Example early 3rd edition Codex (Imperial Guard) Each codex had its own lettering style for the title.Example late 3rd edition Codex (Imperial Guard) All of these longer codices had a standard black border and common title style.Example 6th edition Codex (Space Marines) All codices had a standard grey name and the word codex. Early 7th Edition codices continued this styling.Example Late 7th edition Codex (Dark Angels) These codices had a standard white name with their faction type.Example 8th edition Codex (Space Marines) All codices have a standard grey title and border.
A codex (pluralized as codexes by Games Workshop), in the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop wargame, is a rules supplement containing information concerning a particular army, environment, or worldwide campaign.
Codices for particular armies were introduced for the second edition of the game. The third edition rendered these obsolete, and a new series began, including introducing codices for battle zones and campaigns. Until superseded by newer versions, the 3rd edition and later codices remained valid for the newer editions of Warhammer 40,000. Games Workshop no longer produce campaign or battle zone codices, instead releasing 'expansions'. 'Codex' is now a term solely used for army books.
At the launch of 8th edition all previous codices were replaced with index books due to a major rules overhaul (as of November 2019 these indices are no longer produced). The indices were subsequently replaced by a new series of codices. As before, these codices remained valid until superseded by newer versions.
The format of the codices has varied somewhat over the years. The most common elements between iterations include:
Background - Information about the force and its place in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. This includes artwork, short stories, and copies of fictional documents from the future.
Miniature Showcase - Originally a hobby section providing information on collecting, building and painting an army. Later a selection of photographs of Citadel Miniatures painted by Games Workshop's 'Eavy Metal team.
Rules - Delivered in varying forms between editions. In earlier editions: a bestiary (descriptions of units, characters and vehicles with special rules and background information), alongside an army list (providing options and points costs for units in the bestiary). Since 7th edition, rules for each unit have been delivered on a datasheet (a concise page detailing all stats, equipment, options and special rules for a unit). All other army rules and points are listed separately in sections before and after the datasheets.
Codex supplements provide additional rules for sub-factions of a parent army. These might include special characters or units and other special rules that are only available to that particular sub-faction.
Rules for models produced by Forgeworld are available as part of the Imperial Armour series of books, also published by Forgeworld. Rules for models no longer supported by codices and supplements can be found in Warhammer Legends on the Warhammer Community website.
Current Books
Army Codices
The range of codices is regularly updated with new editions of armies and occasionally new army codices. Codices designed for a prior edition of Warhammer 40,000 are still valid in the current edition, unless a later version has replaced it. Codex Supplements have their parent faction noted in brackets.
Imperial Armour is a series of official rules supplements to Warhammer 40,000 Codices produced by Forge World, a subsidiary company of Games Workshop. Current, valid books:
Imperial Armour
Notes
ISBN
Release Date
Obsolete Books
Codices
9th Edition
All codices were rendered obsolete by 10th edition Warhammer 40,000. 10th Edition was released June 2023. Codex Supplements have their parent faction noted in brackets.
All codices were rendered obsolete by 8th edition Warhammer 40,000. 7th Edition was released May 2014. Codex Supplements have their parent faction noted in brackets.
^Presented in two parts in White Dwarf issues #330 and #331, and subsequently available online from the Games Workshop website, with long-term plan to publish this list in a new book.
3rd Edition
3rd Edition was released in 1998. Codex Supplements have their parent faction noted in brackets.
Battlezone codices were rules supplements that dealt with a specialised combat environment, instead of an army. There was only ever one produced. However, material in Codex: Catachans provides rules for jungle warfare. The concept of a battlezone codex was replaced by Games Workshop's Expansions.
The two event codices were released in association with the 2000 and 2003 Worldwide Campaigns. These codices provided background and special gaming rules for the event, along with four "supplemental army lists"; variant armies that required access to certain other codices for use.
Companion volume to Warhammer 40,000 Apocalypse, containing new battle formations as well as new Apocalypse compatible game statistics for several Forge World models
Companion volume to Warhammer 40,000 Apocalypse, containing new battle formations as well as new Apocalypse compatible game statistics for several Forge World models
Companion volume to Warhammer 40,000 Apocalypse, containing new battle formations as well as new Apocalypse compatible game statistics for several Forge World models
Companion volume to Warhammer 40,000 Apocalypse, containing new battle formations as well as new Apocalypse compatible game statistics for several Forge World models
Adeptus Custodes, Adeptus Mechanicus, Astra Militarum, Chaos Daemons, Chaos Knights, Chaos Space Marines, Craftworlds, Death Guard, Drukhari, Grey Knights, Imperial Knights, The Inquisition, Necrons, Orks, Space Marines, T’au Empire, Tyranids
