CoC - Western Front - Martlet Map 3 Game 6 report

[PrivateBuzz]

In response to the question on the whitewash, here is a very rough guide to what I do.

• Build the vehicle and undercoat with Halfords grey primer (note: I accentuate panel lines with a panel line scribing tool)
  
• Airbrush with Tamiya paint mixed with X20A thinner 50/50
  
• Mask and paint the two camouflage colours
  
• Apply 'scratches and wear using a combination of 'sponge' (ripped to make the end rough) applied grey paint with a hint of red in it and paintbrush.
  
• Paint all of the tools, tyres, tracks, exhaust (including 3 x rust colours on exhaust)
  
• Apply black panel line wash to all of the gaps, panel lines, hatches, features and the tracks
  
• 2 x coats of varnish to protect the paint.
  
• Apply decals using two decal fluids, one for floating into place and one for setting/softening the decal to conform to the surface.
  
• One more coat of varnish to protect the decals.
  
• Spray two wet(ish) coats of hairspray over the whole model
  
• Now spray a very light coat of white Tamiya paint mixed 40:60 with X20A thinner. White paint has loads of pigment in it so I change the mix to make sure I do not get tip drying on the airbrush. Make sure this coat is painted in a 'swirly' pattern and built up slowly. Leave some areas barely covered with the camo still showing through.
  
• Once thoroughly dry, take an old paintbrush and a pot of water and begin to paint a section at a time with the water. After each section is done, work the water gently with the brush to wear away the paint as the hairspray reactivates. Be careful with this, you need small amounts to come off. They need to have brush marks in the removal to look like bushes wearing against it. There needs to be some vertical marks and washing to show the rain effect washing the whitewash off. Leave the wash on in areas around hatches and places where foot traffic wouldn't wear it off. Use a cocktail stick to add a few deep scratches on the sides. Now move onto the next section. This step takes a long time.
  
• Once finished, I now add the stowage and paint. I made the tarps with paper and paper shaper from VMS.
  
• Panel line wash in 'Winter' scheme is now added to really make the vehicle 'pop'.
  
• Weathering is now done. Home made mud for the tracks/wheels/underneath. A bit of a mix of colour pigment powder, PVA glue, plaster, sawdust and water. Hand painted rust streaks and dirt streaks using Abteilung 502 oil paints and thinners.
  
• One last coat of matt varnish.
  

Easy really.

I have had some real trials and tribulations over paint type/mix ratio with thinner and the chipping medium. I will not say what products I had a nightmare with, but I have, above, told yo exactly what I use now. All of this changes according to the temp in the room, the airbrush you use, the size of needle and the pressure you like to run. Even the technique that you use for the trigger! I have now finally found a recipe that works for me, my style of working and my brush. Yours MAY be different.

Hope that helps. I could have just answered - paint it, hairspray it, paint it white and remove some of the paint with water. But that wouldn't be quite as helpful!

Finally, go on YouTube and get some inspiration from Plasmo and Nightshift. Two exceptionally good modellers. Plasmo works his magic on 1/76 stuff and is a bit of a genius. Nightshift works on 1:35 and will make you laugh as he makes you feel unskilled and inadequate! Thank you to both.

Jamie.

[gamer Mac]

Thank you very much for the extensive answer
A lot of work but well worth your end results
cheers
 

[Digits]

Indeed....great run thru Jamie!

Having left me with bamboo and wire on Saturday, I decided to make some wire stock fencing like his.  My grandad, a farmer, would be spinning in his grave after seeing what a hash I made!  The wire goes round in random ways at times! Lol

I will get the next lot right, but for now I’m out of 2mm plasticard.  Going to pick up some livestock next month....



I also picked up some twigs whilst walking the dog yesterday to make these wood piles.  Add a little pva soaked tissue for tarps.  Good scatter scenery.

[Shahbahraz]

Never mind the random directions, it looks great. I struggle with this and I really like your colour selection, it very much works. Mine on the other hand is much too bright. I've been very tempted at times to just airbrush mist a dusty shade over everything from houses to bushes to roads. Except I know I would stuff it up...

[Digits]

Shabby, you could just try using an artist sponge?

Dab on little patches and build up from that?  Different outcome admittedly but can look good too?

[Romark]

Great additions to the collection 👍

[Shahbahraz]

Shabby, you could just try using an artist sponge?

Dab on little patches and build up from that?  Different outcome admittedly but can look good too?

Certainly worth a few experiments...

[TacticalPainter]

Very nicely done on the winter camouflage. The hairspray method is well worth trying and not that difficult to pull off for a very nice effect. One other application is with a burnt out effect. A base colour of browns and blacks, then hairspray and then the tank’s colour.

[Roo]

Don’t have any WW2 in a large collection but this is rapidly a go to thread due to the fantastic eye candy, quality stuff gents. 

[gamer Mac]

Lovely job on that sherman 
This is a great thread full great ideas

[Ash]

I like that burnt Sherman, great job on the painting.

[Digits]

Hmmm...deciding what to do next.  I’m open to clutter ideas but meanwhile, I have one sheet of 2mm plastic and...I can get two fencing strips roughly 12” long and two minefields from this.  I’m a little short of wire so will need to pinch some from Jamie.

I will make a hut to go with the animal shelter as useful LOS blockers from:the strip of foam card.



And I need a bag of clump foliage to finish them, but I’ve made 6 more explosion armatures as it’s necessary to mark the area of effect for battery fire.  I currently have only four useable ones, the others being too 40k for this game.  Tempted though to buy a plastic cow and have it feature in one of them.....





Non terrain news....I have decided to buy a King Tiger....iconic AFV’s that will rarely if ever see the table, but it won’t be whitewashed...instead, I like this picture taken in Hungary, and Jamie will try and replicate it for me.



If anyone can suggest other bits of miscellaneous scenery, I’m open to suggestion..

[Shahbahraz]

Are you going with the Warlord Pzkfpw or waiting for the Rubicon one? I ended up building a Bandai 1/48 kit which is massive. It has the Porsche turret as well, which I believe really limits it to Normandy only.

[Digits]

No, going with the Warlord base one with H. Turret I think. 

[Digits]

A quick and useful little shed