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Are there any general guidelines for using custom (scratch built) or non GW models in tournament play?

How close do dimensions need to be? If I put enough 40k sh*t on as ornamentation we gud?

There are no across-the-board tournament rules. Every tournament will have their own requirements where conversions or stand-ins are concerned.


For the most part, though, the main requirement is simply that whatever you're using should be a reasonable representation of what it is supposed to be. So more or less the right size, on the right size base, and equipped appropriately.


Some tournaments still have a requirement for GW models specifically, but it's not as common as it was back when GW were actively supporting organised play... Without tournaments needing to require it in order to get prize support (because there just is none any more) there's no particular reason to force players to use GW models, other than for ease of recognition.

 insaniak wrote:
There are no across-the-board tournament rules. Every tournament will have their own requirements where conversions or stand-ins are concerned.


For the most part, though, the main requirement is simply that whatever you're using should be a reasonable representation of what it is supposed to be. So more or less the right size, on the right size base, and equipped appropriately.


Some tournaments still have a requirement for GW models specifically, but it's not as common as it was back when GW were actively supporting organised play... Without tournaments needing to require it in order to get prize support (because there just is none any more) there's no particular reason to force players to use GW models, other than for ease of recognition.

Gud answer thanks. What about alternative/competing company models? same rules aslong as they are fairly accurate representation of what the model is supposed to be (aswell as being easily recognizable)? Gonna be playing orks so I know there is alot more give but GW used to be super anal about using other alt(nonscratchbuilt) models. Wondering how tournament organizers feel.

I am currently having this dilemma

I have ALOT of necrons, and am close to building my last GA/DA. The thing is, i kind of want one of every model for the crons, so I was going to build the Doomsday Ark.

Would it be a problem to run this in a comp as a Ghost Ark? I cant see why but I dont know how retentive they are

(I realise every tourny is different, but as a general rule)

This really depends on the event an the organizer. Their house, their rules. If there is any question at all about it, ask.


I've been to a couple tournaments and slipped some count-as in and every one of them has been accepted without question. This includes:

A heavily 40ked WWI MkIV tank as a Land Raider. (All 40k weapons, bunch of bits and do-dads).

A Warmachine (possibly Hordes???) guy I found in a bits box as a Chaos Sorcerer. (GW Chaos marine head, arms, and shoulder pads)

A VOID sniper guy. (painted right you really could not tell this guy wasn't a Catachan if you were more than 3 feet away)

Some weird OOP marine guy from I believe Eureka Miniatures. Seriously, this guy looks exactly like 1980's era GW marines.

In the case of the infantry they used GW bits and looked the part so well I doubt if anyone even noticed. You can probably pull this off better if you have some other old-school GW figures to throw off the noobs. As for my "Land Raider" they all thought it was so darn cool they just let it slide, and this was at an actual GW store about a year ago.

And there is always the "Rule of Cool". As cuda mentioned his Landraider made from an old WWI tank (great idea, BTW).

I did an IG army once totally converted from Lizardmen. All my Chimeras, Hellhounds and Griffons were made from turtle shells. That's right, real turtle shells collected from the Missouri Ozark forest, cleaned, bleached, painted and kitted out with the necessary bits. Ran them at GW US Grand tournaments and never had an issue, as well as numerous smaller tourneys. Always had the regular vehicles on hand just in case, but never needed them.