Another returning gamer - Too many rulesbooks?

[Espi0n-DA]

I'm looknig for advice.

I'll be returning to the hobby soon and no doubt will end up looking to play semi-competitively, as I enjoy it.

Now, I bought a IG codex 2 years ago, and somewhere along the way I've scribbled updated points costs in it. Sicne that time there have been more points changes, and at least 2 other rulesbooks I need, plus the core rules book. I'm getting confused with regards to wjhat I actually need let alone how to keep up.

Does anyone have any tips apart from 'just buy them all' on how to keep up to date with all the rules and changes so I can learn and therefore keep a competitive edge? I read some blogs like Goonhammer but rarely actually go on anything offical GW. Does it just boil down to looking for 'leaks' and constantly hunting GW's FAQ's etc?

Cheers

*Edit

Also, For any official GW tournaments, are they really THAT strict in that you can not have ANYTHNIG that isn't GW? I.e Conversions that aren't fully GW products.

Edited June 22, 2021 by Espi0n-DA

[Rogue]

The Grand Tournament pack 2021 contains the rules, missions, updated secondary objectives and has all the latest points included in a bundled supplement.

 

That and a Codex gives you everything you need to play.

[firestorm40k]

Also, the BattleScribe app is helpful for army building specifically, as the points get updated reasonably soon after official updates (E.g. Chapter Approved). There are most rules for each army, though you'll need the relevant Codex and supplements to make sure you've got all of those.

[tychobi]

Battlescribe is your best bet. None of the physical publications survive the first week without faqs. Their app will cost hundreds of any currency to maintain usefulness and to date battlescribe is way more accurate.

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

As far as tournaments, no commercially available parts can be on your minis as far as I understand the rules.

A part you designed and printed yourself is fine, conversions with custom greens stuff sculpting is also ok.

[Jings]

Third for Battlescribe. I haven't bought a Codex in about two years now since they upped the cost, decreased their lifecycles and began pushing more DLC since I don't play that often these days. It does the trick and then some.

 

The Datacards are usually worth the money tho.

[armarnis]

Third for Battlescribe. I haven't bought a Codex in about two years now since they upped the cost, decreased their lifecycles and began pushing more DLC since I don't play that often these days. It does the trick and then some.

 

The Datacards are usually worth the money tho.

i dare to say its quite the opposite. those laughibly overpriced cards can be aquired either by printer at home or at a copyshop for almost zero money. i would choose the codex over battlescribe any day tho. too many tiny failures that got me into discussions over the years...

 

but yeah, i generally agree, the amount of books for a single army is absurd

[Jings]

 

Third for Battlescribe. I haven't bought a Codex in about two years now since they upped the cost, decreased their lifecycles and began pushing more DLC since I don't play that often these days. It does the trick and then some.

 

The Datacards are usually worth the money tho.

i dare to say its quite the opposite. those laughibly overpriced cards can be aquired either by printer at home or at a copyshop for almost zero money. i would choose the codex over battlescribe any day tho. too many tiny failures that got me into discussions over the years...

 

but yeah, i generally agree, the amount of books for a single army is absurd

 

 

That's somewhat fair, though I generally play maelstrom/tactical objective games so the TacOb cards useful as hell, and being able to have the cards available to have useful strats and psychic powers on hand generally make them worth the money to me alongside Battlescribe when compared with the Codex. 

 

If the Codex included the cards as standard I'd probably be more inclined to get them though. 

[tychobi]

As far as tournaments, no commercially available parts can be on your minis as far as I understand the rules.

A part you designed and printed yourself is fine, conversions with custom greens stuff sculpting is also ok.

This only goes for official GW tournaments which are few and far between. Do not feel restricted in your hobby as the tournament community at large encourages creativity. Check the rules for the event you are looking to enter but chances are 3rd party is most welcome at most events.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

I’d get the geedub app… it updates rules as faqs and errata are released.