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Rattle cans for Warhammer are a pain in ass. Besides costing a bomb considering how much paint is inside, how much of a faff they are to use, and the way they can gunk up detail on your models with one wrong move, they're… well, less than ideal. That's why this solution changed everything for me – and it's much cheaper than you might think, especially with Memorial Day sales flying around.
If you've been in the hobby for longer than a hot minute, you'll have heard folks preaching about how fabulous airbrushes are. Now, I appreciate the kneejerk reaction some of you might have at this point. These gizmos have a reputation for being expensive luxuries, and some are. But they don't have to be, particularly if you manage to grab one on sale. As a case in point, you can nab the one I used for years (the Gocheer kit) for $63.65 at Amazon rather than the full $80. Similarly, this nifty Gaahleri number (albeit without a compressor, so you'd need to grab one separately) has fallen by 35% to just $29.99 at Amazon. If you're just hoping to basecoat your Warhammer models or branch out to techniques like zenithal highlights and object source lighting, it's ideal. Yes, adding in the compressor is an extra cost, but with Memorial Day deals right now you can throw in a highly-rated Gaahleri unit for $67.99 at Amazon rather than the usual $80. That's just shy of $100 overall, which is very good for a mid-range setup.
I've been using an airbrush for a long time, and after my current model broke, I've had to go back to undercoating the models we get in for review (like the Red Terror from Kill Team: Terror on Devlan) with rattle cans or by hand. This has reminded me what a headache this can be. I'd forgotten the joys of "oops, I didn't hit this model from every single angle so now have to redo it with a paintbrush" or "oh dear, I pressed too hard on the nozzle and now that guy's face is mush." Airbrushes allow you to bypass that.
Is this a first-world problem? Absolutely. I'm aware that I'm preaching from atop a wobbly, woe-is-me soapbox. But the point is, spraying everything with a rattle can or manually undercoating by hand is far more of a hassle – and more expensive – than it needs to be. By contrast, an airbrush like this cheaper model is so much more cost effective and practical. OK, it won't be as accurate as more expensive models and will be liable to clogging occasionally (invest in a good technique for regular cleaning, that's my advice). Yet it's easier to maneuver, and you've got far more control than with a classic rattle can.
On the fence? I get it. But in my experience, it's probably one of the best investments you can make for Warhammer.
- See all airbrush deals at Amazon
For more tabletop goodies, why not check out our guide to the best board games or the best tabletop RPGs?
