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So, our LGS is having a tournament and one of our Necron players decided to write up a list to include about 7 Death Scythes (I beleive). This is the vehicle that has an armor 11 all around and has Tesla guns or some very large gun (str 10, draw a line).

This issue is, GW has not yet released the models for these, so our friend is going to make foam "models" to represent the real models on oval basis that he will also make out of foam, which are the same size as Trygon/flyer bases. The tournament starts in a week, and the organizer has allowed proxies ... but there is a limit right?

Well, We would like to see what you all think...

There is function...

and then there is dignity :'x

I went with so long as the foam is farily represented and easily identified...no problem, but then again I suppose it could be put to a vote of the other participants in the Tournament, after all they'll be the ones having to deal with it.

I do not get it.
so the player is moddeling his figure out of foam.
so why only proxy models?
surely is your custom moddeling it, your custom moddeling it and it does not matter what it is moddled out of.
OK maybe GW tournements you should use greenstuff but does it matter?

I am the Necron player in question. Am planning on building 5 Night Scythes and 2 Doom Scythes. Before any hate begins I will point out I OK'ed it with the organizer before-hand. He gave me 3 basic options:

1. Build something that resembles them in height, width, and length. Basically be as realistic as possible.

2. Use any proxies you like that are on flying bases and stands.

3. Build another list?

My reasons should be fairly obvious. It's been OK'ed and there isn't a model. I chose option number 1 because I wanted my models to look a bit better than a couple of vendettas. The foam will be cut to shape (similar to that in te Codex) with a cockpit built on and maybe some additional details added (though time is a factor here) and painted black so it doesn't look like flying foam.

No need to defend or bias the poll answers Luke...just want to get a general opinion from the gaming community on your sticks and foam army

It really depends how good they look - what kind of foam are you talking? Dense foam that would take a shape well, or really floppy stuff?

Yes...this is my opinion with a brief description of why. No bias. I won't be voting.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Will post pics in another thread when they are build to a standard worth seeing.

Lukus83 wrote:Yes...this is my opinion with a brief description of why. No bias. I won't be voting.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Will post pics in another thread when they are build to a standard worth seeing.

Well thats exactly it. If you arnt shy about posting the pics, Im sure they'll look great.

I'd prefer not to play against proxies and half-assed scratchbuilds.

If they looked cool and were done with care, I'd play against them. If they're someone's way of playing the FOTM without having to buy and assemble models, I'd throw a flag.

Should have put in the question the fill reason for the foam models. If there is no reasonable or possible way to represent the model, then make it however you can. Two years ago at Ard Boyz, someone made a foamcore Stormraven, and no one batted an eye at it, except to ask what it was and how he made it. However, had he also whipped out a foamcore land raider, or obviously homemade infantry models, I'm sure more than one person would have taken issue.

I voted the last option before seeing your post. I would have voted otherwise had that been reversed.

I'd have no problem with using foam models in the very specific examples you list: proxy for a model that has not been released. The fact that the models in question almost certainly will be released within next 2 months means I'd even accept a pretty halfass proxy so long as it's reasonable as far as size, shape, and on the right kind of base.

Ouze wrote:I voted the last option before seeing your post. I would have voted otherwise had that been reversed.

I'd have no problem with using foam models in the very specific examples you list: proxy for a model that has not been released. The fact that the models in question almost certainly will be released within next 2 months means I'd even accept a pretty halfass proxy so long as it's reasonable as far as size, shape, and on the right kind of base.

Pretty much agreed, not sure what the issue here is. As long as the proxy is about the right size, shape, and base id have zero problem

Thanks all. I actually understand why the foam models are being used. A few people here have been giving our necron friend a hard time and so just wanted to see what the community as a whole feels.

Foam's fine in my eyes as it seems Lukus is making them to the correct scale so LoS etc won't be a problem.

We once had someone try using cut out bits of flat paper as Leman Russ tanks...... That was a big no no if you ask me.

I did take pitty on him tho as he was a young player who hadn't saved up for the models yet, but really wanted to play so i leant him a few rhino's to "counts as" leman russ's for him.

Monster Rain wrote:I'd prefer not to play against proxies and half-assed scratchbuilds.

If they looked cool and were done with care, I'd play against them. If they're someone's way of playing the FOTM without having to buy and assemble models, I'd throw a flag.

Problem is they aren't available for sale currently right?

I think to be fair an event host has to either allow reasonable attempts at proxies for models that have not been released yet, OR dissallow ALL proxies and ban use of ANY units without an official model available...

