New Lictor(?)/Deathleaper Revealed

[Antarius]

I'm not a fan of the "anything made up can't seem silly" argument, but honesly, if your argument is anything but "I don't like how it looks", I have a hard time taking it seriously. We have no idea what it's supposed to be, how it's supposed to work or how stretchy/mobile it's supposed to be, so I don't think it makes a lot of sense to act like it can't possibly have a "realistic" purpose.

If I had to guess at its function, I would imagine it was something like a flying squirrels "wings"; something to help it float/guide it through the air when it leaps. I'm basing this on its name and my extensive knowledge of completely made up alien biology and anatomy as represented on toy models.

[Kastor Krieg]

3 hours ago, Cactus said:

It could be for dissipating heat like an elephant's ears. Maybe it's some alien sense organ for tasting the air like a snake's tongue. I like that there's a weird alien bit that we're trying to make sense of.

Guardsman: Hehe, look at it, it has a skirt...

<The Deathleaper has felt this comment>
Guardsman: ... Gulp.

[Guiltysparc]

The skirt reminds me of the membranes between octopus tentacles, pretty cool.  Could be loaded with chromatophores for camouflage while he's hunched over.  

[tangoalphatwo]

I don’t care if it has an in universe purpose or not. The entirety of the 40K universe is fantasy in a sci-go setting. Real world tactics and physics be damned. Really, justify an assault Intercessor? Melee combat and the dudes look cool. That’s it.

 

The Nids are suppose to be the most alien creatures in 40K. They’re supposed to be bat:cuss: weird. I love it. It gives it a totally unique and unfamiliar feel. I think it’s awesome and will go right along with all the other lictors I have.

[Blurf]

9 hours ago, Mogger351 said:

Got to agree the skirt is anatomically weird and seems practically useless beyond snagging people who were looking to perform a rectal exam. Style over function which is antithesis for nids.

Oh really? So the whip made out of bone is just the most efficient melee option you can produce with Biomass? It's 100% pragmatic efficiency for them to grow bone whips? Is that what you really believe?

[TheMawr]

"Style over function" is for me personally one of the most important things that make something 40k, and one I always missed a little bit in tyranids (and alot in tau.)

I like it.. giving tyranid a skirt or cape.. or what almost seems like a hoody or ponytail (very 40k too :p ) but in a very tyranid way. It also helps I love to munchy nids more than the grinny nids.

 

I still believe though the true spirit of 40k lies in standard/iconbearers (both in units and as characters) and this gives me 0.5% hope nids will some day be included, (beyond GSC), sure in fluff it might be a sensory membrane organ that can increase the wavelengths of the hivemind (or even better... dont cawlxplain it at all.) but a standardbearer of sorts nonetheless.

[phandaal]

Reminds me of the Judas breed in Mimic. What a classic good/bad movie.

[Wispy]

10 hours ago, Blurf said:

Oh really? So the whip made out of bone is just the most efficient melee option you can produce with Biomass? It's 100% pragmatic efficiency for them to grow bone whips? Is that what you really believe?

I love dunking the "hurr durr my suspension of disbelief!" 40kers, always hilarious.

[DemonGSides]

15 hours ago, TheMawr said:

"Style over function" is for me personally one of the most important things that make something 40k, and one I always missed a little bit in tyranids (and alot in tau.)

I like it.. giving tyranid a skirt or cape.. or what almost seems like a hoody or ponytail (very 40k too :p ) but in a very tyranid way. It also helps I love to munchy nids more than the grinny nids.

 

I still believe though the true spirit of 40k lies in standard/iconbearers (both in units and as characters) and this gives me 0.5% hope nids will some day be included, (beyond GSC), sure in fluff it might be a sensory membrane organ that can increase the wavelengths of the hivemind (or even better... dont cawlxplain it at all.) but a standardbearer of sorts nonetheless.

 

They should give them like, Samurai style banners by with their fog vane things they have like in the anti-psyker guy.    It'd look dope if they all had those big spine things but it was chonky and coming off their back like a banner.

Tyranids with Sashimono "Banners" that are just spewing toxic spores would be :cuss:ing dope looking.  Wouldn't work on Gaunts, but would look REALLY cool on Warriors and Hive Guard.

[Mogger351]

18 hours ago, Blurf said:

Oh really? So the whip made out of bone is just the most efficient melee option you can produce with Biomass? It's 100% pragmatic efficiency for them to grow bone whips? Is that what you really believe?

Why not? You want to constrict the movements of your foe to strike them easier, tentacles tails and tongues are all favourites in nature for that.

 

To those saying its maybe for camo, lictors have had chameleonic scales since inception, they can already change colour and camo into their environments.

 

But hey, just keep mocking away because of a differing opinion.

[Alternis]

On 6/12/2023 at 11:20 AM, sockwithaticket said:

100%. An organic skirt is dumb anyway, but particularly on a stealth killer that should be as streamlined as possible.

I cannot stress how frustrated statements like this make me.

 

People speak as if they don’t know assassin half skirts are a thing and have always been a thing

i think people just automatically associate assassins with ninja’s.

 

the cape/membrane makes sense when you look at the Deathleaper and see it’s Octopus/Squid like qualities the aesthetic makes perfect sense

IMG_4321.avif

Edited June 14, 2023 by Alternis
Accidental duplication of attached image