Nobody is going to force you to use miniatures for what they're intended for.
Case in point: The Icelords of Isthak is an army (and a range of minis) in the Demonworld series. Nice idea, but to my mind, totally impractical – an 'ice' army looks wrong on a green battlefield, and I'm not inclined to make an icy battlefield for just one army!
![Dai Re'Coon catalog picture Dai Re'Coon catalog picture](showcase/fanshowcase/2021/662487a.jpg)
Therefore, I use these lovely Icelords minis in my armies, but for other purposes. Take these Dai Re'Coon (catalog picture shown above), which are intended as giant crystalline ice demons. I decided to use them as Rock Elementals in my Chaos army.
![Dai Re'Coon Dai Re'Coon](showcase/fanshowcase/2021/662487b.jpg)
Here they are, as painted by our friends in Sri Lanka, Fernando Enterprises.
![Dai Re'Coon Dai Re'Coon](showcase/fanshowcase/2021/662487c.jpg)
I based these for the Mighty Armies rules from Rebel Minis, using the 2" x 2" large bases.
![Dai Re'Coon Dai Re'Coon](showcase/fanshowcase/2021/662487d.jpg)
You can barely fit two figures per base. It would have been equally valid to base one figure per base.
![Dai Re'Coon Dai Re'Coon](showcase/fanshowcase/2021/662487f.jpg)
I based the figures, using spackle to smooth them into the top of the base, then applying flock.
![Dai Re'Coon Dai Re'Coon](showcase/fanshowcase/2021/662487g.jpg)
The orange color is used for all of my Chaos army bases, making it easier for visiting players to recognize which bases belong to which army.
![Dai Re'Coon Dai Re'Coon](showcase/fanshowcase/2021/662487h.jpg)
This is my last addition to my Chaos army for a while, but I know I have more figures around here somethere…