Skaven Stormvermin shields

[Mayple]

I was wondering, what is the general agreement on the stormvermin shields? They get them for free, it gives them +1 save (against dmg 1) - but looks like ******. Why would I ever want to hide the wonderful stormvermin models behind ugly woodboards!? 

Anyway, for the question: is it generally acceptable to drop the shields, but keep the rule? ( It is essentially their standard armor save anyway, just with convoluted wording) - for the sake of aesthetics/rule of cool?

[bomba776]

WYSIWYG.

If you want your stormvermins to be benefited  from the shield bonus, glue some shields to their back.

[Mayple]

Is that the general agreement?

 

Either way, I found a solution for dealing with nay-sayers. I bring spare shields to fights, and temporarily green stuff a shield to the squad leader, since I only need a single shield for the whole unit to benefit, and I'm not likely to remove the leader before the rest of the pack when taking casualties. This way I get to have cool models AND not gimp myself if someone is hardcore what-you-see-is-what-you-get

[Killax]

Stick them onto their backs. Problem solved?

They don't really need to be behind their shields in my opinion. But it does help if they simply have them, or better put, enough of them so it's clear the whole unit will likely have it.

I did the same with my Marauder Horsemen, they have the javelins and shields but not all have them in their hands, some just have them on their back.

[Mayple]

4 minutes ago, Killax said:

Stick them onto their backs. Problem solved?

They don't really need to be behind their shields in my opinion. But it does help if they simply have them, or better put, enough of them so it's clear the whole unit will likely have it.

I did the same with my Marauder Horsemen, they have the javelins and shields but not all have them in their hands, some just have them on their back.

Sure, that's a solid solution my issue is that I think the shields are really ugly, and I don't want to hide any part of the great stormvermin models I have/had the same issue with the Warlord, but I stuck a shield onto his base, so it's 'there'

[Killax]

7 minutes ago, Mayple said:

Sure, that's a solid solution my issue is that I think the shields are really ugly, and I don't want to hide any part of the great stormvermin models I have/had the same issue with the Warlord, but I stuck a shield onto his base, so it's 'there'

Works well enough. In that case I'd say just go 50/50 on them on backs or bases. I personally think the shields look okay, so I can't completely envision the issue of them on backs. One of the advantage of AoS to WFB really is that you should have enough place to put that shield somewhere. Back of the base is fine too  

[merzbau]

I was wondering the same thing for Chaos Marauders on foot. They can't mix equipment (so the whole unit has to have axes or flails, and optional shields that there is literally no reason not to take), but in their case it's difficult since only 1 out of every 4 flails is single-handed. Likewise, the chieftan's sword no longer has any rules at all, so I'm just planning on counting it as a flail. If I give the command group and every model with a one-handed flail a shield, are people likely to be ok with it? I've tried shields on the back, but the proportions are just wrong for it to look good.

[Killax]

4 minutes ago, merzbau said:

I was wondering the same thing for Chaos Marauders on foot. They can't mix equipment (so the whole unit has to have axes or flails, and optional shields that there is literally no reason not to take), but in their case it's difficult since only 1 out of every 4 flails is single-handed. Likewise, the chieftan's sword no longer has any rules at all, so I'm just planning on counting it as a flail. If I give the command group and every model with a one-handed flail a shield, are people likely to be ok with it? I've tried shields on the back, but the proportions are just wrong for it to look good.

I personally havnt found any reason to run Flails with them, which is why I went for hand weapons all the way. I think the shields look cool with them in their hands that way. But perhaps I'm missing some secret flail tech? 

In either case I think some shields should make it all clear enough. I typically would advice running 3/4th with the gear you intend to run them with for clearity but typically speaking an Army List should be clear enough about these. In that same example I don't really know which weapon is which for the Skullreapers, I doubt my opponent knows it either, so to prefent any confusion it's simply written down on the list and before the game begins I'll say which unit is which.

Communication about these things is key, much more as WYSIWG because converting is way cooler as going for exact WYSIWG anyway. 

[Kugane]

Tempted to make a Stormvermin pushing a cart with exactly 40 shields in it.

[Mayple]

22 minutes ago, Kugane said:

Tempted to make a Stormvermin pushing a cart with exactly 40 shields in it.

Haha token shield guy. I was thinking something similar, but a stormvermin encased in all the spare shields. Yours is much more entertaining though!

[Kugane]

3 minutes ago, Mayple said:

Haha token shield guy. I was thinking something similar, but a stormvermin encased in all the spare shields. Yours is much more entertaining though!

I originally also considered 1 rat with 40 shields. I think I will just make the 40 shields on a cart thing, just to stop the WYSIWYG nonsense. IMO they should just have made shields an aesthetic choice. The shields are ugly on stormvermin. Too ugly.

[merzbau]

It's 100% Rule of Cool for me- the performance hit is minor, especially on a unit that's not going to kill much anyway, and in the middle of painstakingly cleaning mold lines off of Brayherd models the last thing in the world I want to see is more axes...