Build Guide and Painting: Bolt Action Weapon Teams [How I Paint Things]

Sometimes you've been doing something for so long you just don't think about why. That habit can blind you to new possibilities! So when Fred - that Fred, of end credits fame! - asked me about how to go about basing some US weapons teams for his Bolt Action army, I really had to take a second and think about it. One thing lead to another, and here we are!
The advice in this video is pretty solid for any of the weapon teams throughout Bolt Action, from MMGs to mortars, and even some of the smaller infantry guns. Size out where everybody's going to be perched once your build is complete, glue the weapon to the base and the rest you can paint without having to attach it - complete access to everything while you paint, rather than having to fight around corners to reach under anything.
Check out the US Starter Army from Warlord Games here! bit.ly/3tqUk5i
00:00 - Intro
01:20 - Assembly Tips
06:55 - Painting the MG Team
22:41 - The Finished Team
Thanks to Producer level Patrons Alan Nuttall, Kyrie Crawford, Trainboy, Fred, and Jimmy - as well as all the other Patrons that made this video possible, and Exit23 Games for recording equipment that helps keep the channel ticking over! Find out more at the following links:
/ sonicsledgehammer
/ sonicsledge
/ sonicsledgehammer
ko-fi.com/docw...
exit23.games
Grab your own Sonic Sledgehammer mug (or more!) from Redbubble! www.redbubble.... Note that shipping is charged according to where the product is made, so those charges will be higher or lower depending on where you are in the world - this, unfortunately, is something I can't control!
PAINTS USED:
PRIMER:
Citadel Wraithbone
VALLEJO:
German Camo Beige
US Field Drab
Russian Uniform WWII
Dark Sand
Pastel Green
Camo Olive Green
Khaki
Mahogany Brown
Beige Brown
Leather Brown
Iraqi Sand
Black
Flat Brown
Ivory
Pale Sand
Green Grey
Oily Steel
CITADEL:
Cadian Fleshtone (Layer)
Kislev Flesh (Layer)
Retributor Armour (Base)
Agrax Earthshade (Shade)
SPRAY VARNISHES:
Vallejo Matt Varnish

[@Dernancourt4]

I love these tutorials. They got me into Bolt Action - my first foray into wargaming!

[@TheAjcostello5672]

I use Vallejo's Russian Uniform WW2 as the base green for my US Marines' fatigues, too. It's such an amazingly useful color. I use it across pretty much all of the different systems I paint figures for.

[@robisonwells1]

Love the huge increase in uploads. More Sonic Sledgehammer is never a bad thing, and there doesn't appear to be a decrease in quality. I love getting multiple videos from you every week. (And I especially love the new and interesting models you're painting which we don't see as much, like this one.)

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Good to know! It's been a while in finding quite the stride for all this, but with time and space recently at last coming together, I can really start to mash through some of the backlog, answer some old questions and get to grips with slightly larger or more complex miniatures.

[@dennisflood9546]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio Just please be wary of burnout.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

@@dennisflood9546 Yeah, it's something I've been keeping in mind. September is definitely not going to see the pace that August had, but more than one upload a week actually feels pretty nice to hit.

[@gadushholl3469]

First time I see a thumbs down. What's wrong with the content? Useful information and motivating build process. Some pple .... no brain, no pain I guess.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Sometimes if it's not something which directly addresses which someone wants, it gets the downvote. Oh, well! It's still engagement as far as the monster that is KZbin is concerned.

[@stevepickering5978]

I watched it again as I have a team now to do so just catching up on your method keep up the Excellent work

[@johnkelley9877]

The figure casting are very nice looking with some terrific detail and your painting makes the assembled figures look real. Thanks for sharing this technique.

[@Mopopolis]

Man you are killing it with the uploads lately!

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

A man on a mission!

[@darioscomicschule1111]

7:40 Das Gute Pontal! Einfach Episch!

[@Keith-jb8ct]

washing the parts first helps with paint adhesion, I've had paint rub off during a game play and just handling. dish detergent and baking soda in warm water works well. just soak the parts for a few minutes. I also use an old toothbrush for the bigger parts. shoot em with canned air to help dry.

[@Fredeye63]

Hey that was great as always. I like this method too as the other way is a bit tricky. I haven't delved into static grass yet so I've become adept at using spackle and/or Vallejo's Earth Texture acrylic to hide the mounds (that's tricky too). Thanks for this bit of instruction.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Excellent suggestion. Some kind of paste up the side would be really useful for hiding the metal rims, although I wonder about applying that once they're painted and attached to the base. Something else to consider - seems like there's always something more to try!

