I'm sure the devs have an idea about helm customization, beyond a If you expected Warhammer Simulator, you will be dissapointed. It will indeed be "just a bunch of guys" running around a Battlefield. A battlefield that we create.
Oh you're absolutely right, but none of those have enhanced optics and HUDs. If you were in a pitch black fight and you had on night vision goggles, would you remove them unless, say, a bullet took out the lenses, or intense light all of a sudden or something? No I'm not expecting a Warhammer Simulator, it's a game, first and foremost, the point is to have fun. They'll do whatever they think will appeal to the most people for the most money. I've already said multiple times it's not a big deal either way if there's a toggle for helmets or not. My preference is helmets on, somebody else might like them off, my suggestion was just the best way to balance both worlds. So to that end, helmets on in combat, helmets off out of it/narrative. They'll probably do a toggle, which is fine. This is just my opinion. YES!! This would be amazing, or bust out a punk mohawk. Hilarity.
But SM don't need night vision goggles, they can do that as part of their geneseed upgrade. The alt vision modes are Thermal and UV. (These Alt-vision modes may not even be available in EC.) Also, the helmetless can carry a monocle device that provides at least the basic HUD and Vox capabilities. A monocle like this BA Sgt. is wearing. Plus, there's Augmetics which can be so bulky that a normal helmet can't accommodate them, or accommodate them easily. Sounds almost Space Wolf-ish!
I agree with the idea of an additional damage penalty for being helmless. Realism isn't limited to realistic environments, even in a fictional setting a certain degree of logic should be prevelent in the mechanics. One such thing would be if I see some random foe with his face laid barren in decience of the Emperor's enemies, logically if I plasma him in the face, his face should disintegrate. But yeah, there's a prevelence of vainglorious characters who refuse to wear their helmet, but they aren't a majority or even even amout to those who forgo such an act of bravado. If it's purely a cosmetics option, too many people will do it (plus it defeats the purpose of going helmless being an act of valor), but give it a damage penalty and some sort of tradeoff and the numbers will be more reasonable.
The Emperor may protect, but as long as my cranium is weaker than my helmet, I am going to wear one. As long as there's enemies of the Imperium, I need all the protection I can get so I can send all of them back to the abyss they came from.
Ah yes, the Space Puppies, my poor Thousand Sons. Anyway yeah I forgot about the monocle, and the night vision thing was just a modern comparison with why you'd keep a helmet on. A damage penalty would be cool or say, no helmet but here's a monocle that makes you more accurate, but head shots! Either way we'll just have to wait for some dev confirmation.
Orks are mostly exposed. That would mean many heat based weapons should do extra damage to them if hemless marines are subjected to a similar "realistic" treatment.
The simplest answer, or at least the one most likely to make a larger percentage of the player base happy, is a simple toggle. Altering the game mechanics to punish people for not wearing a helmet seems a bit steep, but if we are I think it only fair that a helmetless Space Wolf get a larger minimap to reflect their enhanced senses, and perhaps even the ability to track by scent. However since that would likely make them overpowered, maybe we just make it an optional cosmetic option and let the individual player choose for themselves.
