Mk.VIs may have better ballistic qualities ... But I think that the "beak" would be hard to operate with overall.  Coming from a guy who has extensively worn 2 types of US Army helmets and an M-17 Protective Mask ... for extended periods.  I think the Mk.VII would be more practical ...  But for Epic models, I use both ...  However, I think the Mk.VII looks cooler !  

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Legion 4 "Cry Havoc, and let slip the Dogs of War !" ... "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."

I like the beakie mk6 for the artwork. However in Epic scale the mk7 is definitely a better model.

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Sofa General

Nobody expects the Inquisition!!!
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Mk6's for the reserve companies, mk7's for the battle companies - but I'm a beaky fan all the way.

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I'd go with the original RT-era "beakie" style.  It gets more points for originality in my book.

From a functional standpoint, I'm shocked nobody has mentioned the Mk8.  How can you beat a helmet with it's own built in snack bowl?  Just fill that collar up with chips & dip and go to town!

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WAAARGH!!
The Lost & the Dipped

I mix and match both on my bases  

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Yes, the Mk.VIII is the best design of the lot, IMO ...  Wonder what a Mk.IX would look like ?

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Legion 4 "Cry Havoc, and let slip the Dogs of War !" ... "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."

I'm glad to see the mark 6 won!

I find it to be a very original design. The mark 7 is not as memorable imho.

Hurray Mark 6!

Ooh! That's a nice RT era model; never seen him!
I used to have a SM army full of Mk6s...old skool dreadnoughts and predators etc...had to sell it though :-(

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MoK's Painting Blog
Now Showing:
Mok's Modular Modern Messy Guard Army

Ya, I saw your pics for the Crimson Fist thread. Too bad.

That pic of the mini up there is one of my all time favorites, top 5 for sure.

I had one given to me way back in time immemorial. He's terribly painted but the sculpt is amazing for its time.

I'm always thinking that I should strip him and repaint him but I've never got around to it, you know how it is!

As a design I've always preferred the mk 6 'beakie' style myself.

Maybe it's because the mk 6 tips a nod to ye noble, heroic knights of olde.
Whereas the mk 7 is as sinister and ugly as one of Reggie Kray's mood swings!  

The same applies to painting them.  The mk 6 is just a much more pleasant component to paint, where as the mk7 just leaves me  

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...... and that's when it starts to go horribly wrong!

Mk VI. When I was still playing 40k I had an ork army. What is an ork to call a marine if beaky is not applicable?

OT: I love my former ork army. It broke 40k for my group. ^^ I was introduced last in the group, coming from WFB. I tried a Tau army and got beaten to a pulp/shot to pieces every game by the others. Especially the Eldar players had a field day. So when I had painted up my Tau I went for a different approach. You can imagine what happened to Eldar armies taylored to deal with 3+ saves when they ran in to an all boyz army supported by a bunch of tankbustas maxed out on rokkits. After that people finally agreed with me that 40k was a bit over the top on A army beats B army beats C army beats A army...

I'll give them one thing though, of seven or eight players, we only had one marine player. Variation sure, but we still could say who would win based on the army lists.

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http://diceatdawn.blogspot.se

I think the Mk.IV is a good cross between the Marks V & VI ... I like that better then the Mk.VI  ...  Here's a pic ... Marks I, II, III, V, IV   They must have done an Orwellian New Speak ... as in the pic, the Mk.V is before the Mk.IV ... Or they just screwed up ...     "Say it ain't so !"    

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Legion 4 "Cry Havoc, and let slip the Dogs of War !" ... "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."

It's got to be MK7 for me. Looking like Great Uncle Bulgaria is hardly going to strike fear into the heart of the enemy!

Ha ha, Ouch!

Who is Great Uncle Bulgaria anyway? Some eastern block party member loving childrens puppet show character?