With the latest exclusive new rule for Space Marines revealed, is GW repeating their past sins of formations and rules bloat that killed 7th edition 40k?
Games Workshop has a new Limited Edition novel set on their website that is geared entirely towards a Space Marine Chapter called the Spears of the Emperor. While a great read by ADB we are sure, the problem may be that it comes with a single rules card that may have some bigger implications for the game overall.
Spear of the Emperor (Limited Edition) $140
Written by Aaron Dembski-Bowden
ABOUT THIS EDITION
This limited edition contains a plethora of fantastic collectables that will help immerse you in the world of the Emperor’s Spears and bring them to the battlefield in your games of Warhammer 40,000:
– Magnetic presentation box
– 352-page hardback novel
– Includes a preface, additional short story ‘The First Primaris’ and afterword
– 16-page background book with lore about the Emperor’s Spears and acetates showing the making of a Space Marine
– Transfer sheet with icons for the Chapter to use on your Citadel miniatures
– Chapter Tactics rules card to use in your games
– Metal coin to use as an objective marker
– Coloured enamel pin badge
– Bookmark designed to look like a purity seal
– Three A5 art printsWith just 1,500 copies available, this is an incredible artefact from the 41st Millennium for all readers and Warhammer 40,000 hobbyists.
Like we said before, Spears of the Emperor is coming as a limited edition novel set with transfer sheets, a coin, detailed artwork, books and more. But what’s got our attention is the single card inside, as seen above, with a close up below:
From the looks of it, this card is similar to a Stratagem/datacard you’d buy in the packs at a game store. However, this is actually the Chapter Tactic of the Emperor’s Spears. If the rules seem familiar, that’s because it’s the Black Templars Vigilus Formation’s Warlord Trait.
So What’s the Problem?
Well first off no problem per ce. It’s cool that GW is putting out new content for the game that rewards playing some of the more fluffy aspects of our hobby like an ADB novel.
There are a few red flags that popped up to us though in theory. First, is that the box they’re selling only has 1,500 copies. That means that only 1,500 people could have access to that Chapter Tactic. Now, speaking of their tactic, it’s important to remember that we don’t know exactly how it will all work. Will players be able to use that tactic on another Chapter like Blood Angels (to get the +1 to wound benefit as well)?
Or will this card specifically be for an Emperor’s Spears keyword? It does have their symbol in the bottom right of the card after all, but without additional rules, we’re just sorta grasping at straws here.
The power behind this card lies in how it can be used. If its Keyword specific or not, you can seemingly access to a new Chapter Tactic for Marines that just a week later costs a minimum of 1CP and one warlord trait and only applied to one character. Now, in gameplay, it could confer an advantage to any marine army that now gets extra attacks on 6’s with no additional rolls to actually hit. Beyond that, how it is keyworded, could potentially unlock some combos with smash captains of any flavor, getting extra attacks as well that can do considerable damage to units in-game.
Is it a Slippery Slope Back into 7th Edition?
When GW mentioned “special detachments” coming to 8th at the Vigilus Open, some people made it clear that they were worried we were jumping right back into the 7th edition formation power creep. However, it looks like these detachments ended up being pretty balanced (mad props to the 40k playtest team).
One of the biggest issues from the formation power bloat of 7th was that GW would sell a “limited edition bundle” with said rules, only to have rules/formations come out later for them. They did the very same for some factions like Ad Mech in 7th with the Cohort Mechanicus, and then dropped other formations (like the War Convocation) in issues of White Dwarf as well.
Did Someone Say… Bloat?
Releases like the Emperor’s Spears could be the first of many new additions to just Marines themselves (not counting PriMarneus’ new Datasheet) that have the potential to add more bloat to the game.
We are already playing with multiple FAQs, Codexes, Chapter Approved, Vigilus, and now potentially more “limited edition” or “exclusive” releases in the future. At what point, if any, should we as hobbyists become concerned?
What do you think about the Emperor’s Spears Chapter Tactic? Could this be a herald for more “limited edition” or Exclusive 40k rules releases in the future? Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group.
About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
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.
