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.

Hey Dakka,

First time posting in the 30K thread. I am looking to start 30K with all space marine legions as an option (can find everything to like about each one) and I was wondering if anyone had a list of which type of armor each legion used the most (Mark II, Mark III, etc.). I know that every legion used every type of armor as it was was created but wanted to know what type of armor each chapter preferred so I can decide which type of mark armor I need to purchase.

Thanks in advance Dakka!

What exactly do you mean by chapter? Some legions had chapters as part of their organization some didn't.

Are you referring to the 40k chapters they would feature the same as their parent Legion. Which is generally access to all armour types though some legions did have preferences.

Titanicus wrote:
What exactly do you mean by chapter? Some legions had chapters as part of their organization some didn't.

Are you referring to the 40k chapters they would feature the same as their parent Legion. Which is generally access to all armour types though some legions did have preferences.

Sorry I meant legion. Say for example that Death guard preferred Mark III armor as it was more heavily armored than the newer Mark IV as they preferred the slow armored advance of infantry and dreadnaughts. The Emperors Children preferred Mark IV as it allowed them to be more agile which fits their fighting tactics as being quick and fast.

Since I have insomnia, here it goes:

I. Dark Angels: Seemingly favoured Mk2 - that's what the FW upgrade is and the only uniform examples FW have shown are in it.

III. Emperor's Children: - already covered -

IV. Iron Warriors: Hotly debated. The FW upgrades have Mk2 torsos, the heads are labelled as Mk2 but are more Mk4 with one of the variants sporting a Mk2-ish faceplate. Angel Exterminatus has them in Mk4 as standard (with even their auxiliaries sporting helmets in its likeness). The majority of IW players however seem to insist they wear Mk3 all round because they're badass and metaaal, but the only real support from this comes from FW's half-arsed realisation of the Breacher concept they invented (canonically - reiterated most recently in Burning of Prospero boardgame - standard Mk3 had reduced rear armour to compensate for the frontal plating, which would make it pretty stupid for your iconic image of Iron Warriors storming across no-mans land whilst artillery rains all *around* them)

V. White Scars: Not a great deal of info, but FW upgrades are Mk2 - which makes some sense, MkIV is noted for being somewhat harder to move in due to the solid plates compared to MkII, which would be a hinderance when leaning into turns on a bike.

VI. Space Wolves: Tricky. FW upgrade is Mk3 with a Mk4 style cable added going under the armour - in the art in Inferno it appears on a suit of Mk4, the accompanying text does note that the majority of that Great Company was equipped with Mk4 implying it's not always the case but not indicating if it's unusual.

VII. Imperial Fists: Six of one, half a dozen of the other. FW generic upgrades are Mk3 as is the Templar Brethren set, whilst the IF command and Phalanx Warders are Mk4. Also the first legion to have access to Mk6 once it went into full production during the Heresy (FW only does Mk6 pads for three legions, IF are one of them)

VIII. Night Lords: All the FW upgrades are in Mk4.

IX. Blood Angels: Legion upgrades are Mk4, some people think they had a real love affair with Mk3 because they think that's what Horus Rising says but it doesn't - the legion find a *single* Mk3 eyepiece and conclude it must be from a Blood Angel because *their* force doesn't have any Mk3 and they are unaware of any other legions presence on the planet.

X. Iron Hands: IRON CUZ METAL INNIT BLUD! FW legion upgrades are Mk3, but post-Heresy the Iron Hands are noted for their use of Mk4..

XII. World Eaters: A bit tricky. Most of the FW art has them in Mk4, but the upgrades and Rampager models are Mk2. Also notable (though in truth there's only one example in Betrayal, the Sons of Horus have more) for the use of Mantilla/Sarum pattern respirator/helmet which is also tricky - it's the pattern that would subsequently become standard on production Mk5 armour but a lot of people can't tell the difference between it and Mk7. Alas FW doesn't sell the helmets separately.

XIII. Ultramarines: Mostly Mk4, all of the FW upgrades are Mk4 derivatives including the Breachers, but the Suzerains are Mk3.

XIV. Death Guard: - already covered -

XV. Thousand Sons: Mk4 has always been their iconic mark, Burning of Prospero apparently has Mk3 because Mk4 was in Betrayal at Calth (which arguably should have been Mk3 since it was set during a protracted underground war - exactly what Mk3 was designed for)

XVI. Sons of Horus: Mk4. Only the best for the Dark Lord's legion, all of the FW stuff is Mk4 derived (as produced by the goblin-smiths of Moria). Although the art in Betrayal was a fair mix including 3 of 8 sporting Mantilla/Sarum helmets.

XVII. Word Bearers: Mostly Mk4: the FW upgrades, Erebus and Gal Vorbak are all wearing Mk4, the Ashen Circle officially wear Mk3, but it's really more like something a techmarine took a bunch of Mk2 suits and upgraded them following the Mk3 template but without having access to even a single Mk3 component.

XVIII. Salamanders: Slightly mixed bag: Pyroclasts and FW torso set are Mk3, but the helmet set is a mix of Mk3 & Mk4.

XIX. Raven Guard: Mk6, at the time of Isstvan 5 they were the only legion to which had officially been issued (not yet designated Mk6) for field tests, although in Deliverance Lost they are said to have mostly Mk4 before receiving a bulk shipment of the new production Mk6 - but since Mk6 was yet to be so-numbered it's possible the RG were classifying it as a sub-variant of Mk4.

XX. Alpha Legion: Mk6, also had the armour in notable quantities at the time of Isstvan 5, how they acquired it of course is a mystery..

 Gashrog wrote:
IX. Blood Angels: Legion upgrades are Mk4, some people think they had a real love affair with Mk3 because they think that's what Horus Rising says but it doesn't - the legion find a *single* Mk3 eyepiece and conclude it must be from a Blood Angel because *their* force doesn't have any Mk3 and they are unaware of any other legions presence on the planet.

Not to mention since every legion used every mark just 'cause you have MK3 piece found doesn't mean it's what they preferred unless writers are stupid enough to have ONLY one type ever seen despite all actually being in use.

I will use mix of many marks in my army anyway. MKIV and MKIII now, there's already MKII apotechary already and I think I take my assault marines as MKII. Love that mark.

I am finding it amusing that I'm using almost exclusively Mk.4 armour despite the fact that neither of my Legions (Death Guard, Salamanders) liked it much. I guess I'm running splinter elements with eccentric commanders.

These preferences are also broad strokes when you consider that hundreds of thousands of Legionaries operated all across the galaxy and had to make due with the equipment they were supplied and stocked with. It wouldn't be out of the ordinary for any expeditionary fleet to be equipped with older armor marks and/or to end up with a mix of armor as older legionaries casualties were replaced with new recruits sporting new armor marks.

TLDR: you can equip them with whatever you think is cool and just make up a reason for it.