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So I'm just getting back into 40k after a while off, by a while I mean I last played in 4th ed. I have always played SM, generic SM in 4th and Blood Angels in 3rda no before. My main draw to SM was that you could use units from the Grey Knights and the Sisters of Battle which diversified my choices enough that the painting and modeling aspect of the game was still appealing.

My question is that with all the knew rules and codex am I still able to have a SM army and also use the assorted units I've collected? Are Sisters of Battle and Grey Knights (and the assassins and daemon hosts) even still around in the game?

Whether useable with the Blood Angels or just generic marine armies any light shed on my questions would be very helpful. Also sorry if a repost of a popular question

The new rules let you run anything you want using what is called the Unbounded method. However, you can still run allied detachments etc under the detachment rule. So for instance, you could take a grey knights detachment that fulfills its obligations, and add onto it a detachment of Sister's of battle or whatever. You just have to keep track of which detachment benefits from which bonuses. I do not play grey knights so they might have a rule saying they can only work with GK's. I do play sisters and their codex is SOOOOO old it doesn't even have the detachments rule or any bonuses, so the old two troops and an HQ then up to 3 of each other applies. Hey as a Sister player with an army (check my edwardmystcreations.weebly page for it) I would like to see what you come up with!

The army construction rules have come a long way from the old days. But it’s easier then ever to have a mixed force.

The old Force Organization Chart is know as a Combined Arms Detachment (CAD) these days. One HQ, 2 Troops required, with options to fill extra slots. There is also the allied detachment, and many, many army specific detachments and formations.

Army construction basically works by picking a structure (detachment or formation) making sure all the mandatory things are filled, and then either add in the optional stuff, or taking another structure. Continue until you run out of points.

Once you put stuff on the table, there are ally rules that will affect how they interact. As long as you stick with imperial units, there isn’t much difference. But if you deploy some demons next to grey knights, problems might arise.

Oh, Welcome to Dakka, and back to 40k.

So getting back into this which codex, or whatever they are being referred to, do I need to buy? I was lurking around the GW workshop and I'm not totally stoked on spending $150+ on books that let me play the game.

Also part of the reason to getting back into the hobby is the modeling and painting aspect. Any advice on to units or vehicles that might not be good tactically or used often but just look amazing?

The SoB codex isn't in physical from, you can only get it on eBook. And the GK and SM codex should be 40-50 CAD each if you get the eBook version. If you don't mind sharing you can have a friend split it with you, or go the shady route and go looking around the internet for a pdf. Just don't play at your local GW waving it about