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I was thinking of coming up with a back story and the like for each of my models, from the grey hunter to the wolf lord, and I was wondering if anyone has done the same sort of thing.

Lots of folks do that.

There used to be a series of "Adopt a trooper" threads in General Discussion, where people listed all their models, and asked for community members to each select one member of one squad, name them, and flesh out their background, within certain limits.

I think those threads might not be allowed in Gen Discussion anymore, although I'm not sure what sub forum the mods eventually decided to put them in (or if they just got banned entirely).

Yeah.

Especially if you tell stories about your games. Invariably the stories need protagonists, and protagonists need names. The names then stick to the models. Voila, named models.

I have several named models, but, then, I do battle reports. I'm even writing a novel right now, featuring the first model I ever named. Some things just stick more than others.

Personally, I've named a few models (SM Sergeants, my Wraithlord, the Caltrop bearer in my Reavers) but I try to keep it limited to a few, so it doesn't get to be too complicated to remember. (I have five armies at the moment, picking up a sixth.)

Senior Officers get named so that every one of my armies has a character leading them. I usually come up with a back story for my characters when thinking about the story. I also give names to minor characters if they'll get speaking roles in the narrative batreps I'll eventually write once I eventually paint my army which I eventually will finish when I eventually stop buying minis for other armies. I will not name each of my guardsman or "Auxilliary" officers like Farseers or Lord Commissars unless they do something cool.

Such as Lord Commissar Gabe Castiel who defeated an Iron Warriors Cataphracti Terminator with naught but a stick in a challenge. He even got a new model, a power sword and a Plasma Pistol!

Yup, happens alot. Personally I have four, my Commander and my platoon commanders. For a example my regiment's commander is Lady Artisma Vorrad, The Iron Duchess.

I have a very simple system to number all my Kriegsmen in a proper way.

 TheCustomLime wrote:
Senior Officers get named so that every one of my armies has a character leading them. I usually come up with a back story for my characters when thinking about the story. I also give names to minor characters if they'll get speaking roles in the narrative batreps I'll eventually write once I eventually paint my army which I eventually will finish when I eventually stop buying minis for other armies. I will not name each of my guardsman or "Auxilliary" officers like Farseers or Lord Commissars unless they do something cool.

Such as Lord Commissar Gabe Castiel who defeated an Iron Warriors Cataphracti Terminator with naught but a stick in a challenge. He even got a new model, a power sword and a Plasma Pistol!

I am going to have to start doing that, I like the idea.

I only give models names if they manage to do something incredible in game or if it's converted. That way, I can remember them much easier and the "prove yourself in battle" thing kind of makes it more of an honor (and more of an incentive to perform crazy tactics).

I have names for most of my custom HQ models... But no one ever asks. So they all just get called Mister.

Yeah our Eldar player had named a model b/c it had survived 10 strait games. I got that squad to that last model and said I'd give him $20.00 if he made it thru the rest of the game. Well he threw his army in the way and ran and went to ground with that guy on a key turn when i thought I had him dead.

He lost game but got the 20.

 SkavenLord wrote:
I only give models names if they manage to do something incredible in game or if it's converted. That way, I can remember them much easier and the "prove yourself in battle" thing kind of makes it more of an honor (and more of an incentive to perform crazy tactics).

That's another thing, all of my models are converted, so it would be easy to know who's who.

I have thus far named all my models down to and including my Chosen and Aspiring Champions but I have not come further than that. I find CSM names easy and fun to do, such as...

'Kharaxx, the Raging Whirlwind' - Counts-as-Kharn
'Sharikh' - Sorcerer
'Septarus Vrakk' - Warpsmith

I actually had a thread on names back in Dakka Fiction but it died like a year ago.

 Mythra wrote:

He lost game but got the 20.

And that is all that really matters

Naming models is always fun. I'm a narrative player at heart so I tend to have at least a short story about an army of my choosing. As of now, I have 4 IG with a story, one Storm Trooper with a story, 7 Inquisitors named and with a story, 2 Space Marines with a story, and about 13 CSM with a story and name to them. Oh yeah and two Greater Daemons with a name and story.


Overall, I'd personally not name and fluff every single model. I prefer to give names to my HQs and IC first and foremost. From there, either if it fits a story purpose or, what is more often, they do something outstanding in the game, they get a name with some fluff about stories. Oh yeah, and in my tank regiment all of them get titles and I have to roll to see if they get destroyed entirely. I also roll for crew on my own time. Then again that's a far smaller army than most

I had a friend who named all of his IG (because it was IG back then) sergeants after characters from Halo and had lots of little back-story for them.

I never really did much in that regard. Anyone who has ever learned the nightmarish structure behind a proper Tau name can sympathize with why I can't make myself do it.

I do have a few named things though. My converted female Ethereal, counts-as-shadowsun, and my riptide (the suit itself, not the pilot) all have names. I really should name some other stuff (like my Barracuda). That one fire warrior who killed an Imperial Assassin in close combat a long time ago deserves a name as well. I picked him out and gave him a custom paintjob afterwords but never a name.

 dementedwombat wrote:
I had a friend who named all of his IG (because it was IG back then) sergeants after characters from Halo and had lots of little back-story for them.

