The Codex round up as it stands:

  • 5x Book Sections
    • Table of Contents (Book must be complete) < 50% as sections get completed
    • Forward <Complete
    • Smythe Forge – Story Bit < Complete
    • Inquisitorial Oversite – Story Bit < Complete
    • Historical Record/ Important Battles – Story Bit < Complete
  • 8x Rules Pages Remaining
    • Strategems
    • Relics
    • Special Issue Wargear
    • Requisitions
    • Honorifics
    • Turn of Fate – Optional Rules System
    • Wargear/ Points – Need all rules to be finalized
    • Reference/ Glossary – Need all rules and pages to be finalized
  • Edit and Revise
    • Reformat ENTIRE Stat Profile section Codex < In progress
      • Story Section < Layout Revision and Editing Complete – COMPLETE/ LOCKED IN
      • Unit Profiles < Layout Revision Complete, Currently Editing Each Profile, about 50% complete.
      • Datasheets < Layout Revision Complete, Currently converting for COPYRIGHT COMPLIANCE (which guts like 90% of the work I did)!
      • Rules < still have to get these done. About 40% complete.

This Weeks Musings

The book is sitting at 206 pages right now. In light of the recent games workshop copyright lockdown nonsense I’m considering a few courses of action in order to publish the book online.

I wrote the codex to contain every unit playable to the Lamenters. This includes full rules for each unit. To differentiate the Lamenter’s units from the mainline units contained with Codex: Space Marines, each has been tweaked ever so slightly to be distinct to the chapter, which has remained separated from the Imperium for awhile – and to also avoid games workshop’s legal trapeze act. However, I downloaded the Forgeworld “legacy” rules this week. This PDF is a collection of datasheets and rules for units that are no longer in the game, but rules were written so neckbeards can vroom vroom with their toys at home still. In the document they can’t even bring themselves to list out all the stats in the book for fear of “giving away” some snippet of information to the player without charging them for it. There’s just a “buy this book” listed in the slot.

A Rant

Frankly, it’s kind of gross. The stats are just an assemblage of numbers that any goon with a copy of the core rules could make up on the spot if he had any intelligence at all. Hell, look at me go. But, if games workshop can’t stand to give away the profile for a bolt pistol, well, they probably aren’t going to tolerate even my tweaked rules. This sucks, because the army is very… integrated with itself and narratively driven. They don’t resemble the Blood Angels in any way, really.

This mentality of “go look here” for rules just makes it inconvenient for the player to play the game. If I have to haul around four hardcover codices and a large hardcover core book to play the game, how the hell am I going to even have time to play the game? I’m going to be too busy looking up rules to have fun. The previous edition was great, every codex was complete without the need for other books outside the core book and your army book.

So Now What?

My question then becomes, do I publish the changed rules? What can I publish? My unique units? They contain the stats for a bolt pistol though, so what do I do? Even if I publish just my custom characters for the chapter, the codex has certain units the chapter can use, and others they can’t use. As a few examples: the Lamenters are limited to five terminators in the field. They don’t have sanguinary guard. There are no Vanguard or Sternguard units. The book is very concise on what they can use and what they can’t use.

When rules absolutely matter people are only going to reach for official rules anyway. My little fan codex is just for fun and friendly games. Games Workshop is in no danger of loosing sales from my little fan book. I guess that’s the part I don’t understand about any of this. The draconian lockdowns over a hobby that this company asked us to be a part of, then pulled the rug out from under us, claiming we’re the ones at fault. Oh well.

I’m anticipating that I’ll be done with the Codex within two weeks. Maybe one if I can bust my backside.