Dust Tactics Core Set

[Bartali]

My attempt to motivate myself and hopefully learn some new techniques along the way. I'm what I would call an average tabletop standard painter, and hopefully with these I'd like to push myself a bit further than normal.

Anyhoo, to the minis. First up is the Axis Sturmpioniere squad, which according to their stat card, seem to be good all rounders.



I've ever really painted GW minis, so I've found these quite different. The plastic is quite bendy, and some of the figures come out of their little plastic bags with bent gun barrels etc A quick dip in some just boiled water loosens them up, with a cold bath to fix them in place. They come pre assembled and pre primed

[Bartali]

No painting as yet, but got my three first games in over the weekend. Lots of fun, and quick to pick up and play. My girlfriend (as a wargaming newcomer) picked up the rules by the second game and beat me with Lara surviving a hail of bullets to claim the bridge and win the game on turn 8.

As for the Sturmpioniere, I'm still deciding on the colour scheme. Either metallic helmet and armour with light grey/white uniform; or grey helmet and armour with green/khaki clothing. Any suggestions from WWII mini painters ?

[Bartali]

My test model. Fairly happy with the colour scheme, although needs some work. Armour needs some weathering, and I need to highlight and then smooth out the transitions on the clothing

[fluffy05]

Great work so far!

I am painting my Allies from the same set at the moment

[Cpt. Mcallister]

The pic is a bit blurry but the Mini looks good, what colours did you used?

[Bartali]

Thanks! Using a camera phone, so quality is not going to be the best I guess.

Armour is Catachan Green, Mud Wash, Camo Green highlights.
Clothing is Codex Grey, Mud Wash, codex grey again, fortress grey highlights, and sometimes with a final codex grey glaze depending on how the mini looks.

I'm thinking of trying out Vallejo Model colour in future, as they have a much bigger range of military style colours

[Bartali]

New purchases today, and straying from GW hobby products from the first time. Panzer Grey (fading) and African Earth MIG pigments, Vallejo German Grey and Matt Varnish. Bought from www.parabellum.co.uk, a great military modelling shop in Birmingham

[Bartali]

Not sure if this will come out in the photo, but I've tried out the African Earth on the base and trousers. Quite like the effect, but need to work out how to seal it without ruining the effect

Edit Also need to work out how to stop the uploader rotating my pics

[tk7]

Looking good so far, some of the Dust vehicles have recently caught my attention as I hadn't heard of it until a week or so ago.

Regarding fixing the pigments, I use the mig pigment fixer, and airbrush a thin coat of varnish over when done. Varnishing an area where the pigment is will make the effect fade, so it's sometimes necessary to repeat a few times. To be honest though, if it's on an area i'm unlikely to touch, when I varnish the model i'll try and stay away from the feet/base as much as possible, and just varnish the upper half of the model. I'd imagine brushing any varnish on would ruin the effect somewhat, but it depends if you have an airbrush or not.

[Bartali]

Thanks!

Funnily enough I ordered the MIG pigment fixer yesterday after a fruitless search for isopropyl alcohol on the high street.
Lacking an airbrush, have had my eye on one of the cheap airbrush/compressor kits on ebay for a while. I do have the GW spraygun, but have given up using that. Too irritating with the pressure from the cans dropping off when cold or half full.

After promising myself I wouldn't order anything new until I'd painted the core set, I got the Axis Medium Walker box yesterday. Couldn't resist, as it's 'the' walker that drew me into Dust Tactics in the first place

[Bartali]

Nearly done. Tried out sponge weathering on the armour for the first time, and quite pleased with the results. The MIG pigment fixer turned up today too, so I'll be experimenting with that tomorrow