A codex (pluralized as codexes by Games Workshop), in the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop wargame, is a rules supplement containing information concerning a particular army, environment, or worldwide campaign.
Codices for particular armies were introduced for the second edition of the game. The third edition rendered these obsolete, and a new series began, including introducing codices for battle zones and campaigns. Until superseded by newer versions, the 3rd edition and later codices remained valid for the newer editions of Warhammer 40,000. Games Workshop no longer produce campaign or battle zone codices, instead releasing 'expansions'. 'Codex' is now a term solely used for army books.
At the launch of 8th edition all previous codices were replaced with index books due to a major rules overhaul (as of November 2019 these indices are no longer produced). The indices were subsequently replaced by a new series of codices. As before, these codices remained valid until superseded by newer versions.
The format of the codices has varied somewhat over the years. The most common elements between iterations include:
Background - Information about the force and its place in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. This includes artwork, short stories, and copies of fictional documents from the future. Miniature Showcase - Originally a hobby section providing information on collecting, building and painting an army. Later a selection of photographs of Citadel Miniatures painted by Games Workshop's 'Eavy Metal team. Rules - Delivered in varying forms between editions. In earlier editions: a bestiary (descriptions of units, characters and vehicles with special rules and background information), alongside an army list (providing options and points costs for units in the bestiary). Since 7th edition, rules for each unit have been delivered on a datasheet (a concise page detailing all stats, equipment, options and special rules for a unit). All other army rules and points are listed separately in sections before and after the datasheets.
Codex supplements provide additional rules for sub-factions of a parent army. These might include special characters or units and other special rules that are only available to that particular sub-faction.
Rules for models produced by Forgeworld are available as part of the Imperial Armour series of books, also published by Forgeworld. Rules for models no longer supported by codices and supplements can be found in Warhammer Legends on the Warhammer Community website.
Current Books
Army Codices The range of codices is regularly updated with new editions of armies and occasionally new army codices. Codices designed for a prior edition of Warhammer 40,000 are still valid in the current edition, unless a later version has replaced it. Codex Supplements have their parent faction noted in brackets.
11th Edition 11th Edition was released in June 2026.
Codex ISBN Release date Number of Pages Orks 176
10th Edition 10th Edition was released in June 2023.
Codex ISBN Release date Number of Pages Space Marines 216 Tyranids 120 Adeptus Mechanicus 120 Necrons 136 T'au 136 Adeptus Custodes 112 Chaos Space Marines 160 Genestealer Cults 120 Adepta Sororitas 129 Imperial Agents 128 Aeldari 192 Astra Militarum 168 Emperor’s Children 112 World Eaters 112 Death Guard 128 Thousand Sons 120 Chaos Knights 104 Grey Knights 104 Leagues of Votann 144 Imperial Knights 112 Drukhari 136
Codex Supplement ISBN Release date Number of Pages Dark Angels (Space Marines) 96 Blood Angels (Space Marines) 104 Space Wolves (Space Marines) 104 Black Templars (Space Marines) 96
Expansions Expansions for Warhammer 40,000 provide alternative ways to play the game. Rules in expansions remain valid unless superseded by a newer publication.
10th Edition Book Notes ISBN Release date Crusade: Tyrannic War Campaign Rules Crusade: Pariah Nexus Campaign Rules Boarding Actions Updated Boarding Actions material Crusade: Armageddon Campaign Rules
9th Edition Book Notes ISBN Release date Arks of Omen: Abaddon Campaign & Boarding Actions Rules Arks of Omen: Angron Campaign & Boarding Actions Rules Arks of Omen: Vashtorr Campaign & Boarding Actions Rules Arks of Omen: Farsight Campaign & Boarding Actions Rules Arks of Omen: The Lion Campaign & Boarding Actions Rules
Imperial Armour For main article see Imperial Armour
Imperial Armour is a series of official rules supplements to Warhammer 40,000 Codices produced by Forge World, a subsidiary company of Games Workshop. Current, valid books:
Imperial Armour Notes ISBN Release date
Obsolete Books Codices 10th Edition 10th Edition was released in June 2023.
