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I see it a lot, magnetize to increase options, and yeah it's cheaper of course but honestly I hate magnets I'd rather buy two of the same kit and build them different ways then magnetize "for options".....

It just seems a strange concept to use the same model and just swap weapons or arms for a new build in between games.
Am I the odd man out here?

Short answer.....yes.

It depends for me. Money and time and space are all issues for me and so I'd rather make one thing that I can use as two or more variants, instead of having a bunch of spares laying around.

Rather than having 3 predators with sponsons and 3 predators without sponsons, I'd much rather have 3 predators that can be either.

I wonder if you mean this more on the level of infantry. I could see picking up an extra special weapon guy instead of using magnets. For marines, I like magnets. For guard, I'd probably just rather get the extra guy.

I doubt you are alone, but I cannot find myself in your camp goodsir

Actually i honestly have a bit of a problem with magnetizing, as magnets on small/medium models like crisis suits and infantry tend to be a bit weak when stressed and unsupported. but for vehicles i cant live without it

For Me and IMHO:

Tanks / Walkers / MCs / Fliers / Skimmers - definitely! It is a boon to the hobby! Epsecially Biomorphs on Tyranid MCs. Gotta love that WYSIWYG.

Infantry - whole arms and large addons like CML , not weapons in hands....just far too fiddly and taking it a little too far...

What, you don't like the play with the equivalent of posable action figures?

It's a necessary evil. With such expensive models it's far cheaper to switch around the weapons / arms of models or tank weapons instead of having a model of each. Or more if you want more than one model with one weapon configuration.

But I think it's only worth it for Elite infantry and up. Normal infantry, meh, not that bad to have plenty of models

I don't bother with magnets.

I can see why they are good, but I don't use them.

the only thing i hate more than putting in magnets is painting extra options.

it makes sense for some vehicle weapons beside that no.

2x210 wrote:
I see it a lot, magnetize to increase options, and yeah it's cheaper of course but honestly I hate magnets I'd rather buy two of the same kit and build them different ways then magnetize "for options".....

It just seems a strange concept to use the same model and just swap weapons or arms for a new build in between games.
Am I the odd man out here?

No. I don't hate them but I don't use them. I like playing painted which means I just don't have access to all the options. I get why people love them but it just hasn't been a biggie for me. It means in some cases I will only have 1 wraith knight build out bc I don't plan to buy more but that is ok by me.

When I was first shown magnets and how they work (with models xD) I really didn't like the idea at all. I guess the idea of something not being permanently stuck on bothered me to some level. However, after seeing all the possibilities and money saving opportunities I quickly jumped on board. It's always a bonus on vehicles with weapon destroyed results, you can actually remove the weapon!

As already mentioned a few times, it's a godsend on larger models and especially things that have many wargear upgrades (IE Dreadnaughts, Rhinos into razorbacks, whirlwinds ect)

You're certainly not alone in your mentality, some of my friends also hate magnetizing.

Im seriously considering making the jump into magnetizing myself. Normaly I always assemble my kits in the coolest looking way regardless of what its rules are but these new wraithguard kit have like 4 different loadouts. The wraithgun, d-scyth look close enough that I'll just let my opponent know which it is.
I think i might magnetize the ghostwords on my wraithblades so I can take them off and put the axe and shield on. Should be a simple operation I hope. probably turn into a nightmare

If I get a wraithknight I will magnetize for sure

Yah your definately not alone. I just don't see any reason not to magnetize. I magnetize as much as possible because you get tons of options in kits nowadays that makes it hard to decide what's good or not initially. If your magnetized its easy to switch out. So for me it's a money, time, and effort saver. I've also gotten to a point where I can magnetize a space marine arm in like 2 minutes flat so it's extremely easy for me to just do it. If you haven't done tons of magnetizing I can see why you'd shy away from it z


Edit: like for example when 6th edition dropped last year and people realized power fists weren't great anymore all my friend were clipping their models. I just switched the arms out in 2 seconds.

I have to say that I magnetized the main weapon on my Riptide and don't regret doing it (even though I messed up and put a magnet in sideways so my ion accelerator doesn't sit right), but it was incredibly nerve wracking to be doing a custom pose and drilling holes in a $80 model the first time I've ever assembled it.

On vehicles and larger kits, I'll magnetise.

On infantry - too much hassle to bother with.

That's the main reason I ended up with 140 space marines with various weapons. Enough to outfit a company of marines and STILL have certain specials and heavies left over - but I only had 6 tanks (I don't regard Rhinos as tanks - if anything, calling them a "track" is closer to it).

 chromedog wrote:
On vehicles and larger kits, I'll magnetise.

On infantry - too much hassle to bother with.

That's the main reason I ended up with 140 space marines with various weapons. Enough to outfit a company of marines and STILL have certain specials and heavies left over - but I only had 6 tanks (I don't regard Rhinos as tanks - if anything, calling them a "track" is closer to it).

