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I would like to know how other people handle weapon variety on units such as tac squads or any unit that has a number of weapons choices. There are a lot of weapons combinations for infantry and I can think of only 3 ways to allow you the flexibility to change your weapons for different lists.

The first is probably the most common. Design a list and glue the models together accordingly. If you later wish to change a marines plasma gun to a melta gun you either buy more marines and model the gun or rip the old gun off and glue the new on.

The second is to magnetize. This seems like a daunting task with the number of weapon combinations but I'm always jealous when I see a full unit that has all or nearly all of the possible options magnetized and ready to go.

So what method do you prefer? I'm getting to the point now where I need to make a decision. I'm most likely going to just build new models as I need them rather than magnetize or amputate.

New models, except for tanks. Magnets on infantry models are too fiddly to deal with, and I'm not tearing apart my existing models to re-arm them.

More models.

When starting out I try to buy an extra box of models so I can run a full squad and have each of the major optional upgrades represented. So, for my Pathfinders I'll have a full squad plus three ion rifles and three rail rifles so I can switch around easily.

The extra models let me run two small squads if I prefer.

More models, chop up old models and cannibalize old kits. "Saves" some money. The only bad thing is that I can only field 75% of my entire collection because 25% percent are my replacements and additional options.

 Tactical_Spam wrote:
More models, chop up old models and cannibalize old kits. "Saves" some money. The only bad thing is that I can only field 75% of my entire collection because 25% percent are my replacements and additional options.

Unless that was your plan from the beginning. I chose option 3, but I agree with many of the sentiments posted above. I am willing to magnetized anything terminator size and up, but basic troops keep what they were given initially. While I am good with magnets, I know my limits. . . I'm not that good with them.

More models usually, though I've started to do some magnetizing.

I wish I could magnetize more, but it's difficult with the human-sized models and more often than not, something gets lost or I have issues with the magnets. Magnetizing works a lot better/is easier for models on 50mm bases or larger, and all of those that I have at that size are magnetized.

If you really want to do what you want, pinning may be the best option. I normally don't fiddle with infantry, just get more.

I play chaos so I have the fortunate circumstance where I can amputate limbs and if I do a botched job I can just glue on some chaos spawn bits and voila, good as new. Depending on the level of botched-ness the model either:

- Stays the same, but with the new equiptment and one or 2 mutations.

- Becomes a new possessed model, if it can't hold the equiptment properly it is now front line infantry!

- Or if I REALLY botch the model and conpletely mutilate him beyond recognition I fetch the green stuff and mash everything together and BAM new chaos spawn model (the chaos gods can be fickle)

If it's troops then more models or the occasional replacement of weapon. The models are usually too small for magnets to feel secure enough.

If its vehicles then I go magnets and replacement parts. But it's also why I don't have any Vindicators or Predators since they're harder to swap out the bits.

Or, just write the list to match the models.

Some models I will magnetize, such as crisis suits and vehicles.
Other than that I will just write a list to match my models and have a few spare sergeants, to allow for variety of weapon options.

Guard and other smaller models are too fiddly.

The only paint you can start easier is on terminators and above.
Dreadnought sized models, tanks are all prime for magnets.

Plus normally they have a wider range and cost way too much to glue and make new.

I magnetise all the special and heavy weapon options for my units now. It's mainly for how cost effective it is.

It's wonderful being able to fully swap out an entire 10 man Sternguard squads combination weapons especially since the combis have no difference in points cost.

And then there's the commanders... My chaplain now has magnetised power/jump pack and 11 weapon options!

Depends on the unit but basically all of the above. My Crisis Suits for example are all magnetized depending on what loadout I want (I do have 3 glued with double fusion but A. who doesn't need double fusion and B. they where 2nd hand broken models so I salvaged them). My Fire Warriors and Pathfinders for example are built as is and so some of my Pathfinders have Ion Rifles (not half bad honestly) but I don't see the need to magnetize them. Generally I build them how I need them but I have amputated a few used models because they had "questionable" loadouts particularly with used space wolves.

