The newly released You Have Something I Want squad pack for Star Wars: Shatterpoint is looking to be a strong, popular addition to the game. If you want to get yours on the table quickly, Goonhammer is here to help. Read on for one take on painting these units.
Dark Troopers
The Empire’s design team is apparently not big on color. This box epitomizes that, with a whole squad that’s 90% black. The trick is to use different shades of grey as your base, and to include pops of bright color where you can. Despite all the black, I still primed these models with white primer. (White primer is the best primer and I will never budge from this position.) For the Dark Troopers I did the following:
- Based the whole model with VMC Black Grey, then washed with GW Nuln Oil. (See picture below for what it looked like after the wash dried.)
- I then did a heavy drybrush all over the model with GW Eshin Grey.
- I followed that with a lighter drybrush of GW Mechanicum Standard Grey. Below you can see what it looked like after this step.
- From here, I targeted areas that would receive more light, using lighter and lighter drybrushes of Dawnstone followed by Dawnstone mixed with VGC Stonewall Grey. A few edges got painted highlights with pure Stonewall Grey.
- When I was done, the colors weren’t quite where I wanted them. I also wanted to highlight the mechanical nature of these models. So I slapped down a very watered-down coat of AK Clear Smoke*, acting like a wash. This darkened these a bit, getting closer to my desired end result. It also added just a hint of grease and grime to the model, to help distinguish them from the rest of the box.*I do know about the issues surrounding AK in the hobby space in the past couple of years or so. I bought these products on a whim before knowing about that. Substitute a different blackish/brownish sort of paint or wash at your preference.
- To distinguish the guns, I gave them a wash of GW Drakenhof Nightshade after hitting a few greebly details with a metallic silver (Scale 75 Black Metal). That’s it. But the slight blue tint helps distinguish them just a bit.
- The eyes were based GW Mechrite Red (long OOP paint I somehow still have.) You can substitute any moderately bright red here, really. Then I mixed that red with some orange (P3 Khador Red Highlight is my go-to for this.) That was dotted in the center of the red to create a glowing effect. Be sloppy with the red base and get it on areas surrounding the model, and congrats! Instant easy OSL.
- Finally, I blacklined the model with a matte pure black. This provides a more stylized, contrasty sort of look that I particularly prefer in games like Star Wars: Shatterpoint.
Deathtrooper Escort
The Deathtrooper design is one of my favorites in Star Wars. I was extremely hyped to paint this box just for this model, in fact. I approached this model with a similar technique to the You Cannot Run Vader I did recently.
- I based the whole model with Scale 75 Eclipse Grey.
- I then did a heavy drybrush with GW Eshin Grey, followed by GW Nuln Oil (see below).
- I followed this with lighter drybrushes using a 2:1 mix of VMC Dark Sea Grey and then pure GW Eshin Grey.
- The grenades (?) in the front waistpouch got a touch of metallic silver.
- Right about here, I realized I’d gone too bright and grey again (see below). Another, more targeted wash of GW Nuln Oil helped to tone it back down, but I had to do some touchups with GW Eshin Grey as well.
- The eye lenses were based with GW Kabbalite Green. I then highlighted that with GW Warpstone Green.
- I placed a few red details on the gun using the same steps as the Dark Trooper above, including a GW Drakenhof Nightshade wash on the gun itself.
- I again blacklined the model.
- Following the Costume Reference from the 501st, I added some gloss to armor panels to give that shiny, reflective sort of feel the movie armor has. I went with a satin rather than pure gloss though, as I was worried the gloss would be too much on the model. Honestly, this doesn’t show up well on the model, particularly in photos. It’s probably skippable unless you’re hyper anal and channeling your inner grog like I was.
Moff Gideon
Our boy Gideon finally has a little more color, Literally- props for giving a baller POC actor like Giancarlo Esposito a major role in Star Wars, especially in the traditionally non-diverse Imperial side of things.
- That being said, most of this model was painted following the same essential steps and colors as the Deathtrooper (and Vader before that). Though it’s fair to say I was more deliberate and careful with the painting here, this being the Primary model and all. So refer above re: his uniform. Below you can see the model after the initial black wash. The image after that will show you the completed uniform and armor.
- As seen in the previous image, I basecoated the interior of the cloak with GW Mephiston Red. I then washed this with GW Carroburg Crimson.
- From there, I began highlighting raised areas that would receive more light, using first the GW Mephiston Red, then mixing that with first Pro Acryl Bold Pyrrole Red (beautiful, bright, and saturated red, that one) and later P3 Khador Red Highlight.
- The Moff’s skin was based with a 1:1:1 mix of GW Cadian Fleshtone, GW Bloodreaver, and AK Cork (see previous note about AK).
- I washed the skin with GW Druchii Violet. Purple is an underutilized color in general, but as a wash it’s particularly good for shading on individuals with darker skin. Try it! You won’t be disappointed. From there, I highlighted increasingly smaller areas while mixing in more of the AK Cork color.
- The hair was based with VMC Black Grey, washed with GW Nuln Oil, then carefully drybrushed with GW Mechanicum Standard Grey.
- The Darksaber was based with a pure black. I drybrushed the edges of it with first VGC Stonewall Grey, then VMC Offwhite. I then did very light brushstrokes with the Offwhite, moving from the blade edge toward the center in very short and somewhat random strokes. I cleaned up any spots that were too long or just didn’t feel right using the original black paint again.
- After this I just had to touch up some details- some red trim here and there (GW Mechrite Red), buttons and lights on the armor breastplate (GW Mechrite Red and VGC Stonewall Grey) and some metallic greeblies on the gun, which was also washed with Drakenhof Nightshade.
-  I again added some satin sheen, following the 501st costuming reference though in hindsight I’m not sure it’s needed.
- If you’re interested in how I based the models, you can find a complete rundown in my guide to painting Clone Force 99.
And that’s that. Thanks for reading, and hope you found this helpful!
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