At first glance - of your post, that is, not even the doc - I would say that
GW paints aren't the most economical way to get into miniature painting. For someone just starting out, cost per volume is less important than cost
per color. In either case,
GW lags behind the competition, by a sizable margin. Of course,
GW has an edge in visibility and availability, for many, so your efforts aren't necessarily as misguided, in my mind, as my initial warning might suggest.
Now, on to the document! I'll tackle it by section.
Preamble: I might change "a table" to "an area." The more free space, the better, but it might be discouraging for neophytes if they think that this
has to be a space-intensive hobby (get them hooked,
then let the mess grow of its own accord
). More than a few painters get by just fine using no more than a (
GW style) lap desk or tray and a shoebox for paint storage. My own workspace is so crowded that I rarely have any more room for painting than what is occupied by my wet palette, water cup, and an 8.5x11" cutting mat.
Brushes: On the drybrush issue, not everyone has old brushes lying around. Even if they do, they're likely to vary significantly in size, material, etc. I'd stress the semi-disposable nature, noting that old
or cheap brushes are equally suitable, and describing what you think works best. I've used crappy, thick-bristled Crayola brushes for rough drybrushing of coarse bases, but they'd leave nasty streaks on a model. I've used mushroomed tiny synthetic rounds for detail drybrushing, but they're useless for even the 28mm version of "medium" tasks. My favorite "good" general use drybrush is a white nylon or Golden Taklon filbert of the appropriate size - still cheap enough that I don't mind abusing them, but also well suited to the task.
Tools: Definitely need a knife, and X-acto is a good bet. The #1 handle and #7 blades - the most commonly available - will handle most tasks well and don't cost much. There are plenty of alternatives (some of them cheaper), but I honestly don't think that anything trumps that classic combo, in terms of ubiquity, price, and function. I'm not so sure about the flush cutter, though. They can be handy, sure, but they're far from a necessity. Actually, the expectation of a guaranteed flush cut can lead to frustration, as that is rarely the result (cuts are only flush on very thin material - thicker stuff gets stretched and torn in the center of the cut, as blades are just wedges and the displaced material gets forced outward). On thick material (including many of the gates on a standard
GW plastic sprue), a set of nail clippers or diagonal cutters (which most people
will already have available) will serve just as well, since any of those tools will require cutting back from the part and cleaning up afterward to get a decent finish. A good set of files or even a cheap manicurist's foam-backed emery board would likely do more good than a flush cutter.
Glue: I've used plenty of Elmer's Glue-All for attaching basing material. No complaints, there. I wonder, though, if plastic cement would be as forgiving to a beginner as gel
CA glue. Superglue sets faster, is easier to break and redo, in case of a mishap, is widely available and inexpensive, and works on all common model materials. Gel formulas are better at filling gaps and less likely to run than liquids, making them even more beginner-friendly. Even if you
do want to suggest a solvent cement/plastic glue, I don't think the Model Master is the way to go. Having used Testors Liquid Cement, which comes in a similar container, I can say that the plastic nozzle and container shape are a
to use - I'll never buy the stuff again. A metal-tipped container, like with Revell's Contacta, or a brush-on pot would likely work better.
General Painting Supplies: I find this section a little confusing. "Paint pot" generally refers to the little jars that paints come in. Sounds like you're talking about what most would call a "water cup." Regardless, why are you suggesting cutting holes for brushes that keeps them from touching the bottom? If it's simply for brush storage, sticking them in bristles-up removes the need. If it's for rinsing, there's no need to hold them in place - just clean and store them elsewhere. Laying brushes on their side when not in use is fine and a simple cup - plastic, ceramic, glass... anything that holds water, really - is all that's needed for cleaning.
Build a Wet Palette: I'd suggest recommending something larger than a yogurt container lid. Ideally, something that can be sealed to store paint between sessions. Tupperware and its generic equivalents work quite well. If one-shot palettes are preferred, the increased surface area of a cheap plastic or foam plate would serve better. While I fully realize that the debate continues, I disagree completely with the last bit in this section. I use metallics on my wet palette just as easily as other paints. I also don't think that wet palettes should be advertised as "auto-thinners" for paint. Perhaps others get different results, but I don't find my paint gaining much additional moisture unless I leave it sealed for an extended period of time. Perhaps more importantly, relying solely on the palette for thinning can cripple a budding painter's understanding of the manipulation of paint consistency. In my mind, and supported by my personal experience, the wet palette is about maintenance or equilibrium, depending on how you prefer to view it - osmosis matches the pace of evaporation closely enough that the paint stays, for the duration of almost any paint session, in whatever consistency you've mixed it.
Paints: Not sure what, specifically, to change, here, as color suggestions would have to vary widely, depending on the chosen scheme. I might skip the UM-specific suggestions, focusing on the simplified "
GW method" of base, shade, and highlight (i.e. layer). More generic examples, done as you already have (e.g. "Leadbelcher and Ironbreaker for steel"), would still be helpful. Also, suggesting Imperial Primer doesn't seem wise. I haven't used it, in all honestly, but I've heard more than a few complaints and pretty much nothing to recommend it. For "priming" plastics, aerosol enamels work just fine. Chaos Black or Skull White spray would work better and more easily, while just about
any flat spray paint would do likewise for a fraction of either's cost. I've had great luck using the $1 cans from Walmart (ColorPlace is their house brand) and countless others rely on Krylon, Rustoleum, or other location-specific equivalents (e.g. Halfords, in the
UK).
The Empire 
1500 pts
: 
6000 pts - 
4000 pts - Harlies: 1000 pts - 
1000 pts
