"Painting 10mm - 12mm Troops - Any Tips?" Topic

So, I need to base up and paint some 10mm – 12mm WWII and Cold War era troops.

Any tips on how to make them look good, and how to do that quickly, and effectively?

I'm thinking spray prime, and a spray painted base color, if I can find some suitable, rattle-can spray paints to do that with, to speed things along. If not, paintbrush it is.

Seeking tips primarily for adding details like flesh colors, weapons detailing, washes, and highlights, since these guys are surprisingly quite small compared to their 15mm cousins.

Looking to paint up some Minifigs and Pendraken figures, if that helps, as far as techniques go.

Oh, and while I'm on the subject, anyone know what weapon is in the Minifigs, Cold War Soviet, Heavy Weapons pack?

Looks like a guy lying prone, with a Milan-like missile launcher.

Isn't a Sagger, since those came in separate little suitcases.

Keep details to a minimum or you'll go nuts (and possibly blind).

Believe it is the AT-4 Spigot or AT-5 Spandrel Mako.

Mako,

Now you're speaking my language. You can look at my blog (blackhawkhet.blogspot.com) for looks at all kinds of modern 10mm forces (I count Minifigs as 10mm).

I clean them up with a file and Xacto, white glue them to popsicle sticks, then spray prime them, using their base uniform color if possible. Then I do gear (all one color), weapons (black/gunmetal then brown), then skin. Then, if you need to do camo, have at it, but do it representatively, not 'real' (they're too small; you can see single color and camo troops on my blog).

I use small brushes for the details, though sometimes I'll use toothpicks. There's no highlighting man, you're just using a toothpick to blot flesh on the hands and face.

Regarding the Minfigs Soviet heavy weapons, I believe it's an AT-5 Spandrel. Again, plenty of pics on my blog (I used them for modern Soviets and modern enemy SOF). My big problem with that pack is they don't have MGs or AGSs… I added MGs from Pendraken's Falklands Brits.

Here's some pics:

and

V/R,
Jack

One other suggestion: paint them a bit lighter and brighter than their paint-chip matches indicate, there's a scale effect in play.

Ditto what Just Jake and Lion said. I mount them on popsicle sticks, prime the base color and finish the details. Don't use black primer, you won't be able to see details. All colors should be a little lighter than usual. My 1980s US troops are in BDUs and it took 4 test figures before I found the colors I liked. When finished, give them a good coating of gloss varnish or a 1:4 mix of Future Floor Wax and water. The next day, hit them with a was of the same Future/water with 2-3 drops of black ink per tablespoon. You can paint a couple hundred figures in 1 day.

I used to say that if you could not paint one pack of ACW up in an evening that you were watching too much TV! OK, Mako, all your posts on Moderns now has me pulling them out from the boxes I have here. I have a few painted here (most are back home) and if I can get some time, will shoot some pictures to add to the eye candy Dept. Been doing a LOT of scenery buildings while here. Might shoot some pics of those. I consider myself lucky as there is a old toy store across the street that only sells used things very cheaply. I just picked up two N Scale Klei We buildings (one assembled and one still mint in the box). Just had to look up the German Maker Klei We. Out of buisness for years and unbuilt kits worth a fortune! (Guess I keep one for the value) Anyway, my collection of Kibri, Faller, Pola, etc has overtaken my appartment!

Have not forgotten your want list, but need to get up and running again before I can even entertain paying for new designs, I want to find my old designer. Was going to add to the AIM range (SYW) but might have to put that on hold for a bit longer. A good hobby businessman must cater to his customers and put his own pet projects on hold if he wants to be successful!

I need to find an unopened pack of modern Russian Inf and Support.One of them did have some LMG and HMG in them. I know I had addeed MG34's to the WWII German inf pack mix as they were intregal to the squad level. Will let you know as the molds are still good for the inf last time I saw them.

v/r
Tom

Tom, you keep posting about that model railroad shop and I will have to talk the wife into letting me come visit!

The Minifigs Modern Soviet infantry pack has an LMG, but neither pack has an HMG. We can also use an AGL for the range. You may want to consider making the HMG/AGL and/or the 120 mm mortars separate packs. Once you are back in production, I will have to build another motor rifle regiment.

Sounds great, Tom!

The Modern Russian support pack doesn't have any machine guns, or automatic grenade launchers in it. Just RPGs, 120mm mortars, guys kneeling observing through binoculars, Manpads, leaders standing with rifle urging others forward, and the Spandrel operator and missile launchers.

