How compatible are MkX power armor parts with previous generations?

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.

**cuda1179**

I know that many marines are using armor that is a mishmash of parts from different marks. Mostly this is from Mk4 to Mk7 parts, but 2, 3, and 8 parts are not unheard of. So, how about the MkX armor? I know it's larger for Primaries, but is it unreasonable to say certain parts, like a helmet, could be custom rigged to it?

**Lathe Biosas**

Yeah, now that the evil Chaos God RETCON* has deemed it OK for marines to mix and match older and newer helmets and other amors.

Feel free to mix and match armors. Games Workshop has wedged old marks of SM helmets onto Primey Marines and sold them to an unsuspecting public already.

*The Birth of the Chaos God RETCON:

Spoiler:

**Hellebore**

Depends whether we're doing away with bigger primaris, or retconning normal marines to be as big as primaris?

Personally I think things would have been better if they'd just left them as the same size. At some point biggness is going to be so cringe no one will take marines seriously....

**Lathe Biosas**

All marines are naturally getting bigger, model wise. The last Grey Knight to be released is primarus scale.

**Mad Doc Grotsnik**

Well, given armour tends to take a battering, that beings its main purpose (normally sole, but Power Armour offers more than protectyness), we know even relatively new suits have been repaired and refurbished over their service.

Antique pieces (MkII-MKV, arguably MkVI but I think that remained in production?) will be Ships of Theseus, where it seems quite unlikely any contain much in the way of original parts.

Marines aren’t, and have never been, of uniform height. Yes they all tower over mere mortals, but there’s still going to be variation. And so we can consider it a design feature that Power Armour can be tailored to its wearer.

Whilst the models have been better scaled, the height difference between a Firstborn and a Primaris is unclear. But it seems fairly modest. Certainly it doesn’t seem significant enough that a Primaris couldn’t have an antique suit adapted to them.

Add in the whole point of MkX is to be modular. Phobos, Regular, Chunky. All mix and match. It seems entirely possible this included backwards compatibility, even if that requires additional adaptor bits for older marks - because the veneration of ancient suits is well know among the Chapters. For quite possibly little effort to ensure compatibility, Cawl would reduce the risk of the new toys being rejected.

**Gert**

Lathe Biosas wrote:
All marines are naturally getting bigger, model wise. The last Grey Knight to be released is primarus scale.

The newer Crowe model is not Primaris scale.
It looks that way because it's got a fancy base, is actually standing upright and has a banner.
It's no larger than the update scale CSM, which are not the same size as Primaris.

**Gadzilla666**

Hellebore wrote:
Depends whether we're doing away with bigger primaris, or retconning normal marines to be as big as primaris?

Personally I think things would have been better if they'd just left them as the same size. At some point biggness is going to be so cringe no one will take marines seriously....

More real scale models are fine. The problem is the whole primaris lore. They should have just updated the models and been done with it. Same as they did for CSM. But, we've already crossed the Rubicon, so, whatever.

**cuda1179**

I do think there are certain parts of amor that would be easier to convert over than others. Backpacks (powerpacks, or whatever you want to call them) would be a prime example. Sure, an older one might be a tad underperforming when mounted to a MkX power armor, but if it's all you have at the moment you use it. Also, I think Helmets would be easy enough. I don't think Primaris heads are any bigger than firstborn.

**Lathe Biosas**

Gert wrote:
Lathe Biosas wrote:
All marines are naturally getting bigger, model wise. The last Grey Knight to be released is primarus scale.

The newer Crowe model is not Primaris scale.
It looks that way because it's got a fancy base, is actually standing upright and has a banner.
It's no larger than the update scale CSM, which are not the same size as Primaris.

My apologies, I will admit when I'm less than correct.

Beyond my misrepresentation of Grey Knights, I'm pretty sure the plastic Sterguard models fro the Tyranid v. Marines 10th Ed Box Set have older marks of armor mixed in... but as it stands, I have been wrong before.

**Gert**

Mk6 and Mk7 helms have been used with official GW kits and all other helmets and shoulder pads fit fine on any Primaris models.
Power Packs will also fit on Tacticus models without issues.

**pelicaniforce**

Lathe Biosas wrote:

My apologies, I will admit when I'm less than correct.

Beyond my misrepresentation of Grey Knights, I'm pretty sure the plastic Sterguard models fro the Tyranid v. Marines 10th Ed Box Set have older marks of armor mixed in... but as it stands, I have been wrong before.

Come on though

**Lathe Biosas**

Just double checked myself and the new Sternguard Vet Box Set, does rock the old helmets and the new ones.

**Tygre**

If I recall correctly, when the Primaris models were first released they were designed so that they would be compatible with the existing shoulder pads.

**Hellebore**

Pretty sure the original helmets are also around the same size modelwise.

I wouldn't be surprised if the arms are also compatable because they always had slightly exaggerated body parts. the primaris are more proportional.

**Lord Damocles**

Presumably, even if MkVI helmets are compatible with MkX armour, the gorget on Tacticus suits would get in the way like with MkVIII.

**Gert**

I mean the Primaris Raven Guard upgrades have Mk6 on them.

**Grey Templar**

At least as far as helmets go, I don't think the Primarus marine's heads are bigger than Firstborn. So they might still be able to use old helmets.

**Gert**

The actual models fit fine.

My Deathwatch have Mk4, Mk3, Mk6, Mk7 and MkX on my Primaris models and there will be plenty of examples on the internet of conversions.