40K Deep Thought: Primaris Are SO Close to Completely Taking Over
The Primaris have taken over the meta in two waves of releases. Look how close they are to completely taking over the Astartes.
Can you believe that in 2 short years, the Primaris have dug their way into the top tier of the meta, eclipsing their 30 year classic brothers. Abe has already talked about it in detail here, but when I starting digging into the comments with some of you it was clear the takeover wasn’t 100% complete.
There are still isolated pockets of the Space Marine codex where the classic marines hold out. A couple of things are going on here. First, the Classic Marine range is enormous – I mean 30 years old enormous. So of course there are some little unique corners here and there the Primaris haven’t replaced…yet. The Classic Marines have a dedicated anti-aircraft vehicle for crying out loud… that’s an extensive unit list.
So we put our heads together and came up with the areas of the army in broad brushstrokes where the Primaris need help. I think the list will surprise you at how many units can be replaced by so few, and how fast GW could make a world where there is no reason to ever field or buy a Classic Marine a reality.
Primaris Missing Pieces
Heavy Assault Unit
This is a traditional walking unit with heavy armor, and equpped for assault. This unit would replace things like terminators (all of them), assault centurions and the like.
just add swords!
The answer – A variant of Aggressors with CC Terminator options. Say a pair of claws, or hammer & shield. Ridiculously easy to make.
Fast Assault Unit
This replaces things like Vanguard and Assault Squads. The unit should be lightly equipped, fast moving and armed with lighter melee weapons than the above unit.
The answer – use either Inceptors or Suppressors with light melee options. The Inceptor variant is probably easier to rework, but I’ve got a soft spot for the grav-fin aesthetic of the Suppressors. They also look more lightly armored which provides a greater visual contrast with the hulking Aggressors.
Heavy Weapon Infantry
This unit needs to replace things like Devastators, and the Thunderfire cannon. Infantry toting the REALLY heavy stuff – above and beyond what the Hellblasters field.
The answer – Make a combo kit along the lines of the Eldar Support Weapon Platform. A two-Primaris team alongside a floating weapon (multiple options of course) that uses the Primaris Grav aesthetic. Basically the Primaris version of the AM heavy weapon team, or Ork Big Gun kit. Throw in a Primaris Techmarine on the sprue just to cross that off the list as well.
Bikers/Speeders
This unit needs to replace all the bikes, attack bikes and the Land Speeders. Something that can be equipped in various ways and is fast, and slightly more durable than Incursors.
The answer – Primaris Grav Bikes. Basically make a one-man narrow Land Speeder with a Primaris rider. Then offer sidecar options for passengers or weapons.
Support Vehicles
This one covers a lot. The Classic Marines have things like the Predator, Whirlwind, Vindicator, Razorback, Hunter and Stalker all based on the Rhino chassis.
The answer – Combo kit based on the Impulsor. Like we saw with the Imperial Knight and its additional weapon options, make a sprue that closes the El Camino rear hull of the Impulsor, has a generic small turret up there and a handful of weapon options. They can always more later.
BONUS – Flyers
The answer – add the PRIMARIS keyword to their datasheets in a future codex… done.
5 Kits!
Yup, 5 kits is all it will take. Each of the two waves of Primaris Marines introduced alongside each Marine codex was larger than that. Just 5 kits would replace almost the entire Classic Marine unit range. Sure there might be a handful of characters that would soldier on for corner case reasons, but I think GW could and will roll something like this out the next time Marines come around the wheel.
~ Do you think this is part of the master plan?
