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Maybe it is just me, but does anyone else think that flames on Salamander space marine armor is a bit too much?

Personally, I think it makes them feel too much like hot rods rather than part of an honorable, first founding chapter.

I agree. If they were to have any icons on their armor I would imagine it would be anvils, hammers, maybe a small patch of drake hide from a trophy kill they made.

It is unrealistic to have all the flame decals, but I think it is peoples way of bringing the flames of their weapons to life, because this is a tabletop game and flamethrowers have no flamer particles. They are static pieces of plastic.

Not at all, so much of their lore references their relationship with fire. Their battlecry, their chapter logo, the name of their fortress-monastery and even their alternate name for themselves all reference fire.

 Orblivion wrote:
Not at all, so much of their lore references their relationship with fire. Their battlecry, their chapter logo, the name of their fortress-monastery and even their alternate name for themselves all reference fire.

Well, sure - they love fire and are all about fire- but putting it on the armor itself? To me it is too literal of a visual representation. In art and literature, often enough less is more, and using metaphoric representation can be much more powerful than simply "they like fire, paint fire on the armor"

It would be like painting blood drips on blood angel modes (more than just the single blood droplet), or even brains on Eldar because they are so advanced.

Granted we can paint our models how we want, and the fluff enables us to interpret the lore how we want, It is more of a mythology rather than laws set in stone. My Salamanders will not have flames on them, but is it the flames themselves that make the Salamanders, or the reason behind the flames that make the Salamanders?

Personally, I think creating a new army according to the fluff serves as an opportunity to put your own spin on the lore of the universe, rather than create a cookie cutter army.

You know not what you speak....

Salamanders and fire go hand in hand. They brand themselves for there oath of moments, they are born on a volcanic planet where all is burning and magma runs rampant, most all the artifacts of the salamanders are fire oriented. Also they paint their own armor and maintain their on armor adding fire to their armor is a symbol of strength on Nocturne so you need to understand that its a cultural thing. Original I think the pyroclast and fireborn were known to put fire on the armor and weapons.

"Into the fires of battle, unto the anvil of war!"






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Also none of the people above me play salamanders... why post?

 fmgambino wrote:

 Orblivion wrote:
Not at all, so much of their lore references their relationship with fire. Their battlecry, their chapter logo, the name of their fortress-monastery and even their alternate name for themselves all reference fire.

Well, sure - they love fire and are all about fire- but putting it on the armor itself? To me it is too literal of a visual representation. In art and literature, often enough less is more, and using metaphoric representation can be much more powerful than simply "they like fire, paint fire on the armor"

It would be like painting blood drips on blood angel modes (more than just the single blood droplet), or even brains on Eldar because they are so advanced.

Granted we can paint our models how we want, and the fluff enables us to interpret the lore how we want, It is more of a mythology rather than laws set in stone. My Salamanders will not have flames on them, but is it the flames themselves that make the Salamanders, or the reason behind the flames that make the Salamanders?

Personally, I think creating a new army according to the fluff serves as an opportunity to put your own spin on the lore of the universe, rather than create a cookie cutter army.

40k is anything but subtle. Check out how many blood drops adorn the more specific Blood Angel units such as Death Company or Sanguinary Guard. Or better yet how about the gigantic, non-functioning wings mounted on their special jump packs to emphasize the "Angel" part of the Blood Angels? The blood drops, wing iconography, and flames are there to make the Blood Angels and Salamanders look like more than just " the red army" and "the green army" respectively.

 Orblivion wrote:

 fmgambino wrote:

 Orblivion wrote:
Not at all, so much of their lore references their relationship with fire. Their battlecry, their chapter logo, the name of their fortress-monastery and even their alternate name for themselves all reference fire.

Well, sure - they love fire and are all about fire- but putting it on the armor itself? To me it is too literal of a visual representation. In art and literature, often enough less is more, and using metaphoric representation can be much more powerful than simply "they like fire, paint fire on the armor"

It would be like painting blood drips on blood angel modes (more than just the single blood droplet), or even brains on Eldar because they are so advanced.

Granted we can paint our models how we want, and the fluff enables us to interpret the lore how we want, It is more of a mythology rather than laws set in stone. My Salamanders will not have flames on them, but is it the flames themselves that make the Salamanders, or the reason behind the flames that make the Salamanders?

Personally, I think creating a new army according to the fluff serves as an opportunity to put your own spin on the lore of the universe, rather than create a cookie cutter army.

40k is anything but subtle. Check out how many blood drops adorn the more specific Blood Angel units such as Death Company or Sanguinary Guard. Or better yet how about the gigantic, non-functioning wings mounted on their special jump packs to emphasize the "Angel" part of the Blood Angels? The blood drops, wing iconography, and flames are there to make the Blood Angels and Salamanders look like more than just " the red army" and "the green army" respectively.

Fair. I never really considered that I suppose. You make a great point! 40K is anything but subtle!

Dark angels too, big winged bikes etc.