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I’ve played off and on since 1997.

I took the longest break over the past four years and now I’m kinda lost.

Primaris Marines

Are they the models I have to buy now or are mini 20+ years worth of minis no longer playable?

Most of the original marines are still playable, though some might have moved to legends which prevents them from being used in tournaments - but they still have rules for any other games.
Primaris are mostly side-grades to the one you know.

A quick look at GW's website would show that units such as Tactical Marines are still for sale and still usable in 9th edition Warhammer 40,000.

Sitting out the last 4 years was a good call- during those years, it would have driven you crazy because your existing collection would have been 1w, while the shiney new Primaris were 2w or even 3.

Now old marines have two wounds, so they are more on par with Primaris, which means it will be less of gut punch if you decide to stick with your existing collection(s). In fact, because old marines are more customizable then Primaris, now that the wound discrepancy is gone, some people might argue old marines are more useful than Primaris (especially true of Deathwatch).


Edit: Double post

You'll find that most (99%) of your old stuff is completely playable.

Get yourself the current codex (+ the Space Wolf/Blood Angel/etc book as might apply) & start doing an inventory. If something seems missing? Go to the GW site, go to the tab labeled Community, look for the Faqs/Downloads tab & go to Warhammer Legends (40k).

Stonedog wrote:
I’ve played off and on since 1997.

I took the longest break over the past four years and now I’m kinda lost.

Primaris Marines

Are they the models I have to buy now or are mini 20+ years worth of minis no longer playable?

Welcome back!

Assuming you had Space Marines, it is very likely that your existing models are good to go. I still play with some of my models from 1997.

Just be careful before getting into the primaris fluff. You will go through the 7 stages of grief before acceptance

Stonedog wrote:
I’ve played off and on since 1997.

I took the longest break over the past four years and now I’m kinda lost.

Primaris Marines

Are they the models I have to buy now or are mini 20+ years worth of minis no longer playable?

Basically, GW decided to update Space Marines for the modern age.

Copyrightable Names! No more will you have to suffer the indignity of just having Plasma Guns, Plasma Pistols and Plasma Cannons! Now you can enjoy sophisticated Assault Plasma Incinerators, Krakstorm Grenade Launchers, Onslaught Heavy Gatling Cannons and Absolvor Bolt Pistols. Every unit has also been renamed so that every name ends in "or" like the fething transformers - Aggressors, Inceptors, Invictors, Eliminators, Incursors - Now you never have to worry about that pesky 'being able to tell things apart by the name' again that makes names so complicated and annoying!

Mono-Loadout! Remember being able to take every squad in your 40k list and decide exactly what special and heavy guns they have? Didn't you always just fething hate that? wasn't it just the opposite of why you wanted to play 40k, I mean WHO has the TIME? Primaris Marines solve that problem for you toot-sweet with the miracle of "Everyone just has the same gak." Instead of Devastators, one unit of space marines that can take Lascannons, Missile Launchers, Plasma Cannons, Multi-Meltas, and Heavy Bolters, now there's Eliminators with Las-Fusils, Suppressors with Accelerator Autocannons, Hellblasters (yep, not a joke) with Plasma Incinators, Eradicators with multi-meltas (Guess they could already copyright that one), and Heavy Intercessors with Heavy Boltguns! Five different kits filling the role that one kit used to! Buy buy BUY BUY BUYYYYYYYYYYY!

Cool Tiktok Memerines for the Modern Kids These Days! You know how space marines had that kind of space fantasy knight in armor techno-barbarian classic 80s grimdark sci-fi aesthet-YAWWWWWWWWWWWWWN sorry GRAMPS I had to go pop an ADDERAL because I couldn't even get through that sentence! Primaris Marines are AWESOME and HIP now with an awesome tactical aesthetic for a new generation. These aren't your dad's space mariiiiimean Primaris Adeptus Astartes TM! They've got Tactical Scopes! They've got Five Foot Long Serrated Combat Blades! They've got dreadnoughts without dead guys in them that have kickass heavy bolters that they hold in their hand like pistols! They've got cool Call of Duty Modern Warfare half-face skull bandanna masks.

most of the old space marine stuff is still around and legal to play, but it's increasingly obvious that they just want people to start buying the New and Improved marines. Essentially, if you loved Disney's hip fresh new take on the Star Wars film franchise, you'll love some awesome new Primaris Space Marines.

the_scotsman wrote:

Stonedog wrote:
I’ve played off and on since 1997.

