The planned release schedule for Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40k codexes has been repeatedly thrown out of whack – first, by the UK’s second nationwide covid lockdown in late 2020, and, thereafter, by an ongoing plague of printing and supply chain issues, to which GW has several times referred – with its customary coyness and penchant for in-universe references – as the work of the “fickle winds of fate” or the treacherous Chaos god, Tzeentch.
These faction books, called Warhammer 40k codexes – and the slimmed-down ‘Codex Supplements’ for offshoots such as the Dark Angels and Black Templars Space Marine chapters – contain all the in-game rules, abilities and statistics to update each of the game’s 20-odd playable armies to fit the new 9th edition ruleset.
Naturally, therefore, as with previous new editions of the game, keen players of each of these armies were all bursting to see their favourite faction brought up to date, right from the moment 9th edition was announced in May 2020.
Warhammer 40k codex army rulebooks – and the slimmed-down ‘Codex Supplements’ for offshoots such as the Dark Angels and Black Templars Space Marine chapters – contain all the in-game rules, abilities and statistics to update each Warhammer 40k faction to fit the new 9th edition ruleset.
Naturally, therefore, as with previous new editions of the game, keen players of each of these armies were all bursting to see their favourite faction brought up to date, right from the moment 9th edition was announced in May 2020 – but it’s been a long road waiting for the full set to come out.
Here’s our rundown of the 9th edition Warhammer 40k codexes:
Every 9th edition Warhammer 40k codex in order
Given GW announced Warhammer 40k 9th edition a few months into the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, the rollout was always going to be problematic. But the rulebooks’ release cycle was further delayed on December 4, when GW put the release of its new Death Guard codex on ice due to “unavoidable delays to crucial shipments”.
For some time after that book finally arrived in late January 2021, GW shied away from releasing any hard-and-fast timings for upcoming codexes, as the underlying production issues hampering its book releases persisted.
Nevertheless, we eventually saw a stack of impactful Warhammer 40k codex releases in 2021. Of course, Codex: Necrons and Codex: Space Marines were released before Christmas 2020, along with the Codex Supplements for the Blood Angels, Deathwatch and Space Wolves.
Since then, we got Death Guard in January 2021, Dark Angels in February, Drukhari in March, and the Adeptus Mechanicus in late May. June 2021 brought us the Adepta Sororitas codex, and July provided the Orks as well – at least if you got it as part of their Beast Snagga army box, that is. The Grey Knights and Thousand Sons released in August 2021, followed by a standalone release of the Orks codex in September.
In November 2021, the Black Templars got their first dedicated codex since 2005, followed by a double-pack of the Adeptus Custodes and Genestealer Cults in January 2022. The new T’au Empire codex arrived next, in early February, followed by Codex Aeldari in March; Tyranids in April; and both Imperial Knights and Chaos Knights in May. Codex Chaos Space Marines turned up just as June turned into July, and Chaos Daemons straddled August and September. Finally, and bringing us up to speed, the new Leagues of Votann got their first Codex sold alongside its army set in September 2022.
For full details on all these books, what’s in them, and a rundown of how each army’s new rules have landed, read on! Naturally, we’ll be keeping this guide up to date with all the latest information as to what’s coming next, and when.
UPCOMING 40K CODEX RELEASE DATES
GW is finally nearing the end of its ‘to-do list’ of 9th edition Warhammer 40k codexes – now it’s just the Astra Militarum (Imperial Guard) and the promised standalone World Eaters codex still to come.
Earlier this year we finished up a run of Warhammer 40k Xenos codexes, followed by the full roster of Warhammer 40k Chaos factions. That just leaves a bit of mopping up to do before we’re all done with 9th edition Codexes. Then, presumably, Warhammer 40k 10th Edition will show up and the cycle will begin anew.
Astra Militarum codex
We’re now in the final run up to the release of the new Astra Militarum codex – a.ka. Imperial Guard codex – with GW revealing details on new units every week in October 2022. We’d expect the Imperial Guard codex to be released in late November or early December 2022.
