Contrast paint - first impressions

I bought a couple of Games Workshop Contrast Paint (Contrast from now on) one year ago, on the wave of enthusiasm. They have been sitting in a corner of my painting desk until this spring.  I was stuck with little to no willing of painting, so I decided to give them a try. I'm still painting.

I purchased about 3/4 of the line and these are my observation about them so far.

My Contrast collection so far. I should probably buy a rack for display

Contrast are not (of course) colors in the traditional term, since they are meant to paint both base and shades with one passage, so they are rather are highly pigmented inks or shade. Remember: they are very liquid. Colors vary a lot in pigment density and quality, for example Militarium Green is a bit light in pigment and need at least two coats to be efficient, otherwise it could result in speckled figures. Black Templar is also not very pigmented and can result in "not so black" color. Iyanden Yellow is, so far, my favorite color, even if tend to dissociate yellow and orange pigments so it need to be lay with a bit of attention and remember to shake the pot before painting.

Painting with Contrast only seems easy: painting with contrast at basic level is very accessible, but I think that achieving a high quality model requires a good hand skill, maybe at the same level than traditional painting: you can direct the flow of this liquid color, and the effect varies with the brush size, quantity of color absorbed in it, the pressure, the way you lay the color them, how many layer of paints you lay. So lot of different results, actually. Basilicanum Grey is paradigmatic: can vary a lot with the quantity of liquid placed on the miniature.

Cloak on left model, mail and sword on right one, are both painted with Basilicanum Grey.
Hard to believe, I know.

The primer is very important: I found myself at ease with Wraithbone spray but you really have to experiment: the final result can vary a lot. Only remind that a smooth basecoat is essential for let Contrast flow, the risk is the color could evidence the granularity of the primer.

Base Wraithbone is essential. It is the same primer but you can lay it with a brush: you will need it to cover the smears. Important! With small exceptions they're not able to cover other colors smear, and I suggest painting the figures from lighter to darker colors for this reason. 

Attention on metals! I tried using Contrast to shade Vallejo real metal colors and I found both Wildwood and Skeleton Horde tend to give them a brass effect. I decided for now to use non metal color (i.e. Basilicanum Grey, see picture above).

Not the best picture, but the gun was painted with Vallejo Silvermetal and then washed with Skeleton Horde. The result are brassy shadows. Other colors are Contrast.

Which miniatures are (in my opinion) best painted with contrast paint?  Well they work greats on simple, plain clothes and fur (both in clothes and on animals, including horses). I would avoid armies with a lot of tiny details (as Napoleonics), if you want to go full Contrast. Otherwise, you could use contrast paint for basic uniform and then revert to traditional painting for details. Also bear in mind that the colors selection is (compared with other brands) quite small: you will probably have issues finding the right shade of blue for that particular regiment in that particular campaign. But...you can always mix them and create new colors, I found no particular issues with that, just remember avoid mixing with water. 

In conclusion: the miniatures are not gonna painting themselves, but choosing the right subject they allow to spare an enormous amount of time and going right into playing with an army nicely painted (using it unpainted was never an option). I am very happy with them and I must thank them for getting back to painting.

Lion Rampant - Armies on the cheap #1 Dark Age

Today I'm starting a new series of article: Armies on the cheap.

It will discuss mainly about the chance of recruiting a new army without spending too much. Of course whenever possible the armies will be done using plastic miniatures, because they're cheaper and provide great chance for conversions. (I warn you, I'm not a fanatical historician, so I'll sometimes proxy miniatures, where historically correct alternative are not aivalable).

 

I'll focus mainly on Lion Rampant retinue, but you can feel free to exploit my considerations for whethever ruleset you desire.

As general rule of thumb I'm going to make an overview of the plastic miniatures aivalable on the market, then I'll speculate about what you can actually build using them.

First issue: Dark Age. The excuse is the publishing of Gripping Beasts plastic dark age archers. 

GRIPPING BEASTS

Dark Age Archer, here (18£): 30 archers suitable for almost anything western army from 4th to 10th century. Fantastic for formed archers and skirmishers. Can be found in a pack of six for 8.5£.

Dark Age Warriors, here (22£): 40 not armoured warriors, with round shields. They looks barbaric, so you can use them for barbarian people from the Barbaric Invasion to the late 10th century (as levy), through all Europe (included very early feudal Spain, Carolingians and Lombards), and British Islands, at least until 1066.

