Codex Reviews

I made this thread to discuss the usefulness of various codices from the 40k miniature game for 40k RPGs. Not having marinated in 40k lore since I was born I expect that its probably be me asking most of the questions for what 40k codices are good and what are not. But this thread is naturally open for everyone.

So first question, I have an idea to get my TT OW players involved in action at behest of the Inquisition. Now the Dark Heresy books don't touch much on the Inquisition when these guys actually go to war in major conflicts. But I've tracked down the "Daemonhunter" and "Witch Hunter" codices, so I ask if anyone knows how good these are with fluff and base stuff for stats (particularly looking for more info on the Adepta Sororitas as I haven't found any codex focused on the Sisters of Battle that I can actually buy)?

The ones I'm talking about are these versions

https://www.amazon.com/Games-Workshop-Daemonhunters-Mcneil-Chambers/dp/B000NH1W3Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1538567084&sr=8-1&keywords=daemonhunters

and

https://www.amazon.com/Codex-Witch-Hunters-Andy-Hoare/dp/184154485X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1538567110&sr=8-3&keywords=witch+hunters+codex

EDITED: Thinking some maybe it wasn't the best idea to put this thread in this sub-forum. If a mod would see a need to move it I wouldn't mind.

I have no experience at all with those books, but I feel like some people might - specifically Wendigo or Syl perhaps.

I think that this can be considered a GM question, so it is fine here. I wish I could be of more help!

Iron and Metal wrote:

I have no experience at all with those books, but I feel like some people might - specifically Wendigo or Syl perhaps.

I think that this can be considered a GM question, so it is fine here. I wish I could be of more help!

Thanks for a reply. I was thinking that this thread was abandoned.

Anyway, I went ahead and bought the codices and I would say they were pretty good and between them and the Dark Heresy supplements I feel that I can introduce both Adepta Sororitas (no codex specifically for them so far though ) as well as Imperial Guard regiments sent in to fight targets marked by the Inquisition. I even offered the players to make a Inquisitorial sponsered regiment with access to lots of special gear, some custom talents and stuff for engaging in high risk operations against various targets. Would probably have been a bit in special ops kind of direction but with much less focus on stealth as opposed to rather blatant "search-and-destroy" missions, storming heretical basions on Imperial worlds and so on.

But there was some opposition so nothing came of it that time, but we'll see if it comes back up in the future.

That sounds like a badass game. I would love to play in that. Spec ops for an Inquisitor just wrecking cultist's shit. Yeah, buddy.

If you asking for Lore related help, the newer codexes are better than the older ones (Talking 3e here, which is where the witch hunters came from. I have that army so I had the book). The older ones have only a paragraph or 2 on each unit and maybe 10 pages of very brief lore. Starting from 4e and up the codexes were much much better in terms of LORe.

If your asking from trying to bring something unit related into 40k rpg, I ask what exactly are you looking at? SOB have been brought into bothe eds of Dark heresy, inquisitorial stuff is the meat and potatoes of dark heresy.
As for demonhunters, its a simple matter to make any inquisitor and retinue (ie the players) a malleus faction. And I actually tried to start a grey knights game some years back, so bringing them into dark heresy is as easy as making a few changes to space marine system and stats.

Both Iron and myself have brought in some units and devices from the newer codexes into the games. Even ran a test run on the centurion suits.

So what are we looking at here? Lore or unit rules?

Iron and Metal wrote:

That sounds like a badass game. I would love to play in that. Spec ops for an Inquisitor just wrecking cultist's shit. Yeah, buddy.

Yeah, it could have been pretty fun and different from other Only War games. But alas.

Sylphilis wrote:

If you asking for Lore related help, the newer codexes are better than the older ones (Talking 3e here, which is where the witch hunters came from. I have that army so I had the book). The older ones have only a paragraph or 2 on each unit and maybe 10 pages of very brief lore. Starting from 4e and up the codexes were much much better in terms of LORe.

Yeah, I agree. I got hold of Astra Militarium, Craftworld Eldar, Chaos Space Marine codices and a Black Legion supplement since in addition to the two codices that I mentioned in my first post, and these later ones do provide a good amount of lore and ideas for additional gear and stuff that I can bring into an Only War game. As well as understand a bit better how the enemies thinks and reasons so that I can ensure that they feel different and use different stratagems and have different priorities.

Sylphilis wrote:

If your asking from trying to bring something unit related into 40k rpg, I ask what exactly are you looking at? SOB have been brought into bothe eds of Dark heresy, inquisitorial stuff is the meat and potatoes of dark heresy.

While using the Sororitas as an example I was thinking about how many sisters would be in a squad, what kind of gear beyond bolters and power armour would a squad be bringing and so on. When playing a military game I feel that I should at least make an effort to get the military parts of the game down correctly. I would have wanted to get a proper Sisters of Battle codex, but none was avilable at the places where I normally shop for older Warhammer and 40k material.

Sylphilis wrote:

As for demonhunters, its a simple matter to make any inquisitor and retinue (ie the players) a malleus faction. And I actually tried to start a grey knights game some years back, so bringing them into dark heresy is as easy as making a few changes to space marine system and stats.

Sounds reasonable.

Sylphilis wrote:

Both Iron and myself have brought in some units and devices from the newer codexes into the games. Even ran a test run on the centurion suits.

Sounds cool. That's pretty much what I want to do as well, use the codices to go beyond the stats in official publications and create more memorable episides for my characters.

Sylphilis wrote:

So what are we looking at here? Lore or unit rules?

Both, but as mentioned above, my aim is to get information to creater deeper and more memorable episodes for my players, and ensure that I know enough and have enough inspiration for the traditional 40k factions to not get predictable and boring for my players to face off against. I mean the OW core has plenty of information about the Dark Eldar, but not very much about how large a squad of normal Dark Eldar Kabal warriors is and so on. Those are details to the military organization of the foe I am seeking, as well as more information on their greater culture and motives to engage in war.

So far I've brought over stuff from Star Wars, Warhammer Fantasy, Tékumel and RAGE (the post-apocalyptic video game that is) in order to keep things interested and make sure the players' don't get complacent and start to know in advance how to deal with every opponent that comes up.

And more cross-overs from the Warmachine miniature game, Star Wars, Starcraft, Star Trek, Warhammer Fantasy, Mass Effect, Tyranny and other games and settings, and stuff I made up myself, are also planned to be introduced. All in the interest of variation, enjoyment, and keeping the players on their toes.

Ok, I've been on a buying spree to get hold of old Warhammer Fantasy Army books and I'm planning to turn my eyes back to get some 40k codices in order to expand on stuff in regards to my IG campaign.

And beyond the most recent editions of "Orks", "Harlequins" and "Drukhari" I am setting my eyes on two old ones. Namely the campaign codices for "Eye of Terror" (mostly interested in the rules for the 13th Wulfen company) and "Armageddon" (not sure what to expect for this one actually, beyond rules for the Steel Legions, naturally).

And I am kind of eyeing a Black Templar codex unsure if there are more than one example, for an idea about a couple of missions where the PC regiment gets caught in the middle as a bunch of Black Templars dukes it out with Word Bearer (or some other zealous Chaos Space Marines) warband on some poor and unfortunate world.

So, Eye of Terror, Armageddon and Black Templar. Any opinions or reviews on these?