I've been thinking...

[Inso]

...about whether an evil Grymn faction would be appropriate.

As many will know, I usually build up my Grymn forces using Warhammer 40k Codeciis; mostly Imperial Guard.  This is an easy way to get a framework to build an army.  In WH40k there is Chaos and in Warhammer Fantasy, Chaos Dwarves.  Using those as a background I could feasibly create a Chaos Grymn force (using them as traitor guardsmen).

I'm not suggesting a proper Chaos force, more a renegade faction.  One that has left the bosom of normal Grymn society and has disappeared on a drug fueled adventure, following a charismatic leader.

I was looking at pictures of some of the Celtos Vanir and some were painted with blue skin.  That not only got me thinking of Rogue Trooper but also about a squad of Chaos Guardsmen that I had once seen painted with grey/pallid skin.  I can't get the idea out of my head that grey skinned Grymn with dark armour would look great...basically, that is where this thread has come from.

So...the big question...

Is the idea cool, apt or just plain daft?

[Ben Brownlie]

I was looking at pictures of some of the Celtos Vanir and some were painted with blue skin.

And I'm still trying to live down all the smurf comments...   

I can't get the idea out of my head that grey skinned Grymn with dark armour would look great...

 

Is the idea cool, apt or just plain daft?

Both

Go for it!

[sagunt]

I always enjoy a variety, one reason I decided to use white armour for my Grymn.  All my other groups are in dark or drab tones.  I also wanted a sort of homage to the stormtrooper.

These would be a group of freelancers, then?  Mercenaries?  A non-governmental force that can be paid through untraceable accounts to do the jobs the government could not openly take on?  They move about on a ship disguised as a pleasure cruiser though actually armed to the teeth.  It was christened The Golden Hind in reference to an obscure, old myth of a pirate king who wins the heart of his queen by bringing his spoils to the Crown unbidden.  Stealing from the rich to give to the rich - you know the theme.

If truly rogue, perhaps not just a uniformly dark armour for them, but a sampling of the different schemes you've already painted up.  One mini may even sport plates from more than one opponent, green chest plate, but brown shoulder.  They've scavenged a bit to keep their kit complete, if not entirely coherent in appearance.

[alrith72]

Hey, since when have you needed our approval to buy and paint more Grymn!

Seriously though i think they'd look preety cool.

[Bodhi]

I'm not suggesting a proper Chaos force, more a renegade faction.  One that has left the bosom of normal Grymn society and has disappeared on a drug fueled adventure, following a charismatic leader.

I'm all for it! And not just with Grymn either. I would really love to see more "Grey shaded" figures all over the miniature field. Not quite good, not quite evil but desillusioned, cynical, bitter, filled with anxiety... There's a whole range of feelings that I think haven't been covered enough in the miniature world. As it is they're largely "heroic" or "evil" and little in the zones in between where most of us do after all dwell.

[Brandlin]

Why would a 'bad' grymn faction have to have a different coloured skin?

I'm pretty sure that most races would have differences of view on politics, religion, science, ecology and the right end of a boiled egg to eat first. All of these subjects have certainly been known to cause wars between humans (and in one case very little people) so why does it have to be different in grymn?  I'm loathe to point out some of the current wars on our own planet as evidence; I'm pretty sure no-one would admit to their own forces being "the bad-guys".

One of my pet hates in Fantasy and Sci-fi writing is the way whole races are characterised together in homogenous blocks with little variety, whilst humans continue to portray a wide range of beliefs, habits and behaviours.

There are clearly 2 exceptions to this rule however.
All dwarfs are loyal, courageous and right.
All elves are efeminate, pointy eared, interering self righteous bigots.
The only good orc is a dead one.

Ok, so there are threee exceptions...

Brandlin
(Stunty and proud)

[sagunt]

Why would a 'bad' grymn faction have to have a different coloured skin?
 I'm pretty sure no-one would admit to their own forces being "the bad-guys".

Well, there certainly is plenty of grey area for differing socio-political views, but if part of your power is the fear instilled through a reputation of being the heartless group more inclined to shoot you than ask if you want to buy your life for a large sum of credits, you'll nurture a reputation of being bad guys.

First, I shall refer to Exhibit A: The Reivers.

Exhibit B-ZZ:  Any of the territorial, drug-dealing gangs round here who occasionally go on shooting sprees.  I see the casing location/identification marks painted on the ground in all parts of town.  "Yeah, they was my homies.  I claim the West 509."  These groups often get tattoos to identify themselves, either as an advert, or intimidation.

Should the Grymn sport stripes or something on faces as a mark of fealty to some criminal organisation?

[Overrevdsquat]

  psychic mutant grymn 

[Inso]

There is no reason to change the Grymn's skin colour, other than the fact it would look cool.  That's it...no greater plan...no psychological reasons...just so that it would make a change and look cool.

The easiest way to explain the change of skin would be the use of drugs and maybe contact with demonic forces/powers...hence, that's what I suggested.  Alternatively, they may have worked in a circus and like having their faces painted...but that just doesn't have the same sort of impact, does it?

[Steel Penguin]

i hate to say this but with the grey skin / red plate, on him he looks very adeptus mechanicus to me, palid from waaay to much time in resurch labs and the red "martian" armour.  its not exactly what you wanted but just what struck me...
but as the saying goes.  there your figs do what you want... ant no one round here gonna take them off you. ( we might want too  cos there so well painted and coherant an all, but thats just not nice, and if not nice rears its ugly head too much Sally will be forced to wade in and sort us out, no dought. and tht would be  )

[torn]

you lot take things way too seriously. everybody knows that the grey-blue skin means your evil. since when have good guys ever had grey-blue skin. its all about making the minis look evil, and nothing to do with real world politics.

inso - after seeing your pic yesterday i was looking at which grymm would make cool chaos conversions. might research the old chaos squats a bit and see if i can get any inspiration from somewhere.

the only thing is i have given up on 40k as a gaming system, i just dont enjoy it as much as fantasy for larger games, i much prefer skirmish games like necromunda or gorkamorka. might be cool to make up a ruleset to fit grymm/bohkin etc into a skirmish game. i suppose with gorkamorka you could even just keep the orks stats and make up some stuff for weapons, bohkin could be rebel grots, and the vehicle rules are fairly open to make anything fit anyway.

[Bodhi]

since when have good guys ever had grey-blue skin.

Krishna, Vishnu and Shiva, just to name a few. It's the colour of rainclouds and hence seen as good.
In rainy europe of course rainclouds don't have the same positive aspect 

[Vermis]

I remember standing in a corridor one day at tech.  A teacher who grew up on as tropical island with clear skies (I forget which) came up and commented on the clouds - they were large, grey, and in her words dramatic.  We looked at her like she was mad.  To us it meant we were going to get wet.

And then there's that thing about 'the Emerald Isle'.  Never really understood that.  If we're talking about green places, I visited Queensland once and that was the first thing I noticed betwen the airport and hotel - the green.

We now return to your regular programming.

[King_Doberman]

I say go for it but try adding something to there Armour like bataille damage.

[FlashbackJon]

you lot take things way too seriously.

Miniature gaming is serious business!

[Chris_M]

you lot take things way too seriously. everybody knows that the grey-blue skin means your evil. since when have good guys ever had grey-blue skin.

Aayla Secura? Pa'u Zotoh Zhaan? The Asgard?

[FlashbackJon]

Aayla Secura? Pa'u Zotoh Zhaan? The Asgard?

Gesundheit!