Rule of cool. If they are crap, then no. If they look cool, then I don't care what material they are made of.


Also, terrible poll choices. Biased poll is biased.

Go for it man, foamcrons sounds awesome

If you're allowing proxy models, I don't see how scratch build can be any worse.

In a regular GT, it doesn't matter to me what you made them out of, it's what they look like. I know of a couple of guys scratch building necron vehicles. One of them built a bunch of storm ravens to use before it came out. Looked very good, he's a carpenter by trade, modeler for 30 years. He sold them off for a nice profit when the kit came out, and built the standard kits. I'm anxious to see what he does with necrons.

A fully painted and WYSIWYG scratchbuild is fine. A pinkfoam crescent on a stick is not.

Yeah, ultimately so long as you put the effort in, and do your best to make it look right it's all good.
Hell, if they're finished well enough after you've put the time and bits into doing it properly, I have no issue with you using it after the actual kits been released.

If its just a roughly hewn shape and it isn't the day after you started the project then it's just ugly and I'm not gonna stand for it.

I would have voted, but there's no option to reflect how I feel about it.

As nkelsch said, "Rule of Cool".

Slinky wrote:It really depends how good they look - what kind of foam are you talking? Dense foam that would take a shape well, or really floppy stuff?

I've played against a comrade in epic who used foam for much of his army. Combinined with proper painting, those were some of the best minis I've ever seen.

mray01 wrote:A few people here have been giving our necron friend a hard time and so just wanted to see what the community as a whole feels.

Generally it'll be the more care that is put into making it the more likely people will accept it. If you half ass it, it gives the impression you don't care so why should your opponent.

nkelsch wrote:Rule of cool. If they are crap, then no. If they look cool, then I don't care what material they are made of.


Also, terrible poll choices. Biased poll is biased.

Nkelsch has the way of it.

Yes, yes, "rule of cool," but be reasonable. An accurate-looking Night Scythe scratchbuild/kitbash will likely require a lot of time, effort, and money. With official models coming soon, I don't think a person should be expected to do backflips in order to play with these units in the interim.

My ProxyScythes are simply black plasticard crescents on flight stands. I put effort into making them appropriately sized and symmetrical, and that's about all I'm going to do. So far, no one has had a problem---most are just happy I made a practical representation for tabletop use. It probably helps that the rest of my army is fully painted and WYSIWYG, which should make it obvious that my Scythes are placeholders only. I see the proposed foam models in the same way (although it sounds like they might involve greater effort than my own): if they are functional for game use, then there's nothing worth complaining about. Now, if a person continued to use their minimalist proxies long after official models were released, then we might have a problem.

For that particular event, if the organizer says ok, then it is ok. End of story.
For a regular game, if the modeler put in a decent amount of effort then sure. Similar to rule of cool but with low standards on what is considered cool.

whigwam wrote:Yes, yes, "rule of cool," but be reasonable. An accurate-looking Night Scythe scratchbuild/kitbash will likely require a lot of time, effort, and money. With official models coming soon, I don't think a person should be expected to do backflips in order to play with these units in the interim.

My ProxyScythes are simply black plasticard crescents on flight stands. I put effort into making them appropriately sized and symmetrical, and that's about all I'm going to do. So far, no one has had a problem---most are just happy I made a practical representation for tabletop use. It probably helps that the rest of my army is fully painted and WYSIWYG, which should make it obvious that my Scythes are placeholders only. I see the proposed foam models in the same way (although it sounds like they might involve greater effort than my own): if they are functional for game use, then there's nothing worth complaining about. Now, if a person continued to use their minimalist proxies long after official models were released, then we might have a problem.

This quote is full of the kind of reasoned and sensible logic that these sorts of discussions need more of, rather the rabid foaming at the mouth reaction they sometime elicit.

If approved by the TO, it is acceptable.

End of discussion.

The only thing that matters in my mind is if the TO approves it, and it is reasonably close to the appropriate size/height.

but on a personal note i think if GW does not have a model out for it wtf else is he supposed to do ? i mean honestly aside from expensive kit bashing which is kind of a waste imo when the real model will be released eventually theres not much else to do but make one.. i mean if its foam people are griping about go to a train/hobby store and get plasticard to use or something.... just my 2 cents.

As long as some effort was put into it and they were on flying stand bases (had a chap try to proxy a preditor for one once) it wouldnt be a problem. If your not good at scratch building and still did the best you could but it was ugly it would be fine. How many people had ugly drop pods before there was a model and dont get me started on some of these Tervigons. I think its the effort that count.