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Back in the early days of 40K (mostly 5E and before), in my area it was not uncommon for players to not only own the codex of the armies they were playing, but the codexes of those they might face across the battlefield.

But, I have to wonder, was that particular to my area, and if not, is it still true today? Personally, I never did buy a codex for an army I didn’t have the models for - what about everyone else?

I have owned Codex for armies i didnt have, either because I was interested in picking up the army, or because I was interested enough in the army that I wanted to know more about it.

Back in 3rd I had them all. Now I only own the ones for armies I play.

When codex books were still $25 paperbacks I owned them all. I'd pick up every one as they were released. I could carry all the rules for the game in a backpack.

When they moved to hardcover and $50+ books in 6E, they became both way too expensive and way too heavy, so that stopped.

Back in 5th I had almost every Codex, except Orks and Guard. 6th & 7th sadly priced me out of this.

8th showed a glimmer of hope that owning all the rules could be possible again through the Indexes, but then they had to ruin if by releasing Codices again.

I still use the Chaos, Marine & Xenos 1 Indexes for my games at home, just took a sharpie to update a few changes to the units I use for my sons.
Stuff like the updated number of shots for Oblits and profile changes for Necrons.
We don't use WL Traits, Chapter tactic equivalents or codex specific stratagems, so the Codices don't really add much for us.
If my son ever really gets into 40K, I'll get the Necron codex for him.

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I used to frequently pick up codexes for armies I didn't play back when they were relatively cheap, didn't come out very often and info on the Internet wasn't as available.

Now I still buy used codexes for armies I don't play on eBay, but those are usually from previous editions.

On the other hand I collect a lot more armies than I used too, so I might actually be buying just as many codexes.

Back when i played 3rd edition i had a good few codices. SM, DA, CSM and IG but they were armies i played. I picked up codex Daemon Hunters when it came out coz i was gonna start up with them but never did and then Codex Necrons for no real reason at all but i guess the fluff was cool to read. Picked up Codex Eye of Terror when that came out also mainly coz it had Cadian specific rules

I have access to PDFs of almost all of the codices. I purchase the hard backs for the armies I own.

I've done it for when I finally pick up the army. I'm ordering the Harlequim codex soon for example, even though I probably won't start the army for a very long time.

Kinda. i own the books and the armies but i never play with some of them.

I bought the GSC codex with the intent of starting the army but gave up when I realised just how much it would have cost me to build up a 2K army.

I bought the 7th Deathwatch codex. I proxied my dark Angels for a few games then gave up on them.

Back in 3rd and 4th edition I owned several codexes from armies I didn't play. They used to be around $30 so that was fairly affordable. Nowadays a codex costs $80 or more (retail) so there's no way I can afford to do that anymore! Heck I don't even have all the codexes for armies I play! I make do with the Chaos Index, Battlescribe and datacards.

I've occasionally bought codexes for armies I don't own, often ones that I'm curious about, eaither from a fluff POV or simply curious how the army works

Yes. Prior to the cost increase of each codex book I used to buy all them for reference and learning about the armies I might face. Once the books went up to £30 GBP I stopped bothering as it was too much.

A friend of mine used to give me all of his Codexes for past editions when a knew one came out, because he knew I liked the fluff.

I bought a 5th or 6th edition Chaos codex just to read the background.

I also have codex for armies I have yet to even put together but own models for. (IG and Nids)

PS. I also still have every book from GW I have ever bought. I have a GW catalouge from 2004 i think. Angels of Death, 4th ed Chapter Approved. Codex Armageddon is one of my favorites.

Hard voting for this.

I bought all codexes from 3rd edition to 5th.
Mainly armies I had for 6th and 7th.
All indexes for 8th.
All codexes for 8th (so-far).

6th and 7th was almost impossible with all the different publications at the time, it was a bit of a mess.
If GW starts publishing a bunch of "supplements" to codexes, I may become more choosy again.

I own all armies so used to own all Codexes - this dropped off in 6th and 7th due to declining non rules content - picking up again.

Since third edition I have owned every codex; know thy enemy.

Define "owned."

I had half a codex for an army I didn't play back in the day. Codex Angels Of Death kinda forced it on me. I played BA, but the DA fluff was good. Then Codex Eye Of Terror had only a couple of bits that were relevant rules wise. I had the demon hunters one too, but I did have a proxy Inquisitor so it kinda counted. Nowadays I don't even have all the books for the armies I own.

When they were a reasonable price I got every codex for the lore.

Now it's all copy pasted from previous editions, and they are too numerous to be worth getting.

Back in the day I filled out the collection based on what my local group didn't have, so collectively, we had every codex. This lasted up until 5th edition. Codexes got more expensive and my local group became more fluid.

I have a couple books now for armies I don't play, most notably 7th Ed. Eldar. But because they're $40 and heavy hardbacks I'm not interested.

I still have (I think) every codex up to the end of 4th, plus the old Chapter Approved compilations.

Does the old Codex: Assassins count?

Archebius wrote:
Define "owned."

As someone else PM'ed me about a similar question - you BOUGHT it or were given a legal copy.

If it was acquired through "Arrrr", that'd be the "Own? Borrow" option.

During the 4th 5th edition period I wasn't playing, but collecting Codexes and Black Library novels. During this time period I had nearly every faction codex besides SM, SW, BA, and Grey Knights.

Yes, there was a brief time where I had considered IG, Eldar and even Tau... Regimental Doctrines on the IG, Veteran Points for CSM. Oh the possibilities.

What remains of those years..... I still have a Dark Angels and Imperial Guard book, and re-purchased the 3.5 CSM and Ork codex for all the pretty pictures and fluff.

I began playing at the start of 6th edition, and then only purchased books for factions I was collecting. CSM and Orks to start, then SM due to leftovers from Starter Sets.

During 7th I bought the Chaos Daemons codex and never even used it. I was also suckered into buying both the Crimson Slaughter books, and Traitor Legions.

I've picked up a couple of codex over the years, often with a box of miniatures, with the intent of starting an army and then never followed through. Tau and Dark Eldar spring to mind (very early versions of both) .

I've never been into the competitive side nor the lore enough to make it worthwhile to buy codex at random or to aim to get them all.

I bought the CSM 3.5 Codex two years ago for the fluff and to see how Legion rules were approached there.

A own a 4th Space Marines codex, and the 7th Genstealer Cult codex just because I find the 7th codex have gorgous artworks and mostly alright fluff part.

I plan on getting many more as time goes by because I simply dream of a full library just for the love of those beautiful books, picking them second hand and if possible in french language because I love my native language