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I try to make sure all my Tau are helmeted, no top-knots that way. If you're wearing armor, don't leave your frigging head unprotected.

If you're a 8-foot tall roid-ragin' Marine, you do...

I hate gems. They are to the Eldar what skulls are to the Empire. Some squads look like Tiffany`s with legs if you paint all the gems.

M.

All of the stupid little extra bits that you're supposed to "spruce up" your models with. With stuff like frag grenades I'll just arm one or two models in each squad with them. Things like extra pouches, sidearms and severed heads that so many plastic sets come with these days just make the models way too busy and hard to paint.

I had enough "chaos vehicle" bits that I scratch-built two daemon princes.

I like the Ork top-knot...

And while I understand the whole "PEOPLE WHO GO TO WAR WEAR HELMETS!" position, a little bare head goes a long way toward character. On people who's armor actually makes a difference (Carapace armor or better) I can't bring myself to leave off a helmet. But my poor Guardsmen are veteran enough to know the helmet is wearing THEM for protection. Alot of them doff it for better visibility and situational awareness.

But I do have one pet peeve. The Fleur De Lis. My Brettonian army has every single Fleur De Lis scraped, clipped, or filed off. I can't STAND that stupid little thing! Though I don't seem to have a problem with it when it comes to my sisters, though.

Oh and the 'too many bayonet' syndrome with the Guard Infantry box set drives me batty too. I make every effort to ensure every soldier has at most ONE bayonet, and ONE sheath for it.

I must be odd here because I hold absolutely no dislike for the Topknot.

Well, I wouldn't if I were collecting the Snakebite clan orks... So it might be interesting to see how many that don't mind topknots on their orks arrived to the game after they had relegated the clans to hazy background fluff rather than the strongly defined armies they once were.

The idea of topknots in a Blood Axe army or a Goffs army tweeks my fluffrage counter unfortunately. Personal taste tho, as this thread is all about.

I hate bare headed marines, and normal marine armor. I have to have the robes, and slowly weeding out the non-robed units. 2 squads to go!

no topknots for my orks, or my csm.
also no annoying spikes on helmets for my orks usually.

Hmm am I the only one here who knows that after the 3rd wave was beaten off at Hastings by the Saxons William the Conqueror took of his helmet to rally the troops as without his helmet they could recognise the fact that he hadn't just died. By rallying his army at that moment the counter-attack was crucially effective as the Saxons did not reform their shield wall. Historically it was crucial for leaders to remain calm and recognisable. Although personally I prefer to use beakie heads to do this!
Personally my pet peeve is the command group options on every sprue. Usually you only need three and while you want variety a single command sprue could do that giving the regular sprue more space for troopers and options. I've got dozens off spare standards and musical instruments by now most of which will never be used.

MeanGreenStompa wrote:Well, I wouldn't if I were collecting the Snakebite clan orks... So it might be interesting to see how many that don't mind topknots on their orks arrived to the game after they had relegated the clans to hazy background fluff rather than the strongly defined armies they once were.

The idea of topknots in a Blood Axe army or a Goffs army tweeks my fluffrage counter unfortunately. Personal taste tho, as this thread is all about.

Speaking as someone who's been playing since Rogue Trader...

In RT, there were separate army lists for each Clan, true, but they were allowed to take Orks from other Clans and, frankly, there wasn't much that differentiated a Bad Moon army from, say, a Goff Army.

In 2nd Edition, armies were meant to be taken from all sorts of different Clans, and squads from different Clans had different weapons options, but that was about it. Goffs could be Skarboyz and Evil Suns could all be on bikes. A typical Ork army would include at least one Blood Axe mob, a few Goff Mobs (because they're plastic, see?), and maybe some Deathskull mobs with kustom kombi weapons or Evil Suns on bikes. Additionally, each Clan became very pigeonholed as opposed to the RT days--the only boys with kustom kombi weapons (deffguns now) were Deathskulls and the only nobs that could wear mega armor were Bad Moons.

In 3rd, Orks were completely changed and became Gorkamorka wannabes without clan, basically. There were "optional" rules released in a WD, if memory serves, for having Clan armies, but they were never allowed at any tournaments I went to and, as such, were largely ignored.

