40K Deep Thought: Slimming Down the Space Marine Codex
As we sit around this summer waiting for a new Space Marine codex I did some math. It’s the biggest codex in the game and only getting bigger.
I want to run some numbers past you.
Codex Chaos Knights: 5 units (just born)
Codex Custodes: 12 units (young army)
Codex Necrons: 36 units (several editions old)
Codex Space Marines: 85 units! (ancient army)
BEEP BEEP – Backing up – make some room!
Not only that, but all kinds of Space Marine Primaris kits are already piling up and even more have been teased. It’s possible the book may hit 100 units the next time around.
And that has me thinking…
How Big Should the Marine Codex Get?
The size of the Marine codex is based on it’s age. There are ancient units in there that are over 30 years old. In the past GW has split up large codexes to keep them manageable, and has condensed smaller, less popular codexes to make room in the game for new additions.
I wonder what the right solution is for the Marines?
Here are some possibilities for GW:
1) Super-Size It! Just keep increasing the page count of the codex. This has been the plan so far. Keep making new units and cram them in, even if over half of them are sub-par and wont get fielded.
2) Split It! Cut the Primaris and Classic Marine books into two seperate lists. Make up whatever fluff justification you need. Start to make each range subtly different in the rules department.
3) Memory-Hole It! Leave all the current Primaris and the necessary/popular Classic marine units in the codex. Start to remove units that are no longer in production (and start to withdraw older low-selling kits). Missing units rely on rules in the Indexes and White Dwarf. This is basically the model GW used in Codex Orks.
~I have a feeling GW is leaning towards #3, what do you think they are going to do?
