Proxy Arms

[kevinphillips]

I managed to get a few old metal Genestealer Hybrids on eBay for a fare price, but I'm discovering that the plastic arms (the original imperial guard/squat arms sprues) are almost as much as the models. Also, the few arms I do have left aren't a very good fit and the poses are dire. I have a bad feeling the current Warhammer edition Genestealer arms will be too big for the little metal chaps is there an alternative?

Are there any good sites selling proxies, that can be purchased? I had a look around but it's hard to find basic weapon-posed arms ready for las guns, etc.

I also have access to a 3D printer but I'm not sure the etiquette of printing bits, is frowned upon to reproduce the old model extras?

Any help would be great thanks.

 

[ManicMan]

etiquette? maybe but basically if you are reproducing what exists, so there for copying (like if someone did a 3D scan of a real model or parts and made the stl) that is illegal due to the copyright of the original work. Its like the difference between third-party and knock-off. Third party is someone doing something similar and there is a tiny bit of .... issue but not really in the case we are talking about. where as Knock-off is just copying what someone else has done as an attempt to look the same, in the way of making a mould of a figure you brought but didn't get the rights or anything to (say I brought a official Skaven figure, make a mould of it and make copies, I don't have the legal right to do that.. though it gets messy, I own the model, I don't own the model design).

That said, nothing wrong with making a model yourself to be close but made from hand (or 3D via your own skills more then directly copying) then that's fine. I did some 3D printable shields based on the old style but not any direct copies (Don't have many of the originals and probebly only one design if I could find some).

As for location of proxys.. mm.. I would say I'm sure there are some out there.. but I can't for the life of me remember one right now..

 

[Citizen Sade]

I have a faint recollection that a company made proxy metal Army/Guard arms for the old RT models, but I don’t remember who it was. Hopefully, one of the other members here does.

Uscarl Miniatures in France sell metal arms for their Space Dwarfs which work well with the old Squat Adventurers. Diesel Monkey used them on some figures he did for me (LINK).

 

[EricF]

You have my sympathies - I spent forever hunting for squat arm sprues some years back that were not crazy crazy ebay prices. Eventually got a few at still mad prices, but at least affordable.

The main woe I have had is scale when it comes to proxies, plenty of companies doing conversion bits. They will however probably be mostly targeting the more heroic scale GW crept up to.

I've seen plenty of posts using https://wargamesatlantic.com/collections/demo-collection as Imperial Guard proxies in their own right and from what I've seen of their ranges I'd say there is a pretty decent chance the scale would be close enough. The Cannon Fodder box looks like quite a good generic box. Might be worth a punt, if they work they work, if not you have some Cannon Fodder

3D printing of course has the advantage of being able to keep trying the scale until you get it right. If you can sculpt then go for it. If not there are various Guard proxies that are kits - so arms separate that you could hunt through and buy and just print the arms. MyMiniFactory and Cults3D would be my starting point for searches for decent sculpts.

As to the etiquette. Well I'm no old school purist and they are your minis, better they have arms are painted and enjoyed than sitting in a box forever more I think!

 

[EricF]

I've got a load of the Uscarl ones, but thought they seemed a tad larger than I wanted for Squats, not bad, but just a little larger.