Adeptus Arbites were my first 40k army… i used a mix of the Judges from necromunda for the characters and proctors. all the others were based on the pewter cadians… i simply added green stuff to get the correct arm and knee pads… and kept the normal helmets. turned out good… I so wish that the Arbites in Witchhunters got the Arbites Shotgun with the executioner rounds…
you said you wanted to go on the cheap right? I’d get some IG Cadians and convert them. perhaps lengthen the barrel or add a smallish batterpack to the lasgun to make it a hotshot variant. you can also get some space marine scouts (plastic as well) and use the shotguns from them etc…
id take necromunda enforcers, because the models look absolutely fab.
they need a bit work work to make the weapons fit (as with most secialist games figures they arent as straightforward as the main systems, they need a bit of tweaking).
but the end result is b-e-a-yootiful.
both the first gen & second generation arbite models were nice, but there were very few poses available, so an army of said figures looks very boring, id take the 3rd gen enforcers everytime.
i have an arbites list somewhere on my pc at home that i got off a fansite which i use (with my opponents permission of course), has arbite squads as troopers, shock troopers as elites, cavalry / bike mounted squads and a dog section as fast attack and the arbite HQ works like an inquisitor without psychic powers, so his retuniue pump his stats. even includes an ogryn bodyguard as an option, if i can find it i will send you a copy if you like, its very well written and perfoms well in game.
I’ve always loved the arbite models. I have some old ones with combat shotguns, and one with a grenade launcher. If you can cast the head, I’d use that combined with the plastic kit of your choice.
you’ve gotta go with the necromunda enforcers. they look so good! I prefer the original arbites myself, but they are hard to find and expensive I’d imagine
Marine Scouts with Cadian heads would be the cheaper option.
I’ve head rumours of plastic storm troopers when the new Imperial Guard Codex is released but don’t know how solid that rumour is. They could be fun to convert if they appear.
A friend of mine is using these "guys’ from Shadowforge miniatures as stormtroopers for his sisters of battle army - cute figures but probably too para-military if you want a pure Arbite look
I’d say convert your own from the plastic Cadians and GS. All 3 of your options sound 3times (at least) as expensive as this option, and with some filing and trimming they look great (as seen in Xander’s Links)
If you want double barrelled, pump action shotguns then try and find the plastic orlock/goliath figures that came with the starter set, or hunt around for some from the Gorka Morka plastics
