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So I got an itch to start a human-wave-melee Death Korps army, but I don't have money. I don't play in tourneys so the whole proxy thing isn't an issue too much. I just really like the gas masks and great coats, along with the lore.

What do you think of these?:

http://www.wargamesfactory.com/webstore/alien-suns/shock-troops-sci-fi-greatcoat-troopers

They're 18 per box plastic models. Incredibly cheap. Have you had any experience with these models? Do you think these would make an okay stand for Death Korps? Do you have any other suggestions on alternative Death Korps models?

And now for the second part. What's your list? I was thinking I'd just use a slow-moving infantry wave backed up by LR Demolishers. It can swarm and Str 10 anything down if they can catch it, or gunline if they're the ones getting charged, but I have no experience with an army like this as I used to play Elysians.

Nothing wrong with those models. They look good for troops. I just started a DKoK army. Wonderful models. Victoria Lamb does some similar ones but they are expensive and if your going to pay full amount I would rather have the real deal. I might use a squad of these to bulk out the old troops.

To be honest the DKoK models are so beautiful that these models don't do them justice. If I were you, I would start my own guard, from a planet I made up, using those models with DKoK rules.
But hey, it's your hobby, do what you want!

I have these guys as mine:

http://theimperialpatrol.blogspot.co.nz/2014/12/guard-vs-eldar-costly-battle.html

From here:

http://www.anvilindustry.co.uk/Miniatures-of-the-North

Two very cheap choices and they look pretty close to the death korps.

I like those borderers! I may use the ones I posted as engineers or storm troopers. I think I will use those borderers as the bulk of my army though.

They are very cool. Just ask the anvil guys to include bases though. They did for me. I think the borderers are as close to DKOK as you will get personally. In my opinion the borderers have cooler rifles.

The WGF ones are fine for cost, not amazing but not too bad and certainly fit the look. I don't own the Anvil ones but their other stuff is top notch, the only issue is scale; they will look like stick men next to the WGF minis.

 Paradigm wrote:
The WGF ones are fine for cost, not amazing but not too bad and certainly fit the look. I don't own the Anvil ones but their other stuff is top notch, the only issue is scale; they will look like stick men next to the WGF minis.

Starving peasant conscripts is how I describe mine.

But when you have an army of just them they dont look out of place.

Yeah, either fit in in an army on their own, it's just side by side they look a little odd.

Depending on what you're looking to do, I think those war-games factory models are pretty good. If you're really into painting, and you're looking to spend a ton of time and money on an army that you can spend a few years on and really take pride in, then go the GW or victoria route.

But if you're looking to get a guard army together and play games primarily I think the WGF ones are much faster to paint and they look just fine on the tabletop. I painted them along with GW valhallans and decided I do want to spend the time and money on GW valhallans but the wgf ones are not an eyesore when I plug them if for plasma guns and things of that nature.

Ah, the WGF guard proxies. I have been tempted to buy 3 boxes for super-cheap conscripts, they look quite good for the dirt-cheap price.

A friend of mine uses them as bolter henchmen for his Inquisition force. Painted up, they look fine and compare favourably to Cadians, especially for the price point.

Next to the Korps or Victoria's work? Not a chance. Death Korps are bleedingly expensive, but they're hard to match for quality, Victoria's stuff is significantly less expensive (though still more than GeeDub) but also have phenomenal quality, both are a joy to paint (and Vic's stuff is massively easier to build and customize).

I would never advise the Death Korps as a starting army; too expensive, and too fiddly when you're just getting started out, but for something to really hone painting skills and have something amazing looking to throw down, there really is no comparison. Well, aside from Elysians.

Oh I'm not starting with Death Korps Stoffer, I've got SM and aircav guard on my belt.

You might run into problems when running artillery units or heavy weapon teams or any infantry that's not a standard guardsman, none of the companies linked have artillery crewmen models, Anvil has Grenadiers, but no Heavies and Wargame Heavies.

