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Is it worth it to get the P3 Khador paint set or should I just use the Citadel paints I already have? Because I'm going to get the Khador Battlebox soon and I was wondering which is the better choice for painting them.

I really think citadel paints are good. So in my opinion I would stick with those.

If you want to match the studio colour scheme as closely as possible, then get the P3 paints. If you're happy with your 'jacks being a slightly different red, then stick with what you have.

If you already own a substantial number of paints then I wouldn't bother. Try out a couple of colours as and when you need them but there's no need to replace colours that are close to ones you already own.

you could even go to wallmart and buy their cheap acrylics (which are actually fairly decent quality, just not as great a color range.... heck, half your GW browns could be swapped out from there, if I'm doing terrain projects, I buy my paints at walmart, and they are actually pretty good. I even know a guy who used those same paints and the models were stunning quality)

The colors you got are great.... on that note, any chance you want to swipe my khadors from me?

poda_t wrote:you could even go to wallmart and buy their cheap acrylics (which are actually fairly decent quality, just not as great a color range.... heck, half your GW browns could be swapped out from there, if I'm doing terrain projects, I buy my paints at walmart, and they are actually pretty good. I even know a guy who used those same paints and the models were stunning quality)

I'd avoid that suggestion. While you CAN get good results with craft acrylics (google Dankelzahn for some good examples of stuff done with craft paints), the pigment count is godawful, so you're going to be using a LOT of very thin coats, otherwise your model will be horribly patchy and the paint will be far too thick at the same time. There's definitely options outside of the standard Citadel/Vallejo/Reaper/P3 quartet, but unless you know what you're doing, craft paints typically aren't a good one.

As for the P3 stuff, I heartily recommend it. Coverage on par with Citadel's foundation series, with a much better range of colors. Their reds are especially nice, typically only needing a couple coats for solid coverage. I'd avoid getting the factions sets myself, if only because P3's old formula metals are to be avoided at all costs. AT ALL COSTS. Really, look up "Rhulic gold" on youtube. There's some amusing videos of the stuff exploding when poked. On the bright side, Privateer just debuted the new formula at GenCon, so this problem will likely be resolved soon.

TL;DR: Craft paints bad. P3 good. Rhulic Gold doubles as plastique.

Laughing Man wrote:

poda_t wrote:you could even go to wallmart and buy their cheap acrylics (which are actually fairly decent quality, just not as great a color range.... heck, half your GW browns could be swapped out from there, if I'm doing terrain projects, I buy my paints at walmart, and they are actually pretty good. I even know a guy who used those same paints and the models were stunning quality)

I'd avoid that suggestion. While you CAN get good results with craft acrylics (google Dankelzahn for some good examples of stuff done with craft paints), the pigment count is godawful, so you're going to be using a LOT of very thin coats, otherwise your model will be horribly patchy and the paint will be far too thick at the same time. There's definitely options outside of the standard Citadel/Vallejo/Reaper/P3 quartet, but unless you know what you're doing, craft paints typically aren't a good one.

As for the P3 stuff, I heartily recommend it. Coverage on par with Citadel's foundation series, with a much better range of colors. Their reds are especially nice, typically only needing a couple coats for solid coverage. I'd avoid getting the factions sets myself, if only because P3's old formula metals are to be avoided at all costs. AT ALL COSTS. Really, look up "Rhulic gold" on youtube. There's some amusing videos of the stuff exploding when poked. On the bright side, Privateer just debuted the new formula at GenCon, so this problem will likely be resolved soon.

TL;DR: Craft paints bad. P3 good. Rhulic Gold doubles as plastique.

I shoudl have clarified I use craft paints exclusively for terrain so far, and have had no problems. If this man says its a bad idea.... then take his word for it.

What gw paints do you have? are there any gaps in your collection? I wholeheartedly endorese the p3 paint line, but there's no need to get redundant colors, your better off picking up singles that supplement your existing paints.
I suggest sanguine base, menoth white hilight, morrow white, and cryx bane base to just about any painter looking for useful colors, morrow white is the only one that will likely overlap with your existing paints and it is simply the best pure white I've ever seen.

What others have said is pretty spot on. If you've already got the equivalent Citadel Colours, or enough colors that are close enough for your tastes, I see no reason to buy the Khador paint set. I've never used Privateer Press's paints, so I can't offer any comparisons. From what I've seen, PP paints are quite good, so I suppose it's a matter of preference, unless one paint line has a shade the other doesn't.


By the by, welcome to Warmafail!

poda_t wrote:I shoudl have clarified I use craft paints exclusively for terrain so far, and have had no problems. If this man says its a bad idea.... then take his word for it.

Yeah, craft paints tend to work a lot better for that sort of work (I've emptied a few tubes doing that myself!), although I personally prefer an airbrush. I've seen house paint work nicely if you're painting a full 4x4 (or 4x8, depending on system) table.

I suggest sanguine base, menoth white hilight, morrow white, and cryx bane base to just about any painter looking for useful colors, morrow white is the only one that will likely overlap with your existing paints and it is simply the best pure white I've ever seen.

Might as well add a few colors onto that list while I'm here. Frostbite and both Trollblood colors don't have any ready equivalents in Citadel's line, and Sanguine Highlight is rather nifty as well. Out of all their metals, Blighted Gold is the only one I'd pick up until the reformulated stuff hits the shelves, simply because of how awesome it is. Nobody else I know of makes a good greenish gold like that. I wish the Rhulic Gold worked as well (stupid exploding paint...), as the red gold color is very useful. Of course, this all depends highly on what specific color scheme you're shooting for. If you don't need any of those colors and still have plenty of Citadel stuff sitting around, keep using what you have! I'd definitely recommend trying out a bottle or two of the stuff just to see if you like the formula tho: As I mentioned above, great coverage, the consistency is almost perfect for tabletop work right out of the bottle, and the dry time is perfect for wet blending.