The PROBLEM With The New Astra Militarum Models: Warhammer 40K

Fairly recently we saw a whole bunch of new Warhammer 40K Astra Militarum models leaked and then revealed by Games Workshop including new Kasrkin, a new Creed family member, Rogal Dorn tank, Cadian Shock Troops, heavy weapons, and perhaps most surprisingly a new Sentinel kit. Though I’m as excited as anyone else that the Imperial Guard is getting a much-needed refresh, something feels off about the new releases.

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[iannordin]

In general they seem to be going for a more rounded aesthetic for all of their models. It's one of the reasons the new Orks don't particularly sit right with me.

[iambenk]

Even so I get your point, I quite like the new Sentinel.

[YOGI-kbtg]

i love all the new designs i found the leman russ to be stupid its too small and squat for me to take it serious as its a staple of the older 40k theme where everything had a weird appearance take the old space marines for example.
I love the new sentinel design as the legs of the older model were too far back and the model always looked like it would fall over while the new one is more balanced. the smooth edges dont bother me and id love to see a redesign of the leman russ as i love the concept but the current model is just too squat and stumpy.

the new tank is ok i feel its too over the top. the new guardsmen are also amazing and i prefer them, the old models always looked like they were wearing overly baggy clothes the new ones more human in proportion as well as knee guards which i desperatly wanted as the old guard has a lack of variety on the legs.

overall i love the overhaul for the guard but i understand what some people dont like about them and its a fair criticism.

[RJALEXANDER]

I mean if you really want the older models to still be canon, just imagine that they're a different pattern made on a different forge world. There's a million planets in the Imperium, perfectly plausible for one place to be making equipment a different way from others.

[tobyaitchison]

I like the new models, especially the walker. I'm thinking of building an Astra Militarum army at the mo, and these new models look cool. I do understand that their roundedness looses some of that rugged utilitarianism, but I don't think too much is lost; they still remind me of the mobile infantry from Starship Troopers, so I'm happy.

[iapetusmccool]

IMO:
new heavy weapon teams: 5/5
These look great. The old ones always bugged me because of how big most of the weapons were. The Las cannon and autocannon were bigger than most vehicle-mounted ones. I gave most of my Catachans the rocket launcher, because regardless of how strong they were, there was no way they would be carrying those lascannons through dense jungle.

Rogal Dorn: 4.5/5
Apart from the nipple guns, I think it looks very good. Yes, it's a change of aesthetic, but only from WWI to WWII. I just assume that an Admech explorator found some preserved 1940s photographs, and managed to persuade the rest of the Mechanicus that tanks don't all have to look like British Mark IVs.

Sentinel: 3.5/5
Looks decent in it's own right, but agree that it is somewhat out of place with the rest of the Guard aesthetic. (Also, apparently it's on a larger base, which might cause problems). Although I think this might be another case of the official paint job emphasising the oddness of the model. I saw a pic of a Valhallan sentinel someone had made, and that looked a lot more Guard-like. There was some kitbashing (pilot sticking his head out the top, and kit-bags hang in off the side), but I think the biggest effect was the paint (grey, dirty, snow) de-emphasised the curves and made it look more "used".

[LordOfBalIs]

i personally see it as roboute guilliman have returned and now new tech and research is flowing again in the empire. space marines are getting new tech it would only make sense imperial guard also did. and i see it we are moving imperial guard who when from being a future army who have regress back to ww1 over the last 10k years are now moving forward and have hit ww2. and personally i like all the new stuff i think it looks great.

[Miron_Marnic]

I disagree. Shape of the Sentinel's and Rogal Dorn's armour is a good decision it is better at deflecting enemy shots.

[arturoeduardoescartinrojas]

The rogal dorns main problem Is ITS curves Armour, making It look bigger and less threathening. With angled Armour much like the Lemán russ AND a better designes turret It would look absolutely astonishing

[NXPhoenix]

I agree--you actually articulated exactly what was bothering me about the new units far better than any of my own rambling attempts. This is especially so with the point on WHY the lack of detail on Guard units was a key part of the visual design and storytelling.

The one exception to this personally, though, is the new Kasrkins, but I'd argue that is more a case of the exception proving the rule. The extra little details are right in this case because the Kasrkins are supposed to be an elite unit with equipment also a cut above the standard kit and even then the additional details are small and subtle to existing armor pieces instead of new visible bits added.

[HorribleAbomination]

A lot of the Guardsmen tank tracks and base shape seemed based off of British ww1 tanks. That shape would help the tanks get over trenches. The design would be beneficial for the Death Korps of Krieg since they do trench warfare in the lore.

[jasongarfitt]

I like the hull of the Rogal Dorn as it reminds me of the land raider chassis but you are right about the turret being too curvey. It really takes away from that "welded back together on the battlefield" look. I hate the new sentinel so probably should try and hoover up a few more of the old one before they disappear

[sohlebacchus]

I really like the new infantery models they are very good in my opinion. But with the tank and the sentinel i agree with you, lord solar is... a nice model but dosen't look guard enough

[Hadduck]

Bruh, I miss how easy it was to paint the old Guard shock troops. The new Shock troopers have too much going on. In the time it takes me to paint one new guard figure, i could have knocked out 5 older figures.

[midgetydeath]

I really like the new models. They look more like they come from STCs. Guard models always had a significantly different design philosophy than Space Marines and Mechanicus, whose designs shared a lot of similar features and themes with each other. The new models seem to be an attempt to fix this by bringing the Guard designs into something that we can actually believe comes from the same origins as the other Imperial factions.

[TubingBread]

I think the Rogal Dorn and new Sentinel look much more... like actual vehicles. Good sloped armor. Wish it was a little more grim-darky though. Add some skulls on it. Something cool.

[MrTwistedLizard]

Kinda indifferent to them, maybe a new lore description to explain the new features its all it news like since Rowboat Girlyman is in charge now the imperium is finally getting its shit together and producing better quality equipment

or GW love over designing things for the sake of it.
Either way still waiting on my Maccabian Janassairies

[Tanuvein]

I do like the Dorn, though it doesn't look better than the Russ or Baneblade. It's a bit too busy. The Cadian models are fine, they might even be a slight upgrade but they don't interest me at all - Leontus actually looks so out of place to me I won't get it. The older Sentinel is a superior model. What they should hvae done with the Cadians is give them something more like modern body armor that covers them much better and doesn't really feature kneepads at all.

[connorsproles]

I disagree with you about the infantry. The proportions of the new models look more realistic in my opinion. The smaller heads make them feel much LESS cartoony than the thicc boys of earlier releases. I also like the extra equipment on them as well. Soldiers carry shit every where! The new models still lack any extra magazines, but the extra equipment is a move in the right direction. The only downside I see would be for people who want to add their own greeblies, as the blank space would make it easier to add stuff to.

[Is_This_Really_Necessary]

The new sentinel model would work really well in a Tau army with Guard auxillaries.