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Whether or not this is a good idea, it seems to be standard practice now for GW to release a dex without supporting every choice offered in the model range. A few of these units have become pretty popular despite not having models and at least one is considered an "auto-take" choice. Are these missing models keeping you from starting/continuing an army or do you see them as opportunities to be creative?

I don't mind a missing model or two, but missing numerous is a pain. I play tyranids now and I like the fact that I can make my own Tervigon and such. I was interested in Dark Eldar but there are so many missing models I will not bother until more come out.

The missing Tervigon is the major obstacle preventing me from starting with Nids.

I didn't mind the missing tervigon as it isn't a terribly hard conversion and I wanted to test my ability to do some greenstuff work. Tervigon was my first ever attempt at conversion and it turned out okay. I think the tervigon isn't bad also because its so close to a carnifex that it's easy to create or just have a stand in for.

You ought to post some pics.

I'm a fairly keen modeller and don't mind converting or even scratch building things if I want then and they're not available. Ok I've not had to do anything too major for my 40k armies but I do have the ability to if I need to. The lack of a model certainly wouldn't put me off using a certain army list entry. What could put me off though is the practicality of converting/scratch building something to accurately portray it.

Conversions are part of the fun...
Some of the 3rd party stuff is insane though

Though I have made a tyranid prime (not hard - just add some extra bits) and a Parasite, I find it frustrating when many models (often key models in the dex) are missing or the key bits are missing (eg boneswords/lash whips/wings for warriors, swords for swarmlord, wings for tyrant, etc). If I wasn't already playing nids and saw how many models needed converting/kit bashing I wouldn't have started nids (the quality of the dex wouldn't help either).

Alright, you lot who claim to do conversions: pics or it didn't happen. I see so many lists posted that are simply laden with these "missing models" and very, very little in the way of proof that people are doing conversions.

The other thing I can't stand is when they make it almost impossible to get a certain weapon or unit. I play SM, so if you want a dev squad armed all with lascannons (not a crazy idea), you can either buy 4 devastator boxes at $35 or buy 4 single lascannon marines at $14 a pop. Either way you get shafted. It makes me angry. Though I suppose I can't complain all that much...

I there was a model that I required that wasn't offered by GW, I would convert it.

I say "would" as though I haven't done it a million times already. I'm one of those maniacs that actually likes the modeling aspect of the game though.



Behold, my Pre-Vulkan Release Vulkan. This was taken before I really got down to painting it "for real" though.



My first conversion ever... Necron Lord with Res Orb, Nightmare Shroud and Phylactery. Hint: The Scarab "counts as" the Phylactery. Read the codex!



Terminator Librarian with Storm Shield. Work it, Ashurbunipal. Now turn to the left!



Now please, let's have some ballbag rip my photography so the cycle can be complete. I took them on a phone, people. Calm down.

I personally want to start a Space Wolves army purely because there's a way to model almost everything on the list (bar the TWC, but those can be solved with a few converted Chaos Hounds). However I find it a bit jarring that they took away Bjorn's model. the current ven-dread just doesnt have the same feel as the old Bjorn model.

Im currently in the Nid boat. I, like many others, are going to beforced to buy a unit i have no use for to convert it into what i want.

Taking dakka's Carny to Tervigon conversion, will also have to convert another carny to a tyrano. I find this extremely maddening as i have no use for the "Base" model im going to have to buy, and dont get my started on my spray-painted empty soda bottles as Mycetic spores.

I did most of my converting 10-20 years ago, and have sold most of it off. I have recently done some converting for my Eldar and Space Marine armies, but no pictures yet.

"Ashurbunipal"

Isn't that a daedric shrine from Morrowind?


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Oh yeah, and cool minis!

This should explain.

And thanks!

Well I was close, apparently all the daedric stuff in that game is based around ancient Sumerian stuff.

Manchu wrote:Alright, you lot who claim to do conversions: pics or it didn't happen. I see so many lists posted that are simply laden with these "missing models" and very, very little in the way of proof that people are doing conversions.

Ok here's the DP I use in my CSM army, converted to be more Tzeentchy. (Lord of Change wings + new head sculpted from green stuff)



Yes those large metal wings do make it a somewhat unbalanced model. Thankfully I have some old roofing lead lying around to weigh the base down (or poison my enemies )

i think it's great, lots of lovely conversions then appear

I'm digging the proof guys. Let's see some more. This is a call-out.

What is the 'auto-take' missing choice??

Tervigon

Oh. Good thing I don't play nids then, eh?
However, I'm a bit saddened by the missing StormRaven, and the GW one isn't good (from the angle in the pic at least, I'd need to see a 360º before I pass final judgment)

It's only a problem with a select few armies (DE, BA, Tyranids, IG, SW)

I play CSM and IG, and for the most part, I can't say I've ever needed to convert something to fit into my army. Hydra tanks and vendettas come to mind...But I don't use those anyway

I convert plenty with CSM to make cool stuff, but it isn't really required.

I really want to start tyranids but I would be starting from scratch and the top three models I want to use don't exist (tyranofex, tergvigon, harpy) and would make up a sizable enough portion of the lists im thinking about to make me want to just go ahead and wait for the model. Im afraid (at the rate I hobby) that by the time i finish all those conversions and paint them all up they will come out with awesome models and then I will hate my own conversions in comparison. Until nids get the rest of their MC's im space marines only.

Samus_aran115 wrote:It's only a problem with a select few armies (DE, BA, Tyranids, IG, SW).

You mean 5th edition?


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cromwest wrote:I really want to start tyranids but I would be starting from scratch and the top three models I want to use don't exist (tyranofex, tergvigon, harpy) and would make up a sizable enough portion of the lists im thinking about to make me want to just go ahead and wait for the model. Im afraid (at the rate I hobby) that by the time i finish all those conversions and paint them all up they will come out with awesome models and then I will hate my own conversions in comparison. Until nids get the rest of their MC's im space marines only.

I feel like I'm in the same boat. I have a deep, deep maybe even unhealthy urge to copy Blackhand's stupendous Tervigon conversion, as I'm not sure that GW will be able to top it. Of course, whether I have the capacity to fashion such awesomeness is another story . . .

I think the poll options are missing a few vital responses like "No, because I like the opportunity for scratch built/converted/counts as models."

For me, it's not so much missing models as ugly models. I didn't start DE because they looked so terrible before the new release. I'm still waiting on plastic Sisters of Battle, hopefully with helmets.

DarknessEternal wrote:For me, it's not so much missing models as ugly models. I didn't start DE because they looked so terrible before the new release..

Seconded: Waited years for decent clan rat miniatures for Skaven before I finally started that army. Still waiting for non-ugly Night Runners.
Bought Gamezone Dark Elf regiments in metal just to avoid the ugly DE warriors.
Seaguard now is an alternative for ugly HE warriors, so the biggest hurdle to start HE is gone.

Changing miniatures to plastics has the downside that old ugly plastics sets are used longer than is healthy for sales.

DarknessEternal wrote:For me, it's not so much missing models as ugly models. I didn't start DE because they looked so terrible before the new release. I'm still waiting on plastic Sisters of Battle, hopefully with helmets.

Agreed. Talk your enemies about your Grotesques. Show them. Hear them laugh.

Edit: Next year there will be another wave of minis. Give me Warped, Beasts and Grotesques good enough and I will convert my own Homunculus. It will be my fourth army.