At the end of 4th, we got the current codex in which the Clans are basically a glorified color scheme and I couldn't be happier. Now you aren't painted into a corner by which color scheme you choose.

...

Back to the topic at hand, I like the topknots for Orks, but that's about it. And I play Kult of Speed, Deathskulls, and Snakebites (yes, I have a lot of Orks).

Barkdreg Badtoof

Barkdreg Badtoof wrote:Speaking as someone who's been playing since Rogue Trader...

Grats mate, I've been playing from 1987, when they released the RT book and the WHFB 3rd edition, nice to meet another venerable gamer.

Barkdreg Badtoof wrote:
In RT, there were separate army lists for each Clan, true, but they were allowed to take Orks from other Clans and, frankly, there wasn't much that differentiated a Bad Moon army from, say, a Goff Army.

Barkdreg Badtoof

Except the aesthetic, army selection and playstyle. I would also point out GW posted different army lists specific to clans online for many years. Yes there was a lot of freedom to mix and match if you wanted, the ork armies I have encountered over the years were often themed around a clan if not in selection then certainly in look. It was in that regard I stated I would not be using orks with topknots for my army, my sense of the fluff of the blood axes is that they would not wear them. So you see, I am referring, when I say strongly defined, to the look and feel of the individual clans.

Thanks for the input.

MGS

@ MGS
I had never considered topknots to be that out of place in a Goff army...that is until reading this thread.
I normaly remove the topknot from the boyz heads,simply because I like the face,however I have left some topknots on for a little variation,now..I'm actauly considering breaking out the clippers.

Well, unnecessary decoration is, according to the fluff for the clans, totally out for a Goff, the only decoration they like is. Painting things black. Occasional checkers. Big horns (size equating with rank). Of all the orks, I think the Goffs would spurn the topknot as 'not lookin brutul enuff'. Now they'd probably put big metul spikes in their heads for a fun 'ead butt in melee, but again, thats' a practical and aggressive thing. Similar my B Axes love military looking stuff and wouldn't go in for it. Maybe on some of the other clans but really the topknots have always meant, when looking at the models, snakebites. Nothing against Snakes or the feral armies, I like them, it's just not the look I like for my army. (frankly anyone that likes them should use them, this isn't fluff policing.)

MeanGreenStompa wrote:Well, unnecessary decoration is, according to the fluff for the clans, totally out for a Goff, the only decoration they like is. Painting things black. Occasional checkers. Big horns (size equating with rank). Of all the orks, I think the Goffs would spurn the topknot as 'not lookin brutul enuff'. Now they'd probably put big metul spikes in their heads for a fun 'ead butt in melee, but again, thats' a practical and aggressive thing. Similar my B Axes love military looking stuff and wouldn't go in for it. Maybe on some of the other clans but really the topknots have always meant, when looking at the models, snakebites. Nothing against Snakes or the feral armies, I like them, it's just not the look I like for my army. (frankly anyone that likes them should use them, this isn't fluff policing.)

No,I don't see it as "fluff policing",it just got me thinking that perhaps with all the "lip service" I pay to fluff , I myself dropped the "fluff ball",still,my Goffs are a bit more "colorful" than most Goff armies as I use a good bit of red on straps & such,as well as on vehichles,not to metion a great deal of check patterns.
Still thinking about breaking out those clippers.

I deffo see the goffs loving the big horns stuck on stuff and those iron jaws. Ghaz is a good place to look to see the Goffik Ideal made flesh...n iron... no dangly tassles or primitive bits n bobs, just a huge skull (with even more horns) so everyone can see where the boss is heading.

MeanGreenStompa wrote:I deffo see the goffs loving the big horns stuck on stuff and those iron jaws. Ghaz is a good place to look to see the Goffik Ideal made flesh...n iron... no dangly tassles or primitive bits n bobs, just a huge skull (with even more horns) so everyone can see where the boss is heading.

Yup,I see clippers in my future .
You know,and this is completly OT,so please forgive me,I've had this same "self debate" concerning lootaz,I have a sqaud of 15 (unpainted) and just feel they don't belong in a Goff army.
Now,OT (to redeem myself),I don't use the "ammo strips" from the boyz box.

