Painting FAQ

For [un]official schemes and painting tips see

http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Station/3565/ft-painting-faq.html

I'll update it with any posts here.

> At 08:31 3/04/98 +0100, you wrote:

Well here are my ideas for the Oceanic Union fleet. There is no one colour
scheme. What I've tried to do is give an Aboriginal "Dreamtime" theme to the
whole fleet which has models from each of the human ranges plus some Silent
Death stuff. The models are base coated with a matt black. Then you dry brush
a "camo" pattern of irregular shapes and sizes over the top. How many colours
you use for the camo is up to you but as a rule of thumb 4 colours for
capitals, 3 for crusiers, 2 for escorts and 1 for fighters works best. I've
found that "earthy" tones work really well, browns, autumn colours (for those
of you where the seasons actually change), greens and subdued blues and the
like. Hit the model (but not fighters) with a brown ink wash to make the
detail really stand out. I then paint abstract designs based on Aboriginal
paintings and rock art (dots, circles, "snake trails"...etc) in bright reds,
yellows and even white. There's no real rules at this stage about colours or
designs but it is probably best to keep the designs themselves realitively
simple. The overall effect is that each ship has an indiviual paint job but I
don't think anyone has been in any doubt as to the fleets identity when I've
gone to a tournament.

        I've thought that a Cal-Tex fleet done in a similar fashion but
using Indian motifs might look really good.

Thats my two bobs worth.

Tim, I can only say that I was very suprised when I found your site.
And now for round two of "Camo-in-Space".

NSL: The base coat is black with at least two or three progressively
lighter grays dry brushed with less 'force/paint' in each application.
The NSL is divided into groups, the NSL proper; with the Austrian flag
painted high on the rear of the ship w/ black eagle added (from decals).
The FSB (Frei Stadt Beyern) has the Bavarian flag at the same location, again
from decals, applied over a painted white field. The heavy cruiser has been a
favorite for modification of the design.

Sha'VasKu: The Sha'VasKu are painted a very dark brown base coat with not less
than four lighter browns in lighter applications (drybrush), the last two
layers are yellow and a pale yellow VERY spareingly
applied to the highest levels on the model.   The tips of the points
are drybrushed deep red with brighter reds toward the very tip. If you want a
larger ship, take the nine point heavy cruiser and
attach the six point cruiser below.   I tend to bend the tips very
slightly down, this gives the ships a 'grasping/claw' look.

FCT (Free Cal Tex):
     All ships are base coated with light/medium gray.  The overcoat
is an offwhite/cream (drybrush) color with a final coat of snow
white (drybrush) lightly applied.   Trim on panels is in red, blue
and yellow,   The engines are steel with silver highlights.
The FCT has been the subject of extensive modification for nearly every class
and ship. Number 6 and 7.5 lead shot is useful for
domes, if you can get it.   The 'Wings and things' pack comes in
very handy when doing the FCT. The favorite ship for modification is the
Battledreadnought.

Dutch: The ships used for the Dutch are the Traveller scout as a DD, and the
Rafm #630 as a heavy cruiser.

Kra'Vak:
     The Kra'Vak-D'rk is my clan.   The ships live up to the name
with the flat black, gloss black, and steel paint job. The D'rk are a small
and disadvantaged clan that frequently do not have adequate supplies of
railguns for thier ships. Most of the escorts only carry class 1 railguns and
the cruisers class 2, the capital ships do have class 3 railguns but normally
mount fewer than the mass would normally indicate. The D'rk ships are subject
to frequent modification and salvage so they do not conform the the normal
Kra'vak ship profiles. (The points ratio of Kra'Vak to Human of 3:2 works
quite well
during a game/campaign.

Bye for now, JTL