So far, GW has released tasty previews of:
World Eaters codex
Games Workshop revealed in May 2022 that the World Eaters, a bloodthirsty Chaos Space Marine legion pledged to the blood god Khorne, would be getting their own standalone codex in the (relatively) near future. In the meantime, it said, preliminary World Eaters playtest rules would be published via White Dwarf magazine.
Since then, we’ve seen gory previews of revamped, plastic Khorne Berzerkers and a spectacular new model for the World Eaters primarch, Angron.
It’s not yet clear when we can expect the new World Eaters codex to be previewed, or arrive on shelves – or even whether this release will be part of 9th Edition, or wait until 10th Edition rolls around. We’ll keep you updated with the latest news, mind.
WHICH 40K CODEXES ARE OUT NOW?
There’s a total of 24 9th edition Warhammer 40k codexes out now. Here are the books that are already out in the wild:
Leagues of Votann codex release date
The Leagues of Votann are a newly released faction, whose Codex first went up for preorder on September 17. Rather than being available standalone, it could only be grabbed as part of the Leagues of Votann Army Set, alongside 20 Hearthkyn Warriors, three Hernkyn Pioneers, an Einhyr Champion, and Uthar the Destined.
Another chance to grab the Leagues of Votann Codex is also on the way – the full Leagues of Votann pre-order date has been declared as October 29.
Chaos Daemons codex release date
Games Workshop released Codex: Chaos Daemons on September 3, teasing things like the new daemonic saves, as well as bunch of other miscellaneous rules for the faction in the run up to the release.
The new book has 152 pages and is “packed with eldritch esoterica, forbidden daemonology, and in-depth rules” – as well as rules for running armies specifically loyal to Nurgle, Khorne, Slaanesh, or Tzeentch – or mixtures of all of them. It also contains a “comprehensive Crusade section”, 56 unit datasheets, an army of renown for Be’lakor, 25 warlord traits, 24 relics, and 36 stratagems.
Chaos Space Marines codex release Date
The Chaos Space Marines 9th edition codex went up for pre-order on Saturday, June 25, and was released on Saturday, July 2. Its 184 pages contain 55 pages of lore; 51 pages of main faction rules (including legion-specific rules, warlord traits, relics, and more); 19 pages of rules for the Crusade narrative mode, and 44 unit datasheets.
Its dark and brooding cover was shown off on May 4, and a plethora of Chaos announcements came hot on its heels. During Warhammer Fest 2022 (May 4 – May 7), we saw a whole new range of horrible (lovely) Chaos Space Marine models.
As well as new sculpts of the Chaos Space Marine Possessed and Chaos Cultists, there were three brand new, gruesomely mutated kits: the ‘Accursed Cultist Mutants‘, ‘Accursed Cultist Torments‘. Meanwhile, there was confirmation of long-standing rumours that the World Eaters traitor legion would have their own Codex, and brand new models. No word on the release date for that one yet, however.
The Eldritch Omens box set, released in February 2022, had already dropped some brand new plastic models for the Chaos Space Marines’ Warpsmith character and Chosen unit – joining the faction’s previous batch of updated model kits, released in and around the Shadowspear box set in 2019.
Chaos Knights codex release date
Codex: Chaos Knights was first available for preorder on 14 May, as part of a Chaos Knights codex army set. This contained two new models for the Chaos Knights faction, the Knight Abominant and savage War Dog miniatures rounding out a previously limited roster. On May 28, the codex (and the new models) were split up, available to buy separately for the first time.
New rules in this latest codex include the powerful Harbingers of Dread debuffs, and the option to dedicate your mighty mechs to one of the chaos gods, getting their keyword and a gnarly new ability as thanks for your service.
Imperial Knights codex release date
Codex: Imperial Knights stomped its way to pre-order land on 14 May, alongside the Chaos Knights army set. There were no new models for the noble mech army, but naturally plenty of new rules.
