making it all fit together, need suggestions

[tagakoner]

OK, so once again I turn to collective intelligence of the IGMB.

First of, here is the situation.
My Guard army, of roughly around 5000 points is a patch work of models. About 90% of the models were bought second hand. Which leaves me with about 50-60% steel legion models and about 35-40% cadians, and the rest a mixture of a few vostroyans and a few catachans.

Now my problem arises with how do I get all these fellows to fit with each other? Currently I am using my steel legion as my grunt infantry (filling out my platoons) and the veterans then the cadian models. Now this works fine, everyone is happy because of the ease of telling them apart. But I am personally a bit unhappy, because it looks like a strange melting pot of regiments (which is fine) but I want a more uniformed look. I would just like it if everyone seems to fit together.

So here is my thoughts so far:
1. obviously modifying my cadians, as they are significantly easier to customise.
2. Which leads to this point, do you guys think I should use this:
www.forgeworld.co.uk/Warhammer-40000/Imperial_Guard/Death-Korps-of-Krieg/DEATH-KORPS-OF-KRIEG-WEAPONS-SET.html
it is the Krieg weapon set. It includes a few lasguns and various special weapons (great for vet squads) and will hopefully blend my cadians and steel legion better.

OR, I can go the opposite direction and take these:
www.forgeworld.co.uk/Warhammer-40000/Imperial_Guard/Cadian_Shock_Troops/CADIAN-HOSTILE-ENVIRONMENT-TROOPS-MELTA-SQUAD.html
The cadian hostile environ kits. The idea here is to go the other direction and make them proper cadian like, and explain it via them being seperate regiments.

I am somewhat undecided on this, so what do you guys think?


Side note: The idea of this thread is to eventually become my modeling plog.

[Soap]

Well, I dont have this problem, but I am wanting to build up and incorparate different guard forces into my army like you have. What I want to do though is to have platoons of each type. So, right now I have my platoon for Cadians. Next I intend on building up a platoon of Catachans. Then maybe a forge world platoon for maybe Death Korps or something. What ever you have the most of have as your primary force, so they are your tank drivers, veteran troops, etc. Then have the rest making up platoons. So for me that would be Cadians seen as iv already used cadian minis as tank crews and vets. For HQ either stick with using your primary minis, or have a mini from each platoon with a role in the HQ - Death Korps medic, Catachan standard, Cadian Commander...

Thats my plan anyway. Maybe it could work for you too?

[Comrade]

or you could buy gas mask heads from westwind productions and convert the cadians.

[praetorian13]

The books seem to always have units from multiple worlds together and in the case of the Ghosts they picked up converts who dressed and were armed differently and mixed them in squads.
Maybe a unifying shoulder guard/army badge. Most of my guys are Praetorians, but I have some Catachans painted as Zulus for Natal infantry auxiliary, just did some Cadians with turbans to be Bengals, and some butternut clad first edition plastics to be local PDF squads. One of my veteran squads are squats! (LOL)

[Gabriel Lupus]

I have a few mixed models/units in my thread - basically just gave them a similar paint scheme. But if it helps, check it out for a clearer idea.