Warrior Ancient and Medieval Rules

[John Garlic]

Hi All,

Sorry to keep bugging folks with small questions. I am working on some Numidians and had a couple base painting questions.

First, what do you use as skin tones? I have often seen them painted almost as dark as sub-Saharan Africans. I thought they were darker than cauacasian, but not that dark. Any suggestions on exact paint colours?

Second, what colour do you use for elephants? I just bought my first ever elephant figures. Boy were they a pain - three legged torsos with heads and ears (aieeee) to attach. I base coated them black and was going to use a coat of dark gray and then wash it in black.

Thanks,
John Garlic

[scott holder]

I have Numidians in 25mm. I paint the flesh tones with a darkish tan, then wash a dark brown overtop. It works. Actually, depending on the darkness of the brown wash, you might have to change the tan undertone to something fairly light.

Painting elephants, ah, a favorite subject of mine. I've written on this before but a quick search of the archives didn't reveal anything. And now, without one my my elephants in front of me, I can't remember offhand how I did it.

There's this kneejerk reaction to paint elephants gray. I went to the National Zoo in DC one day just to study elephant "color" (this was back in The Ancient Days before the internets). They're brown dammit.

I *think* I then painted them a dark brown (I might have even painted their base coat Panzer Gray), the dry brushed a light brown overtop and, in a concession to the popular perception of "how elephants look", mixed in a little light gray dry brushing.

Here's a photo that's a good example:

http://www.iwmc.org/elephant/elephant.htm

Another site with tons of good photos:

http://www.rosswarner.com/elephant.html

That should give you enough to go on.

scott

[cloppdave]

Hi John
Dave "The X-Theban" and all around master of disaster here.
As far as Numidians go in 40 years of gameing I just purchased some last week so I am going with Scott on that one.
On Elephants depends on scale in 15mm I use a white primer then a light Black wash then I go with dry brushing 2/3 differants browns then light dusty color as there is nothing a small child or Elephant like better than a dust shower/bath.
In 25mm (I have 4 25mm working at this time) I primer Black then work up the brown dry brushing, now for a wet Elephant I wll add a very dark brown Dry brush then brown ink in the areas you would like to show as wet.
Also remember to make to ground wet/muddy on the wet elehants bases.
Dave "The X-Theban" Clopp

[Bill Chriss]

I've responded to this on "history talk" subject list, Dave.

[Bill Chriss]

See the later hoplite Theban list I posted on the Tactics subforum.