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So here's the question. Is anyone else swayed into using models that look cool even though their rules kinda suck? For example, I never really liked the dreadknight I bought. Then I ripped off the GK hanging off the front and stuck a dreadnought front on it. Now that the model looks awesome, IMHO of course, I'm far more inclined to use it it my GK lists. Anyone have a similar story?

Yeah, my first army was an eldar army that had units 100% comprised of what I thought looked cool. Never won a game...

When I came back to 40k, I started a guard army, which, frankly, doesn't HAVE cool models. It's basically everything on a chimera chassis, or one of an endless number of guarsmen just holding different weapons. The addition of vendettas did change this slightly, but I'ven't seen to it to buy one myself.

The fact that I have a Grey Knights army at all was entirely motivated by the fact that the models looked impossibly cool; the new range has only helped on that front. I did buy a couple of Valkyries back in between the new Guard Codex and the new Grey Knights Codex to use with a fan Codex that basically took the old Daemonhunters and Witch Hunters lists and brought them in-line with 5e (and added the Deathwatch, who were the Codex Space Marines with a few extra rules), they've been gathering dust for a while now.

Fair enough. I guess I was just amazed at the 180' I did concerning the DK. They were a huge letdown for me when I read their rules. Then I change the way the model looks, more to my liking, and suddenly it's short comings seemed less detrimental.

Only reason i started grey knights was because I saw the DreadKnight model on the GW website a couple of weeks ago (id been off 40k for almost a year).

I had a couple conversion ideas I would like to do with it, but even as standard I actually like the whole "mechsuit" style it has. Though I am intrigued as to what it would look like with a dreadnought front on it instead....

But short answer is yes, I tend to go on a combination of looks and fun. Competitivness never really bothered me too much.
Dreadknights will be the mainstay of my GK force, the same as Incubi are a main component in my DE force. And its also the reason I have 2x Screamer-Killer 3rd.edition carnifexes in my old tyranid army

Death Korps Grenadiers, at least on paper they seem like an even more expensive Stormtroopers squad without the stormies special rules.

Eldar Rangers for me. They aren't necessarily "bad" but using an army with no troop choices other than rangers (something I've been known to do) often ends with them being assaulted or flamered to death.

I know that mandrakes for dark elder also have this problem. Totally awesome models, really sub-par rules.

I initially got into the necrons for the simple reason I liked the look of the models and I am talking mostly about the look of the C'tan and flayed ones mostly and the old wraiths as well...and now that the new stuff is out I like them even more even though a lot of people don't see them as competative...I still win with them and have fun painting them...

Always look.

I am the kind of man that buys some units just for how they look, as my standalone tau fire warriors (no tau army), or my Black reach Ork boss (no ork army). When talking about units in my armies... I won't buy chaos raptors because I don't like how they look. If they change the model, maybe I buy them, without looking their rules.

I have to say that I don't play very often, and when I do, I'm the least competitive man in the world. I just try to have fun with my fluffy army, even if it means losing every match. On the other hand, I prefer painting and most of it, converting.

I will personally play models that I've converted well/painted well over other things, simply based on how they look.

Same with rare models, you will see more thunderfire cannons, vespid, old CSM possessed, my custom nurgle demon weapon lord, and others over standard looking vehicles and infantry from me.

I have, bought some single models in the past just to paint them, most of the time though I just buy models i know i'm going to use

Pyrovores.

My plan is to use them as biovores instead.

Yeah, i have a few captain models i use. Like a jump pack with SS/TH
Or Jump pack with PW/ Combi weapon.

Phiasco II wrote:Is anyone else swayed into using models that look cool even though their rules kinda suck?

No, Do not gimp your army for roleplay.

I thought the whole point of this hobby was to find the units you think are fun, and make the models look cool.

Hence me spending too much money on this stuff; http://www.victorialamb.com/wugs/drookian%20gallery/highlandx15.htm

people get into this hobby for many reasons.

If you get into it for the gameplay aspect, then the models do not matter.

If you get into it for the modeling aspect then only the models matter.

If it is a mix, then buy the models you like, paint them how you like, but do not expect to win a lot with sup par units. you can win and have a lot of fun, but you should probably put any expectations of winning all tournaments you enter out of your head.

Generally I buy what I want to use based on rules, but I do have a few things that I got just because the model was cool. I run them from time to time just as an excuse to knock the dust off of them or for giggles.

I save the cool models for games I expect to lose. If I lose, I do it with the best looking force possible, also Deathstrikes are intimidating occasionally...

DeathReaper wrote:

Phiasco II wrote:Is anyone else swayed into using models that look cool even though their rules kinda suck?

No, Do not gimp your army for roleplay.

Hence the reason so many people hate this game and its players.

If you want to play a cool unit, play it! Some of your "more experienced" opponents may have never even seen some these units, and won't e able to criticize your "poor" choices until after the game is lost. Just because someone is using models or a unit that they like may not necessarily mean they are gimping, they may find a way to use itto their advantage when you are not looking...

DeathReaper wrote:but you should probably put any expectations of winning all tournaments you enter out of your head.

Someone who takes a unit because they enjoy the model/background isn't always expecting to win at the competitive level... By the same vein, someone who wins a tournament isn't necessarily having fun. Competitive and fun aren't mutually exclusive, as everyone on Dakka would have you believe.

Either way, I build my normal lists to include models I think look cool. Hell, I'll run possessed from time to time. Tournaments, though, not so much.

