40k On The Cheap

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David Johansen

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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?
 
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Why do I ask? Oh I've been noodling around with a Rogue Trader / Necromundia / rpgish thing again...

Characteristics
Agility, Endurance, Intelligence, Strength, and Willpower are rated from one to ten with two to six being the human range.

Skills
Driving, Fighting, Healing, Leading, Piloting, Scouting, Shooting, Trade, and Repairing are rated from one to six with three being an average level of training.

Humans
3 Agility
3 Endurance
3 Intelligence
3 Strength
3 Willpower

Ubermensch
3 Agility
4 Endurance
3 Intelligence
4 Strength
4 Willpower

Bug Lizard Hopalites
4 Agility
3 Endurance
2 Intelligence
3 Strength
4 Willpower
Telepathy (counts as communicator)

Bug Lizard Myrmidons
3 Agility
5 Endurance
3 Intelligence
5 Strength
4 Willpower
Telepathy (counts as communicator)

Dwarves
2 Agility
4 Endurance
3 Intelligence
3 Strength
3 Willpower
Run Move + 1d3

Elves
4 Agility
3 Endurance
3 Intelligence
3 Strength
3 Willpower

Orcs
2 Agility
4 Endurance
2 Intelligence
4 Strength
3 Willpower

Ogres
2 Agility
5 Endurance
2 Intelligence
5 Strength
3 Willpower

Skullborgs
3 Agility
4 Endurance
3 Intelligence
4 Strength
4 Willpower
Armour 4, can’t wear armour
Cliched evival Catch Phrase

Rabble
1 Shooting
1 Fighting
3 Driving
2 Trade

Recruit
2 Shooting
2 Fighting
3 Driving
3 Trade

Soldier
3 Scouting
3 Shooting
3 Fighting
3 Driving

Shock Trooper
+1 Strength
4 Fighting
3 Scouting
3 Shooting
3 Driving

Scout
+1 Agility
4 Scouting
4 Shooting
3 Fighting
3 Driving

Captain
+ 1 Strength
+1 Willpower
4 Shooting
4 Fighting
3 Scouting
3 Leading
3 Driving

Player Characters
Improve one Characteristic by 1, Pick 4 skills at 3 and 1 skill at 4

Basic Resolution
Roll 1d6, fail if under 7 - rating being tested
‘1' may indicate a bad result like falling or drowning

Combat
Activate In order of Agility, Intelligence breaks ties.

Movement
Walk 6"
Run 6 + 1d6 “
Climb Obstacle, check Agility
Swim, check Endurance

Shooting
Requires Line of Sight
Basic Projectile Weapons Run Out of Ammo on a “1"
Heavy Projectile Weapons and Cannon on a “1" or “2"
Stationary can shoot twice at -1
Moving -1
Concealed Target -1
Over 12" -1

Fighting
3 + Foes Skill - Attacker’s Skill
Requires Base To Base
Additional Weapon + 1 Attack
Charging +1 Attack

Damage
1d6 + Damage - Armour
Total damage greater than Endurance kills
Cover +1d6 Armour

Figure Hit location
1 Head, stunned 1 turn
2 - 3 Torso
4 Arm, can’t use additional weapon or rifle
5 - 6 Leg, can’t run

Vehicle Hit Location
1 - 2 Locomotion: Can’t move, fliers crash
3 Power: Can’t fire lasers, blasters, or shrapnel weapons
4 Crew: apply damage to individuals
5 Weapon: can’t fire main weapon
6 Passengers: apply damage to individuals



Knife: BtB, Damage = Strength - 1
Sword: BtB, Damage = Strength
Saw Sword: BtB, Damage = Strength + 1
Energy Sword, BtB, Damage = Strength
Energy Glove: BtB, Damage = Strength x 2
Energy Halberd: BtB, Damage = Strength +1

Auto Pistol: 12", 1 x Damage 3
Auto Rifle: 24", 1 x Damage 3
Sniper Rifle: 36", 1 x Damage 4
Grenade Launcher: 24", Damage 3, Blast
Light Machine Gun: 24", 1d3 x Damage 3
Heavy Machine Gun: 36", 1d3 x Damage 4
Autocannon: 36", Damage 7
Cannon: 48", Damage 8 blast, 1 turn to reload

Flame Thrower: 12", 1d3 x Damage 4
Torch: 24",1 x Damage 8
Heavy Torch: 24", 1 x Damage 10

