diff --git a/code/_helpers/game.dm b/code/_helpers/game.dm
index 3c050c1819..78c6944075 100644
--- a/code/_helpers/game.dm
+++ b/code/_helpers/game.dm
@@ -339,6 +339,23 @@ proc
 		return 1
 #undef SIGN
 
+/proc/flick_overlay(image/I, list/show_to, duration, gc_after)
+	for(var/client/C in show_to)
+		C.images += I
+	spawn(duration)
+		if(gc_after)
+			qdel(I)
+		for(var/client/C in show_to)
+			C.images -= I
+
+/proc/flick_overlay_view(image/I, atom/target, duration, gc_after) //wrapper for the above, flicks to everyone who can see the target atom
+	var/list/viewing = list()
+	for(var/m in viewers(target))
+		var/mob/M = m
+		if(M.client)
+			viewing += M.client
+	flick_overlay(I, viewing, duration, gc_after)
+
 proc/isInSight(var/atom/A, var/atom/B)
 	var/turf/Aturf = get_turf(A)
 	var/turf/Bturf = get_turf(B)
diff --git a/code/controllers/subsystems/garbage.dm b/code/controllers/subsystems/garbage.dm
index 1ff49edba2..34b32d5873 100644
--- a/code/controllers/subsystems/garbage.dm
+++ b/code/controllers/subsystems/garbage.dm
@@ -442,4 +442,5 @@ SUBSYSTEM_DEF(garbage)
 
 /image/Destroy()
 	..()
-	return QDEL_HINT_HARDDEL_NOW
+	loc = null
+	return QDEL_HINT_QUEUE
diff --git a/code/modules/client/preference_setup/global/setting_datums.dm b/code/modules/client/preference_setup/global/setting_datums.dm
index 71559fed0e..07047c36df 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/preference_setup/global/setting_datums.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/preference_setup/global/setting_datums.dm
@@ -98,6 +98,12 @@ var/list/_client_preferences_by_type
 	enabled_description = "Show"
 	disabled_description = "Hide"
 
+/datum/client_preference/attack_icons
+	description ="Attack icons"
+	key = "ATTACK_ICONS"
+	enabled_description = "Show"
+	disabled_description = "Hide"
+
 /datum/client_preference/show_typing_indicator
 	description ="Typing indicator"
 	key = "SHOW_TYPING"
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/animations.dm b/code/modules/mob/animations.dm
index 5ba954106b..9074357afa 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/animations.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/animations.dm
@@ -140,39 +140,86 @@ note dizziness decrements automatically in the mob's Life() proc.
 	//reset the pixel offsets to zero
 	is_floating = 0
 
-/atom/movable/proc/do_attack_animation(mob/M)
+/atom/movable/proc/do_attack_animation(atom/A)
 
 	var/pixel_x_diff = 0
 	var/pixel_y_diff = 0
-	var/direction = get_dir(src, M)
-	switch(direction)
-		if(NORTH)
-			pixel_y_diff = 8
-		if(SOUTH)
-			pixel_y_diff = -8
-		if(EAST)
-			pixel_x_diff = 8
-		if(WEST)
-			pixel_x_diff = -8
-		if(NORTHEAST)
-			pixel_x_diff = 8
-			pixel_y_diff = 8
-		if(NORTHWEST)
-			pixel_x_diff = -8
-			pixel_y_diff = 8
-		if(SOUTHEAST)
-			pixel_x_diff = 8
-			pixel_y_diff = -8
-		if(SOUTHWEST)
-			pixel_x_diff = -8
-			pixel_y_diff = -8
-	animate(src, pixel_x = pixel_x + pixel_x_diff, pixel_y = pixel_y + pixel_y_diff, time = 2)
-	animate(pixel_x = old_x, pixel_y = old_y, time = 2)
+	var/direction = get_dir(src, A)
+	if(direction & NORTH)
+		pixel_y_diff = 8
+	else if(direction & SOUTH)
+		pixel_y_diff = -8
 
-/mob/do_attack_animation(atom/A)
+	if(direction & EAST)
+		pixel_x_diff = 8
+	else if(direction & WEST)
+		pixel_x_diff = -8
+
+	var/default_pixel_x = initial(pixel_x)
+	var/default_pixel_y = initial(pixel_y)
+	var/mob/mob = src
+	if(istype(mob))
+		default_pixel_x = mob.default_pixel_x
+		default_pixel_y = mob.default_pixel_y
+
+	animate(src, pixel_x = pixel_x + pixel_x_diff, pixel_y = pixel_y + pixel_y_diff, time = 2)
+	animate(pixel_x = default_pixel_x, pixel_y = default_pixel_y, time = 2)
+
+/mob/living/do_attack_animation(atom/A)
 	..()
 	is_floating = 0 // If we were without gravity, the bouncing animation got stopped, so we make sure we restart the bouncing after the next movement.
 
