More than I can chew?

My first project since the beginning of this blog is the redesign of the Warhammer 40,000 codexes, or codices, depending on your preference.

I mean all of them.

What I aim to do is to create a set of codexes that can be used for balanced, competitive play between their individual parts.  As a secondary objective, I want the fan codexes to be usable against the existing and official codexes, as they will be based off of the same ruleset.

Daunting task as far as I'm concerned, but I believe my passion is equal to it.

To describe what I have in mind, here is a basic starting list of the codexes I plan on working on.

Codex: Imperial Guard
- This will be the first book and the new codex against which all followers will be judged.  Humanity is the central focus of the Warhammer 40k universe (even if the abundance of power armor indicates otherwise) and I wish to keep with that theme.

Codex: Space Marines
- As more players are running around with Adeptus Astartes than with any other faction, Space Marines must be next.  Also, note that this is Codex: Space Marines, not Codex: Ultramarines and Their Most Flattering Imitators, not Codex: Jaws of the Wolfishly Wolfy World Wolf, and not Codex: Blood Blood.  Codex: Space Marines will be an all inclusive codex that will have both a simple (but effective) ruleset and an expansion for those of a more separatist nature.

The codexes that follow are in no particular order and will be worked upon simultaneously, with emphasis placed on whatever popular demand requests.

Codex: Chaos Space Marines
- The setting's most common (literature-wise) villain.  This codex will see the flexibility to field renegades and legionnaires of all types, with marks and gifts and entire separate rulesets for the most outlandish CSM armies.

Codex: Orks
- Eeeere We Go! Warbands are neither gone nor forgotten.

Codex: Eldar
- Craftworlds of legend are returning and will compliment a list that will focus on the game's most synergetic (is that even a word?) army.

Codex: Tyranids
- Whether hordes, swarms, or nidzilla is your cup of tea, you will find a multitude of bioweapons to use.

Codex: Dark Eldar
- One of my personal favorites, Dark Eldar will be getting a re-tuning as much as a full redo.  Those Mandrakes will make sense once again.

Codex: Tau Empire
- This army will return to the forefront of shooty forces in 40k, but Kroot and other xenos auxiliaries will not be left wanting.

Codex: Necrons
- Like in the case of the Dark Eldar, I intend that the Necrons get a thorough rebalancing for this edition, as well as the flexibility to go with a horde army or an elite army.

Codex: Inquisiton
- This is one of my own personal projects.  It is meant to be a far-reaching codex, just like an Inquisitorial endeavor should be.  It is meant to encompass the three major ordos without sacrificing paradigm defining features of forces like the Grey Knights or the Sisters of Battle.  It will also come with detailed rules that will allow for the Inquisition to import or export units between it's forces and those of other Imperial servants.

Codex: Lost and the Damned
- The fraternal twin to Codex: Inquisition, LatD will feature a huge range of traitors, heretics, mutants, xenos, demons, astartes, guardsmen, psykers and much more.  It will be extensive in the ground it covers and its focus will be on representing the dissidents and detractors who would like nothing more than to see the Imperium fall.  Like its opposite, Codex: Lost and the Damned will feature rules to share and include units with and from generally allied armies.

So there you have it.  As you may have detected, my common goal with all of the books is to create a centralized army list that can adequately represent the ethos of any faction while remaining competitive, and then branch off with further rules that allow those of us who are a little or very obsessed with the background to bring forth our demented and entertaining visions.  If I want to play my World Eaters against my friend's Goff Clan, then we should be able to.  But if there is a prevailing desire for balance and simplicity, then Chaos Space Marines and Orks it is.

You may go ahead and tell me I'm crazy now, though you'd be preaching to the choir. :)