Your guide to all the models that have been moved to Warhammer 40k Legends, their new rules, where to get them, and why they were retired.
Warhammer 40k Legends: Your Complete Guide to Classic Models & How to Keep Them in Play
Welcome to the realm of Warhammer Legends, where classic models never truly retire—they just take a step back from the competitive grind to sip some amasec and reminisce about their glory days. Whether you’re new to the 41st Millennium or you’ve been painting Space Marines since they had beakie helmets, there’s something undeniably nostalgic (and maybe a little heartbreaking) about seeing your favorite miniatures shift to Legends status.
Let’s be honest, we all have that one model gathering dust at the back of the shelf—whether it’s a chunky metal figure from the early days of the hobby or a cherished resin piece from Forge World. These older miniatures aren’t just plastic or metal, they’re battle-hardened relics of our past battles, painted with enthusiasm (and maybe a little too much glue). But as new editions come and go, many of these iconic models are moved out of the official game rosters. That’s where Warhammer Legends steps in.
Warhammer Legends acts like a retirement home for these veterans, giving them a place to shine, even if it’s not on the competitive circuit. It preserves their legacy, allowing you to keep fielding them in casual games, narrative campaigns, or for the pure joy of showing off your nostalgic collection. Since 2019, we’ve seen Games Workshop give a nod to these classic units with the 40k Legends tag, ensuring they’re not forgotten. Whether you’re a long-time player who remembers the days of metal Librarians or a newer fan curious about the legacy of older units, Warhammer Legends gives us a way to honor those models while still enjoying a game or two.
Warhammer 40k Legends Overview (2019-2024)
Why Models Move to Legends in Warhammer 40k
So, why does a model end up in Warhammer Legends? Well, it’s not because they’ve fallen out of favor with the Emperor! When Games Workshop introduces new editions or codices, some older models get phased out—mostly because they no longer fit into the current ruleset or, let’s be honest, aren’t selling as well as their newer, shinier counterparts.
For example, Forge World has always been home to some of the coolest and rarest models, but as the game evolves, certain units from this range inevitably get left behind. 40k Legends status doesn’t mean they’re gone forever, though. It’s more like a well-deserved break from active duty. Instead of getting scrapped, they’re preserved with special rules for narrative and casual games, keeping their legacy alive for those who’ve invested time (and money) into them.
The goal here isn’t just to phase out older models but to balance the game while giving these iconic pieces a chance to still participate in less formal settings. This way, your beloved Librarian Dreadnought can still lead the charge, just not in competitive play.
How to Use Warhammer Legends Models in Your Games
Can You Use Warhammer 40k Legends in Competitive Play?
Here’s where things get a bit technical. Warhammer 40k Legends models are fully legal in most games—most being the key word here. While they’re welcome in friendly or narrative settings (you know, the games where you and your mates debate lore while rolling dice), don’t expect to bring your ancient Imperial Guard regiments to official tournaments. Tournaments have stricter rules, and since Legends models aren’t part of the regular balance updates, they’re not allowed in competitive play. Check out the latest rules for Legends here.
But in all honesty, who needs a tournament when you can still crush your enemies with a classic Land Speeder in your living room? Casual games are where these Legends shine, letting you field armies packed with both new and old-school minis. Just be sure your opponent is cool with it—after all, no one likes surprises!
Legends Rules and Datasheets
Good news! If you’re worried about how to play with your 40k Legends models, Games Workshop has you covered. All the rules and datasheets you need are just a click away, freely available for download from the official Warhammer Legends page. These datasheets include all the points values and rules you’ll need to keep your beloved models in the fight. However, do keep in mind that while these rules won’t get the regular balancing updates that other units do, they’re solid enough for most games.
Each model’s datasheet is tailored to its Legends status, meaning it’s given a place of honor in narrative play, with appropriate rules for its age and abilities. So if you’re eager to dust off that ancient Rhino Primaris or unleash your Tyranid Bio-Titan, all the tools are there to make it happen.
In short, Warhammer 40k Legends keeps your old favorites from becoming forgotten relics, offering rules that allow you to wield them once more on the battlefield—where they belong.
Kill Teams Are Going To Legends & New Seasons (September 9th, 2024)
A new chapter has begun for Warhammer 40k Kill Team, and things are about to get tactical, thrilling, and, dare I say, a bit ruthless. With 33 kill teams standing at the ready, a total of 14 teams are going to Classified status (which means they are not being kept in the rules rotation or legal for tournaments). Currently, there are only 18 Kill Team items in total on the Games Workshop webstore that are still listed for sale- ouch!
