The search - Vallejo equivalents for the Coat d'arms paints

I'm working on the Coat d'arms WWII German colours again and how they might translate to or from the excellent Vallejo colours which seem to be a standard for painting tutorials. Mostly because the Vallejo range are really nice paints.

I do have the Coat d'arms German paint set and they paint nicely so I wanted to work out the best uses for them. I've had a bit of a scour through Mick Farnworths book "Modelling and Painting World War II German Military Figures" and he has suggestions for what Vallejo paint to use where as well as a handy swatch chart. I've used this and a bit of eyeballing as well as the suggestions in the Coat d'arms download on the Black Hat website.

Here are my suggestions.

102 Black              - Black 70.950

227 Field Grey       - German Field Grey 70.830

503 Military Green - Luftwaffe Camo. Green 70.823

505 Green Grey     - German Dark Grey 70.995

515 Black Green    - German Extra Dark Green 70.896

516 Iron Grey        - German Dark Grey 70.995

518 Field Blue        - Luftwaffe Uniform 70.816

521 Army Green     - German Dark Green 70.979

525 Uniform Grey   - Light Grey 70.990

533 Slate Grey       - London Grey 70.836

I have another couple of posts further back in the blog with some suggestions for what they could be used for but i'd never got around to doing this bit till now.

Paint lids failing.

I have some elderly Coat d'arms paint pots which I've started using again. Unfortunately a combination of age and the crusty paint under the lid is causing the lids to split as I open them. Luckily I'd purchased some dropper bottles for mixing paints for the airbrush and I'm pressing them into service. I had been looking for a tiny funnel before I had a lightbulb moment. A sauce bottle lid works perfectly.

I’ve started transferring the paint and happily the old label peeled off and has been taped to the new bottle.

20mm plastic figures and PVA.

One of the potential problems of using the really fine 1/72 polyethylene figures is that of paint flaking off in use because of their flexibility.  Historically probably more of a problem with enamel paints which aren't as flexible as the more modern acrylics. This may be a worse problem if they're based, or not, in a way that encourages touching the figures with your fingers.

I do prime any figures that I paint usually with black although I've experimented with other colours, brown and gray for example. I have read quite a few articles, there's one here on the Baueda site, where people swear by using watered down PVA as a base layer before painting. So I thought It would be an interesting experiment to give it a go on a unit of Revell Winter Germans I was painting up to be based for Crossfire.

 

I'm trying a couple of different things here. Holding the figures as you paint is a bit of an issue with figures this small and in the past i have used a small stick with 6 figures PVA'd to it. This is a problem if you're trying to get at the side of a figure so my solution stolen from the world of airbrushing is to use small nails with the figures glued to them. A bit of board with drill holes provides a place to dry.

My biggest concern was losing detail but the PVA seems to shrink a bit and was also watered down lightly. Simply applied with an old craft brush. An interesting side effect on the brush was it stripped any old paint sticking to the bristles.

I'll let them dry overnight and will see what they look like in the morning.

Games Workshop 40k Penitent Engine

Inquisition icon ( the winged I) is a transfer, all the scrollwork is hand painted, from two feet away on a gaming looks very effective

The weak foot joint is pinned though base to leg, all the weight of the model goes onto these two points.

Deceptively large because of the outstretched arms, Catachan in urban camo for size. 

I tried to get some movement in the model as though it was swinging around towards something.

I painted this Games Workshop Penitent Engine for a friend and took these photos way back in 2008. It's a full metal model and a pain to get to sit together. The weight just dragged the glued joints apart and it required a fair bit of drilling and pinning to sit together.

Warmodelling 1/72 WW2 Late German Infantry

I picked these up from Wargame Miniatures in Melbourne (through the post). Delivery time was excellent and well packaged in a post box. The main idea was to get some more figures wearing the zeltbahn (a type of poncho made from a tent quarter) to match in with the AB Section in Zeltbahn figures I bought from Eureka Miniatures a few weeks ago. The soldier on the box front has one.

While i was getting them i spotted the Pak 40 kit which has four crew three of which are in the zeltbahn so that got added in to the parcel.

There are 20 figures in the box along with a tripod mounted MG42. Six figures in the poncho, an MG42 team firing over the shoulder of the loader and a crew walking with ammo cans and slung MG. A mix of smocks, Zelt's and normal tunic and short and long boots which is right for the time period.

It looks like there is some legal action pending with the original sculptor trying to stop a UK company reproducing the figures. The boxes i received are marked made in spain so im guessing they're older stock. Hopefully Xan will continue with his own sculpting and add some to this range when its resolved.

The animation is good on the figures but they seem a bit indistinct in their casting compared to AB's. Four of the gun barrels (three of the MP40 and one rifle) are severely bent and after a bit of a test i feel the material isn't going to straighten without snappping. 

