Codex Astartes: Supplement for the Chapters

[CrossbowSniper]

Every codex these days is getting a supplement book with 'specialty' formations and rules. It'd be nice for the Space Marines codex to have a supplement that includes all the chapters with separate sections for each one. Make it a $60 supplement and I'm in.

It doesn't even have to be huge changes. Just use the 'Gladius Strike Force' as a base, then change one or 2 formations based on chapter with new rules to boot. Also add in a special character or 2 per chapter to get things on par with Ultramarines and Black Templar, just to make others feel less left out. Check out these ideas:


Black Templar

Formation: Crusader Legion (replaces Battle Demi-Company)

1 Captain*
3 Units of Crusader Squads
1 Vanguard Veterans
1 Assault Squad, Bike Squad, or Land Speeder Squad
0-3 Units of Dreadnoughts, Venerable Dreadnoughts, or Ironclad Dreadnoughts

*High Marshal Helbrecht or The Emperor's Champion may replace the captain choice for this formation

Requirements

All Crusader Squads must be lead by a Sword Brother and have at least 1 Neophyte

Special Rules

Fury of the Crusade: Whenever a non-vehicle unit in this formation suffers a wound from a shooting attack, it must take a leadership test as if it had lost 25% casualties. If the unit fails the test, they fall back as normal. If the leadership test is passed, the unit may move d6 inches towards any unit that fired at them. This special move is made at the end of the shooting phase and can only be used once per turn, no matter how many times the unit was shot at. The unit counts as moving during their next turn but may still move and assault normally

Unstopping Assault: If 2 Crusader Legions are taken, all vehicles with a transport capacity taken from the Codex Adeptus Astartes: Space Marines book gain the Assault Vehicle special rule.

Formation: Council of Fury (replaces Librarius Conclave)

3-5 Chaplains*

*One Chaplain may be replaced by Chaplain Grimaldus

Special Rules

Warp Distain: Each Chaplain of this formation counts as a Psyker Level 1 for the purpose of Deny the Witch and adding warp charges during the opponents Psychic Phase


Iron Hands

Special Characters

Kardan Stronos, First Among Elders: 205

WS6/BS5/S4/T4/W4/I5/A4/Ld10/Sv2+/4+

Special Rules
Master of the Iron Hands
Eternal Warrior
And They Shall Know No Fear
Chapter Tactics (Iron Hands)
Independent Character

Master of the Iron Hands: Any unit with the Chapter Tactics (Iron Hands) special rule that Kardan Stronos joins gains Feel No Pain. In addition, Kardan Stronos always passes his Look Out Sir rolls when joined with a unit with the Chapter Tactics (Iron Hands) special rule

Wargear
Sword of Clans
Combi-Grav
Artificer Armour
Frag Grenades
Krak Grenades
Iron Halo
Orbital Strike

Sword of Clans:
This ancient sword has been the symbol of the leader of the Great Clan Council since its conception. Said to be forged by Ferrus Manus for one of his lieutenants, this sword embodies the power and ferocity that overcame Ferrus during the Battle of Istvaan IV

Range - / S user / AP 2 / Type: Melee, Master-Crafted, Rampage


Master Forger Blantar: 150

WS5/BS5/S4/T5/W2/I4/A2/Ld10/Sv2+

Special Rules
And They Shall Know No Fear
Chapter Tactics (Iron Hands)
Independent Character
Psyker (Mastery Level 1)
Voice of the Machine Spirit
Blessing of the Omnissiah
Bolster Defense

Voice of the Machine Spirit: Master Forger Blantar always passes his Blessing of the Omnissiah rolls.

Master Forger Blantar generates his powers from the Biomancy and Daemonology disciplines.


