Non-primaris Astartes Kill Teams

[Stercus]

So, I have an issue with Primaris marines.

I’m very keen to build some Killteams, and the primaris options are good in-game. However, I have a few homebrew chapters, and all of them operate in a timescale occurring well before ol’ Robby G does his magic waking-up and reinventing marines shtick.

What I’m asking really is whether, if sufficiently modelled and distinct from my regular Astartes, players would be comfortable with me using oldmarines to represent primaris stats?

My thoughts specifically were using vanguard as reivers or sternguard as intercessors.

[Halfpint100]

As long as they fit the size that primaris are using scenic bases, etc. I don't see why not. Proxies are going to be all over the place so people can use their old minatures, I know I will be using colonel schaffer as a tempestus srg for example.  

[MasterDeath]

Maybe give them some extra armor bits, so they look like 2 Wound. Make the Barrels on their guns a tad longer and that should be enough. Sternguard and Vanguard might work also, with the usual pre-battle talk of course

[Ryltar Thamior]

personally, due to my ongoing functional allergy to non-truescaled Astartes, i've long had thoughts about utilizing Primaris rules for my Marines (which are, as with yours, pretty much all in pre-Primaris temporal settings). 

Kinda reminds me of the old "Marines in the Movies" rules from a long-previous issue of White Dwarf. 

There's some issues around differing equipment; so if you were going to go 'all in' on conversions [or, for that matter, partially in], I'd perhaps recommend modding boltguns as appropriate - whether this means doing the low-key thing of using Deathwatch stalker bolters for the relevant pattern of bolt-rifle, or building full-on 'proper' sniper/anti-material bolt-weapons etc. 

[Stercus]

I’m happy enough using primaris weapons and just hand-waving it away as my techmarines customising wargear for these elite kill-teams. Let’s face it, even if you don’t like reivers, those bolt carbines look cool.

[Kinstryfe]

My honest opinion: If you need to use bodies that are as big as Primaris for line of sight anyway, and need to use Primaris weapons for wysiwyg, then you're basically just converting up Primaris models anyway and calling them not Primaris. So I don't see why there would really be any problem with using them as such.

 

You may want to consider though that since you only need a handful of models that doing something different may not be out of place. Even if your Chapter is narratively operating pre-Dark Imperium, unless you plan for them to be wiped out by that time then eventually Primaris would be a possibility. As iffy as I am about them (most of my armies are, like yours, placed narratively much much earlier), I've painted several now and have to admit that they are darn sexy models to paint.

[Exilyth]

scout gunner w/hv bolter

scout gunner w/hv bolter

tac Marine Gunner w/hv bolter

tac Marine Gunner w/flamer (or plasma)

tac marine sergeant w/bolt pistol & auspex (leader of course)

tac marine w/bolter

tac marine w/bolter

 

(should be 100 Pts on the nose, also choose your 3 specialists - I'd be inclined to make one tac marine the vox guy)

 

... and what are thoose 'primaris' people keep speaking about?

[Stercus]

My honest opinion: If you need to use bodies that are as big as Primaris for line of sight anyway, and need to use Primaris weapons for wysiwyg, then you're basically just converting up Primaris models anyway and calling them not Primaris. So I don't see why there would really be any problem with using them as such.

You may want to consider though that since you only need a handful of models that doing something different may not be out of place. Even if your Chapter is narratively operating pre-Dark Imperium, unless you plan for them to be wiped out by that time then eventually Primaris would be a possibility. As iffy as I am about them (most of my armies are, like yours, placed narratively much much earlier), I've painted several now and have to admit that they are darn sexy models to paint.

Yeah, all of my guys are dead by the time of the Dark Imperium. It’s a narrative device I use to avoid having to deal with the post fall of Cadia lore, none of which I like very much.

It’s a shame, because I like the primaris models in many cases, but I’m sticking to my guns in terms of the story I’m working to.

[Grim Dog Studios]

I personally would have no issue with somebody proxying regular marines as Primaris, as long as it was clear what was what! I’m personally thinking of asking my gaming buddies if I can use the Intercessor Sergeant rules to represent a regular marine lieutenant that is leading the kill team, just to make him last a bit longer and have a power sword.

[Chaplain Raeven]

No issues as long as there is no mishmash of guys. They're either all Primaris or none are.

[Stoic Raptor]

That would be my criteria as well.  If you want to use Primaris models as true-scale Marines, fine - as long as you don't also run Primaris alongside them.

[Calyptra]

Maybe I'll feel differently once I've actually played the Astartes kill team I wrote up (I've only played my space elves so far), but I didn't feel particularly handicapped only taking Tactical Marines and Scouts.

 

Do you guys think Astartes kill teams *need* Primaris options?

[Kinstryfe]

That would be my criteria as well.  If you want to use Primaris models as true-scale Marines, fine - as long as you don't also run Primaris alongside them.

Having ran a mix of both, I'd agree on that as you're at a disadvantage. I'd not tend to allow the other way though with smaller Primaris Marines unless the conversions were similarly sized, as the addition in height does make a difference with some terrain.

 

Re: do Astartes KTs /need/ Primaris, they definitely don't, but the Primaris are pretty good in it, so you're probably playing at a small disadvantage in some games. The extra wound plus access to a better combat specialist can both be helpful. My first few games were classics only, and I'm doing much better with a couple big guys in the mix, as I can be a little riskier with them.