Weapon changes are good but the Day 1 40k rules updates for weapons and stat rules from GW is going to be important for everyone.
We just saw that Games Workshop officially laid out the updates we know are coming for some of the most popular weapons used across Imperial armies. We’ve also been seeing updates on new units for weeks, but they’ve been largely inconsistent. It was refreshing to have an official word from GW the changes that are taking place as they were being spotted for sure.
Now with new weapons getting updated (and stronger) profiles soon, we have to ask ourselves, how exactly is GW going to handle the update process from here, not just for Space Marines…
Day 1 Updates For 40k Weapon & Stat Rules In OCT!
Necrons and Space Marines are getting their codex in October, and with these books being the first 9th Edition codexes, there’s going to be all kinds of changes to weapons and unit profiles. Sticking to the weapon changes, largely, the same kinds of weapons are shared across all Imperium factions (SoB, Space marines, Imperial Guard, Custodes, and GSC for Xenos).
On that note, the new changes will be printed on the pages for Space Marines but those profiles will be “old” everywhere else. For example, a Heavy bolter will be 2 damage for Space Marines while it’ll just be 1 damage everywhere else. A Multi-melta will be Heavy 2 and D6+2 damage for Space Marines, but just Heavy 1 and D6 rerolling everywhere else.
Not just that either, there are new wound characteristics for firstborn and terminators as well, that will need to be equalized for all flavors of the Space Marine rainbow day 1 as well.
To keep the game from splitting in half GW is going to have to make some updates pretty much the same day as the codex releases.
Luckily, they already said this would happen:
In any case, when Codex: Space Marines arrives in October, every other unit that utilises the same wargear – regardless of Faction – will get their weapon profiles upgraded accordingly.
Our question is, will other weapon profiles that would potentially now be obsolete by the new wound stats for Space Marines also get changed too? Things like a Custodes’ Guardian Spear are not looking so tough anymore at D3 damage in a post Space Marine codex world…
Okay, So How Will They Update All This Stuff…
As we see it, there are two possible routes that GW can take for handing out the updated weapon profiles.
A. They could drop FAQs for each army through the FAQ page as normal. It’ll be a lot, but nothing that the community can’t handle. Although it will be a feelbadsie for people who bought the Chapter Approved 2020 books only to have their points and profiles outdated already.
B. GW could also make the changes via 40k app as a means to entice players to download the app and have the information there. As we’ve seen GW hype the app and utterly drop the ball, this could be a way for GW to make the app attractive to players again. If they did go with this route, it would be extremely annoying. Especially for people who unsubscribed from it all and went right back to Battlescribe.
Its our opinion that they should perhaps do both, and not hold rules hostage behind a paywall. We’re not saying they would, but it would be unfortunate if they dide.
We hope given time the 40k App gets better, but until Games Workshop shows they can deliver on the promised updates on a consistent basis our hobby dollars are going elsewhere…
How do you think GW will handle all the updates? Have you stopped buying physical books due to the rate of changes to 40k?
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About the Author: Wesley Floyd
Wesley Floyd
Job Title: Staff Writer
Joined: 2018
Socials: @RealmbrushPainting
About Wesley Floyd: Wes has been in the Warhammer hobby since 2015 and joined the Spikey Bits writing team in 2018. He is known for his satirist takes on trending topics and imaginative yet amazingly affordable hobby solutions to painting Warhammer miniatures.
Imperial fanboy, tabletop fanatic, and the self-proclaimed King of Sprues. He knows for a fact that Mephiston red is the best-tasting paint and is the commission painting equivalent of a Wendy’s 4 for $4. If you like what he writes and want to contact him or have your tabletop minatures painted (to a mostly okayish standard), message him on Instagram.
