How to Make Super Simple Swamp Bases for Warhammer: Age of Sigmar

The next in our Age of Sigmar Dominion tutorials!! This time Henry takes a look at how we've made the swampy, boggy, grungy bases for the models featured in the series!
EDIT: If I am army painting then wherever possible I would paint the mini on the base, then do the basing. If you paint the mini separately then you'll want to pin it to the base and glue in place.
#ageofsigmar #AoS3 #kruleboyz
Products Used:
Gamers Grass - Dark Moss, Mixed Green, Swamp, Dark Purple Flowers
Mig - Slimy Grime Dark, Wet Effects
Vallejo Thick Mud Acrylic
GW: Games workshop
VMC: Vallejo model colour
VMA: Vallejo model air
VGC: Vallejo game colour
VGA: Vallejo game air
VMCS: Vallejo metal colour series
S75: Scale 75
AK: AK Interactive
W&N: Winsor & Newton
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[@kevinroof347]

Thank you so much for this! It happens to be more or less the recipe I had in mind for my Kruelboyz bases. It is nice to see how it can come out.

[@bezzy8257]

I would love to see a tutorial on wintery bases with snow and frost

[@cultofpaint]

Sounds good

[@samhammel8268]

Second this

[@jostonpowell1346]

I use that Vallejo Mud all the time myself and absolutely love it. It takes primers really well and its cheaper than going with GWs small pots

[@TheMapleMerchant]

Ayyyyee glad I came across this video. I wasn't sure how to base my Kruleboyz but this is definitely the way. That bottle of wet effects juice seems like a dream!

[@cultofpaint]

Its great!

[@kosachilles2504]

Love these!

[@sergiolp6058]

Im going to try this bases for sure!

[@phantasmrain]

Thank you for this video, fantastic!

[@TimWalkerHobbies]

Great tutorial Henry! Exactly what I'm wanting to do for my upcoming necron army

[@cultofpaint]

Swampy necrons will look amazing!!! Give us a tag when you do!

[@benjaminbrenner745]

Thank you Henry!

[@Gator_Bot]

I know is been a while since this video was made, but I wanted to say thank you. I have been pulling my hair out on what kinds of bases to make, and this video made it so simple to get exactly what I wanted. It’s easy to follow and looks amazing.

[@cultofpaint]

Glad we could help!

[@kiesminis]

Thanks for another great tutorial Henry

[@cultofpaint]

Thanks for watching!

[@Fallen_BDPS]

This video is great! Thanks!

[@cultofpaint]

Glad you liked it!

[@PyrrhusBrin]

This is definitely going to be done for my Sylvaneth

[@chebobs97]

I'd love to see a desert base, lots of the time the sand doesn't seem to scale to me

[@Fallen_BDPS]

Wow yeah I'd love to see that!

[@qweronot]

Vallejo has great desert texture paint for sandy/dunle like bases some earthshate/similar wash and a bit of dry brushing and you have really quick and nice bases

[@djludowici536]

Would love to see your take on Cursed city or Graveyard/deadlands style basing for both cursed city and the soulblight army.

[@ThePipLad]

Finally, a base tutorial for us fen-folk

[@pieter-janvangucht2152]

Looks like I found the basing scheme for my vampire counts! Love the atmosphere of these...

[@cultofpaint]

definitely, i'd turn the swampness up to 11 if it was vamps

[@bezzy8257]

This looks great, definitely going to steal this for my cruelboyz if that's OK

[@cultofpaint]

Do it!! That's why we make the videos :)

[@thatdarnsatan]

I’ve replaced the flowers with printed mushrooms, but I’ve been following this like paint by numbers on a Malifaux crew, and love it! Thanks for the video.

[@cultofpaint]

Sounds awesome!

[@ProrokLebioda]

Swamp Boggler approved! Great tut!

[@cultofpaint]

Boggle boggle

[@ferranc7209]

Master! Amazing work! Painting orruk kruleboys please!!!

[@cultofpaint]

A couple of days time :)

[@Wijkert]

Wandering if you could get the same wet effect by applying a (thinned down) gloss varnish. Worth a test for sure.