+	// What icon do we use for the attack?
+	var/obj/used_item
+	if(hand && l_hand) // Attacked with item in left hand.
+		used_item = l_hand
+	else if (!hand && r_hand) // Attacked with item in right hand.
+		used_item = r_hand
+
+	//Couldn't find an item, do they have a sprite specified (like animal claw stuff?)
+	if(!used_item && !(attack_icon && attack_icon_state))
+		return FALSE //Didn't find an item, not doing animation.
+
+	var/image/I
+
+	if(used_item) //Found an in-hand item to animate
+		I = image(used_item.icon, A, used_item.icon_state, A.layer + 1)
+		//Color the icon
+		I.color = used_item.color
+		// Scale the icon.
+		I.transform *= 0.75
+	else //They had a hardcoded one specified
+		I = image(attack_icon, A, attack_icon_state, A.layer + 1)
+		I.dir = dir
+
+	//Check for clients with pref enabled
+	var/list/viewing = list()
+	for(var/m in viewers(A))
+		var/mob/M = m
+		var/client/C = M.client
+		if(C && C.is_preference_enabled(/datum/client_preference/attack_icons))
+			viewing += M.client
+	flick_overlay(I, viewing, 5, TRUE) // 5 ticks/half a second
+
+	// Set the direction of the icon animation.
+	var/direction = get_dir(src, A)
+	if(direction & NORTH)
+		I.pixel_y = -16
+	else if(direction & SOUTH)
+		I.pixel_y = 16
+
+	if(direction & EAST)
+		I.pixel_x = -16
+	else if(direction & WEST)
+		I.pixel_x = 16
+
+	if(!direction) // Attacked self?!
+		I.pixel_z = 16
+
+	// And animate the attack!
+	animate(I, alpha = 175, pixel_x = 0, pixel_y = 0, pixel_z = 0, time = 3)
+	return TRUE //Found an item, doing item attack animation.
+
 /mob/proc/spin(spintime, speed)
 	spawn()
 		var/D = dir
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/simple_animal.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/simple_animal.dm
index 6f30174ea1..13ee25a50a 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/simple_animal.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/simple_animal.dm
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
 	var/icon_gib = "generic_gib"	// The iconstate for being gibbed, optional. Defaults to a generic gib animation.
 	var/icon_rest = null			// The iconstate for resting, optional
 	var/image/modifier_overlay = null // Holds overlays from modifiers.
+	attack_icon = 'icons/effects/effects.dmi' //Just the default, played like the weapon attack anim
+	attack_icon_state = "slash" //Just the default
 
 	//Mob talking settings
 	universal_speak = 0				// Can all mobs in the entire universe understand this one?
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/mob_defines.dm b/code/modules/mob/mob_defines.dm
index 1f7fb2d64d..cc446a0488 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/mob_defines.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/mob_defines.dm
@@ -219,6 +219,15 @@
 
 	var/get_rig_stats = 0 //Moved from computer.dm
 
+
 	var/hud_typing = 0 //Typing indicator stuff.
 	var/typing //Simple mobs use this variable.
-	var/obj/effect/decal/typing_indicator
\ No newline at end of file
+	var/obj/effect/decal/typing_indicator
+
+	var/low_priority = FALSE //Skip processing life() if there's just no players on this Z-level
+
+	var/default_pixel_x = 0 //For offsetting mobs
+	var/default_pixel_y = 0
+
+	var/attack_icon //Icon to use when attacking w/o anything in-hand
+	var/attack_icon_state //State for above
diff --git a/icons/effects/effects.dmi b/icons/effects/effects.dmi
index adcd4fbee2..1bbb1d7d76 100644
Binary files a/icons/effects/effects.dmi and b/icons/effects/effects.dmi differ