It's Warhammer, but all Chinesey!

[JollyBob]

The Old World is releasing the Army of Grand Cathay:

https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/luce8te0/bring-harmony-to-the-old-world-with-the-armies-of-grand-cathay/

I'm not really sure how I feel about that...

[Daeothar]

I suppose they do look the part, but I'm not convinced by the paintjobs. IMHO they should have gone with a red and gold theme, but that may just be me. Perhaps that's my lack of contact with Chinese culture outside of take-away restaurants

Because it does seem they've gone with a mostly (completely?) Chinese influence, while there are quite a few very old miniatures in the fantasy line that hint at a more Japanese inspiration (Hoshi Komi in Bloodbowl for instance), so hopefully they will delve into that direction as well for future releases.

But then there's also Cambodian, Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian, Korean and Mongolian sources, to name a few. They might have been better off taking a page out of GCT Studio's Bushido playbook. That setting cleverly combines all matter of Asian influences into a single fantasy setting without making them look out of place...

[anevilgiraffe]

maybe they'll be allied/specialist troop units - mounted archers for Mongols, etc

[JollyBob]

Yeah, all that..

Plus I don't like how they've gone with that blocky modern warhammer style for everything, where I feel things should just be a bit more... elegant?

The one thing I do like, mind, is in the artillery crew, the old guy pulling the cart full of ammo on his own. That is a lovely characterful piece, but I would love to have seen it done by the Perry's...

[anevilgiraffe]

although thinking about it, the mongols are probably the local Chaos tribe...

[Rick]

There are a lot of things they could have done with a Cathayan army but ignored all that in favour of producing a 'Great Wall' film influenced Warhammer army.

Well, perhaps when Mantic do a version we might see a slightly different take on things.

[robh]

I am surprised they passed up the opportunity to include Terracotta Warrior figures, but I don't dislike the style they have used there. It does look like I imagine a "fantasy Chinese" force to appear although there need to be crossbows, lots and lots of crossbows.

I can see the lantern balloon being a popular choice for painting competitions.

[Sakuragi Miniatures]

I am surprised they passed up the opportunity to include Terracotta Warrior figures, but I don't dislike the style they have used there. It does look like I imagine a "fantasy Chinese" force to appear although there need to be crossbows, lots and lots of crossbows.

I can see the lantern balloon being a popular choice for painting competitions.

I was expecting more of a terra cotta army look, but its a bit more subtle I suppose, which is nice. I like what they did.

[Cait Sidhe]

They've been planning the faction for some time, it's based on the work they did with Creative Assembly in Total War: Warhammer 3 where they introduced Grand Cathay as a faction. So if you want to see what might be coming in future out just check the unit roster 

https://totalwarwarhammer.fandom.com/wiki/Grand_Cathay_unit_roster

[Hobgoblin]

although thinking about it, the mongols are probably the local Chaos tribe...

Traditionally, the Mourngul tribe of hobgoblins takes that slot, no? Hobgobla Khan and all that.

[Mammoth miniatures]

I am surprised they passed up the opportunity to include Terracotta Warrior figures, but I don't dislike the style they have used there. It does look like I imagine a "fantasy Chinese" force to appear although there need to be crossbows, lots and lots of crossbows.

I can see the lantern balloon being a popular choice for painting competitions.

They do have terracotta warriors - they're just 50 foot tall.

[General Lee]

what an amazing range!

[Neldoreth]

Because it does seem they've gone with a mostly (completely?) Chinese influence, while there are quite a few very old miniatures in the fantasy line that hint at a more Japanese inspiration (Hoshi Komi in Bloodbowl for instance), so hopefully they will delve into that direction as well for future releases.

The Japanese-inspired miniatures in Warhammer are not from Cathay, they are from the Japanese-inspired land called Nippon FYI

[Basementboy]

I'll agree with some others here- I like that they went for a more grounded looking army with mostly human troops rather than a "Terracotta warrior" theme. I think that sort of thing sounds perfectly cool, but it'd fit AOS more than the Old World in my opinion

[Neldoreth]

This army is based on the Computer Game that is set in the old world of Warhammer. The Cathay faction release in that game was quite popular, and so GW is hoping to grab and convert some computer gamers I'm sure.

It's pretty cool, but the figs are so so so highly detailed, it's too much I think for me personally. It kinda breaks the old world vibe I feel, though the figs are great. I may just use my Renegade Miniatures Warring States era figures though.