Firelock Games has recently released a paint set specifically tailored to the Blood and Plunder miniature line. I snagged myself a set, and so I want to share my experience with the paints.
Background
When I started painting miniatures in 2017, I took a very “budget approach”. At the time I was researching and looking into how to get started I noticed the cost of acrylic miniature paint was pretty high. While I was sure that the miniature paints on offer were high quality, I knew my painting skills would not be as high quality. So for my first foray into the hobby I picked up a few cheap colors from an arts and crafts store. With paint in hand I was on my way.
The guides I would follow used a standard “prime, base, shade, highlight” method. So the only actual miniature paints I invested in was a flesh tone and some basic shades. I have gotten very comfortable with using craft store acrylic paints (I have a brand that I particularly like). After seeing the new paint set that was available specifically for Blood and Plunder, I figured I would branch out and give these paints a shot.
What You Get
The package the set comes in is nice and compact for what you get. Each bottle is 22 mL and you get 12 colors in total. Each bottle comes sealed and with a little dropper cap for dripping out a small amount to work with. Another nice feature is the inclusion of a mixing bead in each bottle so when you get started you know your paint is well mixed.
The colors that are included in the box are:
- Black
- Dark Gray
- White
- Yellow
- Bright Red,
- Burgundy
- Gray Blue
- Light Umber
- Dark Umber
- Camo Green
- Yellow Ochre
- Flesh Tone
(actual names of the colors can be found below or on the website)
The color choice is where I run into my first critique. A Dark Gray and a Black seem a little redundant to me. Maybe it’s because I always just use black and add in white to my taste for gray, but I would have preferred a brighter blue or a warmer brown instead. But I do really like these color choices overall. Everything is a little muted which is a good representation of how the colors of fabrics would have been in the period.
There are also some good colors in this kit for ships. The yellow ocher would make a good deck color, and the two browns would be a good option for the outer hull for smaller ships. I think these paints would work very well for details on larger ships, such as the upper works and railings, but for the bulk of the hull and decks I think looking for a cheaper option is justified for the larger ships.
Paints Performance
These paints feel and perform very well. They are smooth and don’t require that many coats to get good coverage. I just thinned them out with a bit of water and got some very good results. I primarily like to use a wet palette because I don’t paint for very long. When I paint and I tend to do a lot of mixing for more subtle shades and colors. The reason I use a wet palette to make sure I have access to the same color for a few sessions for touch ups and such. Using the wet palette I ran into the first problem I had with the paints performance. These paints did fine for the first session on a wet palette but after a few hours you might find that they start to separate. I found some of them kinda lumpy after a few hours on the palette. Then when I tried to mix them and apply them to the mini, they dried very flaky. They did not adhere to the primer and flaked off the mini very easily.
After asking around to people that are accustomed to these paints, I learned that the Pro Acrylics don’t do well on a wet palette. The wet palette users have been warned. I did have success with it eventually but I had to re-mix them extensively before using them again off the palette. Moving forward I don’t plan on using these with a wet palette. They are harder to work with and the bottle design allows me to use a small amount at a time. With that in mind, it isn’t much of an issue.
Conclusion
I really liked working with these paints. Primarily I used these paints for my first layers and then again as my highlights with paints lightened slightly. I don’t push my highlights as far as some, as I think I get diminishing returns on my work the longer I mess with it. In my opinion this is a fantastic product for a new Blood & Plunder painter. This kit gives you some very useful colors for the miniature line. The paints are easy to work with, if you know some things going into it, and I think they produce some very good looking results. I would definitely recommend this product.
Article by Garrett Swader
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