Topic: The legality of corsairs and FW models

[Adrastos]

Alright so I'm sure this has been brought up before and I have searched, all over the Internet in fact, but exactly how "official" are the corsairs and forge world models? What arguements and facts can I use to support this?

After my not so great showing at the last tournament I'm looking for what other cool options I have. Warp hunters could do a lot for me, but I'm also loving the idea of using corsairs as CWE "commandos" for my Khorshid. 

I want to have some solid rock to stand on if I need to convince my lgs to let me use things.

Regards;
adrastos

[Atnas]

In the Imperial Armor book 11 (in which the Corsair army, Wraithseer, Eldar flyers) it actually says all the units and entries are considered to be official addons to the Warhammer 40K game (and/or Apocalypse). So, all the firm ground you need to stand is having the book (irl or in pdf format) and show them the text in the beginning of the book.

[Partninja]

In the Imperial Armor book 11 (in which the Corsair army, Wraithseer, Eldar flyers) it actually says all the units and entries are considered to be official addons to the Warhammer 40K game (and/or Apocalypse). So, all the firm ground you need to stand is having the book (irl or in pdf format) and show them the text in the beginning of the book.

This still means nothing as it doesn't say this in the BRB or in a WD/Eratta. It is still completely dependent on your LGS and tourney organizers.

[Atnas]

No, the forgeworld book mentioning it is enough because they are also GW.

As an example, the BRB of Fantasy doesn't mention Chaos Dwarfs in any way or whatever. Their armybook can't be bought from the normal GW site but has to be bought from Forgeworld. However, the Tamurkhan book clearly states that it is to be considered an official armybook of 8th edition fantasy and thus, it has to be accepted as such. I can't see how you can dispute this in any way.

It's always up to tournament organizers if they want to allow Forgeworld or not though. It could be because they feel the Forgeworld models or rules are too hard to get by for most players, or that the models are deemed unfair- but it cannot now be made because they are not legal, since FW and GW made them so.

[Galef]

At the end of the day, it is up to your opponent to decide.

In a friendly game, I would have no problem playing against a Corsair list, as long as I could talk to the owning player for a few minutes first to get a feel for the rules of his army.  In fact, that would be fun as heck.

I play Eldar & Dark Eldar (which I can now field together as an allied "Corsair" army), however, I would feel uncomfortable playing with the Corsair book.  This is because no one in my local community plays with FW rules.  Plenty of them have FW models that they use, but the rules are always from a GW Codex.

I think the main reason that FW rules are often looked down on in a competitive environment is that they are not "main-stream".  By this I mean most players have less experience playing against them and as there are no FW statline in the BRB reference, those players don't want to face something that they know nothing about and know isn't fully playtested for balance.

[Saim-Hann Corsair]

Just for clarification the FW books are mentioned under the Campaigns section in the rulebook. Specifically page 383.

I have always found it dumb that people wouldn't allow FW and base it on the idea that it is unbalanced. I can see if you are using the rules that they release as experimental, but once they put out the Imperial Armour book, it should be enough. There was this complaint, but it is addressed in the official Apocalypse GW book, I believe in the introduction of the book.

I purchased a Nightwing when FW released it and it was a big issue with me using it. I could see back then because there were not really any flyers or the main rules didn't address them. But now, if you were to show up with one of the newer codex armies that each have two flyers in them, and you try to tell me that I couldn't take a Nightwing, I would laugh in your face and find someone else to play.

Times have changed, but this old attitude of FW being unbalanced or over powered still remains. If this is the case, then how can GW proclaim in the official 6th rulebook that the Badab Campaign rules are "arguably the ultimate campaign guides"?

[Partninja]

In my area (USA - New Jersey) it isn't a matter of FW units be over powered. In fact I agree they are very appropriately priced points-wise. The issue is FW =/= GW exactly. Yes they are a sister company, but they are not the same as far as official rules are concerned. Sure they mention FW stuff for campaigns, but campaigns aren't exactly official tourneys either. You do those for the story and the fluff, not so much the competition.

Unless it is specifically stated by GW (BRB, Eratta etc. Not a FW book), it's a no go for tourneys and such around here. Friendly games doesn't even need to be mentioned as you can just play chess with the models as far as that is concerned.

[maturin]

As others have said, it's completely up to your opponent whether or not they want to play against FW units, just as it's up to them whether or not they want to play against your Orks, or GK, or IG, or whatever.

Pulling out your rulebook and saying "but it's legal!" probably won't convince anyone who doesn't want to anyways.

Depends on your local meta - around here (Vancouver, BC), FW has pretty much been accepted.  Even local tourneys have pretty much always allowed FW models, and are about 50/50 on allowing FW armylists.