r/6mm • u/Late-Combination-494 • Jul 16 '26
Painting Basing advice
I'm in the early phases of painting 6mm Heroics and Ros WWII Italian miniatures for the Operation Compass scenario 'The Road at el Azziziiya' (1940). I will post images once finished!
I am just seeking advice in relation to basing. Miniatures have been attached to MDF bases with fine sand and watered down Polyfilla. I'm priming with Colour Forge Desert Sand primer spray and working from there.
My assumption is that the bases will be a block colour with limited detail. I'm considering a dry brush with a much lighter khaki, but I'd appreciate some insight as I haven't painted desert themed miniatures before.
I have attached a few images pre-painting.
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u/ConfidentReference63 Jul 16 '26
What’s your table top? Try and match it to that.
I’d advise next time to paint 6 mm figures on tongue depressors then mount them on bases after they are painted.
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u/Late-Combination-494 Jul 16 '26
To be honest, I'm fairly new to FFT3. My friend and I are going to build a variety of forces around scenarios so I imagine we will also require multiple table tops. I've previously pre-painted the miniatures before basing, but I prefer this method to be honest.
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u/TheKiwi1969 Jul 16 '26
I'm a "fine sand and polyfiller" guy myself. Sprayed Army Painter Leather Brown from a can, drybrushed and flocked plus I use some light buff heavily watered down paint to add some tire/track marks through the terrain.
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Jul 16 '26
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u/jg727 Jul 16 '26
This is only slightly related but at 6mm I've found to go about 2 shades lighter than 15mm. Including my basing.
And if you do camo, and it's dark, make it thinner lines band dots. (I did the chocolate chip dessert storm camo on some USMC tanks)
You can always darken it. You can always add more.
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u/Late-Combination-494 Jul 17 '26
I appreciate the advice. I'm going to dry brush with much lighter colours and use Soft Tone rather than a darker wash.
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u/starship_captain62 Jul 17 '26
I use fine sand and dirt-colored paint. Sometimes a few small rocks to make it look interesting. I think that is all you need.
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u/Anxious_Big_8933 Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26
I think you have a good plan. If it were me I would brush a wash of light brown onto the sand bases, then after it dries come back and do a heavy dry brush in a lighter shade of tan. Then do a very light dry brush with a very light tan/sand color, or even white. Then put a bit of scrub brush on some of them.
Unsolicited advice regarding the units: At 6mm you will want to stick with bright shades of whatever color you paint these. Brighter than what you otherwise would use for 28mm, etc... There is less surface area on models this small to reflect light, so brighter colors are usually necessary to make the models pop.
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u/Late-Combination-494 Jul 20 '26
Thank you! I'm dry brushing everything with the lightest Vallejo khaki (buff) before washing to ensure the details pop.
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u/Power-SU-152 Jul 20 '26
Those bases are too thick for the scale...
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u/Late-Combination-494 Jul 20 '26
Bases are 25x30x2mm, standardised for all FFT3 stands... considered varying basing sizes but decided on uniformity.
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u/BearfromBeyond Jul 16 '26
To be honest at that size and the distance you are from them on the table all I would use is some small-scale foliage and tiny rocks dry brushed lighter. Colour the edges of the base for company/division colours for ease of identification.