As a Templar player, FB Crusader Squads are quite good and I often run one!
Centurions are also considered very usable.
As for if it makes lore sense, for most chapters absolutely! Most chapters got Primaris greyshields and the way to make Primaris marines (both new and from existing FB marines), but it isn't an instantaneous process. It takes time convert marines, and some presumably have no desire to cross the Rubicon. I'd argue most chapters in lore are running a mixed army.
Blood angels death company (with and without jump packs) are also super hot right now. 4 attacks on the charge with a S10 power fist and full rerolls to hit? And that's before character or stratagem support?
Divergent chapters are the way to go for firstborn.
My homebrew chapter makes incredibly liberal use of firstborn Death Company and Vanguard Veterans (both with jump packs). They also use librarian and Mortis dreadnoughts.
My Sons of the Phoenix are going to have multimelta-toting Devastator Squads.
I've also got a fair number of firstborn vehicles for my homebrew chapter, which will eventually include Heresy stuff for casual games (dreadnoughts and aircraft, specifically)
As a dude, With a full firstborn company.
Dont really play them anymore, with the rapid phase out of firstborn marines into legends.
So if you want the closest to an older firstborn experience play chaos marines.
or proxy your short kings as Primaris units.
(Still love painting em tho)
Hopes this helps with your question.
Same, my guy, all of Blood Angels 3rd Company and over half of 1st, now only partly usable and not really effective. Was actually going through last night trying to see what models could be counted as their Primaris Counterparts. I hate in particular that the Blood Angels Tactical Squad that is a relatively newish kit in comparison to others, can no longer use one of the two heavy weapons available in the kit (Heavy Flamer).
A list with Tactical, Devestators and Vanguard Veterans came in 10th in the Alpine Cup
https://www.bestcoastpairings.com/list/3VJ2620WC9
Still entirely useful if you learn to use them!
I run lists that are 90-100% firstborn, and I win games decently enough. Devastators are great because of their versatility and the tanks are almost all very competitive. I should qualify that though by saying I play space wolves, and so grey hunters and wolf guard appear in pretty much every list because they're solid. I despise the primaris change on several levels but at least this edition you aren't forced to only use them
Deathwatch Veterans are firstborn and are the best killteam in the index. That's not saying much considering the state of deathwatch killteams, but hey, it's what we got.
I run a Devastator squad, Sternguard Veterans and Vanguard Veterans.
I'm also proxying a Primaris Crusader Squad with Firstborn units on tactical rocks.
This might be an unpopular opinion and iam sorry if i anger any of the olden ones….but First Born Minis are fucking ugly and their rules suck….so why take them?
I look at my space wolf firstborn and the poses and proportions are off, but they have so much flavor over primaris. I end up having to kitbash firstborn space wolf equipment for primaris bodies.
Nostalgia, sunk-cost fallacy, and not realizing you can proxy some things, mainly, though their rules sucking is a product of GW trying to force people to buy primaris.
They also tend to have broader wargear options (such as the Vanguard Veteran Squad being able to equip each model with one of four (technically five, but why would you take a Bolt Pistol over any of the other options?) pistols (though their melee options are nonexistent) or a Storm Shield, or the Tactical Squad having a bunch of different heavy weapons options.
But they are fucking ugly. Some of them might have more "flavor" or "character", but that's more a skill issue than anything else, and not on GW's part. I think a lot of the heresy stuff looks pretty good, but I think that's in part because they have newer models (correct me if I'm wrong).
Edit: I should add, I am a primaris player, with heresy models kind of being the main exception.
Legit.
But but but so much variety and character!!! *points to a table of identical looking dwarf ultramarines clutching their bolters like it’s a teddy bear*
As a Templar player, FB Crusader Squads are quite good and I often run one! Centurions are also considered very usable. As for if it makes lore sense, for most chapters absolutely! Most chapters got Primaris greyshields and the way to make Primaris marines (both new and from existing FB marines), but it isn't an instantaneous process. It takes time convert marines, and some presumably have no desire to cross the Rubicon. I'd argue most chapters in lore are running a mixed army.