Wargear
Bolt Pistol
Thunderhammer
Servo-Arm
Frag Granades
Krak Grenades
Artificer Armour

(no formation changes for the Iron Hands as they stick very strictly to the Codex Astartes)


Raven Guard

Formation: Guerrilla Strike Force (replaces Battle Demi-Company)

1 Captain*
4 Units of Assault Squads
1-2 Units of Land Speeders
0-4 Scout Squads
0-2 Vanguard Veteran Squads or Sternguard Veteran Squads
0-2 Units of Dreadnoughts, Venerable Dreadnoughts, or Ironclad Dreadnoughts

* Shadow Captain Shrike may replace the Captain in this formation
Requirements

All non-vehicle must upgrade to have Jump Packs or have a Drop Pod as a Dedicated Transport
Dreadnoughts must take Drop Pods as Dedicated Transports.
The Scout Squads must upgrade to have Camo Cloaks or have a Land Speeder Storm as a Dedicated Transport

Special Rules

Move Through Cover

Melt into the Shadows: While not in Close Combat, non-vehicle units in this formation add +1 to any cover save they gain

Terror of the Shadows: If 2 Guerrilla Strike Forces are taken, all units able to may upgrade to have Jump Packs for free. In addition, all Drop Pods may take the Deathwind Launcher upgrade for free.



Those were just some ideas. What Special Characters/Formtaions would you put in the book?

[Charon]

Every codex these days is getting a supplement book with 'specialty' formations and rules. It'd be nice for the Space Marines codex to have a supplement that includes all the chapters with separate sections for each one.

Could you please explain "every" codex?

[CrossbowSniper]

Could you please explain "every" codex?

Chaos getting Black Legion and Crimson Slaughter, Tau getting the Farsight Enclave, Tyranids get Leviathan (and a few online rules), Blood Angels get Exterminatus, Dark Eldar get Haemonculus, Orks get The Red Waaagh! and Hour of the Wolf and Waagh! Ghazghkull, Space Wolves get Hour of the Wolf and Champions of Fenris, and the Astra Militarum have The Red Waaagh!

just to name a few

[Charon]

Space Marines got Clan Raaukan and Sentinels of Terra

and unlike Chaos, Tau, Tyranids, Blood Angels, Dark Eldar, Orks, Space Wolves and Astra Militarum (just to name a few) Space Marines got a metric ****ton of Formations in their main codex.
So I do not really see why one of the strongest armies that gets the most support from GW really "needs" another 20 formations.

[Tyrendian]

Space Marines got Clan Raaukan and Sentinels of Terra

and unlike Chaos, Tau, Tyranids, Blood Angels, Dark Eldar, Orks, Space Wolves and Astra Militarum (just to name a few) Space Marines got a metric ****ton of Formations in their main codex.
So I do not really see why one of the strongest armies that gets the most support from GW really "needs" another 20 formations.

how about "because they're SPEEHS MEHREEEENS and because it'd sell like hot pie"?

[CrossbowSniper]

Space Marines got Clan Raaukan and Sentinels of Terra

and unlike Chaos, Tau, Tyranids, Blood Angels, Dark Eldar, Orks, Space Wolves and Astra Militarum (just to name a few) Space Marines got a metric ****ton of Formations in their main codex.
So I do not really see why one of the strongest armies that gets the most support from GW really "needs" another 20 formations.


Ok, lets tackle this one point at a time:

1) have you actually read Clan Raakun or Sentinels of Terra? They are $50 a piece for 1 new character among the two books and a new list of relics for their respective armies. Not really a supplement so much as a slapped together after thought

2)you obviously didn't pay attention to any of the armies i mentioned. Blood angels, especially after getting supplements, have more formations than space marines, despite representing a single chapter and it's off shoots as opposed to 8 chapters. Orks not only have more formations, but more characters with each book. Space wolves are the same as blood angels. The only army that fits your argument is astra militarum, which I'll admit is at a disadvantage, but it's also a full addition behind, so we'll give that time.

3) on to why you don't see a need for it, it'd be the same as saying Eldar, Dark Eldar, and harlequins should be in the same codex, since they're effectively the same army with slightly different rules and paint jobs, with a single list for all three. I understand not everyone plays space marines, but for those of us who do, it's annoying to see our factions get removed, lessened, or just squished with the others despite what recent fluff says.

