New to Anima (and miniatures wargaming)

[Echartea]

So I recently attended Sakura-con, up in Seattle, Washington and had the game demoed for me in the exhibitor's hall. While I've always been somewhat apprehensive towards miniatures wargames, I remembered some experiences with Mage Knight fondly, so I decided to give it a chance.

Needless to say, I fell in love. The demo was simple, the game felt like it flowed very nicely. I really wish I'dve had more time to really settle in and mess around with it, but alas, when you're tugging your significant other around (or being tugged around by them) you don't always get to allot all the time you want for everything.

Time passes, I figure out what I want, and I finally made my order: I wound up ordering both a Light and Dark starter set, as well as a couple of other figures that caught my eye, and I got my hands on a copy of the proper hard-backed rulebook. I remembered seeing it at Sakura-con and being very impressed by both the information, and the story information contained within, nevermind the solid and well-described presentation of the rules.

Now, save Mage Knight, I've never played a miniatures game...and I've never assembled or painted miniatures before. I was wondering if anyone had any good tips or hints for beginners, to kinda smooth the way along?  I want to do at least a halfway decent on my first couple in getting a good feel for the layout, so I can drag them down to my FLGS and maybe attract some interest...although the greater majority around here in Salem, OR tends to flock towards Warhammer/Warmachine which I've avoided for some time due to what feels like overwhelming scales (and overwhelming amounts of perfection required).

Also, a question for administration if heads are poked in here, I've also registered on the official Anima forums, but it was almost a week ago and I was wondering if it was normal for a wait like this, because I've not received another mail in my spam or regular mail folders.  

Thanks for any and all suggestions or info!

[Sallust]

Looks like you just posted on the Edge forums. Are those the ones you want? Cipher Studios, Edge Entertainment, and Fantasy Flight Games all host "Official Anima Tactics forums" so it is hard to know which ones you mean.

As for assembling models there are a lot of places you can learn to do it online.

Cipher Dave from Cipher Studios posted an article about it <--- link here

Youtube is also a great resource for the miniature gaming community there. <--- another link here

As for advice, tell me what you do know about assembling models and how much money you have to budget for it and I'll give you the best advice I can.

[Echartea]

Eheh. I meant to be posting on the ones on the Edge, I'd registered there nearly a week ago, but for some reason it got hung up in the system or sommat. (it was resolved today after I posted here, yay!)

As far as assembling models go, I'm...rather green. When I was younger, say maybe 10-15 years ago, I messed with model cars and that manner of things, but as far as things on this scale go, I have next to no experience other than playing with Mage Knight.

Budget is more of a concern now; I don't have much money right now, between not working and all. I basically take care of the house I live in -- whee live in housekeeper. Room and board is free, so that works out well enough, but I still have a small amount to spend on hobbies and fun things.  So Iunno...probably another 20 or so that I can actually attribute towards stuff now that I've actually ordered my figures.

EDIT - I forgot to mention that I have a full array of acrylic paints in a boxed set coming to me, and I've already acquired a set of diamond jeweller's files for small work, as well as a hands-free vise to ensure that the amount of time I have to touch a miniature while it's being painted is beyond minimal. (Those alligator clips seemed like they'd be awful useful for use on the bases while painting the miniature itself.)

[Sallust]

Well then you need superglue for sure. My brand of choice is Loctite.
Cyanocrylate glues like loctite (and most other superglues) work best in an aneorobic environment. So use as little as necessary to seal the gap and not have any going out the edges exposed to air and it will cure faster.

I recommend staying away from Zip kickers, they help make things easier but not better. The joint isn't as hardened as naturally cured cyanocrylate.

Pinning is more advanced, skip it until you have more money to sink into the hobby. Some Anima miniatures are really difficult to pin anyways and require a Dremel. Even then they can be screwed up.

Your files might work for getting down flash, give it a try but be ready to buy a good hobby knife if you're having trouble.

Get yourself a good set of fine paintbrushes. There are lots of fine details to work with on Anima models. Go for the cheaper brands because you'll probably ruin your first set in a matter of months as you learn to take care of them.

Follow youtube a lot. The learning curve on the hobby is significantly shortened thanks to all the tip trading that goes on there. I started the miniatures gaming hobby in 2000 and I'm still learning something new every week on youtube for the hobby. There are lots of different techniques that people have learned.

Now lets talking painting. Do you know what painting techniques and styles you intend to try out?

[Echartea]

Loctite super-glue, thankfully have some around the house from other projects. Already have an X-acto knife, nice and sharp. Alright -- so like a decent variety of thin-tipped brushes?  If so, then the set that arrived today has a few, and I have a few others in a variety pack I got a little while back; simple brushes, for the time being.

I lurk on youtube a lot, so I'll keep my eyes peeled and check the new offerings often (as well as the stuff that's up currently. I've been randomly searching for miniature assembly, as well as browsing the link you dropped me.)