Codex ISBN Release date Superseded By Orks 11th Edition Codex: Orks
9th Edition 9th Edition was released in July 2020. All codices were rendered obsolete by 10th edition Warhammer 40,000. 10th Edition was released June 2023. Codex Supplements have their parent faction noted in brackets.
Codex ISBN Release date Superseded By Necrons 10th Edition Index: Necrons Space Marines 10th Edition Index: Space Marines Death Guard 10th Edition Index: Death Guard Drukhari 10th Edition Index: Drukhari Adeptus Mechanicus 10th Edition Index: Adeptus Mechanicus Adepta Sororitas 10th Edition Index: Adepta Sororitas Grey Knights 10th Edition Index: Grey Knights Thousand Sons 10th Edition Index: Thousand Sons Orks 10th Edition Index: Orks Adeptus Custodes 10th Edition Index: Adeptus Custodes Genestealer Cults 10th Edition Index: Genestealer Cults Tau Empire 10th Edition Index: T'au Empire Aeldari 10th Edition Index: Aeldari Tyranids 10th Edition Index: Tyranids Chaos Knights 10th Edition Index: Knight Households Imperial Knights 10th Edition Index: Knight Households Chaos Space Marines 10th Edition Index: Chaos Space Marines Chaos Daemons 10th Edition Index: Chaos Daemons Leagues of Votann 10th Edition Index: Leagues of Votann Astra Militarum 10th Edition Index: Astra Militarum World Eaters 10th Edition Index: World Eaters
Codex Supplement ISBN Release date Superseded By Deathwatch (Space Marines) 10th Edition Index: Deathwatch Space Wolves (Space Marines) 10th Edition Index: Space Wolves Blood Angels (Space Marines) 10th Edition Index: Blood Angels Dark Angels (Space Marines) 10th Edition Index: Dark Angels Black Templars (Space Marines) 10th Edition Index: Black Templars
8th Edition 8th Edition was released June 2017.
Codex ISBN Release date Superseded By Adeptus Custodes 9th Edition Codex: Adeptus Custodes Adepta Sororitas 9th Edition Codex: Adepta Sororitas Adeptus Mechanicus 9th Edition Codex: Adeptus Mechanicus Astra Militarum 9th Edition Codex: Astra Militarum Blood Angels 9th Edition Codex: Space Marines Chaos Daemons 9th Edition Codex: Chaos Daemons Chaos Knights 9th Edition Codex: Chaos Knights Chaos Space Marines 8th Edition Codex: Chaos Space Marines (2nd Edition) Chaos Space Marines (2nd Edition) 9th Edition Codex: Chaos Space Marines Craftworlds 9th Edition Codex: Aeldari Dark Angels 9th Edition Codex: Space Marines Death Guard 9th Edition Codex: Death Guard Deathwatch 9th Edition Codex: Space Marines Drukhari 9th Edition Codex: Drukhari Elucidian Starstriders 10th Edition Index: Imperial Agents Gellerpox Infected N/A Genestealer Cults 9th Edition Codex: Genestealer Cults Grey Knights 9th Edition Codex: Grey Knights Harlequins 9th Edition Codex: Aeldari Imperial Knights 9th Edition Codex: Imperial Knights Necrons 9th Edition Codex: Necrons Orks 9th Edition Codex: Orks Space Marines 8th Edition Codex: Space Marines (2nd Edition) Space Marines (2nd Edition) 9th Edition Codex: Space Marines Space Wolves 9th Edition Codex: Space Marines Tau Empire 9th Edition Codex: Tau Empire Thousand Sons 9th Edition Codex: Thousand Sons Tyranids 9th Edition Codex: Tyranids
Codex Supplement ISBN Release date Superseded By Imperial Fists (Space Marines) 10th Edition Index: Space Marines Iron Hands (Space Marines) 10th Edition Index: Space Marines Ravenguard (Space Marines) 10th Edition Index: Space Marines Salamanders (Space Marines) 10th Edition Index: Space Marines Ultramarines (Space Marines) 10th Edition Index: Space Marines White Scars (Space Marines) 10th Edition Index: Space Marines
Index Factions ISBN Release date Superseded By Chaos Heretic Astartes, Chaos Daemons & Questor Traitoris 8th Edition Chaos codexes Imperium 1 8th Edition Imperium codexes Imperium 2 8th Edition Imperium codexes Xenos 1 Craftworlds, Drukhari, Ynnari, Harlequins & Necrons 8th Edition Xenos codexes Xenos 2 Orks, Tau Empire, Tyranids & Genestealer Cults 8th Edition Xenos codexes
7th Edition All codices were rendered obsolete by 8th edition Warhammer 40,000. 7th Edition was released May 2014. Codex Supplements have their parent faction noted in brackets.
