The Dark Future terrain set is the first batch of Apocalypse themed terrain I’ll be covering for our How to Paint Everything: Marvel Crisis Protocol series. This set features multiple smaller terrain pieces, which act as set dressing for the two larger terrain sets that are also releasing alongside Apocalypse. All of them feature a really interesting techno-Egyptian vibe that is a nice departure from the much more common cityscape terrain we usually see for Marvel: Crisis Protocol.
Since I don’t have access to an airbrush set up at home, all of the basecoats have been painted using Citadel spray primers and working in as many sub-assemblies as possible. I started by spraying all of the pieces with Chaos Black spray and then I would tape off any areas that would remain black and sprayed the sandstone areas with Zandri Dust. If I needed areas to be a lighter stone color, I’d tape off the darker stone areas and spray those areas with Wraithbone.
Here is a notated diagram of which colors were used for each type of material, followed by descriptions of how each section was painted.
credit: Brushwizard
Painting the Sandstone
All of the areas that are sandstone were painted with Zandri Dust spray primer. I then painted a recess wash of Skeleton Horde Contrast paint into all the of recesses and shadowed areas. Once the wash was dry, I used a sponge and Ushabti Bone to add a bit of texture to the surface and finished it off with a drybrush of Screaming Skull to highlight it.
Basecoat: Citadel Zandri Dust Spray Primer
Recess Wash: Citadel Contrast Skeleton Horde
Sponge: Citadel Ushabti Bone
Drybrush: Citadel Screaming Skull
Painting the Metals
Silver
I wanted a very dark silver for the metal areas, since it would contrast nicely with the brighter gold and copper colors. For the silver areas I started with a black basecoat, this was either Citadel Chaos Black spray primer or Vallejo Model Color Black depending on if I needed to do touch up work from overspray or accidentally hitting it with the drybrushed colors. I then drybrushed the surface with Iron Warriors, Leadbelcher and Stormhost Silver for easy metallic silver.
- Basecoat: Citadel Chaos Black Spray Primer – or – Vallejo Model Color Black
- Drybrush: Citadel Iron Warriors
- Drybrush: Citadel Leadbelcher
- Drybrush: Citadel Stormhost Silver
Gold
The gold areas also started with a black base coat and then given a quick and easy drybrush of Retributor Armor and Stormhost Silver.
- Basecoat: Citadel Chaos Black – or – Vallejo Model Color Black
- Drybrush: Citadel Retributor Armor
- Drybrush: Stormhost Silver
Painting Purple Glow Effects
The purple glow was a fun effect to do. In order to create it, I stippled white on the surface of the area I wanted to look like it was glowing and painted the center solid white. I then washed the targeted area with Doomfire Magenta Contrast paint. Once that was dry I painted the center white again, leaving some magenta showing around the edges and edge highlighted the surfaces facing the middle with white to create the illusion of bright light reflecting.
- Stipple: Vallejo Model Color White
- Wash: Citadel Contrast Doomfire Magenta
- Layer: Vallejo Model Color White
- Edge Highlight: Vallejo Model Color White
Painting the Braziers
Brazier Metal
The copper color of the braziers were painted by drybrushing Screaming Bell over black primer and then highlighting it with a drybrush of Hashut Copper.
- Basecoat: Citadel Chaos Black Spray Primer
- Drybrush: Citadel Screaming Bell
- Drybrush: Citadel Hashut Copper
Burning Coals
For the burning coals effect, I started with a basecoat of White, I then painted three rings of color starting with Phalanx Yellow in the center, Fire Dragon Bright for the 2nd ring and Khorne Red for the outer ring. Once they were dry, I drybrushed the surface with Black and Mechanicus Standard Grey for give the coals their crispy texture.
- Basecoat: Vallejo Model Color White
- Layer: Citadel Phalanx Yellow
- Layer: Citadel Fire Dragon Bright
- Layer: Citadel Khorne Red
- Drybrush: Vallejo Model Color Black
- Drybrush: Citadel Mechanicus Standard Grey
Flames
I tend to paint all of my flames as lazy as possible. for 90% of my Marvel: Crisis Protocol miniatures my fire and explosion effects follow something like this. From a White Basecoat, add a layer of Phalanx Yellow. While the yellow is still wet, paint on Fire Dragon Bright, starting at the top and letting the two paint mix together as you work. Finally, while the orange paint is still wet, paint Evil Sunz Scarlet from the top down and let it mix with the orange a bit. Touch up as necessary while its all still wet.
- Basecoat: Citadel Skull White
- Layer: Citadel Phalanx Yellow
- Layer: Citadel Fire Dragon Bright
- Layer: Citadel Evil Sunz Scarlet
Painting the Regeneration Tank Body
Body
The clone bodies for the Regeneration Tanks have to be painted before assembly, since they will become encased in clear plastic later. For the bodies I started by painting all of the high points of the musculature with Dark Reaper, I then drybrushed the body with Neutral Grey, Ulthuan Grey and White.
- Basecoat: Citadel Chaos Black Spray Primer
- Layer: Citadel Dark Reaper
- Drybrush: Vallejo Model Color Neutral Grey
- Drybrush: Citadel Ulthuan Grey
- Drybrush: Vallejo Model Color White
Loincloth
His loincloth was painted very simply. I only did a basecoat of Zandri Dust and a wash of Agrax Earthshade on it.
- Basecoat: Citadel Ushabti Bone
- Wash: Citadel Agrax Earthshade
Regeneration Tank Glow Effect
On the top and bottom of the Regeneration Tank’s interior are what appears to be lights. I painted those areas with White and Fluorescent Yellow. To help sell the effect I did a heavy drybrush of White coming from above and below him and then followed it up with a drybrush of Fluorescent Yellow to make it appear as if the light is washing over him from above and below.
- Drybrush: Vallejo Model Color White
- Drybrush: AK Interactive Fluorescent Yellow
Overall, this is a pretty interesting set of terrain and assembly was a breeze for the most part. The only issue I had was with one of the Regeneration Tanks, I unfortunately installed one of the bodies backwards inside the tank, and I didn’t realize it until after it was fully assembled and painted.
Special thanks to Atomic Mass Games for providing Goonhammer with these terrain sets. Apocalypse and his terrain are slated for release in September, ask your friendly local game store for availability or they are also available for pre-order on the Asmodee web shop now. Will you be picking up these? If you do, hit me up on Twitter/X (brushwizard), Instagram (brushwizardry), or if you’re a member of the Goonhammer Discord server share them on the dedicated Marvel: Crisis Protocol channel.
Next time, I’ll be covering the next set of Apocalypse terrain, the Shirne of En Sabah Nur!
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