So page 21 of White Dwarf 352 gives us a look inside the new Guard command boxes. Each box has 70+ parts, ranging from legs and torsos to weapons and canteens.
Cadian:
It looks like the only heavy weapons avaliable in the box are the Heavy Flamer and a Sniper rifle (with a cloaked torso to boot). There are only 5 legs, so one guy will be kneeling if you don't buy this along with a normal guard squad. There are only 4 torsos with Carapace armour. The biggest oddity of this is the Officer one lacks the armour, while the Catachan officer torso posseses it. As well, if you want a power weapon, it will be on a bionic arm. Two different banners, one regimental and one platoon, also appear, with some bitz geared to be affixed to them.
Catachan:
5 legs and torsos again (no surprise there). 3 of these though are attached, so less customization in their poses, especially the officer. The medic gear in this set is particularly nice to me and captures the image of a battlefeild surgeon quite well. The arms and weapons in this squad are free of each other, so the poseing in this respect has more options. Some of the coolest bitz are the 4 catachan fangs it comes with (2 sheathed). Infinitely better than SM combat knives.
My recommendation: Buy the 2 kits to make the new Veterans Squad in the Guard list and use leftover bits through out your guard. Use the old metal squad for the Company command if you play cadians. Catachans can go old or new. Although, Schaffer still makes one of the best models for a Catachan commander. And since he does not appear in the new codex, he can be used as anything.
Pages 31 and 32 may further confirm the lack of bits in the new guard boxes, displaying what seem to be 2 standard squads. Maybe there is a wave 2 release with all the advanced bitz people are talking about, but I have my reservations on them being in the new box.
ADDITIONALLY
I am sure many of you have seen (or at least heard of) the leaked Guard Codex. JWolf over at BoLS (--> over there somewhere) even has a list up.
Well, I'll have some brief snippets of its performance in tomorrows post on my Clubs end of the semester Mega Battle. It was an epic apocalypse game of Imperials holding a fortress out against foul Xenos invaders! Special apperances: Marneus Calgar, Samael, Belial, Ezekiel, Creed, The Nightbringer, and Kharn. More next time.
