This is the story of how the usual sequence of events was interrupted without announcement or explanation and how this leaves many Space Wolves in the lurch.
How 10th Edition was launched and Legends Datasheets were born:
For the last three years, Warhammer 10th Edition has been converting their Launch Indexes with Codexes. They needed to launch an Index army list for every single faction at launch of 10th Edition because the Datasheet layouts and game mechanics changed significantly and you cannot use 9th edition rules to play Warhammer 40k 10th Edition.
Games-Workshop also launched a category called Legends. You see... Warhammer 40,000 has gone through 10 editions and decades of miniature releases. Some units have been re-done and made more modern, and then replace the old box but both units can be used. Some units are removed from an armylist lineup and can no longer be fielded in the game.
Legends datasheets breathed life into models that have been retired. Giving them a once-off rule-set and points values, which will then be left alone and never updated.
While modern Index and Codex entries can be modified and given new rules and points costs modified to balance the game for tournament play.
Thus Legends rules are for friendly games, special Legends-allowed tournaments and narrative play.
Codex Rollout begins
After the initial launch, armies began getting their own Codexes. With the launch of 10th edition, each army received one Detachment Rule and datasheets that matched their last 9th Edition release.
A new Codex would mean several new Detachments, this means different modes or formations of armies. It also means new units. New Codexes have always meant new units. This is as old as the game is. Especially the armies that always get an Codex (army book), like the Space Marines.
Becuase armies like the Space Marines have been getting new units, models and rules in every edition, there are too many units in their Index/Codex to balance and there is another factor...
Games-Workshop sells miniatures. One of their biggest incomes is selling new kits of plastic figures to players. Thus new units usually make players buy the new thing but some people keep the old thing and play with the old thing and do not buy the new thing. So when a Codex comes out and they take some of the old units out of the Codex, they have the oppertunity to remove units that are not selling or need to be replaced by a new and different unit for people to buy.
Some fans of the hobby hate this. I call it common sense. Of course GW will need to bring out new things for you to buy and use in the game! I do not fault them for this... ESPECIALLY since they brought out the Legends datasheets. Legends means that I can continue to collect and the "old" stuff has a home in my collection and can be played, especially in large scale games while the modern stuff is used for tournament games.
Thus began a cycle.
New Codex
Some new units.
Some units are dropped.
Dropped units get a Legends datasheet and points value...
All was good until...
Codex Space Wolves breaks the cycle
With absolutely zero warning and zero explanation, they never did update a Legends entry for Space Wolves. There is only 1 Space Wolf Legend - an Iron Priest on Thunderwolf.
The 10th Edition Space Wolves Codex came in and they removed units, epic characters, characters and ported most units from First Born to Primaris.
I would not have a problem with this... but where are my Legends datasheets?!
So... I will "fix" this issue with my collection by keeping the Index from the Minutorum Field Manual alive as a solution for this oversight. Let me explain:
Munitorum Field Manual and the Space Wolves Index
This Field manual 2.9 was a time there was points for both the Codex and the Index.
Codex Space Wolves:
Codex (aka Legends) Space Wolves:
And in a nutshell, this is exactly how I will be playing Space Wolf LEGENDS units.
When you play Index, you can use Champions of Russ, Champions of Fenris and all the Space Marine Detachments. Meanwhile Codex Space Wolves can use the three Saga Detachments, Champions of Fenris and all the Space Marine Detachments.
I will do a quick breakdown of units for posterity's sake:
Units Removed from the Codex:
- Canis Wolfborn
- Cyberwolf
- Harald Deathwolf
- Hounds of Morkai
- Krom Dragongaze
- Logan Grimnar on Stormrider
- Long Fangs
- Lukas the Trickster
- Njal Stormcaller (in Terminator armor)
- Skyclaws
- Stormfang Gunship
- Stormwolf
- Wolf Guard
- All three Wolf Guard Pack Leaders
- Wolf Guard Battle Leader in Terminator Armour
- Wolf Guard Battle Leader on Thunderwolf
- Wolf Lord on Thunderwolf
- Wolf Scouts
Units that have been altered or replaced:
New datasheet, about the same or generally improved in the Codex
- Arjac Rockfist
- Bjorn the Fell-Handed
- Fenrisian Wolves
- Murderfang
- Ironpriest
- Ragnar Blackmane
- Ulrik the Slayer
- Wulfen Dreadnought
- Wolf Guard Terminators
- Space Wolf Venerable Dreadnought
Significantly Altered Datasheet
- Logan Grimnar - on foot, now with Wolves, more wounds.
- Njal Stormcaller (Codex version in Power Armour)
- Blood Claws
- Grey Hunters
- Wulfen replaced by Wulfen and Wulfen with Storm Shields
New units
- Wolf Guard Battle Leader (In Power Armour)
- Wolf Priest
- Wolf Guard Headtakers and Hunting Wolves
Legends Datasheets
Funny enough, there is only one Legends Datasheet, the Ironpriest of Thunderwolf. Literally, this is the only model that can be used with either Index or Codex unit, following the rules.
Building an Eternal Carnage Army with the Index and Codex
(What is Eternal Carnage? It is a rule set that we developed to play Warhammer 40k 10th edition at more than 3,000pts. Basically, you build a second or third Detachment to build an army and keep to unit restrictions that way with structure. There are more rules but I will do a seperate post about that to do a refresh.)
It is pretty simple. To prevent anything strange happening rules-wise, I will not cross over between the Index and Codex.
If I build a Detachment with Index(Legends) units, I shall use the Index Detachments, the Index units and the units and Detachments they are allowed to use from Codex Space Marines. They will not be able to use the Codex Detachments or any of the Codex units or hero versions. If I want to use a hero in their old version, I have to use the Index datasheet and put them in the Index Detachment.
Example: Detachment: Stormlance Task Force, Index Space Wolves using Logan Grimnar on Stormrider, lots of Thunderwolf Cavalry and Thunderwolf Characters with only Codex Space Marine and Index Space Wolves units.
The reverse is also true. If I build a Detachment of Codex Space Wolves, I am restricted to the units from the Codex and Codex Space Marines as the rules are currently played. I can only use Codex Space Wolf versions of units and heroes.
I can then play a Stormlance Task army of Index Space Wolves and a Saga of the Beastslayer army of Codex Space Wolves allied together. This could exist in the lore, as there were over 700 Firstborn Space Wolves at the time of the Primaris Space Wolves joining the Chapter. Some Wolf Lords would keep their Firstborn veterans as they were.
I HAVE been working on rules for allies and these two Space Wolf armies would be Battle Brothers (full allies).
And there we go... I have practically solved this issue! Now I can continue to build on my Space Wolves collection with both Index and Codex units and can continue to build my Grand Imperial Army!
Thank you for reading!
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