So I used to enjoy the Bell o' Lost Souls, that was until it kind of turned to shite. I realized their G.W. sneak info could be gleaned by just signing up for the newsletter, their writers started getting bad, their "rumors" were just retasked from forums that everyone else can go and see, they added a forum like the net needs another one of those and they stopped being the real go-to for G.W. gaming info. It was sad since it was a descent blog for so long. I decided to say, "thank you but no thank you" and walked away.
Well much like an Alzheimer's patient I stumbled upon Bell o' Lost Souls for the first time in over a year. I scrolled around and looked at some photos, read some awful rumor mongering and then hit an editorial that spun me like it always does, codex creep.
This is where whiners with old codex armies or the Chicken Little's of the 40K universe complain that the newest book is unbeatable and best codex ever. I'm here to say they are wrong, as always.
Codex creep does not exist. Codex creep i the mindset of the mob means that the newest is the best of the best. It means the newest book is the strongest and gives one the most unbeatable auto win army. Really? If that is so then the Grey Knights will beat every book released before them. It means the Dark Eldar are now the second best as they were the newest and can still beat every book released before them and so on and so on. That is just silly. With the codex creep mindset the Imperial Guard can never beat any army made after it. Eldar will only be able to trounce Necrons and Sisiters.
If we look at the top armies from the Wargamescon that Bell was touting we have Sisters, Orks, Space Wolves, Dark Eldar, Demons, Blood Angels, Imperial Guard and Space Marines. These are the top armies best general and best overall armies. Well Sisters can't beat any of those books and be viable because of the creep. Right? Creep says the newest is the best and unbeatable. Huh? Wait Grey Knights should be there they are the newest. It should only be Grey Knights vs. Grey Knights vs. Grey Knights right? The creep is disproved here. Sisters, Orks, Demons and Space Marines are old books and cannot compete with the newer books the creep says it must be so. Yet they still can compete, weird huh? The new book is the new book, but it doesn't mean it is the best book.
Yes I think there is an unbalance in the game, but it isn't codex creep. It is more the fact that as we travel through 5th ed there are still too many early and late 4th edition books out there. These will not measure up to the newest books. It isn't because the newest books are so tough or unbalanced, it is that the older books were written for a now defunct rule set. They have unit pricing that isn't up to date and rules that either are unusable or weird now with a new version. A new book will bring them into the fold, but will not break the game or make them the uber top army.
A new edition and old book means one has to change their style and not scream codex creep. Sure the older books might not have the point costs you want. Sure the newer books have cheaper stuff than the older version. However, it isn't your army is it. A Tau player can't complain that a new non-Tau book has cheaper units. It isn't a Tau book it is some other army book. A Necron player can't cry that his troops cost more than a Space Marine and are worse. They are Necrons and not Space Marines. Eldar can't bitch because their troop transports aren't at Rhino cost. They aren't Rhinos they are Wave Serpents. It is just silly when people say that this is codex creep. This is not codex creep it is players crying sour grapes that they don't have something shiny and new for their outdated army book.
If people want to say there is edition creep then I would probably agree. As the edition goes so does the codexes. The older into the edition the better the newer books look, but it doesn't make them the best. It will always be the dice, players, mission and locale where you play that determine the strength of a codex.The game is different everywhere and no one book is universally the best. Every game store, tournament or basement has its favorite and best army book/s. I get trounced a bunch by Chaos Marines and they are and only older books should lose to them. I have even beaten newer books with my Necrons and that will never happen due to codex creep.
Basically stop the insanity that is codex creep. It only exists because you let it. It also makes you sound like an ass-hat when you buy into it.
Also learn to resist that Alzheimer's urge to return to something that you liked and know has gone bad. It will only bring you pain, just like it did to me. Bell o' Lost Souls, internet forums, circus peanuts, candy corn and all my childhood cartoons are all on that Alzheimer's list of mine. Now where is that (insert random 80"s hairband name) cd? I'm sure they are still awesome............
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