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Hello,

I am just beginning to collect 40k Models, and I read that I should use mini hobby magnets for arms and vehicle weapons so I can completely swap out and accessorize my models with the correct armaments.

In fantasy, this is often not important, as long as the champion or models of significance are easily distinguished, you just "say" what they have. But having never played a 40k game in my life, nor am I familiar with the rules of the communities in general, how important is it that every model reflect exactly what payload it has?

Thanks!

For friendly games it matters not, I am running DV chosen with all bolters but the models have the power weapons. For most local games "This heavy bolter is a plasma cannon" i have found to be ok too.

In comps though they like to normally run WYSIWYG so a bolter is a bolter and a plasma is a plasma.....Hope that helps.

magnets are great for Vehicles

"Counts as" or outright proxy models are generally much more accepted in friendly games than in tournaments, as mentioned, but it really varies by opponent. You're quite right, though, in thinking that it gets more complicated in 40k than WFB due to the frequency of mixed weapons (often with wildly different characteristics) within squads.

Unless your opponent is a universal stickler for WYSIWYG, it generally comes down to courtesy. The more you force them to remember, the less they can focus on and enjoy the game. Changing the armament of a few models generally isn't a problem, especially if you mark those models somehow and remind your opponent if he appears to have forgotten. No one can accuse you of poor sportsmanship if you say "Are you sure you want to march in front of me? Remember that bolter with the blob of poster tack on it is a flamer..."

By extension, actually having WYSIWYG models is the highest courtesy, as it requires zero extra attention from your opponent. It also avoids littering the battlefield with odd markers without sacrificing clarity (in the interest of sportsmanship). If you want to retain flexibility in your lists while saving some money, magnetization is a good option. It's generally not considered a necessity, though.

bryceloop wrote:
Hello,

I am just beginning to collect 40k Models, and I read that I should use mini hobby magnets for arms and vehicle weapons so I can completely swap out and accessorize my models with the correct armaments.

In fantasy, this is often not important, as long as the champion or models of significance are easily distinguished, you just "say" what they have. But having never played a 40k game in my life, nor am I familiar with the rules of the communities in general, how important is it that every model reflect exactly what payload it has?

Thanks!

It is important as confusion=trouble. I don't have any problem with substitutions as long as they're consistently applied. I don't want THIS guy with a melta really being a grav gun and THAT guy in an almost identical squad having his melta be a flamer. If you're making substitutions, try to be consistent and make it easy for your opponent to remember. That said, magnetization is another option but most large scale 28mm infantry magnetizations I've seen end up with alot of droopy weapon syndrome despite double magnets.

Depending on what army you play, and what kind of layout you're running it can make a big difference for YOU as well.

I play 'nids so being able to find the one warrior in the warrior brood who I equipped differently that the rest of the brood can make a big difference in how I'm playing tactically.

If I had to drop one warrior to boneswords instead of lashwhip and bonesword, I want to keep the guys with the lashwhips and boneswords alive over the warrior who just has boneswords. The guys with the lashwhips will do better in melee combat.

I've done a bit of magnetization, and sometimes it depends on how you do it, and the size of the magnet you use. Also, just a little bit of green stuff and pinning can keep things from drooping too much, although depending on what you've magnetized, you might have to be more careful picking up your model on the table, just so you don't slide all the limbs off trying to play a game with it. (Which I did the first day I finally put all the limbs on. Whoops.)