Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Hello - found a box of old space marines in the charity shop. The right old ones with the beaks. Is it possible to make them fit as part of an army or are they just too far removed from the contemporary models? Was wondering if anybody had completed or seen any examples of them painted up and looking good. Don't want to start cutting them off their sprues if they're just going to look rubbish.

 screaminskull wrote:
Hello - found a box of old space marines in the charity shop. The right old ones with the beaks. Is it possible to make them fit as part of an army or are they just too far removed from the contemporary models? Was wondering if anybody had completed or seen any examples of them painted up and looking good. Don't want to start cutting them off their sprues if they're just going to look rubbish.

They are a little smaller than the newer marines. You can paint them to look good or retro/cartoon like. I am not the best painter but I have a gallery with some as my grey hunter squads in my Space Wolf Gallery. Might help you make up your mind. Mine were always a drybrush look i just added markings to them as editions went on. I have updated them even more actually than what is seen on pics.

You also could probably ebay them for some cash and use toward new marines as well if did not want to mess with them. I guess its all in your viewpoint as to what looks good to you ultimately .

What a good find! Can you post a pic?

I have and field marines from almost every edition, from RBT01 to modern plastics. They are close enough to fit, even if a touch small. I recently replaced the ML and sarge in my old 4th squad with modern guys from the new tactical squad box. The paintjob is separated by 20 years, but I try to keep things consistent.

Here's a photo. Off my phone.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Or not.

Maybe work this time.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Sorry about the photo. Really winds me up when people post photos on their side.

Man that is an AWESOME find! I love mixing old marines I. With my forces. I feel it really gives character and depth to an army.

Aye I was astonished to see them. Snapped them up along with a couple of other things.
I took a look through your gallery Spacewolf and the old ones blend in well and Nevelons 4th company look good.
Suppose I'll paint them up then.
Was wary that they are quite old and probably a nice collector's piece and didn't want to waste them.
Feel like there could be something spectacular to do with them but got no ideas whatsoever.

I think it would almost be better to leave them on the sprue and not use them at all. Considering a LR of the same era can sell for up to $200, I would keep them as a long term investment.

Wow, yeah I would definitely figure out their value before you commit to building them. What a lucky find!

Edit: a quick look on ebay shows this same box for over £100 you lucky

Yeah, A basically NIB RTB-01 box is worth more being sold to a collector than for gaming from a practical standpoint in most cases.

Those are an awesome find, but I'm not going to tell you to sell them to someone.

I would definitely investigate their value, but for me, I would definitely get more than £100 of enjoyment out of assembling, painting, and getting the "COOL!" reaction from those marines. If you feel the same, put those awesome old Beakies together and have fun with them.

If you'd rather turn them into a bunch of newer models, or a Forgeworld kit, or whatever else you could sell them for, then that's cool, but don't let people tell you not to have fun with toys. The action figure in the original packaging is nothing but deferred enjoyment.

They're smaller, but they're still cool. My Crimson Fists army (link in my signature) is full of mixes of old models and new models, and they look a little odd together but altogether still cool.

I remember RTB01 coming out, I built up two of them and loved it as a kit. I preferred the skeleton army one though, that was awesome.

It was a skeleton army box that got me into this hobby many years ago.
On reflection I can't see myself ever using these fellows in my army. And while building and painting them would be excellent I think they are destined for the box in the loft to await some future burst of inspiration.