Laser Pistol: 12", 1 x Damage 3
Laser Rifle: 24", 1 x Damage 3
Sniper Laser: 36", 1 x Damage 4
Auto Laser: 36", 1d6 x Damage 4
Heavy Laser: 48", 1 x Damage 7
Laser Cannon: 60", 1 x Damage 9

Blaster Pistol: 12", 1 x Damage 5, Advanced
Blaster Rifle: 24", 1 x Damage 5, Advanced
Support Blaster: 36", 1d3 x Damage 6, Advanced
Blaster Cannon: 48", 1d3 x Damage 10, Advanced

Rocket Pistol: 12", 1 x Damage 4
Rocket Rifle: 24", 1 x Damage 4
Rocket, Support: 36", 1D3 x Damage 5
Rocket Launcher 48", Damage 8

Shrapnel Pistol: 12", Damage 3
Shrapnel Rifle: 24", Damage 3
Shrapnel, Support: 36", 1d3 x Damage 4

Flack Jacket: 3 Armour
Articulated Plate: 4 Armour
Powered Plate: 5 Armour
Deflector Field: 3 Endurance, Advanced
Force Field: 6 Endurance, Advanced

Vehicles
Advanced systems -2 to repair

Move 6" and turn twice
Move 12" and turn once
Move 24" straight

Bike: 1 Space, 5 Endurance
Cart: 3 Spaces, 7 Endurance
Car: 6 Spaces, 9 Endurance
Truck: 9 Spaces, 12 Endurance
Transport: 12 Spaces, 15 Endurance
Hauler: 24 Spaces, 18 Endurance

Crew Required: 1 Pilot + 1 Gunner per weapon
Seats Take Up One Space
Personal Weapon Mounts max = spaces
Heavy Weapon Mounts: 1 Space
Cannon Mounts: 4 Spaces
Turrets: 2 x spaces
Power Field: ½ Capacity, Advanced, +1 Armour, x 2 Endurance

Open + 3 move, Armour only protects vehicle not contents
Base Armour 6 for vehicle, +1d6 for contents
Armoured -3 move, Armour 8, +1d6 for commander

Wheeled + 6" road move, -6" rough ground
Tracked + 3" road move, -3" rough ground
Legged can steps over obstacles
Flier +6" move, -1 Armour
Floatation only moves on water
Hover + 3 move only moves on water, roads, and open ground
Grav Advanced, Flies +6 move

Psychic Powers
? Hand: Move objects
Blast: Range 24" Damage 4
Rend: Range 12", Damage 6
Shield: 3 Endurance
Obscure: gives targets concealment
Blade: BtB, Damage 8
Telepathy: counts as communicator
Dispel blocks psychic powers
 
I've always preferred original Rogue Trader 40K's take on the setting, wide-open, weird, varied.
Something no single company could provide for.
So I always collected widely.
Like, for Epic (and other 6mm scifi) I've been buying up the old Maatac miniatures... I love their walking insect tanks... and they're relatively cheap.
I do have a lot of the Kryomek stuff... the aliens, mech, and human 'cyclo' penal troops especially. I still prefer metal infantry.
The Cobalt-I line by Bob Naismith (who did a lot of the old 40K figures) are nice, but I'm not sure how available they are now (edit: Bridge Miniatures has them now and are asking way too much).

The pictures of ravaged battelfields in the RT book had me chopping up cheap military models bought at flea markets... or, more recently, Tehnolog's cheap plastic scifi tanks. The Tehnolog lines are great for weird terrain bits anyway... but now there's the Russia thing going on and so I've abstained.

I've got some giant robots cobbled from old Japanese kits... and I've seen similar usage of them turning up on blogs in battle reports, I think as proxies for the big Necron walker.
Any sort of spaceship kit can be put to use also... either for parts, as crashed wreckage, or as a troop lander.

For alternate rules... there's the One Page Rules take on both Warhammer and 40K... Grimdark Future, Age of Fantasy, and their associated skirmish games.
I've yet to try Space Weirdos, which is skirmish, but it's also a bit more detailed than the OPR stuff.
 
Monday Knight has the Maatac figures right? How is it ordering from them? They seem a bit, I dunno low tech / amateur which isn't a bad thing in and of itself but can be a concern.

While I'm thinking of it, Battle Valor has a fair bit of 40kish 28mm stuff. Reaper Bones has a fair bit of pulpy sf stuff in their Chronoscope range. I'm afraid, cheap and metal aren't going in the sentence any time in the foreseeable future.

