Favourite 3P/"works with leading brand" models? (Including STLs)

[Evil Eye]

As the title implies, what are some of your favourite non-GW models you use for 40K? Can be anything from a "totally-not-40K-we-swear" STL or a kit for an unrelated wargame that makes a great conversion base.

 

Myself I'm very fond of Wargames Atlantic and have used their Spider kit for many, many, many conversions for my Tyranids. In fact I think I've only built one actual spider from the box I bought. I'm also planning on printing a few of these awesome Rhino counts-as (Rhinots?) from Black Cat Cartel at some point; they manage to dovetail nicely into the 40K aesthetic in spite of having a lot of original elements, looking like a rare intermediary pattern between the Mk.1 Deimos and the Mk.2 Phobos.

Honourable mention goes to these little bugs by Dork Factory. Whilst they don't work as Tyranids IMO, they are fantastic sculpts and could work wonderfully as either minor Xenos for 40K or as gribbly goons for unrelated sci-fi wargames (Stargrave etc).

[SvenIronhand]

Greytide Studios/Tortuga Bay matches SM aesthetic the best of anything on the 3rd-party market.

[Tawnis]

I've been a fan of Wargame Exclusive for a while now, they've got some pretty cool "Totally not warhammer" models. I've been using this as the leader of my Kroot army since long before we got the new model range. 

[Craig]

I really like the look of Redmakers not-Valhallans. If my backlog wasn't so big I think I'd print a small force up and paint it in the 3rd edition green/white scheme.

[Domhnall]

Not that I use them in games, but my choice would have to be Artel_W, because I have a few and I like the sculpts. 

 

[Marshal Rohr]

Loggyk had 1 for 1 matches to the new Heresy range that were amazing but got taken down. If anyone knows how to get access to them still you can have a seriously unique looking 30K Legion that matches the current plastic range while avoiding the “40K from Wish” look of most STLs

[ThePenitentOne]

I am also a fan of both Wargames exclusive and W. Artel.

 

For WE, it's mostly the cars, though they have a lot of other great stuff too.

 

For Artel? If GW doesn't figure out Drukhari grotesques this edition, they lose my money to Artel. These guys also make a great Vect substitute, though I'd need GW for the Dias.

[SvenIronhand]

I don't actually like WE's own models, aesthetically. The studios they foster | distribute in Ukraine and elsewhere are closer to the mark for my tastes, though.

EDIT: LordAirfix on Etsy does cool RT-early 2nd style STLs. Might get a few myself.

Edited October 23 by SvenIronhand

[phandaal]

+1 for Wargames Atlantic (Cannon Fodder is great for Conscripts or Cultists), and Red Makers.

 

There are many good space dwarf 3rd parties out there, so it is hard to pick a favorite! I really like the berserk proxies from One Page Rules' Dwarf Guilds. Here is a unit from my army:

 

Spoiler

 

Also got some warriors/breachers from Forged in Fury's Void Born Kin on the painting bench right now, and a Ranger/yaegir proxy from Treadhead Rad's Supermassive Space Dwarves waiting to be assembled.

 

Some other good proxy makers: Puppetswar, Stationforge, DakkaDakka, and The Makers Cult. Really like Makers Cult's feudal guard proxies and Valor Korps walker tanks! DakkaDakka also has a great line of Sisters of Battle proxies.

 

North Star Military Figures is great for just general models that you can proxy however you like.

[Magos Takatus]

Artel W for their Ork equivalents. I almost feel bad for GW sometimes after seeing some of their characterful sculpts that are full of cheeky homages that GW could never get away with.

 

as mentioned above, most of the Eldar and Dark Eldar equivalents as wonderful, tough their Archon's slaves are a bit nsfw. I'm no prude though so I just appreciate the quality of the sculpts.

[skylerboodie]

I definitely recommend Wargame Exclusive - the quality of their resin is second to none. Also agree with Artel W for 40K sculpts, esp Aeldari, though not bought from yet.

 

Lber Daemonica are the third I recommend, have bought from before. They have a great range of detailed legion-specific dreadnought armour panels (for contemptors, redemptors and leviathans) and legion-specific breacher shields, plus some nice standards/banners, and all the usual bits like shoulder pads, helmets, etc. Resin quality is really good too.

 

 

[Lord_Ikka]

I typically don't go for full-on replacement models for 40k, but I have several companies that I love to use various bits from. My full alternative models are generally one-offs like Inquisition stuff or weirdos for Necromunda. There are also a number of companies/producers of 3d-printed stuff that are really good.

 

3rd Party Companies:

Anvil Industries: Good place to find alternative IG stuff, from full units to various guns/heads/gear. Theymake a decent line of SM-alternatives and have stls that you can get from them.

Puppetswar.eu: Great for alternative heads, with everything from Darth Vader SM heads to all kinds of regular human/SM options. Have decent ork stuff too.

Kromlech: Parts for pretty much any GW faction. They also have a line of greatcoat-wearing orks that would look great as a more organized, but still orky army.

Wargames Atlantic: Excellent IG alt kits. You get a ton of bits and options with their stuff, even if you only have a few body positions. Great value. *Also, the only company that uses plastic rather than resin on my list. 

Wargames Exclusive: I'm not a big fan of their, emm, more busty-centric models, but they have a good set of models

Artel W: Great individual pieces, definitely some that you'll want as display/army theme options

Liber Daemonica: Good alt bits for SM

 

3d Printed designers:

Station Forge: One of the top 3d design studios, their line of Grim Guard IG replacements are excellent, as are their Mechanicus counts-as

Ghamak: Very good models from this designer. My brother bought his Knight from a licensed Etsy seller and it is a killer model

Edited October 24 by Lord_Ikka

[ThePenitentOne]

Hey it occurs to me that this isn't a bad place to ask: does anyone know a source for terminator/ gravis sized Deathwatch shoulder pads? Only getting two of them on a $22 sprue from GW is not really a solution. Some DW upgrade  parts for a dread would be cool too.

[SvenIronhand]

Good one for Orks: Trollet Miniatures.

Might paint and photograph some of their "GorAxes" under the Ashes of Armageddon banner.

Edited October 28 by SvenIronhand

[crimsondave]

On 10/25/2024 at 11:04 AM, ThePenitentOne said:

Hey it occurs to me that this isn't a bad place to ask: does anyone know a source for terminator/ gravis sized Deathwatch shoulder pads? Only getting two of them on a $22 sprue from GW is not really a solution. Some DW upgrade  parts for a dread would be cool too.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1198904306/deathvigil-shoulder-pads-x22

[Northern Walker]

I have a whole load of Wargames Atlantic "Bulldogs" to stand in for/be combined with GW kits to make a Praetorian army (very much WIP), and the quality of the sprues and detail is really good. Slightly softer plastic than GW but scale is good and goes together really nicely. Have used Anvil as well for some bits and had good experiences.

Marines wise I think Greytide are excellent and have had a good experience with some replacement heads from Liber Daemonica.

[skylerboodie]

Kromlech and Tabletop Scenics on BitsofWar are having 35% sales in weekends in November 'for Black Friday'. Lots of nice big scenery pieces, Imperial, Orks, Necrons, etc.

 

https://bitsofwar.com/blog/121_black-friday-2024-calendar