[Charon]

1) have you actually read Clan Raakun or Sentinels of Terra? They are $50 a piece for 1 new character among the two books and a new list of relics for their respective armies. Not really a supplement so much as a slapped together after thought

Which is basically the same as every supplement you mentioned.



2)you obviously didn't pay attention to any of the armies i mentioned. Blood angels, especially after getting supplements, have more formations than space marines, despite representing a single chapter and it's off shoots as opposed to 8 chapters. Orks not only have more formations, but more characters with each book. Space wolves are the same as blood angels. The only army that fits your argument is astra militarum, which I'll admit is at a disadvantage, but it's also a full addition behind, so we'll give that time.

Space Marines do have (after all the dataslates and online only formations) at the moment 18 different formations. That is MORE than the orks have. Not the other way round. Chaos Space Marines have about what? 6?
So no. Space Marines do have the most formations around possibly tied (or slightly surpassed) with tyranids.


3) on to why you don't see a need for it, it'd be the same as saying Eldar, Dark Eldar, and harlequins should be in the same codex, since they're effectively the same army with slightly different rules and paint jobs, with a single list for all three. I understand not everyone plays space marines, but for those of us who do, it's annoying to see our factions get removed, lessened, or just squished with the others despite what recent fluff says.

Flashnews: Eldar (multiple Craftworlds), Dark Eldar (multiple Cabals, Coven and Cults), Imperial Guard (multiple regiments of reknown), Chaos Space Marines (Multiple Legions and Warbands),.. do not even get " slightly different rules". They do not even have a Codex: Biel Tan Craftworld or Codex: Cabal of the Black Heart as you do with Blood Angels, Space Wolves And Dark angels.
Space Marines whining about "annoying to see our factions get removed, lessened, or just squished with the others" is hilarious. I really wish you guys would get the Dark Eldar or Sororitas treatment only once, while all other races get your priviledged treatment... cant imagine the cries of despair if standing at the top of the food chain is already horrible to you.

[Defenestratus]

Flashnews: Eldar (multiple Craftworlds), Dark Eldar (multiple Cabals, Coven and Cults), Imperial Guard (multiple regiments of reknown), Chaos Space Marines (Multiple Legions and Warbands),.. do not even get " slightly different rules". They do not even have a Codex: Biel Tan Craftworld or Codex: Cabal of the Black Heart as you do with Blood Angels, Space Wolves And Dark angels.
Space Marines whining about "annoying to see our factions get removed, lessened, or just squished with the others" is hilarious. I really wish you guys would get the Dark Eldar or Sororitas treatment only once, while all other races get your priviledged treatment... cant imagine the cries of despair if standing at the top of the food chain is already horrible to you.

I don't often agree with Charon, but this is spot on.

Space Marine players no leg to stand on when it comes to whining about "removing" of their character. Hell, one craftworld had a supplement for 2 years.

Give me a break already.

[Path Walker]

There are about one million Astartes in the whole galaxy, give or take (approximately 1000 Chapters, full Codex strength is just over 1000). They're well represented rules wise.

[Mr Mystery]

Full Chapter strength is allegedly 1,000 strong....kind of hard to tell if any actually adhere to that limit.

There's a strong suggestion Dark Angels and Space Wolves just sort of ignore it!

[Haighus]

Space Wolves DO ignore it :D They have 12 Companies, and Logan Grimnar's company is over 200 strong, I believe Ragnar's is around 180 strong. SOme will have less, but the Chapter should have roughly 2000 warriors at it's command, especially when counting the scores of ancient Dreadnoughts it has access to.

IIRC, the Dark Angels are in a similar situation to the Black Templars, they nominally have 1000 warriors, but because they have deployments scattered across the galaxy with their own recruitment bases and detached from easy resupply, there may well be many more than 1000, but the Dark Angels are careful to never gather their full strength in front of others I believe. The Black Templars are supposed to have more than 3000 Marines, but many of them operate almost as independent Chapters.