This is me as well. I think I have one infantry model with magnets. I added some to my chaplain so he can have a jump pack/bolt pistol, or be on foot with a c-flamer to run as Cassius. Wait, I also have the ML scout. The kit comes with a whole extra upper half, so all you need is a magnet at the waist for a swap. But the people who magnetize devastators are just a little bit crazy. Spare marines don't cost that much.

But a lot of tanks have multiple good options, and I like the flexibility to switch, without plunking down another $60.

Some things, like dreadnought arms, can be dry swapped. The pegs are tight enough to hold the arms on, so you can just swap them around with no fuss. Sticky poster tac can also work as a magnet substitute.

Vehicles, MC's, some terrain, and some Warbosses are magnetized...rest just build and convert extra models as needed


Automatically Appended Next Post:
That is not to say I like doing this it is a necessity

Try playing Tyranids. You absolutely have to magnetize. If we hadn't done so, we'd have been completely stuffed when 6th edition came out.

Apart from allowing versatility, for codex changes or a one-off match, magnets allow you flexibility when drawing up army lists - swap tervigon crushing claws for regular talons, and you can squeeze another ymgarl in. Don't know what we'd do without them.

Unfortunately, our 'nid warriors are all magnetized to cater for all loadouts... and are still useless.

I agree to some of the poster before me: It depends.

For example I magnetized my XV8 Commander and a three suit XV8 squad with 4 weapon slots each. Those Tau suits are modular by concept and - although I did not play that often, yet - I seldom used the same loadout and did not regret to magnetize them.
At present I'm doing similar with my Riptide by magnetizing his main weapon and plan to at different options to place the secondary weapon system (e.g. if ion accelarator mounted: plasma or fusion on jetpack or offhand. But it burst cannon is used, they'll be slung under the main weapon). I as well work on my first XV88 with completely changeable weapon systems (main, secondary and seeker missile).

Another thing I did with magnets is my Ariadna Highlander Cateran:
There's a 3mm magnet in his bottom and another one in the sand bag on the custom 25mm base. This way I keep the option to as well use him on his original 40mm scenic (correct English word?) in the future, if I like to.

I think magnets are important, but only in certain circumstances.
Magnetizing tanks, giant stuff (wraithlords and larger) and really giant stuff (reavers, etc) is really useful for transportation and WYSIWYG. I also magnetize easy weapon options (ie tau battlesuit guns). Difficult magnetizations can be amazing, like the new eldar flyer.
Magnetizing small models, even space marines, I see as an issue. Drooping arms and shoulders don't seem worth the cost savings. If you find yourself using a particular loadout, I'd recommend building it, not magnetizing. Pinning is sometimes a viable option though.
Theres also a grey area: should I magnetize my wraithguard? What about terminators? Generally, things on a large base are kind of up in the air. I can see heavy weapon squads for IG as really useful for magnetization.
Long and short of it is: would it make the model easier to transport, or am I using a bunch of different weapon options?

Why on earth you wouldn't like magnets on your models? Why not magnetize dreadnought arms and be able to easily use all the weapons? Tell me it is logical to buy lets say 6 x wraithknights so I can have all options covered. I dare you

We have two really good reasons to love magnets.

1)Possible Combinations x models price = huge cost. I cant imagine buying 10 different wraithlords or war walkers in order to have all weapon combinations available. I just cant justify the cost when with some magnets and a little modeling I can achieve the same result.

2) GW changes rules quite often. My GK terminators where armed with halberds. After 6th I am obliged to include a lot more thunder hammers. Chopping perfectly good and painted models isn't my kind of thing so I am glad all weapon options on termis where magnetized.

Magnets are our best friends both play wise (I like to have my models armed correctly cause it helps both me and my opponent enjoy the game) and money wise (seriously GW price our reaching outer space in a while).

Saying that you either use magnets or you build duplicate kits is a false choice. There are other options out there.

For example, I like to use mechanical, rather than electrical means to hold things in place. There's a variety of ways you can do pinning and other friction ways to hold things in place.

As a more recent example from myself, I have some leman russes, and all of them have swappable turret weapons just by remaking how they mount into the turret.

Yup, it depends.

For infantry, magnets work great for stuff like backpacks (Assault Squads and Strike Squads), fiddly bits you don't trust won't break during transport, like banners, and expensive stuff you can't justify having duplicates of, like terminators. They also make GK terminators (which are usually a little unwieldy) fit in a foam case better. I'm not going to bother magnetizing every last meltagun or close combat weapon though. I feel like that kind of stuff is good for an edition, so then it's worth redoing the model by that time.

For vehicles though, it's a must. If I use at least 4 razorbacks, I'm not going to want to have every permutation of those 4 razorbacks just in case I want to change what weapons I'm using.

I use magnets extensively, mainly because i just don't want to have to buy duplicates of so many models.

With that being said, i don't magnetize normal infantry, but i do magnetize sgts, hq's, special weapons on bikes, assault squad backpacks, etc..

And i've magnetized almost everything vehicle and monstrous creature wise in my eldar army along with support weapons and platforms in guardian squads. The game is just too finicky not to with changes.

And i am definitely happy i magnetized my Wraithknight.