What if - We dont see more loyalist Primarchs?

[Ishagu]

I'm reading Dark Imperium, thoroughly enjoying it.

I don't think any of the GW fiction is particularly incredible.

 

Bad writing? How about Russ just vanishing for no reason, or Corax's "Nevermore" moment, etc, etc

[Urriak Urruk]

Urriak, you are right. It just bothers me how awful the writing is. Or more specifically how GW always writes themselves into a corner.

 

Seriously what better time was there for Russ to come back than Wrath of Magnus?

 

Now it's just going to stupid and hamfisted.

 

I agree with that. I think it's largely a disconnect between the writers and the product designers.

 

The designers have a general sense of the universe and actually come up with some great stuff. The Primaris, Death Guard, and Rubric have all been stellar models IMO. But then they hand it off to the writers and say, "Cool explain why these exist now in the fluff," and the writers are left holding something they know makes almost no sense to reasonably explain away.

 

Like Primaris, if you ignore any new fluff like Dark Imperium, it literally is just "These are better Space Marines in every way." They are IMO awesome looking models, but that makes no sense. We've all had to do some strange rationalization to make them sort-of logical, when the designers clearly did none of that.

 

So a writer like Guy Haley is left "with the bag" so to speak, stuck trying to justify these new models in "Dark Imperium" while also not diverting too far from the designers vision. It sounds like he did a decent job from that perspective.

[Brother Tyler]

Great, let's get back on topic now, please.

[shandwen]

From the one primary I actually care abouts history I doubt if he will still be loyal. Coral had the gene knowledge given from the emperor to really help with the primarus marines, but they decided not to have him reappear to help. I'm rather intrigued by the (slight) possibility that he might reappear to lead a group more in line with the Night Lords.

[TrawlingCleaner]

I think it would be great if they didn't bring back any loyalist primarchs and only released more traitor primarchs. They would need loyalist equivalents though which is where the primaris come in. They could take already established characters and primaris them to be able to go toe to toe with daemon primarchs. Characters like Dante could be upgraded in later Warzones.

I highly doubt GW would go that route because as many have said here: primarchs sell. I imagine some of the less known ones like Khan and Corax would sell very well.

[sockwithaticket]

 They could take already established characters and primaris them to be able to go toe to toe with daemon primarchs. Characters like Dante could be upgraded in later Warzones.

Please no. Primaris-ing (definitely a word) existing warriors, no matter how proficient, shouldn't give them enough of a power boost to go toe to toe with Demon Primarchs (that's reserved for Draigo...).

[The Spanish Inquisitor]

Primarchs are like lifelines in who wants to be a millionaire. 

When GW is short of inspiration to develop new campaigns or move the storyline, a new primarch shows up. 

 

At least, that was my point of view one year ago. 

We have/will have three primarchs in 6 months: Magnus, Guilliman and Mortarion who will comes out soon. 

 

It would be disappointing if GW brought back all primarchs. It would just become Horus Heresy  2.0. 

[SickSix]

It would be disappointing if GW brought back all primarchs. It would just become Horus Heresy 2.0.

That may be the problem. 40k sales have probably flattened if not started to decline. Across the hall though Forge World is busier and more profitable than ever due to the Heresy. So what does GW do? Play copycat!

Edited June 21, 2017 by SickSix

[Claws and Effect]

If we get no more loyal Primarchs I will be equal parts disappointed and relieved.

 

Disappointed because I really want a plastic Corax.

 

Relieved because he honestly seems to me to be one of the 2 most likely to go renegade (Khan being the other).

 

I'm just not sure I trust GW to write that in a way that doesn't come off as hamfisted or cheesy.

 

If he comes back as a renegade and they let George Mann or ADB write it, I'll give it a chance. George Mann because he seems to really understand the Raven Guard, and ADB because Helsreach made me actually like a Black Templars character, which I never had before.

[Withershadow]

We'll definitely see at least the Lion, since the last DA codex basically said he's just waiting to be woken up.  The rest, who knows.  I would like the dead to stay dead. 

[M@verik115]

There will be more loyalist primarch releases. 
The new rulebook hints heavily at it. 

[BassWave]

The loyalists primarchs will all come back in some form. Especially the dead ones. Possibly returning as blazing revenants leading an expanded line of miniatures for Legion of the Damned.

 

Ferrus' spirit, as well as the victims of Istvaan, briefly came back as a physical manifestation of the Emperor's psychic attacks in Master of Mankind. It is possible these spirit attacks are the basis for the LotD. After 10,000 of being worshipped and fed psykers, it is possible the Emperor's power has increased enough to create more permanent spirits.

 

Sanguinius' fight with Horus is allegedly being retconned, so anything is possible there. Curze is tricky though. He wanted to die, and even if he did come back, he doesn't give a crap about Chaos or the Imperium.

[Praetor of Calth]

 After 10,000 of being worshipped and fed psykers, it is possible the Emperor's power has increased enough to create more permanent spirits.

 

 

 

Still can't leave that chair though. 

[Jackalwolf]

If the Lion and Russ don't come back they'll have so many pissed off fans. Both are supposed to be well alive and their return has been foretold since forever in the fluff and they both have the biggest follower ship plus are so different between them.