Blood Angels Warhammer 40k Units Moved To Legends: (August 22nd, 2024)
Sure, seeing the likes of the Librarian Dreadnought and Captain Tycho take a step back into Legends is a bit like watching your favorite rock band announce they’re retiring their greatest hits from the setlist. But much like those iconic songs, these characters and units won’t be forgotten by the players who’ve brought them to life across countless battles. From what we can tell, this is everything moving to Legends for the Blood Angels. They’ll live on in narrative games, display shelves, and, who knows, maybe even in a future release when nostalgia kicks in.
More Tau Units Move To Legends: (May 8th, 2024)
Unfortunately, the Tau saw a large number of their units move to Legends. First, they lost some at the start of the 10th edition, and now, with their Codex book release, nearly all their Forge World units are gone but not forgotten! There are some pretty popular units in this list, and now it looks like only the AX-1-0 Tiger Shark, Manta, Ta’unar Supremacy Armor, and Tiger Shark are left as the current matched play legal Forge World Tau units for Warhammer 40k.
From what we can tell, this is everything moving to Legends, based on comparing the previous start of 10th Edition list to the new one.
Warhammer 40k: More Orks Units Move To Legends: (April 24th, 2024)
The Warhammer 40k Orks range took another hit as GW liquidated most of their Forge World and some of their plastic kits to the Legends list with the new codex. The good news is that Games Workshop gave all the Orks units moving to Legends new points and rules. Just remember, even if it’s in Legends, you can still use them in most games, just not in official GW tournaments.
From what we can tell, this is everything moving to Legends for the Orks, based on what’s missing in the Codex and in red on the Legends Field Manual. There are some pretty popular units in this list, and now it looks like only the Gargantuan Squiggoth is left as the current matched play legal Forge World Ork unit for Warhammer 40k.
Age of Sigmar: 2 Whole Factions, Skaven & Stormcasts To Legends: (April 4th, 2024)
For players of Beasts of Chaos or Bonesplitterz armies in Warhammer: Age of Sigmar, it seems that their time in competitive play may be coming to an end. Games Workshop is shifting the focus of these armies more toward the Old World setting, which means that these armies may no longer be supported in the 4th Edition of Age of Sigmar (well past 2025, anyway.)
On the other hand, Stormcast Eternals and Skaven armies have seen a significant increase in the number of units available to them. This has led some players to speculate that Games Workshop is treating these armies in the same way as the Primaris and Firstborn Space Marine armies in Warhammer 40k – by updating and expanding their ranges.
Stormcast Moving to Legends
Skaven Moving to AoS Legends
The instigators of the Vermindoom are also losing a number of old miniatures – many of which will be replaced with fantastic new ones in due course. But with this rataclysm still unfolding, none but the Grey Seers can predict where these replacements will fall. It’s safe to say that the Skaven still have plenty of tricks left up their ragged sleeves.
Any unit that doesn’t receive an updated warscroll when Battletome: Skaven drops will receive a Legends warscroll.
Again, many of these will just be getting new kits, so the move to Legends is more about the models than the rules themselves. On top of all of these, Bonesplitterz and Beasts of Chaos are completely out of the AoS range. Read More Here.
Space Marines Models Moving to Legends For 10th Edition: (July, 24th 2023)
Unfortunately, some iconic models are getting the axe this time, and some not-so-famous ones as well. Either way, GW says they will not be in the next codex and will be moved to Legends with free 10th Edition 40k rules or can be used as proxies for other units.
The Space Marine range is already HUGE, so to make room for the glorious new miniatures, we’re letting some of the longest-serving kits depart the range for a well-earned retirement.
Fans of Firstborn Space Marines should know no fear, though – contrary to heretical whispers in the noosphere, they’re not being erased from the 41st Millennium. The new Space Marines Codex still includes plenty of non-Primaris units, if that’s your preference. Tactical Squads will still be driving about in Rhinos, fighting under the covering fire of Devastator Squads, and so on.
While some of these units might have been in the index, they will not survive the first round of 10th Edition codex books. GW has often assured people that all of First Born will not be gone, but this list hits some of the longest-lasting units.
There’s some departing units, like the Thunderfire Cannon or Land Speeder, that won’t have an appropriate analogue in the new Codex – but their rules will just shift to Warhammer Legends and will be free to download here on Warhammer Community. This means you can keep using them in all your games, with the exception of competitive Warhammer 40,000 events like tournaments. In most cases, these rules will be similar (if not identical) to the ones in the recent Index deck.
