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Author Topic: Tank tracks  (Read 1962 times)

Online JArgo

  • Librarian
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  • Hamburg, Germany
    • Der Inselaffe
Tank tracks
« on: March 20, 2019, 07:34:24 AM »
Hi

Could I have some suggestions on how to paint WW2 tank tracks?  Not worried about weathering yet. 

Thanks

Offline fred

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 4360
    • Miniature Gaming
Re: Tank tracks
« Reply #1 on: March 20, 2019, 07:48:00 AM »
I go with dark grey as a base.

There were some different styles, Shermans had rubber blocks in the steel links, many others were straight steel links.

For the more metallic ones a slight amount of oily silver or similar paint dry brushed on the edges can work. But overall you will have mud, dust or dirt on them!

Offline Kane

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 382
Re: Tank tracks
« Reply #2 on: March 20, 2019, 07:51:29 AM »
You could also go with black, put on some metallic colour, ink black again and drybrush a highlight and perhaps finish off with some pencil rubbing. Graffite has a nice metallic sheen to it. That's for all-metal links, of course ;)
Daaaaaaaaaaaaah !

Offline Westfalia Chris

  • Cardboard Warlord
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  • Elaborate! Elucidate! Evaluate!
Re: Tank tracks
« Reply #3 on: March 20, 2019, 09:02:29 AM »
I personally prefer a dulled effect for which I use Vallejo Model Color Track Primer, lightly drybrushed with a dull gunmetal, then washed or shaded using either Vallejo Game Color Sepia Ink or Army Painter Strong Tone.

For all-metal tracklinks, I then add a final, very light drybrush of Revell Aqua Color Aluminium.

Any rubber pads are retouched with an anthracite tone, and depending on the setting (e.g. desert or similarly dusty), I may add washes of dusty browns.

Offline SteveBurt

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1283
Re: Tank tracks
« Reply #4 on: March 20, 2019, 10:22:28 AM »
I use gunmetal with a heavy wash of muddy brown. Tracks tend to end up mostly mud coloured.

Offline Ultravanillasmurf

  • Galactic Brain
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    • Ultravanillasmurf
Re: Tank tracks
« Reply #5 on: March 20, 2019, 05:09:55 PM »
I use a mix of Vallejo black, black grey and either burnt cadmium or hull red on a wet palette for the base colour.

Black grey for rubber treads and tyres.

Metal treads and other worn metal surfaces London Grey or Citadel Mechanicum Standard Grey.

If the vehicle is going to remain clean then a light brush with Citadel Ryza Rust followed by Citadel Attached Earthshade.

Rubber gets a Citadel Nuln Oil wash.

Wet and muddy, then Citadel Stirling Mud/Typhus Corrosion followed by your earth colour of choice.

Wash with Citadel Agrax Earthshade.

I hope this is of use.
« Last Edit: March 20, 2019, 06:48:23 PM by Ultravanillasmurf »

Online voltan

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1175
Re: Tank tracks
« Reply #6 on: March 20, 2019, 06:20:38 PM »
I feel rather lazy now, all I do is paint the track with oily steel and then wash it with nuln oil.
Yvan eht nioj!

Offline GDonk

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 289
Re: Tank tracks
« Reply #7 on: March 20, 2019, 07:38:56 PM »
I feel rather lazy now, all I do is paint the track with oily steel and then wash it with nuln oil.

I'm with you - I'll just get my coat  . . . . .

Offline NTM

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 215
Re: Tank tracks
« Reply #8 on: March 20, 2019, 09:06:24 PM »
Basecoat dark brown strong tone wash dry brush with gun metal job done.

Offline Etranger

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 917
Re: Tank tracks
« Reply #9 on: March 21, 2019, 12:38:17 AM »
Some (eg the Germans) painted their tank tracks with red primer, although of course it soon wore off parts in contact with the ground etc https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=140904
"It's only a flesh wound...."

Offline MartinR

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 224
    • The games we play
Re: Tank tracks
« Reply #10 on: March 21, 2019, 07:23:14 AM »
I used to paint tank tracks in an appropriate metallic and/or rubber colour, but these days I just paint the tracks and running gear in a mud colour. The tracks themselves then get a dark inkwash and a light metallic highlight on the raised metal parts.

They look a lot more like the tracks on all the working tracked vehicles I've seen.
"Mistakes in the initial deployment cannot be rectified" Helmuth von Moltke

Offline Truscott Trotter

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 839
Re: Tank tracks
« Reply #11 on: March 22, 2019, 02:57:20 AM »
I used to paint tank tracks in an appropriate metallic and/or rubber colour, but these days I just paint the tracks and running gear in a mud colour. The tracks themselves then get a dark inkwash and a light metallic highlight on the raised metal parts.

They look a lot more like the tracks on all the working tracked vehicles I've seen.

I do the same - except for desert ones!  :D

Offline fred

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 4360
    • Miniature Gaming
Re: Tank tracks
« Reply #12 on: March 24, 2019, 09:54:16 AM »
I saw a tracked digger on the back of a transporter yesterday, what struck me was despite the indented parts of the tracks being full of mud, was that the ridges were bright silver. Which suggests that even a short trip on a hard surface removes the mud off the top of the tracks.

Offline Volleyfire!

  • Scientist
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  • At 100 yards................Volleyfire!!!
Re: Tank tracks
« Reply #13 on: March 24, 2019, 10:08:51 AM »
Vallejo black followed by black grey. A quick brush with MIG light or dark  rust, and do the teeth with Vallejo Gunmetal and a highlight of Army Painter Plate Metal on the tips. Light dry brush on the tracks as well. Then slather everything in AK Fresh Mud or Africa Dust.

Offline JamesValentine

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 523
Re: Tank tracks
« Reply #14 on: March 25, 2019, 10:45:10 AM »
I go vallejo black grey.
Washed dark brown.
Drybrushed black grey mixed with vallejo luftwaffe uniform.
Drybrushed lightly luftwaffe uniform.
And an EXTREME light drybrush of silver on the edges. Almost unnoticeable.