Absence of of special weapons

[RedCuffs]

Quick question.

Is there a reason why the old metal IG figures all have a spec weapon missing from their arsenal?

So, as far as I know there's no Valhallan with a plasma gun,
no Tallarn with a flamer (or sniper other than the FW version),
Catachans have no grenade launcer apart from that special edition girl with one, about £30 on ebay ( I've honestly seen cheaper prostitutes).
Is it the same with Vostroyan, Mordian, Steel Legion, Pretorian?

Why is this so?
Is it a fluff thing?
Or a GW method of encouraging players to collect a different army?
something else?

And do some regiments have any heavy weapons missing from their arsenal too?

Question turned out to be not that quick eh?

[treadiculous]

you are right, the early metal sets had limited special and heavy weapons.

later, some of the metal lines were given extra weapons.

[Trooper One-Nine-Seven-Four]

I think the 'Chan launcher girl was available from GW Direct. Not sure if she still is, but I've already got several, plus a 'Chan male launcher that I cobbled together out of plastic 'Chan bits and a House Cawdor launcher dudesman from Necromunda.

But yeah, as Tread said, pretty much all of the old metal regimental selections were missing at least one of the special and HW types...

[RedCuffs]

I have seen that there are certain weapons missing from various regiments.

What I'm asking is "why"?

Is it a fluff thing or some other reason?

I'd be eally interested if each Regiment had it's own reason for not having certain weapons.

I just wondered if anyone knew why?

[jenburdoo]

I've noticed that before as well, but I don't think there were ever any reasons expressed by GW for it. A few lines had extras -- Praetorians had an extra lasgunner for example, plus standard and musician; Catachans eventually got a grenadier; Valhallans, Catachans and Cadians got commlinks. Other than that, you kind of have to make your own fluff for it.

Steel Legion were really limited -- three heavy weapons, two specials, and only six lasgunner variants instead of eight.

I always reckoned the Cadian Shock Troops, being, well, "shock troops" got the most powerful weapons, leaving out the grenade launcher. While the Praetorians didn't get plasma because they were more "light" infantry. (Well, I can't really imagine Praetorian tanks and armored fists, though I feel the metal sentinels fit them pretty well.)

[treadiculous]

At the time they were released they weren't given fluff reasons that I can recall.

I have a feeling that the different weapons were spread around so that each box set would contain 10 figures including 1 special, 1 heavy and 1 sergeant.

A assume they wanted to give the options of different wargear, and since the imperial guard are described as being made of mixed regiments they wanted to offer a variety of regimental uniforms and styles.

The codex at the time allowed specialisation on a unit by unit basis (veteran skills) so the differences could be further highlighted with changes to stats and special rules.

They later made more sergeants, heavy and special weapons for some factions. Primarily for the best selling factions.

[boyo2406]

I find it frustrating that there are no Melta or Plasma options in the Cadian plastic kit.

[treadiculous]

it is the same for catachan - they only get a flamer.

the special weapons are in the command squad box.

[RedCuffs]

To me the absence of certain weapons in the old original metal regiments (there's 8 of them isn't there?) actually suggests to me that there was a time when particular regiments were not allowed certain weapons.

I realise that is not the case, historically or currently, but to me that just seem to be the implication.

Are there any old metal Heavy Weapons models that certain armies didn't get?

Does anyone know?

[treadiculous]

yup.

not sure who got what, but there are definitely gaps.


(useless post)

[Yeti's Yell]

Jan 28, 2015 8:24:30 GMT -5 RedCuffs said:

To me the absence of certain weapons in the old original metal regiments (there's 8 of them isn't there?) actually suggests to me that there was a time when particular regiments were not allowed certain weapons.

I realise that is not the case, historically or currently, but to me that just seem to be the implication.

Are there any old metal Heavy Weapons models that certain armies didn't get?

Does anyone know?

Rules wise? I don't think so.

I played IG a lot back in the 1990's through 2000's and I don't recall many faction/weapon specific limitations in Codex, just the well-stated model availability, or lack thereof. I do remember later on that IG armies had faction-specific doctrines but this was way after the metal lines were done so I don't think that was a real constraint or reflection of model availability or production. I vaguely recall looking at my Valhallens then and thinking through the years that it sucked I couldn't take plasma, then I was glad, then it sucked then I was glad again as codex crept and rules flew threw versions and plasma was just too dangerous an option for my ordinary Joes.

My buddy used to run the GW store in Nyack, NY then and I was always on him about releases updating my Valhallans. He was always talking about the size of the IG sculpts compared to then-reimagined Space Marines, how the metals sorta killed the scale; my Valhallans were bigger than a lot of models even until recently and were easily larger than the fugly 'Chan plastics and later, the plastic Cadians. I don't remember if he knew then that plastic Cadians would own the catalog as it did but I knew that he was wary when the tank kits got an update and it was pretty much Catachan and Cadian plastics from then on. The 13th Crusade campaign sorta heralded the end of all metal lines anyway.

All of that said, in the 90's people who played IG usually had everyone all mixed in, so, 'Chans plus Valhallans and Cadians and Last Chancers galore.

[Trooper One-Nine-Seven-Four]

Thinking back, the old metal regiment minis were sculpted by the Perry twins and, IIRC, one of them got a hand blown off in an accident with a cannon during some sort of historical re-enactment event, and that was right after the time that the bulk of the regimental metals had been released. I'm wondering if there were plans to fill out all of the missing types for each regiment that got scuppered as a result? He was out of action for a while, and then returned to sculpting with a prosthetic, but I don't know if he was ever able to get back to the level he was at pre-amputation... I wonder if he may have been the sculptor of the special and HW minis?

And no, there was never a time that any Guard regiment was prevented from using any type of weapon, although in the fluff it would state that certain regiments had a proclivity towards being fond of a specific type of weapon ('Chans lurved their flamers, etc.). And 'Chans had metal flamers, plasma guns, and melta guns--I own multiple copies of each of these minis--in addition to the special Grenade Babe, which was released several years later. 'Chan HW teams included ML, HB, AC, LC, and mortars... They and the Cadians had all of the HWs, IIRC, and the Valhallans may have had all of the HWs too. I don't remember if the Tallarn did, though, they may have been missing the LC, and possibly mortar too... We won't even mention the Attilans, for purposes of this conversation.