If a unit doesn’t have an appropriate proxy, it will just be moved to Legends with similar rules to what they have now. Either way, it’s sad to see something like the Landspeeder or Scouts removed from the active product lineup. However, if you want yours, be sure to get them now before they are gone for good! Read More Here
GW Liquidates Tons of 40k Models to Legends: (May 18th, 2023)
The list of Warhammer 40k models moving to Legends comes from Warhammer Community.
The upcoming Leviathan box is packed with new Space Marines and Tyranids, including fantastic updates to some iconic units – Terminators, Sternguard Veterans, and a Ballistus Dreadnought. The arrival of these three in particular means certain older miniatures are entering Last Chance to Buy on the Games Workshop webstore – the Space Marine Dreadnought, the current Sternguard Veterans, and the current Space Marine Terminators.
Those who own these classic models needn’t worry – they can still find a place on the battlefields of the new edition of Warhammer 40,000, representing kits that are still supported (like the new Sternguard Unit). Specialist flavours of Dreadnought – such as the Librarian Dreadnought, the Wulfen Dreadnought, or the Venerable Dreadnought kit – aren’t going anywhere either.
It makes sense for the Terminators (as they are getting a new kit), and the Sternguard Veterans are also getting totally new models (but scaled up). However, the Dreadnought leaving means we might not see any non-Primaris dreads, other than specialist ones, in the new edition. Either way, if you like any of these older models, get them before they are gone.
Legends in 10th Edition Warhammer 40k
The good news for long-time collectors is that you will still be able to use many of your older miniatures in games of the new Warhammer 40,000. The new edition will support these units with comprehensive Legends rules, which will be available to download free online around the game’s release.
These are 100% official rules, with points, and we actively encourage you to use them in your games at home, in stores, clubs, and campaigns. Your classic units and characters are still awesome, and they deserve to see the battlefield every now and again.
Legends rules will not however be actively balanced* going forwards, so our recommendation is that these rules would not be suitable for competitive events.
Warhammer 40k Firstborn Models On The Way To Legends:
Not long ago, a ton of Space Marines hit the Last Chance to Buy List. However, a lot of these were actually in the index cards. So maybe they will stick around, or maybe when their actual codex drops, they might not be there. As we know, GW does not like to make rules for models it doesn’t sell. However, it’s way more than this.
GW didn’t say much about it when it happened other than that these models were leaving their webstore. If you look closely, you’ll see they are all Firstborn models, and we assume the ones that were not selling well.
So, while GW didn’t reveal much else about product rotations, it’s already happened a few times, and we don’t expect to see these models in the new edition.
Horus Heresy 40k Models Moved to Legends: (Oct 10th, 2023)
Here is the latest on Horus Heresy Legends Models free 10th Edition Warhammer 40k Index Cards rules downloads.
As with other Warhammer Legends units, these venerable vehicles are still usable in matched play and Crusade games of Warhammer 40,000, but they are not recommended for use in a competitive tournament setting.
As we said, you can still use these in home games, just not tournaments. So, if you love the models, you can use them with your friends, etc. If you don’t remember everything that was moved to Legends, here’s the list:
- Leviathan, Contemptor, and Deredeo Dreadnoughts
- Kratos, Sicaran, Spartan, Cerberus, and Typhon Tanks
- Certain variants of the Land Raider, the Vindicator, and the Whirlwind
- Xiphon Interceptors, Fire Raptors, Storm Eagles, and Storm Birds
- Legion Support Weapons
- Fellblades, Falcions, Mastodons
- Javelins, Dreadnoughts and Deathstorm Drop Pods
- Secutarii Hoplites and Peltasts, and Terrax-pattern Termites
- Decimators, Greater Blight Drones, Blood Slaughterers, Greater Brass Scorpions, Kytan Ravagers, the Kharybdis Assault Claw, and the Dreadclaw Drop Pod
Imperial Armour Units, Which are also in the Horus Heresy.
Horus Heresy Legends: Imperial Models
The rest of the models that will be hitting Legends come from Forge World, and there are a lot of them…
Talking of Legends, there’s also a bit of a shake-up happening to the Warhammer 40,000 range from Forge World. Quite a few classic resin kits will be entering Last Chance to Buy, and for those units that don’t have a contemporary analogue, they will also get Legends rules.
Inquisitors are getting the axe along with a bunch of lesser-known and supplement-specific Space Marine heroes. After that, Venerable Dreadnoughts and Contemptors are going away as well.
