40K: Five Truths of 40K We Learned This Week
In any system, there are immutable truths. This last week has cemented a few hard rules of the Grimdark we can all agree on.
There are always rules. Some are writ large, for all to see a mile away. Others are more subtle and take time to know. Warhammer 40,000 has been around for over 30 years and along the way we can all agree that some truths cannot be ignored.
New Editions Are Inevitable
The just announced Edition of Warhammer 40,000 is its NINTH! Yes it was of course only a matter of time. That time is now, with the new edition “weeks” away. It should come as a shock to no one that a new edition was coming but it took a fair number of folks by surprise. There was a simmering undercurrent of belief that 8th was so new that it would be the final edition of the game, never to be replaced, only FAQed forevermore. But in hindsight, if a company has done something 8 times before, it’s a safe bet that they will do it a 9th time.
There Are Always New Codexes
Again, this is a cycle. Do you know what the completion of the full cycle of Codexes almost always means? There will never again be a codex? Wrong. It almost always coincides with the final days of an edition, and that a new edition will kick off the cycle all over again. So get ready to live with your army’s FAQ for a bit, but you will get your new book in turn.
Marines are Probably Just Around the Corner
A careful study of codex releases reveals that most armies in the game get shuffled around on release order, except for Marines who are always the first out of the gate with a new edition. The Astartes will often get TWO codexes during an edition if it lasts long enough. We went back and counted. The current 8th Edition Space Marine codex is coincidentally the 8th one they have had, and that doesn’t count all the weird funky Army Lists from Rogue Trader. With a slew of newly announced Primaris models unveiled, don’t be surprised if a shiny new 9th Ed Space Marine codex is in your near future. Yes we know the current one came out last year.
Look Out for Rules Whiplash
GW has a long history of going back with new editions and reversing the percieved problems with the system being replaced. It’s not that they don’t see the issues. It’s just that the very nature of the Rulebook+2 Dozen codex system doesn’t allow for easy mid-edition alterations of “deep systemic issues”. So for example things like making tanks better, or flyers, or reworking how Command Points or army construction can only be done easily at with new editions. Any bets on how much 9th will make melee better at the expense of shooting?
We always tell people keep your models because there will be inevitably be a rules whiplash. A lot of old dusty models you haven’t used in years will be suddenly potent, and many of the past editions powerhouses will get beat hard with the nerfbat. I’m waiting for us all to talk in a couple of years about that brief period of 8th Edition when Dark Reapers were awesome after 2 decades of gathering dust, and maybe, just maybe, GW will buff up those Reivers and Suppressors to be badasses… I can dream.
Classic Marines are Yesterday’s News
Finally, it’s been obvious for years, but I think the weekend announcement make it obvious to all that Primaris Marines are the kings of the Astartes and the sun is quickly setting on the Classic Marines. I was reading a lot of people on Facebook who were really expecting to see at least some new classic marine models. The new range of Primaris announcements just further compresses the useful set of remaining Classic Marines units. I would not be surprised to see them get further sidelined in future codexes and slowly pulled from production.
As for Classic Marine models, we went back and checked. The last Classic Marine infantry model that was released with rules – (so we are discounting limited edition/collectible models of units who already have rules) was the 30th Anniversary Space Marine, from April 2016. We didn’t see it at the time, but it hindsight it makes perfect sense. GW knocked him out as an homage to the three decades of Space Marines that came before, only a handful of months before 8th hit and the Primaris arrived.
The Edition is Dead, All Hail the New Edition!
