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Emperor’s Children excluded from the 10th Edition Chaos Space Marine Codex
Well there you have it folks. One of the big unknowns has finally been revealed and it’s looking for good us, almost the best outcome we could have hoped for. (Short of a confirmed release date)
Over on Warhammer community it has been confirmed not just that Emperor’s children (Lucius the Eternal and Noise Marines) will be excluded from the 10th Edition Chaos Space but codex but, as expected under such a scenario, we will be receiving and Emperor’s Children Index: Chosen of Slaanesh to tide us over.
Let’s first take a moment to appreciate the fact that we’ll have specific rules again for the first time since Warhammer 40k 9th Edition. We can only hope they are as spicy as those were at times, especially with the current Chaos Space Marine Codex sitting at a woeful 33% win rate some weeks.
This is before you even begin to think of arbitrary restrictions on Chaos Space Marines to theme for Emperor’s Children, whilst putting up with an Army rule half as effective for Noise Marines than it otherwise should be. It looks like some relief may be on the way.
So, what can we expect from the Emperor’s Children Index?
A few things are explicitly stated, leaving no room for doubt. With outs we need to use some deductive reasoning. Then we can jump to the wild speculation.
Lucius the Eternal must be our Warlord
This makes complete sense, given he is the only character we have currently. It will be interesting to see how this interacts with Abaddon.
The rules commentary does clarify that when two of these rules are in effect you select your warlord so you would expect that is still the case. There is a small chance may see Lucius and Abaddon being blocked though.
Other Epic Heroes are covered below (in short though – don’t expect any).
The Emperor’s Children Index can make use of any of the 8 detachments
Not just a new index, but 8 new detachments to play with? Fantastic. I’m sure we can make use of some Night Lords style terror and speed or some Iron Warriors shooting buffs for a Noise Marines cacophony.
A horde of cultists and traitor guard from a cult of pleasure sounds fantastic at as well. If you are well used to the current detachment though, that has been updated for Word Bearers so you are covered. I expect some of the new detachments will suit us better though.
Quiet, sneaky Alpha Legion however, I think we pass on that.
Part of me, that cynical bitter part worn down after decades of waiting, wonders if our restriction to the Mark of Slaanesh alone could see us either locked out of some detachments (perhaps they are undivided only) or leaves some very much less optimal.
Emperor’s Children can make use of any unit, as long as it can take the mark of Slaanesh
Great news of course at first glance, but on reflection this gives some pause as well.
Firstly all epic heroes, aside from Abaddon and a slim chance at Fabius Bile (despite being Undivided through and through since 2nd edition there have has been lore progression) are closed to us. Nothing too new there but expect to lose out on some great options.
Remember also that Dark Pacts is not changing in the Chaos Space Marine Codex. An index would usually give us our own army rule, but the shape here is somewhat different with the Emperor’s Children Index very much annexed to the main Chaos Space Marine codex. This seems unrelated / unimportant, however remember that we are forced to only take the Mark of Slaanesh.
They still have the Dark Pacts army rule you know and love, and besides needing to pick the SLAANESH keyword for anything that gets the choice […]
Warhammer Community – 17th April 2024
This would indicate we are seeing no changes. It’s the detachment rule “Slaves to Darkness” that gives the altered 5+ critical so unless we are running the updated variant of that it’s no issue? Maybe not.
There is no guarantee that the Mark of Slaanesh will align the benefits a specific unit would make best use of under the new detachments.
If fact, given this is Chaos Chaos Space Marines, they may all to a greater or lesser extent lean into taking a mix of marks and mono-god is going to be sub-optional regardless. I’d wager there is a very strong, to almost certain, chance of this in some detachments.
I sincerely hope the days of Noise Marines being sub-optimal when shooting are over and gone, perhaps an ability on their new datasheet will get around that, but there’s a chance this may not be the case. If not them, then some other units will likely suffer with the Mark of Slaanesh.
As a thought exercise to illustrate – Imagine making Slaves to Darkness work when you can only take the Mark of Slaanesh and Lucius. I don’t think you’ll be seeing Emperor’s Children at top tables any time soon.
Does this mean the Emperor’s Children Index will be extremely thin?
It most certainly seems that way.