The new codex for the Imperial Knights codex packs Knightly teachings that can buff up your (relatively) little Armigers, and the Code Chivalric, which gives boosts
Tyranids codex release date
Codex: Tyranids came skittling to pre-order on chitinous limbs on April 16, 2022.
Few of the normal warning signs of an approaching Hive Fleet were triggered in the run up to this codex release. There weren’t many brand new ‘Nids miniatures leading up to the launch, with the notable exception of the bat-winged Parasite of Mortrex.
There were plenty of rules updates for Tyranids lovers to tuck into, though. Synaptic Imperatives give your swarms adaptability in battle, while customisable Hive Fleet subfactions further your flexibility. And of course weapon buffs help bring the army up to par. The codex also has Tyranids Crusade rules for chowing down on an entire planet.
Eldar codex release date
The Warhammer 40k Eldar codex went to pre-order on February 26, 2022 and was up for sale the following week, on March 5.
In a somewhat surprising move, the new Codex Aeldari incorporates rules not only for the Ynnari subfaction and the new Corsair models, but also the Harlequins – who previously enjoyed a codex all to themselves.
Prior to the Eldar codex release, GW paraded a load of new models past our eyes, including the brand new Avatar of Khaine, Maugan Ra, Shining Spears, and Warlocks models – plus a stream of of new rules previews for the faction’s Phoenix Lords, Dark Reaper and Howling Banshee Aspect Warriors, and iconic Shuriken weapons.
Games Workshop announced the new Eldar codex as part of its Las Vegas Open preview stream on February 1, 2022.
Tau codex release date
The Warhammer 40k 9th edition Tau codex went to pre-order on Saturday, January 29, 2022 – and was released for sale on Saturday, February 5.
Prior to releasing the new T’au Empire book, GW published a string of reveals outlining much improved subfaction rules for the six different T’au Septs, as well as totally reworked rules for the Mont’ka and Kauyon Tactical Philosophies; Crusade narrative rules including options for something called ‘diplomacy’; and an array of terrifyingly up-powered ranged weaponry (with accompanying Relics) that, by all accounts, are Making T’au Shooting Scary Again.
Also making T’au enthusiasts happy is this book’s success in making a far wider variety of potential T’au battle-plans and list-building options competitively viable after a long period where most lists were dominated by triple Riptide battlesuits, Coldstar T’au Commanders, hordes of Drones, and not much else. Old favourites like Crisis Battlesuit squads, Devilfish transports, and Hammerhead gunships have been rejuvenated, and T’au-heads are loving it.
The first clue that the T’au Empire book was incoming came hidden in a Warhammer Community post at the end of October, Games Workshop revealed the T’au codex would release early next year. No specific release date was given, but GW said it would be one of the “first new codexes coming in 2022”.
Adeptus Custodes codex release date
The 9th edition Adeptus Custodes codex went up for pre-order on Saturday, January 8, 2022, and was released a week later on Saturday, January 15. Originally planned to release this coming December, Games Workshop teased the codex as an accompaniment to Shadow Throne, a double army boxed set that pitted the golden boys against the insidious Genestealer Cults.
The most notable change made to the faction in this rulebook was to fully integrate the Sisters of Silence (the Imperium’s all-female arm of psyker hunters) into the army proper, where they had previously operated as an add-on rather than a full force. Besides that, the Custodes got extensively updated subfaction rules for the different Shieldhosts, and new, switchable ‘martial ka’tah’ buffs – as well as the usual bundle of new Stratagems, Relics, and Warlord Traits.
Genestealer Cults codex release date
Alongside the Custodians, the 9th edition Genestealer Cults codex also went up for pre-order on Saturday, January 8, 2022, and came out on Saturday, January 15. We can expect this one in early 2022, around the same time as the Adeptus Custodes’.
