Is it possible to take proxying too far?

Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:

No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
Times and dates in your local timezone.
Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.

If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

**Solorg**

I think that most casual players agree that proxying is OK. I've done it, you've done it, but how much is too much?

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/photo.php?pid=1509155&id=20950654496&ref=nf

Do you have a limit on the number of pirces that can be proxied? Or on what sorts of things can be used as a proxy (ie Landraider for a Battlewagon, OK but Killer Kan for a Landraider, not OK?)

Please respond, in particular, with the kinds of limits you use with regard to proxying.

**Arander**

Apocalypse is where my gaming group saw it taken to the 'crazy' state. When we're using snaptight models for flyers, GIJoe walker toys for titans, and a $15 PVC contraption as a Warlord titan, it got way over the top way fast.

I think when trying out an army/unit its completely suitable. You can be sure you enjoy how the new army plays out or how effective the new unit in your army is. After a few weeks though, it might be time to actually start getting the models you need to put the proxy back on the shelf.

**LunaHound**

I think i would look at it among these guide lines:

Units representing what they are should stay their same type

example: walker type should be walkers , killakan as dred . tank should be tank , battle wagon as LR is ok.

Size difference , 30%-50% larger or smaller is ok. Anymore difference and it'll turn into sort of a distraction.

No proxying something as something else, when some model of it already represents something on table.
example : if there are some killakan on table already as killakan , it would get confusing if the odd one is a LR. ( i would rather you use a shoe box instead )

**Ian Sturrock**

One unit per army, must be reasonable, and if you want to use it more than once or twice, I'd want you to start making it look like what it ought to look like (scratch build is fine). Personally, I try to avoid proxies, because I think a large part of the point of a miniatures wargame is that the models look good (otherwise you can just go play a board wargame or hex wargame).

Not everyone in my local gaming club is quite so finicky though... there is Mr "I've been playing since 2nd Edition" whose Sternguard inexplicably included a couple of Skaven. Dunno quite what was up, there, but it made it really tough to figure out which one of them was supposed to have the powerfist.

**CF Scout**

I personally try to avoid proxies with the exception of proxied weapons on vehicles.

Example: These landspeeders with heavy bolters actually have multi-meltas, or this predator annihilator is actually a destructor pattern, or the weapon loads on dreadnoughts.

I think that kind of stuff is fairly acceptable.

**Wrexasaur**

It is entirely up to the people playing. "Enforcing" rules on the interwebs won't change that.

On a side note I think testing units you want to buy is ALWAYS okay. If you proxy every game, expect at least a few people to stop playing you.

**KingCracker**

I played a new IG player once, that made some of his chimeras out of lego blocks. They were almost the exact same size, do other then all the color it was cool. I also Played a guy, that used a lump of playdoh as a demon prince. Literally, a lump... of play doh. That wasnt cool for me lol

**Gandair**

Yes, and I've done it (with much hilarity).

When I first started playing my friends were teachning me. I used an assortment of IG minis as gaunts, a landspeeder for a Carnifex, terminators for warriors, and well, similarly crazy stuff. Yes, you can go overboard.

The game went well, but silly.

**JohnHwangDD**

When you can't tell what the weapons or models are supposed to be, that's probably too far.

**Oldgrue**

I'm against proxies. The Flying Sphagetti Monster doesn't approve of proxies, so there's that religious bent too.

If the other guy gets confused twice, you're probably proxying too much

**Deff Dread red Edition**

I think it is possible.I don't mind if it is something that looks rathe similar to the item,but when my friend starts suggesting that that Coke can is a defiler and those coins are chaos marines that is the point where I leave!

**karnaeya**

I proxy my opponents with an empty chair.

**wittzo**

I play with a lot of broke high school guys. I tell them about buying bitz and using magnets so my stuff is WYSIWYG and they scoff and say,"I'm using such and such as such and such" for several games in a row, sowing seeds of confusion as they have to explain every turn what their figures have and slow the game down..

