New changes are coming to the 9th Edition 40k Space Marine codex that we’ve never seen before, so take a look at what’s on the way next.
Space Marines and Necrons are going to be the first two factions to get a newly updated codex books. With that said, we’ll be taking a closer look at the Space Marine codex, which is going to have every main GW Chapter within the binding as well.
However, for Dark Angels, Blood Angels, and Space Wolves, you’ll also be getting a supplement to go along with the main codex in the future. But beyond that, here are some changes that could be taking place within the book that we’ve never seen before.
More Shocking Changes For The Next Space Marines Codex
Warhammer Community let the cat out of the bag with their video flip-though during the Indomitus Launch Day preview.
Codex: Necrons and Codex: Space Marines combine the codex content you love with all sorts of new stuff for the latest edition of Warhammer 40,000. Sumptuous art and thrilling lore bring each faction to life, while the layout of each book has been redesigned in order to be accessible and easily referenced.
Each book has everything you’d expect from a codex in the new edition. Including the new idea that each faction will have faction-specific Secondary Objectives! Making each game and how you win different based on the army you are fielding.
New Space Marine 9th Edition 40k Chapter Tactics Rules
Although it’s pretty hard to read, some savvy Reddit users have been breaking it down! User u/AenarIT broke it down and posted this list which has over 400 comments already.
- Dark Angels: 1) +1 to hit if the unit did not move in this turn and 2) something about Combat Attrition, probably auto-pass.
- White Scars: 1) can Charge after Advance or Fall Back and 2) can fire Assault with no penalty after an Advance move.
- Space Wolves: 1) +1 to hit in melee if the unit charged, was charged or heroically intervened and 2) units with this tactic can heroically intervene as if they were characters.
- Imperial Fists: 1) ignore Light Cover and 2) 2 (probably only 1, blame the wonky screenshot) additional hits with unmodified 6s with bolt weapons.
- Crimson Fists: 1) +1 to hit when the target unit contains 5+ more models than this unit (VEHICLE counts as 5) and 2) 1 additional hit with unmodified 6s with bolt weapons.
- Black Templars: 1) reroll Advance and Charge rolls and 2) 5+ feel no pain against mortal wounds.
- Blood Angels: 1) +1 to wound when charging, charged or heroically intervening and 2) +1″ to Advance and Charge rolls.
- Flesh Tearers: 1) +1 to wound when charging, charged or heroically intervening and 2) -1 AP on unmodified wound rolls of 6.
- Iron Hands: 1) 6+ feel no pain and 2) double wounds on the damage chart.
- Ultramarines: 1) +1 Leadership and 2) can shoot in a turn during which it Falls Back, but at -1 to hit.
- Salamanders:1) you can reroll one wound roll when resolving that unit’s attack and 2) each time an attack with an AP characteristic of -1 is allocated…treat it as 0 instead.
- Raven Guard: 1) count as being in Light Cover if the attacker is more than 18″ away and 2) INFANTRY only count as being in Dense Cover if the attacker is more than 12″ away.
- Deathwatch: 1) each time a model with this tactic makes a melee attack against TYRANID, AELDARI, ORK, NECRONS or TAU, reroll a hit roll of 1 and 2) after both sides have finished deploying their armies, select one battlefield role. Until the end of the battle, each time a model with this tactic makes an attack against an enemy unit with that battlefield role, reroll a wound roll of 1.
If you are a player of the armies that recently got updated through Psychic awakening have no fear! You can still use those rules alongside the new codex. The other flavors of Space Marines that had their own codexes will also be updated soon. You won’t have to wait too long to play Dark Angels, Space Wolves, Deathwatch, and Blood Angels in all their glory.
For fans of the Dark Angels, Space Wolves, Blood Angels and Deathwatch?
If you have one of these armies, good news – not only do you get a shiny new core codex with loads of new toys to play with, but you also have a new codex supplement on the way.
Secondary Objectives For 9th Edition Also Spotted
Three New Secondary Objectives for Space Marines are also visible under the heading Purge the Enemy.
There also appears to be another entry under these that may or may not be another category to choose from as well. GW also let us know that these two codex bookswill release sometime in October!
Company Command Limits HQ Type Per Detachments
This was spotted on Imgur in the stills from the 9th Edition Space Marine preview video. We’ve got some pretty blurred-out words. However, we can still make out what it says:
You can include a maximum of one Captain model and two Lieutenant models in each detachment in your army.
If this is the fate of Space Marine armies, Smash Captains may be taking the backseat in a bunch of lists. We’ve been seeing three Smash Captain lists in just about every Chapter, except it’s been obviously the most popular for Blood Angels.
Not only does this nerf Smash Captains in general, this also puts players in an awkward position if they want to bring one Smash Captain for damage and one barebones Captain for the rerolls. Especially if they’re playing some kind of soup list of Knights, Guard, and Marines.
So with all this said, we still don’t know how the existing supplement books will work with the new Marine codex (all though Pete Foley said they will still work on the announcement stream). One thing is clear, the Space Marine 2.0 codex from August 2019 that is not even one year old is already on deck to be replaced this October.
With all of this now in the open, what do you think could be the next star Blood Angels unit? Will we see Slaplains make a comeback?
Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group, and make sure you enter the latest monthly giveaway for FREE today! You can also support us on Patreon and get ad-free access to the site, plus a ton of minis that helps support some of the best creators out there!
About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
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About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
