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[Battletech] New KS - 23 Mar!

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Posts

  • NipsNips He/Him Luxuriating in existential crisis.Registered User regular
    edited October 2020
    The Federated Commonwealth Express managed to shake the blockade, and finally made landfall near the Provisional HQ this morning! All goods were accounted for, so that's a relief.

    I'm pretty happy with the figures. There's a few more noticeable mold lines than I'd like, the softness of the plastic lead to a little loss of detail in very minor places, and the piecepart assembly led to some strange body/limb positions. But! All of this is a very minor complaint; these figs are great, easily on par with the GOAC figs, and I can't wait to see the rest of the line and then see them hit store shelves.

    Going through the stuff, I had totally forgotten about all the cardboard standee stuff we were getting. Since I really don't care for any of it, I've added line items on the trade worksheet and put my own stuff up. The figures I'm getting, I still need to search my feelings on; my salvage packs gave a fantastic start to a Clan recon lance, so I need to make some decisions.

    Nips on
    JXUBxMxP0QndjQUEnTwTxOkfKmx8kWNvuc-FUtbSz_23_DAhGKe7W9spFKLXAtkpTBqM8Dt6kQrv-rS69Hi3FheL3fays2xTeVUvWR7g5UyLHnFA0frGk1BC12GYdOSRn9lbaJB-uH0htiLPJMrc9cSRsIgk5Dx7jg9K8rJVfG43lkeAWxTgcolNscW9KO2UZjKT8GMbYAFgFvu2TaMoLH8LBA5p2pm6VNYRsQK3QGjCsze1TOv2yIbCazmDwCHmjiQxNDf6LHP35msyiXo3CxuWs9Y8DQvJjvj10kWaspRNlWHKjS5w9Y0KLuIkhQKOxgaDziG290v4zBmTi-i7OfDz-foqIqKzC9wTbn9i_uU87GRitmrNAJdzRRsaTW5VQu_XX_5gCN8XCoNyu5RWWVGTsjJuyezz1_NpFa903Uj2TnFqnL1wJ-RZiFAAd2Bdut-G1pdQtdQihsq2dx_BjtmtGC3KZRyylO1t2c12dhfb0rStq4v8pg46ciOcdtT_1qm85IgUmGd7AmgLxCFPb0xnxWZvr26G-oXSqrQdjKA1zNIInSowiHcbUO2O8S5LRJVR6vQiEg0fbGXw4vqJYEn917tnzHMh8r0xom8BLKMvoFDelk6wbEeNq8w8Eyu2ouGjEMIvvJcb2az2AKQ1uE_7gdatfKG2QdvfdSBRSc35MQ=w498-h80-no
  • AxenAxen My avatar is Excalibur. Yes, the sword.Registered User regular
    I had plans to use the standees as part of a firing range terrain piece. Not sure how well it'll work.

    A Capellan's favorite sheath for any blade is your back.
  • ToxTox I kill threads he/himRegistered User regular
    edited October 2020
    Reminder that if you have any add-on Force Packs, you can game the system a little bit. A Salvage Box is normally $7, but you get one "free" with your Pledge-included packs. So if you have an IS Lance as an add-on, and a Clan Star as part of your pledge, you can swap them and the net change will be one additional Salvage Box for $5 extra.

    e: and you can still change what's where. The only stuff that's locked in is any Wave 1 stuff you'd already picked, as that stuff will have already shipped by now

    Tox on
    Twitter! | Dilige, et quod vis fac
  • NipsNips He/Him Luxuriating in existential crisis.Registered User regular
    In more fun news, the Provisional Mech Foundry is making progress toward full-scale...something? Not sure about the direction this factory is headed in yet. The short-term answer is almost certainly "More Mechs".

    aoBYHpJh.jpg

    Following up the Kintaro are the Roughneck and the Sun Spider. It should have only been one of each, but I had the RGH and SNS together on the same build, and the first print half-failed losing a Spider in the process.

    Gotta figure out a better method for starting the prints, though; I've been using the soles of the feet as the starting layer, and it's kinda messing up the detail on the feet a bit.

    Next up: the Bull Shark.

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  • ToxTox I kill threads he/himRegistered User regular
    I genuinely love the roughneck. -3A is an unreasonably good energy boat, especially for a converted IndustrialMech. The rifle-arms on the -R are also really neat. A mix of the two would be hella fun but also probably need to be slow as balls for all the stuff it'd be carrying

    Twitter! | Dilige, et quod vis fac
  • DaMoonRulzDaMoonRulz Mare ImbriumRegistered User regular
    Does anyone have a comprehensive guide on how to paint the Battle tech minis for a beginner?

    3basnids3lf9.jpg




  • NipsNips He/Him Luxuriating in existential crisis.Registered User regular
    B1Bflyer from Camospecs does a good job with their Battletech videos, but I'm not wholly convinced it's aimed strictly at beginning painters.

    https://www.youtube.com/c/CamoSpecsOnline

    If you'd like, I can do a short write-up that'll get you started.

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  • DaMoonRulzDaMoonRulz Mare ImbriumRegistered User regular
    @Nips Couldn't hurt!

    3basnids3lf9.jpg




  • NipsNips He/Him Luxuriating in existential crisis.Registered User regular
    I'll get on that this evening, then!

    There's also a chapter in the back of the Total Warfare book that details how to paint a 'Mech, but I really don't feel like it's aimed at beginners; it's like thirty steps to paint a single Battlemaster.

    JXUBxMxP0QndjQUEnTwTxOkfKmx8kWNvuc-FUtbSz_23_DAhGKe7W9spFKLXAtkpTBqM8Dt6kQrv-rS69Hi3FheL3fays2xTeVUvWR7g5UyLHnFA0frGk1BC12GYdOSRn9lbaJB-uH0htiLPJMrc9cSRsIgk5Dx7jg9K8rJVfG43lkeAWxTgcolNscW9KO2UZjKT8GMbYAFgFvu2TaMoLH8LBA5p2pm6VNYRsQK3QGjCsze1TOv2yIbCazmDwCHmjiQxNDf6LHP35msyiXo3CxuWs9Y8DQvJjvj10kWaspRNlWHKjS5w9Y0KLuIkhQKOxgaDziG290v4zBmTi-i7OfDz-foqIqKzC9wTbn9i_uU87GRitmrNAJdzRRsaTW5VQu_XX_5gCN8XCoNyu5RWWVGTsjJuyezz1_NpFa903Uj2TnFqnL1wJ-RZiFAAd2Bdut-G1pdQtdQihsq2dx_BjtmtGC3KZRyylO1t2c12dhfb0rStq4v8pg46ciOcdtT_1qm85IgUmGd7AmgLxCFPb0xnxWZvr26G-oXSqrQdjKA1zNIInSowiHcbUO2O8S5LRJVR6vQiEg0fbGXw4vqJYEn917tnzHMh8r0xom8BLKMvoFDelk6wbEeNq8w8Eyu2ouGjEMIvvJcb2az2AKQ1uE_7gdatfKG2QdvfdSBRSc35MQ=w498-h80-no
  • AxenAxen My avatar is Excalibur. Yes, the sword.Registered User regular
    edited October 2020
    DaMoonRulz wrote: »
    Does anyone have a comprehensive guide on how to paint the Battle tech minis for a beginner?

