Havoc Kit PSA

[MegaVolt87]

You can make classic old style havocs if you disregard the backpacks for the ML and lascannon. Cut the feeds from the backpacks and weapons, do a normal backpack chop of the vent, GS a new flat vent on side of backpack facing weapon,  add a small heavy bolter box as a lascannon power pack (this will require positioning, some GS to look like a las power pack, ammo box like HB speeder/ attack bike size) Now you can magnetize the x2 ML and las between the two bodies. Now you have spare backpacks to add to new CSM for chain cannon conversions. 

[Sception]

If you do get the havok kit, definitely pick up some instant mold or equivalent & learn how to use it.

 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Instant-Mold-9001/192608017

 

Press molded greenstuff copies will likely be too awkward & fragile to duplkcate entire models & guns, but it should serve to copy the shared backpack piece so the leftover guns xan be easily used on other models.

 

Edit: see below

[Subtle Discord]

Yep, it's a pain and not ideal, but it really is the easiest solution to many of the, "damn, I just need a few more on this one bit" problems that will crop up in these new kits. Especially parts like this that are very dependent on fitting with another component in the kit. Amazingly good results can be achieved but ti does take some practice and patience.

[Sception]

Actually, on second look, the kit does have enough backpack parts for at least most of the heavy weapons included. 4 packs for hb/ac/rcc, 4 for lc/ml. Instant mold is still a valuable tool, but not as critical here.

[Subtle Discord]

Yeah, within the kit that's good to hear, but the idea here is to create a few extra backpack bits that can make the leftover Heavy Weapon bits more usable in other builds.

[Sception]

While the backpack situation is mostly ok, the shoulder issue may require such duplication. The lascannon and misdile launcher bits each have a built in shoulder pad, and the kit assimes you will use at least two if them. If you build 4 autocannon/heavy bolter/chaincannon you'll end up two pads short.

[Wayniac]

 

Can't be coincidence, the way they design kits to fit together nowadays, and the proliferation of 3rd party bits in the past couple of years.

Not to mention thwart people magnetizing their kits. Much better to have multiples of the same guys to have all the options.

 

I'd really be curious how many people buy multiple boxes to get all of that option they put only one of.  And how many are gamers versus collectors?  I can't imagine people who don't play buying multiple boxes because they are most likely building them just like they are on the box with multiple options in the same unit for the looks.

[Sception]

I don't think the design of the havoc kit was chosen to make magnetization harder.  Especially since most players don't magnetize these kits.  That's a lot of extra hassle to go through, and discouraging the small portion of the hobby population that goes through that effort isn't worth dictating the design of their kits - especially since that population is also the population more likely to find and use 3rd party bits if the GW kits don't have the parts they want.  Just as with the single pose or mostly single pose models lately.  Doing so makes conversions harder, but that's a side effect, not the objective.  GW's own youtube account and community page have put up recent articles suggesting and promoting various conversions & kit bashes, which they wouldn't be doing if the goal was to discourage the community from doing exactly that.

 

Rather, both the single pose models and the integrated heavy weapons are about making more detailed, more elaborate, more distinct, and, in the eyes of the designers, cooler models.  To the extent that there is a business motivation to the design beyond just "sell models, make money," it seems to be more about highlighting technical aspects of GW's production ability that competing miniatures companies (and 3d printing setups) can't currently emulate.

 

 

 

I think discouraging 3rd party bits is part of why we're seeing new characters without equipment options, and fewer not-on-sprue options for other units generally, though.  That does seem to be a thing, and is a pretty frustrating jerk move.

 

EDIT: that said, it's a jerk move where the kits are dictating the rules, not the other way around.  I don't for a moment believe that GW is consciously making their model kits worse for any reason.  They're trying to make what they think are the best/coolest/most exciting/most unique (as in stuff their competitors can't emulate) kits.

 

Their definition of what those things mean just doesn't line up with that of players who prioritize easily interchangeable parts & easily customizable figures over intricate detail, elaborate decoration, and dynamic posing.

[Wayniac]

I said this before but I honestly would not mind if they just did away with that customization and said you can only use these items in these numbers based on the kits.  It would suck, but I think it's the logical progression and on top of that it would kinda make things easier to balance if they didn't have to worry about some tournament player going out and buying 5 combi-plasma to give to a squad because it's the "best" choice (or, in this case, 4 Reaper Chaincannons), since they don't seem to consider those things and as a result don't seem to balance them appropriately.

[Midnightmare]

I certainly would mind that!! I love the customisation and kitbash side of the hobby, and options allows that. These type of squads are always set up with four of the same weapon for myself personally - I find it easier when I am playing - my Devastators were always either four Lascannon, four Heavy Bolter or four Missile Launcher when I was a loyalist - my Havocs will be the same. I want four Chainreapers? I will have to bite the bullet(!) and either make some or fork out serious ££, so I will be making some.

 

Edit - horrendous spelling!!

[Mallios]

I said this before but I honestly would not mind if they just did away with that customization and said you can only use these items in these numbers based on the kits. It would suck, but I think it's the logical progression and on top of that it would kinda make things easier to balance if they didn't have to worry about some tournament player going out and buying 5 combi-plasma to give to a squad because it's the "best" choice (or, in this case, 4 Reaper Chaincannons), since they don't seem to consider those things and as a result don't seem to balance them appropriately.

That sounds awful to me. I like options, and don't want fewer. I like uniform setups for ease of gameplay, so it behooves me to equip havocs either 2/2 or 4 rather than the old "one of everything" setup from the previous models.