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Hello! I played 40k a bit in the early 90s - mostly FB, but some 40k.

Backstory over. My son is now picking up 40k, so I've had a root around in my old stuff - having given away the orks, sadly - and dug out some Eldar (or Origami, or whatever they're calling themselves these days) and, importantly, my crusty old marines. Being a bit of a povvo back then I tended to buy second hand, so they're mostly late 80s/early 90s, in Mk6 armour (metal and plastic), with some Mk7 and terminators.

I've stripped off the more embarassing paint jobs and glued the various amputees back together, but are these actually worth handing over? Are they even still playable? I've seen the new primaris stuff, and they seem like they'd knock the ol' faithful beakies into a cocked hat. Would they attract anything more than howls of derisive laughter and an invitation to do ineffectual battle at the local old folks' home? I don't want to get his hopes up by giving him an army, then find out he can't use it.

Similar note: have robots disappeared? I guess my Contemptor dreadnoughts, jetbikes, and rhinos can still come out to play, but my poor lonely Colossus robot seems to lack any rules at all, so far as I can tell. Which is a shame, I liked that model.

On the offchance they're viable, what should I buy him to bulk it up a bit? I'd prefer to stick with a retro vibe, if possible.

If they're a lost cause, he can use the Eldar, as they don't sem to have changed all that much. The old Avatar is a bit of a weener, but most of the other stuff still seems somewhat current.

In my experience people love retro models. Heck there are some fantastic old sculpts that stand the test of time really well and are even desirable today (go ahead and search ebay and look at the old Slaanesh metal deamonetts by Diaz - those things easily sell at £10 a single model if not more at times).



Your Colossus might have lost rules within the Space Marines, but check out the Adeptus Mechanicus where it might fit as a custom Kastelon robot or others (I'm not sure how big it is in comparison).

https://www.games-workshop.com/en-GB/Kastelan-Robots-2017


Also whilst the Primaris are out, the regular marines are still out in force.

Heck this summer there's 30K being released which is, yep, set in the Horus Heresy era and is chock full of classic beaky marines!

https://www.warhammer-community.com/2022/05/07/revealed-tool-up-your-new-mark-vi-space-marines-with-an-arsenal-of-classic-weapons/

Welcome to dakka!

Hi, welcome back.

Nearly every old model can still be used, but as you say, some are 'older' than others.
I loved the 40k robots when they appeared, but didn't get to use them as much as I wanted. You could run it as UR-025 though: https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2022/04/warhammer-40k-ur-025-the-men-of-iron.html


Even if the army you give to your son gets hammered, and the models look a bit odd these days, it's still good game time, and gets retro points from us oldies.

Thanks, that's encouraging.

Scouring ebay for old bits to bolster things a bit whilst keeping the retro look intact is a proper trip down memory lane Might have to fire up one of the armies myself and show the young 'un how it's done.

Is 10 bit young for 40k? I'm not sure how complicated it is these days, but I'm assuming 'more than it used to be'. I'm wondring if a simpler rule set might ease him in to it a bit - I tried the Mantic Kings of War semi-recently, having tried to get back into FB only to find they'd blown it up - and I thought it played quite well. Not too complex. I wonder if their 40k-alike might be a suitable on-ramp...

I don't suppose anyone could help ID this guy? In the worst condition of all of them - no base tag, no arms, and I can't figure out what he's supposed to be in order to find a reference pic of the model to put on either the right bits from the bits box, if I have them or at least something vaguely similar. Does the sigil on the shoulder pad mean anything? Chaplain? Librarian? Inquisitor?

Look on Solegends for anything metal.

Excellent, that did the job - thanks!