[@slimjim7411]

I buy Apoxie sculpt brown and basically add a layer to the base around the miniature bases. You can also take something boot shaped and make boot prints, squish a spot down for a mud puddle with some water effects, and then just a thin coat of the vallejo texture. Simply because I like it better than glue and sand. You can also squish little aquarium rocks down into it a little to make it look like a stone poking out of the ground vs a stone setting on the ground. Then I add tufts, static grass, or whatever else I want. The nice thing is just a little drybrushing with a lighter brown, and some gloss gives you a nice muddy field effect with a few grass tufts.

[@davidnandrin8825]

Very instructive , now I am ready for any weapon team ! Thank you !

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Glad to hear it! There's a lot of transferable information in this one, I think. :D

[@thewoodlandschoolltd3999]

Really liking these BA painting tutorials. Such good inspiration

[@jakf101]

At least this guide answered most of my questions from one of the older videos! I think I will paint some variation in the jackets as well it looks nice instead of going with german camo for every soldier.

[@ARed-TailedHawk]

Extremely useful, thank you. I look forward to every video you do!

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Really pleased to hear that! :D

[@Chopperkelly73]

Great job! I’ve got a few soviet three man support teams to finish off, hadn’t quite figured out how to base them. Perfect timing 👍

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Great to hear! It seems as though I tend to have agents all around the world telling me what's next in people's painting queues...

[@Dominic-dw5hh]

Honestly just about to get into bolt action and this is the most comprehensive guide I’ve seen so far for metal, you just earned a subscriber

[@alstar70]

Nice work.

[@lumpsoflead4812]

Great video! I use a very similar technique on a US Light AT gun team in a video that I am currently putting together for KZbin.

[@rikkiwazzerman3654]

Very helpful. Appreciate it.

[@philRminiatures]

Very impressive attention to details, splendid vignette and inspired job on the base... 👍👍

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@stephendavinson4441]

Nice to see different ways of putting together and painting weapons teams.i have always painted my crews separately then based them with Wws rocky sand ( here I don't feel the need to paint this rocky sand as I like the look of it) then add Wws 2mm Dead static grass and Gamers mixed green tufts.The paint pallet I use from Vallejo consists of for the Helmets US dark green. Jackets panzer aces US tank crew.( This is a greener colour for later war as I am using Blacktree figures with mix of jacket types and works well for both) Trouser US field drab. Webbbing etc German cammo beige. Boots/ Leather items etc Flat Brown. Rifles and wooden items Flat earth. .Metal parts black with a edge high light of gun metal. I then put a satin varnish on for added protection and to make the wash flow evenly. Then I use Agrax Earth shade thinned down with Army painters mixing medium to 12 parts AG to 10 parts mixing MEDIUM.I wait at least 24 to 48 hours for the figure to fully dry (I have experienced in the past the wash started to lift off the figure when varnishing) and then add my own mix of a matt/ satin effect varnish.All this of course is personal tastes but I ike the look of the finnished figure and don't feel I need to use any high lights on the base colours.I hope you enjoy the read.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Good call! I'll bet thinning the shades works wonders for not having to come back and highlight again. I haven't yet tried the Panzer Aces line of paints, though I hear good things about them; something to put on the shopping list next time I make an order somewhere, I think!

[@stuartbridgewater4695]

Looks stunning old lad 👍🏻

[@timscorner657]

This was a great help! Clearly explained, and very pleasant to listen to. New subscriber for sure 👍

[@jacqueslandry2319]

Very nice.... but remember , putting an mg team on a large base makes it difficult to hide them in terrain (buildings,, rubble, granny's pantry).MG teams should be heard, but never seen. Great job as always,keep it coming(especially the bolt action stuff)!

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

My MMG teams are usually taken off the table far too quickly for them to worry about getting into buildings. ;D Rule of cool applies here, but totally agreed on making them more useful!

[@jacqueslandry2319]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio gotta get that hard cover comrade!

[@kirill_coh]

*As always, everything is done at the highest level.* I'd love to see you paint the Gebirgsjager squad and the Kriegsmarine squad. Very undervalued units. I'm sure you can handle these guys with ease. ;-)

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

One day! It's hard to justify buying a whole box of miniatures when I'm going to paint just one, especially for stuff like Kriegsmarine. If I find a decent STL file, that does make it a lot easier!

[@kirill_coh]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio , not necessary now. Unfortunately, there are no such materials on KZbin. You could fill this niche. Many players who are weak at painting historical miniatures would be very grateful for such helpful videos. Do not think that I am extracting something from you. I just give ideas for the future. ^_^

[@brushmans-guild]

Maaan as if I didn't need any more encouragement to give Bolt Action a try. I guess that French platoon I have in my basket isn't going to buy itself!

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Much as I love the French, I'd suggest that if you're set on them, hold off a second. There are plastic French infantry suitable for WWI and WWII coming from Wargames Atlantic. They're due to release around the end of September, and you get 35 plastic infantry in a box. Pretty good deal for bulking out your troops, and then the Warlord weapon teams, officers and such will fill in the rest!

[@brushmans-guild]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio You absolute star; it's funny you mention the new WA French as I was having a look at them the other day but for some reason decided I preferred the metals from Warlord. Now that you mention it though (and this might be a testament to how easily influenced I am) 35 minis is incredibly good value. I'm already planning out the squads in my head!

[@generalpattonpending7256]

awesome work thanks for sharing

[@kevinokane3702]

Like the results - only suggestion is that I tend to use cocktail sticks to apply epoxy or superglue to models - I make too many mistakes applying glue straight from the tube!

[@gruppenfuhrer45]

Wow amazing job

[@tjw139]

Said it before and I'll say it again - favourite painter on KZbin. The paint jobs are good but not to the point that a normal person like me couldn't replicate it. And a lovely variety of models from different manufacturers, periods and games

[@loupiscanis9449]

Thank you , Troy .

[@loupiscanis9449]

Nice one , Fred !

[@patrickmurray1512]

Late to the party on this one. I like to glue my weapon to the base, then sand it and then spray it. The paint helps create a seal over the sand and makes it easier to paint.

[@lesliebeilby-tipping6854]

With the metal heads it is far easier to drill the neck out with a generous dia hole and then fix the head with some green stuff.

[@malcolmrose3361]

I realise you dab more PVA on when you are doing your static grass but I always find a second application of diluted PVA after the first has dried stops any grains of sand coming off.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

For the most part I find that the coat of paint does the job, and some even sand and then prime. I'll give the second PVA coat a shot next time around though, see how that works out!

[@huwtindall7096]

Nice one! I've got get me some Bolt Action guys I as love me some 1/35 and 1/48 scale WW2 models. One thing I've been doing lately is doing a single highlight colour and just doing a very light drybrush and with multiple passes until your happy. For instance with these GIs I'd have gone for a the light tan highlight as a drybrush all over highlight. Sure it'd be a tan highlight on green for the helmet etc but for mine I think it actually makes the model really harmonious rather than having colour coordinated highlights for each shade. I find that just looks too clean. More than anything else though it just saves a ton of time. I'd post a pic of some Imperial Guard guys I just finished but youtube doesn't allow that. Anyhow, I think this single highlight approach would really fit in well with your quick paint jobs. It's only one extra step beyond agrax earthshade rather than multiple highlights.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

You ought to check out the video on speed painting British Airborne - I actually do exactly that. ;D Dark Sand is my go-to colour for an all-over drybrush like that, though I tend to paint weapons and helmets later so they look slightly 'harder' by comparison. Great minds, right?

[@phildent7534]

Fantastic how to brill video

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@phildent7534]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio your videos have been fantastic and have helped me in my painting skills for bolt action tremendously keep up the good work

[@Volgan16666]

Really good.

[@matam56]

Love your tuto !

[@bullnut2013]

@Sonic Sledgehammer Studio looking great and I'm loving the more frequent uploads recently. Quick question if I may, any chance of seeing you tackle British riflemen (95th / 60th) of the Napoleonic era?

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

I've actually got some British riflemen lurking about somewhere; I bought a couple of add-on sprues from the Perry Miniatures site a while back. Just a case of finding them!

[@bullnut2013]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio Happy to send a sprue of Wargames Atlantic ones I have spare if you'd like. If so, feel free to drop me a PM.

[@FransNilsen]

Why not use bluetack to fix units to the main base then do the basing with sand? Then you can pop them of once sand is dry and you have an indent where the base can fit.

[@imnotgavinnn]

I've already glued my miniatures to the bases. What a huge mistake! I'll still be able to paint them right? It will just be much harder I assume! Good video! Keep up the great work!

