Gas masks, greatcoats and endless trench lines: the Death Korps of Krieg look like nobody else in Warhammer 40,000. This guide answers one question: who are the Death Korps of Krieg, and why are they so grim?
The short answer
The Death Korps are Astra Militarum regiments raised from the world of Krieg. Their home world once rebelled against the Emperor, and loyal forces destroyed it with atomic fire rather than let it go. Ever since, Krieg's soldiers have treated their lives as a debt to be repaid, and they actively seek the deadliest battles in the galaxy.
Krieg before the fall
Krieg was once a prosperous hive world of billions, living on manufacturing and trade and ruled by a council of Autocrats. Over time the Autocrats grew decadent and paranoid, fortifying their world and resenting the Imperium's tithe collectors. In 433.M40, the High Autocrat declared Krieg independent and renounced the Emperor.
Colonel Jurten and the Purging
Civil war broke out and most of the planet quickly fell to the rebels. Only Hive Ferrograd held out, under Colonel Jurten of the Krieg 83rd regiment. He had orders not to let Krieg fall, and he knew no relief fleet was coming. Jurten decided that Krieg would belong to the Emperor or to no one.
On the Feast of the Emperor's Ascension, Jurten unleashed an atomic bombardment on his own world, an event remembered as the Purging. The planet's ecosystem collapsed into a radioactive, nuclear winter. Even then, the war did not end. Loyalists and rebels fought on through poisoned wastes and underground bunkers for around five hundred years, until Krieg finally returned to Imperial rule in 949.M40.
A culture of atonement
The Death Korps were born from that war. Korpsmen believe their world's betrayal must be paid for, and that the best way to pay is to die in the Emperor's service. They are notoriously fatalistic and grim, and their regiments routinely ask to be sent to the most dangerous warzones. Their gas masks and rebreathers are not just for show: Krieg is a toxic wasteland, and its people live in bunkers and chem-wastes to this day.
This makes them superb siege troops. Patient, relentless and indifferent to losses, they excel at trench warfare and grinding assaults that other regiments would refuse.
The Siege of Vraks
Krieg's most famous campaign is the Siege of Vraks. A rogue cardinal named Xaphan seized the armoury world of Vraks, and when an assassination attempt on him failed, the population rose in revolt. The Imperium sent the 88th Siege Army, initially made up of 31 Death Korps regiments, because Vraks's defences called for trench and siege specialists.
The siege dragged on for years and drew in Chaos forces. When it officially ended in 830.M41, around fourteen million Krieg Guardsmen had died. The world was too ruined to be of much use, and it remains a quarantined wasteland. For many fans, Vraks sums up the Death Korps perfectly: they won, and it cost them everything.
Painting the Death Korps
The classic Krieg look is muted, practical and battle-worn. Here is a simple, generic recipe for each part of the model:
| Area | Base | Shade | Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greatcoat | Muted grey-blue or dark grey-green | Dark blue-black or brown wash in the folds | Lighter grey on raised folds |
| Helmet and armour plates | Dark grey or khaki | Black or dark brown wash | Light grey or pale khaki on edges |
| Gas mask and leather | Dark brown | Black wash | Mid brown on the edges of straps and pouches |
| Mask lenses | Dark green or red | Black in the lower half | A tiny white dot for a glassy reflection |
| Weapons | Gunmetal and dark wood | Black or brown wash | Silver on sharp edges |
| Bases | Dark earth or mud texture | Brown wash | Pale earth drybrush, with optional barbed wire or puddles |
Mud and grime are what really sell the trench-war look. Weathering the hem of each greatcoat with a dark wash, or with oil washes for a smoother finish, makes a squad look like it has just crawled out of no-man's-land.
Where they fit in the wider Guard
The Death Korps are just one of many Imperial Guard regiments, each shaped by its home world. To see how they compare with Cadians, Catachans and the rest, read our Astra Militarum guide.
Common beginner questions
Why do Krieg soldiers always wear masks?
Their home world is a poisoned, irradiated wasteland after the Purging, so masks and rebreathers are essential. They also add to the Korps' faceless, fatalistic reputation.
Is Colonel Jurten seen as a hero?
On Krieg, his decision is the founding act of their culture. Elsewhere in the Imperium, opinions are darker, which is part of what makes the story so compelling.
Do the Death Korps only fight in trenches?
They are best known as siege and trench specialists, but they have fought in many kinds of campaign across the galaxy.
Quick summary
- Krieg rebelled in 433.M40, and Colonel Jurten destroyed it with atomic fire rather than let it fall.
- Around five hundred years of war followed, and the Death Korps grew out of it with a culture of atonement.
- They are siege and trench specialists, famous for the Siege of Vraks and its terrible cost.
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Warhammer 40,000 and the names of all associated armies, characters, races, vehicles, units and places are trademarks of Games Workshop Limited, used here without permission and solely to identify the subject. This is an unofficial fan guide.