The Hobby Brief — #00004.1
PaintArmyMen.com • August 16, 2026
The
Hobby Brief
This week’s field report on historical miniature releases, painted armies, military modeling and practical inspiration from real campaigns and periods.
Historical Hobby News
Plastic Chaffee and Chi-Nu Incoming
Two late-war tanks move into plastic: the American M24 Chaffee, also fielded by British forces, and Japan’s Type 3 Chi-Nu, built for defense of the home islands.
Preview the tanks
Painted 6mm European Buildings
A hands-on look at Total Battle’s ready-painted scenery weighs the higher price against saved bench time, then adds a restrained brown wash to bring out the roofs.
See the painted scenery
More Variety from Winter US Sprues
A methodical build guide charts torso-and-arm combinations, adapts the limited M1 Garand poses and trims sniper scopes to keep an entire winter platoon visually distinct.
Plan the platoon
Rifleman Harris Joins the Sharpe Series
The licensed character arrives in 28mm with alternate head and arm builds, plus a 54mm display version showing Harris with the book that marks him as the Rifles’ scholar.
Meet Rifleman Harris
Pre-Cut Transfers for Shields and Banners
Victrix’s fully pre-cut transfers cover medieval shields, Spanish banners and Viking designs, removing the fiddly trimming stage from a historically detailed finishing job.
Explore the transfers
More 15mm Late Roman Foederati
Dacians, Gauls and Alan light cavalry are rebased for fourth- and fifth-century Italian campaigns, with washes, pumice, flock and tufts unifying the mixed contingents.
See the finished unitsHistorical Video Watch
French Revolutionary Infantry
A strong-performing look at Perry Miniatures’ 28mm Revolutionary French, useful for studying the blue-and-white palette, unit character and massed presentation of the period.
Watch the figures
Painting the New Gurkhas
A 28mm Second World War Burma tutorial works through Gurkha uniforms, equipment and skin tones while keeping the finished squad practical for the tabletop.
Watch the tutorial
Dark Ages in 28mm
A close tour of a painted Dark Ages collection shows how muted cloth, varied shields, metalwork and consistent basing create a convincing early-medieval warband.
Tour the collection
1/72 US Infantry Paint Update
A small-scale bench update focuses on Zvezda American infantry and a .50-caliber machine-gun crew, with useful views of the in-progress figures and their equipment.
Watch the update
How to Paint the Ki-43 Oscar
A military-aircraft painting guide tackles the Imperial Japanese Army’s Ki-43 fighter, concentrating on the finish, markings and surface treatment that define the subject.
Watch the aircraft build
Painting a Roman General
A compact ancient-history project follows a Roman commander from base colors through armor, cloth and final details for a distinctive Hail Caesar centerpiece.
Watch the projectFrom James Viola
Three historically focused soldier-painting projects from @jamesviolaofficial.
Painting Airfix British Commandos
James works at classic 1/32 scale, using readable highlights and carefully separated equipment colors to bring Airfix’s British Commando poses to life.
Watch James paint
US Special Forces on the Sprue
A 1/72 Italeri project demonstrates how painting figures before removal can steady tiny details and speed up a full unit of Vietnam-era American soldiers.
Watch James paint
Painting a 28mm US Soldier
James paints an Austin Miniatures figure for Red Jungle, building a clear Vietnam-era uniform and equipment palette at a scale familiar to historical wargamers.
Watch James paint