Ailaros wrote:
When I came back to 40k, I started a guard army, which, frankly, doesn't HAVE cool models

I wouldn't say nothing is cool, Cadians and Kasrkin are pretty nice looking, with their modern look that doesn't fit a stupid stereotype like Catachans, also certain forge world variants of the Vanquisher are badass. Hell I keep trying to get the courage to use the Vanquisher, but every time I come close I shake my head and say "I could never truly love you with those stats."

I run a full-on Haemonculi coven list (with proxied Grotesques until i can afford to make some..).

They are the weakest build in the dex, competitively speaking (i'm told..) but i love the Talos/Cronos models and my homebuilt igors far too much to leave them home

For a hardcore tournament (if i'm desperate to win rather than have fun ..rarely) i'll run somehting a bit more prone to winning, but for friendly games it's mad scientists all the way...


MAD SCIENTISTS
Mutter mutter mutter mutter
Mutter mutter mutter mutter
Mutter mutter mutter mutter
BLIND FOOLS, BLIND FOOLS!

... mutter mutter mutter
Mutter mutter mutter mutter
Mutter mutter mutter mutter
BLIND FOOLS, BLIND FOOLS!

... mutter mutter mutter
Mutter mutter mutter mutter
Switch, switch, Igor, throw the switch!

... mutter mutter mutter
Mutter mutter mutter mutter
Mutter mutter mutter mutter
BLIND FOOLS, BLIND FOO-

DR. MALLEVO
Silence!

This emergency assembly of Mad Scientists United
Is hereby called to order, or as close as we can get.
The first, last, and only item on today's agenda
Is, HOW COME WE HAVEN'T KILLED THE BLOODY SUPERHEROES YET!?

MAD SCIENTISTS
Well, it isn't very easy, given that they're superheroes,
They're invulnerable or armored or they're awful bloody fast,
And they're awful bloody smart.

PROFESSOR CARSTAIRS
Or they're awful bloody lucky,

DR. MALLEVO
How 'bout awful bloody dead! Is that so very much to ask?

MAD SCIENTISTS
Well, we don't work together very well.
We don't call each other on the phone,
Inspiration takes hold, and, if the truth be told,
We each want to get the glory on our own!

I've been working on a deathtrap that'll shred them in their skivvies,
I've built a giant laser that'll fry 'em where they stand,
I'll construct a transmutation gun to turn them into privies,
I've got a hundred-foot-long hero-smashing robot hand.

I've got a mind control device so strong Dick Cheney curtsied,
I've got a giant vacuum that'll suck away their breath,
I've got some earthquake pills that I can hide inside some birdseed,
I've got some exposition that'll bore them all to death.

We've got awful bloody plans for an awful bloody conquest
And awful bloody visions of an awful bloody fate
On so much we are divided, but in this we are united
It's those awful bloody heroes that we hate!

DR. MALLEVO
But HOW COME WE HAVEN'T BLOODY KILLED THEM YET!?

SIR WILFRED
Just wait.....

credits

from The Last Hero On Earth, released 26 May 2006

It's how I pick my armies.

Models I like, not how awesome their rules are.
It's probably also why I don't win many games (but I also don't care if I win or lose) but my refusing to use "tactics" on a beer and pretzels boardgame also probably doesn't help.

40k is all about moving counters around, rolling lots of dice and going "4+, I win", isn't it?

I picked my army by how awesome the rules were.

The Shokk Attack Gun has the most awesome rules ever written. Closely followed by "A grots life", "Don't press dat!" and Warpheads.

Started collecting dark angels because I liked the robed veterans and bought them. I buy what I will enjoy painting first and foremost.

My newly formed CSM army falls under this category....

I am running Typhus, because he looks cool, plaguemarines because I thought they look cool, I bought a GUO, 2 PLague Hulks, terminator conversion and PA conversion kits for my termies, and my Chaos Bikers

Yes, I am running a unit of bikers in a CSM army... they have the power armor plague marine conversion torsos and shoulders, and they look epicly sweet already (and Im still finishing up on the assembly of their choppers )

In my counts as Iron Snakes (basically when i run them out of the SW codex), I'll occasionally take lone wolves, because I have made quite a number of "HQ" models, and I want to field more of them... I know they arent the greatest thing in the book, but they are still fun to wreck things up abit.

Huron Blackheart, awesome model, bad rules.

I'm making an entire army based on this, my Word Bearers, with 3 units of lesser daemons and a greater daemon, and might include some possessed too.

Rule of looking cool is what defined my DE army. Venoms, reapers, and razor wings.

The army is just going to look cool, even if its not the apex of competitiveness.

Ensis Ferrae wrote:My newly formed CSM army falls under this category....

I am running Typhus, because he looks cool, plaguemarines because I thought they look cool, I bought a GUO, 2 PLague Hulks, terminator conversion and PA conversion kits for my termies, and my Chaos Bikers

Yes, I am running a unit of bikers in a CSM army... they have the power armor plague marine conversion torsos and shoulders, and they look epicly sweet already (and Im still finishing up on the assembly of their choppers )

In my counts as Iron Snakes (basically when i run them out of the SW codex), I'll occasionally take lone wolves, because I have made quite a number of "HQ" models, and I want to field more of them... I know they arent the greatest thing in the book, but they are still fun to wreck things up abit.

People will laugh at your bikers until they realise they are T6 (if you're sticking Mark of Nurgle on them). Then you shall have the last laugh!

MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!