Chaos Models Moving to Legends
All the Forge World Greater Daemons are going away, but unfortunately, so are the Hell Talon and Hell Blade. These made up the majority of the Forge World Chaos model line; it’s sad to see.
Leaving the Range: Xenos Units
This is pretty spread out, with Drukhari, Necrons, Orks, and Tyranids all losing some. Orks have the most significant number of models going away from the looks of it. However, a few models are still safe, such as the Tantalus.
Already Gone Models
Certain Forge World products have already left the range – but people who own them will still get to use them with updated Legends rules.
There will still be Forge World units for Warhammer 40,000, but the focus for them will be on the really big stuff – like Titans, and other kits that we can’t reasonably produce at that scale (yet!).
Warhammer Legends Units & Models Archive
Here’s a comprehensive list of everything that has been moved to Legends since 2019 for Warhammer 40k before the introduction of Horus Heresy in 2022 and 10th Edition 40k in 2023.
Imperial Guard Characters
This is the most recent Legends model, and people were quite sad to see Yarrik go. However, we will probably see him again for sale at some point.
Creed was also absent in the newest book, but that only makes sense with the lore.
Imperial Guard Regiments
Some DKoK got reworked with the new Guard book, but other units, such as the Grenadiers, went to legends. However, they are not the only unit, and GW took away large swathes of them.
The Forge World Purge
In late 2020 all the Forge World models in the list above were moved to legends. That’s a lot of units being moved to the dumpster of sorts. While you’ll still be able to play with them as the edition moves forward, these will never be revisited.
Kind of sad, really, as some fantastic units are in there, especially since some of these were/are available not very long ago. Space Marines, Astra Militarium, and Tau took it really hard. While the entirety of the Renegades and Heretics were removed. There are too many here to list them one by one, but all we can say is that during this mini-rebranding period for Forge World, GW cut dozens of units off.
Legion of the Damned
This is still a favorite of many players, but GW doesn’t really feel the need for them in the game anymore, unfortunately…
Chaos Lord Options
The Chaos Lord used to be able to have all kinds of mounts! Not any longer, sadly.
Bonesinger
This seemed to be a very popular model, but Games Workshop decided to remove it from the game.
Uriah & Kyrinov
While both of these are quite old, they have never seen a ton of play. Perhaps like a lot of the models on here, they probably didn’t sell very well.
Characters on Bikes
There were a ton of characters on bikes, mainly Orks and Space Marines, and almost all of them went by the wayside.
Land Raider Excelsior
This was a short-lived tank, but it was really cool and gave out auras and buffs to your units.
Rhino Primaris
The Rhino Primaris was an interesting vehicle. It acted as a back-field home base for your units to camp by, not what you’d typically expect by hearing the word “Rhino.”
Big Gunz
While there are still Mek Gunz, the last time we saw Big Gunz was a while ago, and we don’t expect to see them again anytime soon, unfortunately…
So that is the lineup of all the models and miniatures units that have disappeared to Warhammer Legends so far! What are your thoughts on GW killing off this many units with the snap of their fingers?
Future of Warhammer Legends in 40k
The Warhammer Legends models hold a special place in the hearts of collectors and players alike. These models aren’t just old miniatures—they’re part of the history of the game and often come with a story or memory attached. They remind us of the time when Firstborn Space Marines led the charge, or when Ork players gleefully fielded their Forge World monsters without a second thought.
In a way, Warhammer 40k Legends is about keeping those stories alive. It’s an opportunity for players to continue using the models they love, even if they’re no longer part of the competitive scene. So whether you’re battling it out in a casual game or just displaying your cherished models on a shelf, Legends ensures they won’t be forgotten.
All the Latest Warhammer Rules & Model Rumors
Will you continue to play the Warhammer and 40k units, models, and miniatures that have gone to Legends?
About the Author: Travis Pasch
Travis Pasch
Job Title: Head Writer & Editor
Socials: @paschbass
About Travis Pasch: Travis has been a Warhammer 40k hobbyist since the 1990s, playing the game since Third Edition. Through extensive traveling, he’s seen a lot of the miniatures hobby from across the world, giving him a unique perspective on the latest gaming topics and trends.
Travis’s brother even owns a commission painting studio, where he’s picked up a lot of good advice and techniques for painting Warhammer and tabletop miniatures over the years, as well. Travis joined the Spikey Bits team in 2019 and has been the lead writer since 2020.
Currently, he’s working on converting all his 40k Adeptus Mechanicus models and becoming a true tech enjoyer, complete with both sad and happy robot noises!
