Should you SELL Firstborn Models Early? What I'm Doing with My Army 

We await all of our Firstborn brothers in the Eye of Terror for recruitment.

I'll never sell them. They are my beloved marine models and units. They can always look good on shelf or be appropriate proxies

My biggest concern about this is the scope of imagination for the setting of your tabletop battles. I’ve often been told that the appeal of 40K’s long timeline is that you could set your battles at any tine between M32 and M42…but when firstborn are all replaced by Primaris, that won’t be possible for space marine players or their opponents any more. For them, it’s going to be either Heresy or M42. No Badab, no Vraks, no more replaying that homebrew war setting you spent years of games in the local club depicting with your now-obsolete ‘firstborn’.

I've been quite adventurous with mine and turned them into Chaos Marines by adding extra spikes and skulls. Since the Imperium (GW) has forgotten them, they have turned to Chaos to rebel

I think GW fucked up, instead of just updating the models to look like primaris scale they made a drastic lore direction and came up with primaris which means we should have both first born and primaris. They should have just said this is what space marines now look like on the tabletop. Instead they muddied the waters lorewise, and getting rid of firstborn would make zero sense unless magically every firstborn became primaris and survived that process.

Why would I sell them? A plastic soldier is a plastic soldier. A vehicle is a vehicle. I'm not winning any tournaments here, so whatever Rhino = Impulsor Predator = Gladiator put them on some transparent bases = flying dreadnought = dreadnought just blutac it to the right sized base

My Templars have been with me since i was 10. There is a zero percent chance i will be getting rid of them. If the day comes where their rules go then they just get promoted to their primaris equivelent's rules.

I'm actually slowly buying up firstborn models and such. I want to build a Badab War force of all firstborn marines just for kicks.

keep the firstborn to play with them in other game systems 👍

Short Primaris then. I'm not having GW tell me what to do with hundreds of pounds worth of miniatures that I've spent thousands of hours on, gaming, modelling and painting. Model/unit rotation shouldn't be a thing. This is like with video games where they cut the servers so a game can never be played again, even if it was single player. Absolute scum mentality.

_I do what I want._ Proxy models; bigger bases, Heresy using chaos rules, older rules, and playing whatever actually sounds fun. _We play games for fun right?_

I for one will continue to add to my firstborn only space marine chapter. I was never a competative player and have no problem using legends rules. I'll also be quite happy to play older editions of the game if need be. They are as much a painting project and display piece as they are wargame miniatures that bring me great regardless.

If we are playing a casual game and you roll up with a predator and wanna call it a Gladiator, Im cool. I love seeing the old stuff come back to the tables every now and then. EDIT: I meant for later editions when they inevitably cull it from the faction. Same thing for Firstborn Assault Marines. If there are Legends rules, use 'em. Otherwise, proxy 'em.

Proxy is the way to go here, especially if you dont play tournaments, I wouldnt even bother rebasing the models.

Just use those units in heresy, it's basically 7th edition without the jank. Most of the jank. You can always play older editions 40K as well, the rules dont cease to exist because it's not current.

let's be honest, for anyone who started collecting space marine years before the primaris ever came out, the phasing out is very painfull, and might as well sell them just to recoup some of the loss. For other, the closer you get from the primaris the lesser the impact and you might not even feel the pain much if you didn't start collecting until the primaris came out. I have something around 3000 thousands points of space marines that are becoming fast obsolet around... I'm on the fence about selling them for two reasons: A/ I have a lot of memories with them, even if they aren't that well painted, and B/ I don't really play anymore, I simply collect and paint and as such I'm not that impacted by the primaris models becoming THE space marine models.

I eagerly await people selling their firstborn Blood Angels. I *really* want to start a firstborn Blood Angels collection, and getting them in bulk would drive the cost down significantly

>Sell the firstborn >Aqquire 3D printer >??? >Profit

Option 1 for me. Re-basing and height increase is easy, and I wouldn't mind free-handing on the mini itself what I'm playing it as. So far I haven't had any issues with people playing against proxies, nor I towards others.

Avoiding competitive play seems to be the play. Its driving most of the problems with current 40k, so boycott it and leave the shitty toxic tournaments to fizzle out

I'm using them to play One Page Rules. I'm moving to that system as my main, and have Warhammer 40k as my side game. I realise that they will be "cancelling" more and more older models faster, and consider "older" models quicker and quicker... because money, you know

I went a slightly different route, and turned all the old firstborn tanks and stuff into looted Ork bits. You can get multiple buggies from just one marine tank and it's really fun to convert them. Marine bodies I've been adding parts where possible to primaris characters, mostly helmets and shoulder pads

The one thing this doesn't address is people that want to hold onto models for nostalgia, collection, or progress reasons. It's videos like this that make people think that GW just comes into your house and takes your models when they update something. Your models are yours. Display them, keep them, play them with older editions or count them as newer things. They don't have to be sold as soon as they're 'obsolete'.