    How much a beginner we talk'n 'bout?

    Cause if it is your first painted anything I recommend watching this video and his associated videos.

    https://youtu.be/UJIEJRtJyoE

    He is giving general advice for new, new people painting any kind of mini.

    Otherwise, the stuff people teach in 40k mini painting guides is completely applicable to Battletech minis as well.

    Axen on
    A Capellan's favorite sheath for any blade is your back.
  • NipsNips He/Him Luxuriating in existential crisis.Registered User regular
    edited October 2020
    Tips are great, and Uncle Atom's tips are solid (although I wish he'd not have started with the Wet Palette bugaboo), but let's talk brass tacks.

    The Following Are The Minimum Tools, Materials, And Steps Required to Paint A Plastic Battlemech.

    CAVEAT 1: I'm talking bare minimum. I'll get into some extra details that add steps after the bare necessities, but this will get you from nothing to something.
    CAVEAT 2: There are as many materials, methods, and tools as there are hobby artists. What follows is my opinion, and there's any number of alternate, valid, opinions.
    CAVEAT 3: This is turning into a hardcore wall of text, so I'm spoilering each section. I'm not hiding anything, I just don't think someone who wants to talk about Stompy Bots necessarily needs to read all my wisdom drivel opinions.

    Tools and Materials:
    A paintbrush
    (e.g. a Citadel Medium Base brush, Army Painter Hobby Basecoating brush, Reaper Miniatures #2 Brush. Anything that's roughly about the size of an artist's #2 brush with a reasonably fine point and good bristle body to hold paint. You DON'T need a crazy 00 size detailing brush or anything at this point. Anything that might be called a "Starter" brush )
    A Primer
    (This is less necessary for plastic miniatures, but is good practice to start using it regardless. I highly recommend Vallejo Surface Primer, especially if you're going to do everything by brush.)
    Some ACRYLIC paint.
    (This can be anything from low-end Apple Barrel craft store paint, to high-end hobbyist and artist acrylics. With enough practice, you can make just about any kind of acrylic paint work, and some professional miniature painters swear by the craft-store stuff. For a starting painter, I would recommend Vallejo's lines on a cost vs. volume and ease of use basis. You REALLY DON'T want to use an enamel (like the Testors you'd find with model cars at the hobby store) because it's harder to work with, and requires solvents that aren't just water.)
    (Also, you don't need to go crazy with colors right from the start. At first, start with just a few favorite colors. After you have your sea legs, you can either buy into a broader range of paint or start experimenting with mixes. Oh, but make sure you pick up a BLACK. We'll use that on some specific details.)
    A Working Surface for your paint
    (a paint palette, wet palette, ceramic plate, plastic miniature blister, anything that won't absorb the paint. WE DON'T PAINT RIGHT FROM THE BOTTLE OR POT, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT SAVAGES.)
    A water cup
    (You're going to need to thin your paints with water, and clean your brush between paints. Get used to cleaning out your water cup often.)
    An Exacto knife
    (This isn't strictly required, but it's Good Practice to start learning mold line removal. The GOAC and Kickstarter figures are very good, but even my cursory look-over of the figs found some manufacturing defects that would be easy to clean up and make the models look much nicer.)
    (Optional): A Varnish
    (An acrylic varnish is the last thing you apply to the miniature, to seal in the paint and protect it. On plastic miniatures the paint is less likely to flake off, but it can rub off over time from handling; a varnish coat helps prevent that and protect the paint job.)
    (I highly recommend Vallejo Acrylic varnishes, specifically the Matte (for overall work) and the Gloss (for glass details, like cockpits and laser lenses).)
    Paper Towels
    (It's just good to have some on hand.)

    FWIW, I really do think something like the Reaper Learn To Paint Kit is a fantastic starting spot for most of the brush and paint needs. The color selection isn't particularly great, but you can work around that with some select additional purchases, and the Reaper paints are solidly usable.

    How Do I Do All This Now?:
    Step 0: Prepare your Miniature
    Part 1: Remove mold lines
    You can skip this if the model is pretty clean of mold lines, or you otherwise are willing to suffer them to exist (I can't anymore in my life.) Using your Exacto knife, very very carefully trim the excess plastic from the model, along the lines of the mold. Use a fresh, sharp blade, and take care not to use much force; most mold lines are very superficial and trim off with hardly any effort. Use the surface of the model as a guide, and lightly trim off the excess. IF YOU ARE FORCING THE BLADE INTO THE PLASTIC, YOU ARE DOING IT TOO HARD AND WILL EITHER DAMAGE THE MODEL OR MAKE A BLOOD SACRIFICE TO THE PAINTING GODS. SERIOUSLY. I've stabbed myself way, way too many times; I have a permanent scar on my left thumb from one particularly bad stab. Don't be me!
    Camospecs has a good video series about model prep. Here's the one on mold line removal.

    Part 2: Clean your miniature
    It is Good Practice to give your miniature a warm, soapy bath. Give it an all-over scrub with an old toothbrush (you have an old toothbrush, right? If not, replace your toothbrush now and use the old one, you filthy savage). Once the figure is well-scrubbed, give it a thorough rinse in clean water and leave it out to air dry.
    Why? Most miniatures, regardless of manufacture and material, will have some residues on them that make painting untenable. This includes your filthy skin-oils you rubbed all over the figure back in Part 1. I've found that even injection-molded plastics, like the ones we got in the Kickstarter, can use a good bath and scrub to make it optimal for painting. On metal and resin miniatures, you ABSOLUTELY want to bathe them because they use mold release compounds to let the parts out of the mold; these are typically talc powders or greases, and both of those will fuck up a paint job before it even starts.

    Step 1: Prime your Miniature
    Take your brush, give your primer a good shake, then pot out some of your primer onto a working surface. Load up your brush (about half-full; if it's covering the metal ferrule that holds the bristles, you've got too much on your brush) and paint the primer onto the model. It's going to be uneven, but do your best to put some amount of primer on every surface. LESS IS MORE. You can always come back and re-apply primer in places you've missed once it's dry, and you DON'T want to blob it on as it'll obscure the detail.
    When you're done, let the model dry thoroughly before you move on to the next step.

