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Yes. It's a dream come true for many players in the hobby I'm sure, that GW has taken to releasing new models (gasp!) with rules that come pre-packed in the respective boxes (double gasp!) so you can buy that shiny new toy from GW and add it to your army collection without having to wait several boring years for your codex to get updated and then get new units to play with, while it also gives GW the creative freedom to add cool new things to their armies whenever they come up with new ideas instead of being stopped by their own tedious process of cycling out codexes.

However, I stand on the opposite side of the fence (I can't be the only one?). When a codex releases, and your army gets updated, and then 6 months down the line suddenly two new units are released with the rules in the boxes for your army....where does that put your nice and shiny new hardback codex you just paid 30 pounds for? Yeah, those units arent in there. Your fancy codex suddenly feels.....incomplete....stuff is missing....outdated already. And that really hurts because updating rules is a really expensive aspect of this hobby and when I do, I want to feel - at least for the next 2 years - like I am up to date with everything regarding my army.

...like it was money well spent.

But when that costly investment suddenly begins to feel obsolete couple months down the line - and - well, adding that datasheet to your book and having it fall out each time you open your codex.... its not the same feeling like that unit entry being part of the codex since release day, you know?

So yeah, I hate GW's new policy. Just thought I'd vent that out.

Anybody else feel the same way?

So.. Everyone wants new Toys.. The range constantly grows.. This means.. At some point you have to release a new Unit thats not in the codex Cut you cant Release a New Codex every few months.
So.. Get,some nice clear paper, Print Out rules of New Units and glue them in Codex.. Nice optical solition

I personally like the idea of it. I play Nids, and am looking forward to getting a Toxicrene. It gives us compulsive collectors something to look forward to, besides sitting around for years waiting for a new model.

So you should ignore the new models for 2 years and wait for them to get put in the new codex you will buy. Situation solved.

I for one am really happy that they are releasing new models and not making me buy a 4-20 usd data slate to get the rules. Your other option is no new models outside codex launch (which means far less new models and events).

So happy the rules are in box. We all win.

It seems like they're finally taking a page from the competition's play book (namely PP). Hopefully it's not too little, too late. Balanced 7th edition codexes, releasing the rule book by itself, re releasing space hulk, putting out new units with rules in the box, is GW finally listening to customers again? At this rate they will have (gasp) tournament support again.

Yeah, this is a good chance.

The entire concept of codecies is archaic. It is a relic from the days before the internet when it was the best way to get rules to the masses.

The internet has changed that and I do believe every other game company on the market is taking advantage of that.

They release models, release the rules alongside them either in the box, on the net or whatever, and that allows them to release waves of minis so that half the factions get something one month then half get something the next, or something to that effect.

These companies can then still sell faction specific books if they want for the art and fluff but they are not trying to charge people for every single rule.
That is another of GWs major problems in this area. They try to charge you for a core book, then a codex, a supplement, an allied codex, dataslate for unit X, a another for formation Y and hell why not a campaign book on top.
Off the top of my head the only other game you need to buy more than the core rules for is Bolt Action, although I think Flames of War has a lot of campaign books that have various lists.

SBG wrote:
So happy the rules are in box. We all win.

Yup.

Back in 2nd edition every vehicle came with a datasheet in the box. I always thought it was poor decision to stop that practice.

Your Codex isn't obsolete since there isn't a new one to replace it. If your perception of value with GW codices is having all of your army units in one book then you are in the wrong game. Forgeworld has several units not in your Codex.

 Sir Arun wrote:
Anybody else feel the same way?

This is also not a great practice because many players either proxy, build their own, or use alternative GW miniatures to get that neat custom feel. I wouldn't want them left out.

I think any rules that are simple enough that you're willing to just stick on a piece of paper and include in a box of miniatures should be included as a free .pdf document somewhere on the website.

 TheCustomLime wrote:
If your perception of value with GW codices is having all of your army units in one book then you are in the wrong game. Forgeworld has several units not in your Codex.

Oh the times, they are changin' indeed.

I like the idea and other game companies do similar as others may have said. But I don't like it because I like having all the rules for all the armies and I don't want to have to buy the models to achieve that.

Now if the rules become free downloads ( silly me ) then i'll be alright with it.

I don't have any problem with having rules in the box or even selling rules piecemeal.

What I do have a problem with is the fact the codex is really fething expensive, low quality rules writing, copy/paste fluff and still doesn't have all the rules in it.

GW are up against the wall when they charge so much for codices, because funnily enough when you charge a lot of money for something people expect to actually get some quality and not be treated like crap

Are the rules actually in the box? It says on the product pages the rules are in White Dwarf 40.

Also, technically your Tyranid codex was outdated the day 7th edition came out. The only ones I would consider "up to date" are the ones that have dropped since, especially since they changed the format again and started adding formations and LoW's that the 6th edition books don't have.

 Mysterious Pants wrote:
I think any rules that are simple enough that you're willing to just stick on a piece of paper and include in a box of miniatures should be included as a free .pdf document somewhere on the website.

I think all the rules should be available for free online.

Then they could change fast, but you could still order a printed version if you wanted.

Well, GW's policy is not bad.
Otherwise, we would have to wait for the new codex release.
Dataslates or rules in WD are viable options.
Same goes for supplements. But they are usually far from being cheap.

Digital codex is the answer. When a new model is released the codex can be updated electronically for next to 0 cost. Your gadget tells you there is an update and you download.

I like the idea - but hell the execution has been so bad.

Two overcosted, underpowered units that just won't ever be played.

I think they'll sell very poorly. They really, *really* need to hire competent developers.

 Sir Arun wrote:

 TheCustomLime wrote:
If your perception of value with GW codices is having all of your army units in one book then you are in the wrong game. Forgeworld has several units not in your Codex.

