Space Marine changes through the Codecs

Over the decades, more model types have become available to hobbyists for Games Workshop Space Marines. STCs (Standard Template Constructs) were being unearthed every few years when a new Codex was made, sometimes for a White Dwarf issue, and other times just disappeared. With the release of the new Sixth Edition Space Marine Codex, I was drawn back to 40k and looked through my old codecs (real and ethereal). I've decided to spend some time to compile what has been added and changed through the years.

From "Codex Army Lists" published 1993 (for Rogue Trader now called 1st edition rules)
Characters (back in the day up to half your points could be spent on models from this category)
-Commander
-Company Banner
-Captain
-Apothecary (with med-pack rather than the current narthecium)
-Chaplain (Champion, Hero and Mighty Hero levels; Rosarius and Crozius Arcanum)
-Techmarine
-Librarian (Lexicanian, Codicer, Epistolary, Chief Librarian levels; force axe/rod/sword were options)
-Veteran Sergeant
Squads (At least one-quarter of your points had to be spent on squads)
-Terminators (regular and assault terminators could be mixed; 5 man squads only; 3+ save on 2d6; Power Fist, Targeter, Teleport Homer and Storm Bolter were standard; Chain fist, lightning claws, thunderhammer and storm shield, cyclone missile launcher, assault cannon, heavy flamer were options)
-Tactical Squad (10 man squads only; one model could have an assault weapon and another a heavy weapon)
-Assault Squad (10 man squads only; with or without jump packs; blind grenades available)
-Scouts (5 man squads only; autogun, boltgun, needle sniper weapon and sword/axe were options)
Support (up to half your points could be spent on models from this category)
-Devastator Squads (10 man squads only and up to four marines armed with heavy weapons)
-Support Weapon Servitor (up to three per Techmarine; weapons came with targeter; mole mortar, multilaser, rapier laser destroyer, tarantula, Thudd gun were options)
-Vehicles (bike, bike and sidecar, dreadnaught [weapons mounted on a dreadnaught get special advantages like rapid fire or more salvos], land raider, landspeeder, predator, rhino)
Other Wargear Add-ons and Standard Equipment
-Frag and Krak Grenades, blind grenades, plasma grenades, photon flash grenades, Melta bombs, Plasma weapons, Power Glove, Refractor/Conversion/Displacer fields, Power maul, Power axe, power sword, hand and other flamers, grenade launcher, lascannon, various bolters, autocannon, melta weapons, missile launcher with frag and krak, targeter (with heavy weapons; came automatically; +1 bonus to shooting), and terminator armor (with power glove)

Ultramarine Codex published 1995 (for 2nd edition rules)
-Space Wolves have own codex in 1994
-Dark Angels and Blood Angels get own codex in the "Angels of Death" in 1996
Special Characters
-Chief Librarian Tigurius added with rod as option for him and hood for other librarians
-Marnius Calgar added with gauntlets as an option with the Macragge standard bearer as an option
-Chaplain Cassius added
-Captain Invictus of the First company added
-Legion of the Damned (one 10 man squads only)
Characters
-Terminator Captain added
-Captain, Chaplain, Librarian, Apothecary, Techmarine and Company standard may ride a bike
Squads
-Veteran Marines added (10 man squads only)
-Devastator Squads moved here from support
-Bike squadrons moved here from support (3-5 bikes; have targeter; may add an attack bike)
Support
-Allies chosen from Imperial Guard, Imperial Agents, Squats and...Eldar!
-Tarantula now has varied weapons
-Whirlwind added (fires two rockets each turn)
-Rhino can carry five Terminators!
-Razorback added and carries five models. Lascannon and twin-linked plasma rifle turret option available.
-In order to have a Rhino,Razorback, landspeeder, whirlwind, predator, landraider or attack bike requires a Techmarine in the army!
Other Wargear Add-ons and Standard Equipment
-Heavy bolter can have Hellfire shells
-Missile launcher can have plasma, anti-plant or melta missiles
-Power Glove, and Refractor/Conversion/Displacer fields dissappear.

