Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I haven't done any serious painting in awhile, and I now intend to start my 40k in 15mm (and a few other genres in 15mm) el cheapo armies by using various Risk (Hasbro) games as a base (since these run at about 10 to 13 cents, US a figure) and then filling out the various heroes, villains, and monsters needed with metal miniatures from such lines as Laserburn, Brickdust, and Old Glory.

On the agenda:

Napoleonics: The base Risk game is great for this. Granted, the figures don't have much detail, and there are no stovepipe shakos for Brits, but in fairness, they are kind of a sideshow anyway (though gaming the Peninsula and the War of 1812 in America is a lot of fun) but for French, Austrians, Prussians, Russians and the minor European nations, the bell shako works well enough. No bayonets? Meh. I can live with it. I may well do a lot of rpg expansion here with the Old Glory stuff. Their Sleepy Hollow Line is a little too early, and their London Civilians (Sherlock Holmes, Jack the Ripper, etc.) are a little too late, but who cares? Both have great figures and are close enough.

40K: Risk Warhammer 40,000 has Space Marines, Eldar, Orks, Chaos and Genestealers. What more do you really need? I think the Laserburn Line from Alternative armies will fill out the heroes and villains nicely as will some other Risk games that I can get from Amazon, like Risk Starcraft, and Risk Star Wars, as well as cheapo additions like these for grav and space vehicles* https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0932HJ28F/ref=ox_sc_act_title_5?smid=A2YISN0J3GGO3N&psc=1 , these for alien bug monsters https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000296LPC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&th=1 (I do a lot of rpging with my 40k) and similar stuff.

High Fantasy: IMO, ya can't beat Risk Lord of the Rings as a starter for 15mm fantasy armies, and various lines from Alternative armies work well. There is also a lot of interchangeability from the other lines above. After all, a giant spider in the woods is a giant spider in the woods.

HOWEVER, WHAT ALL OF THIS LEADS INTO IS THE NECESSITY TO PAINT PLASTICS

which was never really a strong point of mine. Metals are easy, but what really is a plastic? Well, its a hydrocarbon, but from there, anything is possible. They can be anything from nylon to polystyrene to God knows what else. They can be hard or soft, and can take paint relatively well or very poorly.

So, here is my old formula for doing it. I'm always up for improvement.

1. Wash the minis off with water and a little soap. Let them dry. I'm not sure how necessary that is with what comes next, but its the way I used to do it.

2. Get a small bottle and fill it with gasoline. That's right. The stuff that makes your car move.

3. Either put the minis in a small plastic bag, add some gasoline, and shake them up, or put a little gasoline in a spritzer bottle, and lightly spray them.

4. Immediately remove the figures from the bag (if you did it that way), and dump the gasoline some place safe.

5. Set the figures in an airy place like an open garage to air dry completely. Stand them up on some cardboard while doing this, as this will absorb excess gasoline. Don't do it on a metal or plastic surface. leave them alone for about 24 hours.

6. Wash them with a little soap and water again, and let them dry overnight.

Theoretically, the gasoline (itself a hydrocarbon, after all) cuts tiny runnels in the surface of the plastic, making it adhere better to the paint.

I've had reasonable results with this, and it allows you to do it with or without priming the plastic. The best thing to do here is try a couple of figures each way, and see what works best.

***

All that said, I'm happy to learn any other tricks.

I had thought of using Krylon Fusion, but I'm not sure how well it would work. I've had mixed results with it in the past, and these figures will be small, and not have a lot of detail, so I have to make use of what detail there is, rather than getting it eaten up by a coat of primer.

What do you think? Have I missed any new tricks over the years?

Thanks

* I may even throw some Spacefleet into this, which I always thought was a blast, and way better than Battlefleet Gothic, but to each his own https://pdfcoffee.com/space-fleet-complete-rules-pdf-free.html

I’m all for using methods that you are comfortable with, but I think modern plastic primers get around the need to chemically etch the surface! I haven’t ever had to clean plastic surfaces to enable a primer application to stick properly. Resin, yes, but not for plastic.

 Flinty wrote:
I’m all for using methods that you are comfortable with, but I think modern plastic primers get around the need to chemically etch the surface! I haven’t ever had to clean plastic surfaces to enable a primer application to stick properly. Resin, yes, but not for plastic.

Good to know, and much appreciated. Have you done much with Krylon Fusion?