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Hi everybody!
I’ve recently been following the latest news and rumours regarding the (alleged) upcoming Space Marine codex and it’s really got me thinking that GW have missed a trick with the codex + supplements idea that they’re now pushing.

First off I think they should have kept the price for each around the same mark as the old soft-back codices, which they should be able to achieve by taking the opportunity to produce some more basic source books (i.e. codices) with a larger number of more detailed supplements. This second point would allow them to more evenly split the content between the books, allowing them to hold the cost down.

For example they could have a single, generic, codex for all the common SM units; Rhinos, terminators, tactical squads etc. with the supplements providing the unique units and formations, even for more divergent chapters like Space Wolves or Black Templars.

This pattern could be repeated for Chaos Space Marines, Inquisition, Imperial Guard, Orks and possibly even Eldar & Dark Eldar*. They could start with the main/current factions and just keep expanding into the more specialist ones; it even opens up the possibility of only needing to renew the generic codex come edition change.
* - No offence meant, I just note that they’ve taken this route with the new apocalypse book.

To illustrate with the imperials and renegades:


Codex Space Marines
Dark Angels
Blood Angels
Space Wolves
Black Templars
Ultramarines
White Scars?
Imperial Fists?
Crimson Fists?
Red Scorpions (FW)
Carcharadons (FW)

Codex Chaos Space Marines
Alpha Legion
Black Legion?
Emperor’s Children
Iron Warriors
Deathguard
Nightlords
World Eaters / Khorne?
Thousand Sons
Word Bearers
Red Corsairs?

Codex Inquisition
Grey Knights
Sisters of Battle
Ordos Xenos?
Adeptus Arbites??

Codex Imperial Guard
Cadians
Catachans
Mordian Iron Guard
Valhallan Ice Warriors
Tallarn Desert Raiders
Traitors & Renegades?
Elysian Drop Troops (FW)
Death Korps of Kreig (FW)

This could also be used to introduce some more interesting allies’ shenanigans; maybe Iron Warriors can take additional heavy slots in a traitor guard allied contingent, to give them better access to artillery; perhaps Red Corsairs could take standard SM as allies of convenience to represent newly turned units? How about making the Dark Angels a dual-sided supplement to both SM and CSM, so that you can represent the fallen?

So, what does everybody think?

Don't be silly, its a sensible idea that would work, why would they want to use it?! ;-p

On a serious note I think it would would make more work for the designers/writers at cost to them for wages, then printing etc. For what they would probably say isn't enough profit..

We don't need more books with less in them. We need less books with more in them.

One book for Chaos, one book for Space Marines, one book for Eldar, one book for IG, one book for "forces of the Imperium" (SoB, witch hunters, ad-mech etc), etc...

Then reduce the prices to something sensible and bring out soft cover mini-versions with just the rules in rather than 90% of recycled fluff and artwork that pads out the main codexes.

The supplements are a Labour of love by the design team, they have nothing to do with a 'strategy' from gw.

 BryllCream wrote:
The supplements are a Labour of love by the design team, they have nothing to do with a 'strategy' from gw.

I have no idea of what you say is true or not, but I absolutely love my Iyanden Supplement. It's beautiful, pretty and filled with lore and cool stuff and I can't wait for the Farsight one to be released in hardcover format.

What I want is more of this quality! They really did a great job with the first, I heard good things about the second, I hope they keep them coming.

I don't like the OP idea because I like one big codex with all the cool stuff and everything required to play and the supplements remain for fluff. Which is what they are, fluff books. The Iyanden one has what, 2 entire pages of game play rules not counting special scenarios.

Apart from the "Codex Inquisition", I agree with OP.

Inquisitors and their special forces (ISTs and Deathwatch plus customisabe Henchmen) should instead be a Supplement that can be added to any Codex Imperial army, and even work alongside other supplements (such as SM chapter X or IG regiment Y). GK and SoB are both large as well as unique enough to warrant their own books; throwing them together would result in much more fluff and units to get lost than it'd be the case with one of the Marine Chapters or Guard regiments.

I used to throw around the idea that Inquisitorial forces should be an Imperial-wide WD article with the Chapter Approved stamp, but these small supplemental books could work even better in terms of availability and content volume.

As for the other armies, such an approach would allow a great expansion for a lot of armies with a number of unique variations. I've not personally seen any of these supplements yet, but surely it wouldn't be too hard to throw a bunch of additional or alternate units and characters into a book and add a few pages of cool fluff? No need for copypasta codices; keep the big books for the universal stuff. It's a win-win situation in that the basic Codex will feature more stuff that applies to your army than it is currently the case (-> Ultramarines, Cadians).

 SilverMK2 wrote:
We don't need more books with less in them. We need less books with more in them.

One book for Chaos, one book for Space Marines, one book for Eldar, one book for IG, one book for "forces of the Imperium" (SoB, witch hunters, ad-mech etc), etc...

Then reduce the prices to something sensible and bring out soft cover mini-versions with just the rules in rather than 90% of recycled fluff and artwork that pads out the main codexes.

I a a relatively new player and have thought the same thing since I started playing. I find it very frustrating to essentially have all of the rules splintered out over a rule book and multiple codexes which create a subset of rules for each codex. As a new player I basically have to take my opponents word on how their particular army works or what it's special abilities are. It makes it hard to play the game and for sure slows the game down because both players are never operating from the same source. The tighter more integrated the "rules" can become the better.

I'll take supplements over no supplements any day. Yeah it would be nice if they were just part of the codex to begin with, but it is a very welcome change as opposed to the last few years where we saw hardly any content released.

Just make the codex supplements cheaper and you know, supplements. I shouldn't be paying 50 bucks for what could be covered in a small paperback book.

ideally, I'd be cool with a 50 dollar hardback book that truly covered everything for that faction.

For example, an IG codex that has a basic IG area, then you have additional sections that give unique rules and force selectors for regiments like Steel Legion, Catachans, Valhallans, Vostroyans, and others would be great. I'd probably not even have a problem paying $50 for it if it was done well and each army felt true to its background.

Given the way they scrapped the collector range though, I have a feeling we'll never see the likes of Steel legion and other regiments from GW again. Maybe FW will pick them up, but I'm not holding my breath. The IG supplement will almost certainly be Catachans, and that will probably be it.

That was part of my thinking of having a basic source book for each force, as it would be easier to add supplementary variants "as and when" without lots of creep or discrepancies appearing. This would be particularly useful for FW, as they're forever going out of step under the current system.

Also, there'd be nothing to stop them bundling everything together in a few big ass books, but I don't want to imagine the price!