I haven't opened the Modern Russian infantry pack yet, but it appears to be pretty good, with lots of guys moving forwards with guns and MGs. Looks like two different types of machine guns from the pic shown on the Minifigs website.

Could definitely use some prone infantry and machine gunners firing though, for all the nationalities – would like to see them with 1960s and 1970s era kit and weapons.
Would also like to see some recoilless rifles, and ground-mount early ATGMs like the SS-10, SS-11, Suitcase Saggers, etc., plus LAWS, AT-4s, Carl Gustavs, etc..

Only the British have a prone machine gunner, firing, in the support pack, and all the figs are for the very late Cold War, with SA-80s.

For vehicles, my number one want is a Marder 1, or Marder 1A2. Perhaps the 1A3 could be used as a basis for the conversion back to the earlier variant.

My next most needed items are the little West German JagdPanzers – Rakete with SS-11 and HOT, and the JagdPanzer Kanone. Perhaps the existing Jaguar running gear and lower hull could be used for that, and the upper parts ground down, and/or made from scratch – not really sure which is easiest for that. They're all on the same hull, so that is a bonus.

Could use the earlier Jaguar I as well, with HOT (the current Jaguar II has the TOW launcher), so perhaps just a minor conversion to the upper deck, and addition of the different missile tube.

HS-30s and Spz Kurz would be appreciated as well.

Would love to see the BMD-1 produced, and the BMP-1 modified to fix the nose, which appears to be a little short, and at the wrong angle for the lower glacis (the BMP-2 sculpt looks right, but is too late for my needs).

My Americans really need the M114, for their US Armored Cav. units patrolling the inter-German border.

Would love to see the Swedish PBV302, and the Dutch YP-408 wheeled APC produced too.

Oh, and please don't ditch your SYW project on my account. You should definitely remain focused on your hobby interests, since life's too short.

Where were you guys 6 years ago?……

Cold Steel: You would be welcomed! Here is just one pic of just one shelf in that store:

I know we had a RRL in the molds. I may even have some castings of an AGL here as well. Need to look very closely as a friend thought he'd help me by opening my marked bags and dumping all like items into the same box. I have mixed WWI, WWII, Modern and all the AIM stuff, all mixed up, in a box.

IIRC, the AGL was on a tripod with the gunner seated- one pice casting with "air" between the legs of the tripod!

Looking over an old New release sheet dated Mar 2007, we introduced the West Germans with 2 packs of infantry; 8 vehicles and the Eurocopter Tiger. There is a note saying that more West Germans were coming in April. and "We haven't forgotten our Canadian neighbors!". There was supposd to be a version of the Leopard that they use, as well. Modern Israeli M-50 Supoer Sherman and an M-3 Halftrack (converted) also appeared as new releases with the BTR-80 that month. Like I said, we had a lot in master molds and held them back so we could have new releases each month. Until I can get back home and look at all the modern (and WWI) mastermolds for content, only heaven knows what else did not get put into production molds and added to the line-up. At the time, I was making trips to Africa and had the hots for some French items (especialy the VERA, AML-90's and German Mercedes Military 5 ton trucks). The "insergents" came about for the desire to do some African peacekeeping scenarios.

(reminds me to grab some N scale semi truck and other European cars from across the street. I cannot afford the Herpa prices in the hobby stores!)

Thanks, guys, for the feedback. Not forsaking the SYW plans for moderns…am putting them on hold until I can get home, get settled in a new job and a bare bones casting shop set up in a properly zoned area, wherever the DoD decides to send me.

v/r
Tom

While searching for the above photo, I found this for you Bund guys!

The board was from a set we (ATTACTIX game store) bought from CinC when they were at a Ghengis Con in Denver, circa 1986 (?). Am hooked on that type of gaming tables over the green felt fully knowing the need for portability to taske to a con with. Here are some paper (Card) buildings I designed with Model Maker software.

And finally, a modern African building I made in liquid plastic but populated with some of our Arab Civilians. (Close ups of painted small figures makes them look ugly! )

v/r
Tom

Get a magnifying desk lamp!

That just may work! Thanks for th etip, JD.

Tom

Wow, love all those pics.

Those buildings look superb!

Thanks for sharing your basing photos for the Spandrel launcher too, Jack. You did a great job on it!

It appears to me that the West Germans are wearing the late, Fritz helmets, like the Americans do now, so would love to see some earlier sculpts done, or headswaps for American-style M1 helmets, to back-date them for use in the 1960s and 1970s.

I can't imagine doing headswaps on a whole unit of 12mm troops, since they're so tiny, but perhaps just a few, to re-cast some packs might not be too difficult for someone with steady hands, and good eyes.