Hi All,

As you may have noticed, we've just released the new Landsknecht pikemen.   Painting these chaps in any scale offers a unique challenge, but with the potential end result of a something very special on the tabletop.

Given the unique nature of these models, I thought I would try and paint one of the trial bases in my usual style, and the other in a, 'white undercoat and brown wash'. model to see if either gave a better end result.

These were done using the black undercoat method:

I was reasonably happy with the end result, but not entirely satisfied that I had got the right effect.    Maybe I had expected the brighter colours to stand out with more contrast to the black beneath.

This is the second base using a white undercoat.

They look ok, but I will admit to being less happy.  The colours look a little 'muddy' to me and there isn't that contrast that I am used to from the black undercoat method.

What do you lot think?

Cheers

Peter

From what I can seen in the pictures I prefer the black undercoat, any thoughts on maybe using brown as an undercoat?  I use brown for certain figures as it seems to work better than black in my opinion although I was lazy with the Scots Greys where white was used...

I'm equally interested in what you actually used for pikes and how you attached them.  While painting 6mm doesn't intimidate me too much, gluing together mutliple human sized figures does a bit.  I'm itching to do Italian Wars; guess I'll add some samples to my next order in any case.

I think all these pikes are moulded on!

Looks like the advancing pikes are molded, but the charging pike description says they are open handed and you add pikes of your choice.  I suppose I could stick with the "advancing pikes"; probably more durable, and that would be a consideration.

Oops, my mistake! Sorry!

IWL02 is indeed open-handed, but we are investigating a cast pike option.

Adding pike to open handed figures isn't difficult, but it needs the right technique.

Use a superglue.  I find that the thicker 'drop' type works best for this.

Do them in batches.

Start with the rearmost figures in each strip.  Only ever glue one pike on to a strip at any one time.  Add one pike, then move to the next strip.  By the time you have done all the strips, the first one will have cured sufficiently.

Move on the next figures on each strip and so on.   Once you get the rythm, it works very efficiently.

Personnally I think black undercoat dulls the colours too much for all 6 mm figures. 

The problem with the black undercoat on these figures is how busy they are.  With all the puff and slash there is a lot of texture to "read" which then creates a confusing picture when looking at a base of them.

Have you considered using contrast paints over white?  I think they would give you a nice bright colour and some shading.  For more depth you could even go grey undercoat, a white drybrush then contrast paint.

I actually prefer the white undercoat effect. I like my colours bold on 6mm figures so that the units stand out at wargames distance.

The end-result is very subjective - there is no right or wrong, there is what works for you.   I've never used contrast paints and I would be interested to see how anyone who does gets on with these figures.

I thought white undercoat with black wash might work, but it's not quite right, at least in this attempt.   Brown undercoat doesn't work for me.  I tried it with some of the Pony Wars figures and I was not satisfied with the end result.