I took the longest break over the past four years and now I’m kinda lost.

Primaris Marines

Are they the models I have to buy now or are mini 20+ years worth of minis no longer playable?

Basically, GW decided to update Space Marines for the modern age.

Copyrightable Names! No more will you have to suffer the indignity of just having Plasma Guns, Plasma Pistols and Plasma Cannons! Now you can enjoy sophisticated Assault Plasma Incinerators, Krakstorm Grenade Launchers, Onslaught Heavy Gatling Cannons and Absolvor Bolt Pistols. Every unit has also been renamed so that every name ends in "or" like the fething transformers - Aggressors, Inceptors, Invictors, Eliminators, Incursors - Now you never have to worry about that pesky 'being able to tell things apart by the name' again that makes names so complicated and annoying!

Mono-Loadout! Remember being able to take every squad in your 40k list and decide exactly what special and heavy guns they have? Didn't you always just fething hate that? wasn't it just the opposite of why you wanted to play 40k, I mean WHO has the TIME? Primaris Marines solve that problem for you toot-sweet with the miracle of "Everyone just has the same gak." Instead of Devastators, one unit of space marines that can take Lascannons, Missile Launchers, Plasma Cannons, Multi-Meltas, and Heavy Bolters, now there's Eliminators with Las-Fusils, Suppressors with Accelerator Autocannons, Hellblasters (yep, not a joke) with Plasma Incinators, Eradicators with multi-meltas (Guess they could already copyright that one), and Heavy Intercessors with Heavy Boltguns! Five different kits filling the role that one kit used to! Buy buy BUY BUY BUYYYYYYYYYYY!

Cool Tiktok Memerines for the Modern Kids These Days! You know how space marines had that kind of space fantasy knight in armor techno-barbarian classic 80s grimdark sci-fi aesthet-YAWWWWWWWWWWWWWN sorry GRAMPS I had to go pop an ADDERAL because I couldn't even get through that sentence! Primaris Marines are AWESOME and HIP now with an awesome tactical aesthetic for a new generation. These aren't your dad's space mariiiiimean Primaris Adeptus Astartes TM! They've got Tactical Scopes! They've got Five Foot Long Serrated Combat Blades! They've got dreadnoughts without dead guys in them that have kickass heavy bolters that they hold in their hand like pistols! They've got cool Call of Duty Modern Warfare half-face skull bandanna masks.

most of the old space marine stuff is still around and legal to play, but it's increasingly obvious that they just want people to start buying the New and Improved marines. Essentially, if you loved Disney's hip fresh new take on the Star Wars film franchise, you'll love some awesome new Primaris Space Marines.

It’s cool that your so down with primaris. Some people didn’t like them.

I wish the_scotsman would tell us how he really feels. Always sugar coats everything to lessen the blow.

Well, old-school (Tactical) Marines belong to the dark age,
while Primaris pertain to the renaissance, a departure from the dark age.
There is nothing wrong with playing old-school Marines as they also got 2W each recently.

I couldn't really put it any better than the_scottsman, sugar coated as it is, could.

the_scotsman wrote:

Stonedog wrote:
I’ve played off and on since 1997.

I took the longest break over the past four years and now I’m kinda lost.

Primaris Marines

Are they the models I have to buy now or are mini 20+ years worth of minis no longer playable?

Basically, GW decided to update Space Marines for the modern age.

Copyrightable Names! No more will you have to suffer the indignity of just having Plasma Guns, Plasma Pistols and Plasma Cannons! Now you can enjoy sophisticated Assault Plasma Incinerators, Krakstorm Grenade Launchers, Onslaught Heavy Gatling Cannons and Absolvor Bolt Pistols. Every unit has also been renamed so that every name ends in "or" like the fething transformers - Aggressors, Inceptors, Invictors, Eliminators, Incursors - Now you never have to worry about that pesky 'being able to tell things apart by the name' again that makes names so complicated and annoying!

Mono-Loadout! Remember being able to take every squad in your 40k list and decide exactly what special and heavy guns they have? Didn't you always just fething hate that? wasn't it just the opposite of why you wanted to play 40k, I mean WHO has the TIME? Primaris Marines solve that problem for you toot-sweet with the miracle of "Everyone just has the same gak." Instead of Devastators, one unit of space marines that can take Lascannons, Missile Launchers, Plasma Cannons, Multi-Meltas, and Heavy Bolters, now there's Eliminators with Las-Fusils, Suppressors with Accelerator Autocannons, Hellblasters (yep, not a joke) with Plasma Incinators, Eradicators with multi-meltas (Guess they could already copyright that one), and Heavy Intercessors with Heavy Boltguns! Five different kits filling the role that one kit used to! Buy buy BUY BUY BUYYYYYYYYYYY!