As far as painting techniques, that's going to be a tough one.  I know I want to give washing a try, but I'm not sure about drybrushing yet. Maybe. Beyond that, I just want to make sure I pick colors that complement each other well and don't look horribly gaudy together.

Thank you -so- much for talking with me about this. While I'm going to have a blast, I'm also admittedly somewhat nervous. But I'm going to give it my best; I want to paint a miniature I'm at least somewhat happy with in the beginning. I'm not aiming to be...I was going to say Picasso, but I don't wanna go for abstract anyways, lol.

[Kitsune Sidhe]

Awww, but Picasso-miniatures would be awesome! ^_~*

First, welcome to Anima and miniatures gaming! ^_^

Second, I agree with Sallust's suggestions. Especially the one about lurking around Youtube, that helped me out a lot when I got started (and you and I seem to have similar beginnings! Except the only Minis game I did before Anima was the Mechwarrior clix game... Also, I totally feel for you on the unemployment thing.)

I'll try to find some of the videos and tutorials I've found most helpful when starting out and post them for you.

Hmmm, other tips...

On brushes, once you get used to painting, I really suggest investing in some good natural hair brushes. More expensive at first, but cheaper in the long run in both money and sanity.

Another thing I've learned fairly recently: Hold onto the foam in the blisters and boxes your miniatures come in. If you get glue everywhere, or put too much and need to get rid of some, the foam soaks it up wonderfully and doesn't leave behind any extra gunk like a towel would.. and doesn't catch on fire like cotton swabs. >.>

Most importantly, have fun and keep at it. Practice makes everything better. ^_^

[Echartea]

LOL Picasso miniatures. ^(_)^ That'd be amusing. Who knows, maybe someday. Thank you for the warm welcome.

Truthfully, the unemployment thing is good for me. It was willingly taken. My significant other and I have been together for nearly two years. She -hates- cleaning. She hates cooking, laundry. She hates chores in general but loves to work.  I hate working (primarily because all I can ever land are retail positions or warehouse positions that suck the soul out of me. I'm glarin' at you, Wal-Mart!). But I enjoy housework, cleaning, and the like, and I love having free time.

After much stress in a couple of workplaces, she decided that on her salary, she could support both of us, so she put me out of work, and has me taking care of the house so she comes home, sits down and enjoys time with me instead of both of us being gone from each other 85% of the time we're not sleeping. It works out well. (And I get to research new games and the like to drag her into. It's a win/win, really.)....not that keeping this house clean is easy, lol!

Yeah -- I have some el-cheapo, fine pointed brushes I got at Wal-Mart that should serve me the first little bit, as I accustom myself with painting miniatures, and once I get the hang of it, I'm gonna start slowly upgrading my equipment.

Haha, that's a great idea! Thanks for the tip, I like that. I'm a packrat, so I already have trouble letting things go, but that's okay. That's what my workbench down in the basement is for.  And yup! I don't believe in doing things that aren't fun. But painting is fun, and games are fun, so I expect that this'll be a blast.

[Sallust]

Terrainaholic has a good video on drybrushing that I like. <--- link here

I primarily use Washes and Drybrushing myself. There is a little bit of blending I've picked up from my wife who is a blending master. Personally I also use a lot of gloss effects which are horrible for the camera, but great for the tabletop.

But here is what I want you to know about painting styles <--- link here

Conveniently Natakue already wrote it down on the internet so I won't recreate the whole thing here!

and do remember to post pictures (here and/or the Edge forums) of your works in progress and people will give you all kinds of (mostly) good tips!

[Echartea]

Ohh yes. Thank you very much!

I will have to check all of those out, yup. I stumbled across our FLGS single peg's worth of Anima offerings -- 4 of the same figure, Khaine D'lacreu. I picked one up and started poking at it, used my files (gently, carefully) to work the flash off, some of it required careful cutting with an x-acto.

Not ready to paint it yet -- have to finish revamping my work area (adding a pair of florescent daylight light-bulbs to the lighting fixture I have there, as well as setting up a properly covered area for painting.)

I will definitely start posting photos just as soon as I start assembling and whatnot. I'm already filled with questions and curiosities as I've played around with my Khaine figure. Things like: Is the tab supposed to seem so much smaller than the base-slot? Where am I gonna put that shield -- what looks best? And of course, what colors to use. I'm not totally lost, but...mwah. It's kind of daunting for toying around with the first miniature. Another adventure awaits, something akin to that feeling, methinks.

[Sallust]

Which model of Khaine is it?
There is the original one still in production and there was a Limited Edition Khaine.

Both shields are meant to attach to her, but in the charging pose I just preferred to drop it to the ground. Top model below was painted by my Wife and I, the bottom one is all hers:

[Echartea]

The version of Khaine I got is the one that most closely resembles the top picture you have - the charging forward look. Her card also (apparently incorrectly, per Errata) states that her Organization is the Empire. I'm not entirely sure what I want to do with her shield. As I was toying with her stance, I was half-taken by the fancy that I might have her charge in with her shield facing forward, as though to bash her enemy with it, and then strike them with her polearm. But I'm not sure.