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I don't know what they did different but they are made of a poorer quality than they use to be. I've seen several codexs ranging from the SM, daemons, HE, Orks, etc.. just falling to pieces after a few weeks or months, now whether or not that the user was not taking care of them I do not know but from what I've seen of my books mainly the HE one it fell to pieces rather fast. They should go back to what they were doing in 3rd, my DE codex still has all of its pages held together, other than it looking worn a bit is still in good condition.

I agree that they are falling apart more these days. I've taken to just scanning them into my computer and printing out the relevant bits for my games.

I too, have had pages fall out of our Space Marine Codex. So far it's only one page, but whats funny is that the book almost never gets used. It might get opened 3 times a year.

Definately something worth bringing up to games workshop, especially if you still have the older codicies.

Shhhhhh...Mikhaila, you'll ruin the fun F-GW sentiment. I mean it's not like customer service would send another one for free in no time or that I and everyone I know has only ever had problems with the 3rd edition large softback book and that's it. It's all evil GW's conspiracy to get people of less than stellar intelligence to buy extra books

Hulksmash wrote:Shhhhhh...Mikhaila, you'll ruin the fun F-GW sentiment.

lol

Such is the nature of the internet I guess. Everyone seems to either have shelves full of perfectly bound books or huge piles of loose pages from every book they've ever bought.

Personally, I've bought bunches of GW's BRBs, codices, and army books over a fairly long time in the hobby and I have noticed some problems with their bindings. I'd say probably about a quarter of my books start to get loose pages after minimal use, and it always seems to be in the same area of the book, around the 3/4 mark. When this happens, I usually find that other people in the area have also had the same problem with the same book's bindings breaking in the same page range.

When it comes to taking care of books, I'm usually painfully anal, to the point where friends won't borrow books from me because they feel bad if they come back showing wear and tear. Considering that a gaming book is bound by its nature to see pretty heavy use, it would be nice to see no problems with them, but at the same time you're talking about a book being transported, passed around and constantly referenced over the course of several years. It's bound to happen. Yes, it sucks, but there's only so much to be done about it. That said, if your book's falling apart before it's even lost that new book smell, I'd be expecting an exchange on it, not buying a new one.

tylermenz wrote:

Finally,

-Do you, like most people, press down on your codex to flatten in and make sure the page stays open to where you need it??? either when playing or writing lists?
This is probably the worst thing you can do to it, you might as well be cutting out the pages yourself. Each time you press down on the book you stretch out and loosen the strings in the binding, and crack the glue.

I have to assume from both my experiance and what I have read on here that besides for some defective codexs most are probably good. That being said, the way in which a codex is used probably requires a stronger binding, and will be a good codex if you take care of it.

You spend $X00s on foam cases for miniatures, why not spend 5 bucks to protect your books and actually take care of them.

1.No I have no need for that, I barely use the codex...
You rudely tell me that I don't protect my book? I keep it In a plastic folder inside my larger case, which can fit it comfortably as I re,ove on of the trays

It's not rude. You said you're on your fourth codex - which mean there are two possibilities. Either you have extraordinarily bad luck, or you're actively doing something to screw then up.

This has never happened to me, and only to one person I know. I think it's just a statistical thing with the glue. Like how there is always one sucky cookie in the batch: this is the same thing with a new shipment of codices, just these cookies are expensive as hell.

You could just get it bound, that way the pages can fall out all they want...

What are you guys doing with your books? You're not bending them so that they'll sit open are you?

I've never had a rule book or codex come apart, going right back to 1st ed.

OP is not full of bs here's my 5th edition marine dex i won during a release party, i don't play vanilla marines and its been sitting in the desk drawer since i brought it home.
It was also sealed in plastic when i received it.

Scott-S6 wrote:What are you guys doing with your books? You're not bending them so that they'll sit open are you?

I've never had a rule book or codex come apart, going right back to 1st ed.

How dare you insinuate such a terrible thing! I'm offended. I assure you, whether I'm rolling up the codex to discipline the dog, putting one under the table to balance the legs (damn wobble), or lining my windshield with them to help keep the sun out of my car, I never, NEVER, bend them so that they will sit open. Good DAY, sir.



Oh, and my books are all fully intact, also.

My codex's are also suffering from the same problem. My skaven codex (used 3-4 times total) and my tau book (used alot are falling apart. However my chaos marines and ork codex are not and oddly I have used those more than the tau book.

Terrible binding is terrible, but why some books suffer from it and others don't leads me to believe it's a factory defect.

I have not had this problem, and I use my IG codex alot (go through it about 2 times a week). I have not kept the best care of it, I once droped it funny and the corner got alll crushed up, but I make sure not to bend it open. I have seen the demise of many a book by this treatment.

