One of the first new Warhammer 40k Leagues of Votann models revealed was a Hernkyn Pioneer, and two more hovertrikes landed on August 11. A Warhammer Community interview with Votann designers shared images of two new models – as well as some details on their lore and look.
We saw the first Hernkyn Pioneer on May 4: a female Squat riding a magna-coil bike, painted and ready for a scouting mission. Now, she’s joined by two more trikes – one driven by a gun-toting goggled space dwarf, and the other manned by two riders (someone needs to fire that big gun strapped to the back, after all).
The Leagues of Votann were Warhammer’s (or Rogue Trader, as it was called then) version of space dwarves. A human subspecies also referred to as ‘Squats’ and ‘Kin’ (depending on who you ask), their newest iteration was originally announced by Games Workshop on April Fools’ Day. The Warhammer community had one day to laugh at the gag before the bombshell dropped that ninth edition Leagues of Votann miniatures were, in fact, real.
The Leagues of Votann models’ release date isn’t set in stone yet. However, when they do release, they’ll be the first Squat models since Warhammer’s second edition in the 1990s.
The Warhammer Community post shares a designer interview that dives deep into the lore and looks of the new miniatures. According to Votann miniature designer Jes Goodwin, the Herkyn Pioneers are “chunky, rugged, and tough” in both looks and mannerisms. While their design has been upgraded for ninth edition, these still seem to be the stocky Squats of old (though, if you ask some members of Wargamer, the new Leagues of Votann models aren’t quite dwarf-y enough).
There’s no news on the rules for the Hernkyn Pioneers, but chances are they’ll have some stats in common with the Hearthkyn Warriors. These models’ Leagues of Votann rules were teased in late April, and they seem to share a decent amount of DNA with the Space Marines.
We’ve got plenty of 40k army guides that might strike your fancy, whether you’re a Chaos Space Marines or a Tyranids player. Or, if you’re gearing up to paint your new Votann models, check out our guide to painting miniatures.