[@Wijkert]

The rim looks really matt. What kind of black did you use? I like to apply a black primer and use ultra matt varnish to dull it down. I like primer over regular paint because of it being more resistent to damage (mainly useful for gaming miniatures)

[@8BitJesus]

I've been trying to find the name of the tuft company for ages! I love Mininatur stuff, it seemed a lot more natural compared to some other stuff I was using previously. Excellent video too :)

[@cultofpaint]

Yeah they make good stuff

[@wilhelmeniabilliedoherty5917]

That looks fantastic! I love it! Definitely going to have to try it for my set Do you advise making the bases before attaching the miniatures, like here? Or was this just so we could get a good view of the base for the demonstration

[@mackthebrush]

Also interested in this. I guess if I was doing it, I'd put down the mud and then transfer the painted model in at that point, so the feet can also sink in the mud like they would in a swamp. I thought I'd seen that some of the models are on slotted bases - not quite sure what the best course would be there - maybe glue the slotty in 2mm higher than the base and then put the mud around it once it is painted?

[@cultofpaint]

I think for army painting I’d be painting the bases with the models glued on. That’s what I’ve done for all the Dominion stuff.

[@wilhelmeniabilliedoherty5917]

@@cultofpaint Thanks! Love your channel btw

[@alanshroue7]

How would you tackle a jungle base, vines, logs and ferns

[@jarminiatures5244]

Great video as always Henry. What do you think of the Citadel synthetics? Might pick one up for oil/enamel washes, I'm not massively impressed with the W&N Cottman

[@cultofpaint]

I'm impressed so far. I was going to touch on them in next weeks video, once they've had a good month of heavy use.

[@jarminiatures5244]

@@cultofpaint I was too eager! I would love a video or little series like the airbrush ones on your's and Andy's thoughts on your favourite brushes, tools, paint brands etc. and maybe even your hobby setups.

[@jchamorrob]

May I ask the name of the flower turfs that you used ? The other turf are from mininature ?

[@cultofpaint]

Gamers Grass Dark Purple Flowers, I will add to description thanks!

[@MLaak86]

Think I might go a bit more back to this method (though with a tad more height for a little standing water) rather than sorta raised earth, via cork, and mini-channels for water - at least on base infantry, keep the more detailed stuff for HQ and Elite.

[@Grindgodgrind]

This is class. Would you have any advice for approaching a mangrove type swamp?

[@cultofpaint]

Maybe grab some real roots to use as the mangrove roots.

[@finnymathew6400]

I've seen multiple cult of paint video and just now realized I'm not even subscribed to the channel

[@cultofpaint]

Welcome aboard!

[@piedmonitor]

Nice! Would you recommend that Vallejo Thick Mud Acrylic for putting mud/dirt/grime textures onto the minis themselves?

[@cultofpaint]

I don't do it intentionally as its very opaque, but i don't mind if a bit gets on a model here and there.

[@piedmonitor]

@@cultofpaint Gotcha. Is there anything else in particular you'd recommend for adding dirt texture to a mini?

[@spamstabber]

@@piedmonitor dry pigments, and you can mix them with some kind of satin or gloss medium if you want a wet effect. Don't know what brand people use, I use artist pastels and grind them into dust with a file 🤷‍♀️

[@roberthenry424]

Do you have any advice for how to do basing if you've already glued your miniature onto your base? I have a bunch of plague marines I'm working on, and I want to do muddy bases for them but I've already glued them.

[@cultofpaint]

I usually do the base with the mini already glued on. I think it ends up looking more “realistic”. Just be careful not to get the mud all over it!

[@Adronwoodland]

This is really nice but how would I do a frozen swamp. The rest of my army is based on a frozen landscape. I would love some option on this thank you

[@Fallen_BDPS]

I know green stuff world has some liquid frost effects, maybe check that out.

[@nixxy1983]

Have a question, how would you do this with models with the pins or the slits? Would you go around the feet carefully?