    Step 2: Basecoat your Miniature
    In this step, we're getting the majority colors in place. Before you dive into paint, take a minute to decide which colors are going to go where. Let's say blue for the legs and body, then orange for the arms. Start with the color that takes up the most surface area, give the bottle a thorough shake and put some onto your working surface. Add a little bit of water to thin it out. How much is enough? Load your paint brush with thinned paint, and paint a line somewhere on your working surface; it should be slightly translucent, but not see-through. LEARNING TO THIN YOUR PAINTS IS AN ART, NOT A SCIENCE. The only harm that comes from over-thinning is that you'll need to paint more coats onto the model to get your color blocked in. If you don't thin your paints enough, you'll risk losing detail and having the paint job look "blobby". Watch this short video to see what I mean.
    Take that first, thinned, color, and go ham. Get it everywhere you intend it to be. Wash your brush regularly, and reload. Don't worry about mistakes! You can always fix mistakes later. Get that first, majority, color blocked in.
    Next, take your second color and repeat the above. Take a little more care here not to slop this paint onto the first paint, but don't worry about mistakes! You can always fix mistakes with another coat or two of the original color.

    At this point, you should have a miniature that is covered from head to toe with delicious, delicious color. Congratulations! You could literally stop now, and you could say you painted a miniature. In fact, stop now and let everything dry. Then, we're going to do a couple more steps to really sell the work.

    Step 3: Detail your Miniature
    For a very basic paint job, we're just going to worry about Weapon Apertures and Cockpit Glass (and Jump Jet Exhausts, if you're feeling spicy). For this, we need that Black paint I mentioned earlier.
    Get some black paint lightly thinned, and load up just a little onto your brush. Like, just the tip. Carefully paint in the cockpit windows, and the open ends of the weapon apertures (gun barrel and missile rack openings, laser lenses). For laser lenses, after the black has dried, use your brush to put just a dot of color in the middle of the blacked-out port; this will give you just enough of a look at tabletop-distance to make it NOT look like an autocannon barrel. I find a red, or a bright color that's opposite your basecoat colors, really pops out.

    Be careful as you're blacking out areas, but don't worry about mistakes! You can always go back over any little misplaced strokes with your base colors, same as before.

    Also, after you've done all of the above, pick a color and paint your 'Mech's hex base. It's not super important, but a solid-color hex under your painted 'Mech is way better looking than whatever slop you dripped on it during this whole process. Hell, paint it black again for all it matters! It's really not important what color you use, just do something.

    Wait for it to dry. Congratulations! You now have a model that not only has color, but the essential details. Way to go, you!

    Step 4: Varnish your Miniature (Optional, but Recommended)
    Now to protect that lovely paint job! Get out your chosen varnish, and using your brush get it aaaalllll over the model. Cover everything, and then wipe the excess off your brush and use your brush to remove excess from the model and smooth it out all over. TWO OR THREE THIN COATS IS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN ONE VERY BLOBBY, SLOPPED-ON COAT. I usually use a bigger brush, slop it on everywhere, and then as I'm working I'll use that same brush or a second one to remove the excess where I've gone a little hard. The Vallejo varnishes brush on opaque and kinda white-colored, but I promise you if the layers are thin enough it'll dry clear.

    Now, here's a neat little trick, the reason I mentioned the Gloss varnish. After the Matte varnish dries, I go back over the cockpit glass and laser lenses with the gloss varnish, and it gives those parts just enough shine to make them really pop.

    Congratulations! You're a painter now! Beyond this, there's a bunch of minor-to-major extra techniques to really make details pop and make that model sing. At which point, join us in the Miniature Painting thread! We love painting! We love new painters! We love giving help and advice! We all have a self-loathing complex! It's great!

    Nips on
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  • AxenAxen My avatar is Excalibur. Yes, the sword.Registered User regular
    Now this video is what really gave me a good understanding of what I was supposed to be doing (being relatively new to the painting scene myself).

    https://youtu.be/v-BlVYFxfRA

    He is painting an AoS model, but the fundamentals are all the same.

    A Capellan's favorite sheath for any blade is your back.
  • NipsNips He/Him Luxuriating in existential crisis.Registered User regular
    I like Goobertown's videos, he's a good resource.

    I think this week I'll eat my own crow, and paint one of those Roughnecks how I described and take pictures along the way. Then I'll post progress shots here so y'all can follow along.

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  • DarkewolfeDarkewolfe Registered User regular
    edited October 2020
    The one thing I want to emphasize on painting is that large, flat panels paint very differently than anything else. Be aware when painting mechs that wide, uniform sources like you'll find on stompy robots require slightly different techniques than more organic models to make look good, since they require a little more thoughtful drybrushing and edging.

    Darkewolfe on
    What is this I don't even.
  • HydroSqueegeeHydroSqueegee ULTRACAT!!!™®© Registered User regular
    I've become a big fan of the army painter primers. Pick a color for the main theme, paint details with a brush, done.

    kx3klFE.png
  • HydroSqueegeeHydroSqueegee ULTRACAT!!!™®© Registered User regular
    Oh, also looking for brush suggestions. I may spend $$$ on minis, but i typically buy the bulk pack specials cheap brushes. They work ok, but dont last long.

    kx3klFE.png
  • DarkewolfeDarkewolfe Registered User regular
    I've become a big fan of the army painter primers. Pick a color for the main theme, paint details with a brush, done.

    People poo poo the Citadel/GW paints. This is fair, as they are MASSIVELY overpriced. However, if you have one or two paint schemes you want to do and you don't want to add learning to mix paints and figuring out colors and all that, you can get paints in sets of three that are basically the perfect layering set ups, and some tell they're for drybrushing or washing or whatever.

    This is a good example of the GW patented "how to sell someone a ton of proprietary paint for reliable results" system. Which, honestly, does give really consistent, good results. I picked a dreadnaught video since it's fairly mechlike.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCybi5r71RE

    What is this I don't even.
  • DarkewolfeDarkewolfe Registered User regular
    edited October 2020
    Someone had a really good source for unit transfers. I need to get some Clan Wolf in Exile transfers if I can, I think. What was the source? I am not freehanding that shit.

    Darkewolfe on
    What is this I don't even.
  • NobodyNobody Registered User regular
    I love the army painter color primers and use them exclusively across multiple game systems.

    I use citadel paints for one reason: I can get them almost anywhere and don’t have to play games with finding a matching color from another line.

  • NipsNips He/Him Luxuriating in existential crisis.Registered User regular
    edited October 2020
    Darkewolfe wrote: »
    The one thing I want to emphasize on painting is that large, flat panels paint very differently than anything else. Be aware when painting mechs that wide, uniform sources like you'll find on stompy robots require slightly different techniques than more organic models to make look good, since they require a little more thoughtful drybrushing and edging.

    Whoa, slow down there pardner! We don't want to scare off the neophytes with a 200-level topic!
    (You're right, though!)
    I've become a big fan of the army painter primers. Pick a color for the main theme, paint details with a brush, done.