Codex ISBN Release date Superseded By Blood Angels December 2014 8th Edition Index: Imperium 1 Cult Mechanicus May 2015 8th Edition Index: Imperium 2 Craftworlds April 2015 8th Edition Index: Xenos 1 Dark Angels June 2015 8th Edition Index: Imperium 1 Dark Eldar October 2014 8th Edition Index: Xenos 1 Deathwatch August 2016 8th Edition Index: Imperium 1 Genestealer Cults October 2016 8th Edition Index: Xenos 2 Grey Knights August 2014 8th Edition Index: Imperium 1 Harlequins February 2015 8th Edition Index: Xenos 1 Imperial Agents December 2016 8th Edition Index: Imperium 1 & 2 Imperial Knights May 2015 8th Edition Index: Imperium 2 Khorne Daemonkin March 2015 8th Edition Index: Chaos Necrons January 2015 8th Edition Index: Xenos 1 Orks June 2014 8th Edition Index: Xenos 2 Skitarii April 2015 8th Edition Index: Imperium 2 Space Marines June 2015 8th Edition Index: Imperium 1 Space Wolves August 2014 8th Edition Index: Imperium 1 Tau Empire October 2015 8th Edition Index: Xenos 2 Codex Supplement ISBN Release date Superseded By Angels of Death (Space Marines) April 2016 8th Edition Black Legion (Chaos Space Marines) April 2016 8th Edition Cadia (Astra Militarum) Digital Only January 2016 8th Edition Champions of Fenris (Space Wolves) August 2014 8th Edition Clan Raukaan (Space Marines) Digital Only June 2015 8th Edition Crimson Slaughter (Chaos Space Marines) April 2016 8th Edition Farsight Enclaves (Tau Empire) February 2016 8th Edition Flesh Tearers (Blood Angels) Digital Only January 2016 8th Edition Haemonculus Covens (Dark Eldar) October 2014 8th Edition Raven Guard (Space Marines) Digital Only January 2016 8th Edition Sentinels of Terra (Space Marines) Digital Only June 2015 8th Edition Traitor Legions (Chaos Space Marines) December 2016 8th Edition Waaagh! Ghazghkull (Orks) July 2014 7th Edition Reprint Waaagh! Ghazghkull (Orks) Reprint February 2016 8th Edition White Scars (Space Marines) Digital Only January 2016 8th Edition
6th Edition 6th Edition was released June 2012. Codex Supplements have their parent faction noted in brackets.
Codex ISBN Release date Superseded By Adepta Sororitas October 2013 8th Edition Index: Imperium 2 Astra Militarum April 2014 8th Edition Index: Imperium 2 Chaos Daemons March 2013 8th Edition Index: Chaos Chaos Space Marines October 2012 8th Edition Index: Chaos Dark Angels January 2013 7th Edition Codex: Dark Angels Eldar June 2013 7th Edition Codex: Craftworlds Imperial Knights March 2014 7th Edition Codex: Imperial Knights Inquisition November 2013 8th Edition Index: Imperium 2 Legion of the Damned February 2014 8th Edition Index: Imperium 1 Militarum Tempestus Mars 2014 8th Edition Index: Imperium 2 Space Marines September 2013 7th Edition Codex: Space Marines Tau Empire April 2013 7th Edition Codex: Tau Empire Tyranids January 2014 8th Edition Index: Xenos 2