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As per the title really. There were several of these, and every one I've had the opportunity to read has been brilliant.

The most well known are the Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer, Imperial Munitorum Manual, and Sabbat Worlds Crusade, which got reprints. However, there were several more, like Xenology.

I've just got my hands on the Battle for Armageddon, a book with details on all three wars. It is really cool, and includes information about Armageddon I have seen nowhere else, despite Armageddon being one of the best-described worlds in 40k.

For example, ever wondered what lay off the edge of the maps of Armageddon? The land just runs up to the map edge. This map tells us more:


I've added a box to show the typical area shown on Armageddon maps:

Dramatically smaller.

Now, Black Library has published the odd one of these since 2010 that wasn't a reprint, but they have become vanishingly rare. The only one I can think of off the top of my head was Liber Xenology. Frankly, I think these greatly enrich the 40k world and they should publish more of them.

What do others think?

They were, indeed. I like the Index Astartes books especially. Another non-reprint new book I can think of was the First Founding book they put out.

Sabbat Worlds wasn't a reprint, it was a whole different beast.

I'd like them back, but it just is not feasible these days.

 Kanluwen wrote:
Sabbat Worlds wasn't a reprint, it was a whole different beast.

I'd like them back, but it just is not feasible these days.

Oh, I thought it was. Need to check that out.

Why are they not feasible? Because GW doesn't have the quality of writers anymore?

A) Because scalpers would snatch these things up in a heartbeat.
B) Because getting these things printed isn't easy.
C) Because the majority of the playerbase that they've fostered now wouldn't buy these things.

 Kanluwen wrote:
A) Because scalpers would snatch these things up in a heartbeat.
B) Because getting these things printed isn't easy.
C) Because the majority of the playerbase that they've fostered now wouldn't buy these things.

Scalpers is a reasonable issue that is difficult to deal with.

But the others seem... dubious given GW churns out full-colour books at a prodigous rate, has stuff from the Rogue Trader era available at Nottingham, and these old books go for well over their original RRP (plus inflation) on the secondhand market. There seems to be both capacity and market there.

I bet the profit margin is lower though.

The books available at Nottingham are like the WHW exclusive models though. They're available but not at mass retail so the quantities required are much lower.

I like background books but honestly the novelty wears off pretty quickly. I have the Sabbat book, Visions of Heresy and RoC: Slaves to Darkness.
I've read them each about twice because there's not a whole lot in them that I can't get from the Internet.
Lexicanum and ArbitorIan provide me the same result and I can paint models while I watch a video.

 Haighus wrote:

 Kanluwen wrote:
A) Because scalpers would snatch these things up in a heartbeat.
B) Because getting these things printed isn't easy.
C) Because the majority of the playerbase that they've fostered now wouldn't buy these things.

Scalpers is a reasonable issue that is difficult to deal with.

But the others seem... dubious given GW churns out full-colour books at a prodigous rate,

GW doesn't "churn out" anything. Their printing partners do,

And there's a huge difference between a book that's primarily rules and model photos and stuff like the background books, which were pretty wordy and primarily were painted plates/art.

has stuff from the Rogue Trader era available at Nottingham

In limited quantities, by all accounts. As in they don't put the entire stock forever on sale. They put it out as they get it.

and these old books go for well over their original RRP (plus inflation) on the secondhand market. There seems to be both capacity and market there.

I bet the profit margin is lower though.

The part you're ignoring is that those books have nostalgia factor. We're talking about books that give people who are middle aged or older now getting the warm and fuzzies for their younger years.
When I first got into 40k with the Eye of Terror campaign, those books were already highly sought after...by the older crowd. The newer crowd didn't seem to really care.

Not to mention the "exclusivity" factor, souvenir factor, or the people who might grab them as "investments" for later because of those secondhand market prices.

Again, Kan, the First Founding book came out recently. Background books are still coming out.

 RaptorusRex wrote:
Again, Kan, the First Founding book came out recently. Background books are still coming out.

First Founding was considered an art book.

You can learn more about these enduring Space Marine Chapters in style with First Founding, a luxurious 304-page hardback art book. This gorgeous repository of lore and artwork covers the histories, cultures, and ways of war practised by each First Founding Chapter. Contributors include Black Library alumni Guy Haley, Callum Davis, John French, David Guymer, and Nick Kyme.

These entries are brought to life by galleries of incredible art, including 11 double-page spreads – nine of which are brand new for this book – alongside 54 whole-page illustrations and over 60 smaller pieces, a mix of classic imagery and new artwork.

Sabbat Worlds was not considered that.

For more than twenty years, ever since the very first tale of Gaunt’s Ghosts, the Sabbat Worlds Crusade has fascinated fans of Warhammer 40,000 fiction. Very soon, you’ll be able to explore that massive conflict as never before in a detailed and gorgeous A4 background book, The Sabbat Worlds Crusade, written by Dan Abnett.
The Sabbat Worlds Crusade is a reimagining of the original 2005 edition, vastly expanded into a definitive account of the campaign, from its tumultuous beginnings to the great victory detailed in the pages of the Gaunt’s Ghosts novel Anarch. It’s filled with captivating lore, stunning artwork and detailed maps.

Most of all, it’s a fascinating companion piece to the novels, giving you an insight into key characters from the series – including many who’ve never been pictured before.

Also, genuine question, do you really consider a LE book that was only available for Black Library celebration to be them putting books out?

 RaptorusRex wrote:
Again, Kan, the First Founding book came out recently. Background books are still coming out.

And the BSF Xenobiology book that was very much in a similar style to the 2000s era books.

It seems a bit odd that to claim these sort of books aren't worthwhile for them to do after over the past few years they released Liber Xenologis, The Sabbat Worlds (Which they sold the new version of twice, even) and First Founding which sold out pretty much right away, and also they did remakes of some of the other books like the Infantry Primer. And there's the artbooks too which would appeal to similar people.

You'd think that if they weren't feasible, they wouldn't go "Wasn't worth making that last book, so here's another!" and end up making more books that apparently aren't worth them selling. Several times.

Scalpers wouldn't be an issue if GW would just print more than 14 copies.

 Lord Damocles wrote:
Scalpers wouldn't be an issue if GW would just print more than 14 copies.

You know that oftentimes these people are selling dozens, if not hundreds of copies yeah?

 Kanluwen wrote:

 Lord Damocles wrote:
Scalpers wouldn't be an issue if GW would just print more than 14 copies.

You know that oftentimes these people are selling dozens, if not hundreds of copies yeah?

The point is that there would be no demand for scalpers' copies if people could just buy directly from GW like any normal company.