While this new Badab War codex is fan-made, it packs in rules and campaign flavor for players still flying the flag for 3.5 edition Warhammer 40k, better than any current book from GW.
The Badab War has always had a grip on a certain kind of 40k player, and now it’s getting a proper community-built rules set to bring it back to the table. Codex: The Badab War 1.0 is officially out, giving fans an unofficial but ambitious fan-made supplement packed with rules, lore, chapter variants, and campaign fuel for one of the setting’s most beloved civil wars.
Best of all, this isn’t just another nostalgia PDF tossed into the hobby void. It’s a full-on passion project aimed at players who still miss the crunch, flavor, and weird charm of 3.5 edition era 40k. So, if your group still talks about veteran skills, old codex combos, or narrative campaigns that feel more like a club event than a matched play grind, this is probably going to be right in your wheelhouse.
This Badab War Codex Goes Big on 40k Fan Flavor
This version of Codex: The Badab War 1.0 includes 17 Astartes army list variants covering the Space Marine Chapters involved in the conflict. Plus, it also adds new units and special characters from the war, along with extra options for Codex: Space Marines players, including Veteran Skills.
That gives this thing a lot more bite than a simple “play Huron with a different paint scheme” supplement. One of the big reasons Badab still sticks with hobbyists is that it was never just about one faction. It was a messy, character-driven war full of chapter identity, grudges, and strange loyalties, and this release looks like it leans hard into that instead of sanding everything down into generic Marine rules.
The codex also includes rules for mortal forces, including Huron’s Tyrant’s Legion, plus ideas for other non-Astartes forces that took part in the conflict. So, for players who like themed forces, conversion projects, or campaign weekends where not every army is just another pile of power armor, that should be a pretty big selling point.
Built for 3.5 edition 40k First, but Not Boxed in by it
Sure, the project is aimed primarily at Warhammer 40k 3.5 edition, meaning later third edition with the Trial Assault Rules and Vehicle Rules from Chapter Approved folded in. At the same time, the team says it should also work with both the third and fourth editions, encouraging players to find what best fits their group.
That flexibility is probably a smart move, because anyone who has ever tried to organize a retro 40k event knows the real challenge usually is not getting people interested. It’s getting everyone to agree on which version of the rules, which supplements, and which old arguments they’re actually using.
We think keeping this rooted in 3.5 while leaving the door open for nearby editions gives more groups a reason to actually try it.
The release also notes that you’ll need the old Warhammer 40k 3rd Edition rulebook, ideally with the 3.5 framework in mind, along with Codex: Space Marines, Codex: Blood Angels, Codex: Armageddon, and Codex: Imperial Guard to get the full experience.
Version 1.0 is out now, but the community part is just getting started
The team is also stressing that this is only version 1.0, and they are actively asking players to use the feedback form to help shape future updates. Which is important, because fan projects like this usually live or die on whether people actually play them, test them, and keep talking about them after release day.
The wider community around the codex is already spread across r/badab, r/middlehammer40k, and several Facebook groups, including the 3rd Edition 40k Group, 3rd-a-Palooza Community Group, and the Badab Wars Reenactment Society. Which is cool, because it gives the project a real hobby ecosystem instead of just a download link and a hope for the best.
There are also plans to add classic-style color pages later, featuring battle scenes, army photos, and model showcases to capture more of that old third-edition codex feel. For longtime hobbyists, that kind of detail is half the fun because it is one thing to read a fan supplement. But it’s even better to see painted armies, campaign tables, and old-school enthusiasm giving it some life.
There’s Already an Event on the Calendar to Put It to Use
The codex is not just staying online, either. An event is already planned for later 2026 in Geelong, Victoria, Australia, centered on the 1st Battle of Sagan.
That’s when projects like this stop feeling like a neat concept and start becoming part of the hobby. A fan release might look cool on a screen, but once people are writing lists, lugging armies to events, and debating terrain with a pile of old books nearby, it’s operating in the real world.
For the Mid40k crowd and Badab diehards, at least, that’s the difference between a cool idea and a community worth sticking with.
Final Thoughts on Codex The Badab War 1.0
For a fan project, this honestly looks like the real deal. It’s not trying to be a vague nostalgia nod or a neat little throwback for people to download, skim, and forget about by next week. It looks built to get armies back on the table, give Badab fans something crunchy to dig into, and maybe spark the kind of campaign energy that old-school 40k still does better than just about anything else.
The smart part is that the team is treating this as a living project rather than pretending version 1.0 is the finished work. Between the feedback push, the hobby communities already rallying around it, and an actual event using the rules later this year, this has a much better shot than most fan supplements at becoming something people actually play.
So, if you have been looking for an excuse to dust off old Marines, argue about chapter loyalties, and put some proper middlehammer nonsense back on the table, this might be it.
Check Out More About the Project Here!
