# Codex: Astra Militarum, and Battlefield in a Box



## Khorne's Fist (Jul 18, 2008)

Codex: Astra Militarum is the next codex in line for Warhammer 40,000, and it’s just as packed with new content as its predecessors.








We’ve seen rules for Space Marine Chapters, Traitor Legions, forge worlds, and now there are rules for 8 regiments of the Astra Militarum. Which regiments, you ask? Cadia and Catachan will, of course, be included, as well as new rules for Armageddon, Tallarn, Valhalla, Vostroya, Mordian and the Militarum Tempestus. Each one of these factions will be getting its own regimental doctrine, order, stratagem, relic, and warlord trait – the codex is absolutely brimming with content, aimed at letting you customise your army to suit your style of play.

Similarly, the codex is set to diversify Astra Militarum lists with tweaks to rules and points aimed at putting each unit on an even footing. Conscripts, for example, have been changed to better reflect their inferior discipline compared to professional soldiers. It’s not just about rules, either – the new codex contains loads of new background and art, including a look at some of the more unusual regiments of the 41st Millennium and advice on how you might want to convert them.

























Of course, if you’re starting a new Astra Militarum army, you’ll need somewhere to play them, and Moon Base Klaisus is perfect. Building your own boards is a fun and rewarding experience, but it’s not always practical for gamers who are limited by space or just want to set their games up quickly – the new Moon Base Klaisus set gives you everything you’ll need to get gaming in minutes on a great looking 6’x4′ board. Made up of modular card tiles – designed to be interchangeable to vary your battlefields – and featuring push-fit ruins, Moon Base Klaisus is great for gamers looking for an easy way to make sure they’ve got a cool-looking place to play, wherever they are. The ruins themselves are designed to fit in with both the Sector Mechanicus and Sector Imperialis terrain, meaning if you do decide to build a more bespoke gaming board you’ll be off to a head start.


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## Old Man78 (Nov 3, 2011)

That is really good, I'm loving the card tile battle board idea!


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## Loki1416 (Apr 20, 2010)

Really like the Indigan Praeffects


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## ntaw (Jul 20, 2012)

Loki1416 said:


> Really like the Indigan Praeffects


Looks like Genestealer Cult, Scion, and Skitarii parts. 

Shame they're all kit-bashed and not new models. GW could apparently launch a couple whole new lines variously combining kits.


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## Loki1416 (Apr 20, 2010)

Kit bashing is fun and you can make some really great models doing that. But there is no way that I would try to field an army such as IG/AM (high model count) that is all kit bashed. Would like to see new lines. The possibilities are there and I'm pretty darn sure they would sell.


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## Shandathe (May 2, 2010)

There's also the bit where Cadia just really isn't in any position to be sending out vast numbers of regiments anymore...

On the Catachans, Brutal Strength looks like it will be hard to beat for armies with a lot of vehicles in them. It's a giant reliability boost to pretty much anything with a main gun.


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## Brother Dextus (Jan 30, 2013)

I saw the two Guard community posts and to be honest was underwhelmed. 


My 3rd ed catachans are becoming more likely to be relegated permanently to the loft. I was hoping for some flamer/mortar/hvy bolter bonuses, and the whole thing about "give your catachans lots of tanks" is rubbish. 


I'm still salty they got rid of the Catachan codex. 


Hmph *sulks*






I do, however, really hope they bring back the kitbash corner they used to do. (you know the ones in white dwarf where they took a picture and told you what to do to get that look, with bits of green stuff, other models, kits from empire/bretonnians etc.)


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## Shandathe (May 2, 2010)

@Brother Dextus They DO hint at a Catachan-specific order "Burn Them Out!" which should be a Flamer focused one, they just don't give us the exact rule... If it does something similar as the reroll hit # for vehicles, that should be properly terrifying.


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## Brother Dextus (Jan 30, 2013)

Shandathe said:


> @*Brother Dextus* They DO hint at a Catachan-specific order "Burn Them Out!" which should be a Flamer focused one, they just don't give us the exact rule... If it does something similar as the reroll hit # for vehicles, that should be properly terrifying.


I still have my old school army with only infantry (in vet squads for the last ed.) with basically just flamers and melta guns. Hopefully they'll be useful wall of flame units again! 
I also really hope they sort out the 'platoon structure' and have something more akin to chapter tactics diversions. Armoured regiments, deathworld regiments etc. Tallarn used to be awesome, but got nerfed previously.