Victoria minis has a line of heavy weapons that I looked at earlier:

http://victoriaminiatures.highwire.com/products/heavy-artillery?pagesize=12

The point isn't the cannon, its the crew.

Just do what the old models do, put a guy with a gun on a base (ammo guy) with some ammo on it or him, and then put the gun on a base, then put a guy with a small easy to make remote on a third base.

Bam, easy and cheap with nearly no converting needed.

Or maybe look into getting robots with the heavy weapon on them and a guy to control it, or maybe make some kind of bren gun carrier style heavy weapon, or you can heavily convert the heavy weapons or just stick to the above.

So many easy options to solve that I think.

Yeah, its not going to get anywhere near as cool looking as having actual guys with rangefinders, taking coordinates on the radio, you know, people manning the cannon. Its just a bunch of of loading and firing blind.

Meanwhile the DKoK models look an actual artillery crew.

 Bobthehero wrote:
Yeah, its not going to get anywhere near as cool looking as having actual guys with rangefinders, taking coordinates on the radio, you know, people manning the cannon. Its just a bunch of of loading and firing blind.

Meanwhile the DKoK models look an actual artillery crew.

In your opinion mate.

It all depends how much converting this guy wants. Heck he could make artillery pits that are hidden in camo etc.

Options are endless.

Or he could buy the same crew all the other death korps players have.

At the end of the day, he has plenty of cool options to explore, all it takes is 10 minutes thought and 10 minutes of searching and I bet he will find what he is after to cover all his options.

OP why dont you make a list and then we can find solutions to all the units you intend to use?

Yeah but buying the crew means your infantry are all looking completely different, which sucks if you want anything cohesive.

You can hide the arty in camo pits all you want, you're going to need crewmen models either way.

 Bobthehero wrote:
Yeah but buying the crew means your infantry are all looking completely different, which sucks if you want anything cohesive.

You can hide the arty in camo pits all you want, you're going to need crewmen models either way.

Nah he will be fine without crew. Just chuck it on a thematic base and have wound counters if its really important. Or he can just use the Guard codex and he will have less issues.

It all depends what he wants anyway.

No see, the crew are actual models, with stats, they're important, you're breaking the rules by not having them because the man the damn thing.

And yes it all depends on what he wants, which why I said that if you want your infantry to have a standard model for all, you're going to be in trouble if you're not using FW stuff.

 Bobthehero wrote:
No see, the crew are actual models, with stats, they're important, you're breaking the rules by not having them because the man the damn thing.

And yes it all depends on what he wants, which why I said that if you want your infantry to have a standard model for all, you're going to be in trouble if you're not using FW stuff.

So?

Wound counters mate. Loss of a crew loss of a wound counter.

He will be fine without crew. GW breaks their own crew rule by putting the Guardians (its an option) on the actual artillery piece in one of the sets, despite "needing" 2 to crew it. It would be little difference to do the same on the arty crew. He will be fine without crew if he really wants no crew is all im saying.

Its all up to him. Heck with even some minor competence he could have a crew that matches his infantry.

Anyways I put my ideas out there, up to the OP to choose.

Crew are not extra wounds, they matter in CC and for LOS

 Bobthehero wrote:
Crew are not extra wounds, they matter in CC and for LOS

Yes, but even GW break this rule with some of their kits, like the Eldar Artillery which has the option to place the crew on the gun (I think one even has to be on the gun as modeled) yet they have crew rules as well.

Point is, its not a hugely important thing and can easily be used as simply extra wounds. Most players would be fine with it im sure.

I'm just going to order a single pair with just a pack of three of the Borderers, but I think that in the link I put up earlier had a shop item for gun crew arms.

So I was thinking that I would substitute the standard Borderer arms for the gun crew arms, and green stuff some shoulder plates on there. I'd have to see how it'd look in the end, but if it doesn't turn out, I'll just sell my legs for the FW models.

Yea you have heaps of options.

Like this if you really wanted

http://www.anvilindustry.co.uk/AFTERLIFE/Republic-Taurus-Gun-Tractors

Depends on your taste

I might use those if I ever add a Cyclops into the mix.