[@cultofpaint]

Yes. I normally do it with model already on base

[@wollswayne]

Do you apply the miniature before or after you've completed the bases?

[@cultofpaint]

Before

[@Scorpion-vs4wl]

Alright so I’m a bit of a noob when it comes to basing,any tips on when to put the model on?Should it be before or after?

[@cultofpaint]

Check out the Gutrippaz video ( but basically I do it with the model on the base whenever possible

[@jamesbarkworth9043]

You reckon a satin finished model would suit this style of basing it would it be to similar and not enough contrast? Asking as I’m thinking a swampy zombie iron hands look using your tutorials 🤔

[@cultofpaint]

I think it’d fine

[@dc345601]

Quick question, how do you mount your minis once you’ve finished decorating it? Or do you put the mini on first? Sorry, it’s a noob question I know. Also this is beautiful.

[@cultofpaint]

Hey Doug, wherever possible I paint the mini on the base and then do the base near the end. I'll try and show that in a future video.

[@cultofpaint]

Otherwise i would pin and glue it in place afterwards.

[@dc345601]

@@cultofpaint thank you so much for taking the time to answer my question!! I very much appreciate it! Can’t wait to see future videos. I’m currently on the hunt for a retailer in the US that sells the Russian thick mud

[@StaleDonutPictures]

Hey Henry, Do you have any advice on how to avoid floating foot syndrome when you attach the mini to the base? I quite like making the bases separate, but trying to get the feet looking like they are part of the base is the most tedious part if you attached the minis after the base is finished.

[@youtousim]

Push the Mini into the soft base material to create 'footprints' for later assembly when the base is done.

[@cultofpaint]

Had a couple questions like this, I'll make sure to address it in an upcoming video.

[@StaleDonutPictures]

@@cultofpaint awesome, thank you Henry.

[@jorgeclarkson4639]

Hey man, my Orruks are going to be set in a sort of dry steppe location within Ghur, I wanted to do a sort of "greener" desert, so lots of plants but I guess a sort of reddish ground, but all I ever see is how to paint martian bases, any help would be appreciated.

[@cultofpaint]

Grab a brown and red oil and create the colour you like, then wash that over your base texture,

[@helikontex2467]

dirt texture paste and dark brown paint - save so much money same result

[@dahSweep]

Looks great, but I think tufts look a little out of place on these sort of bases sometimes. They're just too clean and bright. Is there something you can do to make it seem like it's just not some fake grass that has been put on a base? Maybe paint the grass somehow, make it look a bit dirtier or something? Maybe remove some of the grass to make it more patchy and not so "clumpy" so to speak. Dunno, just some thoughts.

[@Gumlass1]

Will it ruin things if you varnish over the tufts?

[@cultofpaint]

Nope. Just do the wet effects afterwards.

[@thisisstraightcancerboi7063]

Is it hard to put the models on these bases if you don’t stick them on with the mud when it’s wet?

[@cultofpaint]

Not hard, but probably not the way i would do it.

[@thisisstraightcancerboi7063]

@@cultofpaint that’s what I’m asking. How would you do it?

[@thisisstraightcancerboi7063]

@@cultofpaint WYA nigga please tell me

[@ikkiiiieee]

I have the light brown thick mud but it seems to be more a fine grit texture paste than the muddier version you seem to have, weird

[@cultofpaint]

Yeah they definitely change the texture between the various ones.

[@majdees]

But how do you put the mini on top of that? Glue? Pin it on?

[@cultofpaint]

Pin and glue. but i would have the mini on the base before i started.

[@bobgone7865]

Anyone tried this with a painted miniature already on the base as a final step?

[@Wijkert]

Is Vallejo Thick Mud still your go to?

[@cultofpaint]

For this type of thing yeah.

[@yobtar]

What would you add if you were to make this base look a titch frozen. I wanted to do frozen swamps for my Kruelboyz

[@Justin-pu6tg]

My assumption is that you'd then need to use superglue to attach the model to the base?

[@cultofpaint]

Correct, and a pin. I tend to glue the model to the base before doing the basing.