BA, armor, and artistry

[jimbo1701]

If said kit were to exist I would hope for 5-man and bodies a/b/c/d/e each with a couple of weapon options (which in practice can fit any body) and fully interchangeable heads and backpacks. Ideally a few chest or shin options (like the stern guard kit) to break things up. 

[DemonGSides]

 

If said kit were to exist I would hope for 5-man and bodies a/b/c/d/e each with a couple of weapon options (which in practice can fit any body) and fully interchangeable heads and backpacks. Ideally a few chest or shin options (like the stern guard kit) to break things up. 

 

I'd hope it were a full 10 man squad if they're going to continue down their "Specific poses" style, or 5 man if they can put enough variability in it otherwise.

It's all wishlisting anyways, these things are 5 years away at best.

[jaxom]

My original set of posts were all looking backward at how we've arrived were we are. Here's my thoughts on what we'll see moving forward.

 

First a disclaimer. Much of my thoughts are shaped by the fact this image exists.

 

It's the Jes Goodwin template for Sanguinary Guard and Death Company. Don't get your hopes up for a bespoke Tactical Squad kit or a bespoke Death Company kit. It is better on finances and production to have a set of core Space Marine kits that can change based on more limited accessory sprue runs. In addition, Jes Goodwin is against "unnecessary" cluttering of Marine design space. Basic Marines and Death Company are not going to be as ornamented as Sternguard, Bladeguard, or Company Heroes. At the same time, because the BA inverse ornamentation/ornate rule, they won't be as 'sculpted' as Sanguinary Guard.

  

 

As you say, heroic nudity is a type of ornamentation on its own and GW was limited by the tech of past years. However the problem with the new BA minis like SG is that instead of aiming for heroic nudity they just look like plain golden marines with vaguely super hero spandex suit pects. Even the abs plate is inside the belt line like fabric instead of over it. The new captain is halfway there but still in the proper side of what it should be except for the pects.

 

The Sanguinary Guard are a logical extension of Goodwin's concept space for the visual shorthand of Marine hierarchy. The Sanguinary Guard are less fancy than a generic BA Captain because they're not Characters in the same way a Captain is a character. The generic BA Captain is less fancy than Dante because he's not an Epic Character the same way Dante or the Sanguinor is.

There's clear progression as parts of the armour become less ornate. The Sanguinor, Dante, and the Captain all have the same torso, but Dante has the biggest ornamentation. The Captain's legs aren't as sculpted compared to the Sanguinor and Dante. The Sanguinary Guard's death mask style helmet, torso and vambraces aren't as sculpted as the Captain's.

 

 

I think we're a victim of Dante's success.  The new model is no more ornamented or ornate than the old one, so the new BA Captain and Sanguinary Guard have to be less fancy than what is effectively a model from 2nd edition. The one thing that I cannot wrap my head around is why they ditched the original Sanguinary Guard symbol for the pauldrons.

 

 

 "Look at me. I am the Death Company now."

Edited August 26 by jaxom

[lansalt]

 

Goodwin's concept space for the visual shorthand of Marine hierarchy.

I disagree with this being a thing all the way to epic heroes. Elite SM troops and bodyguard units have been historically alternate HQ kits (van vets, sternguard, Calgar honour guard, old SG) with no less ornamentation than named characters. The real difference was that those characters had extra unique gear, bigger bases, back banners, etc to make then stand out more (Like Azrael)

 

 

The new model is no more ornamented or ornate than the old one, so the new BA Captain and Sanguinary Guard have to be less fancy than what is effectively a model from 2nd edition.

Yeah, I agree that this is the logic the current designer must have followed.  But I see it as a mistake/tunnel vision that disregards the context of these units and BA lore, not to mention making SG look like AoS Stormcasts (without talking about all the other badly executed details of those sculpts), The captain is very nice and SG should have looked at least like it, but still has problems.

It may sound nickpicky or a joke, but the lack of a proper sculpted natural torso with nipples is a real loss. That classic/renaissance sculpture thing was part of the BA identity and now it just looks like superhero/stormcast armour.

The Death Company is another story. Despite the love for the old kit, DC have always been supposed to be regular BA marines with a different paint scheme. They should have no more bling than any other rank and file marine besides HQs. So losing it is not a big deal except for the many useful bits.

[jaxom]

Jes Goodwin is steering the ship and it’s his tunnel vision. We haven’t had much Marine stuff not match his design concepts since 8th edition launched.