David Johansen
Legendary Pubber
- Joined
- May 4, 2017
- Messages
- 5,959
- Reaction score
- 12,097
So, just for fun, what are the dirt cheap 40k alternatives?
The obvious Space Marine alternative is EM-4's Space Rangers at only around a buck a piece with parts for sergeants with power swords and plasma cannons, laser cannons, and autocannon.
For Guard, there's EM-4's Combat Zone Troopers and Gang Members.
EM-4 does have plastic orcs and dwarves for fantasy but honestly they're too small for space orks and too rigid for conversions.
Wargames Atlantic's Death Fields range is pretty much all Imperial Guard but there are also squats. The Eisenkern and Valkyre figures work for Marines and Sisters.
Mantic has pretty good space orx marauders but the newer resin ones aren't quite so cheap. There are new plastic orx coming out soon but I actually like the older ones that are slight modifications to their fantasy orcs. And the new ones won't be so cheap. Mantic is sadly moving away from cheap to low average. Mantic's Forge Father dwarves are pretty sweet and the GPCS troopers work for guard. The enforcers are pretty good but don't look super space mariney. For Eldar, I'd suggest using the plastic elven scouts with sf weapons because thus far the Asterians are pretty ugly though their basic plastic drones and tank / transport are pretty neat.
Warlord's Beyond the Gates of Antares has some pretty cool models but they're mostly too high tech looking.
Most human vehicles are easy enough to mock up in cardboard because they're so boxy. Ork vehicles are easy enough to do and there's plenty of cheap tank toys that can be used.
You could also go with 15mm, with Alternative Armies, Micro World, and Blue Moon being particularly apt.
What about alternate rules FAD? One Page? what else?
So, who are your favorite cheap 40k alternatives? Are there some more space elves that fit better? What about bugs? Kryomek is still out there but metal ain't cheap these days. Maybe a mix of toy lines? Glue dollar store bug bits to dollar store dinosaurs maybe. Does anyone have the plastic Starship Troopers Bugs?
The obvious Space Marine alternative is EM-4's Space Rangers at only around a buck a piece with parts for sergeants with power swords and plasma cannons, laser cannons, and autocannon.
For Guard, there's EM-4's Combat Zone Troopers and Gang Members.
EM-4 does have plastic orcs and dwarves for fantasy but honestly they're too small for space orks and too rigid for conversions.
Wargames Atlantic's Death Fields range is pretty much all Imperial Guard but there are also squats. The Eisenkern and Valkyre figures work for Marines and Sisters.
Mantic has pretty good space orx marauders but the newer resin ones aren't quite so cheap. There are new plastic orx coming out soon but I actually like the older ones that are slight modifications to their fantasy orcs. And the new ones won't be so cheap. Mantic is sadly moving away from cheap to low average. Mantic's Forge Father dwarves are pretty sweet and the GPCS troopers work for guard. The enforcers are pretty good but don't look super space mariney. For Eldar, I'd suggest using the plastic elven scouts with sf weapons because thus far the Asterians are pretty ugly though their basic plastic drones and tank / transport are pretty neat.
Warlord's Beyond the Gates of Antares has some pretty cool models but they're mostly too high tech looking.
Most human vehicles are easy enough to mock up in cardboard because they're so boxy. Ork vehicles are easy enough to do and there's plenty of cheap tank toys that can be used.
You could also go with 15mm, with Alternative Armies, Micro World, and Blue Moon being particularly apt.
What about alternate rules FAD? One Page? what else?
So, who are your favorite cheap 40k alternatives? Are there some more space elves that fit better? What about bugs? Kryomek is still out there but metal ain't cheap these days. Maybe a mix of toy lines? Glue dollar store bug bits to dollar store dinosaurs maybe. Does anyone have the plastic Starship Troopers Bugs?
Last edited: