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4th Edition 'Codex Fever': rumours, leaks and downright lies

15 November 2006 | 4th Edition

The 4th Edition Dark Angels Codex is eagerly awaited by many, and rightly so. With so much invested in armies the smallest changes can wreak havoc on playing styles and army composition. As a result the rumours have been flying.

The list below shows some of the items we have been informed of so far. Many of these items have only been implied, and NOTHING has been confirmed. All have appeared in the public domain by individuals acting voluntarily. I take no responsibility for their validity, content, any consequential loss or damage, or any copyright infringements that might have been broken by the original authors.

Note that I am not commenting on any of these rumours — there are just too many disparate threads here to draw much meaningful conclusion as yet. As the release date looms so the list will grow, or maybe it will shrink to what might reasonably be expected to appear in the new Codex.

I have sorted these rumours into the relevant companies, and further categorised them into my own classifications of:
Good (well, positive things at least)
Bad (self-explanatory)
Ugly (not sure whether good or bad yet, but new developments nonetheless).

Sources where known:
[B+C] = Bolter and Chainsword;
[W] = Warseer.

General Chapter-wide rumours

Good:

1. New DA Psychic power(s) for Librarians? [W]
2. Rhinos are not the only vehicles with extra kit at a cheaper price, the Dark Angels are on a 'pimp-my-ride' discount frenzy. Discount Crusaders? [W]

Bad:

1. ??

Ugly:

1. Expect changes to both the Sword of Secrets and the Lion Helm. [W]

Deathwing Rumours

Good:

1. First turn teleport? [B+C]
2. The reinstatement of mixed assault/tactical termy squads? [B+C]
3. A new Grand Master of the Deathwing character? [B+B] [W]

Bad:

1. Only one Assault Cannon (or poss heavy weapon) per squad? [B+C]
2. No combi-weapons for sergeants? [B+C]
3. No more Stubborn? (Replaced by something else?) [B+C]
4. No more Furious Charge? [B+C]

Ugly:

1. The possibility of Ravenwing fielded in Deathwing armies? [B+C]
2. The possibility of Predators fielded in Deathwing armies? [B+C]
3. The possibility of Devs fielded in Deathwing armies? [B+C]
   (Can we infer that DW armies will need not be ALL termies/dreads/LRs then, but might have the option of a 'mixed force' resembling some sort of 'Lysanderwing' mixed forces?)
4. Taking the Master of the DW means Terminator squads in Troop slots. Other slots may be filled with Battle company or Ravenwing units? [W]
5. (DW Termies) will be cheaper than the Deathwing entry in the 3rd Edition Dark Angel Codex but more expensive than the Space Marine Codex? [W]

Ravenwing Rumours

Good:

1. Master of Ravenwing on a jetbike? [B+C]
2. Ravenwing squads on jetbike? [B+C]
3. A new Grand Master of the Ravenwing character? [B+B] [W]
4. The Master of the Ravenwing can have a Land Speeder which has AV14 all round armour and a 6+ Jinx save. He can also ride a Jetbike which is rumoured be armed with a plasma cannon (plasmagun more likely)? [W]

Bad:

1. Loss of the 'Jink' save? [W]

Ugly:

1. Bikes will start as a 5-man squad, this can then be upgraded to a 6-man squad? [W]
2. Taking the Master of the RW means bikes in troop slots. Other slots may be filled with Battle company or Deathwing units? [W]
3. Extra Land Speeder allowance for every 6 bikes? Single Land Speeders and attack bikes can be attached to bike squadrons although they operate independently? It can operate on it's own. Coupled with the Attack Bike you can add on and you can get up to four independent scoring units from one Fast Attack (or Troops) choice? [W]

Battle Company Rumours

Good:

1. Uprated Shotguns? [W]
2. Mortis Dreadnought now in Codex? [B+C]
3. Plasma Dreadnought remains? [B+C] [W]
4. No Mortis option in the codex but you also have twin-linked Autocannons if you wish? Puzzled! [W]
5. Power armoured Dark Angels squads now get equipment as standard that will help them be more effective in close combat. (with frag and krak grenades and bolt pistols?) [W]
6. Vet Sarges now free? [W]

Bad:

1. No more Furious Charge? [B+C]
2. The existence of Intractable in doubt? [B+C] [W]
3. No more Tank Hunters? [B+C] [W]

Ugly:

1. 5/10 split Combat/Tactical Squads? [B+C] [W]
2. You can purchase a basic tactical squad of five marines you can only upgrade one with a special weapon. Or you can purchase a basic Tactical squad of five marines and then upgrade it with a further five marines for a total of ten. In this case you can upgrade one with a special weapon and another with a heavy weapon. They can then be split into two Combat squads. [W]

New Model Rumours

1. The two plastic sprues will be a Dark Angel/Deathwing set and a Ravenwing/vehicle set. These are going to use the latest GW technology to include a lot of bits on each? [W]
2. Plastic robed models with separate chest pieces? [W]
3. Terminator Librarian (generic model)? [W]
4. Master of the Ravenwing on Jetbike? [B+C] [W]

Conclusion

Added February 2014.

Looking back at these innocent and eagerly-sought rumours, it's amazing how many of the 'Bad' and 'Ugly" ones made it into what we know now as the 'Jervis Codex'. A (it is thought) largely experimental set of rules with novel features like Combat squads and HQ characters unlocking units into Troop slots, fixed-size units etc etc, that presaged the 5th Edition Codex: Space Marines Codex 2008 — although that Codex did it better.

We now know what we suspected then: that a lot of character and flexibility was being stripped out of our beloved Unforgiven.

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