Figures

Choosing figure sets

Figure sets are sold by army, period and pose: tank crews, infantry on the march, officers at a briefing, soldiers at rest. Decide what story you want to tell first. A tank commander leaning out of the hatch, a crew loading ammunition or infantry riding on the hull each make a very different scene. Then check that the uniforms fit the vehicle's period: early-war German soldiers wore different equipment from late-war ones, and US troops in the European theater looked different from those in the Pacific.

Painting figures

Figures can feel intimidating, but a simple method gets good results at normal viewing distance:

1. Prime the figure in grey or black.
2. Paint the large areas first: uniform, then equipment, boots and helmet.
3. Paint the face and hands with a flesh color, then add a thin brown wash to define the eyes, nose and fingers.
4. Pick out small details: belt buckles, weapons, straps.
5. Finish with a matte varnish to kill the shine. Real fabric is never glossy.

The 1/16 single-figure kits are larger and easier to paint in detail, and they make striking display pieces on their own.

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