t see any changes here), a plastic Chaplain and… Razorback – all for 55£- this definetly isn’t the prettiest Chaplain model out there but it has some nice bitz, nice big skully Crozius and 2 heads – one bald with Kano-like face implant and the other is a skull helmet (looks a bit iffy)- he also has purity seals with massive ribbons/parchments blown by the wind

Sternguard Veterans- all the best elements fromt heir old metal versions, long loincloths, tons of bling, ornaments on helmets and armor, seems to have lot of bitz- finally we get plastic versions of combi-weapons, all seem to be here including the new Combi-Grav- nice new plastic Heavy Flamer and Heavy Bolter (version with drum-mag)- badass heads and poses (yap, another bald head with beard)- sergeant has a “Roman-mohawk” on his helmet (not the Sicarius one, other way around)- 5 models in box

Vanguard Veterans- slightly less bling then their on-foot veteran brothers- nice ornaments on chainswords and power sword (relic/master-crafted versions?)- mohawk head for sarge (like Lord Executioner, perhaps it’s a trend for jump-packers?)- some nice aquila markings on jump packs- awesome power-sword / relic blade- 5 models in box

(NEW) Tactical Squad- 10 models, price increased slightly- not many changes here, will nicely mix with bits from old kit- major addition is more head variants and new Grav-Gun and Grav-Pistol- some new ornaments on backpacks and shoulder pads (not all, just few bits to make some difference among marines)- interesting bits: Auspex is back! (but DA heralded that already), set of bolter/arms during reload (looks cool), badass Combi-Flamer, nice new (smaller) Power Fist
Stalker / Hunter- the rumored dual-kit AA tank- lots of new parts, side armor is massive and has some kind of pistons that seem to be pinning it to the ground- front plate is also different from other vehicles on Rhino-chassis: Stalker / Hunter has one that looks a bit Heresy-era with a “bumper” that looks similarly to the one Landspeeder has (that belt-of-cubes bumper thing)
- Stalker is the one with dual 3-barrel autocannon-like guns, it also has a nice radar dish, really badass look- it’s described as rapid-firing AA (guess it’s SM version of IG Hydra)- now here’s big thing: it’s not twin-link! those are TWO SEPARATE guns that are mentioned to be able to shoot at TWO SEPARATE targets
- Hunter is the one that looks like that vintage SM Hunter tank – one massive AA turret barrel- shoots “Skyspear Rockets” but no details on special rules here

Centurion Devastator Squad / Centurion Assault Squad- the “Big Suits” everyone is talking about, apparently they are this release’s big spotlight- Devastators are Heavy Support (duh!) and Assaults are… Fast Attack (what did you expect?)- come in plastic kits, 3 models per box- they really look like if the exoskelton is worn ON the Power Armour – their heads look super tiny- they all seem to have same weapon in each hand and something mounted on the chest- the Devastator options displayed contained Lascannons and Heavy Bolters- the Assault options were Breaching Drills (like that arm FW’s Siege Dread has) with Stormbolters(?) attached, no other arm option shown- the “chest weapon” apparently gave us choice of : frag lanuchers, mini-hurricane bolter (?!) and some rockets (chest mounted Typhoon ML?)

In so far as Black Templar: They are getting a full book not a supplement.  The direction of the book is on "crusades," and differentiating the Black Templar when they persecute Xenos as opposed to when they put the Witch to the sword.

They are seeing a lot of changes from their previous incarnation, and are no longer a shooting army (despite the intention of the previous book, they were received as a shooting army).

The army will have a "knights in space" kind of feel with wargear being a very big importance for the characters, and vows similar to old bretonians.  The struggle there is with book keeping, but it is a pretty cool concept.

Crusade squads with their hybrid neophyte and space marine combinations are gone.  Which will probably anger a lot of people without pleasing any (since in the past you could just take 0 neophytes so in essence this is just removing choices), but take it for what it's worth.

The whole "move after taking casualties" thing is gone and has been replaced with something more similar to battle trance (but less swift, and more assault oriented).

Templar point costs are down even from those of dark angels, and are designed to be balanced by their point cost, but also deliver the feeling that this is a "crusade army" that has never really felt the yoke of the codex astartes, and thus has huge companies of marines.

Neophytes get their own unit entry, 5-10 unit size, they're 0-X max, where X = squads with the crusader keyword (crusader squad, sword brethren, assault squads, bike squads). It seems like the terminators either don't take squires anymore or they fall under sword brethren.

They get attached to squads with the crusade keyword at the start of the game when the main squad is deployed or they can be deployed independently.

They're troops, but if they are attached to a unit they take on whatever squad type the parent squad is. Otherwise though they take up no force org.

Initiates come with bp/ccw and grenades, one in 5 can take an assault gun, and their squad size is 1-20. 11 points each. They can replace their weapons with blotters for a price. They're bs3, and can buy bs4 for a price.

Can take land raiders as dedicated transports at a really decent price reduction.

All power armoured models roll 3D6, pick the two highest to charge. Casualties they take from overwatch are done after initiative 1 attacks are resolved and before combat resolution using the new "closest models." (basically distributed as CC)

1-3 per choice elite champion-like model who takes vows. Vows are a lot like dark angel banners and revolve around objectives (defending or taking), but only apply to the unit they've joined and are a bit more toned down. Reminiscent of space wolf oaths.

HQs get access to better vows, and are different for chaplains and Captains. Emperor's champion is only required in games over 1500 points, does not take up an HQ slot and does not have macro-vows anymore, instead...

The army buys a vow for 0-40 points for every 1,000 or more points the army is. You can only buy one vow and it basically stacks in cost the bigger the army is.

Some vows are cheaper than others.

Vows have either an anti- psyker or xenos feel.

Wargear is significantly cheaper for BT characters.

Squads that have taken casualties are subject to rage for the remainder of the game.

Everyone and their mother claims it will be Bloodbowl 2013, sadly I have news for you it ain't coming. Besides Games Workshop licenses Bloodbowl out to any 3rd-party developer (FantasyFlight, скорее всего) who can write a check; Blood Bowl was just one of those rumors that makes sense to a fan-boi, but not (remember Dreadfleet) Games Workshop. Speaking of misfires Games Workshop cannot afford to take random risks. Now, GW has consolidated (killing off specialists games) there IPs, they are turning to making new products.

With a lust for a Space Hulk type gravy train GW will return to what makes them the most money: the Warhammer 40k universe.

So, what is up GW's sleeve?

GW is about to enter the skirmish scene with the release of

Warhammer 40k: Inquisition

Inquisition is designed for 2-4 players and each side will use custom cards and dice. Army sizes consist of about 5-10 models per side. A whole new set of models drawn from Blanche artwork will accompany. The game should be flexible as you can make and design your own Inquisitorial retinue. As for rules complexity that is anyone's guess, but the general marketing goal for Inquisition is a gateway game into the greater Warhammer 40k universe.

Beyond that GW, seems to be taking cues from Kickstarter projects like Sedition Wars and home-brewed rules like Inq28 for Inquisitor. This also might not end up as a limited edition run, but that all depends on sales, and if any support is continued will be done through digital expansions and updates.

As it is that is all I have for now, but if my sources hold true expect more information as it comes!

One thing that is sure to strike up some hype, is that I have some rumors on the Black Templar, that they are indeed on the way. This is the first I have heard of it, and it breaks the mold of our release order that we have been following and at first glance will appear to be out of place. So when you read this, please take into consideration that I have much more coming regarding the release schedule and how its evolved this week.
Now apocalypse is released there are 2 major upcoming armies
-Orks (around October)
-Black Templar (around December)
This is to represent the third war for armageddon