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I am painting a squad of high shields for war machines and these buggers just keep chipping. They are pewter but as soon as I touch them they just start chipping away at the paint that is applied. Should I try another primer?

Did you wash the models off with a brush and some soap (I think dish soap works well) before priming and painting? There may be some of the mold release on the models still that's causing your paint to chip off.

Are you using anything like mineral spirits, alcohol or anything on the model? Like @alex said, have you stripped them recently? if so you are ment to wash them after stripping. leave the models for a few hours, see if the paint is still brittle. If its a little better try sealing it with a matte varnish or gloss w/e. That will seal it in... hope this helps

Could be that there was release agent on the metal before you primed them.

As others have said many a time before, its well worth washing metal and resin models in warm (not hot) soapy water and rinseing them well before you prime.

Also it could be that the primer you used isn't that good/wasn't applied correctly (wrong temp or humidity could mess it up).

Try giving the models a scrub and then reapply the primer but leave it to set awhile before you try painting again.

Some models have parts that are just prone to chipping as well. Specifically, the Executioner for Malifaux's claw tips & the tip of Pedro Kantor's fingers come to mind.

Dependant on whether you're talking about specific raised areas chipping/rubbing off or the entire model depends on how to answer your issue. If it's the former then likely you need a better varnish. I actually use water-based wood floor varnish for my metal models followed by a matte hobby varnish. This makes them pretty damned tough & resistant to scuffs but even still, on parts like that it doesn't always work 100% of the time.

 Red_Starrise wrote:
Dependant on whether you're talking about specific raised areas chipping/rubbing off or the entire model depends on how to answer your issue.

QFT

Paint flaking off all over the place would point to improper adhesion. Paint rubbing off of protruding points would suggest insufficient varnish and/or rough handling. Another thing to bear in mind is that metal models are malleable. Sometimes a tumble can cause a part to bend at its weakest point, which may not be the area that received the impact (e.g. model topples forward - its chunky gun/axe/whatever may be fine, while paint has flaked off at its much thinner wrist, elbow, etc. as the part flexed slightly during the fall). Varnish protects pretty well against abrasion and good primer has strong adhesion, but neither can help you if the underlying model bends - all the layers, form primer to varnish, are going to be relatively brittle, once cured.