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I've been trying to figure out why the GK Knight looks so bad, and then it hit me. It's a throwback to an older designed model.

Does anyone else see this, or am I just punch-drunk from sleep deprivation?

I mean, yeah, it's a similar concept to the Eldar War Walker. So is the Adepta Sororitas Penitent Engine.

I personally prefer Dreadnoughts to these, to each their own.

It's not not there, but I think the exosuit-with-joysticks thing is just kind of a general design thing that pops up in media sometimes.

Technically, things like the invictus warsuit and Shadowsun are doing something similar, but it feels better integrated. Largely, I think, because putting those models' legs on the suit's legs makes the overall suit feel more like its movements are an extension of their own whereas the baby carriers just have their legs dangling. Which in turn begs the question of why the pilot has to be so exposed then.

When the legs (and possibly arms) mirror the movements of the pilot, it makes the rest of the suit feel like an extension of their body; turning the pilot into a giant. When they're just dangling in the air, it feels like the pilot could have easily been placed in an enclosed cockpit instead.

Frankly, the dreadknight looks far more ridiculous to me. The Eldar walker looks like a two-legged weapons platform, while the dreadnight looks like a headless robot with a man floundering out in front.

The 5th edition codex alluded to xenos technology, so I've always assumed that the War Walker was the inference we were supposed to make (it's very subtle, see!)

I always thought the baby carrier was inspired by The Matrix Revolutions APU defense sentinels.

At least when you look at the Eldar Walker & the question of "Why would they build that??" Comes up?
It can be written off as "They're aliens, so who the knows."

But then the finest of the Emporers finest go & build one....
At least they dangled a terminator off the front of theirs.

I agree though. I bet GW was referencing the Matrix when they designed the GK kit.

The War Walker’s pilot is protected by layered high-end forcefields. Which is why he can just hang out there without worrying. And has great field of vision as there is nothing in the way.

SM power armor is supposed to be walking tank levels of protection. To the point where things like Land Speeders didn’t have the open topped rule, as the pilots were just as well armored as the speeder they were flying.

Is its silly? Maybe. But there is some in-universe and game mechanical explanations.

The GK baby carrier is still ugly as sin in my humble opinion. I also think it was unnecessary, as marines in armor a/o dreadnoughts have been facing down greater demons just fine without it. So not only is it silly, but also undermines the heroics of the GK. They should not need a giant exosuit to get the job done.

*looks at the stats of a Bloodthirster*

*Looks at the stats of the average Grey Knight and even Grey Knight Dreadnoughts*

They do need the baby carrier if they want to 1v1 a Greater Daemon.

 Nevelon wrote:
The War Walker’s pilot is protected by layered high-end forcefields. Which is why he can just hang out there without worrying. And has great field of vision as there is nothing in the way.

SM power armor is supposed to be walking tank levels of protection. To the point where things like Land Speeders didn’t have the open topped rule, as the pilots were just as well armored as the speeder they were flying.

Is its silly? Maybe. But there is some in-universe and game mechanical explanations.

The GK baby carrier is still ugly as sin in my humble opinion. I also think it was unnecessary, as marines in armor a/o dreadnoughts have been facing down greater demons just fine without it. So not only is it silly, but also undermines the heroics of the GK. They should not need a giant exosuit to get the job done.

I believe that if they had an enclosed cockpit or were simply GK Centurions, I think it would have been better received.

The issue for me I'd that the suit is long limbed, while the Marine has short limbs. The proportions look all wrong.

 Tyran wrote:
*looks at the stats of a Bloodthirster*

*Looks at the stats of the average Grey Knight and even Grey Knight Dreadnoughts*

They do need the baby carrier if they want to 1v1 a Greater Daemon.

IMHO no marine shy of a primarch should be soloing a GD. Even the big guys should be struggling. It should take coordination, teamwork, and clever tricks to be able to banish one. Not just strap a suit of armor onto your suit of armor and pick up a sword as big as a school bus. Maybe have some troop heroically sacrifice themselves slowing it down while the librarians set up some wards to weaken it, wound it and wear it down with support fire. Then the captain steps up, struggles a bit, takes some hits, but eventually puts it down.

Any lone marine who goes toe to toe with something that big should get comically stuffed. If they don’t, no mater how well equipped, that’s the plot armor doing all the heavy lifting.

Obviously my opinion on the setting. Marines should win by doing marine things, not by having new toys to sell or over the top plot armor.

Whilst I get the design is odd, I do like the big lad. Modelling wise I think I’d just want a skid lid instead of the helmetless head.

The wider exposure of the pilot doesn’t fash me, as he’s still in Terminator Armour, so hardly vulnerable. And I like the concept of it being a force multiplier.

Didn't Castellan Crowe solo a Greater Daemon with just a suit of power armour?

 Nevelon wrote:
SM power armor is supposed to be walking tank levels of protection. To the point where things like Land Speeders didn’t have the open topped rule, as the pilots were just as well armored as the speeder they were flying.

Is its silly? Maybe. But there is some in-universe and game mechanical explanations.

They say this but it doesn't make sense. Does a terminator normally have T8 and W13? Obviously not. But a gun that can kill a terminator can just as easily kill this guy strapped to the front of the robot. There's no need to also destroy the huge machine behind him, so this thing should be T5 W3.

But of course the biggest problem is that it looks really lame. Inquisitor Karamazov was less realistic than this guy but looked cool, so I give him a pass. When I see this model I always imagine his little feet dangling in the air and it's ridiculous.

Was there an alternative Dreadknight model that was an enclosed suit with an actual robot-head?

Or am I thinking of a custom build?

(Or possibly just going insane.)

 vipoid wrote:
Was there an alternative Dreadknight model that was an enclosed suit with an actual robot-head?

Or am I thinking of a custom build?

(Or possibly just going insane.)

Popgoesthemonkey and some other sites have custom jobs that look really good.

Oh, that's why Dread knight is so ugly, it's just xenos design...

 vipoid wrote:
Was there an alternative Dreadknight model that was an enclosed suit with an actual robot-head?

Or am I thinking of a custom build?

(Or possibly just going insane.)

Sure, All manner of companies/printers offer enclosed torsos & robot heads for Dreadnights.
GW has never been one of them though...

And knowing this is what people WANT?
GW opts to upgrade the kit with.... a flail.
Good job GW!

The Dreadknight is one of those models where you just have to throw a hankerchief over it. No paint job in the world can save it from ridicule.

There has been a great conversation from a Saturnine Dread that looked really good. I believe from Pete the Wargamer?