Similar to the release of the Grey Knights and Thousand Sons codexes alongside the Hexfire boxset earlier in 2021, the Genestealer Cults codex and Adeptus Custodes codex had been planned for release alongside the Shadow Throne battlebox, featuring the two armies in a battle beneath Terra. While that box released in December, shipping delays pushed the books to January 2022.
Black Templars codex release date
Everyone’s favourite crusading Space Marines, the pious Black Templars, received their own codex supplement in November. Technically, the codex had already been released as part of the Black Templars Army Box back in October, but only received a standalone release the month after.
it followed a similar template to the Beast Snagga launch: the boxed set was available for a short time and included a limited-edition copy of the new codex, which released independently a few weeks after. Now it’s out in the wild, and includes a multitude of datasheets, Strategems, Relics, Warlord Traits, and more for the most fastidious enforcers of Imperial might.
Orks codex release date
A standalone version of the 9th edition Orks codex is now out in the wild. Originally packaged in the Beast Snagga Orks army box – the introductory set for Warhammer 40k’s newest Ork faction – in July, the book finally hit shelves independently on September 11. That means you can now grab the book even if you missed out on the Beast Snagga box earlier in the year.
The codex includes updated rules for all Ork factions, not just the squig-obsessed Beast Snaggas, and makes some hefty changes to the Waaaagh. ‘Dakka‘ is now a weapon type, rather than simply a hilarious kick-ass ability, and your basic Ork’s Toughness was boosted from four to five.
There’s also the usual assortment of updated subfaction rules for the Ork clans, Warlord Traits, Psychic Abilities, Relics, and Crusade campaign rules. It’s available in standard edition for $50 / £30, as well as a limited collectors’ edition.
Grey Knights and Thousand Sons codex release date
The Grey Knights and Thousand Sons went up for pre-order on GW’s webstore in August, in both standard and collector’s edition variants.
We first got word of the new Grey Knights and Thousand Sons codexes back in May, during a Warhammer Fest teaser video. Following more hints that “fire and magic” would be making its way to Warhammer 40k later this year, and an announcement that both codexes had been delayed, we’ve finally got confirmation of what’s in store.
Both the 9th edition Grey Knights and Thousand Sons codexes will release alongside their upcoming double-army battlebox, Hexfire: Supernatural Warfare in the 41st Millennium. Announced in a Warhammer Community post on July 26, the box of 29 minis contains a small force for each faction, and two brand new character miniatures to lead them: Castellan Crowe for the daemon-hunting Grey Knights, and the new Infernal Master character model for the Egyptian-loving warp wizards.
As for content, we can expect the usual fancy new rules, updated points values, and powerful abilities, alongside some more tantalising features. The Thousand Sons’ new book will add an Infernal Master HQ choice – matching the new model that’s leading the blue sorcerers in the upcoming battlebox.
Adepta Sororitas codex release date
The Adepta Sororitas 9th edition codex went up for pre-order on June 5, before releasing a week later on June 12. You can grab yourself a copy from the GW webstore now.
The codex includes full rules for all the new Sisters of Battle units, as well as updates for its existing range of models and wargear. There’s an extended Crusade rules section, plenty of point tweaks, and new rules for using prayers and hymns. The whole book is designed to provide much wider strategic variety among Adepta Sororitas armies, which has been found wanting in recent years.
Chief among their new units is High Abbess Morvenn Vahl. The Sisters’ new centrepiece character model, Vahl is given a lot of attention in the updated codex, and has been designed to synergise with whatever you stick in your Sisters of Battle army.
And there’s a lot of units to choose from. Alongside the faction’s codex, GW also released the long-teased Paragon Warsuits, Celestian Sacresants (as shown on the codex’s front cover), and Dogmata, as well as faction-specific Battle dice and datacards.
Adeptus Mechanicus codex release date
After its reveal in a May 16 Warhammer Community blog post, the 9th edition AdMech codex went up for pre-order on May 22, and was released on Saturday, May 29. You can order it from the GW webstore now.