    I wrote what I did to emphasize the minimum investment required, but yeah. Colored primers are a nice, super-cheaty way to get an adhesion layer plus base color in one go. The only problem then is you're locked into a particular color until you run out the can, which either drives up investment (more cans) or creates waste (more cans).
    Darkewolfe wrote: »
    Someone had a really good source for unit transfers. I need to get some Clan Wolf in Exile transfers if I can, I think. What was the source? I am not freehanding that shit.

    Fighting Piranha Graphics is the official source for BT decals, but there's a couple shops on Ebay that also do decent work. That said, I bought a variety Combine pack off a seller and the decals came out super dark and barely legible. Caveat emptor.

    Nips on
    JXUBxMxP0QndjQUEnTwTxOkfKmx8kWNvuc-FUtbSz_23_DAhGKe7W9spFKLXAtkpTBqM8Dt6kQrv-rS69Hi3FheL3fays2xTeVUvWR7g5UyLHnFA0frGk1BC12GYdOSRn9lbaJB-uH0htiLPJMrc9cSRsIgk5Dx7jg9K8rJVfG43lkeAWxTgcolNscW9KO2UZjKT8GMbYAFgFvu2TaMoLH8LBA5p2pm6VNYRsQK3QGjCsze1TOv2yIbCazmDwCHmjiQxNDf6LHP35msyiXo3CxuWs9Y8DQvJjvj10kWaspRNlWHKjS5w9Y0KLuIkhQKOxgaDziG290v4zBmTi-i7OfDz-foqIqKzC9wTbn9i_uU87GRitmrNAJdzRRsaTW5VQu_XX_5gCN8XCoNyu5RWWVGTsjJuyezz1_NpFa903Uj2TnFqnL1wJ-RZiFAAd2Bdut-G1pdQtdQihsq2dx_BjtmtGC3KZRyylO1t2c12dhfb0rStq4v8pg46ciOcdtT_1qm85IgUmGd7AmgLxCFPb0xnxWZvr26G-oXSqrQdjKA1zNIInSowiHcbUO2O8S5LRJVR6vQiEg0fbGXw4vqJYEn917tnzHMh8r0xom8BLKMvoFDelk6wbEeNq8w8Eyu2ouGjEMIvvJcb2az2AKQ1uE_7gdatfKG2QdvfdSBRSc35MQ=w498-h80-no
  • NipsNips He/Him Luxuriating in existential crisis.Registered User regular
    edited October 2020
    Oh, also looking for brush suggestions. I may spend $$$ on minis, but i typically buy the bulk pack specials cheap brushes. They work ok, but dont last long.

    Throw a post up in the Miniature Painting thread! The geniuses there (not me) will have the best recs on the boards.

    Plus, then, it saves me the trouble of asking. 😏

    Nips on
    JXUBxMxP0QndjQUEnTwTxOkfKmx8kWNvuc-FUtbSz_23_DAhGKe7W9spFKLXAtkpTBqM8Dt6kQrv-rS69Hi3FheL3fays2xTeVUvWR7g5UyLHnFA0frGk1BC12GYdOSRn9lbaJB-uH0htiLPJMrc9cSRsIgk5Dx7jg9K8rJVfG43lkeAWxTgcolNscW9KO2UZjKT8GMbYAFgFvu2TaMoLH8LBA5p2pm6VNYRsQK3QGjCsze1TOv2yIbCazmDwCHmjiQxNDf6LHP35msyiXo3CxuWs9Y8DQvJjvj10kWaspRNlWHKjS5w9Y0KLuIkhQKOxgaDziG290v4zBmTi-i7OfDz-foqIqKzC9wTbn9i_uU87GRitmrNAJdzRRsaTW5VQu_XX_5gCN8XCoNyu5RWWVGTsjJuyezz1_NpFa903Uj2TnFqnL1wJ-RZiFAAd2Bdut-G1pdQtdQihsq2dx_BjtmtGC3KZRyylO1t2c12dhfb0rStq4v8pg46ciOcdtT_1qm85IgUmGd7AmgLxCFPb0xnxWZvr26G-oXSqrQdjKA1zNIInSowiHcbUO2O8S5LRJVR6vQiEg0fbGXw4vqJYEn917tnzHMh8r0xom8BLKMvoFDelk6wbEeNq8w8Eyu2ouGjEMIvvJcb2az2AKQ1uE_7gdatfKG2QdvfdSBRSc35MQ=w498-h80-no
  • AxenAxen My avatar is Excalibur. Yes, the sword.Registered User regular
    I (and I think a great many people) am a fan of Valejo paints. They’ve been in the business of model paints for 60-70 years. That’s all they do is paints. They come in a very handy dropper bottle.

    Army Painter paints I like too, with the caveat that you really need to get those little steel balls to drop in to the droppers.

    Citadel paints, eh. They are a bit overpriced but what is the worst for me is that they come in pots and not droppers.

    That all said, Nuln Oil is a wash made by Citadel. Nuln Oil is civilization.

    And my God, invest in a wet palette! Either make one or buy one. Super cheap and they will absolutely instantly elevate your quality. Like magic they are.

    A Capellan's favorite sheath for any blade is your back.
  • HydroSqueegeeHydroSqueegee ULTRACAT!!!™®© Registered User regular
    Back to Stompy Boi talk!

    So does anyone know of a program that will take your current list of mechs, then sort them into lances with pilots with skill levels? I was digging around in megamek and mekhq last night, and it was kinda close to what i wanted, but not quite. Hoping i dont have to resort to excel to do what i want.

    kx3klFE.png
  • NipsNips He/Him Luxuriating in existential crisis.Registered User regular
    edited October 2020
    Back to Stompy Boi talk!

    So does anyone know of a program that will take your current list of mechs, then sort them into lances with pilots with skill levels? I was digging around in megamek and mekhq last night, and it was kinda close to what i wanted, but not quite. Hoping i dont have to resort to excel to do what i want.

    I'm guessing if MekHQ isn't quite getting there, you might be stuck up Excel Creek. Flechs Force Manager, maybe? I haven't tried it, but it's set up to manage Chaos Campaignforces, so maybe it might hack it?

    I think the central question is "Sort Them Into What Kind Of Lances"? Going from "pile of mechs" to "Force Org" might be the wrong way of getting there (if you're using the designators from the books, e.g. Recon Lance, Battle Star). Maybe start from the other end ("I want a Recon Star and two Battle Stars in my Trinary") and then slot in 'Mechs how it makes sense.