Saxon Thegns, here (22£): 40 armoured saxon warriors, upper class. They represent the nobilty of the Saxons. I feel they can be appropriate to represent the nobles either of the Barbarian invaders of the Roman Empire or the Saxon at Hastings 1066. They should work for Ostrogoths, Lombards and all the others barbarian kingdom during those centuries: the archeological evidence is so poor, any attempt to differentiate the various barbarian warriors is extremely hypotetic. With some regards, they could work as Italian Lombards of the IX century or Merovingian French (I hope I'm not being too heretic here).

Vikings Hirdmen, here (22£): 40 fully armoured Vikings. Ok here it's easy. Vikings noble. Mix with the Saxon Thegns for variety, just pay attention to some helms and weapons typically Vikings. (any horned helm, anyway). Good for fighting Skraeling, too.

Late Roman Infatry, here (22£): 44 late Roman (Eastern and Western) auxilliary or legionary infantrymen. 16 Archers, 16 Unarmored Spearmen, 8 Armoured Spearmen, 4 Commands.

Please notice also that: GB offers a discount for three plastic boxes deals (60£ instead than 66£), and

LBMS provide decals for all the plastic GB dark age boxes (3.5£ for 12 decals sheet).

FIREFORGE

Mongol Horse Archers, here (27€) : 12 horse archers: they should work fine for any Steppe horsemen from Hunnic to Mongol Invasions. So I'd field them as Huns in 5th century, as Avars, Cumans, Pechenegs and so on.

Steppe Warriors, here (27€): 24 steppe warriors, well, see above.

As some of the readers may have noted, there is pratically any option for Dark Age Cavalry in plastic.

Roaming the net, I found an interesting conversion possibility. I must thank Bob's blog (specifically this entry) for the idea. He basically suggest to convert the Conquest Games Norman Knights plastic box (here, 20£ for 15 knights) into Saxon heavy cavarly.

Judging from the result that could work. If you're not so picky, you can obtain, sacrificing some miniatures, basically heads and shields: Late Roman cavarlymen, Saxons (or Goths) Noble cavalry. I know it's not much, but better than no options. 

So let's see which fantastic list we can build with those awesome miniatures! I will take into account the chance to divide the sprues between two gamers/armies. So the cost is effective per sprue. If you are alone (or your club mate don't need an other army), Lead Forum offers a topic to discuss about sharing sprues. I use as reference, the author (Dan Mersey) post on Dark Age armies for Lion Rampant, as well as Field of Glory Companions: Legions Triumphant, Wolves from the sea and Decline and Fall.

Lists (reference)  

To convert Conquest Games Norman Knights (a) you would require helmtet wearing heads and shields from Saxon Thegns or Viking Hirdmens, for (b) from Late Roman Infantry.

 

1. Vikings 

2 Foot Companions* @ 12 points -> 12 models, from Vikings Hirdmen

2 Upper Class Spearmen @ 8 points -> 24 models, from Vikings Hirdmen

1 Archers @ 4 points -> 12 models, from Dark Age archers

My own version, I changed the Warriors, i.e. Berserk, with Archers, because there is no suitable model for Viking Berserk in plastic, unless you recicle some Hirdmen. Of course you can throw in some Saxon Thegns or Dark Age Warriors for more variety, but here I'm focusing on being cheap.

2. Anglo-Saxon 

2 Foot Companions* @ 12 points -> 12 models, from Saxon Thegns

1 Upper Class Spearmen @ 4 points ->12 models mix of Dark Age Warriors and Saxon Thegns

2 Lower Class Spearmen @ 6 points -> 24 models from Dark Age Warriors
1 Skirmishers @ 2 points -> 6 models, from Dark Age archers

3. Generic Barbarian People of Migrations (Saxons, Juti, Angli, Goths, Franks)

2 Mounted Companions* @8 points -> 12 models converted Conquest Norman Knights (a) [or new Gripping Beast Dark Age Cavalry §)

1 Upper Class Spearmen @4 points -> 12 models from Saxon Thegns

2 Lower Class Spearmen @6 points -> 24 models from Dark Age Warriors

1 Archers @4 points -> 12 models from Dark Age Archers

1 Skirmishers @2 points -> 6 models from Dark Age Archers

Ok this is a very generic list, so feel free to play with it: upgrade or downgrade the spearmen, drop a Mounted Companion unit for more archers or mixed formations of archers and lower spearmend (suggested for 6th century Italian Ostrogoths), add a unit of mercenary Huns horse archers (Raiders@4 points->6models, using Fireforge Mongols).

