If it's not WYSIWYG, it's WTF.

Besides unpainted miniatures, something I rail against vehemently and eloquently, something else that chaps my hide are miniatures that aren't WYSIWYG. (In case in you don't know, that means What You See Is What You Get- a concept that has been important to me since experiencing the painful frustration of trying to print documents on a dot-matrix using Appleworks.) I don't mind a few changes here are there, especially in a friendly game, but I have my limits. And those limits are rather stringent. 

"We, the miniatures on your shelf, demand to be represented accurately in your games of Warhammer 40k !"

Two variants of scout sergeants for different lists.

I remember playing a game against an unnamed family member and finding out I was assaulting a bunch Terminators that ran around in the form of regular power armor marines. Dice had already been rolled when those 2+ saves started coming out. I was not thrilled. I lost that assault, surprisingly enough, but kept playing cheerfully because I am not a complete asshole. But really, the bases are different, dude. 

These guys have plasma pistols, because, uh, their models do.

I despise having to listen to a long-winded pregame description of how this bolter is really a melta gun and this guy is really this and that and meow meow meow. I also don't want to take the time to scour a list for the fine details. I don't want to stop and point at miniatures and ask about them. Really. That's why GW makes all those nice little parts. If you want to make the most of those expensive models, consider using magnets to make gear and weapon loadouts interchangeable. Magnets are cheap and easy to use.

This gunner has been magnetized to change weapon load outs.

I work hard to buy and construct the units I will be playing. It's a sniper because it has a sniper rifle. It's got a plasma pistol because the model has a plasma pistol. That's a power fist because that's a power fist. I trade, buy, convert, scrounge, and beg for the pieces that will look like what the miniature is carrying. Get the bits and get to work. It isn't that hard if

you give the smallest of damns about what you're doing.



Internal magnets allow for other options.

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Can't decide on Typhoon launchers ? Now you don't have to !

 



Be Prepared

Here's how acute anxiety has paid off for me: I was, and continue to be, in various gigging rock bands. When I bring my guitar for a show, I bring two. Strings break and no one wants to wait while you restring. When I bring a cable, I bring two because you can't trust those things to work right. 9 volt batteries ? Got them. And extras. Extension cords. Check. Set lists. Done. If you're going to take the time to do it, do it right. 

The same goes for 40k. If you can spend hours trolling boards and squeezing every mathematical and fluffy nuance out of your rulebooks and codices, then you can make sure that what's on the table is what's on the table. 


These guys are sergeants because they look like sergeants.

In Summary

1. Please, don't make me wait while you glue at the game table.

2. Write your list at home. Let's roll the dice and play a game. The reason I stopped RPG's and started 40k was due to the fact that I am a grownup and have limited gaming time. Also, I can no longer enjoy being around other fat nerds for extended periods of time. With Warhammer 40,000, I can count on a rousing 6 rounds of fun and be off on my merry way.

 

3. WYSIWYG is the only way. 

Game on.

Even smoke can be WYSIWYG