 

I'd be happy if they cap it at these three, wouldn't like at all to see all of the rest back.

[Race Bannon]

To the OP: I'm okay witht that.

 

Wanna play with Primarchs? There's a game for that ^_^

[Urriak Urruk]

There will be more loyalist primarch releases. 

The new rulebook hints heavily at it. 

 

It does? In what way? (I haven't picked up the rules I've largely stuck with Black Library and painting. I literally just make checkers sets for my nephews with Warhammer models)

[Lexington]

Sanguinius' fight with Horus is allegedly being retconned, so anything is possible there.

I've seen this referenced in a couple of places, but does anyone have the original rumor? What is it being retconned to be?

[Inquisitor Eisenhorn]

I've always thought that Sang was actually one of the primarchs that would most likely return.  Sure, he's totally dead and not just wandered off somewhere, but there are also more narrative suggestions that something otherworldly is going on with the Blood Angels rather than just a simple M.I.A. plot line other primarchs have.  I don't think that there really needs to be a retconn per-se to justify his return, but rather a fleshing out of a lot of suggestions that have been around for decades.

 

Such as:  

 

What's the deal with Mephiston, really?  He overcomes the thirst and is essentially this transfigured near-primarch level character that doesn't even retain his original name.  

 

Sanguinor--this one is even more obvious.  Does this guy even have a corporeal form?

 

The psychic backlash of his death is still dormant in the bodies of his sons.  What other implications are there in that?

 

And then there's the rub about Blood Angels and longevity, which is explained a few different ways but seems to be setting up something in the future.

 

Basically, I have always inferred from the fluff that Sang is totally legitimately dead, but that doesn't mean that he's not out there in the ether, trying to find a way back.  

[Bulwyf]

I would be unhappy, no, upset if the only primarch to come back was Mary Sue of Mary Sues. I have never liked the UM and the utterly bizarre fixation GW seems to have on ramming them down everyone's throats only deepens the dislike. It makes no sense to open Pandora's box to let Robert G out and close it after. The lore/fluff has several loyal primarchs that could come back. As others have said, primarchs move merchandise. Why would you NOT want to bring back Russ, Lion, Vulcan, Corax, Khan at the least?

[Calyptra]

I think the presence of loyalist primarchs diminishes the setting. "Our great, mythical heroes are all dead and now we're kind of screwed" is more interesting to me than "our great mythological heroes are inexplicably back and now everything's about them."

 

Generally speaking, I think people are more interesting than demigods.

[MysticTemplar]

I think the presence of loyalist primarchs diminishes the setting. "Our great, mythical heroes are all dead and now we're kind of screwed" is more interesting to me than "our great mythological heroes are inexplicably back and now everything's about them."

 

Generally speaking, I think people are more interesting than demigods.

How about 'Our Great Mythical Heroes disappeared, and legend has it that they will be back in our darkest hour. Which is... Right now, actually. Well, sucks to be us.'

[Calyptra]

I understand where you're coming from; my personal tastes just run different.

 

I don't want GW to advance their timeline. 40k is a setting for players to tell their own stories in, and GW pursuing an active narrative directly interferes with that.

 

I don't like Primarchs. The more mary sue a character is, the less interesting it is. Heroes who rise through the ranks through cunning and valor, who sell their lives in vain in pointless wars on a million worlds? I want more about them. When Space Marines are posthuman supersoldiers equipped with the best weapons humanity has to give them, and it isn't enough because the Xenos and traitors are just that terrifying, then I am interested in Space Marines. When Xenos just exist to be their punching bags, then I don't care so much.

 

We've got one primarch back now, so we're stuck with him, but I'm hoping they stop there.

[ronin_cse]

I don't really get why there is such a backlash against more Primarchs coming back among some in the community. Like GW has left a way for every single Primarch to come back some how and has foreshadowed the return of each of them to no end with a couple exceptions. If anything I think it makes MORE SENSE for them to come back than for them to just stay missing for some canned reason.

 

Really at this point I think the only ones that are truly not coming back are Horus, Alpharius (maybe not Omegon though), and Ferrus Manus. Inquisitor Eisenhorn laid out the reason why Sangunius coming back in some form would make fine sense, and honestly if it is true that Ferrus was leading the LotD then he could easily come back as well.

 

It seems painfully obvious to me that we will get at least 4 primarchs on each side and then who knows. I would love to see Lorgar or Dorn or something but I am less optimistic about anything that isn't one of the big 4. Oh I also am pretty sure we will see Abaddon get super charged somehow and he will end up with primarch powers, although he's pretty close as is.

[chapter master 454]

Vulkan is just waiting for the salamanders to finally figure out where all his stuff is. Lion and Russ apparently are around so right now we have a count of 4 who shall return for the loyalist side (including the already returned Gulliman).

[Calyptra]

There's a bunch of things I am actively upset at GW for (like Warhammer Fantasy), but returning Primarchs isn't one of them. It's not a choice I like, but it also doesn't effect me at all, so I can happily ignore it (at least until someone fields one against me).