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Hi everyone, I have a a weird question to ask. Sorry if this isn't the right place to ask it, I wasn't really sure where to stick this one, and I couldn't find a clear answer after an hour of googling.

I don't actually play 40k, but I've been meaning to get into it, especially since I've been slowly putting models together over the past few years, so I wanted to know this beforehand:
If I make a "count-as" model for a character, would people generally be ok with different wargear if it's made clear before hand? I imagine it'd be fine in a casual setting, but would it work out in most tournaments?
For example, would a Pedro Kantor count-as with a sword instead of a fist work? Or Lysander with a fist instead of his hammer?

Well, on one hand named characters always have the same wargear so confusion over such would not be an issue. On the other hand it should be easily recognizable as that character.

I don't know how others would handle this but I think keeping the war-gear somewhat recognizable would be the important part. So if you had a Marneus Calgar wannabe, let's say Carneus Malgar, and you gave him two Thunder Hammers (game-wise similar enough, in my opinion) with integrated bolters (this combination is unique enough and easy to spot) then that would be good enough for me. Just say he counts as Marneus Calgar before the game starts (and mention it when your opponent forgets it).

For tournaments it really depends on their rules. Some might only allow the real miniature, others are okay with conversions, and some probably don't care as long as you announce it when setting up armies.

A tournament asking for WYSIWYG would not be okay with it not being WYSIWYG. You'd have to say "this guy's power sword counts as a fist" and if you had any other swords in your army, it'd get confusing quickly.

Honestly, it would not longer look like the character anyway.

The thing is many models just dont have modeling options for all their wargear to begin with.

There are no stranglewebs or spike rifles for tyranids. The bits just dont exist. Some space marine hqs can pay points for different kinds of armor but can only be purchased legally in one variant.

Whats important is that your opponent knows whats up. If you have 5 models in a unit all with bolters and then you tell them every model has a different weapon but its impossible for your opponent to tell which is which then your being a feth.

But if you have one unique model to represent one unique character then model it however you want and just make sure you tell your opponent before deployment exactly what wargear it has rules wise.

If you don't have the miniature for the character, don't use the character. Make up your own guy, give him a name and a brief backstory and say you are using the rules for the character for your guy. It's fun and fluffy. Try it!


(Characters are expensive anyway, $30 for a single guy when a squad of ten guys cost $40? Crazy! Everyone realizes this and making your own leader is quite common.)

I'm between Lance and Troa.
At my table we proxy all the time. When I go to my local game store for a tournament, I have tougher standards.
The weapons do not have to be identical, but as a player I need some way to see it is that weapon. A marine with a big massive maul in each hand would be easy to recognise as a Marneus Calgar count as (or huge claws or jackhammers or even wraithlord fists instead of regular power fists (had a friend do this, and it worked...)etc). If you put a guy down with a sword and pointing finger...he's tough to recognize as more than a sarge. I like counts as, but usually you should model the mini to be close. My counts as St. Celestine has a sword I painted flaming, and angelic wings. I painted her to have gold armor.

That matches my opinion of count's as. The key being my opinion. She isn't even based on a GW mini and not legal in a GW tourney, ...so I guess I'm flexible.
Now, I'm a big converter with a huge bits collection, and sculpts myself, so modeling wysiwyg is part of the fun for me.

Thanks guys, your responses were a lot of help! I think I'll just stick to the exact loadout just to be safe, but thank you again for the input.