The Chapter Approved books are collected volumes of official Warhammer 40,000 rules, background and FAQs that originally ran as a regular column in White Dwarf magazine. They matter because they show how the game’s design team shaped the rules between editions, often in direct response to what players asked for.
What the chapter approved books actually are
Chapter Approved started life as a column in White Dwarf. The Warhammer 40,000 design team used it to publish officially approved background, rules clarifications, trial rules and behind-the-scenes looks at how the game was put together. The head designer often wrote the articles himself.
Those articles were later gathered into compilation books, also called Chapter Approved and subtitled the Books of the Astronomicon. The first of these, The Book of the Astronomican, came out in 1988 for the Rogue Trader edition and was the game’s first general supplement, packing in new material, a four-part mini-campaign, ready-made army lists and the first full miniatures catalogue.
The column began in first edition, returned during third edition under Andy Chambers, and stopped around the move to fourth edition before resurfacing occasionally without a single frontman.
Why players cared about it
White Dwarf readers were invited to write in with requests: rules clarifications, unit discrepancies, background spotlights, or ideas for entirely new units. Plenty of Chapter Approved articles openly said they existed because readers asked for them.
That made the column a two-way street between designers and players at a time when there was no online errata. If you wanted an official answer or a trial rule, Chapter Approved was where you found it.
- Rules clarifications and FAQs for existing units
- Trial rules that might later become standard
- Army lists and special characters for factions
- Designer notes and behind-the-scenes commentary
The compilation books
The best-known print collection is the 2001 softcover Chapter Approved, edited by Andy Chambers with Dylan Owen and illustrated by John Blanche. It runs 128 pages and gathers a broad selection of material from the column.
Earlier, the Book of the Astronomican (1988) served the same purpose for Rogue Trader, credited to Rick Priestley, Alan Merrett and Jim Bambra. Between them, the books preserve rules and lore that would otherwise be lost to old magazine issues.
Sources differ slightly on how many compilation volumes were released and when, so treat any single list as incomplete.
| Book | Year | Edition | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Book of the Astronomican | 1988 | Rogue Trader (1st) | First general supplement; mini-campaign, army lists, miniatures catalogue |
| Chapter Approved | 2001 | 3rd | 128-page softcover; edited by Andy Chambers |
How it connects to the wider game
Chapter Approved sits alongside the codices and the core rulebook as a third stream of official material. It’s where experimental rules got their first outing, and where the design team explained its thinking in plain language.
For modern players, the books are a window into how 40k evolved, especially the third edition era when Andy Chambers ran the show. They’re also a reminder that community feedback has shaped the game since the very beginning.
Key facts
- Chapter Approved began as a regular column in White Dwarf magazine.
- It published officially approved rules, background, FAQs and trial rules from the design team.
- Articles were collected into compilation books subtitled the Books of the Astronomicon.
- The Book of the Astronomican (1988) was the first general supplement for Rogue Trader.
- The 2001 Chapter Approved softcover runs 128 pages and was edited by Andy Chambers.
- The column resurfaced in third edition and stopped around the move to fourth edition.
FAQ
What were the Chapter Approved books?
They were compilation volumes collecting the Chapter Approved column from White Dwarf, which published official rules, background, FAQs and trial rules for Warhammer 40,000. The best known is the 2001 softcover edited by Andy Chambers.
When did Chapter Approved run?
It started in first edition, returned during third edition under Andy Chambers, and faded out around the move to fourth edition, with occasional later appearances.
Are the Chapter Approved books still useful today?
Not for current rules, since those have long been superseded. They’re valuable as history, showing how the game’s rules and factions developed and how the design team responded to player requests.