Which DA hero would you like to see cross the Rubicon?

[Ishagu]

And I ask this because I imagine GW will release a Primaris version of Azrael alongside the supplement when it eventually drops.

[Gederas]

Azrael, his model is as old as Ragnar's old one.

 

Failing that: Sammael on a totally sick Jetbike.

[Skywrath]

Azrael here as well.

[Master Sheol]

Belial to see a primaris terminator armour

[WrathOfTheLion]

Azrael, due to age of the kit. Along with Ezekiel, Dante and the Phoenix lords, he is one of the oldest character models still in production, from 2e/1995 or so I think.

 

Having the head of a faction have a 25 year old kit is not really acceptable.

 

But I think we will see Sammael, as having a large jetbike model in finecast sucks for both us and probably GW.

Edited October 10, 2020 by WrathOfTheLion

[UtariOnzo]

Sapphon, because he’s not had rules since 2nd edition, Asmodai stole his model and he deserves recognition after all these years!

 

But seriously, Azrael needs a make over, and ezekiel is starting to show his age too

[Azaiel]

I would love to see a Ezekiel homage in primaris form ie a similar pose and style as the wonderful Jes sculpt. Its one of my favorite sculpts of all time.

[Angel of Solitude]

I’d love to see Belial cross the Rubicon...and become the new Grand Master!

 

In an epic confrontation against Luther and the Daemon Prince Marbas, Belial and Azrael both suffer mortal wounds as they successfully banish the Daemon Prince, and cause Luther to flee the battlefield. Chapter Apothecaries race to have both cross the Rubicon, but are only successful with Belial - Azrael succumbs to his wounds.

 

I mean, a man can dream! But I would absolutely love GW to continue the reimagining of the Dark Angels and shake up our names HQs.

[Chaplain Raeven]

[Grotsmasha]

Honestly, I think Azrael and/or Belial are almost guaranteed, so I'd like to Brother Bethor as a Bladeguard Ancient with sculpted Standard options.

[Brother Tyler]

Following in the theme of the answer I've given in the previous similar topics:
 

I think that tons of characters, with and without miniatures, should be dying off. The combination of time progression and constant warfare, not to mention the Rubicon Primaris for the Adeptus Astartes, make that the likely outcome for the majority of characters. Not killing off characters is just pandering to/appeasing hobbyists that are too emotionally attached to fictional characters. They could kill off legacy Adeptus Astartes character A and give us Primaris Adeptus Astartes character B as a replacement just as easily as turning legacy Adeptus Astartes character A into Primaris Adeptus Astartes character A+. And the non-Adeptus Astartes humans should all be replaced due to simple longevity issues. Okay, maybe not "all" of them - just 95% of them.

Chaos characters and longer-lived xenos characters (Aeldari and Necrons come to mind) should largely be safe, but killing off one or two wouldn't be amiss.

...It would be even more cheesy if the majority of special characters were able to survive the transformation from legacy into Primaris. Besides, there is over a century of warfare for these characters to have to survive. It doesn't seem reasonable that every character would even survive that.

Besides, even if GW does kill off old characters via failing to survive the transformation, that wouldn't prevent them from introducing replacement Primaris characters. I would much rather see that occur.

For GW to simply have every (or even most) legacy character survive the transformation from legacy to Primaris would be nothing more than pandering to the players that are too emotionally invested in "their" characters to accept the more immersive alternatives.

So my short answer is that I wouldn't mind if all of them died, either attempting to cross the Rubicon Primaris or in battle, where Space Marines should die. I wouldn't mind if one survived, and I'm not really partial to any of them over others, with the possible exception of Ezekiel (I have a thing for psykers). Realistically, any/all of them could be replaced since most are just representations of roles, and those roles could easily be filled by up and coming Primaris battle-brothers.

I'm betting, though, that I'm going to be disappointed and that GW is going to convert pretty much all of the existing special characters into embiggened versions. 

Edited October 10, 2020 by Brother Tyler
I hate it when I spell words incorrectly, especially when the incorrect spelling is an entirely different word. It makes me look even more stupid than I really am (and that's saying a lot).

[WrathOfTheLion]

Many of the DA 'heroes' are fairly recently appointed though, are they not? Belial in particular comes to mind.

They did do exactly as you said with Balthazar and Lazarus however. I'm not certain just our faction needs to see the brunt of all the characters dying...

 

Edit: Going back through the codex, Belial especially has only been Deathwing Master since the battle of Piscina IV in the 3rd War of Armageddon, so 998 M41, like a year before Guilliman's return.

 

 

 

So my short answer is that I wouldn't mind if all of them died, either attempting to cross the Rubicon Primaris or in battle, where Space Marines should die. I wouldn't mind if one survived, and I'm not really partial to any of them over others, with the possible exception of Ezekiel (I have a think for psykers). Realistically, any/all of them could be replaced since most are just representations of roles, and those roles could easily be filled by up and coming Primaris battle-brothers.

I'm betting, though, that I'm going to be disappointed and that GW is going to convert pretty much all of the existing special characters into embiggened versions. 

 

I expect we'll see this with most of them. However, there's a really big conflict with the Fallen coming up, and I wouldn't be surprised if a couple didn't walk away from that.

 

As much as I would like to see him get a model, I do not think Sapphon will survive. My guess is Asmodai will replace him as the head of the Reclusiam. If they replace Azrael, I would like to see Belial step up to chapter master.

