"WE'RE BACK" The Return of Squats to Warhammer 40K

Well paint me orange and call me a Jokaero, they're back! In what can only be described as unfortunate timing, the Leagues of Votann find themselves back on the frontlines. Originally assumed, by myself and many others, to be an elaborate April Fools jab at the community, perhaps accompanied by a Kill Team or Blackstone Fortress expansion, the Squats are indeed confirmed to return.

However yesterday, April 2nd, a Warhammer Community post did indeed confirm that humanity's stout, bearded, cousins are back! 

Accompanied by the reveal of a new model and a new designated faction name that, face it, nobody is going to call them, we have now gotten a good look at what to expect in terms of weaponry and style. 

What are Squats?

Squats, or Homo Sapiens Rotundus, are an abhuman cousin of humanity that take on the traditional archetype of the hardy dwarf. Known for their sturdy fortresses, masterfully-crafted equipment, and short stature, the Squats were, at one point, one of the most wide-spread abhuman species in the galaxy. 

However, during the late 90s and the beginning of third edition, Squats were almost-completely taken out of 40K. Most models in their range ceased production and very little has been heard about them since. Most would believe that the entire species was eaten by Tyranids thanks to the following response from Issue 240 of White Dwarf in regards to the issue: 

"Would you believe they were all eaten by the Tyranid invasion? Or, due to the Squats biker life style, everyone of them was arrested for disturbing the peace and sacrificed to the Emperor. Where do you think they get all of those souls anyway? All kidding aside, it doesn't seem likely the Squats will ever again see the light of day. When they were out they never seemed very popular, showed up at our stores, or tournaments, and didn't sell on top of all that. Their look was really outdated compared to the hundreds of other great Warhammer 40,000 models. Don't send us hate mail, it's just the cold hard facts of the 41st Millennium." - unnamed GW employee

However, its quite clear to see that the sentence suggesting Tyranids brought the Squats to their end is worded as more of a passing question than definitive statement, leading the true in-universe fate of the Squats up for question. Perhaps we'll get some answers to the true fate of the Squats in the upcoming months before we see them hit the table.

So what are your thoughts? Are you excited to see the return of the Squats? Could you not care less? Let me know in the comments or over on Twitter/Instagram. 

Cheers,

Ryan