Part of why I'm asking is that there seems to be a million miniatures boardgame kickstarters every other week and I can't really recall what's out there as I don't really follow kickstarter and 3d printing. While a 3d printer and some stl files could certainly churn out a lot of 40k stuff, I can't help but think the base cost of the printer is enough for a 40k starter army. It might be a cheap route for a whole group but on the whole it's not exactly on the cheap.
 
Monday Knight orders have gone fine. It is a bit of an odd process... you place the order then they figure out shipping and send you a total (Paypal IIRC). My stuff has arrived quick and well packaged.
The old Maatac tanks are... peculiar, and not up for comparison next to modern castings, but I love them.

I HATE Reaper Bones, won't cross the street to spit on them. I just can't stand that cheap bendy stuff.
I've been wanting to try some of the Mantic stuff, at least the stuff I can get in hard plastic.
Oh, and I've also recruited figures from my Shadows of Brimstone sets... mostly critters, robots, and their Trederra forces.

Most of what I want 28mm for is skirmish. For larger forces I'll go smaller. The Alternative Armies 'Ion Age' line is good for that since they make the same figures in a variety of scales. 15mm/6mm is really how I'd go for anything but small skirmish games.
The only 3D printed stuff I've bought so far has been terrain... alien plants and ruins and buildings. Good stuff, but it hasn't tempted me into getting a 3D printer yet. I'd rather pay extra and let someone else do it, deal with the headaches.
 
Stargrave minis are moderately cheap for Guard - £20 for 20 hard plastic Troopers. They look basic, but paint up really nicely. You can mix them with the Crew and Mercenaries sets, and also any of the Oathmark or Frostgrave fantasy sets for more options.

All these minis mix well with GW spares from the Admech Skitarii and Genestealer Cults Neophyte sets.

You may have to hit the bits box for some items, and heavy weapons teams may need a trip to eBay.

Plenty of vehicles on eBay - the hard plastic Russian Bronekorpus tanks are £7 each.

Soft plastic tanks can be bought for £1 each. Undercoat them with PVA glue or matt medium before priming, and as a final coat, to stop your paint flaking.

Wargames Atlantic will sell you sci-fi Cannon Fodder in hard plastic: 30 for £25, with a second set of women on the way. They also sell "historicals in space" sets at 24 for £25 - French Napoleonic Old Guard (or Foreign Legion), colonial to WWI Brits or German WWII Fallschirmjager. The French have a second set for women and heavy weapons. They also re-released the old Dreamforge Eisenkern and Panzerjager sets.

Daemonscape in the UK sells the old GZG 25mm vehicles in resin. A range of wheeled, tracked, hover and grav tanks, solid gaming models. £8-10 each on average.

Mantic stuff is decent, and reasonably priced. The vehicles especially are surprisingly decent and wonderfully chunky.

Toys are a great source of dropships, shuttles and mechs. Gundam figures are fantastic, although personally I think only things like the Zaku really fit in.

The Xenomorphs set for the new Gale Force 9 Aliens game, Another Glorious Day in the Corps, are fairly cheap - £15 bags you 12, I think.

Scotia Grendel in the UK has a lot of older game metal minis - Kryomek aliens, Void, Urban War, vehicles including a big AT-AT style walker.

Alternative Armies have the old Ion Age range.

Denizen has a ton of old-school 25mm (small) minis in a ton of ranges, for about £1 each. They hold up surprisingly well.

Copplestone Castings has Mark Copplestone Future Wars figues; eM-4 also sells older versions plus the old Spacelords range.
 
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Saw these elsewhere. If you are creative enough and don't mind sifting through the garbage anything is possible on the cheap. or 'Poorhammer'.

poorhammer.jpg


How are you with baked goods?

baked-poorhammer.jpg
 
To follow up on Atelerix's post regarding the StarGrave miniatures, they also kitbash well with Wargames Atlantic miniatures for even more variety. Plus, a lot of the Wargames Atlantic stuff has both SF and historical or fantasy versions already (which is why they're so good as IG substitutes).

While I disagree with Simlasa about the Reaper Bones Chronoscope, I definitely agree that the original Rogue Trader (minis, not RPG) take was better for fun gaming than the much later takes on the setting. The only real downside to the RT rules was the weird squad splitting rules, and that they were just slightly too handling-time heavy for platoon+ support vs. platoon+support sized engagements (and even clunkier if you started getting closer to company vs. company sized engagements)
 
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