    Nips on
    JXUBxMxP0QndjQUEnTwTxOkfKmx8kWNvuc-FUtbSz_23_DAhGKe7W9spFKLXAtkpTBqM8Dt6kQrv-rS69Hi3FheL3fays2xTeVUvWR7g5UyLHnFA0frGk1BC12GYdOSRn9lbaJB-uH0htiLPJMrc9cSRsIgk5Dx7jg9K8rJVfG43lkeAWxTgcolNscW9KO2UZjKT8GMbYAFgFvu2TaMoLH8LBA5p2pm6VNYRsQK3QGjCsze1TOv2yIbCazmDwCHmjiQxNDf6LHP35msyiXo3CxuWs9Y8DQvJjvj10kWaspRNlWHKjS5w9Y0KLuIkhQKOxgaDziG290v4zBmTi-i7OfDz-foqIqKzC9wTbn9i_uU87GRitmrNAJdzRRsaTW5VQu_XX_5gCN8XCoNyu5RWWVGTsjJuyezz1_NpFa903Uj2TnFqnL1wJ-RZiFAAd2Bdut-G1pdQtdQihsq2dx_BjtmtGC3KZRyylO1t2c12dhfb0rStq4v8pg46ciOcdtT_1qm85IgUmGd7AmgLxCFPb0xnxWZvr26G-oXSqrQdjKA1zNIInSowiHcbUO2O8S5LRJVR6vQiEg0fbGXw4vqJYEn917tnzHMh8r0xom8BLKMvoFDelk6wbEeNq8w8Eyu2ouGjEMIvvJcb2az2AKQ1uE_7gdatfKG2QdvfdSBRSc35MQ=w498-h80-no
  • HydroSqueegeeHydroSqueegee ULTRACAT!!!™®© Registered User regular
    Yea, thats kind of where i'm at since i cant get an auto for creation thing going. Been making lances and adding them to Battalions.

    kx3klFE.png
  • SiliconStewSiliconStew Registered User regular
    edited October 2020
    Back to Stompy Boi talk!

    So does anyone know of a program that will take your current list of mechs, then sort them into lances with pilots with skill levels? I was digging around in megamek and mekhq last night, and it was kinda close to what i wanted, but not quite. Hoping i dont have to resort to excel to do what i want.

    For TotalWarfare rules, another option you might try is SolarisSkunkWerks. SSW itself is for building custom mechs and printing record sheets of any mech. But it also includes Battletech Force Balancer that you can use to add mechs to two sides, assign lance names to each unit, set pilot skill levels per mech which auto adjusts that unit's BV, and autocalculates total BV for both sides. You can then save or print those force lists + record sheets for later. You can also create text files containing your owned mechs and have it use those as your own RAT tables, or you can just use the app's existing RAT tables for the pre-included forces and eras.

    SSW application: https://github.com/Solaris-Skunk-Werks/solarisskunkwerks/releases
    Just grab the SSW_0.7.4.1.zip file under the top release entry. Once you extract it, SSW.jar is the mech builder, BFB.jar is the force builder.

    You will also require the mech list (4500+ variants from all eras)

    SSW master mech list: https://github.com/Solaris-Skunk-Werks/SSW-Master
    click on the green "Code" button and select "Download Zip". Extract the zip file somewhere. Open either SSW or BFB. It should ask you where the unit listings are at. Select the folder where you extracted the master mech list files (just select the top level folder "SSW-Master-master" in the dialog box, don't go inside the "SSW-Master-master" and click Select Directory or you'll just get an empty list)

    This software is fine for TotalWarefare rules, but not so much for AlphaStrike since it uses the older Battleforce rules. So while things like damage values tend to be about the same as alphastrike, the PV is certainly not.

    For AlphaStrike point values calculated with different skilled pilots, try http://www.masterunitlist.info/Force/Build

    SiliconStew on
    Just remember that half the people you meet are below average intelligence.
  • DarkewolfeDarkewolfe Registered User regular
    I think I've decided one of my first big projects once I get the mechs in will be a diorama on Arc-Royal of the end of the Refusal War.

    Which means I'm going to need some dead'd mechs to lay down. Rather than destroy the new minis I might look into these 3D printing capabilities since those will also be easier to make all blasted.

    What is this I don't even.
  • SiliconStewSiliconStew Registered User regular
    I will say one of the annoying things about that MUL force builder if you are playing AlphaStrike is that it doesn't have any filters. If you want to play with the optional abilities, you have to build lances that meet certain requirements, for example, a "Light Recon Lance" is all units Size 1, all units a minimum Move of 12, all units have the Scout Role. It's real tedious to build lances out that way when their info isn't all in one spot.

    Just remember that half the people you meet are below average intelligence.
  • NipsNips He/Him Luxuriating in existential crisis.Registered User regular
    edited October 2020
    Alright, let's watch me eat some crow!

    Paint How I Say You Can: Session 1
    Total Time: About 45 minutes.

    The materials, as I proscribed:
    9fC2RPul.jpg

    A Roughneck model, a bottle of white Vallejo Surface Primer, my Isabey #2 brush, two bottles of acrylic paint, my plastic paint palette, a beaker of water, and some paper towels.
    I've mounted the RGH on a wood hex base I had laying around, so as to mostly mimic the form of the GOAC/CI models.

    Alright, I started out with a tiny cheat:
    cIejkipl.jpg

    I grabbed a spare empty pill bottle, and used blue tack to mount the RGH to the lid. This is what I tend to use for a painting handle. Totally optional, but it helps with hand strain and control. And cost me literally nothing (except all the money for those drugs my last cats needed for several years. Yeeeeesh.).

    I started by squeezing out about a half-well's worth of primer, and then loaded up my brush. Remember, get that paint on, but not up to the metal ferrule! And rinse it clean after every few minutes of working.
    XrZrZRel.jpg

    SOMETHING TO NOTE: Because I'm not using a wet palette, and this is primer, it does start to dry as you're working with it. It'll dry on the model as you move from section to section, and it'll dry on your working surface (my plastic palette) as you go. Doing it here like I did today will cost you a tiny bit in crusty, leftover primer on the palette. I count that as a minor drawback at worst.

    Starting from the left arm, I worked my way up the arm, down the body, down the legs, up the body, across the body, ending on the right arm. Most of the model was already dry by the time I'd put the last stroke on the final arm, so I then took a little time to look to make sure I didn't miss any spots. The coverage doesn't need to be 100% even! You just need to have covered every surface, and in fact you don't want to go too heavy on the primer; Vallejo Surface Primer looooves to pool into cracks and corners, and you'll probably need to brush out some of that excess as you go. A little is fine, but a big drop on the (say) inside of an elbow will cover any and all detail with a blob of dried primer.

    After my 45 minutes of work, here's where I'm at:
    468sn70l.jpgJPeF5bMl.jpg

    I finished up by washing my brush with warm water and soap (I just use blue Dawn, I'm a heathen and bad painter) and making sure it was free of dried-on paint. Don't forget to clean up! It's easy to ruin a perfectly good brush if you don't clean it.

    Primer Coat: Completed.

