What does insignificant mean?

[graeme27uk]

I get what being Insignificant means in terms of game mechanics, however, what does it mean in terms of "reality"?

Why are some models insignificant and others not? What does Hamelin do to other people/units that makes them insignificant?

[Keltheos]

Could be a number of things:

Too small to matter, weakened/diseased to the point of irrelevance, uncontrollable, etc.

For Hamelin, he pretty much spreads disease around. It's hard to claim an objective if you're shaking uncontrollably and puking your guts out.

[graeme27uk]

In the case of Hamelin, if the Insignificant represents the effects of the disease then would this not also affect their combat abilities? You can't stand on a piece of ground to claim it but you can fight just as deftly or shoot/cast without issue.

Maybe Hamelin's "insignificant" could be changed to a negative twist (or double) for the encounter rather than the insignificant which is so loathed.

[Thechosenone]

My own view on it is this: You're robbing them of some fate or destiny. An insignificant model will never have any bearing on the fate of the game. They just won't be able to take any action of importance. The thought never crosses their mind.

If my Hamelin makes someone Insignificant I see it as a crippling despair and worthlessness that overtakes them.

In other cases maybe its a deep rooted fear that grips them.

Thats just me though.

[Forar]

Self doubt? Not acting in the best fashion to twist the fate of the situation, environment or those around them.

The difference between being able to fight as an individual, and as a team.

Insignificant models might be able to do the former, but they aren't able to do the latter well enough, whether it's in personal combat or simply zigging when they should've zagged. Getting distracted at an inopportune time, or not calling out what they should or when they should.

[Sandwich]

I always thought it had something to do with the realization that you're fighting against an undying Tyrant entity and that the hum of his Pipes is more of him explaining just how worthless you really are in the scope of things.
At least it gave me a basic explanation for why those models wouldn't bother touching Hamelin, or why they must make a difficult Wp duel to hit his big bads.
Kinda a "What's the point?" dealy-o.

As for Seamus, I've always thought that he'd slit your neck and you're just convulsing around the battlefield trying to compose yourself against the hordes of whores before you inevitably lose your life.

So in one, its the model realizing that it is worthless,

In the other, its everyone else perceiving it as worthless.