So I had an interesting conversation with a friend of mine the other day. Essentially we started talking about proxies used in people armies and when it gets to the point of "go get the actual model."
What we essentially came down to was that it depends on what the intent is. For example, at my FLGS someone uses Chaos Knights as Blood Crushers. Originally it was said that they were proxiing because the actual models were too expenisve ($25 each!) we understood and let it go. Fast Forward a few months and that person hasn't bought any of the actual models and is using the wrong bases (on termie bases instead of dread bases)... Is this proxying gone too far, or not?
Another example: A Daemon player wants to use different 'gods,' units but wants the army to have a mono Khorne look. As such Fateweaver has been proxied by a fantasy varghulf. While his Blood thirster is proxied by a Balrog and cold ones are his fiends... Are all of these wrong? Is only one? I felt the Balrog proxiy was great, but wasn't too happy with the greater daemon being played by a Varghulf (That model doesn't scream "Greater Daemon") I thought (ignorantly) at that time that becuse of the proxied model fateweaver was more like Masque in that it was a special daemon who wasn't a greater daemon.
Example: Another player has chosen to use all Storm trooper models for his IG army. The only problem... his storm troopers are also storm trooper models so its really hard to tell what is what.
Last Example: A marine player uses sternguard models as tactical squad members, but doesn't run any actual sternguard.
What I wanted to know is 'when is it too much?' I came down to intention. Basically I don't like the Blood Crusher and fateweaver examples because the Blood Crushers have to be on a larger base and the person who started them said he didn't have the money to buy the actual models, while he is heard to be talking about starting a new army. With fateweaver it is simple, a Varg is in no way, shape or form anything like a greater Daemon... Imagine my suprise the first time I played him and he says "He is a greater daemon!"
The guard player I don't mind, if he would use something to differentiate his actual stormtroopers (I.e. paint job, Forgeworld models, etc.
The marine player I don't mind at all.
I would really like to hear what you all think...
Duke