I haven't gotten around to getting any sticky dots yet, but I will for the next time I play them. If they proxy something, I'll write what that weapon is supposed to be and stick it on the mini's head. If they don't like it, they can build the proper model.

**Elric of Grans**

I know someone who has not played since Second Edition that wants to proxy the extra models needed to play in Fifth, so they can play without spending much. Their proxy plan: pieces of paper cut to the correct base size. No one minds the short Rogue Traded models (in fact, they are popular), but this guy is not finding a lot of support for the proxies.

**djphranq**

The most extreme proxy I've done is play one of my Razorbacks with Twin-linked Lascannon as a Vindicator.

**robertsjf**

Solorg wrote:I think that most casual players agree that proxying is OK. I've done it, you've done it, but how much is too much?

3 Words:

Doctor Pepper Lictor

**RustyKnight**

robertsjf wrote:
Solorg wrote:I think that most casual players agree that proxying is OK. I've done it, you've done it, but how much is too much?

3 Words:

Doctor Pepper Lictor

Four words-
Hive Tyrant Drop Pod

**Xav**

Ive proxied weapons on my CSM, kinda embrassing, i was making obliterators, out termies, and stuck too many bolters from my spare marine stuff on them, and i forgot to build a guy he had no bolter, i used a long pole with a few chainswords on the end, looked pretty good achualy.

**darkkt**

I have no problems with friendly games having proxies. I played a mate who wanted an all (almost) Jet-bike Eldar army and used cut out cardboard bits from tracing around his existing JB's.

Unfortunately, the cut out cardboard bits were perhaps a trifle 'suggestive' in shape, leading to loads of puns, and even more when they didnt 'perform'.

**Mattlov**

karnaeya wrote:I proxy my opponents with an empty chair.

LOL!!

Karnaeya wins the thread.

**Cheese Elemental**

The only proxy I've ever used was myself as my group's Emperor Titan. I had real kicking action!

**Orkeosaurus**

Here's a tip: don't let your opponent proxy gray knight terminators with dice. It will end in confusion.

**Shotgun**

Saw 2000 points of tau at my FLGS a couple weeks ago.

2000 points of Tau represented by 100% printouts taped to popsicle sticks and glued to GW bases.

The only thing GW was the bases. Even the images were probably an illegal use of IP!!

**jesusHULKchrist**

A friend and I played a 1500 pt proxy game of eldar vs space wolves.....he was planning on starting and eldar army and I was thinking about starting a space wolves army but we wanted to get an idea as to how units worked. He used black templar as eldar and I used chaos and the game actually went pretty good, the hard part was just making sure we were both made aware of what each unit was. But playing proxy games, IMO, is a good idea for someone looking to start a new army and wanting to know what they are going to do before they start to buy. Otherwise youll end up with anywhere from 10,000 to 15,000 pts worth of chaos like this guy did lol.

**garret**

i once saw some one proxy an entire tyranid army with a space marine army.

**Trasvi**

I've seen people play with armies with not one of the 'real' models there.
I walked up to a table where there was a game going between some nicely painted eldar, and what was evidently dark angels.
However, the 'space wolves' consisted of some crisis suits, some chimeras, dark eldar, genestealers, fantasy orcs, and plaguebearers.
However they were all painted green so there wasn't any confusion.

**Emperors Faithful**

I suppose (if your opponent asks) it's okay to for them to proxy and try out a new model. Howver a whole army? No.

Also, try to get the shape ratio the same. Leman Russ = Battlewagon? Ok. But Killa Kan = Baneblade? No.

Sooner or later, just buy the damn stuff.

**Waaagh_Gonads**

Go team Proxy!

**MasterSlowPoke**

That actually is a pretty cool Slann.

**Emperors Faithful**

I agree with MasterSlowPoke. lol, MAGIC FREDDO!!!