Codex Space Marines (for 3rd edition rules)
-Force Organization lists were created
-Blood Angels and Dark Angels get own codexes in 1998 and 1999
Special Characters
-Captain Cortez, Black Templar Emperor's Champion, Salamander Chaplain Xavier, and Imperial Fist Sergent Lysander (in power armor) added
-Chaplain Cassius, Legion of the Damned and Captain Invictus disappear
-Magnus Calgar now in artificer armor. Macragge banner disappears 
HQ
-Space Marine Hero (Leader, Commander and Force Commander)
-Librarian and Chaplain (only one type)
-Command Squad (can be five to ten models in size; can ride bikes; standard bearer, techmarine and apothecary included and no longer independent; can wear terminator armor but very expensive!)
Elites
-Terminators split into ranged and assault. Can be up to ten models in size
-Dreadnaught
-Veteran Squads (can be five to ten models in size; Rhino or Razorback dedicated transport)
Troops
-Tactical Squad (can be five to ten models in size; Rhino or Razorback dedicated transport)
-Scout Squad (can have one autocannon, heavy bolter or missile cannon; can have sniper rifles and close combat weapon/bolt pistol and close combat weapon/bolter/shotgun)
Fast Attack
-Assault Squads (can be five to ten models in size; reduction in cost if no jump packs)
-Bike Squadron
-Attack Bike Squadron
-Scout Bike Squadron added (Three to five bikes; can have shotguns)
-Land Speeder Squadron (one to three)
-Land Speeder Tornado added (only one with current options)
-Land Speeder Typhoon added (only one with current options)
Heavy Support
-Devastator Squads (can be five to ten models in size; Rhino or Razorback dedicated transport)
-Predators divided into the annihilator (lascannons) and Destructor (autocannon and heavy bolters).
-Vindicator added
-Land Raider
-Whirlwind
Dedicated Transports
-Rhino can no longer carry terminators (the vehicle and terminator armor both got bigger...go figure)
-Razorback can now carry six models. No more lascannon and twin-linked plasma rifle turret
Other Wargear Add-ons and Standard Equipment
-Lost and the Damned, servitor support weapons disappear
-No more allies
-Grenade launcher now a combi-weapon
-Auspex, artificer armor, bionics, chapter and sacred banner, Combi-weapons, holy relic, iron halo, narthecium and reductor, master-crafted weapons, purity seals, servo-arm and signum, teleport homer and terminator honors appear
-Targeters, Missile launcher special ammo (other than frag and krak), Blind grenades, plasma grenades, photon flash grenades, hand and heavy flamer disappear

Codex Space Marines (published 2004 for 4th Edition rules)
-Chapter traits added for creating your own chapters with flavor. Chapter traits listed include those for the Imperial Fists, Raven Guard, Salamanders, White Scars, Crimson Fists, Iron Hands and Blood Ravens.
-Black Templars get own codex in 2005.
Special Characters
-Kayvaan Shrike, Tyrannic war veterans, Ultramarine Honor Guard added
-Captain Cortez, Black Templar Emperor's Champion, and Salamander Chaplain Xavier disappear
-Chaplain Cassius added back in
-Sergent Lysander now Captain and in terminator armor
HQ
-Commander (Master and Captain)
-Chaplain (Master of Sanctity and Reclusiarch)
-Librarian (Epistolary and Codicier; may have familiar)
-Command Squad (can have special skills; can still be upgraded with terminator armor but still very expensive)
-Terminator Command Squad (four to nine models and special skills)
Elites
-same squads except squads have access to special skills
-Dreadnaught can be venerable
-Techmarine now an elite with various servitors
Troops
-Same
Fast Attack
-Same but Land speeder type now available mixed in squadrons
Heavy Support
-Same with Land Raider Crusader added
-Whirlwind must choose between regular or mine missiles
Dedicated Transport
-Drop pods appear but will be some years before a plastic kit is available.
Other Wargear Add-ons and Standard Equipment
-Combat shield and adamantine mantle appear
-Autocannons and hellfire rounds disappear