Basically a combination of all three.

Tanks and Dreads I tend to magnetize.

I can buy new models whenever I feel like I could expand on something.

I never use plastic glue so that I can rip off arms, guns etc. when needed to replace them with something else.

More models.

Vehicles often got options magnetised. Not always. I had 2-3 of each tank (and 11 Rhinos) along with 11 drop pods (every infantry squad could take one of either and 1 for a command squad).

Infantry - nope - just got more of them.
That's why, at the end of my 40k days, I HAD a company+ of marines. I had 14 special weapon troopers and the same again of heavy weapon troops. 20 or so Sgt models/vet sgts.

I divested myself of much of it though (some would say "gave" a lot of it away - I just sold it off for 50% of what I paid for it to be rid of it) within 2 years. Can't even play 2nd ed with what's left.

I magnetized everything right from the beginning. With Space Marines nobody should have a problem to get a 2x2mm magnet in the arm/hand. A friend of mine also magnetizes harlequins and Necrons which is a bit harder to do, but still cheaper cost and time-wize than buying and painting everything twice.

Maintain a pool of extra heavy/special weapon models. 'More models' doesn't need to mean 'have a full Tac squad for every occasion' (though if you wanted enough bolter Marines to play 30k...), if you were to get (for instance) two Tactical boxes and a Devastator box you'd have the necessary two Sergeants and fourteen bolters, and nine more models to load up with whatever heavy/special weapons you might need to be rotated in or out.

Magnetization works well if you're the sort who's organized enough to keep track of all the fiddly little guns floating about and you've got spare shoulder pads for different heavy weapon arms, it's harder but if you're the sort who likes to paint unique individual squad markings it'd help a lot.

Depends on the model.

Any sort of vehicle i know i might swap out, or its easy to magnitize, IE LR and Rhino, ill do that, else, ill just buy whole new models.

Im not really into pinning unit arms, + i like to paint units so.

All three, although magnets are my preference.

I simply buy new/more models. Even playing Tau and all the weapon options for the XV8's, it's simply too much of a hassle to magnetize all options.

For my Guard if I need more special weapon options I'll typically pick up a kit and create a ton of special weapons guys which can be distributed among squads in whatever combination I need. It's really convenient having nearly every infantry unit using the same model.

For vehicles, I'm looking into magnetizing options, as the are more than big enough to accommodate strong magnets.

The models are playing pieces so generally troop sized models get grabbed about at the shoulders.
So I do not magnetize those models: I make all the options I need.
Standard troops see the most wear and tear so I like building them as solid as possible.

For larger models due to expense, magnets work well and can be bigger and stronger so work out well.
Dreadnoughts work out great.
Funny, because of the extreme difference of Tau options on suits, I cannot imagine going without magnets.

Cut 'n stick. However I rarely (if ever) refit units I have assembled.

Buy new models, or specifically, a new model. Say you want to change your Tac Squad Plasma Gun to a Melta Gun; I would go find one of the numerous bitz ordering sites and order in a pair of SM legs, a torso, a head and a backpack, then attach the Meltagun you have to that. A cheaper solution that involves no magnets and no whole other box of Tac Marines

Generally I don't mind buying new boxes for bits these days; I have tonnes of spares and if I want to rearm 10 marines to have flamers instead of whatever they already have I can just buy a box of 10 marines and assemble/paint them as flamer guys instead of ruining 10 completed models.

The problem with re-kitting models is you can end up doing it for multiple editions in a row and the models just slowly degrade.

As such I voted option 1 and 2; 1 is what I prefer to do now, 2 I what I might do if I have insufficient spares and insufficient money and the model gets literally invalidated by an army list change (e.g a model has double plasma pistols but the new codex doesn't allow it).

 Lord Damocles wrote:
Or, just write the list to match the models.

This.

