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Does a written version of the book exist?

Not as far as I know. Were you inspired by my lame joke in the Drop Pod Ambush thread?

If the Ultramarines series is to be trusted, there is not just one written copy of the Codex Astartes. Instead, there are seven hundred individual tomes, all of which are held in the Librarium in the Ultramarine's fortress-monastary.

No, I meant in real life. Somewhere I can get a copy to read haha

Nope. Not yet, at least. Every Codex Chapter's got at least a few in-universe, though.

Codex is far too vast to be made into a in-universe book like the Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer. It deals with how Space Marine units of various sizes should face just about any situation. It's hundreds of volumes.

Of course a vastly condensed version mainly dealing with Chapter organization will probably be released eventually....

Space Marines would probably be very easy to beat. All you have to do is learn how they react in a given situation.

 Harriticus wrote:
Codex is far too vast to be made into a in-universe book like the Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer. It deals with how Space Marine units of various sizes should face just about any situation. It's hundreds of volumes.

Of course a vastly condensed version mainly dealing with Chapter organization will probably be released eventually....

"And so, when the number of the greenskins shalt be three, thou shalt order thine combat squad to deliver bolter fire upon them for not more than ten seconds. Thou shalt not order eleven seconds of bolter fire, nor twelve. Thirteen is right out."

The Codex Astartes names this maneuver "Shooting Three Greenskins".

codemonkey wrote:

 Harriticus wrote:
Codex is far too vast to be made into a in-universe book like the Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer. It deals with how Space Marine units of various sizes should face just about any situation. It's hundreds of volumes.

Of course a vastly condensed version mainly dealing with Chapter organization will probably be released eventually....

"And so, when the number of the greenskins shalt be three, thou shalt order thine combat squad to deliver bolter fire upon them for not more than ten seconds. Thou shalt not order eleven seconds of bolter fire, nor twelve. Thirteen is right out."

The Codex Astartes names this maneuver "Shooting Three Greenskins".

"Ift thou gets an itch on the inside of thou suit of armour thou must bear the crippling sensation of helplessness and take it as a test of faith"

The Codex Astartes names this "the trial of everlasting faith"

'if thine sneezeth and spray the interior of the holy battle armour's helmet with thou fetid mucous, take off not your helmet nor wipe, for this is the way of the pious. This is the way of the faithful."

Sooooo.... There is not a copy I can get to read?

No the Codex Astartes has not been released by GW as it would be bigger than the Art of War and require to much work on the part of writters and researches to be a viable venture.

 Inquisitor Ehrenstein wrote:
Space Marines would probably be very easy to beat. All you have to do is learn how they react in a given situation.

Surely if that were the case Chaos would already have beaten them? Chaos marines who turned traitor after the heresy would know the codex astartes, yet they don't follow it themselves due to being chaos, hence they know how their enemies react but not vice versa.

Also don't forget that it would be extremely boring to read, and not very interesting.

^Indeed, basically "If your squad is 6 strong and then is hit by heretics from the right, blah blah blah".

Unlike the Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer, this was written to be a tool of efficiency by Guilliman. So it wouldn't have the amusing and blatantly wrong propaganda (Greenskins are small and cowardly, Eldar tech is antiquated, Tyranids are mindless, etc.) that made the Primer such an amusing read.

If a brother battle squad is wounded in combat. they must roll a blessed 6 sided die per wound. On the blessed results of 3, 4, 5,or 6 they may get up and continue to fight. On a result of 1 or 2 they must eliminate one member of the squad per roll of 1 or 2.

"On how to administer recovery for the wounded."

Just imagine a webcomic of a apcothary by a bedside ignoring the nurses request to operate and rolling a d6

 BluntmanDC wrote:
No the Codex Astartes has not been released by GW as it would be bigger than the Art of War and require to much work on the part of writters and researches to be a viable venture.

Not to mention the fact that it is an evolving database. New tactics are being put into it somewhat regularly, perhaps replacing more outdated strategies that don't quite work as well any more. The Index Astartes is more or less a smaller library within a larger one.

 n0t_u wrote:


Not to mention the fact that it is an evolving database. New tactics are being put into it somewhat regularly, perhaps replacing more outdated strategies that don't quite work as well any more.

That gave me a couple of amusing mental images. Specifically, the Codex Wikistartes (complete with edit wars) and the Astartes' Guide to the Galaxy.

I believe there is...

Ah yes, Codex : Space Marines.

Where can one acquire the primer?

Rysgame wrote:Where can one acquire the primer?

Personally, I got it from amazon. But you should be able to order it at just about every bookstore or from Black Library directly:

http://www.blacklibrary.com/all-products/Imperial-Infantrymans-Uplifting-Primer-Damocles-Gulf-Edition.html

Aside from the obvious propaganda, don't be surprise if you find a few things not quite matching to what you're told in GW codices. Individual author's interpretation at work.
Still a fun and recommendable read. Also take a look at the Munitorum Manual: http://www.blacklibrary.com/all-products/Imperial-Munitorum-Manual-The.html
I think you can actually get both books in a single collector's bundle now, but I forgot the name.

 CuddlySquig wrote:
'if thine sneezeth and spray the interior of the holy battle armour's helmet with thou fetid mucous, take off not your helmet nor wipe, for this is the way of the pious. This is the way of the faithful."

Thank you for making my day. And making me snort coffee out of my nose