Space Marines are Games Workshop’s favorite Warhammer 40k faction, and Primaris Lieutenants are Games Workshop’s favorite Space Marines. Or at least, that’s what the numbers suggest: there are thirteen distinct Primaris Lieutenant kits, most of them still in production, and we’ve listed them all here to prove it.
This apparent favoritism has given the Primaris Lieutenant a degree of infamy. While other Warhammer 40k factions have languished for decades with out-of-date kits – Eldar players, we feel your pain – it sometimes feels like GW can’t wait to spring another Primaris Lieutenant on the world. A Primaris Lieutenant is even the main character of the narrative in the Warhammer 40k 10th edition launch box set!
Love them or hate them, here’s our guide to every Warhammer 40k Space Marine Primaris Lieutenant in 2023:
Primaris Lieutenants in Mk10 Tacticus Armour
Dark Imperium Lieutenant with master-crafted power sword
Warhammer 40k eighth edition launched with the Dark Imperium starter set, which came with two Primaris Lieutenant’s: the first of the pair was armed with a master-crafted power sword and bolt pistol.
Dark Imperium Lieutenant with auto bolt rifle
The second lieutenant in the Dark Imperium starter set for 8th edition 40k was armed with a master-crafted auto bolt rifle. Neither Dark Imperium lieutenant is currently on sale, but both were reissued attached to issues of Conquest magazine by Hachette.
Blood Angels Lieutenant Tolmeron
The Blood Angels Lieutenant Tolmeron is equipped with a master-crafted power sword and bolt pistol. He’s sold on his own.
Dark Angels Lieutenant Zakariah
The Dark Angels Lieutenant Zakariah is equipped with a master-crafted power-sword and plasma pistol. He’s sold as a standalone model.
Space Wolves Primaris Lieutenant
The Space Wolves Primaris Lieutenant snorts derisively at the Codex Astartes, and goes to war armed with a special-issue bolt carbine and master-crafted Power Axe. You’ll find him in the Space Wolves Combat Patrol box.
Primaris Lieutenant with power sword
The most basic of all Primaris Lieutenants, Games Workshop sells a Primaris Lieutenant armed with a master-crafted power sword and bolt pistol as a standalone model.
Indomitus Lieutenant
Warhammer 40k ninth edition’s launch box Indomitus introduced a Primaris Lieutenant armed with a neo-volkite pistol, master-crafted power sword, and storm shield. This mini is still available in ninth edition Warhammer 40k starter sets, and also came attached to the cover of issue one of Hachette’s Imperium magazine.
Strike Force Agastus Lieutenant
The Strike Force Agastus box set is led by a multipart Primaris Lieutenant. This model can be equipped with a bolt or plasma pistol, and a master-crafted power sword or power first. Expect this model to be available separately before too long.
Primaris Lieutenants in Phobos Armor
Primaris Lieutenant in Reiver Armor
The Primaris Lieutenant in Reiver Armor is armed with a master-crafted special issue bolt pistol, combat knife, and wears a spooky Reiver mask. The model is sold on its own.
Warhammer 40k 10th edition Leviathan Phobos Lieutenant
The Warhammer 40k 10th edition Leviathan launch box comes with a veteran Phobos Lieutenant, armed with combat knives and a combi flamer. He’s the focus of the narrative for the box, a Space Marine survivor from a failed strike force against the Tyranids, with the scars and trophies to prove how hard he is.
Primaris Lieutenant in Phobos Armor
Originally part of the Shadowspear box set and now leading the Space Marines Combat Patrol box, the Primaris Lieutenant in Phobos Armor wields a Master-crafted Occulus Bolt Carbine and paired combat blades. His grav-chute allows him to deep strike onto the battlefield.
Limited Edition Primaris Lieutenants
Primaris Lieutenant Amulius
Primaris Lieutenant Amulius was originally planned to be an event exclusive miniature for early 2020. Grandfather Nurgle had other ideas, and COVID restrictions cancelled many events he might have been available from, so Games Workshop made him available as a made-to-order Mail Order exclusive figure. He’s armed with a master-crafted power sword.
Primaris Lieutenant Calcius
Primaris Lieutenant Calcius of the Ultramarines was the exclusive miniature that came with episode five of Conquest magazine, published by Hachette.
500th store Lieutenant
Games Workshop released a limited edition 500th store lieutenant to celebrate the opening of its Hong Kong retail location. Armed with a master-crafted stalker bolt rifle, this model was only available on Saturday 20th October 2018
Primaris Lieutenant rules
In Warhammer 40k 9th edition, Space Marine Lieutenants – whether Primaris or Firstborn – project a 6” aura of Tactical Precision. This grants Core Space Marine units rerolls on to-wound rolls of one, a useful force multiplier.
In Warhammer 40k 10th edition, Lieutenants will have the Leader core ability, allowing them to join other units. The units they can join are restricted, depending on the armor that they’re wearing: a model in Mk. 10 Tacticus armor (the basic Primaris armor) can’t join a unit wearing heavy Gravis or lightweight Phobos armor.
In addition, Lieutenants will be able to join the same unit as a Space Marine Captain, breaking the normal limit of one Leader per squad.
Space Marine Lieutenants lore
Space Marine Lieutenants command a demi-company of Space Marines, approximately fifty battle brothers, plus support from the Techmarine cadre. Two Lieutenants answer to a Company Captain.
The rank of lieutenant did not exist for most of the Space Marines’ 10,000 year-long service history, and was only added to the Codex Astartes by the Ultramarines Primarch Roboute Guilliman after his resurrection at the end of the 41st millennium. He added the role in a package of military forms that accompanied the Ultima founding which brought the Primaris Space Marines into service.
That explains why every Space Marine Lieutenant model is a Primaris Lieutenant – but not why there are quite so many of them.
Source: Wargamer
