Do you need to buy a rulebook or a codex to play 11th edition Warhammer 40,000?
Rules facts checked against Games Workshop articles dated up to 25 September 2026.
No. For your first games, the core rules download and the Combat Patrol rules in the Warhammer 40,000 app are both free. The Starter Set also holds a full Core Rulebook, and the Armageddon box holds a core rules booklet.
Buy a codex later, for the one army you decide to keep. The Core Book we list (£33.58) is the 10th edition one, so it does not match the current rules.
What you can get online without buying a book
Games Workshop publishes these 11th edition rules online.
- The core rules. Free to download from 1 June 2026.
- Combat Patrol rules. Free in the Warhammer 40,000 app. See what the app does.
- Points. The Munitorum Field Manual, which lists each unit's points cost, was announced for the app and as an interactive page online in June 2026.
- Faction Packs. Downloads published in the second week of June 2026 with each army's detachment costs and datasheet tweaks. A detachment is a set of army rules you choose when you build.
Which products hold the rules
| Product | Rules inside | Our price |
|---|---|---|
| 11th Edition Starter Set | A full Core Rulebook, a Starter Set Handbook and reference sheets | £126.40, in stock |
| Armageddon | A core rules booklet, the mission deck, the Dominatus deck and 17 datasheet cards | £153.00, sold out at the moment |
| Getting Started with Space Marines | An introductory booklet; Combat Patrol rules come from the app | £86.11, in stock |
| Getting Started with Orks | An introductory booklet; Combat Patrol rules come from the app | £86.11, sold out at the moment |
| Core Book (10th Edition listing) | The rules of the previous edition | £33.58, in stock |
Skip the 10th edition Core Book if you are learning the current game. Cover, the bonus for sheltering behind scenery, is one example. In the 11th edition it gives the attacker a -1 to Ballistic Skill, which makes shots harder to land, where the old rule gave the defender +1 to the armour save. A beginner reading the old book would learn the wrong rule.
When a codex is worth buying
- Play your first games with the box. A Combat Patrol needs no codex.
- Pick the army you keep wanting to paint. Buying a second army early can leave you with two codexes and no finished force.
- Buy that army's codex when you build past the box. You still choose your army from your codex, and your detachments come with it.
- Check which edition it is for. Games Workshop said current codexes stay valid at launch, then began replacing them: a new Adeptus Custodes codex was covered on 25 September 2026, after a first look at an upcoming Space Marines one on 11 September 2026. If your army has a new codex, buy that one.
- Check the cost. Our codex range runs £16.99 to £31.21 against RRPs of £21.50 to £39.50. You get lore and artwork as well as rules.
The first game checklist shows what else goes on the table.
Common questions
Can I play 40k without a codex?
For Combat Patrol games, you can: the Combat Patrol rules in the app are free. For a larger army of your own you need that army's datasheets and detachments, and the codex is where they come from.
What books do you need to start playing Warhammer 40K?
You do not have to buy a book to start. The core rules are a free download and the Combat Patrol rules in the app are free, so a Getting Started set is enough for a first game. The 11th Edition Starter Set also holds a full Core Rulebook, and the Armageddon box holds a core rules booklet.
Is the 11th edition core rulebook free?
The core rules have been a free download since 1 June 2026. The Core Book we list is the 10th edition one, so it does not match the current rules.
Can I use a 10th edition codex in 11th edition?
At launch, yes: Games Workshop said all current codexes would stay valid, and datasheets mostly work as before. It has since started releasing new codexes, so if your army has one, that is the book to buy.
Warhammer Community articles: core rules download, 1 June 2026; Combat Patrol rules in the app, 23 July 2026; codexes and detachments, 26 March, 2 April, 5 June, 11 September and 25 September 2026; Starter Set contents, 5 July 2026; points and the app, 15 June 2026; Faction Packs, 8 June 2026; cover rule, 8 April 2026. Armageddon contents, Core Book listing and prices: this shop, read live.