A new edition of Warhammer 40,000 has routinely put Space Marines under a familiar spotlight. Whenever the range gets fresh plastic, older kits start sweating under their purity seals.
Nothing here is confirmed, so treat this as a watch list, not a funeral procession. However, Games Workshop already showed the pattern in 10th edition. Older kits either gain a modern analogue, stay briefly protected, or move into Legends.
Tactical Squads Could Finally Lose Their Protected Status
Tactical Squads are the biggest emotional landmine on this list. Games Workshop specifically protected them during the 10th edition Space Marine range update, which mattered a lot. However, that promise was attached to that codex cycle, not eternal salvation. The new Armageddon Intercessors now mix Mk X armour with older helmets, shoulders, and visual callbacks. That gives GW a clean way to fold classic Marine nostalgia into modern Intercessors. As a result, Tactical Squads feel like a prime Legends candidate once the next Space Marine book arrives.
Early Primaris Experiments May Not Be Safe Either
The most interesting rumors involve early Primaris units, because they show that newer does not always mean safer. The Invader ATV feels like the most believable cut, since it never quite escaped the shadow of Outriders. It looks like a temporary attack bike replacement, rather than a permanent pillar of the range. Suppressor and Eliminator Squads also feel vulnerable, mostly because they never received a proper standalone kit. They arrived from an early Primaris design era that GW now seems less committed to supporting. Meanwhile, the Firestrike Servo-Turret looks like another niche experiment that never became central to the army. It has rules utility, but it lacks the iconic pull of Marines, Dreadnoughts, or tanks. Because of that, it feels easy to remove during a codex cleanup. Together, these units suggest GW may be pruning the first wave of Primaris oddities. However, that would be a bigger statement than simply retiring old Firstborn kits.
Devastator Squads Look Vulnerable As Primaris Heavy Support Expands
Devastator Squads have survived because they still represent classic Marine heavy weapon teams. However, their battlefield role keeps getting carved up by newer units. Eradicators, Hellblasters, Desolation-style fire support, and Gravis bodies all cover parts of that same design space. Now Armageddon adds Eradicators with heavy bolters, which pushes that overlap even harder. That does not make Devastators useless, because the kit still has loads of charm. However, it does make them feel like a likely Legends move when GW trims duplicate datasheets.
The Last Classic Dreadnought Is Living On Borrowed Time
The Venerable Dreadnought has already had one near miss. In 10th edition, Games Workshop kept the Venerable Dreadnought concept by simplifying it into the regular Dreadnought datasheet. However, the modern Marine range now has Redemptor, Brutalis, and Ballistus patterns doing the heavy lifting. That leaves the classic boxnought as a beloved legacy design with shrinking mechanical space. It also looks increasingly small beside newer walkers. Therefore, this feels like one of the safest bets for a future Legends transfer.
The Rhino And Razorback Feel Tied To A Shrinking Firstborn Ecosystem
The Rhino and Razorback are not just old kits. They are the transport backbone of the classic Space Marine army. However, their relevance depends heavily on the units they carry. If Tactical Squads and Devastators leave matched play, these vehicles become harder to justify. The Impulsor, Repulsor, and other newer transports already serve the modern Marine range. So, while Rhinos may linger through sheer history, the Razorback especially looks exposed. Its unique identity matters less when fewer supported units need that exact chassis.
Where this gets sticky is that the Rhino is in use in many other armies, Chaos and Imperium. I wouldn’t be surprised if we get a new Space marine tank that replaces this kit all together but leaves the others untouched …..for now.
Centurion Squads Are Weird Enough To Be In Danger
Centurions are not Firstborn in the nostalgic sense, but they feel stranded in design terms. They sit between infantry, walkers, and Gravis units without fully belonging to any lane. Their models also come from an older design era that looks awkward beside newer Primaris proportions. Meanwhile, Aggressors, Eradicators, and other heavy infantry already carry much of their battlefield identity. That makes both Centurion Assault Squads and Centurion Devastator Squads obvious trimming candidates. If GW wants fewer strange edge cases, these suits could easily march into Legends.
Stormtalon, Stormhawk, And Stormraven Kits Could Be Next For The Hangar
Space Marine aircraft also feel vulnerable in the new edition cycle. Games Workshop has already moved many Heresy-era flyers and rare war machines into Legends for balance reasons. That matters because aircraft are often awkward to support in a tight competitive ruleset. The Stormtalon, Stormhawk, and Stormraven still have fans, but they feel increasingly separate from the modern Marine refresh. Additionally, the new edition seems focused on ground missions, terrain control, and battlefield storytelling. Because of that, the classic aircraft wing could be trimmed sooner than many players expect.
Final Thoughts: Legends Is Not The Same As Gone
The important thing is that Legends does not mean your models vanish. Games Workshop has repeatedly framed Legends as official rules for casual, store, club, and campaign play. However, those rules are not actively balanced for competitive events. That makes Legends a soft retirement, rather than a hard deletion. For narrative players, that distinction matters a lot. Still, if you care about tournament legality, these older Space Marine units deserve close attention.