If they do remove all firstborns, I'll just play them with CSM rules.

I had a similar conversation over on twitch about this, it seems that GW aren't going to retire the "hallmark space marine vehicles" (i.e. land raider, rhino, and drop pod) but this begs the question about having to re-work all of the new primaris tanks but if they do get rid of those vehicles they are basically confirming the death of "firstborn" and removing some classic units that are essential to space marine gameplay, tactics, and iconography. I have henceforth dubbed this the "Rhino Dilemma," not that I'm totally against at least getting newer (maybe larger) variations of classic vehicles but I think it would be funny for everyone to have rhinos except the faction that originally used rhinos.

I sold my entire lot as soon as the new sisters line came along. Never going back because the entire space marine line is a GW trap where everything you buy is already on a countdown to legends

For me, while i'm happy to use units "as similar", I have a massive issue with the new vehicles. I simply don't like the grav-tanks feel. They just don't feel right. and thats fine them being in the range but if it means I can't use predators etc then that really sucks I won't be selling my marines. i like my collection, and I'm gonna keep them even if I can't use them. Some of them I can use in HH games I guess. But if marines lose land tanks I don't know if I'll be able to play them as an army, honestly. Which'd be sad for me

At this point a smart thing to do would be introducing new type of infantry - some kind of veteran unit made of firstborn marines that you could equip as tactical, assault or devastator squad - and releasing new kit for them. Mark VII is too iconic to be simply phased out.

it'll be a real shame if space wolves lose their unique unit style in favour of standard primaris units

I refuse to buy/build primaris. GW will lose my business for good.

So yes everyone please sell , as my goal it do a diorama of the whole dark angels chapter on parade , I need good priced listings

Keep them for One Page Rules. OPR lists Space Marines and Primaris Marines as two separate factions (though I think you can mix to some degree). In fact I highly recommend ditching 10th for OPR, since you can use most new releases with that system. Not only do you have an ACTUAL points system, but there's more mix and matching of gear. The game is far simpler and quicker at the cost of depth. The question is, however, how much fun do you have with either, but the great thing is that it's so simple and intuitive to play that you won't have to invest much time to try it.

I'll be looking for more firstborn models when i find them on 3rd party sites. I'll also look for older codices to play older editions or just have them for the simple joy of having squat marines

Part of me is convinced the firstborn will come back in 5-10 years as GW in HH redid the armor marks there. I think it will happen here.

I'll never get rid of mine.

My goal is to have an entire chapter eventually, so I’m keeping my firstborn marines to that end, and use new Primaris to fill in the gaps

if not going for a tournament, just proxy the old version for the new thing. I personally don't like the new marine grav tanks and much rather use the older tracked ones. As for sizes not matching, either a higher build base or give opponent a fair treatment when it comes to LOS.

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.” ~Khandalf, White Scars Chapter

I prefer old loyalist marines)

One Page Rules is my answer.

One option is simply to play an older version of the game. 30K is also a good option. Seems to be getting better as they bring in new armies.

My Firstborn are going nowhere. They're not just little army dudes, they're solidified memories. The Furibundus dreadnought - literally the very first 40K model I'd ever painted, with an unholy mix of enamel and acrylic. The old-style Razorback with the twin linked plasma on either side of the lascannon - the profits of my first months mowing lawns for the neighbor we thought was scary and mean. (turned out the old man had seen a rattlesnake lurking in his bushes the day before and the animal control officer hadn't been by yet when he ran us kids on our bikes off) The second whirlwind - purchased and painted based on the advice of a naval officer who pointed out that you always need an installed spare. My devestators with heavy bolters - my son used to love yelling "dakka dakka" whenever they fired. And of course, my (very crudely) converted Captain with a jump-pack - my daughter made up an impromptu cheer when it charged a hive tyrant during an in-store game, to the amusement of my opponent and everyone else in the store... and the solemn procession when he was laid to rest after getting utterly slaughtered. (as one does when charging a hive tyrant in 5th) I may not be playing them in current era games of 40k, but that's okay. Between Old-hammer and One Page Rules, the little dudes are still relevant to me. More so, to be honest, than the company that manufactured them.

You keep your vintage marines and don´t buy the overpriced new junk. Done!

