Last week we got our stock in of the new Bolt Action Starter Set. I wanted to get the contents painted up to tabletop gaming standards as quickly as I could, so broke open my trusty collection of Army Painter Speed Paints and the new Vallejo Xpress range that has some really handy military colours.
My experience with Speed Paints has been that spending a little more time up front on preparation really pays off. Miniatures have been assembled, glued onto bases and undercoated with white spray primer. I then paint a brown ink wash over the figure (50/50 Agrax Earthshade and Speedcoat Medium). When this is completely dry, I drybrush matt white acrylic. This really helps to increase light and shade on finished miniatures.
I started off with Vallejo ‘Bag of Bones’ on the poncho capes and helmet covers.
You can use any skin tone. My favourite is Army Painter Crusader Skin. I wanted my Grenadiers to look a bit more weather-beaten so mixed 1 drop Warrior Skin to 2 drops Crusader Skin.
The green patches on the ponchos and helmet covers were painted using Orc Skin. I painted fine triangles and then extended some of them into more irregular shapes.
Willow bark from Vallejo was used for the brown patches on ponchos and helmet covers, Some of these need to extend over the green patches. This was also used for boots.
German tunics, trousers and cloth caps were painted using Vallejo Landser Grey which is a fantastic paint for the green-grey German uniform fabric.
Breadbags and gaiters were painted using Army Painter Bony Matter.
Rifles and and wooden parts such as grenade and entrenching tool handles were painted Satchel Brown, which is a good wood color. The bottom part of waterbottles was painted using Battledress Brown.
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Webbing and the black, metallic parts on weapons were painted in black. I used Vallejo Hospitallier Black, but really, any black will do!
Two of the Grenadiers had been modelled with Panzerfaust’s. Vallejo Military Yellow is a match for these.
Vallejo Camouflage Green was then painted over the Gas mask canisters.
I applied some tufts of Gamers Grass and then covered the bases with PVA glue before dipping in my basing pot that contains a mixture of real sterilised soil and Woodland Scenic turf.
The edges of the bases were painted black to finish them off and the figures were then sprayed with Matt varnish.
This is everything that you get in the Starter Set. I think it’s a good way to get started with Bolt Action, or any other 28mm WW2 Skirmish Game.
Sally 4th has the Starter Sets on special offer at the moment at £39! Click here to take a look.
Useful Links:
https://wargamesbuildings.co.uk/bolt-action-starter-set-painted-based-and-ready-for-action/Bolt Action Starter Set, Painted, Based & Ready for Action: My overview of the Bolt Action Starter Set article
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