Edited October 10, 2020 by WrathOfTheLion

[Guest MistaGav]

If they could only do one then Azrael as he's the main boy and his model is so tiny. In an ideal world I'd love to see Azrael, Asmodai and Ezekial all done as we would have a triplet of captain/chaplain/librarian special characters in one.

[Gederas]

I'd honestly prefer is Asmodai dies.

 

The dude has caused more problems for the Dark Angels than not.

[aura_enchanted]

Azreal and Ezekiel as both are as old as chaplain lucifers battle honors..

[bevulf]

Azrael, Asmodai and Ezekiel are part of the Dark Angels lore since 2nd edition so I do not think GW will kill any of them.

They are as iconic to DA as Marneus, tigurius to ultramarines, Dante, Mephiston, corbulo to Blood Angels, Ragnar, Ulric to SW etc.  I suppose we will see all of them crossing the rubicon eventually. I am not sure however if we see any of them with ther release of the new codex. GW haven't released primaris cassius or Sicarius with the codex launch and I thought at least one special character will accopmany the codex release. Last time with ritual of the damned GW had excellent occasion to introduce primaris azrael or any other special character but they instead chose to give us new character. I fear that this time too we will be left with no new primaris azzy/ezek/asmo. I hope i am wrong as I'd love to see them primarised...  

Edited October 10, 2020 by bevulf

[Berzul]

Belial and Sammael would be my best bets. Belial more than Sammael.

 

Why Sammael? Because we have received a completely revamped Ravenwing model range. We now have new bikers, new speeders, new attack bikers (well.... ATVs, but still). I can certainly see a Codex Suplemment in early 2021 bringing in new Primaris units to fill the roles of the remaining parts of the Ravenwing, but even if they don't, the 2nd company of our army can be fielded now exclusively as Primaris, given the range. All we lack is the Company Master as a Primaris.

 

But, I think it will most likely be Belial. Why? Because we already have the revamped Ravenwing model range. So, what is left? Well, the Deathwing model range, of course! All we have right now is Bladeguard and the Redemptor Dreadnought, to go in Deathwing colors. I would expect a Codex Supplement in early 2021 bringing in the Bladeguard Champion, the Bladeguard Apothecary, and a new form of Terminator Primaris. All of it led by a Rubicon-ed Belial.

[bigtrouble]

I’d love to see a new Azrael model, as I’m sure most would. But if I had to pick one character as most likely to survive the Rubicon, it would be Asmodai

[Berzul]

Well, it would make sense.

 

Blood Angels got a Librarian, Space Wolves got a Captain, and we would be getting a Chaplain.

[WrathOfTheLion]

We got a captain already as well, with Lazarus. Although I found it odd that, given the agedness of many of our kits, they did not replace one of those in PA.

[Berzul]

We got a captain already as well, with Lazarus. Although I found it odd that, given the agedness of many of our kits, they did not replace one of those in PA.

Lazarus is a new names character. I am talking about old names characters being primarized.

[jaxom]

Assuming the characterization from the Thorpe trilogy, War of Secrets, and The Test of Faith is carried forward into the new codex then it won't be Belial or Asmodai. They're too conservative and too distrustful of Primaris and Cawl-based anything. Sapphon was the most accepting, Ezekial more on a case-by-case basis. I don't remember off-hand what Sammael thought. Azrael tried to look at all their views (as he felt was his role as Chapter Master). 

 

I think what it will actually come down to is the concept team. I think they probably had to work up sketches of a Primaris version of each special character and then one of those was chosen for further development based on "wow factor."

 

Here's my wishlist in a world where I control all DA lore advancement, kits, and codex choices:

• Asmodai get's Dreadnoughted, giving us the only non-FW Chaplain dreadnought kit.
• Belial stays alive and Firstborn because someone has to and he'll eventually die once Terminators are taken off their pedestal.
• A new Ravening sprue is developed (packaged with a multi-part Outrider sprue) and it includes the bits needed to assemble a multi-part Outrider into Primaris Sammael on a grav-bike.
• Azrael doesn't get a new kit, but the lore advances that he's started to groom a successor who isn't part of the pre-existing factions because a Chapter Master from either is a bad idea. Give that character a trilogy of books to get them established and by the time they are all published there can be a new codex and Azrael can be replaced.

[Bryan Blaire]

I'm there with Brother Tyler - I'd have preferred if none of them had crossed the Rubicon for any Chapter.

 

However, since GW clearly is going a different way, Azrael or Ezekiel would be my choices.

[Syphid]

Belial, Asmodai and even Sammael are too recent a sculpt to replace. Azrael and/or Ezekiel. Ezekiel would keep the trend of Chief Librarians getting primarisified. I would throw money at a gritty sculpt of the old DA Ezekiel codes art like they did with Mephiston.

[Inquisitor Eisenhorn]

Belial, Asmodai and even Sammael are too recent a sculpt to replace. Azrael and/or Ezekiel. Ezekiel would keep the trend of Chief Librarians getting primarisified. I would throw money at a gritty sculpt of the old DA Ezekiel codes art like they did with Mephiston.

I don't think the "old" rules apply in terms of when a model may get an update anymore.  With everything fully moved to CAD designed models and older models that exist in a limbo state of "resin" after pulling back on the "finecast" branding, I don't think that GW would balk at just updating a model like Asmodai or Ezekiel. 

 

What gets updated when feels so utterly arbitrary that I strongly suspect that what gets updated has so much more to do with the whims of the design team than anything else.