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So, I'm looking to varnish my models, and am just looking for suggestions or recommendations about the brand/type.

Personally I am more a painter than player, so I don't use varnishes myself, as they always change the colours a bit.
But my friends use the Vallejo Matte Varnish spray, as it contains no chemicals interacting badly with e.g. army painter quickshade (even the army painter matte varnish interacts!).

Spray Can - Krylon Matte varnish (or satin) - 2 light coats (if I cannot find the Matte and I have to use Satin, I follow it up with Testors Dullcoat to kill any shine)

Brush On - Currently I'm just using Craft Smart (Michaels house brand el-cheapo acrylics) Matte Varnish. It works fairly well but it's not entirely matte. But it'll do while it's far too cold outside to spray!

I'm sure there are better or more "pro" alternatives but these work well for me.

I mix my own varnish using Windsor and Newton acrylic varnish and gloss medium. You can get exactly the effect you want. Though I've found because varnish is clear you can actually do quite a lot of thick coats, with different varnishes. It doesn't obscure detail like paint would. So if you don't like the finish, you can just go over it with something else.

Brush-on all the way for me, or if you must use spray warm the can in a bath of warm water, shake it to within an inch of its life, make sure humidity and temp aren't extreme and then hit the varnised model with a hair dryer, and then prepare to still have to strip t because of frosting.

I use an air brush with flat lacquer. Do this before putting on metallics unless you want them really dull.

Future Floor Wax (Johnson's Klear)

Any old acrylic gloss spray will do, in my experience. I use them for the heavy lifting, protection-wise, then dust it with Testors Dullcote to get the finish I like (nothing else I've tried even comes close to the quality). Being a lacquer, Dullcote is plenty strong on its own, I just use gloss first to cut down on the amount needed for equivalent protection, as it saves me money.

I also keep Vallejo gloss on hand to brush over details I want to restore some shine to, after the overall matte layer. I've been experimenting with Liquitex matte, as well, and I absolutely abhor the stuff, so far, whether applied by brush or shot through an airbrush. I'm sure I'll eventually get the hang of it, but I have to fight the product, for now.

Liquitex gloss if you want gloss
(thinned a bit you can airbrush it).

Testors acryl matte (which can brush or airbrush) if you want matte.

See if you any of your hobby friends have any, and try them...

Oh, and as others have said...ALWAYS try first on a test model!!!

best of luck!