    A final note for today: THIS is where you're going to start to see the defects in the models, a la mold lines and the like. Un-addressed mold lines will start to absolutely POP at you after you've primered a figure, and any strange details on the model will also make themselves evident. For instance, I discovered that there's a strange layer-defect right at about the height of the shoulder lasers and cockpit; I couldn't see it before primering, but it's fucking clear as day afterward! I'm not going to do anything about it, but for things like excess plastic and mold lines you can take this as an opportunity to trim them with your knife and the re-primer those areas.

    Another note: I probably could have sped this whole stage up by just using a larger brush. You can too, if you choose! I decided to stick with what I originally wrote (e.g. doing it all with one brush), but these are exactly the times when you need to decide on cost of materials vs. speed of work. And the brush I'm using is reasonably fine-bodied, so even something that had a wider brush head would probably be a better choice for primer and basecoating work. I'm going to do this whole model with my Isabey #2, because it's a compromise between a bigger brush and smaller one with a finer detail tip.

    Nips on
    JXUBxMxP0QndjQUEnTwTxOkfKmx8kWNvuc-FUtbSz_23_DAhGKe7W9spFKLXAtkpTBqM8Dt6kQrv-rS69Hi3FheL3fays2xTeVUvWR7g5UyLHnFA0frGk1BC12GYdOSRn9lbaJB-uH0htiLPJMrc9cSRsIgk5Dx7jg9K8rJVfG43lkeAWxTgcolNscW9KO2UZjKT8GMbYAFgFvu2TaMoLH8LBA5p2pm6VNYRsQK3QGjCsze1TOv2yIbCazmDwCHmjiQxNDf6LHP35msyiXo3CxuWs9Y8DQvJjvj10kWaspRNlWHKjS5w9Y0KLuIkhQKOxgaDziG290v4zBmTi-i7OfDz-foqIqKzC9wTbn9i_uU87GRitmrNAJdzRRsaTW5VQu_XX_5gCN8XCoNyu5RWWVGTsjJuyezz1_NpFa903Uj2TnFqnL1wJ-RZiFAAd2Bdut-G1pdQtdQihsq2dx_BjtmtGC3KZRyylO1t2c12dhfb0rStq4v8pg46ciOcdtT_1qm85IgUmGd7AmgLxCFPb0xnxWZvr26G-oXSqrQdjKA1zNIInSowiHcbUO2O8S5LRJVR6vQiEg0fbGXw4vqJYEn917tnzHMh8r0xom8BLKMvoFDelk6wbEeNq8w8Eyu2ouGjEMIvvJcb2az2AKQ1uE_7gdatfKG2QdvfdSBRSc35MQ=w498-h80-no
  • HydroSqueegeeHydroSqueegee ULTRACAT!!!™®© Registered User regular
    45 minutes to coat a mini is why I swapped to the color primer rattle cans. The extra cost does suck, and the colors more limited, but it sucks less than spending an extra 3 hours per Lance painting.

    That being said, I may need to look into that brush on primer now that the bad weather days are here again and I can't spray outside.

    kx3klFE.png
  • NipsNips He/Him Luxuriating in existential crisis.Registered User regular
    45 minutes to coat a mini is why I swapped to the color primer rattle cans. The extra cost does suck, and the colors more limited, but it sucks less than spending an extra 3 hours per Lance painting.

    That being said, I may need to look into that brush on primer now that the bad weather days are here again and I can't spray outside.

    In truth, when I prime, I prime with an airbrush in batches. Brush-priming is just the lowest-investment option for a new painter. Sometimes you gotta revisit your roots.

    I have a demi-Company and two Stars of figs in my airbrush booth right now, having finished their primer and basecoats with my airbrush like two weeks ago now. Did them all in one big batch (they were all white primer + grey basecoats).

    JXUBxMxP0QndjQUEnTwTxOkfKmx8kWNvuc-FUtbSz_23_DAhGKe7W9spFKLXAtkpTBqM8Dt6kQrv-rS69Hi3FheL3fays2xTeVUvWR7g5UyLHnFA0frGk1BC12GYdOSRn9lbaJB-uH0htiLPJMrc9cSRsIgk5Dx7jg9K8rJVfG43lkeAWxTgcolNscW9KO2UZjKT8GMbYAFgFvu2TaMoLH8LBA5p2pm6VNYRsQK3QGjCsze1TOv2yIbCazmDwCHmjiQxNDf6LHP35msyiXo3CxuWs9Y8DQvJjvj10kWaspRNlWHKjS5w9Y0KLuIkhQKOxgaDziG290v4zBmTi-i7OfDz-foqIqKzC9wTbn9i_uU87GRitmrNAJdzRRsaTW5VQu_XX_5gCN8XCoNyu5RWWVGTsjJuyezz1_NpFa903Uj2TnFqnL1wJ-RZiFAAd2Bdut-G1pdQtdQihsq2dx_BjtmtGC3KZRyylO1t2c12dhfb0rStq4v8pg46ciOcdtT_1qm85IgUmGd7AmgLxCFPb0xnxWZvr26G-oXSqrQdjKA1zNIInSowiHcbUO2O8S5LRJVR6vQiEg0fbGXw4vqJYEn917tnzHMh8r0xom8BLKMvoFDelk6wbEeNq8w8Eyu2ouGjEMIvvJcb2az2AKQ1uE_7gdatfKG2QdvfdSBRSc35MQ=w498-h80-no
  • AxenAxen My avatar is Excalibur. Yes, the sword.Registered User regular
    I use the rattle can method of priming as well.

    Now I know a lot of people say when the winter comes you can't anymore.

    But I gotta say I live in a place where, right this moment, there is a half foot of snow on the ground and it is 28 degrees (fahrenheit). I can say from experience that you can still prime outside with a rattle can. I've done it, literally just did earlier today in fact and will continue to do so all winter long even when it gets below zero (which it will).

    Now the caveat is that you can't do this if you cannot bring the minis inside to dry. Otherwise knock yourself out.

    A Capellan's favorite sheath for any blade is your back.
  • SiliconStewSiliconStew Registered User regular
    When painting, an important thing to ask yourself is "does it look ok at arms length?". When you are painting small stuff like this right in front of your nose, it's easy to get obsessed over tiny details or an errant brush stroke. But those things generally can't and won't be noticed when those minis are sitting on the table for a game.

    It's why the previously mentioned Nuln Oil or other washes are great to use even for a beginner. It does the heavy lifting on emphasizing panel lines and details without needing you to be particularly careful with application or skilled with a brush.

    Just remember that half the people you meet are below average intelligence.
  • HydroSqueegeeHydroSqueegee ULTRACAT!!!™®© Registered User regular
    That's what we call "good 2 foot work" in the model train world. Looks great from the rope edge 2 feet away from the model at the train show. Up close... Not so much.

    kx3klFE.png
  • HydroSqueegeeHydroSqueegee ULTRACAT!!!™®© Registered User regular
    Axen wrote: »
    I use the rattle can method of priming as well.

    Now I know a lot of people say when the winter comes you can't anymore.

