Starting Death Korps

[phayze]

Hey all, I'm new to the forum.

Anyways, I've played nids and dark Eldar for a few years now competetively, and have played all non-imperial armies casually. I've stayed away from playing imperium because I really couldn't find anything I liked to see on the table.

Until I saw the Death Korps of Krieg models.

Gorgeous.

So I'm going to be starting up the army slowly, and I need help with it. I'm not too terribly versed with the ups and downs of guard, and even less with the kriegers. I have a few Ideas of what I want, but nothing solid yet.

Give me some pointers on the army, some basic guidelines to watch out for, and a good starting point on what models to start grabbing, if you'd be so kind!

[macknight]

You should make a list on Army Builder or similar first, then gather the models. You will for sure need the company and platoon squad, plus 20 and probably more infantry. Then some form of arty and tanks. Supposedly the riders are good in around 20, but that gets expensive. If you decide to get the centaur, you can model the non seated guys on bases for extra men.

[phayze]

I'm just not entirely sure what all is worthwhile to get for the army. I know I'll need a plethora of troops, but heavy weapons? Special weapons? What artillery works the best?

[boyo2406]

Are you going to play with the Guard Codex or one of the IA lists?

[phayze]

Siege of Vraks. The most recent update for the Death Korps.

[jenburdoo]

Welcome to Guard, and to this forum. Your avatar choice looks a leetle unfortunate there... I haven't played in the current edition, but there are a few general truisms when it comes to Guard:

- take all the special and heavy weapon choices you're allowed in a unit. Plasma and melta are the most powerful specials, lascannon and rockets the most powerful heavies, but most anything is better than the Mark One flashlight, AKA lasgun. Though the KAR98-style lasguns do look spiffy.
- You can take the widest variety of tanks and artillery in the game, and DK get even more choices than normal. I have a soft spot for the Centaur -- it looks like a Bren carrier and is the only fast vehicle in the list, so can zip around carrying heavy and special weapons into side and rear arcs of the enemy.
- Accept casualties -- especially with DK, because it's kinda their schtick. The main ways in which the DK list differs from normal Guard are its extra artillery, and its (slightly) more durable and numerous infantry. Feel free to march your lads across open ground and watch them cut down, because they have morale bonuses not available to other Guard these days.

Thoughts on an early list:

I'd say a platoon of infantry (25+ men), a command section, a couple artillery pieces or tanks of your choice, and perhaps a Grenadier section. These will have roles in a larger army once you get there, and you can cut your teeth on modeling and painting resin infantry and armour. Grenade launchers, plasma and meltaguns for choice in the infantry squads, autocannons or lascannons in the heavy squads. As for vehicles, the Griffon mortar emplacements are cheap (in points) and fairly powerful, and you can have four in a single unit. Take Centaurs to pull them, and you can experiment with using them as transports to carry assault infantry (like Grenadiers). The alternative is a Leman Russ tank or two, and almost any will do -- the plastic models can have their weapons switched out with ease, even.

[highlander74]

Hi comrade,

I'm started with standard guard, but recently moved to DKoK. I converted all my guard as WWI/WWII British troopers and so they will fit Death Korps too, only on the other side of the trenches.

I had few games, with both Siege list and Assault brigade. And both are fun to play, essentially the first is more WWI stile with lot of static artillery and lot of infantry which move on the table and die in the killing ground, hopefully getting some point back before meet their fate.
What I found out is that you can play almost the same models with some changes here and there, but the backbone of your army will be pretty the same.

I have not enough experience to argue what is better and what is not, what I can say to you is my ideas till now:

-Get at least 3 Heavy mortars, they're great in both lists.
-Get 2 Medusa they works in bot lists, even if you need them on traks in the assault brigade.
-Get 2 Heartsaker in the siege list, they're simply great

-Then I used 6 rifle squad in siege list and 5 in the assault brigade: a single platoon in siege list and two platoons in assault brigade, because you may want to
declare Forlorn hope. Don't be afraid to sacrifice 10 men if they grab you an objective in Maelstron, or if they give you one more turn for your artillery.

-Use Grenadiers in the assault brigade and Engineers they're the backbone of your list, especially for their versatility.

-Sadly, forgot your heavy weapon, they're are great on paper, but too fragile on the board. I'm thinking on 6 Heavy bolter just to add more firepower to the list,
at least direct fire to concentrate on medium infantry and to mislead my opponents make them thinking that IG Heavy Bolters aren't worth its fire, but as I said
its just an idea for now...

These are the two list I'm playing actually, but are still WIP.

SIEGE LIST:

HQ
Company Command + Melta Gun + Master of the Ordenance

ELITE
10 Grenadiers + 2 Melta Gun

10 Engineer + Heavy Flamer + Flamer
Hades Breaching Drill

3 Heavy Mortars

TROOPS
Platoon Command
3 Rifle Squad + 3 G.L. or Flamer
3 Rifle Squad

3 Lascannon

5 Engineer + 1 Melta
Centaur Carrier

5 Engineer + 1 Melta
Centaur Carrier

FAST
9 Death Riders

HEAVY
2 Heartshaker

1 Medusa

1 Medusa

FORTIFICATION
Aegis Line + Quad Gun

Here I swap the Lascannon for three Cyclops when I face heavy drop pod list of Space Wolves, where 3 mere lascannon are pretty useless and with the 15 spare points left I add a Plasma to the HQ


ASSAULT BRIGADE:

HQ
Command Squad + 2 Melta

ELITE
1 Griffon with Carcass Shell

10 Engineer + Carcass Shell + Heavy Flamer + Flamer
Hades

TROOP
Platoon Command Squad
2 Rifle Squad

Platoon Command Squad + G.L (or Flamer)
3 Rifle Squad + G.L. (or Flamer)

10 Engineer + 2 Melta
Storm Chimera

10 Engineer + 2 Melta
Storm Chimera

FAST
9 Death Riders + Melta Bomb

HEAVY
2 Medusa

1 Thunderer

3 Heavy Mortars

[highlander74]

For what it means the siege list above, today, obliterate a space wolves, with punitive losses, but we manage to kill almost everything he throws towards my lines till he concedes.

[fullmetaljacket]

Welcome to the Death Korps, it is not an easy place to step into. what lies ahead is a heavy task. Forget all you know from your past. You are now a member of the Death Korps, your only duty is to sacrifice yourself and your men in the best intrest of the Emperor, and maybe one day his favor will be apon us again.
...FMJ

[phayze]

Thanks guys, this is all extremely helpful in planning. So I should drop the heavy weapons squads in favor of more bare kriegers?

Also I was planning on doing 3 heavy quad launchers, are heavy mortars a better choice?

[highlander74]

It really depend: I tried Heavy mortar for a wile, but I feel that 12 small blast are really deadly, more than wyvern though

[Captain Zapp Brannigan]

G'day Phayze I'm selling my DKoK if your interested and have sent you a message

[fullmetaljacket]

your selling DKOK!, message me i am always interested in the purchase of DKOK
fmj