Questions about using models in GW events/stores

[Moss]

I've never actually played in a GW tournament before. Actually, I've never played in a GW store at all. I know there are rules about what models you can and cannot use, but I'm not totally clear about the specifics. Can someone help me out?

Consider the following units. Are they allowed in GW events/stores?

1) Believable "counts-as." Example: unit of Dwarf hammerers created using Dwarf warriors, modeled with the hammer GWs; possibly all with matching helmets which differ from rest of the warriors in the army

2) Cross-army conversions. Example: unit of Lizardmen temple guard created using Chaos warrior bodies and saurus heads

3) GW miniatures with non-GW bits. Example: unit of Chaos marauders modeled with heads from Maxmini

4) Painted toys. Example: Lizardmen salamander represented by a painted child's toy dinosaur

5) GW miniatures converted with toys. Example: Wood Elf wild rider modeled on a painted child's toy tiger.

6) GW miniatures heavily converted using greenstuff. Example: High Elf spearman whose arms and legs have been totally built using greenstuff (head and torso are from GW spear elf mini)

7) Models that have been completely hand-sculpted. Example: High Elf spearman built entirely from scratch

Thanks for your help!

[Ultimate Life Form]

These rules seem to differ from shop to shop and maybe also depending on the part of the world you live in, so it would be best to ask there personally.

The only rule my GW enforces is that if you bring it to GW, it has to be GW. In other words, no models/parts/whatever from the competition allowed. In all other respects they're fairly liberal.

[Cragum]

I would say 1,2,6 and 7 are all perfectly viable. They surely cant say anything if you say with 6 and 7 was made from greenstuff. Their product at the end of the day. Plus we have seen some truly amazing winners of golden daemon use a model made mostly from modelling materials so wouldnt see why it is a problem.

[Wishing]

Í agree that any kind of counts-as and scratch-building should be fine to use, as long as all the visible purchasable model parts come from GW.

The only issue is using non-GW models or third party parts, and even there it will vary from store to store how strictly they will enforce this.

[Moss]

Wow, ok. So the rules aren't to discourage confusing/misleading conversions; they're in place strictly for business. Guess I should have figured that. Thanks, guys.

[yabbadabba]

Wow, ok. So the rules aren't to discourage confusing/misleading conversions;

Your list isn't exactly a good example of this; I could understand what you were trying to do with each one. Trying to claim (7) as a phoenix guard would be more of the issue when it comes to confusing/misleading conversions. Of if you claimed your toy lions could fly.

they're in place strictly for business. Guess I should have figured that. Thanks, guys.

They are there for both business and ease of recognition on the battlefield.

[zoggin-eck]

As usual, why not ask the store in question? Surely if you're planning on going into the store and play, talk to staff etc. you're not to shy to pick up the phone, or just pop in and ask a few questions first?

GW isn't this magical company where every store and every person working at every store is exactly the same. You didn't even say what country you are from, let alone what store you want to play at. Stores within 30mins of each other I know of have a totally different attitude to each other.

[Agoz]

One more thing you might run into, there is a rule saying that all conversions must start as gw models, so you couldn't just make something completely out of greenstuff as you have to start with a gw model as a base.

[Urgat]

Not that GW staff really check your minis one by one to see if they're all GW.

[Ultimate Life Form]

Not that GW staff really check your minis one by one to see if they're all GW.

Nope, and to be honest, they're not really gonna know, either. I have heard stories about genuine GW models being banned from the stores because they were outdated by 2 or 3 editions and the Redshirts didn't recognize them and didn't believe they were actual GW models. Also their grasp on the actual rules is not always very firm. But in a GW shop the Redshirts are the law, so tough luck. These are the types of issues you gotta get prepared for. Better pray for a cool Redshirt.

[Luigi]

genuine GW models being banned from the stores because they were outdated by 2 or 3 editions and the Redshirts didn't recognize them and didn't believe they were actual GW models

...
just wow...

[yabbadabba]

...
just wow...

Why? Redshirts are sales people now, not geeks with hygiene issues and an encyclopaedic knowledge of GWs back catalogue.

[Luigi]

Why? Redshirts are sales people now, not geeks with hygiene issues and an encyclopaedic knowledge of GWs back catalogue.

I can see now how my reply could be misinterpreted..
My disbelief came from the fact of them not believing a member of the club (store?) I got a bit carried way because i pictured a similar hypothetical situation in my mind with me not being believed about old models
never meant to imply that redshirt should be able to recognize models (especially since I myself have trouble recognizing 3 quarters of the current range )

[Urgat]

That's one of the many reasons why I won't play in a GW again. Not that this has ever happened to me, but a huge portion of my army is now very old citadel and marauder models, some arch back from the early 80s. So I could see this happening, because you don't need to detail the minis to realise it.