What figures did I use in the wargame? How do I paint them?
Most viewers probably realized that I am a big fan of Armies in Plastic. That is because they have released figures not done before in plastic, particularly for the late Victorian and Edwardian periods. They are also relatively cheap for making big armies. Plastic figures are easier to convert and to move around.
Move a board of twenty odd figures in plastic or metal over the wargame table and notice the difference!
There is a drawback though - they are a shiny soft plastic and can shed paint,( especially if you stand on them!) I undercoat with plastic car spray primer and then a spray white or black. My current preference is Citadel acrylic sprays. I have also experimented with a sticky plastic primer which does not dry completely but which is painted directly over with acrylics; I use this just for rifles and other vulnerable extremities. I then use mostly acrylic paints, including Citadel. I overcoat with PVA and then artist matt spray. This is really a semi gloss. Recently I used it over an enamel and it cracked the paint but that might have been because the paint did not have time to fully harden. You can also use spray varnishes but don't use them in cold weather or they will not dry transparent. Your figures will look like someone spat on them!
Bayonets and swords are still vulnerable. Often I replace the swords with ones hammered out of flattened wire. I also make lances out of wire because the plastic ones bend like fishing rods! Sometimes I replace swords with DSG spare silver swords after the figures have been painted. I just cut off the original swords and drilled out the hands before painting. I don't paint the silver plastic swords.
I use metal figures too. I find that if they drop on to a hard surface they will often suffer more damage than a plastic figure, which will bounce, but if you stand on one it might loose a chip of paint but not a huge flake like a soft plastic one will.
The snipers by Chris from Funny Little Wars are my latest addition. No, they don't have 19th century bazookas. Chris has cleverly used an old Britains idea to produce some toy soldiers that actually shoot their weapons! You can see Chris's figures at Patrick's site, The Armchair General.
Move a board of twenty odd figures in plastic or metal over the wargame table and notice the difference!
There is a drawback though - they are a shiny soft plastic and can shed paint,( especially if you stand on them!) I undercoat with plastic car spray primer and then a spray white or black. My current preference is Citadel acrylic sprays. I have also experimented with a sticky plastic primer which does not dry completely but which is painted directly over with acrylics; I use this just for rifles and other vulnerable extremities. I then use mostly acrylic paints, including Citadel. I overcoat with PVA and then artist matt spray. This is really a semi gloss. Recently I used it over an enamel and it cracked the paint but that might have been because the paint did not have time to fully harden. You can also use spray varnishes but don't use them in cold weather or they will not dry transparent. Your figures will look like someone spat on them!
Bayonets and swords are still vulnerable. Often I replace the swords with ones hammered out of flattened wire. I also make lances out of wire because the plastic ones bend like fishing rods! Sometimes I replace swords with DSG spare silver swords after the figures have been painted. I just cut off the original swords and drilled out the hands before painting. I don't paint the silver plastic swords.
I use metal figures too. I find that if they drop on to a hard surface they will often suffer more damage than a plastic figure, which will bounce, but if you stand on one it might loose a chip of paint but not a huge flake like a soft plastic one will.
The snipers by Chris from Funny Little Wars are my latest addition. No, they don't have 19th century bazookas. Chris has cleverly used an old Britains idea to produce some toy soldiers that actually shoot their weapons! You can see Chris's figures at Patrick's site, The Armchair General.
Always tempted by plastic figures , but the painting of them does put me off . May have to give it another try !.
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