Contrast Paints - Am I still not "Getting It"? (Probably Not)

As is my want, when in town I pop into any shop that could vaguely have wargaming "related" (as in useful) material in it. My local "Boyes" shop (apologies for those overseas or out of the relative area - so Boyes makes no sense) has Vallejo paints. Straight in like Flynn! As I was perusing the Vallejo aisle doing my usual -"Which colours do I have?" and only having a vague sense of this one and that one" - I  saw a new rack of Vallejo paints called, Xpress Color. Well certainly I had "none" of them and what is more there, was only a pitiful few of them left on the shelves. That talked volumes to me, so I picked up two of the stragglers (see below, Plague Green and Black Lotus - Contrast Paints by any other name): 

I rushed back home eager to give it a bash with Vallejo's babies - having had a hit and miss affair with GW's Contrast Paints. The targets were a set of 10mm Pendraken Modern Warsaw Pact and NATO British ("Cold War Gone Hot" era) toys. The result was really a heavy all over green wash with blue-black boots and metal gun parts. They are relatively small kit so probably not the 25/28mm ideal target range, but to me it was still a "primer and very good wash" [all my crevesses are certainly covered] but still really wanting paint. Though probably "less" than normal. It certainly was a factory style productionline, which is good.

Afterwards I set off around the Internet to see what others thought. The accomplished painter "The Beard Bunker" was of interest.

https://www.thebeardbunker.com/2023/02/oops-new-army-tyranid-edition.html

My verdict: I think I am still missing the point and probably playing around with too small a scale for real benefit! Washes are probably good enough for 10mm. 

10mm Pendrakon British Cold War and their Paint Schemes

While at Pendrakon HQ, on impulse I picked up a couple of packets of their lovely 10mm Cold War British. To be honest this was on a bit of a whim and fancy - as most of my wargaming projects start (see below, confession - I thought these were the normal Ferrets (Reece Scout Cars), but on closer inspection these were the Vigilant Swingfire Anti-Tank missile version, which all seems a tad exotic and heavy hitting for a lightly armoured Recce Scout Car - careful before you to decide to engage that T-55 or T-62):  

The other packet I picked up was much more of a rarity or stylish collector piece - the last true British Heavy Tank (before they became designated MBTs I think). It's roots lay in tank design and thinking in the late 1944's. Perhaps they were thinking of something taking on the likes of the German Tiger, King Tiger and Panther classes of tanks (see below, the British Conqueror, it is a fantastic model - looking a bit Sci-Fi if you ask me, but the T-55 had a ceratin out of this world look to it too):

The kits were staring at me in their unfinished silver so I quickly primed them in my favourite Airfix Acrylic Grey and set about looking for teh official looking Vallejo painting guides to give me a list of paint codes to chase. Luckily for Flames of War - Team Yankee they had a Cold War British Camouflage Pack, even better I already had the paints (see below, a Conqueror in a weather base coat, not finished but it is starting to look the part): 

Other wargamers who preceding me [many thanks Stefanof] giving advice is always welcome: 

http://stefanov.no-ip.org/wordpress/index.php/2019/01/09/modern-british-vehicles-colours/

Vallejo reference material from:

https://acrylicosvallejo.com/en/category/hobby/sets/wargames-en/

https://acrylicosvallejo.com/en/product/hobby/sets/wargames-en/wwiii-british-armour-infantry-70222/

More of this to come, in due course, methinks.