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So we all know the new SM codex has retroactively added 2 units to the fluff that previously didn't exist - the Thunderfire Cannon and the Land Speeder Storm. But it also makes some alterations to the established background of some well-known Chapters.

The White Scars Index Astartes article states that they are organized in non-codex formations called "Brotherhoods" which are similar in size to a codex company but slightly smaller, each led by a "Khan". But according to the new SM codex, White Scars are now organized into "Companies" led by "Captains" just like everyone else (Kor'sarro Khan is "Captain of the White Scars 3rd Company").

Previous fluff (Iron Hands Index Astartes article & Iron Hands novel) stated that due to the lessons of the Horus Heresy the Iron Hands are not led by a single individual but instead are guided by the Clan Council, a council of representatives drawn from each of the 10 Clan Companies that comprise the Chapter. However as of the latest SM codex this is no longer the case - apparently the Iron Hands are now led by a Chapter Master (the Razorback entry features a quote from the "Chapter Master of the Iron Hands").

Can anybody find any other examples?

Alan Merrett fails again...

Seriously, as the Background/Intellectual Property Watchdog for all of GW, he's often doing his job with, at best, his eyes closed and at worst, with his eyes gouged out...

Nothing bothers me more than finally getting the rules to play a good fluffy forces while at the same time taking away some of the very background that compels you to want that army.
It's like they'd just as easily say, "Oh hey guys, turns out Salamanders aren't really that into fire. Oh, and they're albinos now."

"Oh hey guys, turns out Salamanders aren't really that into fire. Oh, and they're albinos now."

Instead of albinos, they've decided to tell us after all these years they are not mearly affro/black but black as night black. Oh yeah and they have red eyes. This is reflected a few places now (5ed book, I beileve there;s another pic floating around the net of a salamander speeder) and is a bit of a retcon in many peoples eyes. Not sure if this is mentioned at all in the codex, as this info comes from a BL writer working on a salamander short story and a follow up novel.

There's some others metioned on the BnC. Conflicting reports on the Black Consuls. Mentors becoming standoffish instead of working with other chapters on a regular basis. That is all I recall at the moment.

So, the SM Codex is going to be pretty good, only covered in a generous portion of Weak Sauce Fluff?

Nice.

The Mentors Legion can't become stand off-ish! Their whole thing is the fact they donate squads to other forces instead of deploying in force!! Now why the hell am I building a Mentors squad for my Ultras?!

Well look on the bright side. At least you didn't get all your legions retconned into a mishmash of skittle-esque warbandz (hurr).

No.We get our legions reduced to one MAIN legion of smurfs.

Quote WD/Matt ward (writer of C: SM):

Ultramarines are without a doubt the best marines ever!
With a few exceptions of mutated (BA) or stubborn (SW,DA) Marines,all chapters want to be like Ultramarines!

Try to find some Iron Hands in the new codex.

I couldn't find them but I'm painting them up anyways. Nothing's cooler than 6 Dreadnoughts.

And Pedro Cantor.

For extra attacks.

Hurr.

always wondered how and why fluff changes on it's monthly.....(sick i know)....tides.

It's because GW doesn't really care about the fluff.

Pure and simple.

When it comes to new units such as the thunderfire why can't they just say it's the latest discovery from Mars based on STC research? The same can be said for the storm, the STC designs allowed them to finally upgrade the engines on the landspeeder to cope with the extra weight of troops.
As you say, they don't much care for the fluff. I know they're mainly interesting in having a balanced game and new units keep gameplay relatively fresh, but what's so difficult about blending new stuff in instead of changing everything.

I was under the impression that the thunder-fire canon existed in epic.

cadbren wrote:As you say, they don't much care for the fluff. I know they're mainly interesting in making money and new units make money, but what's so difficult about blending new stuff in instead of changing everything.

FYT

Everything is built from STCs. This alows for some consistency in the 41st millenium. Here's the fluff for some differences which are commonly thought to be poor design...

