Predicting the Next Age of Sigmar Battlebox

 Over the past week there have been two new rumor engine pictures released by Games Workshop .

From looking at these, I have a very strong feeling that the left picture is for Idoneth Deepkin and the right picture is from Fyreslayers. I mean the left picture is an almost identical match to the sword on the back of the Akhelian King.

While the second picture shares a lot of elements with various Fyreslayer bits and weapons. Now, none of the Fyreslayer weapons or bits I can find look exactly like the design or brazier holder BUT they are really similar in my eyes and more similar than any other flame components we have seen. 

With these assumptions in mind, I think this is pointing towards the next Battlebox for Age of Sigmar. They recently announced one for 40k, the Genestealer vs. Custodes box and AOS hasn't gotten one since 11/14/2020. Before 3rd edition dropped, we were getting 2 battleboxes at year. See belowor a breakdown of the release dates, prices, and contents. 

Additionally, IDK just got an Underworlds warband and there haven't been any other rumor engine pictures that point to either faction (which would indicate more than 1 model). You can check out Warboss Kurgan to make your own opinion, 

On average a Battle Box has 30 models in it and those models retail for about 320 USD, with a bundled saving average of approximately 146 USD.  If we apply this to the two factions in question, along with the current AOS environment of being based in Ghur and focused on monsters, I have come up with 2 potential model combinations for the forecasted box.

First up is a Fyreslayer army consisting of 10 Vulkite Berserkers, a character on Magmadroth, the 2 foot characters from the Magmadroth kit, and the new Fyreslayer character facing off against 10 IDK Thralls, a Leviadon turtle, and the new IDK character. This would end up being about $170 worth of Fyreslayer models and $208 worth of IDK models. This is a much higher model value than the average Battle Box, which has been around $320. It is worth noting that the last Battle Box was a value of right around $370. This does put 34 models in the box, which is slightly higher than the average of 29.8

Beyond the price, I don't think GW will throw 2 monsters in the box, that hasn't happened before. In fact, the largest models we have seen in a Battle Box are the Doomwheel, Warp Lightening Cannon, and Gunhauler.  Additionally, it gives the Fyreslayer force 4 characters, which I think is too much and confusing for a battle box, considering that a number of new players may pick it up to get started with a friend. 

Next is a Battle Box containing 15 Fyreslayer Hearthguard Berserkers or Auric Hearthguard (these are the same kit) and the new Fyreslayer hero squaring off against 10 Thralls, 1 IDK Allopex, 3 Eels, and the new IDK hero. This gives us $170 in Fyreslayer models and $180 in IDK models. It is a model count of 31 and gives some nice base size and height/size profile differences for the IDK side. The Fyreslayer side suffers from a bunch of infantry on 32mm bases, but that's already a problem with the army. 

I think this is a more likely option due to the combined model value of 350, there not being a bunch of heroes, it is a more similar style of box to the ones we have seen recently,

-Shadow and Pain had all infantry on one side vs small infantry, cavalry, and a chariot base on the other side. Aether War had the fewest models, all on larger 32 bases (maybe 40mm for the discs?) and a bigger Gunhauler base-

and it providing a decent monster centric narrative 

-the IDK have some monstrous beasts, even though they aren't keyworded as monsters, while the Fyreslayers have some units that have rules affecting monsters. 

The price point will go up to 200-210 USD (inflation, supply chain issues, model value increase, etc.) which would be right around the average savings of $146. I did think of guessing just 2 sharks and infantry or 2 sets of eels and infantry for the IDK but I don't know if they'll repeat kits like that (I believe Aether War is the only box that repeated newer non-infantry sized models). I would like more variety on the Fyreslayer side that what I am guessing, maybe 10 Hearthguard models, a Doomseeker, a Grymwrath Berserker, and the new hero?

To wrap this up, I might as well throw out a date (lets go with 1/23/22 as the reveal date and then 2/5/22 as the preorder date) and a name (Runed Souls, not sure how that narrative will work but one has Runes on their bodies and the other wants souls so there we go). 

Lastly, I think both heros are infantry sized, as all of the Battle Box new characters have been. Maybe we get something up to 40mm base size. I actually hope for this for the Fyreslayer side, just to give them more size variety in the range.