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.

HI guys, been searching the internet and this forum but can't find a solid answer to a question I have. I love Tau but would like to convert all the vehicles in my army to something more sleek like this:



Even though this model is almost completely GW pieces, I wanted to see if this would be generally tournament legal, or even legal to just use with friends. The size and shape are a bit different and I cant find official rules anywhere for this. If anyone knows where I can find vehicle conversion rules regarding size and shape that would be awesome. Any words of wisdom would also be great! Thanks guys

40k is incredibly lenient. That would be a perfect Skyray, IMO, and I would take no issue with it in the slightest.

norion12 wrote:
I wanted to see if this would be generally tournament legal, ...

That's going to depend on the tournament. There is no single 'tournament standard'... every TO is going to have their own opinion on whether or not a given conversion should be allowed.

In general, the thing to ask yourself is if your conversion will drastically change how the model functions. A conversion that significantly alters LOS to or from the model, or that changes how the vehicle moves (extending the length of the vehicle to make use of the 'free' pivot to gain movement distance, altering the proportions of the vehicle to increase front armour arc, lowering the profile of the vehicle to make better use of cover, changing weapon locations to 'boost' weapon range, etc) is less likely to be well received.

...or even legal to just use with friends.

That would be a better question to ask your friends.

The size and shape are a bit different and I cant find official rules anywhere for this. If anyone knows where I can find vehicle conversion rules regarding size and shape that would be awesome.

There are none. GW have never bothered addressing conversions in their rules. It's pretty much entirely down to local convention.

Looks pretty damn cool. Can't see anyone having a problem with it!

Thanks for the help. The page I found this on is:

http://exodites.blogspot.com/2009/04/skyray-missile-gunship-conversion.html

pretty amazing work this guy did

Maybe keeping the width and length the same as the original model will take care of some issues with keeping mechanics the same?

Keep in mind that a lot is simply going to come down to your local gaming scene.

I have an Ork Battlewagon built during the period where there was no official model. It's a bit wider and longer than the standard model, and in some areas would be either disallowed for tournaments or I would have to pretend that it has the 'regular' dimensions... while other areas (thankfully, everywhere I've actually used it) people are happy to play it as is simply because it looks cool.

One thing to keep in mind here is the function of the vehicle. An assault transport or vehicle with short-ranged guns is going to make size/shape differences a major issue since even small differences in range measurements can be the difference between success or failure (for example, pivoting to gain "extra" distance, or mounting a flamer closer to the front of the vehicle). A long-range gun platform, on the other hand, is almost always going to be in range no matter where the turret is located, so slight shape differences are a lot less relevant. The Sky Ray is, IMO, in the second category: the difference in markerlight position is small relative to their range, and the seeker missiles are infinite-range weapons that often ignore LOS anyway. That leaves differences in shape for getting cover or staying out of LOS, and most of the time this model is going to get the same result as a normal Sky Ray.

The only gaming problem I can forsee is that it looks like the troop bay of the 'fish chassis has been cut away substantially. That could leave a big hole in the model in terms of TLOS that would otherwise have been able to be seen. Given the new outline of the example, I don't see it being a big problem, because the "wing" location covers most of the old silhouette anyway.

The big modelling problem I have with the example is that it looks like the missiles are set to fire directly into the engine exhaust

 insaniak wrote:
There are none. GW have never bothered addressing conversions in their rules. It's pretty much entirely down to local convention.

I went into my local GW store once with a Looted Wagon that I made mostly out of plasticard. The GW guy said that in order for it to be "legal" it had to be so much% (I forget the exact number but it was like %60 or something) GW original kit. I don't know if it was a single-store rule or if he just made it up.

I'm guessing it'd be down to the people you play against, otherwise.

 N7_Rik wrote:

I went into my local GW store once with a Looted Wagon that I made mostly out of plasticard. The GW guy said that in order for it to be "legal" it had to be so much% (I forget the exact number but it was like %60 or something) GW original kit. I don't know if it was a single-store rule or if he just made it up..

It was a 'rule' that was enforced somewhat sporadically in stores, never an actual rule of the game.

If a TO had problems with that model i wouldn´t want to participate. It´s lovely and made from official parts. Anyone having a problem with that has issues.

 insaniak wrote:

 N7_Rik wrote:

I went into my local GW store once with a Looted Wagon that I made mostly out of plasticard. The GW guy said that in order for it to be "legal" it had to be so much% (I forget the exact number but it was like %60 or something) GW original kit. I don't know if it was a single-store rule or if he just made it up..

It was a 'rule' that was enforced somewhat sporadically in stores, never an actual rule of the game.

Fair enough, mate.