We are using the main Chaos Space Marines Codex units and army rule, so unless they copy those wholesale into the index (against the current Games Workshop policy of pay-walling rules on codex release) we are left with only Lucius the Eternal and Noise Marines.
That seems wholly too thin to be considered an “Index”.
Speculation Time – what can we infer from all of this?
Get your tinfoil hat and salt ready, with perhaps a side of ‘hopium’, because I’m going to take us down a tortured path here.
Emperor’s Children Index makeup
Now, we are 100% not going to see any new units here, it’s not not going to happen. OK, it’s Games Workshop, let’s say 99.5% because anything is possible. Per the above though, what could we then see in the Index that isn’t otherwise in the Chaos Space Marine Codex?
The most likely outcome as well as know is, nothing new, we are just getting a 2 datasheet Index.
We might just see some abilities and datasheet changes though. Datasheet changes were specifically mentioned, however it;s not clear if this will mostly just be the mentioned keyword updates.
Even something as simple as the Blastmasters losing Heavy / regaining Assault on the low frequency profile and Noise Marines going to OC2 as our battleline units would be a big, big boost.
Should more major changes appear though, maybe something like (this is solely as a random illustrative example, no basis for this) a 6+ Feel no pain as standard or other speculated rules, we’ll then really be getting a look at the direction we may be headed in as a faction.
Remember that mainline Chaos Space Marines can take these units too though so expect them to be on the weaker side.
If we see something like Noise Marine units split into Melee and Ranged, Fabius Bile included or having some existing Chaos units getting Slaanesh options to take Noise Weaponry (Blastmaster Havocs anyone? Doom Siren Raptors?) we will definitely be getting the first hints at our future Codex.
On that note, given Games Workshop pipelines, the rules for Emperor’s Children (even if not having gone to print and been locked yet) will exist in games workshop. I;d strongly suspect any datasheets we see will be very close to the eventual Codex.
All this is extremely unlikely in my view though, even though it;s possible. It seems pretty clear it’s a simple cut out of Lucius and Noise Marines from the Chaos Space Marine Codex until our own hits, so expect little else.
Emperor’s Children 10th edition Codex release timelines
Phew, after al that back to more regular speculation, good old release dates! The quote below would seem to be pretty equivocal, don’t hold your breath.
You might think that this heralds the imminent announcement of a new Codex, perhaps one bound in human skin and painted in garish colours – but if so, it’s too distant for even Warhammer Community’s astropathic choir to detect any signals, and we got a stern talking to from the Inquisitors for even trying. We can only assume we’re safe for the foreseeable future, but if that changes then we’ll let you know.
Warhammer Community – 17th April 2024
Bummer, right? Well, almost.
It seems unlikely we’d be removed if a release was scheduled for 11th Edition, so there’s that.
This paragraph is isn’t saying much really though. The current Warhammer 40k Codex release roadmap does not go beyond UK summer and this could be a specific nod to confirming the redacted Codex is not Emperor’s Children (it is, in fact, Imperial Agents).
This is really only saying don’t expect any news right away, which makes sense as Games Workshop will want to build the hype / release when best suits them and ensure they do not over promise given how many dates have slipped due to production issues of late.
Can we infer anything else about the release date?
If we dig deeper then yes, we potentially can. World Eaters are the most recent, and thus pertinent, point of reference. They were indeed right at the end of 9th edition, and Thousand sons were as good as the same, but it’s doesn’t follow that we will be.
There was only 8 months between Chaos Chaos Space Marines and World Eaters in 9th Edition. Should we face the same timelines that would put us squarely in the middle of the current Emperor’s Children rumours of a winter (Dec 2024 – Feb 2025) release.
Personally I think this announcement lends far more weight to that than any other speculative date, but time will tell.
Emperor’s Children Index round-up
Well, there you have it folks. Confirmation at last in a more solid form, we will have an Emperor’s Children 10th Edition Codex.
When that will be and what we can infer from the Chaos Space Marine Codex in full and our new index is still to be determined, but with a little reasoning, and perhaps a fair amount of speculation, we should be able to gleam some titbits of what to expect.
She Who Thirsts will be along for the ride with you, waiting in just as much anticipation.
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What are your thoughts? Feel free to speculate or completely disagree and have at it in the comments below or on our forums.