Codex Space Marines (Published 2008 for 5th edition rules)
-Concept of certain choices alter how units are arranged in force organization list added
HQ
-Marneus Calgar can be in artificer armor or not
-Captain Sicarius, Captain Kantor, Salamander Forgefather Vulkan, Kor'Sarro Khan added
-Space Marine Chapter Master with Honor guard option
-Space Marine Captain
-Librarian and Chaplain now only one type. No familiar for librarian
-Master of the Forge added
Troops
-Tactical Squads could take a flamer and a heavy bolter/multimelta/missile launcher for free!
-Scouts can have camo cloaks and Sergeant Telion added as optional sergent
Dedicated Transports
-Same and finally a model for the drop pod
Elites
-Sternguard veteran Squads and Ironclad Dreadnaught added
-Venerable dreadnaught in its own listing
-Legion of the Damned reappear (Its what they do). They can take heavy flamers
Fast Attack
-Vanguard Veterans and Land Speeder Storm added
-Assault Squad can remove jump packs to get free transport
-Scout bikes get grenade launchers and cluster mines
Heavy Support
-Thunderfire cannon, Brother Sergent Chronus and land raider Redeemer added 
-Devastator Squad sergeant gets signum
Other Wargear Add-ons and Standard Equipment
-Digital weapons, relic blade, and conversion beamer appear
-Hellfire rounds and auxiliary grenade launcher reappears

Codex Space Marines (Published 2013 for 6th edition rules)
-Concept of chapter tactics used
-Veteran sergeants can be taken instead of regular sergeants
HQ
-Marneus Calgar can be in artificer armor or not
-Black Templars back in this codex with High Marshal Helbrecht, Chaplain Grimaldus and Emperor's Champion
-Techmarines may be included, not taking up a slot, for each HQ choice taken
Troops
-Scouts can have landspeeder storm as dedicated transport
-Crusader Squad added for Black Templars only
Dedicated Transports
-Same and finally a model for the drop pod
Elites
-Terminators can no longer have combi-weapons. Land Raiders now can be dedicated!
-Sternguard can take heavy flamers
-Vanguard Veteran squad now elite rather than fast and jump packs are optional
-Centurion Assault squad added
Fast Attack
-Stormtalon Gunship added
Heavy Support
-Centurion Devastator Squad added
-Stormraven Gunship, Hunter and Stalker vehicles added
Other Wargear Add-ons and Standard Equipment
-Gravity weapons and chapter relics appear
-Missile launchers can have flakk ammo

So you can see that STCs have been lost and found over the millennium in the 40k universe. The models get more detail and have risen in price with or exceeding the economy. What is next for the Space Marines? Only time will tell. I plan on working and re-working my Ultramarines in the upcoming months...before the new Ork codex comes out that is.

Infinity Links

The miniature sci-fi skirmish game Infinity is very elegant but because of the less than stellar translation from its original Spanish to English it can be difficult to learn on your own. In addition to these links that I posted, here and here, I've accumulated a few more.

Infinity Demo from Doremicom: At 20 minutes, it is the most complete intro video I have seen yet to the game. You can see more from Doremicon on his youtube site here.

BOLS Factions in Infinity: Also by Doremicon, it is a better into to the factions than I did.

BOLS Levitas's Core Mechanics article: Excellent overview of the basic rules you need to know to start playing. His blog site is here. I like his Alph skin paint scheme.

BOLS Brent's 2nd look at Infinity: Another excellent overview of the game.

My level of Infinity is still building and I'm almost done 300 pts of my Combined Army faction. Once done, I will work on my Haqqislam faction.

Kingdom of Britannia Armored Battle Group

Since I put together my Spartan Games Dystopian Wars Kingdom of Britannia naval and air force, I wanted to put together my land starter box. I will base them once I finish my Prussian Land starter box.

The Britannia Armored Battle Group comes with one land ship, three bombards, six medium tanks and 10 small tanks.

 The Sovereign land ship primed black.

 GW Dark Angels Green.

 Drybrushed GW Snot Green

 Lightly drybrushed GW Goblin Green and the tower painted with P3 Menoth White Highlight and drybrushed with P3 Morrow White.

 Tower was washed with GW Gryphon Yellow. Metal parts painted with P3 Cold Steel. Treds painted with P3 Thamar Black.

 P3 Rhulic Gold for the brass parts.

 Then the whole thing was washed with GW Devlan Mud.

 There are the landship replacement pieces that can be exchanged for the tower. Mortars on the left and gun turrets on the right.

 The entire box with some GW epic terrain. The terrain is 1/285, not the 1/1200 scale that Dystopian Wars is. It still kind of works and I'd hate to not use terrain I already own.

 The small and medium tanks. The small tanks are not flocked and based yet.

 The land ship and the optional inserts.

 The bombards.

 I still think the terrain can work.

 Each box comes with templates and counters.

My box came with stat cards but according to Spartan Games website the boxes and blisters no longer come with them. They can be downloaded though from here.

Now on to the Prussians.