Almost a year ago I wrote this article: Fall of the Imperium, which I voiced my concern on how Imperium armies are boring to play with as they use pretty much the same weaponry and vehicles. I also said xeno armies are a whole lot more interesting to play due to their special rules and they play better as they do not use normal gaming rules and have more exotic technology i.e many skimmers.
Since the article was written we have seen three xeno codexes appear; Chaos Daemons, Tau and Eldar. All of these are fair books, Daemons is perhaps the weakest of the three, but still isn't too bad itself if you can put up with the random nature of the codex. Eldar is probably the strongest book due to having some incredibly strong units in the codex i.e Wave Serpents, but Tau is not slouch and can put out an amazing amount of dakka.
Those are just the latest xeno books. Lets not forget Necrons too, which was the last 5th codex (though written for 6th ed) and is still an incredibly strong book.
In 5th ed these were the codex power rankings:
1. Necrons
2. Imperial Guard
3. Grey Knights
4. Blood Angels
5. Space Wolves
In the top 5 only a single xeno codex made an appearance. The xeno codexes would probably start entering about number 7 and Tyranids would probably lead that. Xenos only saw power rise when Chaos Daemons got an White Dwarf update and when their new books arrived.
It look like 5th ed was truly the ruleset for the Imperium. Xeno forces got worse and worse as the more powerful Imperium codexes were released.
In 6th you're looking at something like this:
1. Necrons
2. Eldar
3. Tau
4. Chaos Daemons
5. Dark Eldar
Before anyone starts booing me, I think the Dark Eldar are a very good army. Yes they are my home boys and yes they really only have a single build. But if you put that single build against typical Imperium mech armies or even hybrid armies then it will clean the table.
As you can see there's not an Imperium army in sight. The strongest Imperium codex is still Imperial Guard as pretty much every rule change in 6th ed benefited that codex, however it has fallen dramatically down the power rankings.
Now it is time for the xeno, the xenos shall rise!
Why 6th ed for the xeno rise?
The reason why the xenos have risen in 6th ed is because of vehicles. Xenos have always had faster vehicles, but Imperium vehicles were cheaper and could absorb just the same amount of punishment or sometimes more. The Imperium also got the benefit of smoke launchers, ok they are a single use, but xenos had little access to wargear which can give some form of a save. The only items which come to mind are the Dark Eldar flickerfield and the Tau disruption pod.
Since the induction of hull points weaker xeno vehicles and ones of the open topped variety have become slightly more stronger; a lucky glance in 5th ed could take down a xeno vehicle with a single shot, well not any more. Only way you are going to total a vehicle is reducing it to 0 hull points.
Then there is the introduction of the jink rule, this gives skimmers a 5+ cover save as long has they have moved. Eldar, Dark Eldar and Tau all use skimmers. Suddenly these armies have become more durable as they get a cover save as long as they move while Imperium vehicles got changed to a 5+ cover use once and in addition cannot shoot.
With xeno vehicles gaining these benefits the Imperium's slow tanks fall behind and the xeno vehicles can run circles around them.
Xenos go faster
A lot of xeno vehicles are fast vehicles or can be upgraded to fast vehicles (sure Tau can make their skimmers fast?), which as mentioned above out pace the slower Imperium counter parts and allow the xeno vehicles to manoeuvre to get into the weaker side armour of enemy armour.
Fast vehicles also got changed and are allowed to fire two weapons when moving 12", this is a big difference between the Imperium vehicles which are snap firing if they move 12".
Mix the multiple shooting of weapons with superior speed and I am not surprised Imperium vehicles are going down quicker than a cheap corner ho.
Dakka Dakka
Generally, I have noticed that xeno armies out shoot the Imperium based upon number of shots and range. Take the Eldar scatter laser which is heavy 4 S6 36" or the Dark Eldar Venom which can fire 12 4+ poison shots 36" and then there's the Tau with the super high yield missile pods firing 4 S7 36" shots. The Imperium really has nothing which can match up to this sheer volume of fire power.
I've noticed that Imperium weapons are mostly heavy or rapid fire. It is xenos which mostly have assault based weapons giving them superior speed and manoeuvrability.
Final Thoughts
I can see why xeno codexes are the top five in 40k at the moment; they have speed, range and shooting and all three of these are better than what the Imperium can offer. How can the Imperial Guard's mass Chimeras shoot if a fast moving Chaos Daemon army is assaulting them turn 2? How can those Chimeras fire if destroyed by fast moving Wave Serpents getting into the side arcs or Tau blasting a metric ton of missiles?
Really, when you think about it, all of this suits the background of 40k. The Imperium are meant to be slow moving and heavy hitters while the xenos dance around them with superior technology.
I guess for all those who complained xenos were getting the short stick (myself included) can now have their cake and eat it - the rise of the xenos is here.
Do you think xeno codexes are stronger than the Imperium ones or do you think the Imperium have still got the power to bash some xeno scum?