Petition to bring back Firstborn and give the boring primaris the can

Im keeping them for the novelty, I suppose. I still love their designs no matter the rules

For anyone who makes their own terrain, here’s a potential idea to keep them on the board even if they’re entirely squatted… Convert them into terrain pieces. Wrecked vehicles, statuary, Terracotta Army, etc.

I'm keeping my old marines. They're painted to the "my first army" standard before youtube was there to help and might even qualify for an ebay rescue on a slow day. But they're still a nice reminder of the hobby journey to this point.

I have a display with all my 2. Edition and forge world vehicles. For all my tanks based on the "newer" rino chassis I have a printable hover upgrade to move them to impulsors and gladiators if the need arises. For most of my infantry I already planned out as which primaris they could be used. Also I have implemented following police for new models: - GW plastic will only be brought if I'm fine with having them as a display piece only - anything I only "need" for gameing purposes will be printed or converted/proxied from stuff I already have

My Space Wolves were part of my childhood, and I'll never get rid of them. The phasing out did start right after I got back into the hobby after a hiatus, which sucked, but Ive kind of let go and look at my remaining minis as a collectors project. I know a few people who occasionally play old editions for the fun of it, so my SW will always be welcome on those tables as they are, and I hope everyone who wants to hold onto their SM armies can find people like that

At our club (in Victoria, Australia) gaming club and others in the same state are running 40K 3rd Ed Tournaments. With an emphasis on using first borns. One in June about an hour from me and one in Oct hosted by my local club. Most of us use non marine armies in 10th Ed events. Primaris don't really grab most of us lore wise. Also we host WFB 6th Ed events [Age of Sigmar just didn't appeal to us] which we use with Old World with bigger movement trays

Play 30k or proxy/kitbash them into primaris. So long as the base size is the same I doubt people will care if your tactical marine uses intercessor rules.

As long as they keep the first born “havocs” in shop, I’m happy, I plan on picking some up for a friend of mine for Christmas

I played warhammer since i was 15 years old. I had started collecting blood angels back in those days. Since when i assembeled hundreds of minis, done untold number o conversions and so on. It has been almost 10 years. I have witnessed a lot since when: cancellation of warhammer FB, which i loved, drastic and radical change of editions from 7th to 8th, change in GW itself an so many more things. Warhammer was always something so important and precious to me, that i felt every change in a most profaund way. I am a lore guy, always was. And first what i saw was how dumbed down lore has become over the years. The lack of ideas, of compelling stories with some flashes of good books or codex entries. It became so very simple, while still trying to look complex from outside. Primaris marines, votan, Erda from horus heresy series and so many more things. But it all became dumbed down even from the modelling perspective. New models have great sculpts. But that is the only way you'll ever build them for they are all now monopose. And don't start saying "you can repose them and shit", most of the prople who said this never reposed any of their minis or their armies lookd like something strait out of garbage can. If you create variety inspite of models and because of the options those models provide you, then it is bullshit. So what now? For people like me, there is just not that much place in our hobby anymore. My army got phased out, the aspects of the hobby i loved now are fewer and fewer. And so i changed trajectory. I've started playing heresy and Old world. Yes, they are not warhammer 40k, but you do what you do with cards dealt to you. I enjoy those games immensly and see how people who are newer in the hobby discover them and are never the same afterwards. It was a long rant. Just wanted to share something guys. Peace

All my first born are painted as Alpha legion, maybe their still loyal to the emperor, maybe their just pretending to be, as their armour has post heresy markings, maybe their armour came direct from terra, maybe they killed the previous owners and re-painted it, all I do know is I am Alpharius, maybe

To qoute eliphas "perhaps it's time you embrace a new Deity." Jokes aside it's the end of an era, crazy to think that this may be the last edition of loyalist rhinos. But I guess everything has it's last day in an army

I just... consolidated my flamer guys into their own squad, the melta gun guys into their own squad, and the plasma gun guys into their own squad. Bam Infernus, eradicators, hellblasters. Does the job for my local group. I dont play in tournaments or go to official events.

I only got into 40k right before the 10th edition and it's still amazing to me that GW chose to do the scale change for marines in such a weird way. It's especially weird that they actually made it a thing in the lore, and in the rules, like "what models can ride in that transport". And that they made those as separate units too. Why not just, like, make new models? "See those Assault Marines*? These are new sculpts. They're slightly larger because we decided the old ones looked a bit dopey. They're the same in the rules and you can use whichever you want, old or new, or mix them if you want. Also: great sale on the old models! You don't like the new ones? Grab the old ones before our stock is gone!". *(I don't know unit names in SM. I assume there has to be some Assault Marines)

Many years since iv played but slowly getting back into it, iv some rhino's and a vindicator, as well as firstborn SM question here, do orks still use looted wagons and does games workshop still allow this if they was to be used in a kitbash? My ork army is pretty big and I could happily keep the tanks if allowed. Also have the orks been upscaled like the SM have over the last 10 years?

