Another "what will happen" thread

[captain sox]

Hey folks.

 

just been busy planning / building my army when I thought came to mind. I've only been in 40K for about 4 Years and I'm wondering how much will change in 6th. Have any units in any of the FOC slots changed much? Will there always be Dev Squads, Assault Squads and Tac Squads? Will Dreads always be a part of a codex? When 4th was updated to 5th, was there a huge overhaul of units?

 

I hope this makes sense. I'm sinking lots of time and $$ into my revamped army, and I hope (for gaming purposes) I'm not wasting these resources. Am I being paranoid? Should I just relax and enjoy my time with my mini's and not worry about the next book?

 

Any insight?

 

Thanks!

[Chaplain Lucifer]

I don't think you have reasons to worry. The only things that changed over time is that we had some new toys added. Nothing was taken so far.

The most extreme change between 3rd , 3.5 PDF and 4th ed codex was scouts going from troops to elites. So the models you've got now will be on the next codex...

You shouldn't worry about it. :D

[Bryan Blaire]

CPT Sox, there haven't been any extreme changes since before 3rd Edition with regards to units or even the locations of those in the FOC. Terminator Squads in 3rd could take two heavy weapons in a 5 man squad and were expandable up to 10 men. This changed for 4th Edition. How Ravenwing squads were organized changed from 3rd to 4th, but the basic bikes, attack bikes and land speeders all remained available. There will always be Devastator squads, Assault squads, and Tactical squads using some kind of similar configurations to what they have now (the squad set ups themselves have become iconic in their own right). Dreads will always be a part of the Codex.

 

One of the changes I've been wondering if we'll see is whether we may no longer be able to put a Cyclone launcher onto a TH/SS or LC Terminator. Like Chaplain Lucifer said, we're more likely to get some new (or old but redone) toys to play with in the Army List than we are to permanently lose access to something we've had for 3+ editions.

[Candleshoes]

Any purchases or units in the current army are VERY UNLIKELY to be absent a new codex.

 

The only worry moving forward is saving money for all the tastey new toys and models to come, which of course will be all the rage by all marine players, we are a canabalising lot after all.

[Droma]

The only things that are likely to change are new units, new point costs, new wargear options, units changing FOC slots. The likelihood of anything actually being removed is miniscule.

[Isiah]

Any purchases or units in the current army are VERY UNLIKELY to be absent a new codex.

 

 

While this might be broadly true – better / newer units / new characters might appear to render current ones semi-obsolete. I'd certainly think twice before making any large scale purchases prior to May/June's Codex release. Having said that, the units the OP mention are pretty bread-and-butter, any upgraded / changed weapons or wargear could easily be managed by bits parts ordering :D.

 

Cheers

I

[Tamwulf]

It all depends on what the direction GW will want to take Space Marines into the next edition.

 

In Fourth, we were the first Codex of Space Marines written for the 5th Edition rule set. The design philosophy at the time was "Less is More"- as in less wargear options, less options within squads, less special rules. Looking at the Dark Angels, Chaos, Eldar, and Tyranids or Orks towards the ends of 4th/beginning of 5th, you could see that design being implemented. Then came Codex: Space Marines. That book totally wiped out that design philosophy. Consequently, as a Codex written before all the power creep really started to set in, the Dark Angels got shafted (but so did Chaos and Eldar). Dark Angels have pretty much limped along with the occasional FAQ tidbit- Cyclones, Whirlwinds, the Standards, Veteran Options, Drop Pod BS, Storm Shields, and Apothecaries. These upgrades, while very welcome, were like throwing a dog a bone.

 

What have we lost from past Codex Incarnations? Stubborn, Intractable, The Ravenwing Jink save, Hunting the Fallen, and rules on Cypher. We lost Wargear Options- Terminator Armor on HQ's, the Lion Helm (yet somehow the Space Wolves got to keep the Belt of Russ...), Sword of Secrets, Book of Salvation, Blades of Reason, Cup of Retribution, and the three Standards- Devastation, Fortitude, Retribution. We lost the Deathwing and it's 4-9 Terminators with way better wargear options, mix and match, and, oh yeah, the Sergeant being able to take stuff from the Armory. We lost Asmodai, and Veteran Sergeant Naaman.

 

What did the Dark Angels gain? Watered down special characters (though Belial is a nice Diamond in the Rough, but even he could be better). Sammael, who is great on his Speeder, is not so great on his Jet Bike. The Ravenwing is awesome- all those bikes, all those options, and we pay more for them then any other Codex and get little (Fearless?) in return. Sure, you can attach a Landspeeder to the squad...good luck with that! Pretty much everything else is "standard" Codex Space Marines- with no way of making them better. See Special characters granting combat tactics, or reroll Thunderhammer/Melta attacks, feel no pain, re-roll reserves, make everything deepstrike, the Red Thirst... all these little special rules that make a "standard" squad great.

 

What does this all mean? It means the Dark Angels are pretty much at the bottom of the barrel. GW can't really take much more away from us. What they can do is give a whole lot back. The question becomes what will they give back and what new stuff will they add? What kind of retcon will they perform on the DA fluff, and what "special" units will we get? I.e., Death Company, Sanguinary Guard, Lone Wolves, Thunderwolf Cavalry, Sternguard, Legion of the Damned, Thunderfire Cannons, Storm Ravens, Land Raider Redeemers.

 

It means that just about everything you have now, will have some place in the new Codex. Dark Angels have nothing in our Codex that is unique to the Dark Angels, and so anything that is added will be added to what the Dark Angels already have. I look at the whole thing like this: Dark Angels have a good foundation for a great Codex if GW adds the right wargear, options, and special characters. Even if the Dark Angels don't get one new, special or unique unit, if GW will just give us new HQ choices on par with all the other Codex HQ options currently available, the Dark Angels will be alright.

 

Personally, I'm pulling for Lion Cavalry ala Thunderwolves. ;)

[Brother_Darius]

I've played since 2nd edition.

 

In all the revisions the units (models) have always remained. What often changes is the effectiveness/desireability of the wargear. ie Back in the day Plasma guns were cheaper than Melta guns. Every squad had a plasma squad in it. When 5th edition rolled and the price of melta guns became so cheap, plasma arms were taken off and replaced with melta guns.

 

there was a time when a popular layout for Dev squads was 4 heavy bolters. in later additions the Dev squad remained but the rules/points favored a 4 missle launcher layout.

 

there was a time when you could purchase whole squads of Attack Bikes and they would all roam together. Now, even though the Attack Bikes remain, you can't field them in similar ways.

 

 

to sum up.....the boltgun marines will always have a place, it's the weargear thats in favor from edition to edition that changes....

[Grimdarkness]

I,m hoping we get something that makes greenwing armies different from vanilla chapters. Be it war gear a rule or a SC.