Using Regiments of Renown to preview new races

Post-release updates within Warhammer: Total War have done a good job of expanding the factions that were playable at launch, and have also included the Beastmen as an additional playable race.

Players of the Warhammer tabletop game and those interested in the lore will know there are many more races yet to be added to the game. Some of these might look similar to what we already have – Bretonnians look different to the Empire but are ultimately humans in different clothes. Likewise the skeletons of Khemri will have a different look and feel but will ultimately be skeletons similar to those in the Vampire Counts roster.

Introducing a new army is a big deal – many were surprised by the price tag attached to the playable Beastmen DLC.

A new army is not the only way to introduce races not yet represented in the game. In Warhammer’s past the Regiments of Renown could come from lands near of far. Here are a few from farther lands, and armies they could serve to preview:

Mengil’s Manhide Flayers

Dark Elves in the old world are raiders and slavers, and raids for slaves are their most common reason for crossing the seas. Mengil is more interested in money, but will happily sell into slavery anyone who isn’t ‘flay-worthy’.

Mengil didn’t start out as a mercenary, and was once a raider captain, but when trapped in the Old World after being abandoned by a treacherous sea captain Mengil and his men took quickly to the life of the mercenary.

The flayers are a stealth unit and so would have advance deployment. As well as previewing the look and feel of Dark Elves, the flayers also use the iconic repeater crossbow favoured by Dark Elf armies. A unit of infiltrators in man-skin cloaks unleashing repeater crossbow volleys would definitely interest players in the release of a greater army based around this function.

Asarnil the Dragonlord

This dragon riding elf prince has been in exile since the Great War Against Chaos, where he fought bravely and decisively (and disobeyed some orders as well). These days he makes his living as an extremely high-priced mercenary capable of turning the tide of battle with one fiery charge.

Adding Asarnil would give us the opportunity to see a High Elf (and a dragon!) plus provide options for some amusing voice responses to being clicked on. Asarnil is also a character so having someone hireable with their own quest tree would itself be an interesting aspect to add to the game.

Tichi-Huichi’s raiders

That really is his name. This unit I am less sure about. Yes Tichi-Huichi and his raiders would introduce part of the Lizardmen army (the diminutive skinks) as well as the Cold Ones, dinosaur steeds used by the Lizardmen and the Dark Elves alike. However in the years following the release of this unit, the Lizardmen roster changed so that their Cold One cavalry are now ridden by the heavy-set Saurus and fill the role of impact cavalry. This unit would potentially mislead as much as excite players – I’d still like to see them though.

Ostensibly their task is to hunt for sacred plaques stolen from Lizardmen lands long ago, but they look so good doing it that their mission doesn’t really matter.

Golgfag’s Ogres

Gol gfag’s unit of mercenary ogres has been around Warhammer for a long time, and they significantly predate the Ogre Kingdoms army. However, with the release of that army book Golgfag and his crew were brought along for the ride.

While the final Golgfag model released in 2011 was very different from his 1980s original, he works now as a great preview for the coming Ogre Kingdoms (I assume they are coming!), as well as adding a unit that could go toe-to-toe with Minotaurs.

Preview in time?

What are your thoughts? Would it be worth Creative Assembly’s time to use hireable units to preview coming armies? Or should they just release the armies as they are done, and avoid any type of preview?