10th Edition 40k Space Marines Codex Detachments & Rules

By Travis Pasch | January 15th, 2024 | Categories: 10th Edition 40k, 40k News & Articles, Games Workshop, Games Workshop Previews, Space Marines, Tabletop Gaming News & Rumors, Warhammer Community

Here are the latest new detachments, stratagems, and enhancements rules for the 10th Edition codex Space Marines book!

The Space Marines codex is going to be set up a little differently than the Tyranids with seven different detachments, and Oath of Moment is getting a serious change.

GW Reveals New 10th Edition 40k Space Marines Codex Detachments!

The new Space Marines 10th Edition detachments, enhancements, and stratagems rules come from Warhammer Community.

Each Chapter of Space Marines has their preferred ways of fighting, from the massed jump pack assaults of the Blood Angels to the disciplined firing lines of Imperial Fists. However, all Space Marines are drilled day and night to fight in whichever way fits the mission best, and that’s why in the upcoming Codex: Space Marines all seven Detachments can be adopted by any Chapter that sees fit.

Contents

Now, there are no more “specific” codex chapters, meaning any previous codex chapter can use any of the rules. While some are meant to mimic classic chapters, you don’t have to use the rules for that chapter.

The remaining Detachments can be used by Space Marines of any Chapter, but play into traits commonly associated with the six First Founding Chapters who most closely follow the Codex Astartes. So if you want to mount a heavy static defence in the mode of the Imperial Fists, you are not obliged to paint your troops yellow. Even Carcharodons have to dig in sometimes!

Including the Gladius Task Force, players will get six more detachments.

The next Codex: Space Marines is almost ready for release, and with it comes a vast array of new rules for your Angels of Death. In particular, six new Detachments join the Gladius Task Force, adding opportunities for characterful thematic forces specialising in vanguard troops, lightning assaults, and close-range firepower.

Changes to Oath of the Moment

Pre-Codex Version of Oath of the Moment

But first, a major update – the Oath of Moment army rule is changing. You still select one unit each turn to be your target, but now you only reroll Hit rolls against them, instead of Hits and Wounds. This will mean Space Marine players need to choose their target more carefully, though there are new and updated skills across the faction that bring more opportunities to re-roll Wound rolls.

Let’s start with the significant change before we get into the other rules. You only re-roll hits now, not wounds as well. Oath of Moment was giving them a ton of re-rolls, so it’s probably not a bad idea.

So, there are only three doctrines, but if you notice, it says you can select one, meaning you don’t have even choose one on a turn where it won’t help much. However, after you’ve selected one, that’s it for the whole game.

Stormlance Task Force Detachment Rules

This is a great ability for low-cost armies that might not want to spend points on dedicated transports, as the opportunity to charge after an Advance gives foot-slogging assault infantry a vital boost in mobility.

This rule allows for a crazy amount of movement, negating the hit to mobility you must take if you want to make a charge.

It’s also a top quality choice for any models whose abilities activate after a charge, like the new Jump Pack Intercessors. The mortal wounds they deliver with Hammer of Wrath can really rack up, especially when dished out on every one of their turns.

Paired with the Lightning Assault, this can turn your Jump Pack Astartes into devastating charge machines.

The Wind-Swift Evasion Stratagem allows you to reposition or chase down fleeing enemies, and aggressive commanders can ensure their troops get close enough for hand-to-hand combat.

Pairing with the speed motif, this stratagem can be helpful in getting the heck out of dodge when the time is right.

Vanguard Spearhead Detachment Rules

Stealthy armies prefer to mitigate as much damage as possible while they engage their targets. The Vanguard Spearhead Detachment is perfect for exactly this kind of combat, but their techniques are also a fit for long-ranged shooting armies who want to keep their targets at arm’s length.

All the stealth in the world won’t help if you can’t kill your targets on arrival, and a quick Strike from the Shadows Stratagem will help out. Try using it on a Desolation Squad combined with their Targeter Optics ability for some hyper-accurate fire support.

Preparing for your quintessential sneak attack, this long-range stratagem could set up some interesting Shooting phase plays.

Best of all, the Shadow Masters Detachment Rule works on all Adeptus Astartes units whether they’re naturally sneaky or not. It might not help against melee attacks, but when a unit can’t be easily charged – like, say, a squadron of Stormraven Gunships – there’s little you need to worry about.

Paired with the above strategem, Shadow Masters ensures that you’ll be holding the advantage with 12″+ ranged attacks against your Astartes units.

1st Company Task Force Detachment Rules

This Detachment gives you a great opportunity to get the most out of the shiny new Terminators and Sternguard Veterans coming out alongside the Codex, as well as units of Bladeguard Veterans and Vanguard Veterans. Their unique rule – Extremis-level Threat – lets them single out a target for certain destruction once per game, and lasts across both your and your opponent’s turn.

This might be why they changed the Oath of the Moment rule, but it is only once per battle, so use this wisely! This is meant to be the generic marines, whereas the Ultramarines are more of the Gladius Task Force.

Three of the four Enhancements – like Iron Resolve, which gives characters the Feel No Pain 5+ ability – allow a model to extend his own boost to an entire squad once per game.

While having a 5+ FNP for the bearer is fantastic, giving your whole Terminator unit a 5+ FNP is insane! Again, this is only once per battle, so use it wisely!

Their experience keeps them cool under pressure, and enemy charges find their attacks blunted by their Legendary Fortitude.

This can be huge for Terminators, as they will be even harder to kill, especially if you pair this with the 5+ FNP.

Space Marines Detachments: Firestorm Assault Force

Their Detachment rule, Close-range Eradication, grants the Assault keyword to all weapons, letting units Advance without losing their ability to shoot. Once they get close enough, that extra pip of Strength puts many weapons over critical thresholds for damage.

Your Eradicators will love how their Strength 10 melta rifles do a much better job of boring holes in Toughness 10 tanks, while Infernus Marines do an even better job of barbecuing Tyranids and Orks with Strength 6 pyreblasters.

You are right if you guessed this was supposed to be the Salamanders. This lets you keep moving, firing, and adding strength to the attacks. Strength 10 meltas are no joke, and Strength 6 flamers are about as strong as you’ll find.

While you’re that close, you might also like to crack a few heads with boosted melee weapons on your fightiest character, and the War-tempered Artifice Enhancement provides. Who doesn’t love power swords that hit as hard as a power fist?

Well, if you want a combat monster character, this will be the Enhancement to take!

Space Marines Stratagems: Armour of Contempt

Returning to the fold with the same Enhancements, Stratagems, and Combat Doctrines Detachment ability you know and love, the Gladius Task Force remains an adaptable, take-all-comers army which supports any kind of unit. The Armour of Contempt Stratagem is now found across all seven Space Marine Detachments – it’s the Space Marines signature.

For only one CP, reducing AP is always lovely.

We thought the Tyranids codex had a lot of rules, but the Space Marines book will contain rules for a whopping seven detachments, each with four enhancements and six stratagems. So, chances are each new 10th Edition 40k codex book will follow a similar pattern and have a bit more rules than before.