Why Don't They Put Their Helmets On?

[Braininthejar]

I've always thought is was not very smart to take your helmet off. So all of my Marines have helmets on!

So do all but two of mine. The one exception is the librarian, who has to wear that hood of his. (The terminator librarian however, does have a standard helmet with hood wires going into it) The other is sergeant Baradiel of the devastators, who's face is largely cybernetic, because not wearing a helmet has already costed him a half of it.

As for sergeants, I mark them with black shoulder pads and tabards. The idea of giving an officer a bright red helmet with the badge of honour in the middle of his forehead irks me as much as not wearing one in the first place.

***

Coming back to the first post, I can agree with some of it. However, even with all its craziness, Warhammer has some standards of realism. Just look at the intro to Dawn of War, where an experienced officer makes a heroically idiotic tactical error and then his heroism no longer matters - he gets a full squad of space marines under his command wiped out within a minute.

Also, a captain has an iron halo - he of all people can afford not to wear a helmet.

[joedrache]

There are many sources for some individuals who do not use their helmets.
We could name Uriel Ventris, Ragnar Blackmane (Space Wolves as a whole are reknown for hateing the helmets) and counless other vet sergants across all BL publications. In the Night Lords Books for example when they were boarded by the Genesis Chapter there was a Sergant without a helmet,...

Quote from angel exterminatus- kroeger has scaled the fortress wall to the parapet:

Kroeger saw an imperial fists warrior turn towards them, a captain by the look of him. his face registered surprise, and he shouted a warning to another two fists squatting in the midst of a company-strength of frightened mortals.
"No helmet?" hissed kroeger, aiming and firing in one fluid motion. "stupid."

[YorkNecromancer]

My god... One set of books says Astartes wear helmets... But another says they don't?

IT'S ALMOST LIKE DIFFERENT WRITERS HOLD DIFFERENT OPINIONS OF THE WAY THE FLUFF SHOULD BE INTERPRETED! LIKE SOME THINK IT'S COOL AND SOME HATE IT! AHHHH DAMN YOU INCONSISTENCY!!!

Mock hysteria aside, I think the disparity proves another useful truth quite nicely: there is no one line of thinking in a lot of shared-universe fiction. Tony Stark can be a gentle atoner in Warren Eliis' comics, and a cold-blooded fascist in Bendis'. All we can say is that some writers hold that Astartes wear helmets and look down on those who do not, while other writers hold that Astartes do not, and regard those who do as being mistaken. The final say obviously comes down to the individual - and rightly so - as proven by the people above who have been saying which they prefer and why.

All that really matters is that the decision is logically justified to the character, in-universe, not what the actual decision is.

Which was kind of my original point.

[Path Walker]

It could also be a difference of opinion between the individuals, Kroegar and Talos might think not wearing a helmet is stupid, Ragnar and Ventris might think its better to go without.

Mythology and helmets have a tenuous relationship anyway, how many heroes wear helmets in their depictions? There is a good reason games like WoW and Mass Effect both have options to not display the helmets of PCs

[Dlatrex]

Pssssshh. I disagree with the premise of this treatis, as it clearly fails the test of historical record. Military practice has ALWAYS chosen form over function. To lose the increased survivability by doffing one's helmet in live battle is preposterous! This is exactly why CO's never have worn any sort of garish uniform to distinguish them from the footmen, as a marksman would surely...



....

Well damn. (Ok Ok, I know it's a legend).

Well played York! Great ideas and very well conveyed. Immersion and accepting that the far future is both tantalizingly recognizable and wholly different than our present culture really helps one appreciate the story and forge the narrative!

[cthulhuchewtoy]

great article!
One thing: the captain in Space marine takes off his helmet because it is damaged in the free fall fight with the ork armada. Cappy tries to put it back on, but its so dented, it doesn't fit.

[Path Walker]

Space Marines are always looking for an excuse to chuck their helmet away

[Mr Mystery]

Especially in games of Inquisitor.

Marine throwing his hat at you did more damage than his Bolter.

Come to think of it, so would throwing the individual rounds from said Bolter.

My priest found that out the hard way...

[Grotfather]

During the Battle Of Hastings, Duke William (the Conqueror) removed his helmet while in battle to rally his forces after word began to spread he had been killed. This show of bravery and fearlessness emboldened his men exhorting them on to victory. Don't forget that creators and most of the current writers and sculptors are English and this is part of the history of their country they grow up idolizing.

While some would say that this is not applicable to a 40K style shooting war, remember that in that very battle King Harold was fatally wounded by an arrow to the eye basically sealing Norman victory and changing the history and character of England irrevocably.

[artemi]

This is covered SPECIFICALLY in the HH novel Fulgrim, on page 22-23. "He disdained the wearing of a helmet to prevent the Laer from deciphering his orders over the vox-network, and because he knew that if he were hit in the head by one of the Laer weapons, he was as good as dead, helmet or not."

That said, all my Grey Knights wear helmets. A) because GKs have the coolest looking helmets in the game, and B) because it's easier to paint.