Just recently got a full 6k+ Grey Knight Chapter army so I am happy keeping it but thanks for the video sir its a great perspective on the future.

for my firstborne blood angels where possible i have sent them to horus heresy, most fo the gear carrys over with just some models needing a slight paint ajustment in places as models may need to move around (EG heavy and special weapons removed from tatical squads into the special/heavy weapon teams) and most fof the tanks can be used there too

I think it's ridiculous to worry about them "going away," so to speak. James Workshop isn't going to barge into your house, slap you across the face, and steal your Rhinos. I play Deathwatch, so I can't even take most of the firstborn options in regular play when using my own detachment. I have dozens and dozens of Deathwatch Veterans, all of which are potentially on the chopping block. But you know what? With all the time and effort I've put into these models, all the money I spent on sourcing bits and paint materials, I love them as much as any meta unit currently out there. It's a sentimental thing that I don't think many people understand with their own models. Rules are temporary, but paint is eternal.

I just got into the hobby and I chose Grey Knights which apart from Crowe is exclusively first born size miniatures. Took the decision to true-scale my army from the start so I didn’t need to worry about a whole range refresh etc. Currently at about 1000 points and have my first game Thursday which I’m really excited for. It’s taking a lot longer and costs more but I know it’s going to be worth it in the long run and I’m actually really enjoying the process as my models feel more like mine as I’ve been able to do with them as I want.

I think these are all viable options but I would add one more that GW should've considered from the outset, codex primaris and codex (firstborn) space marines, that way neither would step on each other's toes and they could've kept selling both ranges without any real problems surfacing about which transport you can or can't use and so on. As I read someone say a while ago, it would basically become two options, Astartes on easy mode for primaris and their straightforward monobuild approach, and veteran mode for firstborn given their complexity with wargear and such. If they did that then maybe things like the decimation of the dark angels that we've witnessed recently wouldn't have happened at all. Furthermore, auspex, maybe consider doing some sort of charity auction for your models within the channel? I'm sure you have a big enough following that maybe one of your tanks or a land speeder from your custom chapter would find a new home while doing something good for the community that way, food for thought at least. Keep up the quality work, auspex, cheers! P.s. please share your thoughts on OPR sometime, I'd love to hear your thoughts after playing a couple of games especially since the Venn diagram of firstborn players and migration to OPR is one of a pretty significant overlap I'm sure

I recently started a Blood Angels army and I've pre-emptively scaled my Death Company up to Primaris with some third party jump packs and hammers. Hoping that's future proofed them.

Can take my Firstborn from my cold dead hands. GW has been doing wonders at pushing me towards older editions, other game systems etc.

I got back into the game at the tail end of 9th. Splitting my 3rd/4th edition Thousand Sons army wasn’t hard. But what to do with 3000 points of Space Wolves?

The nicest thing I’ve been able to do is proxy them. My bolter and heavy bolter tac squad marines became sternguard vets. Fitting to make them veterans after being around so long. They do pop off and give me great points every now and then. They also make great intercessors when you need that OC

If GW is done with firstborn, then I am done with warhammer.

I heard a rumour that a classic edition of 40k (similar to Old World) was in the pipeline. I wouldn't have given that a 2nd thought before Old World, but now when you think about it, most of the old ranges have been superseded, so there's almost a full range of old kits out there that you could hinge a game around. and it would allow GW to make money from re-issuing stuff like the old 3rd ed metal Hive Tyrant. It might also attract people who want a dedicated 'casual' game and don't want to keep up with modern 40k. Only problem I can see with this is that the old marine kits, although they're cool, are so badly scaled. I wouldn't be surprised if they did a firstborn kill team as a way to update the tactical squad, or if Heresy does a scouring setting where the old FB range gets a bit of an update. Either way I don't think we've seen the last of the old dudes.

I'm tempted to turn my unbuilt and unpainted Firstborn Marines into a homebrew renegade chapter

I've started imperial fists recently, I wanted to buy 3 whirlwinds, but a friend of mine said something similar to what you said so now I'm waiting to see if an update/equivalent gets announced in the next year or so.

