We’ve been spoiled for new Space Marines in recent months, what with the bursting box for Warhammer 40,000: Leviathan, and today’s other reveals of new Terminators and Jump Pack Intercessors. Sounds like we’re going to need some new rules to go with them… perhaps even a new Codex?
Codex: Space Marines
This is the comprehensive guide to the Adeptus Astartes in the latest edition of Warhammer 40,000. It contains 93 datasheets – somewhat slimmed down from the Index, but still a massive roster – and seven complete Detachments. That means seven ways to combine your units, and seven distinct styles of play with seven unique sets of Enhancements, Stratagems, and Detachment rules.
Six of these styles bear a distinct resemblance to the favoured doctrines of specific First Founding Chapters – the Ultramarines, the Imperial Fists, the Iron Hands, the Salamanders, the Raven Guard, and the White Scars – but importantly, you are not limited by Chapter. Any army can load up on Outriders and unleash a lightning assault with the Stormlance Task Force – you don’t have to paint them white.
The seventh Detachment – the First Company Task Force – instead represents the absolute elite of a given Chapter, backed by an evocatively named Detachment rule: Extremis-level Threat.
This is accompanied by other great content, including Crusade rules for winning honour and promoting your heroes through Oathsworn Campaigns, as well as lashings of background information on the Adeptus Astartes in the Era Indomitus, and loads of fabulously painted miniatures. There’s also going to be a luxurious Collector’s Edition featuring unique cover art, gold page edges, and silver blocking. The release will be accompanied by a deck of new-look Datacards, containing all the rules for every unit in the Codex.
Speaking of First Company task forces, all those new Terminators probably need some power-armoured pals to play with…
Company Heroes
This tasty update to the Command Squads of yesteryear features a Space Marine Captain and his trusty honour guard. In-game, this functions as a unit of four formidable comrades – a Company Ancient, a Company Champion, and two Company Veterans – led by a Captain.
The kit’s got cosmetics for customising the whole retinue, plus plenty of weapon options for outfitting your new Captain. In all, he has three head options, as well as numerous weapon options including a master-crafted bolt rifle, a neo-vulkite pistol, a plasma pistol, plus a power weapon or a power fist. He even gets an optional tabard and scabbard.
Between them, they represent a nasty block of stats – the Veterans are toting master-crafted bolt weapons, including a heavy bolter, while the Champion totes a master-crafted power weapon that can cut down rivals with
. The Ancient’s banner helps with claiming objectives, and as dedicated bodyguards, the whole squad penalises incoming Wound rolls while there’s a Captain in their midst.
Sternguard Veterans
When you’ve got a persistent xenos problem and your regular battle brothers just aren’t quite cutting the mustard, it’s time to call upon the Sternguard. These veterans of dozens of wars are festooned with honours and bristling with special weaponry. We’ve already received a squad of five push-fit Sternguard in the Leviathan box, but now we’re getting a set of five more – and these ones come with multitudinous options for customisation.
As you’d expect, there’s a wide range of guns on offer. Every model can be armed with a Sternguard bolt rifle with a variety of attachments, or a combi-weapon. One lucky Veteran can be loaded with a heavy bolter or pyrecannon, and the Sergeant can augment his armoury with a chainsword, power fist, or power sword.
Plus there’s oodles of cosmetics – sculpted pauldrons, greave options, eight helmets and seven bare heads, and dozens of accessories. Perhaps most importantly, the much beloved back banner makes its long-awaited return to a Space Marine squad!
This still isn’t everything for the Adeptus Astartes at today’s Nova Preview – check out the hub to see what else we’ve revealed today.
