First Speedpaint layer on 40 Australian early 1941 infantry

I have 40 Australian Infantry from Slave 2 Gaming's Bardia set. Metal miniatures with rifles, bayonets and platoon support weapons. I have also have 3 Warlords Games British Officers to do. The last 10 are all in shirts and shorts so will be done later (or are objective carts).

I started with an undercoat of Vallejo English Uniform spray can and then I'm trying for the first time a Zenithal highlight with Vallejo Bonewhite spray can. I want them to be lighter when I look at them, and as that will be their backs to me on the battlefield as they advance out of the darkness of the dawn with the sun at their backs (if advancing west to east, which they did NOT do at Bardia, but did do after Tobruk), I did it from a 45 degree angle behind them, rather than on the traditional 90 angle from the top, because none of my paint jobs are good enough up close. Best I can do is looking at them from 6 feet away on a tabletop.

After spray painting the 50 infantry from all angles, the Vallejo English Uniform spray can is almost empty. 

I used an Army Painter Regiment brush. I'm not good at this and I'm splitting it already :(. I DO very much like the fact it's a triangle so you can put it down without rolling away like Citadel brushes do! I won't be buying the Citadel ones and unless I have no choice. Flat based ones are so much better to use. 

I did use a Citadel Wash cup which has got some ribbing on it and slots to try and sharpen the brush and a Citadel Figure holder to actually hold the figure in place. Trying to do it with just my hand was a lot harder. These are indispensable. Also used is a Citadel paper palette as I have read that Speedpaints and a wet palette do not work well, the Speedpaint is wet enough as is.

I choose to the battledress uniform and great coat in Army Painter Speedpaint 2.0 Warrior skin....but looking at there results maybe should have chosen Ruddy Fur. I didn't do the ruddy fur as it's listed as being a bit red more than brown. The paint went on VERY smoothly. I never want to go back to normal acrylic paints again. Citadel Layer paints take FOREVER compared to these speedy paints that go on once and you're done. Also, I don't need to thin my paints or use a wet palette! A huge time saver!

From the back/top it's very light brown, but from the front where the highlight didn't go, it's a lot more dark. I think it will look better once I put a dark wash over the backlight areas. I shall have to try a mid-brown wash and then a strong wash to see the impact.

50 infantry base and Zenithal highlight

First figures

Front and Back in Warrior Skin.

Finished painting 2 Matilda II's - my first Bolt Action minatures

It's taken several days but I've finished my first Bolt Action units - two Matilda II tanks. Painted as late 1941/42 desert. Technically they should be in Caunter Camouflage but that's way too hard for me.

Every paint and shade below the line for my future reference. I used the Vallejo undercoat spray can because no one seems to sell the Army Painter undercoat, and this was a better colour I think. I used mostly Army Painter Speedpaintd 2.0 for the base layer and Citadel dry's for drybrushing (because I have had them for years before, and no one else seems to sell dry paints). Finished in the Vallejo Matt Varnish.

All my usable paints in one place

After much digging I'm put all my (non-citadel base/layer) paints into my newly built Warlord Games Large Paint Rack. They just fit.

I have not sorted the colours yet, but I have done them by type.

Top level: Uncommon Citadel drybrushing, Army Painter mediums and varnish, spare Army Painter  wash, citadel gold base and texture.

2nd level: Commn Citadel drybrushing

3rd level: Army Painter paints black, dark and brown, Army Painter Metallics

4th level: Army Painter paints other colours

5th level: Army Paint Speedpaints V1, spare Citadel Nuln Oil

6th level: Army Painter washes

Bottom level: Citadel washes, Paint Brush cleaner

Left side: Army Painter brushes at the front, old worn brushes behind, tweezers

Right side: Large brushes, modeling tools

I do want to swap the Army Painter paints and Speedpaints V1 with all Army Painter Speedpaints V2 - I am not a good or patient painter and I just want to my troops on the ground as soon as I can. I got the Army Painter Speedpaints V1 but never got around to using them before the V2 came out which apparently do not have the problems the V1 do. 

Most of the Army Painter paints came in the starter pack, the Warlord games paint set for Black Powder Civil War, and Warlord games fast deployment set. 

I put away my old Citadel Base and Layer paints. I always hated and was not good at using layers, and using a wash (and dry-brushing important figures) is more than enough for me, so I kept the dry brushing ones. I suspect they have all dried out though. Also I don't have gold metallic base in Army Painter so kept those ones too. The Citadel pots are very messy to use and dry out way too easily compared to the drop bottles too.

I liked using the Games Workshop ink washes, but they are probably too thin compared to the Army Painter washes. They are more colorful though, so kept them in the rack.

What sucks: I seem to have thrown out all my spray paint undercoats, so can't paint anything!  :(