I'll be honest, i just bought a Baal Predator and while it would suck for it to be sent to Legends (something i fully expect to happen along with Tycho, Brother Corbulo, and Gabriel Seth when the Blood Angels codex drops) i think I'll still keep mine as part of my ever expanding collection, even if i cant use it on the tabletop as the hobbying aspect is arguably more enjoyable to me then the tabletop game itself.

we got a lot of lovely models from the HH range, wish they had rules for 40k. as a player who playes both SM and CSM i am happy that i can use the HH and old models to convert CSM models, just made a Chaos Vindicator from the HH Vindicator, and plan on making Raptors from the HH jump boys

Will Chaos Marines ever get update Predator Tanks and Landraiders if 1st born stuff gets phased out? Or can you just use the 30k stuff as base?

They will remain on my table, for by the fang, they will never die

One thing I think is worth considering is the fact that chaos marines use a bunch of the rhino chassis vehicles. That makes it kind of unlikely they're going away unless GW give equivalent replacements to CSM too. The chaos kits are basically just the loyalist kits with different decorations on the sprues. It's no skin off their back to keep the loyalist versions in production for as long as the chaos kits are still supported.

I look forward to all the first born terrain kitbashing.

Honestly I mostly play OPR and older editions, but since my army of firstborns is mostly infantry with the updated base sizes I plan on proxying those if I ever play 10th or 11th.

I think the vehicles that are shared with CSM won't be going unless they make replacements for them.

I still can’t believe everyone let GW get away with just axing an entire line going back to the 80’s. You can bet your bottom dollar this will be normal going forward. “Oh it’s a new edition, you need to replace half your army”

It blows my mind that they would do away with STC vehicles. Like, is the Imperium just throwing away the STCs? The Adeptus Mechanicus can’t be okay with that.

the lack of pushback of forcing firstborn to obsolesce instead of scale upgrades/similiar unit styling is directly why GW felt safe squatted extremely new AOS units and entire warbands etc

Most of my first born purchases have been for HH conversion. I do have a storm speeder still in box.

Other than a combat patrol I have an all first born SW army. They are still seeing service in 10th but have also been seeing some play in 5th edition games played by me and a few friends. Once they are retired they’ll be relegated to games of old hammer and will be repainted as a display army, perhaps in some kind of diorama.

I'm still thinking of the game with 8th and 9th edition rules in mind, so I'll be fine

I've been collecting some space marines alongside T'au and have mostly gone Firstborn for vehicles, largely due to cost. Got some bikers I can base as Outriders, a Dreadnought who still has rules, and a Land Speeder I was thinking of using as an ATV (probably closer in size than to a Land Raider). I'm also using a lot of non-Primaris infantry, though with extra bits I'm trying to upgrade them so they match more closely.

I got into the hobby learning to paint with firstborn and now my only firstborn vehicles are two vindicators and a scorpius. They'll stsy home on my shelf in proud display even if they get retired since they've done a lot of work and serve me well.

I feel like the Terminator release and scouts release and maybe outriders shows that they could have just upscaled existing units without touching the rules too much and they would have made tons of money without messing the community about so much.

Yeah Death Company already has the Death Company Intercessors, which are just primaris intercessors with Death Company flavor parts, a blood angels upgrade sprue, and no jump packs.

Just sold my whole collection. Thankyou for the advice 🙏

What will they do with the big rhino outside of Warhammer World? Is a big hover tank in the budget?

Option 2 and now i print the news units i like. No more money to GW from me.

I bought an ironclad dreadnought just before they got removed. Im definitely gonna keep playing it as long as the venerable dreadnought is still there. The storm bolter is an easy proxy for an assault cannon and the chainfist is just a "dreadnought combat weapon". Heavy flamer still works too. The shoulder missiles are now just for show.

I agree hanging onto them is the best. They'll likely never be as collectible as the early edition stuff but I expect a lot of people will be looking for them for nostalgia in a decade or two. But also just because they're your army you built.

I hope that Legends never goes away, as I love playing with Legends units and I am currently working on a Chaos Lord on Palanquin of Nurgle for my Chaos Space Marines and Death Guard armies. Would be pretty bummed out if the rules for them vanish. Though you can always homebrew some rules for them if that happens.

Honestly you can run them as a red corsair csm force

I use my Heresy models as first born units as when they go i can just keep using them in heresy. Old dreadnaughts and contempters can be used in heresy too. But if you love your models then just use legends in normal games with friends or proxie 10 tactical marines as 10 intercessors exc exc

To be honest, I think that Devastator Squads and Tactical Squads are soon to come. Most Firstborn units will likely get Primarised now, like Sternguard did (so you can use your old ones) and like the assault squad (so you can use your old ones).

Do you there is a way thunderfire will come backone day ?

11th edition 2 years away?? Ewwww thats so soon wtf