4. Late Romans (West)

1 Mounted Companions* @6 points -> 6 models, converted Conquest Norman Knights (b) or §
2 Lower Class Spearmen Mixed Weapons @10 points ->24 models from Late Roman Infantry

1 Archers @4 points ->12 models from Late Roman Infantry

1 Skirmishers@2 points ->6 models from Late Roman Infantry

The mixed weapons represent the Auxiliary mixed formations with archers behind the spearmen, the  Upper Class the Legionary Comitatenses. Feel free to add Barbarian Mercenaries, either as Upper or Lower class spearmen, or as Cavalry or as Horse Archers.

5. Huns

2 Expert Raiders*@12 points ->12 models, from Mongol Horse Archers

1 Mounted Companions@4 points-> 6 models, converted Conquest Norman Knights (a)

2 Lower Spearmen@6 points->24 models, from Dark Age Warriors

1 Skirmisher @2 points ->6 models, from Dark Age archers

The Germanic type here represent the subjected people the Huns lead in battles. You can use Steppe Warriors, instead, but I feel this would be more appropriate.

So, final considerations. Most of the armies can be made by 2 to 3 boxes, and a lot of variety can be achieved sharing the sprues. For example the Norman Knights to convert can be easily divided between two armies, and also the Mongol horse archers for variety. You would rarely need all of them. So 2-3 boxes, means an army for 40-60£. Can be done in lead? Of course. Can be done better? Probably. Can be cheaper? I don't think so (I haven't checked, to be honest). By the way 3 boxes is what you need to have some discount from GB, and the option of purchasing just 6 archers for the skirmisher unit it's really handful.

Well, I hope I gave you enough things to reflect upon! Let me know what comes to your mind about this topic, and if you buy a new army I'll like to see it!

Next issue: Early Feudal Armies! Stay tuned, because some units will be usable also for the lists I imagined in this post.

PS. I made a mistake. I knew Warlord Games took rhe rights over the Wargames Factory plastic boxes and didn't released them. I didn't realised they had some suitable plastic. They're branded for an earlier period, but could be a nice addition to any Barbarian (or semi Barbarian, for late Romans) force. It will also enable you to field  mounted and foot skirmisher armed with javelin. Could provide also viable models for Viking Berserkers!!! I'll had them there:

WARLORD GAMES

Ancient Celts Cavalry (here, 22£) -> 10 cavarly, useful for lighty armoured raiders (javelins, at least!)
Tribesmen of Germania (here, 22£)-> 43 early German infantrymen (bare chested warriors for berserkers!)
Ancient Britons (here, 22£) ->40 early Britons, could do as Pict?
Others (Dacian Falxmen and Noble, Ancient Celts Infantry here)


So the new list aivalable (straightly from Mersey's blog) could be:

Pictish and Scottish

·      2 Riders with Javelins* @ 6 points ->12 models, Ancient Celts Cavalry
3 Lower Class Spearmen with Javelins @ 12 points ->36 models, Ancient Britons
3 Skirmishers @ 6 points ->18 models, mix archers and javelinemen

    Edit (December 2017)

    Now aivalable from Gripping Beast: Dark Age Cavalry, it allows to build up to 12 cavalrymen, which can be used to depict almost any barbarian people as well as German foederati cavalry, using late Roman heads. (marked with § in the text)

Commandos are coming!

Eventually I decided to start gaming WW2 in 28mm scale. I had and hard time deciding the rules to use, but, according my new philosophy (the important thing is playing), I followed the majority. Since in my area (Verona, in Northern Italy), there is a cospicuous group of Bolt Action Players, I decided gettin' into it. The rules provide a simulation of about a platoon per side, it's not the most historically accurated rulset, but it's fun to play, doesn't requires ton of miniatures and it's very easy to learn. 

My closer friends already own Germans and Americans, so, I decided to go Brit. I've always liked peculiar troops: I find regular infantry boring, so I decided to purchase a Commandos army. I loved them in Company of Heroes, too (a PC videogame).

A Detail of Warlord's Commandos! Box front cover

So I found this bargain, through the Bolt Action sell and swap group on facebook and I've been able to do my army on a budget (IIRC about 60€).

The "Starter" army

Here we have: A Commandos box, plus some extra sprue, a British Army Command (the medic inside is a great plus), and a Vickers HMG. Then I got a Tamyia Bren Carrier and a Warlord AEC mk III to add some anti-tank power (I cannot rely on a PIAT squad). 

I should be able to squeeze a 750 points army out of these. Of course a serious Tank has to be purchased, I cannot decide between a Churchill or a Cromwell. Buffalo and Tetrarch are also viable future purchases for fun. But it's enough for now. Time to go asssembling!

Lot of pieces!!!! OMG, when will I assemble this carrier?!