The Hobby Brief — #00002.1
PaintArmyMen.com • August 2, 2026
The
Hobby Brief
This week’s historical miniature news, military painting videos, new ranges and practical inspiration from around the hobby.
Historical Hobby News
New historical ranges, campaign material, painted armies and releases covering periods from Ancient Rome to the Second World War.
Give Me Epic Toy Soldiers
Chris Bilewicz explains what drew him to Black Powder Epic Battles and the massed Continental and British armies of the American War of Independence.
Read the story
Epic Battles Enters the Anglo-Zulu War
Warlord introduces its new Epic Battles: Zulu range for recreating the 1879 campaign, including the defense of Rorke’s Drift.
See the new range
Wargames Illustrated Issue 464
The August edition delivers historical scenarios, painted armies, modeling ideas and tabletop inspiration from across multiple periods.
Explore the new issue
Commonwealth Unit Highlights
This first report examines Australian, Canadian and East Africa Command forces, including Papuan infantry, Matilda Frogs, Kangaroos and Commonwealth armor.
Read the unit report
Rubicon’s July Historical Releases
Rubicon’s latest wave adds German medics, British and American jeep crews, armored-vehicle crews, Soviet figures, D-Day airborne troops and support weapons.
Browse the releases
Roman Hunnic Foederati Cavalry
Four units of 15mm Hunnic light cavalry join a Late Roman collection, with coordinated basing that connects the new auxiliaries to the larger army.
See the painted cavalryHistorical Video Watch
The strongest qualifying and near-boundary historical miniature videos, with publicly visible timing and view counts checked August 2.
The Sharpe Project Update
A high-interest update on a Napoleonic project inspired by Sharpe, including painted figures, visual references and progress across the growing force.
Watch the update
Kitbashing Every Bolt Action Sprue
Part four explores conversion possibilities inside recent Bolt Action sprues while keeping the resulting soldiers grounded in Second World War equipment.
Watch the kitbash
15mm English Civil War Miniatures
A close look at painted Steel Fist figures representing troops from the English Civil War, presented as a compact historical army showcase.
Watch the showcase
Napoleonic British and Allies
This hobby update follows British and allied Napoleonic units, showing how the collection’s uniforms, formations and painting projects are progressing.
Watch the update
Fallschirmjäger in Under Ten Minutes
A fast tabletop method for painting early-war German paratroopers without losing the uniform details that make the historical miniatures recognizable.
Watch the tutorial
Painting a 1/16 Viking Figure
A live bench session focused on painting an ICM Viking and the choices involved in finishing a large-scale historical figure.
Watch the sessionFrom James Viola
Three historically focused miniature and terrain projects from @jamesviolaofficial.
Painting a Ruined Cottage
James transforms a plain 3D print into convincing historical tabletop terrain using masonry colors, weathering and controlled surface variation.
Watch James paint
Painting Army Men on the Sprue
A popular 1/72-scale tutorial showing how painting Italeri American infantry before assembly can make small figures faster and easier to finish.
Watch James paint
Building and Painting a Panzer IV
James constructs and paints Italeri’s 1/72 German Panzer IV with Vallejo acrylics, taking it from unbuilt kit to finished military vehicle.
Watch James paint