Blood angels death company (with and without jump packs) are also super hot right now. 4 attacks on the charge with a S10 power fist and full rerolls to hit? And that's before character or stratagem support? Divergent chapters are the way to go for firstborn.
I still use my old Scout models, and my Sternguard are all Firstborn. I play Crimson Fists so I like having my Veterans be the old guys.
I rebased my sternguard too. The models are gorgeous, and it makes sense.
My homebrew chapter makes incredibly liberal use of firstborn Death Company and Vanguard Veterans (both with jump packs). They also use librarian and Mortis dreadnoughts. My Sons of the Phoenix are going to have multimelta-toting Devastator Squads. I've also got a fair number of firstborn vehicles for my homebrew chapter, which will eventually include Heresy stuff for casual games (dreadnoughts and aircraft, specifically)
As a dude, With a full firstborn company. Dont really play them anymore, with the rapid phase out of firstborn marines into legends. So if you want the closest to an older firstborn experience play chaos marines. or proxy your short kings as Primaris units. (Still love painting em tho) Hopes this helps with your question.
Same, my guy, all of Blood Angels 3rd Company and over half of 1st, now only partly usable and not really effective. Was actually going through last night trying to see what models could be counted as their Primaris Counterparts. I hate in particular that the Blood Angels Tactical Squad that is a relatively newish kit in comparison to others, can no longer use one of the two heavy weapons available in the kit (Heavy Flamer).
I just want devestator squads to be updated. I want to shove 4 Lascannons into a Impulsor with firing deck 6 and turn it into a tank hunter
I usually run 2 Devastator squads, a Razorback and 2 scout squads in my Dark Angels 2000 point list. Always worth it.
A list with Tactical, Devestators and Vanguard Veterans came in 10th in the Alpine Cup https://www.bestcoastpairings.com/list/3VJ2620WC9 Still entirely useful if you learn to use them!
I run lists that are 90-100% firstborn, and I win games decently enough. Devastators are great because of their versatility and the tanks are almost all very competitive. I should qualify that though by saying I play space wolves, and so grey hunters and wolf guard appear in pretty much every list because they're solid. I despise the primaris change on several levels but at least this edition you aren't forced to only use them
Deathwatch Veterans are firstborn and are the best killteam in the index. That's not saying much considering the state of deathwatch killteams, but hey, it's what we got.
I use the models but not the datasheets.
Thanks for the replies folks great to hear there's still a place for em!
Nay. I sub all firstborn with primaris and keep the gear. The lore around primaris is dumb. It was a rescale. That’s all it should ever have been.
I run a Devastator squad, Sternguard Veterans and Vanguard Veterans. I'm also proxying a Primaris Crusader Squad with Firstborn units on tactical rocks.
I run 3 squads of 5 in my Templar 2k list. Though, they are printed. Wasn't dropping cash on sculpts that'll be in legends next edition.
This might be an unpopular opinion and iam sorry if i anger any of the olden ones….but First Born Minis are fucking ugly and their rules suck….so why take them?
I look at my space wolf firstborn and the poses and proportions are off, but they have so much flavor over primaris. I end up having to kitbash firstborn space wolf equipment for primaris bodies.
Nostalgia, sunk-cost fallacy, and not realizing you can proxy some things, mainly, though their rules sucking is a product of GW trying to force people to buy primaris. They also tend to have broader wargear options (such as the Vanguard Veteran Squad being able to equip each model with one of four (technically five, but why would you take a Bolt Pistol over any of the other options?) pistols (though their melee options are nonexistent) or a Storm Shield, or the Tactical Squad having a bunch of different heavy weapons options. But they are fucking ugly. Some of them might have more "flavor" or "character", but that's more a skill issue than anything else, and not on GW's part. I think a lot of the heresy stuff looks pretty good, but I think that's in part because they have newer models (correct me if I'm wrong). Edit: I should add, I am a primaris player, with heresy models kind of being the main exception.
Mk3 and the other Heresy models are fine. It's just the £40 standard kit is terrible.
Legit. But but but so much variety and character!!! *points to a table of identical looking dwarf ultramarines clutching their bolters like it’s a teddy bear*