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Do you name your models? I have seen others do it and I have nicknames for a lot of my guys, but does it annoy yo when people do this, or is it just part of the fun?

Depends. I like to try and name my units of Guard or BA with fluffy like names. For example, I refer to the Veterans attached to my Harker as "Harker's Hooligans" (they're modded with 3rd party ANZAC hats), or my BA dreadnought I've named "Kale" after the Sgt who survived in the short story "Heart of Rage". I rather like it when someone makes the same effort. However non-fluffy names for models like "Buttmunch" and "StarDood" annoys me to no end.

Naming models? Do whatever you like with the fluff. Since this is posted in P&M, though, I assume you're specifically referring to painting/writing those names on the physical models. In that case, I'm all for subtly adding names to the little plaques and banners that adorn power armor, personalized heraldry on shields or flags, name or slogan graffiti scrawled across Ork vehicle panels... anything of that nature. Adds character and grounds the models more fully within their own universe.

Names painted in white on black base rims (or any variation thereon - that's just the most common, from what I've seen), though, I find tacky. Breaks any suspension of disbelief (base rims are there to be ignored) and is difficult to apply artfully. A name/title painted on a display model's socket (or painted/engraved on an attached plaque) is a different animal, in my mind.

Do whatever you want with your own models, of course, but I personally prefer it kept subtle or restricted to fluff.

The side of my rhino has BST = Big Slow Target written on the side, (a joke on it's real name BST = Beta Squad Transport) but ya, I meant on the underside of bases and the like.

I am reworking my space marines and have been painting numbers on the bottom of their bases. I plan to keep a log with their numbers, (maybe names too) and their in game exploits/failures.

That's a cool idea! I might do the same!

We had a member of our FLGS League (yeah, you Dave) do a Templar Army. Each model was named after one of the guys who regularly played. Kind of a cool honor.
I used to put a big Band-Aid on the bottom of my Tanks with a 1960s Batmanish "OOF" or "OUCH" or somesuch written on it. When my tank died I turned it upside down exposing the comedic touch to my opponent.

So yeah, naming your guys is really cool (and if someone goes to the extent of naming each model they will probably take more care in the painting also)...within restraint. While a "Private Parts" or "Major Wood" or "General Whartz" or even "Lord Richard Cranium" can add comic relief; it can get taken too far and too vulgar... Children play this game also.

I've named every Officer/Sergeant and kept a tally of their feats in my IG army. It makes the game more interesting and enjoyable to keep track of them while I'm playing.

I don't bother naming my Marines because its common for them to end up situations where Guardsmen would appear absurdly lucky and heroic. You tell me what's impressive, a Tactical Marine or two charging towards a squad of Firewarriors and breaking them or my Veteran Sergeant throwing a demo charge over an ADL, surviving overwatch, killing two Firewarriors and sweeping them.

And that's not even the best I've had him do.

All my dudes are called burt. True story.

Yes, every Guardsmen I own is named Dead. The HQ is Colonel Dead and the Expendable retinue!

My brother asked me to make a model 'in his image' ... I have a fairly twisted sense of humour so ....I made this guy.



My brother's Name is Leroy, and he found no humour in the pose ... not sure what the problem was.

When I was putting together my Death Company Dreadnoughts I was trying to come up with the bloodthirsty-est name for the pair that could ever be bestowed upon two fearsome blender dreads of carnage. Mortals shiver when I speak their names. Vlad, you ask ... no no no that name does not instill fear. Hannibal you say? Again ... not enough to scare a puppy. Freddie or Jason? Nay ... these names would not make a child piss the bed at night. Then it came to me.

I present to you ...





Eli and Levi ... the Amish Dreadnoughts. If that does not strike fear into your very soul ... then you are already a Space Marine and obviously Know No Fear.

That. is. awesome. and how do you make those models so shiny? : O

I clearcoat them with Krylon Satin finish ... I am lazy and refuse to do hard lines and in my minds eye when the Windwalkers go to war it is always raining. Which is rather funny because I refuse to work in the rain (We call it getting rained out and only get 2 hours show up time on those days), I hate the rain so much I take a bath everyday.

I name characters and sometimes a unit will get a name if I've based it off fluff or it's done some crazy-ass heroic deed in a battle report.
Tend not to name each and every guy though. Or write their names on the base...

All the Tanks get a name.
troops only get one if they do something cool. Like a 1 2 punch that takes down a heldrake. My command squad melta and plasma gunner got that honor and got named (in tribute to RvB, its lieutenant Simons and private Grif). Commanders usually get named unless they are the nameless platoon command ones.


If I can help it, the name is painted onto the hull of the tank somewhere. some don't have it but are distinct enough that they don't need it. Like the "RailDriver" Railgun Tank (Laser Destroyer tank hunter)
most recent is a Medusa named Sucker Punch, which has its name painted on the side of its armored casemate in white to stick out from the red and black hull.

I think giving your models names is fine. I often try and give conversions names as a distinct type of the unit. For example my recent Gore Bringer is a Forgefiend based mostly off a Soulgrinder/Defiler chasis.

One thing I don't like is people writing the names on the base trim. I think it's because I like seeing a a nice solid colour on the trim of a base. That's probably some kind of weird OCD though and it doesn't bother me that much.

I'm not a fan of names on base trim either. It always looks messy or just not right in general

i used to, realised it was terribad. The only naming I did after that point is to identify my squads, so that casualties were removed correctly, etc.

I name nearly all my heroes in my armies, and for my Space Marines I even have names for the Sergeants of my Sternguard and Vanguard squads, and my command squad Chapter Champion as well. I think having named characters makes the battle so much more intense and their victories all the sweeter

I like it when people name their models, but I'm not creative enough to come with a name that does the model justice

Unless you count Gerald, the extra tactical marine. He features in every battle, never shooting or assaulting, or doing any damage until the other player notices. Usually they have a sense of humour

I don't game, but I still like the idea of naming certain characters within my army. I don't go so far as to name each and every marine, but on the other hand I do name all my sergeants, characters, dreadnaughts and commanders and even went as far as to writing a short story (well, 2 thirds at least) for my Chaplain, and a small amount of fluff for each member of my command squad. Call it OCD, but in the absence of any interest for the game itself, I focus more on fluff and modelling.

If I play a game and a model does something memorably awesome, I give it a name. Unfortunately, the names I use are usually the same as existing characters in the fluff. (ex. Ultramarine tank commander Cronos is also a Salamander Captain). I don't actually write the name on the model though.

If its not nobz,HQ or a vehicle I don't name them.Can you imagine someone naming all the models in grotide?

I have dreadnoughts named Bill, Ted and Rufus. One or two of my better painted models are also named as they are HQ units and the like. I've used several Greek names as well as favourite scifi characters etc.

I have a shotguncultist champion named "Lord Iron-coat the destroyer" named him that after he somehow managed to kill three terminators by himself. (he had 3 boons by this point, multiboon)