I never really did much in that regard. Anyone who has ever learned the nightmarish structure behind a proper Tau name can sympathize with why I can't make myself do it.

I do have a few named things though. My converted female Ethereal, counts-as-shadowsun, and my riptide (the suit itself, not the pilot) all have names. I really should name some other stuff (like my Barracuda). That one fire warrior who killed an Imperial Assassin in close combat a long time ago deserves a name as well. I picked him out and gave him a custom paintjob afterwords but never a name.

Obviously that one fire warrior ranks up and eventually pilots a battlesuit of his own

But yeah, good gosh. Whenever I didn't know anything about Tau besides they like shooting, optimal strategies, think lowly of CC, and are more Orwellian but not overt grimderp, I once asked my Tau player friend about names. I regret asking

I've done it for my army from Necron Warrior 42243539 to Necron Warrior 431234653, oh what fun it is with making a backstory for necron. Then there tyranids I'm planning on doing giving them backstories will be some much fun too.

But in all seriousness I have the respect for the players who do create well thought out fully formed fluff for their armies, not sure if there is a connection or not but I noticed most players that do have those kind of backstories tend to have better painted armies.

None of my Kriegsmen have stories.

The guardsmen who survive become the Grenadiers in the next game, everyone is replaced.

Exception being both Captain #5601 and the Commissar General, who I gave a name that I forgot.

Oh and that one Stormtrooper who survived an Apoc game after being deepstruck with his squad in the center of the board, the model (and a few buddies, too) that I've used to represent Riley the Stormtrooper in Only War survived the drop, and then two turns of Apoc.

Guard are too expendable. Instead I organized an entire regiment with specific numbers of personnel of each rank, special weapons, heavy weapons, and vehicles. After each battle I record my losses do some promotions (guardsmen can become sergeants or veterans, veterans can become veteran sergeants, sergeants can become platoon commanders, and platoon commanders can become company commanders) and modify my regiment organization accordingly only making due with the equipment I have, if I run out of tanks I won't field any tanks, if I run out of chimeras my army is foot slogging it, if I run out of vets looks like I'm sticking to infantry squads.

I love naming models! However, I usually let my opponents name certain models, especially if the name rises out of frustration.

and speaking of naming models (and a shameless self advertising with it): http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/594170.page

I have all of my tanks or vehicles in general named and the majority have some backstory of their creation or something, all of which is in my blog. Those that don't have a backstory only don't because at the time I creation I either finished really late or couldn't come up with anything at the time and simply have not gotten around to doing so.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/417916.page
I think somewhere there is a list of all of their names.

Generally troops don't get names as they are too numerous to keep track of (and look identical). Those few that are named have done something significant and game changing, like 2 metal Plasma and Melta gunners who together managed to bring down a Hel-drake even after it survived a Hydra battery and a tau railgun to the face. They got markings on their base and names (named Grif and Simmons after RvB).

 Jaceevoke wrote:
I've done it for my army from Necron Warrior 42243539 to Necron Warrior 431234653, oh what fun it is with making a backstory for necron. Then there tyranids I'm planning on doing giving them backstories will be some much fun too.

But in all seriousness I have the respect for the players who do create well thought out fully formed fluff for their armies, not sure if there is a connection or not but I noticed most players that do have those kind of backstories tend to have better painted armies.

You can always create a custom dynasty with a custom overlord. Eck, Immortals already have some independent thought, so you could join the fun.

My friends aren't really concerned with forging the narrative, but a couple of my models do have names.

Mardok "The Tantaliser" - Terminator Chaos Lord, has killed several TMCs, a Necron Overlord and numerous Deathwing Terminators.
Skalazar "The Enlightened" Verros - Terminator Sorcerer with Divination powers, always busy buffing my entire army.
Jag "The Talon" - Chaos Terminator Champion with an LC, Mardok's loyal guardian.

Pending:
- "The Skull", a Noise Marine with Bolter who survived several rounds of CC with a Necron Overlord and dealt him 1 wound.
- "The Screamer", a Noise Marine with Blastmaster who avenged his squad by killing 3 Deathwing Terminators on his own.
- "The Blademaster", a Noise Champion who defeated a Deathwing Terminator Sarge in a duel.

Naming? Necessity

Really, its hal of fun to have your soldiers named, preferably with short backstories (just dont tell them all to your opponent, it can be tedious and boring) Well, Im saying soldiers, but I mean officers, commisars, priest, psykers...and of course vehicles! Just some vehicle names are really hard to write on armor

If you name an ork, you may grow attached. That will just make it harder when you have to take it to the pound.

 King Pariah wrote:
specially if the name rises out of frustration.

This is the only way my models get names. Due to their history of Ineptitude, my 3 Wraithlords are Named Moe, Larry and Curly.

 Mythra wrote:
Yeah our Eldar player had named a model b/c it had survived 10 strait games. I got that squad to that last model and said I'd give him $20.00 if he made it thru the rest of the game. Well he threw his army in the way and ran and went to ground with that guy on a key turn when i thought I had him dead.

He lost game but got the 20.

I played a game where I shot a CSM squad down to just the sarge. The next two turns that one sarge shrugged off all sorts of splinter fire and wiped two warrior units and wrecked a transport. Although I lost, it was a fun game. The CSM player said that he was going to add some new bits to the model representing the awesome job he did.