Death Korp Veterens

[Mabus]

I have been wanting to convert some DK veterens for a while now and I am out of ideas. I was originally going to just give them some extra grenades and packages, but I don't really think this would do them any justice.
It's easy for cadians. That's all they have to do is stick some catachan heads or arms on a the cadian shocktrooper's body. You can't really do that with DK or any other regiment for that matter. It'd look a little weird. I am fresh out of ideas. I would like some of the experts on this forum to share some of their infinate knowledge and give me some of they're wise advise! anybody's oppinion is welcome by the way, not just the conversion gurus (I can't spell!)

[Mabus]

Anyone got any thoughts or ideas? please! Anyone!?

[majorjav]

Well mate the fact is that it is quite difficult to "create" vets for the death korps as they wear long coats and that there are not many armies with coats...(valhallans and steel legion...)
The extra gear is a good starting point but the thing is how to differentiate them from the regulars...What about the fantasy range?? Bretonnians or some empire flagellants?? They have robes, don't they??
You can also use the same minis as your regulars but giving them more helmetless heads and gear...
That's all I have for the moment!!!
Good luck mate!

[9th Company]

Thats quite a tough one, the Death Korps already look like Veterans in my opinion. The extra wargear would definately be a start. I`d maybe give them some medals to wear to show that they`ve survived a few campaigns, and maybe even some of those seals that the space marines wear. Also, according to the Codex the three digit squad number of hardened vets usually start with two 00`s.

[Mabus]

Thanks everyone, You have defiantely helped. I suppose it was a silly question to ask because there is no easy way to get the DK minis to look like veterens. Helmetless heads might be a good idea, flagellants also would give the squad a nice theme. Medals would be cool too. I think I still have some BT seals and badges left over, these could represent medals I suppose. When I first got my first squad of Grenadiers back in December I stuck part of a seal to my VS to represent Honorifica Imperialis. Thanks for all the feed back. If anyone has got anymore ideas please give me them.

(By the way 9th Company, are you welsh by any chance?!)

[9th Company]

Yes I am Welsh, well done spotting the Welsh flag on that tank. Are you Welsh?

Another idea I thought to separate the normal guardsmen from the veterans would be to give the vets a spiked helmet like the German WWI soldiers had. You could create fluff that says the spike is presented to the DKs as a sign of status or skill.

[Mabus]

Hm, that's quite a good idea. Yeah, I am welsh. Which part of Wales are you from? Do you speak welsh?

[9th Company]

I`m from South Wales, Neath to be exact. At the moment I`m living in Los Angeles because I`m working at a summer camp there. I speak very, very little Welsh I`m afraid, but I would like to speak more of it.

What part of Wales are you from?

[Mabus]

Llanelli. It's weird, we don't come from places that far apart! it's funny how things like that happen.

(I speak welsh, and so if you want to practice a bit, PM me and we can have a conversation in welsh. Just a thought!)

[Sappmer]

ydych 'in yn syraid yn Cymreag (check spelling, not up to scratch with my welsh)

[Mabus]

Dyma siom! mwy nag un person yn siarad cymraeg. Dw' i ddim yn credu e! Pa rhan o Cymru ydyt yn dod o? Siwd mha dy cymraeg?, ydyt yn dyscu? neu iaith cyntaf ti yw e? Mae croeso i ti danfon PM i fi os ydyt yn dyscu, ac yn angen ymarfer. Fi'n gwybod mha rhaid i fi ymarfer!

Went on a bit of a tangent there. Anybody got any more ideas for the vets?

[Turtleboy(AWOL)]

not I; there are some good ideas in the thread so far and death korps models are hard to fuss with since they all tend to have a need for gas masks which are moulded onto the model in the single piece head/torso/legs. I'd leave it up to paint to add most the difference between regular troops and hardened vets. their kits seem pretty solid and hard to alter.

I second the spiked helmet idea though.

[Mabus]

Yeah, that is one thing I am worried about. I really do not want too wreck those models.

[Turtleboy(AWOL)]

hey, if you reallyreally botch it good and start getting so many coats of paint that the model looks like a blob, you can always throw em in some brake fluid for a couple days and scrub em clean with a toothbrush and start over - just be sure to wash the model with soap and water a buncha times after you pull the model out of the brake fluid or the paint will be problematic as far as sticking to the model goes.

[Deleted]

You could alter the colour scheme slightly but keep the original scheme showing underneath to represent differentation from standard rank and file shocktroops. Hope that helps.

[Mabus]

Thanks for the feed back. It's been very useful!

[9th Company]

I presume you go to GW Swansea then? Thats cool, maybe when I`m back in Wales we could meet up for a game or something. Have you been to the store since they moved? its so much better and the last time I was there they had the Helms Deep tabletop out!

Good luck with your Veterans. When you`re finished with them, post pictures of them on the website.

[Mabus]

I have not been to the new GW yet and Yeah, that would be fun! PM me to tell me when your home. My army isn't ready yet though. I've only got about 800 points. Stupid and expensive forgeworld! GRRRR!

[Deleted]

Yeah Forgeworld is really expensive especially in Australia.

[Mabus]

Is it more expensive because of the P&P?

[Deleted]

No its the fact that everything is almost tripled in price.

[9th Company]

My army isn`t ready either, I have most of the models but I only have a handful of painted models. Maybe we could organise a game or two. I`ll PM you when I`m back in Wales but it will probably be around mid september time.

Good luck with getting the rest of your army, Forgeworld can be very expensive.

[Mabus]

Thanks, Sounds good.