    But I gotta say I live in a place where, right this moment, there is a half foot of snow on the ground and it is 28 degrees (fahrenheit). I can say from experience that you can still prime outside with a rattle can. I've done it, literally just did earlier today in fact and will continue to do so all winter long even when it gets below zero (which it will).

    Now the caveat is that you can't do this if you cannot bring the minis inside to dry. Otherwise knock yourself out.

    Does this not make orange peeling a problem with the primer layer?

    kx3klFE.png
  • NipsNips He/Him Luxuriating in existential crisis.Registered User regular
    edited October 2020
    Axen wrote: »
    I use the rattle can method of priming as well.

    Now I know a lot of people say when the winter comes you can't anymore.

    But I gotta say I live in a place where, right this moment, there is a half foot of snow on the ground and it is 28 degrees (fahrenheit). I can say from experience that you can still prime outside with a rattle can. I've done it, literally just did earlier today in fact and will continue to do so all winter long even when it gets below zero (which it will).

    Now the caveat is that you can't do this if you cannot bring the minis inside to dry. Otherwise knock yourself out.

    Does this not make orange peeling a problem with the primer layer?

    Orange peeling, or the general fuzzing-up of the primer, is more to do with humidity than temperature. You can make a can work in cold temperatures if you've brought it inside to have it at room temperature, then go outside on a cold-but-dry day and quickly get your sprays on. Then, like Axen said, bring the models in to dry properly.

    Mileage varies, however.

    Nips on
    JXUBxMxP0QndjQUEnTwTxOkfKmx8kWNvuc-FUtbSz_23_DAhGKe7W9spFKLXAtkpTBqM8Dt6kQrv-rS69Hi3FheL3fays2xTeVUvWR7g5UyLHnFA0frGk1BC12GYdOSRn9lbaJB-uH0htiLPJMrc9cSRsIgk5Dx7jg9K8rJVfG43lkeAWxTgcolNscW9KO2UZjKT8GMbYAFgFvu2TaMoLH8LBA5p2pm6VNYRsQK3QGjCsze1TOv2yIbCazmDwCHmjiQxNDf6LHP35msyiXo3CxuWs9Y8DQvJjvj10kWaspRNlWHKjS5w9Y0KLuIkhQKOxgaDziG290v4zBmTi-i7OfDz-foqIqKzC9wTbn9i_uU87GRitmrNAJdzRRsaTW5VQu_XX_5gCN8XCoNyu5RWWVGTsjJuyezz1_NpFa903Uj2TnFqnL1wJ-RZiFAAd2Bdut-G1pdQtdQihsq2dx_BjtmtGC3KZRyylO1t2c12dhfb0rStq4v8pg46ciOcdtT_1qm85IgUmGd7AmgLxCFPb0xnxWZvr26G-oXSqrQdjKA1zNIInSowiHcbUO2O8S5LRJVR6vQiEg0fbGXw4vqJYEn917tnzHMh8r0xom8BLKMvoFDelk6wbEeNq8w8Eyu2ouGjEMIvvJcb2az2AKQ1uE_7gdatfKG2QdvfdSBRSc35MQ=w498-h80-no
  • BetsuniBetsuni UM-R60L Talisker IVRegistered User regular
    Nips wrote: »
    Alright, let's watch me eat some crow!

    Paint How I Say You Can: Session 1
    Total Time: About 45 minutes.

    The materials, as I proscribed:
    9fC2RPul.jpg

    A Roughneck model, a bottle of white Vallejo Surface Primer, my Isabey #2 brush, two bottles of acrylic paint, my plastic paint palette, a beaker of water, and some paper towels.
    I've mounted the RGH on a wood hex base I had laying around, so as to mostly mimic the form of the GOAC/CI models.

    Alright, I started out with a tiny cheat:
    cIejkipl.jpg

    I grabbed a spare empty pill bottle, and used blue tack to mount the RGH to the lid. This is what I tend to use for a painting handle. Totally optional, but it helps with hand strain and control. And cost me literally nothing (except all the money for those drugs my last cats needed for several years. Yeeeeesh.).

    I started by squeezing out about a half-well's worth of primer, and then loaded up my brush. Remember, get that paint on, but not up to the metal ferrule! And rinse it clean after every few minutes of working.
    XrZrZRel.jpg

    SOMETHING TO NOTE: Because I'm not using a wet palette, and this is primer, it does start to dry as you're working with it. It'll dry on the model as you move from section to section, and it'll dry on your working surface (my plastic palette) as you go. Doing it here like I did today will cost you a tiny bit in crusty, leftover primer on the palette. I count that as a minor drawback at worst.

    Starting from the left arm, I worked my way up the arm, down the body, down the legs, up the body, across the body, ending on the right arm. Most of the model was already dry by the time I'd put the last stroke on the final arm, so I then took a little time to look to make sure I didn't miss any spots. The coverage doesn't need to be 100% even! You just need to have covered every surface, and in fact you don't want to go too heavy on the primer; Vallejo Surface Primer looooves to pool into cracks and corners, and you'll probably need to brush out some of that excess as you go. A little is fine, but a big drop on the (say) inside of an elbow will cover any and all detail with a blob of dried primer.

    After my 45 minutes of work, here's where I'm at:
    468sn70l.jpgJPeF5bMl.jpg

    I finished up by washing my brush with warm water and soap (I just use blue Dawn, I'm a heathen and bad painter) and making sure it was free of dried-on paint. Don't forget to clean up! It's easy to ruin a perfectly good brush if you don't clean it.

    Primer Coat: Completed.

    A final note for today: THIS is where you're going to start to see the defects in the models, a la mold lines and the like. Un-addressed mold lines will start to absolutely POP at you after you've primered a figure, and any strange details on the model will also make themselves evident. For instance, I discovered that there's a strange layer-defect right at about the height of the shoulder lasers and cockpit; I couldn't see it before primering, but it's fucking clear as day afterward! I'm not going to do anything about it, but for things like excess plastic and mold lines you can take this as an opportunity to trim them with your knife and the re-primer those areas.

    Another note: I probably could have sped this whole stage up by just using a larger brush. You can too, if you choose! I decided to stick with what I originally wrote (e.g. doing it all with one brush), but these are exactly the times when you need to decide on cost of materials vs. speed of work. And the brush I'm using is reasonably fine-bodied, so even something that had a wider brush head would probably be a better choice for primer and basecoating work. I'm going to do this whole model with my Isabey #2, because it's a compromise between a bigger brush and smaller one with a finer detail tip.

    So, does this also work for metal minis? The 45 minutes priming part?

    oosik_betsuni.png
    Steam: betsuni7
  • AxenAxen My avatar is Excalibur. Yes, the sword.Registered User regular
    Nips wrote: »
    Axen wrote: »
    I use the rattle can method of priming as well.

    Now I know a lot of people say when the winter comes you can't anymore.

