I have only got back into war gaming after a long (near 2 decades) absence. The last 6 months I have played a lot of games but done no painting.

So - as title suggests, which products do you guys find best? I use to be GW exclusive but that was years ago. I have no loyaltys.....

I intend to use their angel green base on my SM dark angels

Also, and I know it's cheating, is their quick shade any good and can it be used on 6mm minis? I am sure it will be fine on vehicles but not sure on infantry

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Walk softly. And carry a big gun.

Not sure why you say its cheating. Last time I checked the purpose of modeling and gaming was to enjoy yourself and have fun. If that helps out so you can play more then more power to you. I use Strong tone on my bases like its going out of style to provide depth to Vallejo sandy paste directly.

I like their uniform grey, bone, and dragon red primers/paints. So far I've found no issues with any of them and find them a fantastic product. Do shake for 3-5 minutes before using though like the instructions say. They're not joking. I don't like their brushes however.

I'm not a huge fan of old old, old, and new GW paints other than a few specifics (bestial brown and Chardon granite which I've yet to find replacements). I personally prefer VGC for most of my painting needs.

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I moved away from GW paints around the turn of the century and went to Coat d' Arms. They were the old GW manufacturer. The switch was mostly due to GW's prices and crappy bottles.

When GW came out with the foundation and washes ten years later I picked them up because I was very happy with the quality. The current replacements for these I'm not fond of, the washes don't flow as well and their basecoat paints aren't as muted as the old foundations.

Now-a-days, I switch between Army Painters stuff and Coat d' Arms, with a few GW paints and washes mixed in.

As to a recommendation, go with the cheapest. They're all equal quality in my opinion. The AP dropper bottles do make it a bit easier to mix though.

On dipping, I've never bothered. With 6mm you're going to want to be painting on your washes.

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@ jimmyzimms - I mean cheating as some folk prefer the more "pure" way of doing things, and back in the day I was the same. Now I dont have much free time so want good results that are simple to do! Why do you say their brushes are rubbish?

@ Dave. I prob wouldnt dip, more thin it a bit and brush it on. Just wondered if anyone had used it

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Walk softly. And carry a big gun.

I've used the dark tone shade from a dropper bottle and brushed on. Can't remember if i preferred it over Vallejo black shade, but don;t think there were any problems with it.

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I've not dabbled with army painter, like yourself I have a history of using GW and coat d' arms. In more recent years I've included Vallejo game colour and some model colour paints. I chose these for several reasons; dropper bottles, more paint in the bottles, at a cheaper price and I find them easier to mix especially for airbrushing. I still use GW, especially their base coats and inks.

If it's Dark Angels colours your looking for, Game Colours are available for that, just like the old GW paint range.

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I'll give a shoutout to P3 paints, been using them for the last year or so, I really really like em, and would recommend them if they do a shade you need, I'm using their meredius blue as the base for my mymeara army and it rules, you also get about twice as much in the pot as you do from GW and the paint is pre-thinned, also has a workable drying time and liquid pigment

I still use GW, but really like the AP washes, especially the Red one

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I'm a Vallejo man now, though there is a few GW colours I use, some (like black) simply as there's only one place anywhere near me that sells them, and so I have to sometimes grab whats locally available. But I love agrax earthshade (and too a lesser extent, the red wash as well) Ive been stocking up on earthshade, because when they change there range (yet again) I dont want to be with out it!

I never got on with the previous mud wash they did (and it stinks!)

Many historical 6mm painters swear by winsor and newtons nut brown ink. Its slightly bigger then a GW paint, and a few pennies more, but it is very good, I have tried it on a few minis. But its downside is that is leaves a glossy shine. The colour is a lot better then earthshade, but I dislike the shiny effect. Though Ive been told that dullcoat takes the shine away, but leaves the strong colour intact. Trouble is, I have been hand painting all my matt coats, because I can not find dullcoat anywhere near me. But if you have experience with spray vanish you might want to try it out.

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I almost entirely now use a mixture of Vallejo and Army Painter paints and washes; the extra control from a dropper bottle is much appreciated and their paints seem better than the GW paints (water down better for instance)

the Army painter quickshades (and their new colour washes) are awesome and noticeably better than GWs range so I'd go for them if nothing else.

Good feedback guys. I am going to give the army painter stuff a bash

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Walk softly. And carry a big gun.

P3 and vallejo are my go to paints. I still like some of the GW washes and bases.

RexHavoc, testors makes a brush on Dulcoat product as well. And I have to say, nothing on the market is as flat as that. Army Painter antishine is a very close second however. It can be aggressive on acrylic paint so I actually put a gloss seal on my minis now to protect from damage and then paint Dulcoat on yo finish.

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He's a lawyer and a super-villian. That's like having a shark with a bazooka!

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-Help me make Whitescars not suck!

Jimmy, is that straight Testors or Model Master?

My paints are a schizophrenic mix of older GW, Vallejo, and a smattering of new GW and P3. Overall, I'm disappointed in the new GW black and brown washes. I have a small stock of devlan and Badab reserved, and the nuln oil and agrax are now reserved for terrain. Army painter inks are the best replacement, IMO.

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The paint on is marketed directly as Testors. The label changes colors but it is the same stuff I've been using for 30 years now.
pic=> http://www.amazon.com/Testor-Corp-Dullc ... +Dull+Coat

I agree with the army painter inks being spot on color match to badab black, and devlan mud. They don't apply the same, being an ink, however.

Tangentially I've been getting into oil and enamel washes this last year. They can be brushed on just like an acrylic wash but unlike them, you can go back over it with white spirit and clean it up, streak it, thin it to wash with it more, etc. Basically if you make a mistake with acrylic it colors the paint period while with oil, if you don't like it then just wipe it off with your brush and start over.

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He's a lawyer and a super-villian. That's like having a shark with a bazooka!

-I HAVE NO POINT
-Penal Legion-Fan list
-Help me make Whitescars not suck!

Thanks Jimmy, that's good info to know! I have seen that for sale in a railway shop not to much out of the way for me, so next time I'm there I will grab some. The Vallejo gloss is absolutely brilliant, but their Matt brush on has a milky tendency, and has left staining on some of my goblins.

I have been using (and hoarding!) agrax for a while now, but that nut brown ink has some fantastic colour, I would have been using it a lot more by now if I had easy access to testors!

Hmmm, I wonder if that shoe shop near the old railway shop has a sale on...I'd better mention it to Mrs Rex right away, she will want go and see!

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Epic 40,000 (3rd Ed.) & 6mm Fantasy Blog, tutorials and resources

My 6mm Sci-fi and skirmish TactComms Plog: Vermin!/Orks!/Micro-munda!