The Rule of Cool always wins. If you find a unit/model incredible and like it, you will consistently win on the inside, even if its rules are not 100% optimal. Although the new 9th edition codexremoves therestrictions on building army lists based on a single Imperial Guard Regimentin favour of creating forces mixed from multiple regiments, these distinctive subfactions remain a vital part of Astra Militarum lore to weave into your army. Use this Stratagem after an enemy unit has declared a charge against one or more units from your army. One of the units that was chose as the target of that charge can fire Overwatch before the charge roll is made. Perhaps our favourite change is to the biggest box of boom in the Astra Militarum arsenal – the Deathstrike missile launcher. This formidable artillery piece is getting a major overhaul. Random chance is out, mind games are in. As well as new sculpts of the Chaos Space Marine PossessedandChaos Cultists, there were threebrand new, gruesomely mutated kits: the ‘Accursed Cultist Mutants’ and ‘Accursed Cultist Torments’. Meanwhile, there was confirmation of long-standing rumors that the World Eaters traitor legion would have their own codex, and brand new models.

Try to avoid playing ultra-competitive games with competitive players to start with. Some people will crush you completely on the tabletop and think nothing of it. That, too, can eat away at your enthusiasm, question your unit choices and generally is just not fun. Play with new players or players you know want to give you a great first experience of Warhammer 40K. Forgeworld/Resin Models Tanks are complicated, weapons can break and jam – but manpower is a resource that never fails. The Imperium lives and dies on the sacrifices made by its fearless* infantry, and whether you need to overwhelm mutants, heretics, or aliens, there’s no better weapon than a few hundred warm bodies loaded up with lasguns. The most famous defenders of humanity are the Space Marines, demigods created by the Emperor of Mankindwho stand as a bulwark against the worst the universe has to throw at them. They’re peerless in battle, but they’re few, and can’t win galactic wars on their own. In their own way, the human soldiers of the Imperial Guard boast far more bravery, grit, and determination than even theAdeptus Astartes can muster.

Astra Militarum Combat Patrol

Finally, there’s an incredible new take on a classic kit – the Sentinel. These agile walker-vehicles are superb hunter-killers, and can be equipped with a variety of weaponry and wargear that enables them to deal with any foe – from blasting apart a tide of frenzied cultists to bringing down xenos monstrosities. Valhalla, as the name would suggest, has become a frozen world of ice and death. Their Imperial Guard made their name fending off a tide of Orks, while fighting their own bellies during a food shortage. They’re strong and unflinching in combat, with a Relic that displays their iron will. The Petrov’s MK 45 is a bolt pistol with -1 AP, dealing 2 damage – but it has a side effect that makes it a must-take on the tabletop. It stops more than one Valhallan model fleeing from units within 6 inches, making your meat shields suddenly become fearless in the face of overwhelming foes. Like the others, it’s full of army-specific datasheets, rules, and bespoke Crusade content for the Death Guard, the vile,disgustingly resilient sons of the dread Daemon Primarch Mortarion.

The core and unit rules will change, so that fantastic unit now that costs 100 points may not be 100 points next month. While I think this is true if you are playing at high-level tournaments against other lists built to win tournaments with tournament players, I do not think this is true day-to-day for the Astra Militarum.The 9th Edition Space Marines codexwas released on October 10, 2020, so it’s available now. There is also a special Collector’s Edition available, if you fancy it. Edition Codex: Astra Militarum, Codex: Adeptus Mechanicus, Codex: Imperial Knights, Codex: Adepta Sororitas, Codex: Adeptus Custodes & Index Imperialis Articles If you are new to the Astra Militarum and especially new to the hobby of building and painting models, avoid a Baneblade. It is a massive undertaking and cannot be efficiently utilised in the smaller games you will likely experience as a new player.