    But I gotta say I live in a place where, right this moment, there is a half foot of snow on the ground and it is 28 degrees (fahrenheit). I can say from experience that you can still prime outside with a rattle can. I've done it, literally just did earlier today in fact and will continue to do so all winter long even when it gets below zero (which it will).

    Now the caveat is that you can't do this if you cannot bring the minis inside to dry. Otherwise knock yourself out.

    Does this not make orange peeling a problem with the primer layer?

    Orange peeling, or the general fuzzing-up of the primer, is more to do with humidity than temperature. You can make a can work in cold temperatures if you've brought it inside to have it at room temperature, then go outside on a cold-but-dry day and quickly get your sprays on. Then, like Axen said, bring the models in to dry properly.

    Mileage varies, however.

    Yeah, humidity is the real culprit.

    The only reason I brought it up, besides HydroSqueegee's post reminding me, is that I often see people say you can't specifically because it is cold. But that's not really the case at all. As long as it is dry out you are fine, just like any other time of the year. And if you live in a part of the world that gets a lot of snow then I can tell ya if it isn't currently snowing then it is probably dry as fuck outside.

    Personally I keep all my rattle cans inside with my other paints (my workshop is in my basement) so they and the minis are always nice and warm.

    A Capellan's favorite sheath for any blade is your back.
  • HydroSqueegeeHydroSqueegee ULTRACAT!!!™®© Registered User regular
    It's rainy season here. I might have 1 day a week to try and spray till Christmas if I'm lucky.

    kx3klFE.png
  • NipsNips He/Him Luxuriating in existential crisis.Registered User regular
    edited October 2020
    Betsuni wrote: »
    Nips wrote: »
    Alright, let's watch me eat some crow!

    Paint How I Say You Can: Session 1
    Total Time: About 45 minutes.

    The materials, as I proscribed:
    9fC2RPul.jpg

    A Roughneck model, a bottle of white Vallejo Surface Primer, my Isabey #2 brush, two bottles of acrylic paint, my plastic paint palette, a beaker of water, and some paper towels.
    I've mounted the RGH on a wood hex base I had laying around, so as to mostly mimic the form of the GOAC/CI models.

    Alright, I started out with a tiny cheat:
    cIejkipl.jpg

    I grabbed a spare empty pill bottle, and used blue tack to mount the RGH to the lid. This is what I tend to use for a painting handle. Totally optional, but it helps with hand strain and control. And cost me literally nothing (except all the money for those drugs my last cats needed for several years. Yeeeeesh.).

    I started by squeezing out about a half-well's worth of primer, and then loaded up my brush. Remember, get that paint on, but not up to the metal ferrule! And rinse it clean after every few minutes of working.
    XrZrZRel.jpg

    SOMETHING TO NOTE: Because I'm not using a wet palette, and this is primer, it does start to dry as you're working with it. It'll dry on the model as you move from section to section, and it'll dry on your working surface (my plastic palette) as you go. Doing it here like I did today will cost you a tiny bit in crusty, leftover primer on the palette. I count that as a minor drawback at worst.

    Starting from the left arm, I worked my way up the arm, down the body, down the legs, up the body, across the body, ending on the right arm. Most of the model was already dry by the time I'd put the last stroke on the final arm, so I then took a little time to look to make sure I didn't miss any spots. The coverage doesn't need to be 100% even! You just need to have covered every surface, and in fact you don't want to go too heavy on the primer; Vallejo Surface Primer looooves to pool into cracks and corners, and you'll probably need to brush out some of that excess as you go. A little is fine, but a big drop on the (say) inside of an elbow will cover any and all detail with a blob of dried primer.

    After my 45 minutes of work, here's where I'm at:
    468sn70l.jpgJPeF5bMl.jpg

    I finished up by washing my brush with warm water and soap (I just use blue Dawn, I'm a heathen and bad painter) and making sure it was free of dried-on paint. Don't forget to clean up! It's easy to ruin a perfectly good brush if you don't clean it.

    Primer Coat: Completed.

    A final note for today: THIS is where you're going to start to see the defects in the models, a la mold lines and the like. Un-addressed mold lines will start to absolutely POP at you after you've primered a figure, and any strange details on the model will also make themselves evident. For instance, I discovered that there's a strange layer-defect right at about the height of the shoulder lasers and cockpit; I couldn't see it before primering, but it's fucking clear as day afterward! I'm not going to do anything about it, but for things like excess plastic and mold lines you can take this as an opportunity to trim them with your knife and the re-primer those areas.

    Another note: I probably could have sped this whole stage up by just using a larger brush. You can too, if you choose! I decided to stick with what I originally wrote (e.g. doing it all with one brush), but these are exactly the times when you need to decide on cost of materials vs. speed of work. And the brush I'm using is reasonably fine-bodied, so even something that had a wider brush head would probably be a better choice for primer and basecoating work. I'm going to do this whole model with my Isabey #2, because it's a compromise between a bigger brush and smaller one with a finer detail tip.

    So, does this also work for metal minis? The 45 minutes priming part?

    Absolutely! The process in my post would be exactly the same for a metal fig. You may want to do a light second coat on a metal fig, however, to ensure you have 100% coverage. You don't have to go crazy though.

    Nips on
    JXUBxMxP0QndjQUEnTwTxOkfKmx8kWNvuc-FUtbSz_23_DAhGKe7W9spFKLXAtkpTBqM8Dt6kQrv-rS69Hi3FheL3fays2xTeVUvWR7g5UyLHnFA0frGk1BC12GYdOSRn9lbaJB-uH0htiLPJMrc9cSRsIgk5Dx7jg9K8rJVfG43lkeAWxTgcolNscW9KO2UZjKT8GMbYAFgFvu2TaMoLH8LBA5p2pm6VNYRsQK3QGjCsze1TOv2yIbCazmDwCHmjiQxNDf6LHP35msyiXo3CxuWs9Y8DQvJjvj10kWaspRNlWHKjS5w9Y0KLuIkhQKOxgaDziG290v4zBmTi-i7OfDz-foqIqKzC9wTbn9i_uU87GRitmrNAJdzRRsaTW5VQu_XX_5gCN8XCoNyu5RWWVGTsjJuyezz1_NpFa903Uj2TnFqnL1wJ-RZiFAAd2Bdut-G1pdQtdQihsq2dx_BjtmtGC3KZRyylO1t2c12dhfb0rStq4v8pg46ciOcdtT_1qm85IgUmGd7AmgLxCFPb0xnxWZvr26G-oXSqrQdjKA1zNIInSowiHcbUO2O8S5LRJVR6vQiEg0fbGXw4vqJYEn917tnzHMh8r0xom8BLKMvoFDelk6wbEeNq8w8Eyu2ouGjEMIvvJcb2az2AKQ1uE_7gdatfKG2QdvfdSBRSc35MQ=w498-h80-no
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