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Simple poll.

Some kits being rotated out and the ensuing discussion(S) here had me wondering, do people prefer a model specific to a role or kits that allow customisation and thus one kit can play multiple roles. For example, the rune priest. Would you prefer a special model for this character, or a kit that might make a rune priest or a different character depending on load out and possible back banner decal and so on?

I expect a clear result in one direction, but may be surprised. Given the plastic medium, I expect that GW might ge able to go either way. Without comment on the obvious, which would you prefer?

Depends on the exact kit, but generally, I like more options.

That being said... Price. Price is always a humdinger.

Depends on the model (and to some extent the army) Guard, for example, could easily have an officers and advisors kit (or sprue add-on, much like the extra KT sprue for Kreig), while a chaplain isn't ever really a librarian.

And they're aren't mutually exclusive anyway-
a model can have a singular role but multiple options. We even got a glimmer there with the new Autarch.

Not sure what 'the obvious' is, so it probably deserves comment.

If we're talking about characters, I generally prefer to kitbash my own from standard infantry kits. But if I'm going to actually pay the price gw asks nowadays for a character kit, I want as many options as possible. The high point of character kits is the CSM Terminator Chaos Lord/Sorcerer for me: tons of options, it can build two different types of character, and it has the coolest chainfist in the game IMHO.

There are times where a dedicated kit let the sculptor bring a model to the table better. Often multi-functionality leads to compromise.

That said, when they put their minds to it, they can do amazing things with kits and flexability these days. And it’s a shame they don’t do it more often.

It's not really covered by the poll, but cross-compatibility for ease of kitbashing is my personal preference. The drukhari range (sans monopose newer stuff) is the high water mark for this IMO - just so much to play around with.

 Gadzilla666 wrote:
If we're talking about characters, I generally prefer to kitbash my own from standard infantry kits. But if I'm going to actually pay the price gw asks nowadays for a character kit, I want as many options as possible. The high point of character kits is the CSM Terminator Chaos Lord/Sorcerer for me: tons of options, it can build two different types of character, and it has the coolest chainfist in the game IMHO.

This... So much agree about that terminator lord/sorcerer kit. I had hoped GW would release a plastic equivalent. Even better if it could also make a dark apostle etc. and best of all if they marketed this kit as being compatible to make bike lord/sorcerers (preferably with another bike kit). I’m certain other factions have similar stories. I even bet that space marine players would appreciate not having to scroll through several pages of characters to figure out what they want.

Options. Always options.

This, over this.
This, over this.

Always and forever.

I think there needs to be some of both. Sure, GW could put out a Marine kit that built Intercessors and Hellblasters, or Bladeguard and Veteran Intercessors, or Aggressors and Inceptors, but you'd wind up with ridiculous piles of extra bits that you'd never have a use for.

The Tau Strike/Breacher team kit is a terrible example of this. Those two squads have almost no overlap except the torso so if you're not willing to print/mold that one piece you wind up with a huge pile of wasted bits left over that you can't do much with.

Rune Priests are fine as Librarian models. They don't need special snowflake rules.

 jeff white wrote:
Simple poll.

Some kits being rotated out and the ensuing discussion(S) here had me wondering, do people prefer a model specific to a role or kits that allow customisation and thus one kit can play multiple roles. For example, the rune priest. Would you prefer a special model for this character, or a kit that might make a rune priest or a different character depending on load out and possible back banner decal and so on?

I expect a clear result in one direction, but may be surprised. Given the plastic medium, I expect that GW might ge able to go either way. Without comment on the obvious, which would you prefer?

I assume you’re talking about the same box making two different units i.e. Wraithguard and wraithblade, Infiltrators/incursors, Deathwing Command/TerminatorKnight squads - or all the titans, you just use different parts to make different units. So a Wolf Priest in Terminator Armor uses torso 12, white the Libby uses Torso 13 and the wolf lord uses torso 14?

Assuming I either get 5 Cryptek models or 1 Cryptek model with 5 heads and 5 arms, I'd prefer the 5 Cryptek models. I am not going to kitbash something like a Psychomancer or Chronomancer out of a Technomancer kit even if there is an arm and a head to differentiate them.

Making 5 unique kits is probably more difficult than 1 multi-purpose kit, which is a problem.

I have an unusually high tolerance for monopose models, but I still think some options in the kit would be good if a character like the Chronomancer is good enough to take 3.

If a character is monopose it should cost 15€ max., like GWs first plastic chars did. If it has options I'm okay with paying more, the Terminator Lord kit has enough options to improve the terrible Chaos Terminators kit (at least the old ones'... I guess the new Terminators are too big for his Bits?)

 Kanluwen wrote:

We don't need a Calgar with a bajillion parts...but a generic Captain? Could be nice.

Don't we? Why shouldn't we be able to build a generic SM Captain with Calgars kit? Or represent Calgar at different stages of his life?

 Sim-Life wrote:

Don't we? Why shouldn't we be able to build a generic SM Captain with Calgars kit? Or represent Calgar at different stages of his life?

Because you don't need a bespoke miniature to represent Calgar as a Tactical Marine or Captain.

I want to build my own HQs. In a galaxy of untold number of worlds, there's way too many Marneus Calgars running down the battlefields.

Kitbashing is one of the best things about plastic models, exploit to the max I say!

Overall, responses confirm expectations.

In response to torso 14 or torso 12 and so on, sure. I remember when I could call up the mail order trolls and get a single torso, to use some of that pile of bits accumulated with all of my other kits that came with so many options. Not sure why that had to go away... I guess it always comes down to money, though. Still, with 3d printers, GW might make a GW printer and release single-use codes to print out specific pieces effectively doing what the trolls used to do but maybe better... something that is possible, not probable...

 tauist wrote:
I want to build my own HQs. In a galaxy of untold number of worlds, there's way too many Marneus Calgars running down the battlefields.

