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Hi! As you can probably tell from the title I'm new to warhammer 40k. I'd like to know will I get shamed for using third party parts to make my army stand out (like using roman like horsehair crests for my small band of space marines) I'm worried that when I show up for my first time to take them into battle the employees or another player will turn around and tell me that's breaking some unwritten rule or I've rodded off games workshop. Also is it alright if my loyal space marines use chain axes instead of chain swords as I've read that only the forces of chaos use them, if so it's allowed can anyone give me the statistics such as the strength, AP and anything else I should know before I stick them onto my units.
Thanks!

Relax, rule of cool


Chain axes, well kinda chaos but hey, they are chain weapons.

Horse hair plumes. There's no rule against a entire unit having them on helmets.

Relax
They have no difference in rules as loyalist marines on the axes vs the swords.

Relax, and make the army you want. Not thr army that other oriole day you should.

If you want to err on the side of consideration and caution, the general guideline to follow is WYSIWYG. It's not a hard and fast rule, though. Chain axes as chain swords on space marines would probably be fine, for example, because they can only represent one thing. Third-party bits are fine as long as you're not trying to play in a GW store. If you are, the employees might give you flak for it or even not allow you to use your models there.

Aside from actual wargear options with corresponding rules, whatever you do with your army cosmetically is totally your prerogative.

So even if it's just purely decoration I could get in trouble? I understand that if I go in there with pretty much 100% unofficial figures that'd be pretty scummy. All I've gotten is a couple of helmets, some plumes for official helmets, the odd power pack and I've given the squad leaders non forgeworld chain axes as they're too expensive and I don't trust myself with them (given the fact that they're the same as chainswords I now don't see anything wrong with using them). Is that within the realms of acceptability? Given that all the changes are purely for looks and that none of the WYSIWYG things are third party I'd hope that it'll be allowed for playing in a GW store.

I would personally not expect anything good to happen from bringing third-party bits into a GW store at all, even if it's just for a decorative conversion. At the least they will say something about it, and at worst they will tell you to take your models home. At any FLGS you'll be totally fine, and I can't imagine any other players care, but the GW corporate offices have notoriously draconian rules regarding third-party bits or models and whether or not they'll allow even one bit is entirely up to their caprice.

Well that royaly sucks given that the only place I can play is a GW store. Before I bring my whole force I'll stop by and ask them if they're okay with it. If they're not okay with it I guess I'll have to travel 5 towns over to the nearest FLGS that has a regular time for matches. Thanks for your help and time.

It definitely couldn't hurt to ask, and asking beforehand might make them more inclined toward leniency. Only one way to know for sure.

90% of the time things like that are not going to be noticed. let alone commented on. Keep in mind that rules are rules and just because you model a chain axe, doesn't mean you can use those rules. The rules for what a unit can take are on their data sheet. You must use those rules. If you think the axes look cooler, then cool, just tell your opponent they are "counts as" chainswords.

If you bring up every minor conversion or third party bit you use with the GW manager, you can virtually guarantee they won't allow them. Fly under the radar and build your army the way you want.

I thought the standing rule was that each model needed to be certain percentage made up of gw bits.

Also isn't the chainsword/axe the same thing stat wise but just different looks? If so then I'd see no issue with it. Ork choppas all use the same stats (which is the same as chainsword stats) even though models aren't just carrying chainswords but also axes and knives the size of a man''s leg.

 ProwlerPC wrote:
I thought the standing rule was that each model needed to be certain percentage made up of gw bits.

Also isn't the chainsword/axe the same thing stat wise but just different looks? If so then I'd see no issue with it. Ork choppas all use the same stats (which is the same as chainsword stats) even though models aren't just carrying chainswords but also axes and knives the size of a man''s leg.

Warhammer World has clear rules for model composition, which you can view on their website. From what I understand, however, it's up to each regional GW office to set policy on what they will allow in their stores, and even then it's unltimately up to the discretion of the store manager. So when you walk into a GW store there is basically no standard, which is why I would just assume that they aren't going to allow anything unless the GW manager at the store in question states otherwise. You could run into a laid back manager who doesn't really care, or you may get an uptight one who kicks you out of the store. No way of knowing until it happens.