The March of the Primaris Marines

(or where did I leave my tinfoil hat?)

Don't worry, brother - I have your back...

Okay - I'll admit I'm getting all "conspiracy theory" here in this post, but when I saw the new Primaris Reivers this weekend, it all started to fall into place for me regarding the Primaris Marines eventually supplanting the current Space Marines in the GW fluff / IP.

In the category of internet memes, this next one probably defines my thoughts best...

I get it - the fluff has entire chapters of Primaris Marines going into combat.  But what if they aren't fighting side by side with regular Marine Chapters and the Astra Militarum? So they'll need infiltration units, right?  They'll need Librarians, right?  They'll need flyers, right?  So where will this stop?  Will Primaris Marines become as diverse an army as Space Marines are currently?  Will they have their own Artillery, Anti-air and heavy Tanks?

Now I'm not saying that GW is going to replace the Space Marines overnight - but if you look at it conspiratorially - it is a great way to protect their IP.  Lots of people have written about "Space Marines" and lots of sci-fi armies have "scouts" - but does anyone besides GW have "Primaris Marine Reivers" - no they don't.

So when will we know that GW intends to replace Space Marines?

Primaris Bikes.

Or maybe GW will let the Power Armored Bike Gang image die... (although grav-bike Primaris Marines would be cool!)

Primaris Flyer

Oh wait - that is already in the fluff - instead of a plastic Thunderhawk could we see a plastic Primaris Overlord. (5 engines, really??  Did we have to turn it up to ELEVEN??)

Primaris Chaplain

I'm betting he's the next character out there - but with the Reivers wearing the cheesy-skull-face-masks, he had better have a cool helmet that isn't just a death's-head.

Primaris Tech-Marine

They better have one of these too - If Mr. Big and Tall is expecting a bunch of robe-wearing-techno-fish-heads to keep up - well, the fluff just took an interesting turn - by removing the independence of the Marine Chapters.

Primaris Artillery

Templates are dead - who needs indirect fire when you can buy troops that enter the game AND charge in the same turn.  Or maybe it will force Imperial players to bring along an Astra Militarum Spearhead detachment to bring in the big guns... pretty fluffy if I say so myself!

Primaris Anti-air

Okay, so we haven't seen a Devastator equivalent to the Primaris Marine, so they COULD expect Primaris Marines to defend themselves with Flakk missiles - but if a dedicated AA vehicle hits the streets, I'll put my money on it being the near the end of the regular Space Marines. (or see artillery comments above for why to make Marine players buy AM models as well!)

Thoughts, comments, snide remarks?  What will be the tipping point for GW to not need to produce the regular Space Marine chapters as miniatures anymore?

And how soon could that be...