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Hey dakka!
Wasn't sure where to put this thread, so I decided the whfb discussion area. If it gets moved, I understand.

My question : how do you feel about non-gw models in your games?
Do you allow it? Does it bother you?

Let me know, I'm curious to see what you all think.

Thanks
Austin

This poll had a lot of synonymic options... lucky it had multiple choice.

Unless it looks lazy, I think it's all good. It's a game of plastic men. GW happens to make a lot of perfect plastic men for it so the bulk of it will be GW for most armies, but if you can find something else, go for it.

Sorry for the options being similar. Each one is a degree closer/further to/from yes or no, or so I thought.

The brand of miniatures shouldn't matter, assuming that you aren't playing in an event held by GW.

I use a lot of Non-gw models. The rule of Cool applies.

I'm in the same boat as Arcadia. If the model looks good and matches up nicely, I'm more than fine with someone using it, or using it myself.

As examples, I use these in my main Dark Elf army:

http://s914.photobucket.com/user/RackhamMiniatures/media/Griffins%20of%20Akkylannie/GriffinInquisitor1.jpg.html - I use this as my model for Tullaris.

http://studiomcvey.highwire.com/product/smm19-the-dark-emissary-1 - And this mount I use as my Dreadlord's Dark Pegasus. It has no wings, but it is painted in such a way as to evoke a mount made of magic/shadow.

I'm planning to use their godly dwarfs for my army.

I use the Avatars of War Harpies in my Beastmen army.

I got some old school Harpies somewhere.

Using historical miniatures for my Bretonnians / Empire
only using GW trebuchets (and pegasii of course) because I couldn't find decent ones in the historical ranges

Check out rafm for trebuchets.

Warlord games has a nice range of WOTR men at arms (both mounted and foot) that I use as KOTR and M@a

I took Perry brothers and Fireforge for the mainstay of my forces
I do have some old Warlord Saxon that will be added as wel, and then lots of bits and pieces won through historical tournies
I don't think I ever heard of RAFM

^^^
Its Ral Partha.

They make nice siege equipment. 12$ (us) for 1 of those trebuchets.

Perry brothers make the warlord WOTR range

My brettonia fluff is that my lord took a grail quest to norsca, and spared he Norse king's life in battle, and the king gave him a stead on the island. So for men at arms I use warlords vikings

I do it for hero models all the time. My Beastman army has all-female heroes and lords (it was Slaanesh-themed, back when Beastmen could be Slaanesh-themed >.< ), and GW doesn't make enough female models that don't look like gak for me to do anything with. I've used metal Witch Elves where possible, but I have some stuff from the guy who did Wargods of Aegyptus (he sculpted most of the old DE line, so some of his models look GW enough that most people don't even know they aren't GW).

My Lahmian VC army makes use of Avatars of War's wonderful Vampire Queen, and a few Reaper Miniatures have made their way into my Imperial Guard army in 40K.

Basically, for what GW is going to charge for their models, coupled with the fact that they don't always make the models we need, I feel no obligation to only use GW models, nor should my opponents.

As long as models are easily identified as being what unit or hero they are representing, there shouldn't be a problem.

I am all for using non GW models for fantasy. I have a love for Warhammer ancient battles and bought a lot of the Warstore Romans. I use them as Empire. They look really good and can be played all the same. It all really comes down to the people you play with. The local place I used to play at has no problem if you use none GW minitures for anything Warhammer. As long as you are not trying to use a Roman Legionaire as a Troll you are fine. I don't know about a actual GW, but for friendly games and other FLGS there should be no problem.

As far as I'm concerned there's very little reason to use GW models at all. They've priced themselves out of the realm of reasonability, to the point where a new army at GW MSRP is going to run you nearly a fething grand. That's just ridiculous.

So unless you can get stuff at a substantial discount (as I did with much of my army, between sales and second-hand), you're pretty much forced to go outside of GW. For example, my 60-skeleton block would cost me $250 to do with GW skeletons at $30 for 10. With Wargamesfactory skeletons I got 90 for $70, and IMHO the models are just as good if not better.

So long as I can still tell what's on the board I'm not the slightest bit concerned to see non-GW models facing off across from me.

I would be fine with it. If I ever started dwarves or vampire countes I might do it. There are some empire ones are there not?

Interesting about the wargamesfactory ones I know lots of people use mantic games ones.
I wonder if there are any decent Skaven substitutes since the only ones I have seen are rat ogre sized models normally.

I have to admit that gw figures are by far the best looking, even some from apst editions. I haven't found anything equally nice.

If they look nice I use them. I can't see anyone in my group objecting to non-GW model. I can see why GW would object at one of their tournaments, but among friends?

The only thing that matters is that they look nice and fit with the theme of the army.

I use Mantic Undead for my Vampire counts army, could even use them as Tomb kings if I really wanted to.

I agree with the sentiment that GW has gone a little off the reservation with pricing...

When I was looking for a new army project, I scanned through the options in the Games Workshop catalog and realized it would be close to $800 USD to finish the project...

That is outlandish, even for a specialty game, so I used models from various ranges to flesh out old armies as well as start the new one. Spent nearly the same amount finishing several projects over a few years as I would have in one go.

The models look fine and my opponents have never seemed to care.

GW no longer officially supports tournaments so it is up to the individual tournment organizers to say whether you can or not. That said most of the ones I know are fine with proxies / unit filler provided it fits & looks cool.

Im about to start Bretonnians, and will be using Fire Forge Minis for Men at Arms and Knights. And there seem to be alot more alternative models around that I can look forward too.

Still, will probably get at least one Battalion Box from my lfgs, for unit variation, because GW's Bretonnians dont look that bad and to support the lfgs a bit.

 sing your life wrote:




I'm planning to use their godly dwarfs for my army.

Wow, those are amazing. I may have to do the same....

the way I see it....if we dont respect the game
then down the line you would probably see people using green army men as skaven in grand tournaments

I just made an army out of Non GW minis, looks really nice and historic (which I love). I got heaps to add to it but I saved so much money and got a force so quickly that the problems (such as lack of bases suitable for GW) where, well fine. Its here if anyone wants to see:

http://theimperialpatrol.blogspot.co.nz/2014/02/warhammer-fantasy-how-to-make-army-and.html#more

I also do the same for 40k whenever I can. There are so many great models out there and if you can find some that work then I say use them! Adds variety and gives other artists recognition for their work.