It's been a busy weekend for Games Workshop with a whole Thunderhawk Gunships worth of releases announced for Warhammer 40,000. For the bookish types amongst us they have dropped the virus bomb that in the last three months of 2020 they won't be releasing one new Codex, or even two, Instead six Codices are due before the sweet relief of 2021 takes us out of the year, so let's take a look at what to expect.

Codex Space Marines // Games Workshop

First out of the blocks and surprising nobody at all will be the new Space Marine Codex. This book will have not only the rules and lore for every first founding chapter but will also include their successor chapters as well. That's not going to be a small Codex then by any means. Apart from the Ultramarines there are rules for the Angels of Death, Space Wolves and even the Death Watch!

The new codex has also consolidated many of the rules that first made an appearance in the various Psychic Awakening books. The Chapter Command rules are one such example, meaning you’ll be able to upgrade one of your Chapter’s Chaplains, Librarians, Techmarines, and a variety of other Characters to the head of their order, but at a small cost in Power or points instead of using a Stratagem.

They are also using the Codices to expand upon the narrative campaign rules that first featured in 9th edition, and one that they have shown off allows you to inter a wounded character into a Dreadnought rather than lose them to their injuries!

Crusade Requisition // Space Marines

The Space Marines are not alone in getting a new book to kickstart the 9th edition though, the other big hitter that will be arriving shortly is for the other half of the starter sets, Codex Necrons.

Codex Necrons // Games Workshop

Big changes are afoot for the race that puts the fun into (f)undead in the 41st Millenium as the army special rule is changing right off the bat. Command Protocols and Dynastic Codes will let you tailor your Necron force on the tabletop around your Necron Noble. If your army of Necrons all hails from the same dynasty and is led by a Character with the Noble keyword, then at the start of the game, you can secretly assign one of six command protocols to utilise during each battle round. After revealing your selected command protocol, you’ll need to choose which directive you will activate. Any of your units within 6″ of your Characters will then benefit from that directive. With careful strategy and forethought, command protocols can really throw off your opponent while giving you a massive advantage.

Don't worry though you don't have to build your own Dynasty from scratch if you don't want to, the Necron lore is being expanded massively with the return of the Silent King from his self-imposed exile and with him the Szarekhan Dynasty. This return has not been welcomed by all within the Necrons and the reappearance is causing something of a crisis of faith within many houses.

Szarekhan Dynasty // Warhammer 40,000

Inside the Codex you can also look forward to the stunning art and lore that Games Workshop are famous for, expanding the background of the Necrons, introducing a range of new units and characters to run alongside existing forces and of course faction-specific Agendas, Requisitions, Battle Traits, Crusade Relics and, in the case of the Necrons, even Dynastic Epithets – bespoke titles that offer unique upgrades or abilities, to further expand on the narrative play for your Necrons as they reclaim their ancient worlds.

Future Codex Teases

Apart from the massive Necron and Space Marine news a trailer was dropped that before the end of 2020. No information beyond the titles so far but we will see Codex Space Wolves, Blood Angels, Death Watch and Codex: Deathguard for the heretics this year. The wheels are back on the machine after the summer shut down and 40K juggernaut is ploughing ahead full speed this year.

Will you be launching a Crusade?