The Start of my frantic pace to get the Russians done (UPDATE 2/23)

[Operator5]

I have to get my Russians done for my Back of Beyond game at Cold Wars (just three weeks), so I figured I would share my frantic pace to finish with everyone else.

Here they are, set up to get basing material prior to priming.

There are three units of Russian Infantry, one unit of shock troops, and one attached British allied unit (fresh from the Arabian peninsula). I also have one artillery piece and one HMG team. All are from Brigade Games.

[Tom Reed]

What! No cavalry?
Heh, it looks like a good mix of troops.

[Plynkes]

Three weeks? Shit! I'd never manage all those in that time. Good luck, Rich.

[Operator5]

I was able to get basing material on all the figures last night. I'm a bit of basing pedant. I can't just slap glue and drop in sand. I have to use the Vallejo basing material. So, it took about 2 hours to add it to 50+ figures.

I then got 30 of the figures primed. I'll prime the rest tonight and hopefully start painting this Sunday.

[Mancha]

I'm looking forward to watching this one unfold.  Good luck.

[Matakakea]

I decided two months ago to spend all my backpay to go to Cold Wars just to see what it was like. What day are you running your game? I think I'll have to check out the results of your endevours, in the 'flesh' as it were

[Operator5]

I will be running this game Saturday morning.

[Altius]

Three weeks? I recommend quitting your job.

Seriously though, good luck. I look forward to seeing your progress.

[Prof.Witchheimer]

Damn! It's a challenge isn't it! Good luck, Rich!

[Christian]

The game is afoot!

Can't wait to see it all finished!

[Operator5]

I'm sure everyone does a test figure of their colors (please tell me you do) so, I'm taking a break from painting to update and show my test.

So first, for priming I hit front and back with a quick blast of spray primer, but because I am indoors with the cold weather, I can't do a complete job of it, so I go over each figures with black gesso after the spray primer. So, part of my day was spent with that.

Then there was mixing the paint to get the right uniform color. I don't think I got it quite right, but it's the best I am going to get on my time frame since I can't keep stripping figures to get it. Probably a little more green is needed for it.

Then, I sit down and paint. A drybrush of the base color goes on. When that is dry, a second drybrush of the base color. I use very thinned down paints so these layers are very dark with the black primer. Then, when the second drybrush is done, I go over the raised areas with the base color again, always keeping the brush moving so it blends in. When this is dry, the highlight color goes on.

Anyway, here is the test figure, all done.

[Wirelizard]

That Russian looks great, might have to try your painting method at some point - although I've never been a fan of black primer, so far.

I painted up seven or eight Late WW1 Germans for last LPL, and that just about did me in. Perhaps I have uniformiphobia; the thought of dozens of uniformed figures almost makes me whimper... Can you tell I come from a fantasy and SF gaming background, and now primarily do small skirmish? 

[Whiskyrat]

The test piece looks good - best of luck on the mammoth task you have set yourself.

Then there was mixing the paint to get the right uniform color. I don't think I got it quite right, but it's the best I am going to get on my time frame since I can't keep stripping figures to get it. Probably a little more green is needed for it.

I'm sure the folks playing won't notice one way or the other.

[Operator5]

I'm sure the folks playing won't notice one way or the other.

If only that were true. ::sigh:: These will be used at a historical convention where I am sure at least half the people who comment will tell me what I painted incorrectly. 

[Operator5]

Well, I was able to spend about 4 hours last night working on these. Got 5 figures nearly complete. So, this is going to be a little over 1 figure per hour. Doable. The original test figure is in the back left. I adjusted the paint slightly to add a touch more green.

The figures here need about 30 minutes of work yet for boots and belts plus face highlights.