Board Thread:Warhammer 40k General Discussion/@comment-112.207.234.222-20160507120912/@comment-44278840-20191031092709

Just adding some thoughts a few months after the debate:

Primarily it depends on the kind of strength you're speking about, so let's detail the ones mainly characterizing the Primarchs.

Martially speaking:

Lion was beaten a first time by Curze at the beginning of Thraman Crusade, and won twice against the Night Haunter after this; when he faced Russ, they fought during a day and a night before Russ began laughing. And then came the sucker punch, after the fight. So I consider Lion as slightly superior to Curze and equal to Russ in a classic duel situation, which is pretty high amongst the Primarchs. But Russ is the executioner, and then the best in a fight to death, so for me the best swordsman of them all (before the daemon ascending of the traitor Primarchs), maybe excluding Sanguinius, even more under the Red Thirst. Even Angron is a little bit inferior to the Wolf King, as his "berserk mode" makes him strategically unconscious, while Russ remains aware even in anger. Fulgrim could also be very highly ranked, having decapitated one of his brothers in 1v1 and mortally wounded another one.

Physically speaking, Vulkan is by far the best, with probably Morty behind him, and I'm not even taking account of his immortality.

Psychically, Magnus dominates all others (even his fellow daemonic brothers gifted with brand new powers). They aren't even at his ankle's height. So without nulls around he would be able to beat any other Primarch, including Russ and Sanguinius (remember the Sister of Silence's detachment on Prospero). He's also one of the smartest (perhaps one of the greatest geniuses would be more appropriate, when seeing their global intelligence level), which is a strenght of its own.

About the tactical aspect, Guilliman is the best at meticulously planning a war, with given resources and conditions, but Lion is better at adapting his plans to any situation. Speaking of Guilliman, he's martially not the best (nearly killed by Fulgrim) and the only things making him alive are the courage of his Legion, of Cadia's survivors, and his stasis field (if you're mortally wounded but alive, you'll still be alive after 10 millenaries in stasis, whatever your constitution is). And a few Eldars serving their own interests. And Cypher, also (I stop here). Alpharius/Omegon, Corax and Curze also excel in their own domains, and Jaghatai Khan is brilliant but most often underestimated (underrated guy, even by his brothers, which, being intentionnal, shows even more his talent).

Finally Horus is the most well-balanced of them, except his planet-sized (or should I say system-sized?) ego, a big weakness exploited on Davin. He's also the second best politician after Sanguinius, who's then superior to him in any point (except at fighting when Horus was empowered by the 4 Chaos Gods, but it's cheating at this level).

So among our beloved sociopathic, all flavours of weird and Warp-tainted demigods, I would say Sanguinius is the "strongest", tying up with Magnus (but slightly, very slightly, superior). Then come Horus (before Davin), Lion, Vulkan and Leman Russ (in undetermined order), in my opinion.

Edit: Sorry, but... Pavé César