These Chapters probably only get away with it due to a mixture of caution, being spread out and their repute and proven track record though- it was attempting to rebuild a Legion than eventually caused the destruction of the Astral Claws and pushed the survivors to become the Red Corsairs.

Oh, it is also worth noting that some areas of a Chapter technically have no limit- the Scout Company for example has no formal size, so a Chapter theoretically could have a Scout Company hundreds strong. I think the Chapters with large Scout contingents tend to split them into multiple Companies for practical purposes though.

[Reldane]

and the Astra Militarum have The Red Waaagh!

you might be required to do a little research, Astra Militarum have exactly 2 formations, 2 as apposed to how many in the space marine codex?. quick be envious of an army that has so much less than yours, what they have is incomparably worse than your armies because they get to buy another book... great logic

[Just Tony]

You know, the whole BT Fall Forward thing was stupid bull**** when it came out. I wouldn't be a fan of it now.


I don't often agree with Charon, but this is spot on.

Space Marine players no leg to stand on when it comes to whining about "removing" of their character. Hell, one craftworld had a supplement for 2 years.

Give me a break already.

Character hasn't been removed at all, now CHARACTERS have. I don't ask for a swamp of Crimson Fists rules, just bring back an official Captain Cortez.

[Path Walker]

I remember when Special Characters were for beardy wierdos and no one really used them much in games because making your own Heroes is much more rewarding.

[Charon]

You know, the whole BT Fall Forward thing was stupid bull**** when it came out. I wouldn't be a fan of it now.



Character hasn't been removed at all, now CHARACTERS have. I don't ask for a swamp of Crimson Fists rules, just bring back an official Captain Cortez.

Oh noez... 5 Characters were removed for DE. They are left with 3. Poor Marines.

[Mr.Pickelz]

According to the Space Wolf lore, each Company is roughly a Chapter unto itself. They can have between 100 and 1,000 warriors at a time, but due to high attrition rates among the Blood Claws, and the aggressive tactics employed, the twelve Companies are constantly kept at lower numbers of around 100 to 200 warriors per Company(not including transport crews and such). When a Wolf Lord, head of a Company (between a Captain and Chapter Master rank), responds to a situation, he'll take his entire Company with him, so if his company has 800 warriors, they will all go. Likewise, if it's 180, they will all go too. Because of this, the Space Wolves are all spread out with all the Companies never being in one place at a single time. Also, due to past experiences, a Company must remain behind to guard the Fang (super fortress on the home world) so you have 11 Companies wondering around the universe doing Space Marine things.

[Deacon Ix]

Black Templars ignore it too,

But on the MOAR Books thing... if there was ever a faction that didn't need more books it's space marines / imperial.

[Asymmetrical Xeno]

Meh, would rather have Codex : Slaugth

[Matt Arndt]

I have a question I know will catch flack. What's wrong with using the base codex?

[Mr Mystery]

Lack of specialisation I guess.

Though there's two sides to the issue, far as I'm concerned.

1. Space Marines are prevalent - so they get a variety of gaming styles, other players feel a bit hard done by (not without justification)

2. Space Marines are prevalent - they get a single Codex, other players feel the bite of monotony (not without justification)

Only way round it is for Space Marines to no longer be the most popular army by a country mile......which let's face it, is unlikely to happen. They're iconic and popular for a reason.

[CrossbowSniper]

Also, just a quick warning to any would-be Space Marine players out there:

DO NOT BUY ANY OF THE FORMATIONS NOT IN THE ORIGINAL CODEX.
these formation dataslates are useless. All the formations in the dataslates are already in the main codex and give you nothing new for your army. it is a waste of money.

The only exception to this is Tyrannic War Veterans. That's actually a new formation.

[Just Tony]

I have a question I know will catch flack. What's wrong with using the base codex?

Personally, I think nothing is wrong with it. I've been a Crimson Fists player my entire gaming career, and would be playing Raptors as my Marine chapter if I didn't go CF. No special snowflake rules for me, not like those OTHER chapters.