The Worst Codex For Ninth Edition

After finally finishing the imperial knights codex, after reading all the imperium codices and supplements. As well as thousand sons and aeldari codices. I have come to the conclusion that, codex space marines is the worst codex out of all of the imperial codices. Just to make sure I am thorough, I also read all the eighth edition codices for the imperium, most of the chaos and xenos ones. To make it easier, here is the list of the eighth edition's codices I din't read. Drukhari, Necron, and chaos knights. Finally loads of 2nd - 7th editions codices. I say all this to sure the research into this video was intense.

So why is 9th edition codex space marines the worse codex?

First, is the total lack of named characters. There isn't another codex since second that does not include a named character. The named character's absence is stark, even the primarch roboute guilliman could have been included, as a commander for all space marines. Yes he's the Ultramarine Primarch, yet saint celestine lost her order of the martyred lady keyword for ninth. Making Roboute guilliman a commander for all space marines would not have been a stretch. Especially as there is now three daemon primarchs to the one loyalist.

Next is the supplements, I will only be talking about the ninth edition ones. The only eighth edition space marine supplement I have read is the salamanders. Yet here is the problem, only the deathwatch supplement doubles with the missing datasheets. The extra rules, and lore only add another five pages. In total 75 pages could have been added to the supplements to make them full codices. That's not an arbitrary number, that is the number of pages of lore and rules for each chapter, including said datasheets. With the chaos space marines getting three extra full codices, for thousand sons, death guard, and now world eaters. Why didn't the loyalist chapters get them too?

it is an extra expense that should not have been needed. There has only been one other time space marine chapters got a supplement over a full codex. That was third, and honestly third edition codices were trash, lacking on lore and half the size of second edition codices. Worse was that supplements had staples as their binding. Games workshop moved from this back, yes back to full codices was a great move. Going back to supplements, making any space marine army if you wish to use unique characters and unit choices for your chapter a minimum of £51.50. Why wouldn't you want to use those extra units it why you chose that chapter.

Finally, the space marine codex really shows, how much a book can cost. Follow me here, if you compare the space marine and aeldari codices, not uch difference in value for money. Space marine codex has 208 pages and the aeldari book has 200. Very similar in thickness. Other codices imperial knights 136, Grey knights 112, adepta soritas 128, adeptus custodes 104 literally half the book at the same price, and finally thousand sons with 96 pages. The space wolves supplement has 8 pages less than than the thousand sons codex. If the supplements had been full codices, the page count for all books would have been more even. The space marine book could have had just the ultra marine characters, with exception of unique named characters and unit choices a space marine is a space marine. It would have worked as place holder until the other chapters ot their own codices too.