I started in 40K when there was a different approach to collecting an army though, so my direction is vastly different. In the mid-90's it was more about collecting an army than "creating a list". Tournaments existed but it was not nearly as prevalent as today. People collected rather large armies and then you simply put together an army to match your game/scenario/campaign from those collected models. I tend to adhere strictly to WYSIWYG, but I'm fortunate in that I only collect Eldar and the majority of the models are limited in their options. My current 2nd edition army is approximately 5400 points. That would take a full day to run a game that size (most likely) if everyone got down to business. So, most common in 2nd edition was 1500-3000 points per side.

I've magnetized weapons for most of my vehicles where possible (and easy). Some are simply equipped with chosen weapons and they'll stay that way regardless of the game I'm playing. I don't mind the penalty of being restricted by my models.

For current players we live in the world of eBay...it's far too easy to buy heaps of special weapons and heavy weapons/bits/bodies/limbs. You could pick up one box of tactical marines and buy some cheap bits to convert over five more special weapons and five more heavy weapons as needed. No problem.

Pr3Mu5 wrote:
I magnetise all the special and heavy weapon options for my units now. It's mainly for how cost effective it is.

It's wonderful being able to fully swap out an entire 10 man Sternguard squads combination weapons especially since the combis have no difference in points cost.

And then there's the commanders... My chaplain now has magnetised power/jump pack and 11 weapon options!

I'd like to do this also because being able to try out different lists on a whim, even if they aren't the top .000001% effective lists is more fun.

What magnets do you use, any any special technique you've figured out to get them to work well on infantry?

If I was not magnetising, I would build the heavy and special weapons onto the bodies in the box they came in, and pad the squad out with the 3-5-man kits you can get. Multi-part kits are more up for weaponising, and the simple few-man kits can take the spare bitz from the bigger boxes.

But, I magnetise down to the Eldar DAs and IG infantry.
I use 1.5mm diameter and 2mm long cylinder magnets. Use bigger if you can, 2mm dia maybe, 3mm if heavy (backpacks with wings, Plasma cannon, etc).
Drill a pilot hole with a 1mm drill bit in a pin vice. When happy, expand it with a 1.5mm bit.
Use the first model as a guide, with all magnets inserted. Pick magnets off it to insert them the right way around. I use the end of a drill bit to pick them off. Glue them when picked, and shove it in the hole. Pull it back out until flush, or shove it a bit more. Take it out to drill more if needed.

And, don't bother magnetising heads. It gets silly at that point
I have a squad of vet/serg/dev/assault bodies. Too many bits, and more bodies fixes that.

Mostly "build more” and “magnetize” here. I think I’ve only taken a knife to a mini once or twice. Cutting plasma pistols off of assault marines is the one that comes to mind.

I’ve got my shelf deployment for my company. When building lists, I select the squads that I need. For example, the 4th tac squad is HB/F, c-flamer, and the 5th is MM/M, c-melta. I prefer to take whole squads equipped as-is. But I also have the swap shelf. So if I need a second melta squad, I grab the extra MM I have down there, a spare meltagunner, and probably one of my c-melta sternguard to lead them. Random bolter boys are plentiful and can be grabbed as needed. So that’s basically the “buy more” part.

I’ve also been doing a lot of magnetizing lately. Mostly just for squads that have a ton of options, like vanguard vets, command squads, and sergeants. Heavy weapon guys have too many parts, and I mostly just glue special weapons on (although do have some on magnets for my bikers) Power armoed bodes are easy to come by. Vehicles are very likely to get magnets, as it’s a significant investment for the hull. I’d like to get as much milage out of it as I can.

When it come to fielding armies, I’m strict WYSWYG for my marines. It’s not that hard to get the options needed, and it looks better on the table. I’m a bit more relaxed with my Eldar. Harder to have all the options, and magnetizing the infantry is a pain. I do still magnetize the vehicles though.

I mostly use 2mm magnets for everything.

Edit:
To be fair to the “chop” option, part of the reason I don’t is laziness. And the general abundance of spare bodies. I’d rather make a new marine from scratch then chop up an old one. But if I look at the swap shelf, there is probably a half dozen BP/chainsword sarges there who will never see the table again. I should refurbish them into something useable. But for now, they are doomed to lead the dust bunnies in garrison duty on the shelf.