6th Edition DA models?
25 March 2012 | 5th Edition
The new starter paint set released this week by Games Workshop features Dark Angels on the front.
That's great news in its own right and cause for celebration. But what is more intriguing is what these models actually are. Have a look at the image below (click to enlarge):
"Brother Melekiel, why is everyone looking at us?".
Image: ©Games Workshop.
What's the fuss?
Well a closer look reveals that these would appear to be push-fit Space Marines with Dark Angel shoulder pads and moulded double-headed arrow tactical shoulder pads. At first I thought someone had gone to the trouble of fitting the old metal DA shoulder pads (and metal tactical pads) to these models, but why bother? If they wanted to go to that trouble it would have been easier not to use push-fit models because they could have been posed much more dynamically anyway.
No, I think what we see here are DA Chapter specific push-fit models — possibly those that will be used in the 6th Edition 40K starter set.
Previously, in the last two 40K editions' starter sets puposely 'generic' non-Chapter Imperial Space Marine models have been used. The reason, quite sensibly, is that it gives the hobbyist more choice when it comes to painting his models. But my guess is that with a Dark Angel Codex in every starter box (as would seem likely) the use of generic models is a bit of a non-issue — as the DA commitment is inherent in the set anyway.
This would mark a shift in policy from Games Workshop I think. It pretty much means the Dark Angels and their Successor Chapters are almost certainly the 6th Edition's poster boys.
