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So as the title says has anyone experimented with this? Does anybody think this would look half decent? Or does it mess too much with the established distinctions between the two types of RnF?

(P.s, If you couldn't tell not the biggest fan of the newer helmets)

Executioners, and elves in general, have always had big hats. I have no idea why GW gave them the slowed looking skull helmets.

The helmets don't even look cool. Too grimdark. Makes them look tryhard.

The unit would look correct with the big hats.

AFAIK Executioners are actually tryhard guards in the lore. One day they woke up and decided they had to be the best at executing prisoners.
They might look good with normal dark elves helmets. At least they won't stick out so much.

Full disclosure: i like the new helmets, to each their own. Echelon after echelon of big pointy hat got old a long time ago. I liked at least the half-hearted attempt at a death's head motif for an appropriately named unit.

So a few points...


1) your models. Do with them what you want, just be sure your opponent knows how you're playing them.

2) If you are a seller / trader like a lot of people here, realize that if you build models with executioner weapons and black guard helmets, you're destroying their resale / trade value. If you're the type that holds onto models forever, this doesn't make an iota of difference. If you're like me and many others that have a "main" army, and then tend to rotate army #2 (or 3...), this might be a tie breaker to you. You would have to get someone that also dislikes the deaths head helmet motif enough, and likes black guard helmets enough to want the same conversion, which would really limit your trade / customer pool to next to zero. What will more likely happen is an opportunist who will devalue the minis to such a point with every intent on using spare heads in their own collection to make "proper" models for resale or trade.

This is always something huge to watch for when you do custom conversions.

Again, if you don't regularly sell or trade armies, then no big deal here.

3) Re-iterating: they are your models. Do with them whatever you want to. If you like blackguard heads on executioners, go for it.



Also, "too tryhard" is an odd commentary on the executioners helmets (masks, really, if you examine the models). It's possibly one of the most understated elven headgear in the game, with exception of the absurdly stupid glade guard / rider "half-mask".
It's also a dumb netslang, if you ask me, but i'm getting old and i'm not hip like you young folk.



EDIT: jesus christ, by my spelling you'd think i've been drinkin'.

I too hate the skull helmets but I just use PP Blighted Nyss Legionaires instead of executioners. More dynamic pose, better looking (imo).

The issue is they're slightly bigger but I justify that as "Well yeah they're bigger, they're S4 and the "enforcers" only the biggest & strongest make the cut. The difference is kind of noticable but not so much so that it looks completely out of place.

I like the idea of the skull helmets. I feel it could've been pulled off better but I really like the idea.

I like the concept, I just hate the *puts on sunglasses* execution...

 Shas'O Dorian wrote:
I like the concept, I just hate the *puts on sunglasses* execution...

My word. That was amazing.

 Shas'O Dorian wrote:
I like the concept, I just hate the *puts on sunglasses* execution...

While I got the joke, it also made me imagine them wearing the skull helmets with sunglasses...

And I want to see that now.

 Shas'O Dorian wrote:
I like the concept, I just hate the *puts on sunglasses* execution...

And thats a +1 Exalt right there.

 Shas'O Dorian wrote:
I too hate the skull helmets but I just use PP Blighted Nyss Legionaires instead of executioners. More dynamic pose, better looking (imo).

The issue is they're slightly bigger but I justify that as "Well yeah they're bigger, they're S4 and the "enforcers" only the biggest & strongest make the cut. The difference is kind of noticable but not so much so that it looks completely out of place.

That's actually a great idea. Those models are exquisite.

 Haight wrote:

 Shas'O Dorian wrote:
I too hate the skull helmets but I just use PP Blighted Nyss Legionaires instead of executioners. More dynamic pose, better looking (imo).

The issue is they're slightly bigger but I justify that as "Well yeah they're bigger, they're S4 and the "enforcers" only the biggest & strongest make the cut. The difference is kind of noticable but not so much so that it looks completely out of place.

That's actually a great idea. Those models are exquisite.

Exquisite isn't the word I'd use.

I agree with TDA. PP models are generally not as detailed as GW but I think those are a better more dynamic fit than the current "at parade guard" executioners.

Black guard are fine being static like that but I imagine executioners with raised blades or at an actual battle guard.

 thedarkavenger wrote:

 Haight wrote:

 Shas'O Dorian wrote:
I too hate the skull helmets but I just use PP Blighted Nyss Legionaires instead of executioners. More dynamic pose, better looking (imo).

The issue is they're slightly bigger but I justify that as "Well yeah they're bigger, they're S4 and the "enforcers" only the biggest & strongest make the cut. The difference is kind of noticable but not so much so that it looks completely out of place.

That's actually a great idea. Those models are exquisite.

Exquisite isn't the word I'd use.

It's the one i'd use. I really like them. You can disagree, but there's no need for "too cool for the room" type attitude.

Isn't there another thread you need to be claiming Nagash is unkillable by Elves in, even with your non-stop shouting from the rooftops how good 4-8 bolt throwers is ?

See ? I can do it too.




@ Shas - agreed, most of the PP line is lackluster, i actually really like the Nyss stuff a lot. Played Legion a lot when i played PP games. Too bad their plastic minis are god awful in terms of prep and elbow grease required to make them look good.

