This is sort of a random request of opinion, but does anyone else hate when models heads and bodies are facing two different directions? For example, it really bothers me that, if I were to get Smaug, I would always have to turn him sideways to have him look at the model he is fighting. If GW had just had the head facing forward I would have bought him in a heartbeat. As it is, I could hardly justify that kind of money for a miniature that I would only really enjoy as a diorama.

I know that it is cool to have dynamic miniatures, but I find that I enjoy the more conventional poses that make sense for gaming. I'm just curious to know what others think about this particular subject.

I welcome it. Before LOTR most minis were static, forward facing for infantry, left facing for archers- like hieroglyphics.


I think it was LOTR that forced the sculptors to think outside the box. The editions of warhammer that followed took some of that dynamism on, and now it's standard. As for smaug not being playable because of the head I disagree. Models direction is irrelevant in the game technically. Though I tend to face them towards their enemy.

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Annoys me with the dragon as well. Has annoyed me with toy animals when I was little. It just looks really awful.

I don't mind. Static or dynamic poses. My favorite are relaxed poses, like gimli sitting on a dead uruk, or the minis from the heroes of helm's deep set. That is a great one, all your favorite heroes in posed hero shots. Love it! But since facing doesnt matter in gw like it does in mage knight, I could care less.

This model is the worst offender for me.

The new Azog is pretty bad

Personally, I get what you mean, and it is annoying even though I don't play the games, just collect and paint. But, you could always simply resculpt. For large miniatures such as Smaug I'd imagine this would be near-impossible, but for single hero miniatures like Theoden, Aragorn or Gandalf it would be relatively easy to behead them, then glue it back on in a different position. I've done so many times before, and the same goes for hands and legs too, or swapping weapon-hands. These sorts of small conversions can also make your army look more interesting in general, and not just go along with what everyone else has got.

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Wise Old Elf

I had totally forgotten about that Morannon Orc pose. Boy that one is bad. And I can understand some arguments that facing doesn't matter in SBG, but at the same time I am also slightly annoyed when people don't face miniatures at each other. That's probably just me being picky though.

Wise Old Elf, you have good point. For most models it wouldn't be worth a forum post for. It's really Smaug that prompted this considering I would risk a $490 investment trying to convert him to face forward. That's just asking for a heart attack for me.

It doesn't bother me at all. I also will not turn my model to face an enemy that charged me. If surrounded I would not be able to, also these are frozen in time representations of figures, on a real battle field they would have roaming eyes and turning heads toward all dangers. Legolas often shoots at guys with 100% accuracy that he was not even looking at as he killed three orcs that he also barely even paused to consider. If someone charged my dragon model, or the flank of my watcher in the water, both oval bases, I am not going to turn it which will change the distance of my forward point and could be considered cheating (also could knock a few models around doing so). For smaug, since you would not use him that often in games (or shouldn't) I think you should not change the head position since he will most likely have enemies on all flanks...picture him cocking his head to the side to start his fire breath so he can sweep it back an forth and hit everyone before him. Or that his tail can club tens of enemies without him turning around. Or that he would really be flying anyway and so his model base and direction his head is facing is irrelevant. I am not ranting here to be against your opinion, just trying to convince you that it is not so bad and hope you can look past poses to enjoy the great models, great variety of poses and directions, and the great game which doesn't require direction of face, flank or rear.

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http://www.sithious.webs.com

No problem, Sithious. Thank you for that convincing argument. It will probably just always be something that nags me inside, but that sure won't stop me from playing or getting the models I want. I'm sure I even have that silly morannon orc at least twice and used him in plenty of games. I was just asking for everyone's opinions on the matter.

I like the variety different poses bring. And that includes head direction. Smaugs pose is a practical space saver by having him curled up. Having said that, I do not like the MoM Legolas which has him facing front but firing left. That is just stupid.

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