Llamahead wrote:Hmm am I the only one here who knows that after the 3rd wave was beaten off at Hastings by the Saxons William the Conqueror took of his helmet to rally the troops as without his helmet they could recognise the fact that he hadn't just died. By rallying his army at that moment the counter-attack was crucially effective as the Saxons did not reform their shield wall. Historically it was crucial for leaders to remain calm and recognisable. Although personally I prefer to use beakie heads to do this!
Personally my pet peeve is the command group options on every sprue. Usually you only need three and while you want variety a single command sprue could do that giving the regular sprue more space for troopers and options. I've got dozens off spare standards and musical instruments by now most of which will never be used.

However when king Harold removed his helmet he got an arrow to the eye...
Same battle, two outcomes

i'm pretty ''meh'' on the whole topknot thing I've only used one ever for my orks and it adds a little flavour but for some reason I have a huge prejudice for the topknots on my CSM's I guess thats just how things are

I'm somewhat confused by how a strict, militarised force like space marines or their chaos-turned former bretheren would allow their soldiers to shun a vital piece of armour for the sake of vanity and appearance.
Honestly, you look at the top-knotted CSM or pretty much any of the space wolf figures and you wonder how they'd ever get their helmets on over their hairstyles or facial hair. These are warriors bred and trained to fight in any condition just as long as it's not one that neccesitates wearing any form of head wear.

In space? Underwater? Not a problem, we'll just hold our breath...

Maybe that's what's drove the 13th Company into beserkerdom, one battle too many in wet weather and the choice of helmet hair or a rain-soaked do drove them insane...

I refuse, simply refuse to use Chaos Marine Heads with skin showing. Or topknots. Then I wonder why I have so much trouble finding heads for my guys..

The reason I don't like the topnots, is the way the wind has blown them in a completely identical way, it just make your squad look unrealistic.
I have tried trimming the topknots slightly to get a bit of variation, but with limited success.
I REALLy like the idea of using them as flame effects - I definitely be doing that in the future.

The reason I don't like the topnots, is the way the wind has blown them in a completely identical way, it just make your squad look unrealistic.

You mean that if a bunch of boyz are standing around together, some of their topknots should be going in the opposite direction? Interesting. Speaking of which, Chaos Bikers, alledgedly moving quickly, have topknots that go to the left. Huh.

Personally, I'm pretty relaxed about them. I mean, it's nice for a splash of colour in the middle of a squad, and something that stands out a little. I'll agree that they aren't really in keeping with the Clan fluff, but they're in keeping with the rather whimsical air that the orks get from their sillier units. I, personally, like my orks to be rather silly (rather than completely fluffy) and so the topknots don't clash too much. Though since topknots get used as flame so often, I might have to make an ork with a flaming topknot.

Orkestra wrote:I might have to make an ork with a flaming topknot.

I'll have to remember this one if I get an opportunity to do my Ork force. As far as bits go I tend to leave off all the ammo pouches and pistol holsters. The scale doesn't look right to me and the models are usually already busy enough without adding all that extra stuff on there.

On the Chaos marines I'm painting the top knots all get removed. How is it they can get a helmet on with those things?
I also try and keep the horns to a minimum and when they do make an appearance they're always damaged.

Scrolls, purity seals, extra skulls or spikes.

As for helmetless marines (aka bald-shouty dudes) ...

What did you think those studs in their head were for?

They aren't for valorous or meritorious service. They are grimdark rivets to hold their stupid heads together.

No topknots for me either. I have never liked them.

No bare heads in my SM either.

Yep my 400+ orks I own have no top knots either. Orks with hair, right...

chromedog wrote:

What did you think those studs in their head were for?

They aren't for valorous or meritorious service. They are grimdark rivets to hold their stupid heads together.

Nope, that his the shrapnel stuck in his head from not wearing a helmet in battle. That is why there is so many bonic eyes in 40K.

Space marine heads without the helmets. They look dorky to me.

"I have the most advanced armor in the world, but I'll be damned if I'm going to put it on my he-GAK!"