Mostly the companies sculpts are hit or miss in general. You have awesome sculpts like the Caine's, and then you ahve stuff like the agonizer.

 Haight wrote:

 thedarkavenger wrote:

 Haight wrote:

 Shas'O Dorian wrote:
I too hate the skull helmets but I just use PP Blighted Nyss Legionaires instead of executioners. More dynamic pose, better looking (imo).

The issue is they're slightly bigger but I justify that as "Well yeah they're bigger, they're S4 and the "enforcers" only the biggest & strongest make the cut. The difference is kind of noticable but not so much so that it looks completely out of place.

That's actually a great idea. Those models are exquisite.

Exquisite isn't the word I'd use.

It's the one i'd use. I really like them. You can disagree, but there's no need for "too cool for the room" type attitude.

Isn't there another thread you need to be claiming Nagash is unkillable by Elves in, even with your non-stop shouting from the rooftops how good 4-8 bolt throwers is ?

See ? I can do it too.




@ Shas - agreed, most of the PP line is lackluster, i actually really like the Nyss stuff a lot. Played Legion a lot when i played PP games. Too bad their plastic minis are god awful in terms of prep and elbow grease required to make them look good.

Mostly the companies sculpts are hit or miss in general. You have awesome sculpts like the Caine's, and then you ahve stuff like the agonizer.

8 bolt throwers is good. But they don't actually kill Nagash. Have some maths. 8 bolt throwers score 4 hits (BS4, long range). That's 1.332 wounds before rerolls. Post rerolls that's 2.220444. Post wards that's 1.110222 wounds. On average Nagash takes 2 wounds. From 8 bolt throwers. At that point, he just gains the wounds back.

Stay on topic please. I understand TDA got called out but let's try not to derail this thread like so many others & keep it Painting & Modeling-esq.

I'll also agree that PP plastic is awful. It just loses so much detail compared to GW or Malifaux.

 Shas'O Dorian wrote:
Stay on topic please. I understand TDA got called out but let's try not to derail this thread like so many others & keep it Painting & Modeling-esq.

I'll also agree that PP plastic is awful. It just loses so much detail compared to GW or Malifaux.

Elves have always had their big hat motif. Any elf that didn't have it, was assigned their own. Corsairs were always in cloaks. Black Guard were barbed halberds. Executioners were dudes with big swords. GW have now taken that iconic image of a dark elf away from the unit in return for helmet that look like they're trying to cause fear.

Exactly I'd say those helmets might look good on an assasin, under his hood, but contributes to the static "on parade" image of the current executioners.

 thedarkavenger wrote:

 Haight wrote:

 thedarkavenger wrote:

 Haight wrote:

 Shas'O Dorian wrote:
I too hate the skull helmets but I just use PP Blighted Nyss Legionaires instead of executioners. More dynamic pose, better looking (imo).

The issue is they're slightly bigger but I justify that as "Well yeah they're bigger, they're S4 and the "enforcers" only the biggest & strongest make the cut. The difference is kind of noticable but not so much so that it looks completely out of place.

That's actually a great idea. Those models are exquisite.

Exquisite isn't the word I'd use.

It's the one i'd use. I really like them. You can disagree, but there's no need for "too cool for the room" type attitude.

Isn't there another thread you need to be claiming Nagash is unkillable by Elves in, even with your non-stop shouting from the rooftops how good 4-8 bolt throwers is ?

See ? I can do it too.




@ Shas - agreed, most of the PP line is lackluster, i actually really like the Nyss stuff a lot. Played Legion a lot when i played PP games. Too bad their plastic minis are god awful in terms of prep and elbow grease required to make them look good.

Mostly the companies sculpts are hit or miss in general. You have awesome sculpts like the Caine's, and then you ahve stuff like the agonizer.

8 bolt throwers is good. But they don't actually kill Nagash. Have some maths. 8 bolt throwers score 4 hits (BS4, long range). That's 1.332 wounds before rerolls. Post rerolls that's 2.220444. Post wards that's 1.110222 wounds. On average Nagash takes 2 wounds. From 8 bolt throwers. At that point, he just gains the wounds back.

Whew! Back to 100% thread coverage.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Shas'O Dorian wrote:
Stay on topic please. I understand TDA got called out but let's try not to derail this thread like so many others & keep it Painting & Modeling-esq.

I'll also agree that PP plastic is awful. It just loses so much detail compared to GW or Malifaux.

Agreed... not sure why they went with soft plastic. First cost considerations is the only thing i can come up with (meaning machinery investment). That said, they just produced their first hard plastic model. Personally i don't think it holds a candle to most GW stuff, but its a major step up in quality. With time, the sculpts could get a lot better. Their artwork int he books is great, so if the models begin to approach the artwork, then the models could become a real tour de force.



As to the hat motif. Sure, big hat motif for elves is historically their shtick.... it's just at the point where its basically cliche for high elves, toeing the line of cliche for dark elves. I give them kudos for trying to break with it. I kind of enjoy the fact that it's an elven skull mask. It's possible a nice black paint job with some coal black, moving up to a very fine off white, edge highlight could make it look more menacing. *shrug*

I dunno. I like it. If only for the parting with convention.