Infiltration of non-GW models into 40k games

[samomoo]

What's the general consensus among the gaming community here on using non-official/non-GW models in your armies? There are some great looking models out there from other companies, and they would fit naturally in with 40k. However, since they are technically non-canon and not GW-issue, they...well, they're not GW. How do you feel about using these models?

Now, I'm not talking about integrating that other games rules along with their models. I'm just talking about using different models with GW rules.

[Haighus]

As far as I'm concerned, it is absolutely fine as long as it is obvious what they are meant to represent (this man is a guardsman for example) and their equipment is WYSIWYG. Generally that means I would say their guns have to be GW, although there are some 3rd party bits that look similar enough (and are usually intended to be versions of GW weapons) that are fine. That is how I see it anyway.

[Katharon]

As long as everything is WYSIWYG and not a model made to take advantage of smaller size, then yeah its fine in my book.

[daboarder]

All my zombies are mantic ones, they are cheaper, better sized, and look fantastic in a horde.

but then I do my gamin in GG

[Joe TwoCrows]

My mate who loves his sq...err, The Emperor's Finest Heavy Gravity Astartes, and has converted an insane number of WFB Dwarves to have flamers, bolters and more flamers, uses Warmarchine Warjacks as his dreads. The scale is a shade better, given the slightly shorter stature of the models, the weapons are in line, and the squ, err, racial fluff makes the 'jack fit right in. He adds a little conversion work, e.g. pasting Aquila's to the torso, so in the end, it's a Barren-pattern dread.

Moral; he makes it work.

[Maelstorm]

Would love to see photos of the Warjack Conversions!

[Sly]

As long as everything is WYSIWYG and not a model made to take advantage of smaller size, then yeah its fine in my book.

Same here. Especially for Chaos, weapons and models are so varied in appearance that I don't see a problem as long as it's not designed to take advantage of a larger or smaller base size or footprint, or a different overall size. So if you do use any outside sources for minis, you should try to be as faithful to the target model's size as possible.

[The Imperial Fist]

I use pig-iron helmets on my scouts, and some maxmimi terminator shoulder pads, but thats about it. The funny thing is I got both those ideas from GW as they featured models with those conversions on their daily picture feature.

[Grulgor]

They have no one but themselves to blame for third party armies becoming more common, killing the official tournament system should have removed any requirements at all with regard to using GW only. I can't comprehend stores that still enforce a GW only or any % GW rule, so long as it's clear what the model is meant to be then I'd play against almost anything.

[Lord Tothe]

Hell, I'm poor. Proxy whatever you want with whatever you want as long as we're both clear on what's what. Glue some el-cheapo plastic army men to 25mm bases for your army for all I care. Playing the game in a casual setting shouldn't require hundreds of dollars. Unless it's a GW event with GW regs, of course.