Your shelf full of Codex army books just got a stay of execution. That alone would have been enough to make Warhammer 40,000 players breathe a collective sigh of relief, but the AdeptiCon 2026 livestream delivered a lot more than just that reassurance when Games Workshop finally pulled the curtain back on Warhammer 40K 11th Edition.
The new edition launches in June alongside a massive box set called Armageddon, pitting Blood Angels Space Marines against Orks in what is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated starter sets in years. The crowd at AdeptiCon reportedly roared when the details started rolling in, and honestly, it is not hard to see why.
Your Codexes are not going in the bin
Here's the thing that will matter most to veterans: existing Codex army books remain fully valid under 11th Edition until a new, updated version eventually replaces them. Games Workshop is not asking you to rebuy your entire library on day one. That is a meaningful shift in approach, and it signals that this edition is built on refinement rather than a scorched-earth reset.
The rules changes are described as streamlined and community-driven rather than a wholesale rewrite. Stratagem stacking is gone, which anyone who has sat across from a stacked buff combo will appreciate. Combat has been cleaned up, including changes to disembarking, where units can now charge straight into combat after jumping out of a transport, though they will face battleshock as a trade-off. Units can also remain hidden at the start of a match, adding a layer of tactical setup that was not there before.
Existing Codexes remain valid in 11th Edition until superseded by a new edition-specific army book. You do not need to replace them immediately.
Circular objectives are finally dead
The AdeptiCon crowd's loudest reaction came when it was confirmed that the much-maligned circular objective markers are being replaced by actual terrain pieces, things like bunkers, relics, and shrines. It sounds like a small quality-of-life fix, but for anyone who has spent years staring at a flat disc on the table and trying to imagine it as something meaningful, this is a genuine upgrade to how the game feels on the table.
70 new detachments are also incoming, and the type of match you play will be tied to your chosen detachment. Games Workshop is framing this as part of a push toward a more unified experience across different game sizes, so whether you are running a small skirmish or a full-scale battle, the narrative thread should hold together more consistently.
New Blood Angels model reveal
What is actually inside the Armageddon box
The box itself covers both major factions well. On the Orks side, a long-awaited revision of the Ork Boyz kit is included, which is a set that has needed an update for a considerable amount of time. Space Marine players get a new Intercessor box that better represents different armor types, justified in the lore as Primaris Marines making battlefield modifications on the fly. There is also what appears to be a reworked Vanguard Veterans kit with jump packs, led by a Chaplain who can also take to the skies.
The key here is that, as with previous launch box sets, some of these miniatures will likely be exclusive to Armageddon before eventually being sold separately. If past editions are any guide, grabbing the box before it sells out is the safer move for anyone who wants the full lineup at launch.
What comes next
Pre-orders for the Armageddon box are not open yet, but June is not far off. Expect Games Workshop to roll out more details on the remaining rule changes, faction-specific detachments, and standard starter sets in the weeks ahead. The edition is clearly designed to lower the barrier to entry while giving long-time players enough new material to stay engaged, which is a balance the hobby has not always managed to strike. Make sure to check out more:
