Infiltration of non-GW models into 40k games

[Peter Mcbride]

I use other models mixed in with GW, to keep the army from looking too boring ( i play orks, so the more ramshackle diversity the better), but i dont play them in GW as they frown on it. ( they dont want to be advertising someone elses products in their store, which i can respect)

[Muninwing]

Personally, since when I started the GW tourneys near me required a certain percentage of a model be GW parts, I've just gotten into that pattern of thinking. Thus, conversions using WHFB models are great, parts from other models are fine, but entire models feel off.

Then again, I might play a bit of Chaos with WWX Enlightened Hired Hands as cultists, and I nearly got in the Raging Heroes kickstarter to fill out my Vistroyans with kicjass ladies, but by and large I plan my force with conversions of GW models.

[Ezaviel]

I don't have any non-GW models in my armies. Though I have been considering using some Mantic models in my undead army, and have been looking at adding some Victoria miniatures to my Imperial Guard.

I am fine with opponents using non-GW models so long as it is clear what they are and what they are equipped with.

[Skullchewer]

So far 10 have voted against, but not stated why they are against it. I'm curious as to why people would have a problem with it.

[Renegade]

Parts are fine, not so keen on whole models being swapped out. Very rarely are the profiles of the swapped out model similar, there is an advantage and possibly a disadvantage in that, either way it can become a distraction.

The only army I would consider having a good excuse to do this with is Orks, no real excuse for any other army unless going heavily themed and it still has all the details to make it look what is being play look like what is being played.

[Rissan4ever]

As long as it looks cool and I can tell what it's supposed to be, I couldn't care less where the model came from. Variety is good.

[gory_v]

So long as I have an army list in hand and explanations regarding what certain models represent, I'm good. I proxy quite a bit in casual games and I think it should be allowed in tourneys so long as a case can't be made for modeling for advantage. If the non-GW model is smaller than it would normally be, then no, unless you can get a judge to make the ruling that it is given a certain amount of leeway in regards to being targeted. If it's any bigger than I say the player does so at their own disadvantage. I'd be willing to discuss cover and LoS beforehand, but I doubt everyone would be as forgiving.

Regarding weapons, I'm good so long as there's consistency though some effort should be made to differentiate between models wielding the same guns physically that actually represent 2 different weapons within the list.

I'm currently running 3 grav guns in a biker command squad but they're represented by combi-gravs. (From the new tac and stern boxes, actual gravs are on the stern.) I make it clear from the start and it has been fine thus far.

[Gabus]

I voted yes, but that is really only a personal development over the last few years. I got into wargaming in the late eighties, through GW. They installed that chip in my brain that I could only use GW models, and it only recently burned out.

That said, I still cant bring myself to mix models within an army. So, while my fantasy orcs, tomb kings, and empire, and chaos are all 100% GW, i kicked for a Mantic Elf army that I use for both Kings of War, and WFB High Elves. That army is 100% Mantic. So I will use other companies models, but not within an army.

[Grazhnakk]

Our community and hobby is kinda far up the nether regions of GW if we're so uptight over which models go in which army. Look to the wider wargaming hobby (that GW grew out of) and you'll find dozens of manufacturers of historical, fantasy, and sci-fi models. Want to build some armies to replicate Waterloo? You have a plethora of suppliers to work with. This is healthy, and provides a competitive situation that means a single supplier no longer has a monopoly on the hobby.

This is better for the hobby as a whole, even if it's not quite as awesome for the monopole.

[YorkNecromancer]

Cadian heads are second only to Nagash in their ugliness. Stupid, ugly helmets and disproportionately large baby heads. Ugh.

Pig-Iron Miniatures heads all the way.

Also, as a hardcore modeller/painter, why would I deny myself a massive section of the art, just to be precious about some brand I feel little to no actual loyalty towards? If a GW idea is better represented by another company's model (i.e. Khador Sorsha as a Commissar Lord), why bother with GW's stuff?

All that matters is that my army looks good, and unified together, and not a hideous mish-mash of jarringly contrasting aesthetics.