Kitbashing is one of the best things about plastic models, exploit to the max I say!

There are a couple overlapping things here.

One is the no-model, no rules thing. Do the rules let me equip my primaris captain with a thunderhammer? So he can crush his foes upon the anvil of war like a good Salamander? Nope. He lost the ability to use one when he got promoted out of being an intercessor sergeant. This is normally tied to the kits available, but some legacy exceptions are caved out. And GW is fully capable of making flexible kits, as shown by the new Eldar Autarch that just released.

Some kits do let you make multiple units, and not just weapon swaps. The custodies boxes that let you make characters are a good example.

Of course, what is a marine character but a normal guy with extra bling? You can’t just pick up a powerfist/plasma pistol captain; he was an exclusive release, but supported with the rules. So I made one from the BGV kit, with extras from a number of sources (at least 3 different boxes)


There were things about the kit that made it harder. I gave him a sword, which is purely ceremonial rules-wise. The way the kit was cut up, parts of it were integrated with the body, and would have required a bit of GS work to remove smoothly. But on the flip side, having set ways things go together gives you guys like the sarge standing next to him resting his hand on the pommel. That sort of interaction was something we almost never saw in older modular plastic kits, but had back with monopose metals.

Depends on what the result of 'more parts more customisation' actually is. Some models end up looking really janky with alternate build/weapons (Wulfen); while others don't look anything special at all (Dark Angel named Captain guy).

 jeff white wrote:
Overall, responses confirm expectations.

In response to torso 14 or torso 12 and so on, sure. I remember when I could call up the mail order trolls and get a single torso, to use some of that pile of bits accumulated with all of my other kits that came with so many options. Not sure why that had to go away... I guess it always comes down to money, though. Still, with 3d printers, GW might make a GW printer and release single-use codes to print out specific pieces effectively doing what the trolls used to do but maybe better... something that is possible, not probable...

I don't think GW is going to open the 3D Printing can of worms, and they're certainly not going to make their own. The hand flamer airbrush they tried is probably as far as they go. a 3D printer is several hundred, not $25 and some $10 cans of pressurized air. And if they don't make their own, there's not really a good way to make them single use only, nor would I buy a single use .stl file because prints are pretty easy to fail. But I could see a HQ box like Terminator Character Use This Torso and head for Chaplains, use this torso and hooded head for libbies, and this head for captains - that also feels like the direction they're heading with multiple units made by the same box which lets them stock several things with one spot on the shelf.

And I am waiting for the Aggressor Captain. They keep flirting with it. And look at the comments a lot of people want it. Two Boltstorm Gauntlet Captains will show up eventually if GW is sma... well they'll probably show up anyway.

GW got rid of the mail order service because it went from a small range to a massive range and the kits got more and more complex. It's not a feasible thing to expect the company to be able to have their entire component catalogue available to order.

One option is missing:
- one kit, a reasonable number of options

Some kits have way too many loadouts options.

 Gert wrote:

 Sim-Life wrote:

Don't we? Why shouldn't we be able to build a generic SM Captain with Calgars kit? Or represent Calgar at different stages of his life?

Because you don't need a bespoke miniature to represent Calgar as a Tactical Marine or Captain.

But what if I want to?

Anyone ever tell you to go into stand up Sim?

I like when infantry box sets can be built as teo or three different data sheets (through weapon diffrences).

I like characters just being what they are, with maybe a choice of a couple of weapons.

Obviously more options is better, but the bigger but it's not always possible due to packaging restraints. (Character clampacks are max two small spruces, so bigger the model, less room for options for example).

More options are nice, but I'd rather smaller boxes which are cheaper than bigger boxes.

It depends. For already specialized characters such as rune priests, or any other psyker? Definitely one loadout and one role. Choosing powers and possibly pay for the master psyker upgrade is how you customize them.

Charactes like the army's commander can get more options instead, but it's not necessary. When I think about orks all warbosses and speedbosses are basically fixed (only option is a couple of weapons for the generic warboss) and I don't see any problem in that. They do have multiple datasheets though.

 Blackie wrote:
Choosing powers and possibly pay for the master psyker upgrade is how you customize them.

So no Force Sword/Axe/Rod?

I think GW's ability to cut the sprues in creative ways, in order to accomodate good looking minis while having customizability, has improved considerably since I started buying minis. Having options should exclude good looking minis. I think the new DKoK plastics are a good example of this.

This is the way.

 H.B.M.C. wrote:

 Blackie wrote:
Choosing powers and possibly pay for the master psyker upgrade is how you customize them.

So no Force Sword/Axe/Rod?

Couldn't care less. Melee weapon, that's it. I've never cared about different profiles for marine power/force swords, axes, rods, maces and always wanted a single profile for all those options.

Weirdboy with no option in any codex has always worked perfectly with my orks.

 Blackie wrote:

 H.B.M.C. wrote:

 Blackie wrote:
Choosing powers and possibly pay for the master psyker upgrade is how you customize them.

So no Force Sword/Axe/Rod?

Couldn't care less. Melee weapon, that's it. I've never cared about different profiles for marine power/force swords, axes, rods, maces and always wanted a single profile for all those options.

Weirdboy with no option in any codex has always worked perfectly with my orks.

I'm for getting rid of Power Weapons on Captains in general and just sticking with Relic Blades to encompass them. Besides relics, nobody picks the Power Weapons (and even then they don't).