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## The Son of Horus (Dec 30, 2006)

I actually really like the Catachan rules-- so much so I might build a little army with them (or, rather, kitbash my own guardsmen and use those rules). I like the idea of being a little better at point-blank range from a higher strength, and I really like the re-roll random shots thing. It happens to have synergy with tanks but what it really is is much higher volume of hits from flamers and the like-- which is very Catachan!


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## Brother Dextus (Jan 30, 2013)

The mordians look brutal https://www.warhammer-community.com/2017/09/26/regiment-focus-mordian-sep26gw-homepage-post-2/


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## Shandathe (May 2, 2010)

Mordian rules look kinda lame in my opinion, compared to the Catachans. The bonuses to Overwatch are nice, but only worth anything if the enemy actually intends to charge you - and a dedicated assault unit can still charge one squad and then pull in any others nearby through positioning. Which is especially bound to happen to a vehicle that tries to use the rule, given the positioning requirements.

The Mordian-specific order makes up for the lackluster Doctrine somewhat, but won't help them deal with the rank and file... 

In short, Mordians will work very well against some enemies (hi there Blood Angels) and not so great against anyone else.


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## Brother Dextus (Jan 30, 2013)

Shandathe said:


> Mordian rules look kinda lame in my opinion, compared to the Catachans. The bonuses to Overwatch are nice, but only worth anything if the enemy actually intends to charge you - and a dedicated assault unit can still charge one squad and then pull in any others nearby through positioning. Which is especially bound to happen to a vehicle that tries to use the rule, given the positioning requirements.
> 
> The Mordian-specific order makes up for the lackluster Doctrine somewhat, but won't help them deal with the rank and file...
> 
> In short, Mordians will work very well against some enemies (hi there Blood Angels) and not so great against anyone else.



True enough. I think I'm used to playing against the same armies all the time (BA, Tau, Khorne) and only run Templars for games over 1000pts really. Overwatch has always hurt on the charge, particularly from the pesky tau xenos. 


I can see a few people using the slow advance of tanks to their advantage... time to get those lascannons out!


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## Shandathe (May 2, 2010)

Now that we've gotten spoilers for the Vostroyans, Valhallans and Steel Legion... The Mordians got gypped.


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## General Eric (Nov 30, 2015)

*Catachans*

I collect and play Catachans and understand why people are surprised to see them get a buff related to vehicles. But this is in theme with there play style, the average themed Jungle Fighter army will consist of a rather large numbers of Vets/infantry and supplemented by light armor. It is less common to see heavy vehicles in this army so they gave them a buff, this make that single or few Leman Russ hit harder. Of course the people who just wanna maximize stats from points and go away from a fluffy army will run a Catachan Spearhead of Leman Russ and honestly, I am not even upset. Time for Cadia to take a back seat to the real soldiers!!!!LOL.


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## Brother Dextus (Jan 30, 2013)

General Eric said:


> Of course the people who just wanna maximize stats from points and go away from a fluffy army will run a Catachan Spearhead of Leman Russ and honestly, I am not even upset. Time for Cadia to take a back seat to the real soldiers!!!!LOL.




If I see anyone running a catachan tank regiment, they gonna wish they got caught by a face eater which then got eaten by a devil which then ate a barking toad!


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## tirnaog (Jan 28, 2010)

The battlefield boxset looks good. 
Actually surprised by the price from GW.
But why couldnt it be 6x4? strange size they decided on.


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## Khorne's Fist (Jul 18, 2008)

tirnaog said:


> But why couldnt it be 6x4? strange size they decided on.


It was initially announced as 6x4, but it appears they fucked up in the same way as they did with the First Strike and Know No Fear mats


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## Shandathe (May 2, 2010)

The Catachan buff is to big guns, and the way it's being received really only shows those are currently rated as being horribly unreliable. Which they are - and I say that speaking as a Sisters player who's been playing around 1d6 shots for years with Exorcists. 

That having been said, Catachans will hardly have a lock on the tanks - I fully expect Vostroyans for Leman Russ Demolishers and Punishers (30" Demolisher cannons? Sign me up!), as well as Cadian Executioners. Valhallans and Armageddon tanks 

The Superheavy Auxiliary is going to be especially interesting... 400ish points worth of Baneblade variant. You can't afford that to whiff, so do you go for Catachan to avoid having to use rerolls? Or load up on sponsons and go Valhallan so you can take 20 wounds before it becomes any less effective? Mordian so it's nearly impossible to assault? There's something to be said for nearly every doctrine...


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