Military Model Scene

Title: How to Paint 4B0 Green Vehicles
Author: Ivan Drond
Publisher: Ammo by Mig Jiminez
ISBN: 978-84-17846-37-4

This is number 11 in the series of Solution Books from Ammo by Mig Jiminez, and this one tackles the topic of plain green vehicles, specifically the Russian colour of 4B0 Green. It is of course related to a separate Solutions set with the various paints, pigments and so one from the Ammo range of products to be able to duplicate the techniques illustrated in the various stages of the book. It opens with some background and details of the various product ranges that are used/featured throughout the book. All text elements are given in 4 languages, English, Spanish, French and German.
The featured subject is the iconic T-34/76, with a 1/35 Zvezda kit. It doesn't tackle the building of the kit itself, but the painting and weathering of the built model, split across 12 steps, each one extensively illustrated with high quality images and simple icons to identify each product used, and how/where it is applied. After the basic primer and then a plain coat of the base colour, then the work really begins. I must say, and this might be controversial but is just my personal view, the author has not used a modulated paint finish, but worked with the base colour adding highlights and shadows, which happens to be my own personal finishing preference. With primer, base coat, transfers applied, and the addition of highlights and shadows, then the main work takes off. It goes through a sequence with Washes, Chipping, Streaking, before getting to effects such as Dust & Dirt, then Mud. This gets us up to step 10 which focuses on the lower hull and road-wheels, leading to step 11 on how to blend in the tracks and rounds everything off by adding Fuel and Oil Stains. While the book uses a T-34 to demonstrate the steps and techniques, these can all be applied to any other Russian vehicles/AFVs of WW2 and beyond.
I don't think anyone should be surprised that a book published by a company that produces paints and a wide range of modelling materials uses and promotes their own range of products in the book. I do like the whole idea of their Solution series, with a book and an associated pack of the key products that are used within the book each available as separate items. For experienced modellers you don't need to follow each element to the letter, just use hints to adapt your own techniques and try different methods of finishing your models. For the beginner, it is of course a useful way to find suitable products and the techniques of using them all in one place. Plain green vehicles are a challenge not to be too bland, so this is a handy guide in my view.
Thanks to Ammo by Mig Jiminez for our review copy.

Robin