Imperial Knight Collectors Ed Codex + Companion

  Big day here, I got the packages with Imperial Knight Collector's Edition Codex and the Imperial Knight Companion.  Here goes my review of both.  Up first, the Codex.

  Ok, so I am normally the GW apologist, you all know that.  I tend to be the one that says they're not all that bad.  I also want to point out that I love this codex, and the collector's edition is great, but... It is WAY not worth the extra $74 for the Collector's edition.

  The codex is great, although, as everyone knows, there is only 2 units in the entire book.  The Imperial Knight Titan, Errant and Paladin versions.   The rules section is comprised of those sections from Apoc/Escalation that you need to play with the Titan.  It covers the super heavy stuff, plus the effects of the Melee D weapon.  Then it has the two units.  There is a section for warlord traits so that you can make the Knights your main force.  There is also a pretty cool table to determine the level of your pilot.  He'll either be green, average or Seneschal.  The seneschal is +1 to WS/BS and the ion shield is a 3+ instead of 4+.  The green pilot is -1 to all those.  It gives a little variety, but there could have been a lot more done here.  I think I'll make my own table to really vary pilots and give the game a little "narrative".   Also, there is a sentence that makes all your knights scoring if they are your main detachment.  But, as has been pointed out elsewhere, that does not make them denial units, so in an objective game, you could find some last turn shenanigans costing you the game...  The obligatory allies table is also here.

  The physical presentation is, as always, beautiful.  The codex slipcase is bound with that rubbery/leathery coating that makes it feel very 'rich'.  Inset into the slipcase is the names of all the houses and on the back is the "builders plate" that has your unique edition number.  The codex is in there along with another pullout that has some very heavy stock photo plates of named titans.  All very nice, but certainly not worth and extra $74. 

The cover of the added pullout section with the Titan photos.  Kinda like a 40k porn surprise package :)

The slipcase cover.  Sorry, I left the plastic on.  It looks better in real life

The added heavy cardstock plates.  7 of them.  Basically an extra $10 a piece...

On to the Imperial Knight Companion.  One word - AWESOMESAUCE.
(in my world, that is one word, back off!)

  Know this from the start.  There is not a single rule, or mention of a rule in this entire book.  If you're thinking about this for the game, fahgetaboutit.

  What this is... glorious fluff.  Tons and tons of glorious fluff.  There are pictures, artwork, histories and you name it.  Every page is a another gem of fluffy goodness.  They show how the houses developed their ties to either the mechanicum or the throne, how their livery and crests changed over time etc.  The stories of how the houses work and relate are just great.  This is the Warhammer 40k coffee table book of all time.

Here is the note from the GW website about this book...

Warning: exposure to this book may result in the overwhelming desire to collect, build and paint many Knights! 

  And that is so damned true.  If you like fluff, you have to have this tome!!!  It is a ton of fun, and it really is not a reference or anything for the game.  In fact, it is even formatted as a coffee table book, not normal codex or Forgeworld size.

  So that's about it.  They are both very cool, the companion is worth every penny, if you like the fluff and want to have something 'politically correct' to show around a crowd of non-40k freaks.  The Collector's edition codex is very, very nice, but does not even approach a reasonable price point.

See ya round!