The 120-page codex includes all the usual good stuff: full rules for the new AdMech units, updated datasheets for the army’s existing range of models, expanded lore, and bestiaries. There’s also a chunk dedicated to their technology-hunting Crusade rules.
You can also nab custom AdMech-themed player aid datacards and dice alongside the codex. Who knows, maybe they’ll help you curry favour with the Omnissiah.
Drukhari codex release date
The first Xenos codex release of 2021, the brand new Codex Drukhari – or ‘Dark Eldar’ if you remember their original, non-copyrightable name – released on March 27, and is available to buy now.
Besides the bare essentials – inevitable points tweaks, new stratagems, rules for Crusade mode – the titbits we heard before the book’s release pointed to a fairly subtle upgrade. As is so often the case in Warhammer 40k, however, now that the new rules have been subjected to real-world play, 9th edition Drukhari have quickly become a top-tier competitive army, with multiple recent tournament wins.
Their pre-Christmas preview article established early on that the codex would offer “more attacks, higher damage, and lethal combat output across the board”. That promise has been borne out, and then some.
A few of the new rules came early, in the form of deliberate previews, and apparently leaked ‘spoilers’, including:
- Kabalite Warriors – the Drukhari’s stock infantry unit – now get two melee attacks instead of one.
- In fact, “most units in the army” are getting an extra attack, with examples given of Wyches, Hellions and Cronos Parasite Engines.
- The Kabalites’ Splinter Cannon – a heavy anti-infantry gun – now does two damage instead of one.
- It’s now easier to make lists with a mix of the Drukhari’s sub-factions: Kabals, Wych Cults and Haemonculus Covens.
The pre-order and full release dates for the Drukhari codex were originally announced in a Warhammer Community article on Sunday, March 14 – along with Piety and Pain, a double-army boxset featuring Drukhari and Sisters of Battle, which went to pre-order at the same time. The Drukhari also got their own Combat Patrol starter set – check out our Combat Patrols guide for more info.
The pattern followed previous releases, with GW doing its ‘big reveal’ of the new book one week before pre-orders go live on a Saturday evening, with the books hitting shelves (or, more accurately nowadays, doorsteps) the weekend after that.
This book is 120 pages long, with more than half of that real estate taken up with new rules, datasheets and points values – the rest being lore content and artworks depicting the Drukhari’s dark deeds and murky homes. You can also get custom Drukhari-themed player aid cards and dice alongside the book, if you’re so inclined.
Dark Angels codex release date
The Dark Angels Codex Supplement went live for pre-order on January 30 and released on February 6 – you can order it right now on the GW site.
The Dark Angels supplement – the fourth such Space Marine chapter supplement to have been announced so far – features “bespoke datasheets, Warlord Traits, Relics, and a Psychic Discipline, as well as a suite of Crusade campaign rules that represent the sombre quest of the Unforgiven”, according to GW.
Alongside their new book, the Dark Angels also got the now-customary set of faction Datacards and – a mite more interestingly – their own Combat Patrol box, joining the Death Guard, Deathwatch, Blood Angels and Space Wolves in GW’s upgraded range of army starter boxes.
Death Guard codex release date
The delayed new Death Guard codex (9th edition’s first rulebook released for a Chaos army) went up for pre-order on January 16 and was released on January 23.
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.
Death Guard players had to wait months longer than planned, but when the Codex did come, it came along with some extra goodies – primarily the long-teased and fundamentally foul Lord of Virulence model, and a Death Guard Combat Patrol starter box – the first of its kind for a Chaos army.
It also included some of the most interesting thematic rule-building GW has yet tried with its new Crusade campaign system, in the form of custom-concocted plagues for your Death Guard warband, each affecting nearby enemies in slightly different, yet equally revolting ways and developing in potency over successive games. It’s exceedingly yucky, but brilliant stuff.