Chaos land raiders only hold 10 models because they need the extra 2 spaces for skulls and spikes. As a rite of passage, when a chapter turns to Chaos, they immediately rip out the machine spirits from their vehicles and throw them out the back of their battle barges - momments before they throw away their battle barges and go shopping for something from the dark age of technology.

DA land raiders only hold 10 models because they need to save 2 spaces in case one of their commanders brought a midget with them, or they captured some fallen. Some DA land raiders use the two spaces as a linen closet for robes.

BA land raiders only hold 10 models because they need space to store uh... Blood I guess. Also, any black with red X land raiders have smaller interiors due to the padded walls.

Space Wolves land raiders hold 12 guys. Recently one of the wolf lords found he could cram 2 more guys in there if they took out the dog kennel in the back.

The Inquisition used two spaces for torture implements and servo skulls. This is why Daemonhunter land raiders only hold 10 guys.

It all makes sense now.

cadbren wrote:<snip>
As you say, they don't much care for the fluff. I know they're mainly interesting in having a balanced game and new units keep gameplay relatively fresh, but what's so difficult about blending new stuff in instead of changing everything.

Actually they're not. They over-riding interest is selling miniatures. Game balance is given lip service as that's what we as gamers expect but the truth is that something that is slightly too powerful is quickly discovered and everyone wants one. Sales spike. Something else is discovered that is the unit du jour. More sales. Wait a few years, release new codex that "fixes" the broken items that were discovered, and the cycle starts over.

keezus wrote:DA land raiders only hold 10 models because they need to save 2 spaces in case one of their commanders brought a midget with them, or they captured some fallen. Some DA land raiders use the two spaces as a linen closet for robes.

I thought the 2 spaces were saved to hold their shame?

Partly nothing new because it's all STC's, they want to keep it that way as it's the dark age/decline of the imperium. Innovation is looked upon with suspicion, the Imperium has to harshly stamp down on any new/free thinking if it wants to stay in power. So anything new the military gets in toys, has to be retconned in.

They upgraded the machine spirit so that they only need 1 crew, the new cpu taking up only half the previous volume, thereby allowing two more marines to ride. The Dark Angels, Blood Angels, and Black Templar have not seen fit to implement this upgrade due to strained relations with the Admech.

The Salamander ret-con really irks me. For years and years there was not one non-white human in all of GW's art and fluff, which naturally annoyed people all over. The US is not an all-white country, nor is the UK and our future certainly will not be lily white.

So for GW to take their one established African chapter and make them Drow is really just dumb on their part.

A drow chapter would be cool, call them the Shadow Drakes and we're in business. But don't retcon GW's one token attempt at diversity.

The white scars were mongolian themed, I think they have a more northern asiatic look to them in most of their pictures and fluff.

They are the last holdout of ethnic diversity in the grim dark future of dark grimness.

ShumaGorath wrote:

They are the last holdout of ethnic diversity in the grim dark future of dark grimness.

Grim WHITE future of darkness.

My poor old Relictors don't know whether they're coming orr going. The last they knew (thanks to Chapter Approved in WD), the Inquisition had sent the Grey Knights in to wipe them out for dabbling with Chaos. That was fine. They were cool with that.

Now, according to the new codex, they're merely being eyed suspiciously by their brother marines. This makes things terribly awkward at social gatherings. What's a Chapter to do?

st.germaine wrote:

cadbren wrote:<snip>
As you say, they don't much care for the fluff. I know they're mainly interesting in having a balanced game and new units keep gameplay relatively fresh, but what's so difficult about blending new stuff in instead of changing everything.

Actually they're not. They over-riding interest is selling miniatures. Game balance is given lip service as that's what we as gamers expect but the truth is that something that is slightly too powerful is quickly discovered and everyone wants one. Sales spike. Something else is discovered that is the unit du jour. More sales. Wait a few years, release new codex that "fixes" the broken items that were discovered, and the cycle starts over.

Qutoed for truth.

The economic benefits comes when GW makes overpowered rules for units that most people don't already own. They all rush to buy it, and GW makes a ton of money.