If this is such a big deal for you. Mail GW and tell them you'd happily pay double price for a codex not printed as cheap as possible in China.
Let's make that triple and have it properly bound, with a stitched bound hard cover book using proper typography and all. I know I'd happily pay €80 for a well done codex. I know 90% of Dakka would cry even more (if possible) for GW ripping them off when the latest codex drops.

Or... you could just stop manhandling your codexes and accept that glue bound publications sometimes spontaneously falls apart. But you haven't paid for anything more so why cry about it?

I'm surprised so many people are unfamiliar with this.

Every codex printed after the current space marine codex (including the current space marine codex) has absolutely terrible binding. I remember a friend telling me they had switched companies to do the printing around that time, but I can't remember the details.

Anyway, it's exactly like the OP describes, the last few pages start falling out within a day or two. They're terrible. And with the layout (which is mind numbingly stupid) all the important stuff is in the back.

This has to be my single biggest issue with GW. I'm not one to complain about them, generally. Their prices on models are high, but I like the models, so I'll buy them. Their codices are just awful though.

Go to kinkos and get it bound or just download them. I suggest the latter.

Chibi Bodge-Battle wrote:

You can bind laminated pages @@

If I pay just shy of 20 notes for a soft back book no thicker than a high end magazine I shouldn't need to start forking out for that sort of thing.

This.

GW charges too much for too little as it is, the fact that this is even happening at all is inexcusable. For what we're paying we should be getting much better quality.

How is this thread still going?

Also, how is anyone surprised that the thickest of all of the codices has binding issues?

As for "every codex", I call "rubbish".

I own both the marine codex (which I admit has one loose page near the back), the Blood Angel codex (perfect condition), Skaven, Empire, Beastman and Warrior of Chaos Army books. All of them came out since the marine codex, and not one of them has even a page that is starting to come loose. The Blood Angel book in particular sees a lot of use.

Yes, there will be some poor binding out there, but lets not extrapolate that just because your book fell apart, despite keeping it out of direct sunlight in a hermetically sealed vault and turning the pages only with tweezers, so did all of the others.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Sidstyler wrote:

Chibi Bodge-Battle wrote:

You can bind laminated pages @@

If I pay just shy of 20 notes for a soft back book no thicker than a high end magazine I shouldn't need to start forking out for that sort of thing.

This.

GW charges too much for too little as it is, the fact that this is even happening at all is inexcusable. For what we're paying we should be getting much better quality.

And what sort of paper are high end magazines printed on? The thinnest paper that will hold ink. And exactly how many times do you read eac of those magazines? Oh! Those sort of high end magazines? (Seriously though, go to a doctor's or dentist surgery and look at the magazines left lying around in the waiting room. Noticed how they are either staple-bound or falling apart?)

I don't think he's saying they should print them on the same material...just pointing out the fact that there's a similar amount of content but the cost is so much greater in comparison.

You might have a point if so many people weren't having problems with their codices falling apart. It does nothing for your argument to point out that magazines fall apart easily when the army books we pay over three times as much for do the same crap.


To be fair though, I haven't really had this problem personally, but that's because I'm a xeno player and I don't get to buy new codices often. I bought my Tau codex in 2007 and it's still in good shape for it's age. The newest book I bought was Codex: Tyranids and that one didn't see a lot of use...especially after the FAQ, so it didn't start falling apart on me before I got rid of it.

I'll be curious to see how my Dark Eldar codex holds up. Of course if they end up getting the same FAQ screwjob then it might not get used much, either.

Exactly that Sid.
Likewise I have had no problems so far, but am not the most prolific gamer and like to look after books.
As stated, I witnessed pages fall out of a book no more than a week old.
This is inexcusable.

It might be thicker, but a marine codex should still hold up to use.

I am astonished how people are recommending ring binding etc. unless it's an old book falling apart.
But if a new purchase has pages fall out then simply take it back and get it replaced. GW seem to be pretty good when it comes to replacing faulty goods.

One thing I'm afraid of with ring-binding is that they'd punch holes in the text and make it more difficult to read. I don't think they print that close to the binding in the first place, but still. Even if it didn't it's still something you shouldn't have to do.

Do you open it up with scissors? lol.

My books are bent and used near enough everyday and not once have they broke.

Also, if it broke take it back GW customer support are nice.

If you go into a GW store with a book that's falling apart they'll often replace it for free. Some FLGS might too.

My Eldar Codex had pages falling out in under 5 uses. So did my Dark Angels.

Since it was just the important parts falling out I took them all out of both books and put them in a binder that's relatively thin for having all the vital info on Eldar, Grey Knights, Chaos Daemons and Warriors of Chaos.

(To be fair, the first three probably dont even need any vital info other than 1. Take Eldrad and Skimmers, 2. Don't play these until mid-year 2011, 3. Have a lot of Flamers and the re-reroll bubble.)

Final Note for Brother SRM.

I like seeing your stats there bro. Almost everyone I see on these forums have a record of like 1 gabillion wins and 1 draw. It's nice to see someone honest with their stats for a change.