Cool Tiktok Memerines for the Modern Kids These Days! You know how space marines had that kind of space fantasy knight in armor techno-barbarian classic 80s grimdark sci-fi aesthet-YAWWWWWWWWWWWWWN sorry GRAMPS I had to go pop an ADDERAL because I couldn't even get through that sentence! Primaris Marines are AWESOME and HIP now with an awesome tactical aesthetic for a new generation. These aren't your dad's space mariiiiimean Primaris Adeptus Astartes TM! They've got Tactical Scopes! They've got Five Foot Long Serrated Combat Blades! They've got dreadnoughts without dead guys in them that have kickass heavy bolters that they hold in their hand like pistols! They've got cool Call of Duty Modern Warfare half-face skull bandanna masks.

most of the old space marine stuff is still around and legal to play, but it's increasingly obvious that they just want people to start buying the New and Improved marines. Essentially, if you loved Disney's hip fresh new take on the Star Wars film franchise, you'll love some awesome new Primaris Space Marines.

I just broke my work keyboard punching the clicky clicky button on "exhalt this post"

You sir win DakkaDakka. All of it. Forever. Also you now have to feed BCB. He gets wetfood in the mornings and kibble on sundays.

Kudos.

Scotsmen really makes me want to buy more primaris kits.

To the OP. I wouldn't purchase anything old marine that you did just want for personal value to you. The models are going to be phased out eventually. New marines though - are more "marine like" in the sense they are actually bigger than guardsmen. Have more realistic scaling. Just have a more rugged and tough feel/look to them.

Embrace the primaris.

GW's naming policy since 8th edition makes me dread whatever the next Codex Astra Militarum has in store for us.

Altough arguably Marines got off lightly compared to Nurgle. I simply couldn't bring myself to use a "Sloppity Bilepiper" or a "Spoilpox Scrivener" without the constant urge to bury my face in my hands and wonder what I am doing with my life.

 Esmer wrote:
GW's naming policy since 8th edition makes me dread whatever the next Codex Astra Militarum has in store for us.

Altough arguably Marines got off lightly compared to Nurgle. I simply couldn't bring myself to use a "Sloppity Bilepiper" or a "Spoilpox Scrivener" without the constant urge to bury my face in my hands and wonder what I am doing with my life.

*Laughes in Flash Gits and chortles in Inquisitor Obiwan Sherlock Clousseau.


http://www.belloflostsouls.net/2010/04/the-most-awesome-40k-character-of-all-time.html

 Esmer wrote:
GW's naming policy since 8th edition makes me dread whatever the next Codex Astra Militarum has in store for us.

Altough arguably Marines got off lightly compared to Nurgle. I simply couldn't bring myself to use a "Sloppity Bilepiper" or a "Spoilpox Scrivener" without the constant urge to bury my face in my hands and wonder what I am doing with my life.

Adjective NounVerb is the name of the game here.

Scotsman, I may disagree with some of what you say sir, but the way you say it makes me love it! Well done!

(and the stuff I disagree with is mostly just the tone - I'm not nearly as harsh on GW as scotsman is because I think it's right for them to do these things - but the basic premise of his argument is actually pretty on point)

the_scotsman wrote:

Stonedog wrote:
I’ve played off and on since 1997.

I took the longest break over the past four years and now I’m kinda lost.

Primaris Marines

Are they the models I have to buy now or are mini 20+ years worth of minis no longer playable?

Basically, GW decided to update Space Marines for the modern age.

Copyrightable Names! No more will you have to suffer the indignity of just having Plasma Guns, Plasma Pistols and Plasma Cannons! Now you can enjoy sophisticated Assault Plasma Incinerators, Krakstorm Grenade Launchers, Onslaught Heavy Gatling Cannons and Absolvor Bolt Pistols. Every unit has also been renamed so that every name ends in "or" like the fething transformers - Aggressors, Inceptors, Invictors, Eliminators, Incursors - Now you never have to worry about that pesky 'being able to tell things apart by the name' again that makes names so complicated and annoying!

