Goatboy’s Warhammer 40K: Conversions, Counts As, and Proxies oh My!
Today let’s talk about the murky grey areas of conversions, counts-as, and proxies in Warhammer 40K.
This game has come a long way and there are so many options to create something unique with your plastic warriors. Between 3rd party kits, 3d prints, and conversions you can really create whatever you want for the game you want to play. Today I want to talk about these three different things and try to define them. So players can tell them apart and avoid the pitfalls of trying to be “unique”… or “cheap” depending on who you talk to.
Conversions
The easiest one to discuss is Conversions as they are normally built to match what they are trying to be in the game. This could be making a regular troop into something unique to become a leader. Or adding a ton of bits to spruce up a model and make it your own. Conversions are pretty easy to judge from a player standpoint because normally their weapons and load out make some sense.
The gun/sword/weapon is built to try and match what is available which is important for players to see on the table. I have built many HQ options with crazy bits from AOS and other combinations to make a Crazy Chaos lord and there isn’t an issue “knowing” what they do. The whole point of a conversion isn’t always to build something on the cheap and instead you are just trying to make it look unique.
I can’t stop making silly daemon princes…help me.
Here are some examples of Conversions I have done in the past as it isn’t a different model it is just a unique way to represent the weapon loadout. This is what makes me keep coming back to this game and remaking armies over and over again. I see a plastic bit and thing this would look cool to show up on the table top.
Counts As
The next thing to talk about is Counts As armies that really push the idea of having a unique army. This is utilizing different models to represent an army with a lot of conversion work/updates to ensure it still works within the army’s rules. This normally is set up to push the conversion in a way and remove the “default” base model for something neat.
You can see this in how I utilized Juggernaut riders for all my Thunder Wolves in my Space Goats army. I have seen a lot of AOS based armies like Stormcasts utilized as special Marine options. This isn’t always about being cheaper and most of the time the idea is really to make something unique.
The Space Goats – sometimes Space Marines, sometimes CSM. They’re moody.
My issue with these at times is when a player doesn’t try enough to ensure the weapon load-outs look correct. I think anything to push innovation is a great thing. But at the very least you need to make it easier for your opponent to figure out what it what. It is why all my guns had correct weapon load-outs even if they looked really chaos-like.
Other armies I have seen in the past are full Exodite Eldar armies using Lizardman-based bits and options to create something unique on the tabletop. It is the same with the Idoneth Deepkin from AOS as a unique take on Eldar options. I love seeing players push the limits on an army look. While Counts-As can be confusing it also can be rewarding to see running around the tabletop.
This is NOT a Taurox!
Proxies
Finally let’s talk about proxies. This is usually reserved for testing games out as you shouldn’t be taking your dreadnought and saying it is a Wraithlord. Proxying could also be the same for taking a ton of Tyranid monsters barely painted and saying they are giant Daemons of Chaos.
This is NOT a Contemptor Dreadnought.
I have never been a fan of players going to an event with proxies as it just confuses new players. We want people to come back and play so throwing something out that doesn’t match the rules makes it hard. Proxies are there for testing games out where you can talk things thru and plan your purchases. They should not be there to try and “mitigate” playing the correct army at an event or chasing the Meta with what grey bare plastic you have.
What do you guys think? Are Conversions and Counts as options great for the game? Should events allow proxies at all?
