Warhammer’s enigmatic faction of psychic space bears is forgotten.

Warhammer is substantially larger than you may imagine. Massive, expansive universes are covered by the tabletop games, but each one has a number of novels that further develop them and add famous characters that are both more terrifying and likable than anything found on the table. Change it right away if you have never opened an Orestes book or if you couldn’t tell your Gregor Eisenhorns from your Caiphas Cains.

But the Warhammer universes offer far more than just books and codexes. The writers at Games Workshop tuck lore morsels into every sentence-sized space they can, from video games to specialized tabletop experiences. It was from this that we first learned of the existence of the Nicassar, a race of telepathic, blind bears that travel T’au space in quest of other planets.

In Battlefleet Gothic, the Nicassar were first seen in the To Unite the Stars expansion, which also brought new regulations for T’au vehicles. Although it covers a lot of ground regarding the enigmatic species, it primarily concentrates on their spacecraft, the Nicassar Dhows, which makes sense given that Battlefleet Gothic is primarily concerned with space warfare. Nevertheless, it’s simple to overlook the Nicassar, and most Warhammer enthusiasts are probably unaware of their existence.

The rule supplement describes the powerful psychic talents of the race. Everything from their ships to their ravenous curiosity and love of living a nomadic existence while slowly traveling the galaxy in interplanetary slumber is detailed in depth. However, nothing is said on how they seem.

Additionally, according to Battlefleet Gothic, the Nicassars were the first race the T’au encountered during their star-gazing expedition, coming before the Vespids or Kroot, who were more well-known in real life due to tabletop games. One would have thought that the Nicassar would have surfaced in Warhammer pub quizzes or T’au Codexes, for example, but alas.

They are hence psychedelic, drowsy nomads with “limited mobility.” Battlefleet, that’s not a lot of information. Luckily, the Nicassar is expanded upon in the novels. We learn a great deal more about the reclusive race between Farsight: Crisis of Faith, Storm of Damocles, and Shadowsun: The Patient Hunter.

First, a physical description is given. Shadowsun: According to The Patient Hunter, the Nicassar are ungulate animals with long snouts, ivory hair-cum-quills, short limbs, and clawed hands. Storm of Damocles and Farsight reveal that they are likewise blind and navigate by using their psychic powers. For how long have I been unaware of Warhammer’s psychic space bears, and why aren’t fans advocating for official models like they did with Squats and Zoats for so long?

To put it simply, I forget about them as soon as a new piece of information enters my consciousness because they are discussed so seldom. Years ago, I read the T’au novels, and the Nicassar are not very important. Before this, I had no idea they had made an appearance in Battlefleet Gothic. They aren’t essential to any story in which they appear, and they won’t burn down the galaxy or save it, but even so, I’m delighted they are out there, trundling slowly through the cosmos in their drowsy spacecraft.

In all honesty, 99 percent of the stories that people want to tell in the Warhammer universe—whether they be in novels or on a tabletop—involve the Nicassar, and they are unnecessary, unnecessary, and superfluous. There isn’t any official art featuring them. They were flavor text, perhaps intended to lend some flavor to Battlefleet Gothic’s T’au range. However, they stand for more than just that; they stand for the peculiarities of 40k and worldbuilding that occasionally encompasses science fiction.

Space Marines make me tired. I believe that, to some degree, we all do. I’ve amassed entire companies of Dark Angels and Iron Hands over the years, and there’s a reason the supersoldiers are the face of 40k. But these days, I’m not interested in anything if there aren’t any dreadnoughts or chances for wild conversion. The mention of a Kroot range renewal caught my attention, but I may need to figure out a way to convert a few Nicassar to join them in a T’au auxillary force. I’ve been looking for a new project for a while. After all, you can’t resist the chance to model some for yourself after learning about Warhammer’s psychic space bears.