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I'm getting back into painting after 10 years and since my GW paints are long dead, I'm looking to start fresh with Vallejo.

If I am getting the Game Color Suitcase is it worthwhile to also get the Model Color Suitcase? Or is there too much overlap for it to be worthwhile?

TBH, for the longest of times, I used the VGC case (72 paints or something) with no issues. And honestly, like 50-60% of the paints are hardly used. VMC has more variety of shades etc, but to come back into painting, it'll probably save you some money to just buy the one.

I used the VGC case and GW Washes for probably 2 years with no issue. I have recently expanded into the model air range (for my airbrush) and starting to replace some of my empty VGC with VMC. But I still use the game colour extensively and I think it's fine. Although, I'm really starting to prefer VMA for metallics, they go on smoother and aren't so thick out of the bottle. But having said that, VGC metallics can be thinned with a drip of water and they'll be fine.

Rambled a bit there, sorry. To answer your question: The VGC set is more than necessary for beginners. I would augment the suitcase some washes from somewhere. I use GW washes, haven't tried washes from else where.

...Oh, and welcome to Dakka!

Just "game color"!

The "model color" paints can be good, but the case has wayyyy too many greens and browns, and just for example a single orange if I remember right. It's clearly aimed at folks painting historicals / tanks, whereas if you're painting most miniatures the selection of colors in the "game color" case is much better (you could always buy individual or smaller sets of the "model color" line later if needed, and same for "game color" paints not included in the set).

It's also a ton of paint, so you only need one, but in my mind range of colors is really important when buying a large set, and the range of the "model color" case is much too limited compared to the "game color" one. I really like the "game color" one, if that wasn't obvious well worth getting!

If you get a real 'rivet counter', then they'll tell you that the VMC case doesn't have enough greens and browns

I personally would go for individual colors as you need them.

Overall unless you literally use EVERY single color you dont really save anything.

I got myself the 72 Vallejo Game Air case when I started airbrushing. Unless money is a problem this is great, a balanced selection of colors. I've topped it up with mostly VMA colors and hardly ever touch my Citadel collection other than for drybrushing.

I would buy the smaller sets and individual paints you need. Like buy the VGC heavy opaque set, the ink set and maybe one of the basic VGC color sets and then whatever else you will need. Oh and VMA metallics.

Cool, thanks for the welcome and the advice!

 Ghaz wrote:
If you get a real 'rivet counter', then they'll tell you that the VMC case doesn't have enough greens and browns

Actually, a rivet counter would tell you it has the "wrong" greens and browns As someone who likes doing historical models, I don't want 50 million greens and browns, I want the 1 which is correct for the model I'm currently painting

AllSeeingSkink wrote:

 Ghaz wrote:
If you get a real 'rivet counter', then they'll tell you that the VMC case doesn't have enough greens and browns

Actually, a rivet counter would tell you it has the "wrong" greens and browns As someone who likes doing historical models, I don't want 50 million greens and browns, I want the 1 which is correct for the model I'm currently painting

Depending on the project, you might need one of those 50 million shades of green or brown. A true 'rivet counter' doesn't stick to just one nation, after all

You still don't want 50 million greens and browns, you want the dozen or so that you feel are the most accurate

A true rivet counter would need the 50 million greens and browns.in order to be accurate. After all, a Sherman tank at the Battle of the Bulge is going to be an ever so slightly different shade of olive drab than one at the Normandy Breakout due to weathering, variations in the paint supply, etc. and the rivet counter (and his fellow rivet counters) will notice the difference and will point out if you've painted your tank the ever so slightly wrong shade of olive drab for the battle you're recreating. Anything less, and your rivet counter should be ashamed of himself, and will be asked to turn in his 'Rivet Counters' membership card at the next historical convention

Just buy the colours you need on ebay. You'll hardly ever use some of the colours in the whole set. I hardly use some of the paints i buy singularly=p

 Ghaz wrote:
A true rivet counter would need the 50 million greens and browns.in order to be accurate. After all, a Sherman tank at the Battle of the Bulge is going to be an ever so slightly different shade of olive drab than one at the Normandy Breakout due to weathering, variations in the paint supply, etc. and the rivet counter (and his fellow rivet counters) will notice the difference and will point out if you've painted your tank the ever so slightly wrong shade of olive drab for the battle you're recreating. Anything less, and your rivet counter should be ashamed of himself, and will be asked to turn in his 'Rivet Counters' membership card at the next historical convention

Pfft. A true rivet counter gets the shade that is closest to the best colour swatch available and then mixes the subtle variations themselves, if you just buy 50 million shades of green and brown you can't know which one is most accurate for the number of hours your aircraft has been sitting in the sun vs how many hours it's been in the air given how many hours since it was assembled

A good rivet counter won't buy all the colours from 1 company though. You buy the same colour from 5 different manufacturers to figure out which one is best. Don't ask how many versions of RAF Dark Earth, RAF Dark Green and RAF Sky that I own Or even worse, how many Dunkelgelbs