Stay tuned for Wargamer’s full review of the new, even-more-disgusting Death Guard, coming soon.
Blood Angels codex release date
The Blood Angels Codex Supplement was released on December 5, 2020.
The supplement is full of the usual army-specific datasheets, rules, and bespoke Crusade content for the scarlet-clad sons of long-lost Sanguinius, the Angel, along with a good chunk of lore and background information on this popular chapter.
Space Wolves codex release date
The 9th Edition Space Wolves Codex Supplement was released on October 31, 2020.
The supplement, like its siblings, provided army-specific datasheets, rules, and bespoke Crusade content for the Space Wolves chapter of Space Marines. It’s 88 pages long, and features additional lore for the Sons of Russ, a bestiary and unique ‘Sagas’ rules to form custom, ever-changing Warlord Traits for your Space Wolves commanders.
Deathwatch codex release date
The 9th Edition Deathwatch Codex Supplement was released, along with the Space Wolves, on October 31, 2020.
The Deathwatch supplement includes – you’ve guessed it – army-specific datasheets, rules, and bespoke Crusade content for the elite Chamber Militant of the Ordo Xenos, a.k.a. the silver-shouldered badasses of the Deathwatch.
It is 64 pages long, and includes juicy Deathwatch-specific lore content and special rules on mixing Kill Teams with different specialisations.
Space Marines codex release date
The 9th Edition Space Marines codex was released on October 10, 2020, so it’s available now. There is also a special Collector’s Edition available, if you fancy it.
Codex: Space Marines contains heaps of lore for the first-founding chapters, as well as their more prominent successors. It is 208 pages in length, with 98 datasheets for new and existing units.
Space Marines were always going to be the longest book, with their 8,000,000 different units and bountiful sub-faction rules – but the 9th Edition codex is a seriously chonky tome, incorporating a whole raft of new rules from the Psychic Awakening series and the Adeptus Astartes’ own new Crusade rules.
Necrons codex release date
The 9th Edition Codex: Necrons also launched on October 10, 2020 and is available now – with the option of a snazzy Collector’s Edition, too.
This is a smaller book than the Space Marines release, clocking in at only 120 pages. It’s still packed with new lore and, in general, represents a colossal and very exciting overhaul of how the Necrons work in battle.
There are 51 datasheets, including rules for the magnificent new Szarekh, the Silent King model, as well as the Necrons’ numerous other glorious new models, all their new army rules, Crusade content and other nuts and bolts.
We’ll have more details in upcoming guides but, for now, you should get hyped about the Necrons’ new ‘Command Protocols’ mechanic. It’s a stone-cold brilliant addition to Necron army-building, which, alongside the newly fleshed-out Dynasty abilities, will add a touch of unpredictability to the round-by-round flow of a battle.
Imperial Armour Compendium
The 9th Edition Imperial Armour Compendium was released on October 30, 2020.
This was a stand-alone book release from GW’s specialist sister store, Forge World, to bring in-line a number of their special/limited edition miniatures with 9th Edition.
It’s got 233 updated datasheets for the Forge World models playable in Warhammer 40,000. It also includes a Regimental Doctrine for the Death Korps of Krieg and suggested Successor Tactics for five renowned Space Marine chapters that are too edgy to live in the main book.
As a side-note, GW has said that any model that does currently exist, but doesn’t have an entry in this book, will later be receiving a Warhammer Legends update at some point.
Which 40k Codexes are we Still Waiting for?
Assuming all the same factions who got a full codex in 8th edition get one again this time around (plus any new ones), the upcoming 40k Codexes we can expect to be revealed – but don’t have any solid info yet to mention, in full, above – are:
- Astra Militarum
- World Eaters
Rest assured: we’ll keep this guide updated with all the latest information on Warhammer 40K 9th edition codex release dates, so you’ll know exactly when your army is getting its shiny new rules, abilities and lore.
Source: Wargamer