Mono-Loadout! Remember being able to take every squad in your 40k list and decide exactly what special and heavy guns they have? Didn't you always just fething hate that? wasn't it just the opposite of why you wanted to play 40k, I mean WHO has the TIME? Primaris Marines solve that problem for you toot-sweet with the miracle of "Everyone just has the same gak." Instead of Devastators, one unit of space marines that can take Lascannons, Missile Launchers, Plasma Cannons, Multi-Meltas, and Heavy Bolters, now there's Eliminators with Las-Fusils, Suppressors with Accelerator Autocannons, Hellblasters (yep, not a joke) with Plasma Incinators, Eradicators with multi-meltas (Guess they could already copyright that one), and Heavy Intercessors with Heavy Boltguns! Five different kits filling the role that one kit used to! Buy buy BUY BUY BUYYYYYYYYYYY!

Cool Tiktok Memerines for the Modern Kids These Days! You know how space marines had that kind of space fantasy knight in armor techno-barbarian classic 80s grimdark sci-fi aesthet-YAWWWWWWWWWWWWWN sorry GRAMPS I had to go pop an ADDERAL because I couldn't even get through that sentence! Primaris Marines are AWESOME and HIP now with an awesome tactical aesthetic for a new generation. These aren't your dad's space mariiiiimean Primaris Adeptus Astartes TM! They've got Tactical Scopes! They've got Five Foot Long Serrated Combat Blades! They've got dreadnoughts without dead guys in them that have kickass heavy bolters that they hold in their hand like pistols! They've got cool Call of Duty Modern Warfare half-face skull bandanna masks.

most of the old space marine stuff is still around and legal to play, but it's increasingly obvious that they just want people to start buying the New and Improved marines. Essentially, if you loved Disney's hip fresh new take on the Star Wars film franchise, you'll love some awesome new Primaris Space Marines.

perfect

Ahhhh more salt! Phew... I was worrying we were running out!

Primaris Marines are completely new units. You will probably want some of them, some of the new units are currently very good [You may want them anyway, because for the most part they also look very good as models, particularly compared to the older marine models]. As a general rule, for a few more points they have 1 more attack than oldmarines, and their basic ranged weapons are better compared to their regular counterpart [usually in the form of extra range and extra AP, but sometimes an extra shot], but they can't take heavy/special ranged weapons in their units [the whole unit will usually have the same type of gun]. Intercessors and Assault Intercessors can take melee weapons on their sergeants, so they make substantially better melee combatants than regular marines.

However, as long as your playing marines, most of your old models will be playable with the exception of a few mounted characters. And some of those units may also be good [Devastators come to mind]



If you're not marines, you may find that some or more of your stuff has been deleted or banished to legends.

Primaris are new units in the same way that the iphone 12 is a completely new and unique piece of technology. The best term to describe them is "legally distinct".

The general theory is currently that gw WAS planning a relatively major redesign of marines, but fearing the backlash from fans after AOS, decided to go for a "soft replacement."

Nearly all primaris units fulfil an identical role to some element of the previous marine range, just "primaris-ified" which generally means improved stats, removed options, higher point cost, more unique special abilities that only that unit has.

The only truly new unit concepts in the primaris range are:

-invictor warsuit, basically a "scout dreadnought."
--suppressors, autocannon-wielding jump troopers
-Flamestorm Aggressors, basically flamer-terminators
-repulsor executioner, a land raider size-class main tank
-Inceptors, flying shooting units.

Otherwise, most of the range has a correlation to a specific wargear option for a particular unit that existed prior. Often GW will take a single unit or option and group them together: rather than Devastators who can have plasma cannons and Tacticals who can have plasma guns, you have Hellblasters, a unit wholly armed with what are essentially either plasma guns or plasma cannons. Rather than Scouts who can choose bolters knives or sniper rifles, you have 1 unit with sniper rifles, 1 unit with knives and 1 unit with bolters, all with the new "replacement for scouts" armor.

They also like to "spiritually" replace units occasionally. An ATV is not an Attack Bike, but it is armed with the exact same weapon options the Attack Bike is, so you can go ahead and replace your attack bikes with Spacemario Karts if you want.

One of the problems solved by primaris I suspect is no longer having to compete with the Ebay resale market. If gw improves the rules for Multimelta Devastators and releases a new kit, everyone who has mm devs will sell them on ebay. But if theres new rules for a brand NEW unit called Eradicators who ALSO have MMs, players are more likely to buy that from gw.