Unfortunately the Pak 40 is missing the muzzle break. I'll chase that up and see if i can get the bit.

Valiant 1/72 WW2 25mm GI's

American infantry from the VM003 American GIs 1942/44 set by Valiant Miniatures. These came off the cover of Wargames Illustrated way back in 2009. I've waffled on about their size and it seems Armourfast are retooling them. There's a post on TMP with more details.

This is where i'm at with the figures, basic colours blocked in and a wash to blend it together. Highights to follow and I'll need unit flashes/insignia.

20mm WW2 figures including the Blitz Battle for the Hedgerows range

I've recently received a platoon of 20mm WWII figures from Simon over at Wargameroz's 20mm Ramblings. Most are from the Blitz "Battle for the Hedgerows" set in bags with their codes along with an SS mortar team (BBG9). I'm trying to work out the others (last three images) which are from a different company/ies? I haven't seen the Blitz figures in person until now and i'm impressed. They are quite quirky in their mix with a quality of sculpture that is up there with the AB or Warmodelling sculpts.

Officer and NCO Pack.

2 Officers and 2 NCO's wearing assorted uniforms.

4 Figure Rifle Pack.

All armed with K98s. Wearing smocks and mix of headgear.

4 Figure Rifle Pack. 
Armed with K98s , GEW41s and GEW43s and a mix of uniforms and headgear.

BBFH 8 MG42 firing off shoulder of No.2.
NCO armed with MP40. Mix of headgear and uniforms.

BBFH7 MG34 firing off shoulder of No.2 NCO armed with capture Thompson SMG. Mix of headgear all wearing smocks.

BBG9 Waffen SS figures in a mix of smock and M43 jacket.8cm GRW 34 Mortar & loader. Crewman crouching sighting. NCO with telephone.

BBFH9 Panzershrek Team moving. NCO with MP40. Mix of headgear all wearing smocks.

from left BBG5 MG34 crewman advancing,unreleased "Prussia 1945" mp40 late war smock and pants,? carrying two ammo cans,Kellys Heroes Radio Operator, ?

?

?, middle and far right are unreleased "Prussia 1945" figures in the late war reversible smock and pants

The basing begins. I've used 3/4 washers stuck down with Stik It Medium CA.

Miniature Scenery 28mm MDF Imperial Ruins

I've just pulled these out of a box while i was looking for something else and realised i'd never shared them here. They are the 28mm Imperial Ruins Corner and Straights from Miniature Scenery.

Done quite a while ago i've detailed the walkways with card tiles and some sand in the crevices, undercoated black then worked up the greys. I was looking for a very generic look and there are no modern touches apart from the loopholes in the corner section.

The ends are cleverly designed to push together (but not lock) to give a more solid wall effect or they could be scattered around as each piece can stand alone. The straights have two levels and the corner has four with the landing at the rear. There are two more kits which i don't have which are the gateway and a breached wall section.

28mm GW Ork and Imperial Guardsman for scale

These are the original router cut versions as they were a fairly old kit. It's possible Miniature Scenery have converted newer kits over to laser cut as they modernise the range. From memory the only fiddly bits were the buttresses and all went together well with PVA to stop it moving. Highly recommended they make a solid model for the tabletop.

US Paras land

I was recently very generously given some 28mm Warlord Miniatures WWII figures by Swampy. The US Paras from the new "Band of Brothers" Starter Set along with an assembled set of the regular US infantry.

I've been beavering away getting them together. First impressions are they are beautifully made, great expressions on the faces, go together well but lack the extra bits of kit that would really give those extra options for kit bashing. There are a lot of Thompson SMG's in the kit.

I quite like firing figures and the kit is a bit short on Garands in that position so i cut out the carbine and added the M1 from the shouldered pose.

There is a base sprue in the kit but no larger bases so i've used an older flat GW 60mm base for the MG and crew and i'll probably build a second rather than trying to do more prone figures.

I've added a bazooka, bazooka rocket bag, grease gun, grenade hand and a Springfield scoped rifle from the remainders of the US kit (I'm not sure about the rifles issue but it will just count as a Garand if it's not needed).

The set of Warlord WWII American Infantry with lots of Springfield rifles. 

Some airbrush painting technology...

Vallejo paints and mig's "Painting Wargame Tanks"

I've ended up with a bit of late war British Armour here at Catweasel headquarters mostly 15mm but at least a couple of 20mm vehicles. Getting the colour right has kept me looking past my usual paints towards Vallejo especially when the Vallejo Russian Uniform colour keeps getting recommended. Then i realised Vallejo do coloured Primers. I'd also seen Heresy Brushs excellent book and example using a British Sherman which is here although he uses the Mig Jiminez paints.

