First Impressions of 6th ed Dark Angels Codex & Codex Creep

taretmakeup Haziran 08, 2022

Love midnight releases of Codexes. After our game last night we waited for about 5 mins to pick up the latest codex. Headed over to Grumpy's, sports bar near Fantasy Flight, to BS, talk 40k and oogle our codexes over some fud and drinks.

I won't paint the Belial's face. Will have it cast in heavy shadows. Perhaps tip of his nose, some upper lip, more lower lip and chin will be painted. I'm not a fan of 40k models without helmets.

As my buddies know I hate the Imperium. Specifically Space Marines. It seems the rules are written to favour of them more than any other army. Marines get plenty of love where the Xenos get the backhanding.

I believe in codex creep. Codex creep occurs when newer codexes become slightly more powerful than previously released codexes. I also believe most people don't know how to use an army to its full effectiveness.

I believe codexes can be balanced. Also believe that you can judge one codex against another because every model and piece of wargear costs points. That is the great equalizer. Points. It's not about comparing apples to oranges. It's about comparing Granny Smith Apples to Red Apples. Or Honey Crisp Apple to a Crabapple from the tree in your yard that an insect burrowed through.

One example regarding codex creep and favouritism towards Space Marines and points is:

5th ed Space Marines codex pg 134 4 marines and 1 sergeant are 90 points. You may buy five addition marines for 16 points each. So a squad of 10 marines cost 170 points.

4th ed Eldar codex pg 64 squad of 10-20 Guardians at 8 points a model.

Now some will argue that the 10 points for the first five marines is for the sergeant which has +1 to A and Ld. Others may say well you can buy a Warlock for the Guardians. You're paying 25 points for 4++, invulnerable, +1 to WS & BS. Way I understand their point is it's 5 pts to increase characteristic by 1 and 15 points to make a 5+ a 4++ save.

6th ed Dark Angels codex pg 105. First thing I looked up in the Dark Angels codex was the flyers. Which I saw in their type they were not Flyer, Hover. They were just Flyer. Which I deeply respect. They aren't performing as much codex creep yet. I have yet to read the book to make a final judgment.

40k6 mini-rule book pg 135. Compare Dark Angels flyers to the "can't keep it up" Stormraven which is a Flyer, Hover.

40k6 mini-rule book pg 135. Nevermind Imperial Guard also having a Flyer, Hover. It seems the Imperium gets all the best toys. I will bet anyone the next Xenos codex that their flyers won't be Flyer, Hover. The flyer will only be Flyer. Dark Eldar nope, Orc nope. Same will be for Tau and Eldar. The Void Raven Bomber won't be Flyer, Hover either. That special type is for Imperium only vehicles. Frankly it pisses me off.

One of my favourite codex creep is the Land Raider.

3rd Space Marines Codex pg 15 Land Raider pts 250.

4th Space Marines Codex pg 40 Land Raider pts 250 Power of Machine Spirit has BS 2. Can operate one weapon per turn as long as the vehicle has moved no more than 6".

5th Space Marines Codex pg 142 Land Raider pts 250 Power of Machine Spirit. Tank BS 4. Can fire one more weapon than would normally be permitted. In addition, this weapon can be fired at a different target unit to any other weapons, subject to the normal rules for shooting.

You'll notice that the Land Raider remained same price across three different editions while only getting better.

By comparison here are two examples of Eldar "codex creep" if one can call it that.

3rd Eldar Codex pg 34 Pulse Laser R 48 S 8 Ap 2 Heavy d3. Falcon pts 120 Bright Lance 35 pts R 36 S 8 Ap 2 Assault 1

4th Eldar Codex pg 68 Pulse Laser R 48 S 8 Ap 2 Heavy 2. Falcon pts 115 Bright Lance 30 pts R 36 S 8 Ap 2 Heavy 1, Lance

Points are dropping. Not by much. Sadly the Eldar codex is not experiencing the same creep as Marines. I wonder why. Seriously I wonder why.

3rd Eldar Codex pg 34 Starcannon R 36 S 6 Ap 2 Heavy 3. War Walker pts 30, Energy Field vs ranged attacks that hit the front of the walker with a weapon that has greater than S 8 is treated as 8 and never roll more than +1D6 for armour penetration (example: melta), Starcannon 35 pts.

4th Eldar Codex pg 68 Starcannon R 36 S 6 Ap2 Heavy 2. War Walker pts 30, doesn't have special shield like in 3rd ed, Starcannon 25 pts.

Looking at War Walkers we have a huge discrepancy with points. They remain the same price while losing a favourable advantage 3rd ed War Walker had. Starcannon can arguably be a better point cost in 4th. Again, sadly the codex creep that affected Space Marines is not affecting Eldar. Why, GW?

These are just a few comparisons and no where near exhaustive as it only covers five different codexes across three editions. I only looked up those three: Land Raider, Falcon and War Walker. I didn't go through the codex to find which would be the worst example. I'm sure it goes both ways. I just don't see Space Marines getting the shaft like Xenos. It seems from reading the codexes across multiple editions that Imperium keeps getting better, see Land Raider above for one example, and Xenos get worst. To be fair I wanted to pull out 2nd ed codexes but did not because they predate the Force Org Chart. For a full comparison I would have to go through every unit across all past and present editions.

Now some may say you can't compare one edition against another. I politely disagree. We have to because some players use 4th ed codexes in 6th ed games. Tau anyone? or Eldar. How about Orcs?

The weights and measures that make everything balanced across the editions are Points. Now if codexes that were editions olde received a handicap say 150 pts if your using 5th ed codex. 300 pts for 4th ed. 450 pts for 3rd, Black Templars or Sisters anyone? Things might start evening out. That's one thing us 40k'ers are doing today while looking at the new 6th ed Dark Angels codex. In fact first thing that Suijin brought up last night after purchasing the codex was Scout squad costing 60 pts. Compared to 120 pts for sisters. Scouts 6th ed Dark Angels pg 97 have Scout, Move Through Cover, Inflitrate and several others. Sisters don't get that. Who's being racked over the coals? I maybe misremembering the exact points he mentioned. His point was Sisters troops cost more and didn't have nearly that many Special Rules. Unless some think Faith power is worth all those points....

I close this post and codex creep with one last point.

If you don't think codex creep isn't real and points aren't the balancing force in the game. I suggested you compare 3rd ed Daemonhunters to 5th ed Grey Knights.

slainte mhath

p.s. I hate Space Marines. As the saying goes. If you can't beat them....

p.s.s. I could pull a Malcom Reynolds and say "I have no need to beat you. I just want to on my way." Frankly he's a better man than I.