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So I'm leaning towards arming my Guard sergeants with bolter/chainsword as it seems much better than laspistol/ccw for only 1 more point. The thing is, trying to arm six sergeants with bolter.chainsword looks horrible. They have to either hold one in each hand (which looks weird) or have one of them slung (which also looks weird, due to the size). So I am tending to giving them other melee weapons, usually entrenching tools, ornate knives, sledgehammers or the like. I think it looks fine but I was really wondering how people consider chainswords when it comes to wysiwyg. The thing is, chainswords are a free upgrade so there really is no reason not to take them.

Are people generally strict about wysiwyg chainswords? I'm going to guess it'll be fine with the people I am likely to face but was wondering if anyone was out there who would object and why? I know in a perfect world everything would be correct at all times. I know I go to a lot of effort, when conscripts got grenades I even went back and added them to all my models. I just think that having chainswords as a wargear item is a bit silly, especially as they are free so there is absolutely no reason to not take them.

No one will ever give you grief over chainswords. Especially when their extra attack ability is common to such a wide swath of other weapons, rendering wysiwyg pretty meaningless as far as they’re concerned.

Generally the only things that really need to be modeled are things you pay extra points for. Meltaguns, hunter seeker missiles, dreadnought weapons, that sort of thing. Gear that comes standard is assumed to be there somewhere, even if your guy doesn’t have it visible.

For me, the free melee weapons don't necessarily need to be represented in any specific detail. Specific weapons like power swords should be represented in some way as a sword or at least a scabbard. Pistols can be done with a holster as far as I'm concerned.

Ultimately, if all sergeants are equipped the same, I don't much care what they're equipped with as long as its all the same thing.

Given that the thing has been called "Close Combat Weapon" for at least 4 editions now, I doubt anyone would have a problem.

As the old adage goes; if they have a problem with this, it won't be the only problem they have.

I wouldn't have a problem if you wanted to play them this way.
I would have a problem with my own collection, and would either convert the ones that i wanted to have chainswords or not count them as having chainswords.

As others have said, it's always been a close combat weapon for ages, so for that time it didn't make a difference.
I'd have no issue with you doing it either.

If you don't mind converting, cutting down a chainsword and using it like a bayonet attachment on bolt weapons does look pretty good.
Sure you can actually get them somewhere too.

I'm a WYSIWYG maniac but standard weapons that worth 0 points don't count if equipped on models that also have other stock wargear. I mean grey hunters with bolters can be played as grey hunters with bolters and chainsword, this isn't a proxy and I'd consider them WYSIWYG anyway, even if they aren't actually assembled with chainswords.

I only have problems (but I let other players proxy whatever they want anyway) with basic weapons that count as special/heavy weapons or special/heavy weapons that count as different ones. Not to mention entire models or units that count as different ones. These are example of breaking the rule of WYSIWYG, equipping your models with chainsword while the models aren't assembled with those close combat weapons is totally fine, I don't think someone would ever complain about that.

Go to a tournament and you'll get people that will give you crap over it, call a judge over, and grief you until you go "FINE, I WON'T HAVE IT ON MY MODEL THEN" wasting you points, time, and a few extra attacks, just so that they have some teeny tiny advantage.

In any other situation, you should be totally fine. I've played many a game where my opponent doesn't have the right bits, or uses a lot of counts-as (one guy used a Repulsor counting as a Plagueburst Crawler the other day). It's fine because it's a friendly game.

But if tournament and competitive play is your goal (and IMO, it shouldn't be, because it can be very toxic), then you may want to model them with those ugly chainswords.

My veteran squad has a sergeant lowering his helmet while kneeling on the ground, leaning on a shovel.

It's the "well, that's them buried, I guess the survivors all merge into my squad and that's the platoon now" look.

WYSIWYG is not even a rule anymore.

Rule of cool over rides "that's not a chainsword". If it's a basic weapon that counts as a chainsword that's fine. If it's a powerfist that counts as a chainsword I would let you do it just fine but I know others in my group that would have an issue with it. Well.... One guy at least.

It's the " that guy" syndrome that has an issue when playing. I do it at the moment with my space marine Sargent with combi flamers. I am going to make them actual combi flamers when I get some bits in, but at the moment it's a stand in.

I am normally pretty strict on WYSIWYG, but here I think an exception can be made. Since a chainsword is pretty much a default weapon for guard sergeants, people aren't going to be forgetting that that guy wielding a shovel actually has a chainsword.
Just make sure your proxy weapons don't look like actual other weapons sergeants can take (axes, mauls etc.).

Don't expect to take it to tournaments though. People will give you problems over that.

Personally, I prefer WYSIWYG on my models and those of whomever I'm playing against; it just makes it easier to keep track of what's what. Much like the whole issue of painted/unpainted models, some of us are fussier than others. There's no right or wrong answer here, it's just a matter of personal preference and, given that it takes at least two people to play a game, you sometimes have to compromise.