Without any real fanfare Games Workshop has come out with version 1.1 of these FAQs, including (most importantly) a FAQ for the main rulebook itself. Considering the general disappointment with the first go around these 1.1 versions are certainly a step forward, although they still aren't the sort of "start from scratch" versions (as opposed to just using the old v5 FAQs and adding to them) that would be ideal.
One true improvement is that they've gotten better in describing the exact values of powered weapons so now you actually know how useful they are. So, for example, we now know that Burnas are AP3 when used as Power Weapons. We also know (although this isn't as new) that a Chaplain's Crozius is essentially a AP4 Power Maul. Have to say that's a bit disappointing as not being able to ignore 3+ armor sort of, IMHO, makes a Power Weapon not a Power Weapon. After all, the whole point was to negate armor and the way it greatly reduces the damage a unit receives. This one change makes the Chaplain significantly less appealing as a character as he's now a LOT less effective against Power Armor (basically, the amount of damage he could do against such protected enemies is now ONE-THIRD what it was before).
Another disappointment, although this is more a matter of personal taste, is that they qualified what Space Marine chapters could take. The way that they listed the SM vehicles in the rulebook suggested that chapters with older books (like my beloved Dark Angels) might have access to the new stuff -- such as Storm Ravens, for example -- that wasn't around when the codex was written. Well, this FAQ update flatly quashes any such hopes. So, no Storm Ravens or Ironclad Dreadnoughts for Dark Angels.
I figured that would be the case, but the one clarification that does suprise me (since I bought the model) is that it specifically states that the Storm Talon is ONLY available for pure Space Marines from the codex of the same name and not for ANY other SM chapters. This is strange as it was common knowledge that you could use the flyers (not to mention many of the other units not available when a given codex was written) at GW Stores. Plus, I think a lot of people in and out of GW simply assumed that the Storm Talon was available to every Space Marine chapter. To find out that it's not is a bit shocking.
I guess the real acid test comes when the Dark Angel codex comes out. If suddenly they get the Storm Talon, Raven, and other momentarily verbotten units then I guess this all turns into another case of the infamous "Storm Shield Debacle" (where for a while the Storm Shield for newer chapters was save 3+ all the time, yet for the older chapters the EXACT same piece of wargear was only 4+ and only in CC) where some Marines don't get what others do for no other reason than "because". But, if they don't get these new toys at all I think the shock will be much greater. One, why would GW give up the chance to sell that many more boxes of expensive (and popular) models? Two, if Dark Angels don't get such things then just want exactly do they get, particularly in the case of flyers?
If you play Space Marines, aren't Grey Knights or Blood Angels, and
hoped to be able to play with Storm Ravens, better luck next time
And, three, it will bring back the old sour feelings that came with the old DA codex. That one was the first of a short lived change in GW design philosophy which amounted to "less is more". That is, the DA book added no new models or really any rules to the DA. If they had kept with that philosophy for later books then okay, but instead they quickly reversed course and book-after-book was filled with bunches of cool new toys and rules. That left we DA players feeling short changed. The up coming DA book is GW's chance to rectify things and make Dark Angels worth playing again using the actual DA rules (as opposed to, as many DA players do now, using other Chapter's rules as "Count as"). I just hope GW doesn't blow it with DA and just produce another empty re-telling of the same basic rules as before. I want to read the new codex and go "Wow!" Mind you, not necessarily in terms of power, but at least in terms of options and possibilities. We'll have to see if that's the case.
In the meantime enjoy the new version of the FAQs. While they still aren't perfect at least they are a needed move in the right direction and hopefully indicate that GW will be updating them on a regular "every-few-months" basis.