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Not sure if this is right for the proposed rules forum or better placed in 40K General, but I think it fits here.

So first off, this is my premise: GW intend to phase out regular Space Marines, and replace them entirely with Primaris for reasons. It certainly appears to me that GW won't be releasing any new regular marines and all new releases will be Primaris. So the end point is a Primaris Marines codex and no rules/codex for regular Space Marines, this might happen soon, but it could take a number of years, perhaps even a number of editions down the line, but it seems to be the logical result of the direction GW is going with Primaris. I understand that this isn't what many players want, but assuming that this is inevitable here's my question:

If you had a say in how this phase-out was to proceed, how would you go about it, from an in-game rules perspective and which method do you think GW will do?

I think there are three ways that this might proceed, or an amalgam:

1) Split the armies into seperate codexes, since there is a pretty clear split in the rules for Regualr vs Primaris already, especially regarding who can/can't use which transports. Further down the line the Primaris codex would likely be updated frequently and be the poster boys the way marines have in the past, and regular marines go the way of minority factions with minimal support (a la Grey Knights and Sisters of Battle - until recently) eventually being the last codex to be reissued in a given edition, and eventualy not being updated at all and dispappearing into the mists of time.

2) Squatted - simply cut off completely, no new rules at all. A clean break I suppose, but its likely to piss off a whole bunch of players and invalidate a lot of people's armies.

3) Indexing - phasing out the number of regular marines in any future Space Marine codexes, until the book is almost entirely Primaris, with rules for one or two regular marine units. This wouldn't have separate codexes for regular and primaris marines but a lengthy phasing out process. Regular marines would have rules in Indexes for old models that aren't carried any more, with possible updates in Chapter Approved and/or White Dwarf.


In all three of the above I'd like old marines, or legacy marines if you will, to still have a place on the tabletop. I think the best way to achieve this is to allow legacy marines to be played as Primaris marines in the same way that old sculpts are still allowed to be played even if there is a newer model that might look significantly different. I wouldn't have a problem playing against an old Abaddon model even though it is significantly smaller than the new model. Weapon designs have changed significantly over the years - see flamers from 2nd edition compared to flamers now. I could see a Tactical Marine carrying a bolter being accepted on the tabletop as an Intercessor with a Bolt Rifle for example. This wouldn't translate across the whole model range of course - rhinos for instance, but it would allow a lot of models to still be used on the tabletop. For this to happen and in order to avoid confusion it could only happen if there were no rules for legacy marines to be used at all, that way if you see a tactical marine with a bolter you'd know it was simply an old design model and on the table it was an Intercessor with a bolt rifle. I can't see it happening if you had to ask is that a squad of tacticals or a squad of intercessors.

As much as I like legacy marines, I'm inclined to hope they go with option 2 - squatting the old marines entirely because it accelerates the timeline to the point where legacy marines can be used on the tabletop as old models with Primaris rules.

Consider Primaris as resculpts of old-Marines rather than separate units and fold them all back into a smaller number of unit datasheets.

My Codex:https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/774629.page

I’m more worried about the difference between Primaris and CSM.

 Apple Peel wrote:
I’m more worried about the difference between Primaris and CSM.

New CSM models are already taller and closer to truescale than they used to be. My expectation would be an eventual standardization of 2 wounds across all Astartes, with a handwave of Fabius Bile or increasingly potent dark blessings for the Chaos Renegades. Old space marine models are relegated to being nothing more than a cosmetic difference like old helmets or armour variants, as they should be.

 AnomanderRake wrote:
Consider Primaris as resculpts of old-Marines rather than separate units and fold them all back into a smaller number of unit datasheets.

My Codex:https://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/774629.page

This is what they should have done from the beginning.

4) Squat Primaris. Marines should be roughly on-par with an Aspect Warrior or Necron troop. They don't need super-sizing in order to satisfy power fantasies.

Or just keep both lines of Primaris and Traditional, and have some in-universe tensions arise between the two.

 Insectum7 wrote:

Or just keep both lines of Primaris and Traditional, and have some in-universe tensions arise between the two.

This. giving primaris a separate codex, even having them go renegade but not to chaos, IE their leader wants to overthrow the emprah to rule the imperium himself, space marines now fight their own replacements, but they aren't chaos, so it's an extra faction - civil war, people!

Having a large collection of oldmarines and no intention of buying prims, my answer is a firm option #1.
Just run both concurrently and as mentioned write in some tension/politicking between the two fluff-wise.