Diesel DM

Tier 1 gave us the tools to assemble and play a battlebox game. Now let’s dig deeper and head into my second Tier of getting started supplies.  Here we will dig more into the rules, fluff and painting aspects of WARMACHINE.

Tier 2

• WARMACHINE Prime Mark II Book
• Primer
• Iron Kingdoms P3 Paint Box
• Faction P3 Paint Box
• Acrylic Paintbrushes
• Brush Cleaner

Prime Mk II

WARMACHINE Prime Mark II Book

The quick start rules included in the battleboxes will give you enough to play a game, but you really want to get the core rulebook for WARMACHINE, which is called WARMACHINE Prime Mark II.  It comes in both hard and soft cover, depending on your preference.  The hard cover is very nice because you can lay it flat and keep it open to particular pages, while the softcover is lighter and thinner providing better portability.  Beyond including all the rules for the game, Prime is also your introduction to the fluff (non-rule related information) about the Iron Kingdoms, the world in which the events of WARMACHINE unfold.  Prime includes both a general introduction and overview to the world as a whole, as well as detailed information about each faction.  Many of the core models from each faction are also present in Prime, both their stats, tactical tips and some background fluff.  If you’re not sure what faction is for you, this is a good book to get to help you figure it out.  Lastly, Prime contains a basic guide to painting models and creating your own terrain.  This is a really great book that covers the full gamut of the hobby that I wanted to put in Tier 1, but instead it finds itself atop the Tier 2 list.

P3 Black Primer

Primer

WARMACHINE isn’t just about the rules and playing the game, a large part of the hobby is the painting of the models.  WARMACHINE Prime Mark II contains a short guide on getting started painting, so now you’ll need the supplies to get the job done.  The first thing you need is primer.  Primer will stick better to the bare metal or resin model and at the same time the paint will stick better to it.  Washing your models before assembly will also help the primer stick.  Primer typically comes in black or white, and in spray or paint-on varieties.  I use the P3 Spray on primer, it does a great job.  You’ll want to use black for darker colored models or models that will have a lot of metallic paints, while white is best for lighter colored models.  P3 does not currently make a paint-on primer, but I have used the Vallejo paint on primers for small pieces or to cover any large areas missed with the spray.

Iron Kingdom Colors Paint Box

Iron Kingdoms P3 Paint Box

You can use any brand paint you want, P3, GW, Valejo, etc.  I use P3 because when I started I didn’t know what else to get and I have no problems with most of their paints.  (Their gold metallics leave much to be desired, however).  You can also paint your models with whatever color scheme you want.  For this getting started guide I’m assuming you’re brand new to the hobby and want to use the default color schemes.  A few nice things about the P3 line is that the paints will line up with the painting guide presented in Prime, the colors are often named in ways that make it easy to figure out the faction they belong to and the faction colors are sold in grouped boxes.  The Iron Kingdoms P3 Paint Box is the basic set of colors used across most factions and is a good start to what you will need.  If you know your faction and color scheme feel free to skip the Paint Box suggestions and hand-pick your colors as necessary.

Cygnar Colors Paint Box

Faction P3 Paint Box

As mentioned previously, P3 bundles the faction colors together to make it easy and economical to get started.  Feel free to branch out from these basics to get some additional colors as mentioned in the Prime painting guide.  For WARMACHINE you can get faction color boxes for Cygnar, Cryx, Protectorate of Menoth, Khador and Mercenaries.

Acrylic Paintbrushes

Acrylic Paintbrushes

Now that your model is primed and you have paint, you’ll need a way to apply it.  The P3 line of paints (and most modeling paints) are acrylic (water-based) paints.  The topic of acrylic paint brush selection is vast and can get quite heated by fans of one particular brand or another.  A really nice brush can cost upwards of $15.  But just starting out this isn’t necessary.  In a future tier we will discuss paintbrushes again, but for now lets start simple.  Any acrylic brush will do, you can head to your local craft supply store and pick some up.  You want a round brush around size 0 and another one around size 000 for hard to reach places., though brush sizes vary from one company to the next.  Privateer Press sells their own line of brushes which I think are quite nice for the beginner.  For these you will want to go with the Base Hobby Brush and the Fine Hobby Brush.  The small drybrush isn’t a bad addition either.  These brushes will continue to be useful even if you do upgrade to nice brushes in the future, so don’t worry about wasting money on a cheaper brush now.

"The Masters" Brush Cleaner

Brush Cleaner

Cleaning your brushes after you finish painting each time will keep them looking and working like new for a long time.  You don’t want paint drying in the bristles as it will start the split the tip of the brush and fray the bristles.  I have only ever used and will continue to use “The Masters” Brush Cleaner and Preserver, it is a remarkable product.  Unscrew the lid, put a couple drop of water on the soap, rub your wet brush around getting it well coated.  Work the soap in well then rinse and if necessary (though rarely is it) you can repeat the process.  For the bristles into a nice rounded tip and leave it to dry, preferably bristles down.

Images originating from the Privateer Press website are © 2001—2011 Privateer Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved. WARMACHINE ®, P3™, Cygnar™, Cryx™, Khador™, Protectorate of Menoth™, and their logos are trademarks of Privateer Press, Inc. Images and trademarks used without permission. This website is unofficial and is not endorsed by Privateer Press.