Oh the times, they are changin' indeed.

Man, I did not want to come off as "Like it or GTFO". Sorry if I did. Anyway, I can understand how you feel but I disagree. Shelling out $50 for a stinkin' book is something that isn't easy to swallow so you expect a complete package instead of having the book and DLC to buy. However, the Codex isn't any more or less obsolete with the new release. If you don't like the idea of having extra rules sold separately then... I don't know what to tell you. GW does this all the time. Whether it be in a IA book, dataslate or a WD article they love shilling extra rules for extraordinary prices.

No different then when they released rules in white dwarfs and chapter approved.


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morgoth wrote:

 Mysterious Pants wrote:
I think any rules that are simple enough that you're willing to just stick on a piece of paper and include in a box of miniatures should be included as a free .pdf document somewhere on the website.

I think all the rules should be available for free online.

Then they could change fast, but you could still order a printed version if you wanted.

I agree. People are much less likely to join a hobby they know nothing about when the rulebook is $12081240127 dollars versus free.

Yeah, but if they make a new codex for your army and it still weaker then other armies and having FW or DLC, which aren't accepted everywhere, as a way to plug the codex badness isn't helping people enjoy the game. To be honest I don't think GW understand what a game is and what it is suppose to do.

Digital codex is the answer. When a new model is released the codex can be updated electronically for next to 0 cost. Your gadget tells you there is an update and you download.

And what about people who don't have a way to buy digital books ?

And what about people who don't have a way to buy digital books ?

I lol'd. Who are we talking about here? Infant babies? I'm pretty sure every person who can afford to play 40k has access to a computer and printer.

 danjbrierton wrote:

And what about people who don't have a way to buy digital books ?

I lol'd. Who are we talking about here? Infant babies? I'm pretty sure every person who can afford to play 40k has access to a computer and printer.

Don't know about you but I don't want to buy an iFad so I can have the digital version of GW's codexes. And the entire point of digital stuff is you don't print them... You have all your books on a tablet or laptop and use that in games.

Nor do I want to pay a fortune for an electronic version of a paper product...

 danjbrierton wrote:

And what about people who don't have a way to buy digital books ?

I lol'd. Who are we talking about here? Infant babies? I'm pretty sure every person who can afford to play 40k has access to a computer and printer.

I'm pretty sure the iPad was designed to be used by infant babies, so I think anyone who can read a book can also download and read a pdf.

This kind of thing is why people just Pirate the codex in the first place.

Here's a complete list of GW books which actually make logical sense in the 21st century for a tabletop wargame:

The core rulebook
Imperial Armour
How to Paint ____


That's about it. Most companies produce some variant of these things, a basic rulebook, campaign books with very specific content, but very fleshed out and unique and general painting guides are as old, if not older than the wargaming hobby for collectors and the like.

Keeping each individual army list behind huge pay walls is incredibly idiotic, regardless of the format, and while physical books have some use, the fact that some armies require >$100 for their complete rules is beyond insane. Bolt Action is the other reasonably well known game with army books, but they're very inexpensive, have a ton of variant lists while still finding room for general background information, with the newer ones incorporating multiple factions in the same book, an they're purely optional; the basic lists and special rules for most factions are available as PDFs, or are in the core rulebook.

GW's claim that they're a model company first continues to ring hollow when the books seem to be the greater focus than the models; it's not unreasonable to expect at this point that if a player wants to be able to make the most out of their faction when it gets updated that they'll spend more on books than models, Grey Knights being the most obvious example with no new models, but a mixed Daemonhunters style list from 5th requires one physical codex, one digital and an expensive dataslate.

To be quite frank, I think that this does great harm to their hobby, especially given the poor quality of the codexes; there is little to no new fluff in them, they've stripped most of the artwork for mediocre model pictures, and the supplements have turned from minor tweaks to an army's structure to nearly mandatory plugs to massive holes in the army's redesign, Tyranids, GK, Dark Eldar and Orks being particularly guilty of that. Its like they ran out of creativity after the 2nd supplement (I still think the Farsight Enclaves is a legitimately good product, if overpriced), cranked out some slightly interesting, if two dimensional Marine supplements, and then went on to doing what video game companies used to do when DLC became big; locking on-disc content behind pay-walls, just GW cuts old content and lists out, or nerfs them horribly, and offers solutions via supplement or dataslate.

I'm eternally grateful that my Marines came out before that became standard operating procedure, and are slightly protected behind the benevolent auspices of Forgeworld, though I am legitimately surprised they haven't made any Guard supplements to make infantry, or anything other than tanks/mechvets viable. Emperor knows that there's no shortage of lamenting guard players they could prey upon with more overpriced 1-2 pages of rules and rehashed, increasingly juvenile fluff.

If you think you need to drag a lot of books/printouts/etc around now, be glad you weren’t playing in 3rd.

Here's my complete list of GW books which I believe should be designed for paper:

 jonolikespie wrote:
The entire concept of codecies is archaic. It is a relic from the days before the internet when it was the best way to get rules to the masses.

The internet has changed that and I do believe every other game company on the market is taking advantage of that.

They release models, release the rules alongside them either in the box, on the net or whatever, and that allows them to release waves of minis so that half the factions get something one month then half get something the next, or something to that effect.

These companies can then still sell faction specific books if they want for the art and fluff but they are not trying to charge people for every single rule.
That is another of GWs major problems in this area. They try to charge you for a core book, then a codex, a supplement, an allied codex, dataslate for unit X, a another for formation Y and hell why not a campaign book on top.
Off the top of my head the only other game you need to buy more than the core rules for is Bolt Action, although I think Flames of War has a lot of campaign books that have various lists.

This.