Having farted around looking at different places to buy (as i don't have a hobby shop within a days drive) Vallejo and then stumbling across Wargame Miniatures which are at least in my home state I had a place to buy what i wanted. They had the Primer Vallejo's 73.607 U.K. Bronze Green which is a 60ml, Painting Wargame Tanks by Ruben Torregrosa and the Vallejo UK Bronze Green Painting System 78.407 which has 6 8ml pots included. I added some Vallejo cleaner and thinner and hit go. I would likely have got some extra PSC 15mm M4A4's but he had none in stock. Two days later it was on my doorstep. 

15mm Microtactix Normandy building project

These buildings are the continuing construction for some WWII 15mm war game props. None have their awnings or chimneys added yet. The two front right are the free tester model both printed in black and white. One has been coloured in with pencils. The barn building at back left is another freebie which you can find hidden in the Microtactix site. I've been printing these on plain paper then gluing them to cereal cardboard but it seems to be just that bit too stiff so I'll try printing onto cardboard when I remember to pick some up from the paper shop. 

Here you can see the underside. It's not possible to glue a base into them so I'm testing folding the bottom flaps inside as you can see on the right. I'll then make a base with a male plug to fit in the socket of the house.

I found a piece of buff? cardboard which I had in the hobby stash. It printed nicely and folds a lot easier so it looks like ill be switching to this method. I have noticed there are no bases in this set. 

Pictures from Axol's build of a Bad Moon Gork

Local (to me) gamer Axol has been posting pictures of his Games Workshop Gorkanaut. He's trying to hit 30 minutes of painting a day which is a good discipline trick to keep moving on a project like this. He's using a Bad Moon paint scheme with yellow, yellow, yellow. It will be interesting to see it as he moves to the other colours and how this changes the "yellowness"

Have a look at his gallery over at Imgur. 

Microtactix Battlelands Set A progress

One of the smaller Normandy buildings showing how I get the join to set. I'm using an glue stick for adhesive but I do run tape over the inside of the joint. PVA glue may be an option that I'll explore where I need a stronger bond than the glue stick.

15mm Microtactix paper buildings

I've been working on these Normandy buildings in between World of Tanks battles. Bought the two sets of plans ages ago from RPGNow mostly for 20 mm but I've decided to give them a run in 15 mm which is what they were designed for. They are BattleLands 15mm Normandy: 1944 Set A-Buildings and  Set B-Ruins and Scenics.

Laser printed onto standard paper i'm reinforcing with cereal packet cardboard. the two ruins in the photo above are tests as i want to make them sturdy enough but still fine enough to look right to my eye.  

FOW 15 mm American paratroopers for scale. The building on the left is the trial downloadable here and the one on the right is from Set A-Buildings. Neither have chimneys yet and i will leave the awnings off the cafe? until i'm closer to completion. The structures are designed to go on a square street base but i'm thinking of sealing the bottom with some weight inside to make them more versatile.

White Dwarf 388 - The Big Paint Issue

Well love 'em or ignore them when GW takes a turn in direction there's likely to be a fair bit of interest generated in hobby stores around the world. The cover of this months White Dwarf magazine has a big Empire splash but really its all about the paints.

The Empire gets 31 pages as they get a new Warhammer army book and a slew of new models in Finecast resin and plastic.

Warhammer also gets the final part of the Civil War Expansion with Empire, Dwarves and Skaven.

The new Empire Warrior Priest in this shot looks awfully familiar.

The latest incarnation of the Citadel paint line which has blown out to 140+ paints including the technical paints gets 28 pages with lots of how to pictures. There is also a big tasty 40K Space Wolves how to put together and paint article which runs to about 8 pages.

Interestingly they also announce the release of ten transfer / decal sheets for very specific Space Marine forces in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Forgeworld has similar products but GW has not done something like this yet for general release. Warhammer 40K has another insert in the shape of a 10 page Battle Missions expansion.

LOTR gets a passing mention with the second article on four blokes buying, painting and gaming the system.

Warhammer 40000 Space Wolf painting guide in White Dwarf 388.

And the usual extra ads and shop / club locators.

But really it's all about the paints.

Some random Games Workshop paint jobs...

I've had the pleasure of having a fellow disciple join me in my workplace. I'm bad for his wallet as he gets all sorts of crazy ideas from me. Here's some of his painting and interesting conversions.

World Eaters Chaos Space Marine Terminators. All with lightning claws. All have the WE symbol handpainted on their right shoulder pad.

Looted Wagon with gretchin on the main gun. Steering? Aiming?

Dark Eldar Grotesques. Some lateral thinking here to avoid the one model pose GW has released.