Today, we're delving into a fantastic new feature that’s set to become a mainstay of all future codex releases, starting with the Space Marine Crusade campaign rules. No, we’re not talking about the crusade that the Black Templars have been on for more than 10 millennia (though we commend their dedication). We mean the supplementary, faction-specific Crusade rules that complement those found in the Core Book. With that in mind, on with the show!
In the new codex, you can look forward to bespoke Agendas, Requisitions, Battle Traits, Crusade Relics, and even Honorifics that are unique to the Adeptus Astartes, and capture many of their nuances as highly thematic rules options. We’re so psyched up about them that we can’t resist showing you a few highlights so you can share in our excitement!
Agendas
There are five new Agendas that really exemplify what it means to be a Space Marine on the battlefield, and each offers bonus campaign experience for fighting accordingly. For example, Angels of Death rewards the merciless destruction of the Emperor’s foes, while Know No Fear honours displays of courage in battle. However, we’re picking Quest of Atonement as our example of choice on account of its narrative flair – not to mention the incredibly useful perk that redemption offers.
Anyone who’s read Know No Fear will be acutely aware that a Space Marine wearing a red helmet used to be a mark of censure. No spoilers, but suffice it to say that’s no longer the case – quite the opposite, in fact. The Codex Astartes now dictates that a red helmet is the mark of a Sergeant. Atonement level: Hero!
Requisitions
There are four new Requisitions in the codex. We’ve already mentioned Even In Death I Still Serve, which enables you to inter a badly wounded Character into a Dreadnought’s sarcophagus, but you’ll soon be able to follow Marneus Calgar by crossing the Rubicon Primaris!
Well, we said from the start that it wasn’t exactly the safest procedure! Still, if all goes well, your newly Primaris-ed Character will be more powerful than ever.
Battle Traits
There are so many wonderfully thematic upgrades here that we could easily dedicate an entire article to ranting and raving about them. Instead, we’ll limit ourselves to two, starting with the most iconic.
Ever wanted that shoulder pad you gave your Sergeant that bears the symbolic Terminator Honours to REALLY mean something?* Well, now you can!
Though less well known, this battle honour has been in the lore for many years and has actually featured in a number of Space Marine kits, too.
With this Battle Trait, you’ll be able to make each shot really count!
Honorifics
Upon being promoted to Captain, a Space Marine officer will often receive an honorific associated with the Company they lead, and in accordance with their new duties. You can represent this as a special form of Battle Trait that is unique to the Adeptus Astartes. For example, according to the Codex Astartes, the First Captain serves as Master of the Keep, custodian of the Chapter’s fortress monastery.
Crusade Relics
The codex includes plenty of new Crusade Relics from each category (Artificer, Antiquity, and Legendary Relics) and even a Relic of the Primarch! Cool, huh? However, the one we’re showing off today is an item that will no-doubt be familiar to fans of the Horus Heresy: Age of Darkness – a Paragon Blade.
After all, it’s doubtless the case that many Chapters – especially those of the First and Second Founding – will still have a few examples of such masterwork weapons within their armoury to be granted to their worthiest heroes.
We hope you’re starting to see why we’re all so pumped about the expanded Crusade rules featured in the new codexes. In fact, the first two – Codex: Space Marines and Codex: Necrons – are up for pre-order on Saturday! Let us know what you’re looking forward to most on our Warhammer 40,000 Facebook page.
* Check out some ideas for representing Crusade Battle Traits on your miniatures in last week’s article.