Rules wise you have a point scotsman. Much in the same way GW is terrible at naming space wolf units and weapons - it is also terrible at naming Primaris. It is also equally bad at creating options within units that give a meaningful choice.

Model wise - visually. Primaris is a much needed upgrade for the marines. Since 95% of this hobby is building painting and looking at your models. It seems a fair point to mention that secondis marines all look pretty dreadful and cartoonish. They certainly don't look like super soldiers. Primaris in general look much more advanced and intimidating.

Primaris aren't miniatures, they are chunky toys.

Xenomancers wrote:Rules wise you have a point scotsman. Much in the same way GW is terrible at naming space wolf units and weapons - it is also terrible at naming Primaris. It is also equally bad at creating options within units that give a meaningful choice.

You appear to be making an assumption here that the goal of primaris units is to create a new, unexplored role that previous marines did not fulfil. I would argue that it is pretty dang evident that this is not the case: primaris fulfil the exact same roles as various marine units, intentionally, with a slight increase in power and point cost vs whatever the standard marine option is.

Xenomancers wrote:Since 95% of this hobby is building painting and looking at your models. It seems a fair point to mention that secondis marines all look pretty dreadful and cartoonish. They certainly don't look like super soldiers.

This is another opinion, which I disagree with. I got a couple of Reivers to add to my Deathwatch for Kill Team, and I have no intention to add any more than the 10$ EZTB kit I bought, because I find their whole setup looks like a bad GI Joe knockoff, while the normal marine deathwatch more successfully capture the 'gothic commando' aesthetic the deathwatch go for. The C.O.D modern warfare skull half-masks, the sculpted ab-armor, the Buzz Lightyear ankle armor and the gigantic sword-sized serrated combat knife held backhand are all supremely cringey in my eyes.

Xenomancers wrote:Primaris in general look much more advanced and intimidating.

that's another opinion. I'm about as intimidated by primaris units as I am by the facebook pictures I see of the dude I went to high school with who's gained 40 pounds, went bald and posts photos posing with katanas from his mom's basement.

You know, the intended audience demographic.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
It's all just a matter of subjective opinion, but I think this:

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/12/e7/a2/12e7a2d45decaf88c9eb16beb807bf2a.jpg

Looks like a cool, over-the-top gothic supersoldier, and this:

https://www.warhammer-community.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/SMPreview-Aug7-IncursorMine-b47ek.jpg

juuuust crosses the line into "trying too hard' territory with the general details and scaling of the bits.

One scope? TOO SMALL! Make it huge and square, and put another huge square one sticking up over my backpack!

Anti-tank grenade? but what if it was THE SIZE OF MY WHOLE TORSO!

One Knife? No, TWO KNIVES! Both on the same side! So when i throw my knife at a guy, I still have a spare knife!

Armor plates right over my vital organs? Take them out, loser, I want the enemy to know I HAVE ABS under this armor!!!

True it is just my opinion. I guess some people like the old scouts I guess. I think they are ugly. Catachan infantry look more intimidatings.

Man, the salt for true-size marines is going to cause some severe dehydration. I'm particularly liking the bit where someone claims the old dumpy fatboy marines are more intimidating. If you're a slice of a cheesecake, maybe?

 Xenomancers wrote:
True it is just my opinion. I guess some people like the old scouts I guess. I think they are ugly. Catachan infantry look more intimidatings.

Luckily, space marines have 7,312,629 different units for each possible battlefield role, so I don't have to choose either 4th edition potato sculpt scouts or cringelord Primaris Fedoratippors who studied the blade.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Cronch wrote:
where someone claims the old

This is my favorite bit of space marine player privilege right here. Primaris are replacing tons of kits that are newer than fething 90% of every non-loyalist marine kit in the entire game.

Bikes and Scouts and Rhinos are decently old - not old enough that if they were in a xenos range people wouldn't count them as "Fairly New, What Are You Complaining About??" but old enough to be justified replacing - but tacticals, devastators, assault marines, all the plastic HQs, most of the variant marine ranges are like, what, late 6th? early 7th?

It's almost like they didn't need to be replaced?

Trust me, those who actually liked 40k as a Setting are as sick of Primaris releases as the whole two Eldar players with 20 year old sculpts.

Well it is a shame that GW can't live up to it's own promises. They were supposed to give every army a new model in PA but failed to deliver. Hating new marine releases because of some idea of their models not being "deserving" of updates is just...it's not a good reason to not like them. We have new incubi and howling banshees at least. We have new Crons too!