ok, im v tired this evening from a particularly long, arsey day at work, so if i come across as mingey then plz dont take it personally. I agree that everyone has valid points, even badruck's one about proxying. However, here are my reasons for requesting limited proxies:
1) A codex is not just a set of rules. It is a set of limitations that controls what you can and cannot do with a given army. Spevna said that
"The whole argument of what a codex can do in "real life" isn't a valid one as it's complete case by case."
I would disagree. (well of course I would...)The very fact that it is "case by case" means that some codexes are more playable than others. Eldar are not a cheap army to play. Its that simple. Real life is where we all live, like it or not, and financial cost is a factor when army building.
2) Following on from point 1, Eldar models are very hard to scratch build. Again, this affects every eldar army, which must be either paid for at significant expense or converted at considerable effort.
Combining points 1 and 2, I would say to Badruck: Due to the eldar army being what it is (in the really real world,) aside from using the minis ive got, you can either convert/sculpt models to an acceptably identifiable level to represent what you want, or you can buy them. You will find the former to be difficult and the latter to be expensive. Every eldar player in the world has to deal with this. Get used to it. If Mike will lend you his minis, I would also be ok with that. Im not trying to hamstring you out of badness, just trying to make you deal with the problems the eldar codex has, just like every other eldar player does. This is not a hypothetical discussion. If it was, we'd just be posting up army lists and arguing about them.
That said, if Badruck can refrain from spamming units, i would be prepared to accept a bit of proxying, to account for individual player choice whilst shopping.
And on that note, the discussion seems to be veering towards "Is the super duper spammiest most broken list from this codex better than the super duper spammiest most broken list from that codex?". This makes me wonder if people are missing the point. I said the ork codex is broken. Badruck says it isnt. If he has to spam the crap out of the eldar codex to win against what i intend to be as balanced an ork list as i can come up with, then surely that only strengthens my point that orks are overpowered? All things being equal, a balanced army from codex A should stand a decent chance against a similarly balanced army from codex B. Spamming is not the point of 40k. It just aint fun, and if thats what the eldar have to do to win, then I shall be a very disappointed player.
With regards to terrain, sure, yeah, why not? Im not convinced that poor terrain placement is key to all the eldar's crushing defeats at the hands of the orks, but fine, aye - go for it.
Best of 3 games: This one i do agree with completely. As I already suggested having the winner of the Orks/eldar game playing against space marines (as making an all-comers eldar army is a bugger), how about we have orks vs eldar, orks vs marines, eldar vs marines, and if it comes out as a draw, the orks n eldar can play again? I'll do the orks each time, badruck does the eldar, using the same lists each time. Somebody else can pick the marine list, if they want...
OK, thats my tuppence worth. I shall now bugger off and refrain from posting further this evening, as Im only gonna get tireder and grumblier as the evening goes on. I shall catch ye all tomorrow, when hopefully my outlook on the world will be a wee bitty brighter