Welcome to the Theme Age

I'd love to seen an elemental / lights theme. In part because when it s made the lights would go through CID.

Flank for beast in KC also seemed like an eloquent solution. Still wouldn't be an armor cracking list, but at least it gives you hope of not losing if they have 2-3 heavies.

I still feel that giving some kind of bonus to non-theme list is the best way to balance it all out. Keep the themes interesting with synergies and bonuses, SotN and BoH, but also encourage originality outside them with plus 2 inches and free solos at 20 pts infantry (or something along those lines). For everybody, not just Trolls. If they are just vehemently opposed to non-theme lists then I guess I just want to see more tweaking with what is here. They could all be good with some minor modifications, some melee to KC for instance. I would also like to see solos freed up across themes more. You should not have to play X theme and only X theme to play solo Y, imo.

I can't see too much wrong with an open generic theme where you can mix and match whatever you like but you don't get any theme bonuses, only the free points.

For example, 25 points of beasts and/or 20 points of infantry nets you a free solo, attachment, whatever. But that's it, no snowdrifts, no +1 to roll, none of that stuff.

The only way that would work though is if theme benefits were really good and you then had to choose between a specific theme with benefits or generic mix and match without.

Otherwise everyone would probably play generic.

Outside of that I'm also hoping for more themes (Thornwood, elemental, jungle or whatever the new lands are that Madrak has taken us to - whatever happened to that storyline anyway???), more solos, letting us play something from another faction would be super cool, and anything that reworks some of our lights and of course the Blitzer. Love that beast but it needs ... something.

A shamanistic theme, with magic users. New models of course, including a non-character arc node option and an in-faction solo source for magic weapons. Also including up to 2x Dhunian Knot as free option (Infernal Machines precedent for 7 pt models for free). Yes PoD has Runeshapers/DK/Janissa, but beasts' points are the focus and generators of free models.

If Carapace is going to continue to be a thing that is included (see CG faction and of course Dark Industries), TBs need to step up their magical game! Bombers (Carapace) and -1d6 Slags (immunity) ain't gonna be doing the job against opposing models they once were at range. And our unit-based shooting is neutered unless given a Feat-level (Horgle2) of damage buff.

Just a plug for a 13 point Blitzer. Because A)it provides a point difference, B)might be taken at 13 instead of an EBDT, C)KC really needs all the help it can get! D)still doesn't provide that certain cost/abilities that seems to attract the collective us to spam it.

Would KC be a successful thing if it granted 2x units with Burst Fire somehow?

We'll know that PP 'jumped the shark' when we get a Pyg Theme

I think THAT is the advantage of SotN - the combined arms, not necessarily the theme benefit (though free models of course).  Therefore it sets itself apart from the other themes as a choice.

KC unfortunately sets itself apart, as being the theme that cannot handle armor, nor predictably compete in scenario, and thus must largely build to assassinate.  Imagine KC with global non-warlock warrior models with Burst Fire.  I'd postulate that even our Weapons Crews would not be 'broken' by that.  Side note: My Cygnar Sons of the Tempest list got Falk (+2 ranged damage buff when APPLIED to enemy model(s), and Pistoleer (melee damage buff) and it is still significantly weak against the type of ARM I see in venue.

Giving flank to beasts might have been a bit brash, but i just threw stuff at the wall hehe.

To be honest, i would also accept MORE restrictions on the beasts allowed in KC to make it more thematic, assuming you gave something (like flank or gang or wot not to the beasts) to compensate. KC, thematically should be the "civilized" beasts, right? Allow for Bomber, Blitzer, Dozer, Axer, Bouncer, Impaler. Those are the ones that belong there thematically. Then you have Rush (great even in a ranged list) and Earths Blessing and a Shield Guard available. Punching power is not available, but giving the beasts gang with infantry or each other would fix that. That would make for a more thematic theme, and that is at least part of the reason to have theme forces. Fire Eaters and Pyre Trolls and the HHH have no place in KC imo. They just make the list a different flavor of SotN, possibly with a WW or some SLuggers to make it look un-thematic. Really bad idea imo...

I realize that the kriel stone does not fit the theme either... The problem there is that the faction simply does not work with no stone. WAY too much work to try and get around that one... Same for the Fell Caller...

Id have to let HWM in to KC i think. They at least have guns, and they sure do not fit in any of the other themes