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Just a bit more fuss to reach some areas, but don't worry too much about it. Anything you can't easily reach with a brush you'll usually find you can't see, either!

[@imnotgavinnn]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio Thanks! Happy holidays!

[@cazboab]

for minis with the "metal biscuit" on the bottom, I always superglue them to the base, then glue the basing stuff over the edges, but I'll give this way around a go next time...

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

That's pretty much what I've always done, but I gave this a try today and found it so much easier to get to everything while painting. The end result is much of a much on the basing front, but the painting is much tidier than my usual 'throw it in the back of the army and nobody will look too closely.' ;D

[@stevepickering5978]

Fantastic

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Cheers, Steve!

[@Thunderplunk]

Great work, really enjoy your stuff! One somewhat incidental question - I like basing with PVA and sand, but I often find that when I try to paint over it, clumps of it end up getting pulled off and the whole thing looks quite unsightly. Is this something you've ever struggled with, and would you have any advice to sort it out?

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Good question! Sometimes you'll find you've either watered down the PVA too much - or, annoyingly, not enough. I tend to go roughly 50/50 with water and PVA to apply to the base. You might still get some stray rocks flick off when you drybrush, but clumps ought not to be coming off like that. Once the PVA layer is first dry, try gently painting on some thinned-down base colour and letting that dry an hour or so before painting again and getting to the drybrushing.

[@derphurr8814]

You can also make the sand a bit more sturdy by waiting until the glue has dried, and then painting on a second layer of watered down PVA on top the sand. It'll seep into the cracks and really make it sturdy.

[@taconacho7]

Been following your tutorials, do you prefere the Citadel Wraithbone over the Zandri dust as a primer? In the band of brothers kit you use Zandri dust, wasnt sure if you preferred one over the other. (Brand new to bolt action, just bought Band of Brothers kit. Need all the help I can get)

[@giuseppe196424]

great video again. Did you brush paint the primer or used a spray can ?

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

This was applied from the spray primer. Always worth using a spray with a proper fixative if you can get your hands on it, I find.

[@giuseppe196424]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio thanks, i have some spray can from the army painter

[@daddomgaming6472]

When you use the earth shade. What's the best way to let it dry. Sometimes when I use it it dries shiney and then sometimes dull

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Just let it sit and dry naturally, or near sunlight if you've got it. If you're getting a shiny finish to your shade, shake it a little longer next time you use it.

[@daddomgaming6472]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio thank-you. Keep up the good work

[@SiDayUT1]

Could you have blu tacked the figures to start, then either drawn around them or used some filler or other then removing the figures to paint them and the base maybe?

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

You could do, but past a point it feels like you'd be making more work for yourself than is strictly necessary. Plus anything which is glued around the figures might end up sticking to them and pulling away from the base anyway.

[@LongLe-wx8gb]

What Citadel paint would you use for the webbing? You have been go to channel for BA painting BTW. Already watched so many of your videos.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Either Karak Stone or Nurgling Green are your best choices for US webbing from the Citadel range.

[@LongLe-wx8gb]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio thanks for your quick reply. I know you have lots of requests but I would love a Painting US Army and Paratroopers with just Citadel paints video.

[@martinteasdale542]

I have a hard time finding static grass with a realistic color. Which brand did you use ?

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

This is the Citadel static grass. Decently-sized tub and it fits with just about everything, basing-wise.

[@MF-kv8cn]

shouldn't these be washed too? I remember getting some Bolt Action metal minis and they had an oily/powdery texture to do. I scrubbed them with water, soap and tooth brush. Bolt Action metals were terrible with poor details.

[@taoistgoth]

I dunno why you use files, I've always just cut the flash off with a sharp modelling knife, it's a lot quicker and more accurate...

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

I prefer to keep my blades sharp for cutting and cleaning plastic parts instead of having to change them regularly after blunting them on the amount of metal I clean up, versus the file I've been using for... five years? It's really not all that faster, though sometimes I will use an old blade to get to some really difficult spots.

[@taoistgoth]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio I've had to replace my blade once in 4 years

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Meanwhile, I can't imagine how that still cuts anything - but if it's working for you, more power! 😅 Still, that's the answer to 'why would someone use files' on my part.

[@taoistgoth]

@@SonicSledgehammerStudio lol I guess we each have different experiences, perhaps it's our techniques that differ