Should I Combine Moravian and Nicholson Workbench Designs?

I built a mostly Moravian workbench since I didn't want to deal with a solid one in my rental. I swapped in a front vise instead of a leg vise, added a planing stop, and drilled pin holes in the legs for support. The pin holes allow me to use a batten to hold long boards. I mainly use my vise for joinery on smaller pieces rather than planing. Personally, I suggest building a standard version first before customizing it too much. The Nicholson's viseless setup isn't vastly superior compared to the Moravian or a Roubo—it just has different approaches. As for your apron idea, consider using a sliding deadman; it works similarly without the hassle of attaching a full apron.

They each have their pros and cons. Have you checked out Schwarz's free book download? It could give you some solid insights that are probably more useful than my take. You can find it on the Lost Art Press blog.

There are a lot of factors to think about:
• How often will you need to move your bench?
• Are you thinking about an apron or no apron? An apron has its perks, allowing clamps to attach to it, though some prefer clamping directly to the bench top.
• What’s the reason for following another design instead of creating your own hybrid? It's worth considering!