Headquarters work

[GhostLegion]

Hokay so....

 

Messing around with space marines all these years has finally brought me to a point of consternation/confusion...How much should the headquarters choices (Chapter Master, Captain, Librarian, Chaplain) stand out from the norm?

 

While special characters (mostly) have their own figures, which may or may not be appreciated by SM players/collectors, what can/should be done to represent similar exemplary individuals in other (less attended to) chapters? Yes, it is accepted to use the Calgar, Asmodai, or other named character model in a counts-as form...but is this satisfactory?

 

My current thought and emphasis right now is this: What does a Chief Librarian look like? How is he different from other Librarians in the chapter? and What makes a special charcter/headquarters model truely special?

 

Though I am not sure this is the right place for such questions (and I am sure the mods will adjust as needed), I thought I might get some practical concept thoughts/answers here...

[Hemal]

Chief librarians are almost invariably Epistolary markings with greater general embellishment to their armour. I would always put one in Terminator armour as well.

 

As to teh second question - its probably the ornateness of armour, honour markings, personal heraldry, that indefinable "awesomeness" - compare a model of Marneus Calgar against a Terminator Captain, or Asmodai vs a CHaplain, and the "character" is there to see...

[Epistolary_Kalphanian]

To me, it is absolute heresy to not convert (or at least extensively model) your HQ units. They're avatars of war who should be suitably attired to both look awesome and inspire fear. If you take a look at my thread on my Praetors of Orpheus, you'll see what I mean about converting HQ's. There is absolutely no excuses for going straight from the box and slapping together what's on the sprue with no intent on being original (unless you're a mindless servitor or completely devoid of imagination). If you want to do that, make tactical marines-- even then for me I must convert in some way.

 

My $0.02,

[The Normish]

I would have no trouble playing against an unadorned HQ character, as long as there was something indicating it is an HQ. I do however, prefer characterful characters. My own Captain is armored and posed very differently from the rest of my force, and is named.

 

What makes an HQ model truly special is its pose, in my opinion. U the the look the part of whatever its supposed to be doing or whatever its rank is. You could give me an Ork Warboss armed with nothing but a Choppa and a Slugga, wearing nothing but the rags of its kind, but it better be posed doing something epic. You can present me a Space Marine Captain with more bling than Marneus Calgar, but I'll dislike it if he's just standing at attention, with a blank stare. If he's standing at all, he should be supervising his troops or looking disdainfully at a conquered enemy. Preferably with a foot on a rock or something, with flowing cape.

[Obliterator]

There is absolutely no excuses for going straight from the box and slapping together what's on the sprue with no intent on being original (unless you're a mindless servitor or completely devoid of imagination).

Unless, like me, you suck big time in the conversion department. I have been known to mess up perfectly good models in a noble attempt to make them unique, and while in the end they were indeed quite unique, they were no longer fit for active duty... So please don't call people that do not convert extensivelly mindless servitors or devoid of imagination. There's more reasons then lazy or unimaginative at play here.

 

And let's face it, some characters are already too awesome to convert. Lysander, I'm looking at you, lad! :tu:

 

I do agree that if you want to use chapter-specific characters for a different chapter (heresy in my book, but hey, the codex says you're allowed to do that), the least you can do is get rid of the chapter-specific iconography. I hardly call that a conversion though.

[Chapter Master Ignis Domus]

Make their armor and weapons look more ornate. My chapter master is kneeling down using the kneeling legs from the command squad. He has the nice looking boltgun from their, too. I've loaded his armor with purity seals, parchments, and other decorations. He's got a power axe in the other hand that I carved to make it look like an ancient relic. After all, it is a relic blade. His axe is held at an at-ease looking position, and his bolter is held sideways and flat like he's about to knight someone.