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Good Morning Dakka!

I am new to game play and modeling and I have a noob question for you. I do not know if this is the right place for this question.

Can I use the rules of a codex for a different army/race?

For example: A Stormboy themed Ork army with the blood angel codex rules, or even homemade Marines using the Black Templar codex.

My reasoning behind this is because the 40k universe is so vast and virtually any kind of army (within reason) can exist. Of course I would be following all rules in the codex, even going so far as to rename them all for the current races' theme.

And I do not mean out of theme armies, such as Tyranids using Grey Knights rules (possible but confusing), but armies that can be a good substitute for official rules and a change of gameplay.

Thanks! Orkmoticon Smiley face

I've seen generic space marine models used for BA/SW/DA/BT (not GK so much since they have very diverse weapon load outs). In the comfort of your own home (possibly your FLGS) you might be allowed to substitute in models of one army for another for the sake of changing things up or testing out an army that you may purchase in the future. As for taking this to tournament it's a definite no go. Your opponents will have a tough time remembering what "counts as" and it would not be fair to them. Anyhow welcome to 40k and I hope you enjoy it!

As to the homemade marines- if you mean marines that aren't painted the same way they show in the books that's fine. If you mean using Ork figures and the marine codex that's pretty iffy. In a local game with friends it's usually anything goes. In a local tourney you may get away with it if you can convince the person in charge (the TO). In a national tourney the odds are pretty slim that it would fly but I have heard of it happening (the rule of cool wins).

This issue tends to come up a lot and there's two basic camps: only casual play vs. whatever goes.

I've played counts-as armies in tournaments before and only gotten the most minimal questions about it. I've also asked a TO about proxying a single model that GW didn't make and was given a resolute NO! It really depends on the people you're playing, so if you plan to do so, ask first and have a back-up prepared.

My next army will be an Iyanden Ghost Army using Necron models to make Wraithguard, represented by the Dark Eldar codex's Coven build. My local group thinks it's an awesome idea and look forward to seeing it.

As others have said, when doing something like this the 'rule of cool' usually prevails. The main problem I would have with your idea of Stormboyz as BA is the armor. I could understand your army being a group of extra strong and highly trained Stormboyz, representing their higher S, BS, LD, etc. However those Stormboyz are definitely not wearing power armor. Now if you put in the effort to convert them to look like they were wearing some sort of heavier armor, I would be more inclined to accept the counts-as.

Like most people are saying too, in a friendly game it should be no problem against the majority of people. In a tournament you're going to have to be very careful, I would always check with the TO beforehand.

I would be fine with it, if you spend a TON of time converting the orks to be wearing power armor. They need to LOOK like they have power armor on, in order to make it work.

Counts as armies can be tricky. I built an IG army using skaven minis and never had an issue since rats don't exhist in the 40K universe. Passing blue marines off as BT would be OK but passing off Orks as BA might be a bit of a stretch.

Sounds great!

I will keep that in mind when I start converting a army to fit what I want. My thoughts are the Orks who just finished a Tyranid swarm in the Ocatvius campaign. They can wear heads and chitin as trophies and armor!

Thanks Dakka!

Sneaky_Chicken_sal wrote:Sounds great!

I will keep that in mind when I start converting a army to fit what I want. My thoughts are the Orks who just finished a Tyranid swarm in the Ocatvius campaign. They can wear heads and chitin as trophies and armor!

Thanks Dakka!

That is a completely awesome idea. If you do quality conversion and painting work, I think people would line up to play against this army. Good luck!

Sneaky_Chicken_sal wrote:A Stormboy themed Ork army with the blood angel codex rules

Why don't you just run 61 Stormboyz? What's wrong with that, huh? Greenskins ain't good enough for ya? HUH? Just kidding. This is first and foremost a modelling hobby. You should go all out and model your Stromboyz with Blood Angel equivalent wargear. You could get real inventive. I couldn't imagine you not finding somebody to play this army against, but it will probably not fly in a prized tournament.

I'd definately play against it. With the tournament thing, my T/O would prob let you ply with it as long as conversion has been done. So rule of cool.

"Counts as" is fine to me, as long as the units are suitably representative of what they "count as".

For example, a DIY SM Chapter is fine using any of the Marine codices, so long as it makes sense. A Blood Angels successor chapter that you made up would logically use the BA codex, for example. Or you could use a SW Loganwing or DA Deathwing to represent your chapter's 1st Company. Or you could have the Space Badgers use the Space Wolves book, with Marines riding giant Thunderbadgers to represent Thunderwolves. That's fine, so long as everything is suitably represented.

I do think that Stormboyz -> Blood Angels is a bit of a stretch, though. Beyond the jump packs, the units have virtually nothing in common; the armour, weapons and skills are vastly different. I don't think Stormboyz suitably represent Assault Marines.

I have a full tiranid army thats composed of humans riding dinosaurs, noone has had a problem yet.

Cheexsta wrote:Or you could have the Space Badgers use the Space Wolves book, with Marines riding giant Thunderbadgers to represent Thunderwolves.

This sounds amazing.

HoverBoy wrote:I have a full tiranid army thats composed of humans riding dinosaurs, noone has had a problem yet.

pics please?

BTNeophyte wrote:

HoverBoy wrote:I have a full tiranid army thats composed of humans riding dinosaurs, noone has had a problem yet.

pics please?

I agree! Post some pics and get back to us lol

But as far as the OP goes. Hell yeah man think outside that box! But as far as playin at a friend it should be great! My cuz and I proxy almost everything with dollar store army men because we are broke and impatient lol but we have a blast doing so!

I've often thought of using a separate codex for my nids! I think a tau strike force using nid fluff and some massive converting could be way cool! Jetpack ventlike biomorphs or even wings would work. Use the spike rifle guants as fw or something.

It's very feasible to have some ridiculously armored n tough orks! Like most people are saying, rule of cool, make it look like power armor and not to tell you what to do but I'd say paint the armour(whether it be nid chitin or even some sm shoulder pads n stuff) red. One because you are replicating BA aaand, cuz da red armor makez da boyz more fasta! Lol (i know my orkish is terrible)


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Oh! And OP if/when you convert you should definitely hit us up with some pictures

After paint.