null
Free Shipping $150 for Ontario/Quebec on qualifying orders  โ€ข  $200 for Rest of Canada  โ€ข  We are currently not shipping to the USA
Free Shipping $150 for Ontario/Quebec
$200 for Rest of Canada
We are currently not shipping to the USA
Kyle's Death Korps of Krieg Paint Guide - WW1 Krieger Build Feature

Kyle's Death Korps of Krieg Paint Guide - WW1 Krieger Build Feature

Wheels and Wings Hobbies - Miniature Paint Guide

Kyle's Death Korps of Krieg - The 9th Regiment

Warhammer 40,000 - Death Korps of Krieg - Paint Guide

Death Korps of Krieg

Dealing with the poor air quality in Toronto - the yellowish orange haze in the sky - Kyle thought of the world of Krieg. A Krieger felt more than appropriate for the occasion. This build draws on German WW1 infantry as its primary reference, with touches from French and British uniform history as well. Inspired by a PLW History video covering German uniform history from WW1 through WW2 - watch it here.

The regiment designation comes from the Mauser C96 pistol - nicknamed the "Red 9" for the large red numeral carved into the grip to distinguish it from the standard variant. Kyle's las pistol reminded him of the broomhandle Mauser, so this Krieger became the 9th Regiment, with red 9s on both shoulders courtesy of spare decals cut from a 1/72 RAF serial number sheet.

The respirator filter box is inspired by the British Small Box Respirator of WW1. The eye lenses are mixed to replicate the almost orange haze seen through a period gas mask.

Krieger hero shot - side profile left showing Mauser las pistol and red 9 shoulder decal

9th Regiment Krieger - Mauser las pistol and Red 9 shoulder decal.

Front pose

Front pose

Front offset - sword and chest respirator

Front offset - sword and respirator

Three-quarter left - sword detail

Three-quarter left - sword

Side profile - sword and backpack

Side profile - sword and backpack

How Kyle Painted It

Full step-by-step breakdown. All products in stock at Wheels and Wings.

PRIMER

Black Base

UNIFORM COAT

Field Grey Base, Medium Sea Grey Highlight

AK Field Grey Base as the main coat, highlighted with AK Medium Sea Grey. The same Medium Sea Grey is used on the mask, hose, and puttees for a consistent, campaign-worn grey throughout.

Krieger with the main four paints for this project

The main four paints for this build.

AK11423 Field Grey Base AK Interactive 3rd Gen - uniform coat base
AK11014 Medium Sea Grey AK Interactive 3rd Gen - uniform highlight; also mask, hose and puttees
HELMET & SHOULDER GUARDS

Dunkelgrau with Greedy Gold Icons

AK Dunkelgrau (RAL 7021) on the helmet and shoulder guards - a darker, cooler grey that separates the hard armour components from the softer uniform beneath. Helmet icons picked out in Greedy Gold.

Top down - Red 9 decal on shoulder

Top down - Red 9 shoulder decal

Top down view showing base

Top down - wet trench base

AK11316 Dunkelgrau RAL 7021 AK Interactive 3rd Gen - helmet, shoulder guards, and Mauser las pistol body; also mess kit on backpack
PANTS

Lead Grey

AK11023 Lead Grey AK Interactive 3rd Gen - trousers
TRIM & BUTTONS

Cavalry Brown Trim, Greedy Gold Buttons

Cavalry Brown on the uniform trim - a warm, muted red-brown that reads as the faded regimental colour of a unit that has been in the field a long time. Greedy Gold on buttons, helmet icons, backpack gold bits, and sword hilt.

Vallejo Model Color Cavalry Brown (70982) - uniform trim; also mixed with Grim Brown for eye lenses
Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Greedy Gold (WP3188) - buttons, helmet icons, backpack gold details and sword hilt
EYE LENSES

Grim Brown and Cavalry Brown - The Gas Mask Haze

A mix of AK Grim Brown and Vallejo Cavalry Brown on the eye lenses - replicating the almost orange haze visible through the yellowed celluloid eyepieces of a WW1-era respirator mask. A small but defining detail that grounds the model in its historical reference.

AK11112 Grim Brown AK Interactive 3rd Gen - mixed with Cavalry Brown for eye lenses; also all leather base coat
DECALS

Red 9 Shoulder Markings - 1/72 RAF Serial Decals

The Red 9 regimental markings on the shoulders are spare decals from a 1/72 RAF WW2 serial number sheet - red numerals at the right scale for a 28mm figure. Applied with Tamiya Mark Fit Strong.

Xtradecal 1/72 RAF WW2 Red Serial Letters and Numbers (DX72126) - spare red numerals used for Red 9 regimental shoulder markings
Tamiya Mark Fit Strong (87135) - decal setting solution
SWORD

Plate Mail Metal Blade, Chipped and Highlighted

Plate Mail Metal on the blade, washed with Nuln Oil, then highlighted back over with Plate Mail Metal to add scratches and edge wear. Sword hilt in Greedy Gold.

Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Plate Mail Metal (WP3192) - sword blade base and scratch highlight; also Mauser las pistol barrel and magazine
Citadel Nuln Oil - wash over sword blade before highlight scratch pass
LEATHER

Grim Brown Base, Dark Brown Highlight

AK Grim Brown on all leather - boots, belt, and the British Small Box Respirator-inspired filter box. Highlighted with AK Dark Brown. The backpack body uses the same Grim Brown base.

AK11109 Dark Brown AK Interactive 3rd Gen - leather highlight on boots, belt, filter box and backpack straps
BACKPACK

Grim Brown Pack, Decomposed Flesh Bedroll, Dunkelgrau Mess Kit

Back view showing backpack detail

Rear - backpack bedroll, mess kit and leather straps.

AK11058 Decomposed Flesh AK Interactive 3rd Gen - bedroll on backpack top
FINAL WASH & VARNISH

Starship Filth Over Everything Except Metallics

Abteilung Starship Filth applied over the entire model, deliberately avoiding the metallic areas. The filth wash unifies the palette and pushes the worn, mud-stained field appearance that a Krieger's kit demands. Sealed with Vallejo Ultra Matt - the flattest available finish, appropriate for a model that should look utterly devoid of shine.

Abteilung 502 Starship Filth (ABT510) - final wash over all non-metallic surfaces
Vallejo Ultra Matt Varnish (26653) - final coat; flattest available finish for a no-shine field appearance
BASE

Wet Mud Trench - AK Wet Ground

AK Wet Ground applied to the base to replicate the waterlogged mud of a WW1 trench. The glossy, saturated surface reads as genuinely wet and ties the base directly to the Krieger's world.

AK Interactive Wet Ground Splatter (AK8029) - wet trench mud base effect

The Finished Model

9th Regiment Krieger. The trenches await. The air smells of ash.

Hero - side profile left

Side profile left - Mauser las pistol and Red 9

Front pose

Front

Three-quarter left

Three-quarter left

Rear

Rear - backpack

All paints and supplies used in this guide are in stock at Wheels and Wings Hobbies in Toronto, available online with Canada-wide shipping.

Shop Paints →
Jul 15, 2026 Kyle Hood

Recent Posts