Games Workshop has dropped another batch of previews for Warhammer 40k‘s upcoming 9th edition Chaos Space Marines codex – this time revealing six of the subfaction-specific rules that are coming for the individual Traitor Legions.
Published via GW’s Warhammer Community website on Thursday, this latest Chaos Space Marines codex preview includes details on the Black Legion’s legion trait ‘Black Crusaders’; two warlord traits (‘Exalted Possession’ for the Word Bearers, and ‘Unbound Arrogance’ for the Emperor’s Children); the Night Lords stratagem ‘In Midnight Clad’; and the Iron Warriors-specific Secondary Objective ‘Masters of Demolition’; the Alpha Legion relic ‘Hydra’s Wail’.
The article confirms that “each Traitor Legion” will get “a Legion Trait, Stratagems, Warlord Traits, Relics, and even secondary objectives” – but doesn’t confirm which of the many chaos legions and offshoots will get full subfaction status – though it does heavily tease more codex reveals coming for other Chaos Space Marines subfactions, including the Creations of Bile. We still don’t have an idea of the heretic space marines‘ codex release date just yet, though.
The Black Legion’s Black Crusaders legion trait gives them bonuses to hit when shooting at the nearest target, or charging into melee combat – as well as extra resilience to morale-damaging effects. They truly are the middle-of-the-road Ultramarines of the Heretic Astartes.
The Word Bearers warlord trait Exalted Possession makes your leader a Daemon, giving them a whole basket of buffs and making them stronger, tougher, and faster all at once. It’s simple, it’s gnarly, and it’s very Word Bearer-y.
The proud Emperor’s Children, on the other hand, get Unbound Arrogance – a rather weird warlord trait that has you choose a secret number from one to three, and (if your opponent doesn’t guess it) granting your warlord that number of extra attacks that turn.
Appropriately, the Iron Warriors-specific secondary objective Masters of Demolition (which, as you’ll see from the Warhammer Community article, is quite a lengthy tome to read) grants extra victory points for completing a “demolishing” action on three special objective markers that your opponent gets to place at the beginning of the game.
The stratagem In Midnight Clad looks handy for Konrad Curze‘s spooky Night Lords, making any of your units harder to shoot even at close range, for a measly 1CP.
As for the Hydra’s Wail relic, it’s pure Alpha Legion energy (think ‘Blue’ energy, Magic: The Gathering fans). Wait until your opponent uses their favourite, game-winning stratagem, then pull the trigger on this, and they’ll have to pay an extra CP every other time they use it. Useful if you want to lose friends.
We’ll keep you posted on more Warhammer 40k Chaos Space Marines codex reveals as they come along – as well as all the news on the last few outstanding codexes (Astra Militarum, Chaos Daemons, and the newly announced Leagues of Votann).
In the meantime, check out our guides to Warhammer 40k Chaos armies, Warhammer 40k starter sets, and the beginner’s guide to painting miniatures.