Actually, you may not want to click this to be honest, as the costs of keeping up with just the rules for 40k, got even more expensive…
Who doesn’t love it when they get rules for their favorite faction? Check out how many books GW released for 8th Edition 40k and how much it all cost because after the last online preview it looks like there is no stopping this money train from GW.
Keeping up with the Ruledashians
By the looks of it, 9th Edition will be no different from 8th and depending on how you take this article, perhaps worse in terms of rules bloat and costs. Already with multiple supplements to Marines, rule changes, and FAQs and we’re only 5 months in or about 1/7 of the lifetime for the edition overall (based on the previous two 3 year edition cycles).
If you remember when 8th edition started back in 2017, first there was the indexes, followed by codices, then supplements, campaigns, and finally Psychic Awakening Also, you have to take into account this all took place over the course of only three years.
It is a hard game to keep up with sometimes. While they say they are trying to make it easier to get into, just knowing which rules to use can be hard for newer players. The app is supposed to simplify the process (hasn’t yet), but there is just a lot to know to play. While we hope no one actually bought all the books, let’s see what it would have cost you!
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40k Rules: How Much it Actually Costs…
Let’s see what just buying all the rules would cost you!
- Indexes (5): $125
- Codices (25): $1,000
- Supplements (6): $180
- Campaigns and PA (12): $480
- Rulebook: $60
- Total: $1,845
That’s quite the price tag to grab all the rules! It looks like 9th will be the exact same thing, and with the death of the digital codex, you won’t even be able to save your back carrying all these around. Literally buying all the rules for the game would cost you about 2 grand.
While they keep saying the game is becoming streamlined, there are just so many rules to keep up with the game. While you don’t need every book to play, if you play a tournament, you do need to at least have an idea of what each army can do. While most armies only have to buy a couple of books, the Marine players need a bunch. Let’s look at just what the Space Marine book will cost you.
Space Marine Books
While you don’t need all of these, if you wanted to know what every Chapter did, you would have to pick them all up.
- Indexes (2): $50
- Codices (6): $240
- Supplements (6): $180
- Campaigns and PA (7): $280
- Rulebook: $60
- Total: $810
That’s pretty wild to think just the Marine books make up for almost 45% of all the money. They also got two main codices in one edition, and the first book of 9th. When you think about the price of the game, the books are not helping!
Now there are TWO of them!
Unfortunately in 9th Edition, we’re pigeoned holed into getting rules either via the app or buying all the books we need for our faction. Now with the Warzone: Charadron teaser we know factions are going to get even more rules, some before they even get a 9th Edition book.
There’s more than just the background of an epic war zone in here, the book also includes new rules for:
- Death Guard
- Adeptus Mechanicus
- Imperial and Chaos Knights
- Drukhari
The warriors of Commorragh are keen to take advantage of the chaos and confusion caused by Typhus’ invasion. Alongside these codex supplements are rules for playing through the Charadon campaign yourself. Can you claim Metalica for the Death Guard or will you try to stop Typhus?
So for instance Knights players, may need a Psychic Awakening Book from 8th, and a 9th Edition supplement (Warzone Charadon) in addition to their Codex book as well just for starters, assuming GW means new matched play rules above.
Wow. While it’s great that some factions won’t have to wait for a new codex book to stay engaged with the game in 9th Edition rules-wise, the costs associated with keeping up with the hobby rulesdashions are really starting to add up.
What do you think about the costs of just knowing 40k rules in 8th, 9th or both? How many books did you end up buying in 8th?
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About the Author: Travis Pasch
