Tale of Painters

Building a Sector Munitorum: my new 40k terrain collection begins

Stahly — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Witness the start of my new Warhammer 40,000 and Horus Heresy terrain collection, a Sector Munitorum built around the terrain pieces from the 40k starter set and Killzone Volkus. In this post, I'll show you the first finished models and share all the paint recipes and techniques I used, in case you fancy recreating them yourself. And yes, I've snuck some classic 2nd edition blue-grey in there too ;)

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Your guide to the best hobby Prime Day deals 2026

Topsy — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

It's that time of year again: Amazon Prime Day 2026 is live, and we've sifted through hundreds of offers to find the deals actually worth your hobby budget. From airbrushes and tools to camera gear, gaming accessories, action figures, board games, and other geeky essentials, we've rounded up the standout discounts for miniature painters and Warhammer collectors alike.

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Gaahleri’s Omni Series launched: I tested the prototypes early, and I’ve got feelings

Stahly — Sun, 04 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Gaahleri just launched their brand-new Omni Series paint line on Kickstarter. The pitch is bold: one paint that excels as both a brush paint and an airbrush paint, thanks to what they're calling OmniShift Technology. I got my hands on a batch of prototypes ahead of launch, and here is my first impression.

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Nomine eius: all the new Legio Custodes kits unboxed & reviewed

Topsy — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Pre-orders for the new Legio Custodes Codex for 11th edition Warhammer 40,000 open this weekend. With the codex, all the models released for The Horus Heresy over the past while finally become playable in 40k too. Good reason to take a closer look at all the new kits. In this post, you'll find every review and unboxing, including high-res sprue images and all the build options.

### The Emperor's Finest unboxed

The overhaul and plastic transformation of the Horus Heresy Custodes model range kicked off with the Legio Custodes Battle Group box. Sadly it's out of stock now, but our in-depth review still has high-res sprue photos for the Shield Captain, the Custodian and Sentinel Guard, the Contemptor-Achillus Dreadnought / Contemptor-Galatus Dreadnought, and the Caladius Annihilator, plus a full list of build options and what to watch out for:

### How much have the proportions actually changed?

The new Custodes models have genuinely shifted quite a bit in proportion. Here's a scale comparison between the new and old sculpts, alongside various other 40k and Heresy models:

### Venatari and Coronus reviewed

Next up came the Venatari Sodality, bringing the old resin models over to plastic, along with the mighty Coronus Grav-Carrier:

### Telemon, Pallas, and the Gyrfalcon jetbikes

Most recently, the Legio Custodes Support Battle Group arrived. If you're lucky, you might still find leftover stock at your FLGS. This one includes the fantastic plastic version of the Telemon Heavy Dreadnought, the agile Pallas Grav-Attack, and the Gyrfalcon jetbikes. Our review has detailed sprue photos plus an unboxing video where we walk you through the assembly instructions.

### Are you happy about the crossover?

Are you looking forward to the new models working seamlessly across both systems, or are you annoyed that the old models aren't directly playable anymore? Let us know in the comments, or come discuss it on our friendly hobby Discord.

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The best mossy & leafy green paints #stahlyspaintpicks

Stahly — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 15:00:00 +0000

It's time for new #stahlyspaintpicks! In this post I've picked out my favourite warm and cold red tones for you. The catch: this time I've only drawn from Contrast- and Speedpaint-style "one coat" paints. For this, I tested every manufacturer, and here come my favourites.

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Showcase: a love letter to the Space Marine Dreadnought, old and new

Dunk — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Few things in Warhammer 40k capture the imagination quite like a Dreadnought. Part tomb, part tank, it's one of those designs that somehow gets more compelling the more you learn about it. In this post, I'm celebrating the Dreadnought in all its forms, from the chunky, nostalgic charm of the classic sculpt to the modern Redemptor, and sharing some thoughts (and a hot take or two) on why these walking coffins have earned their place as one of 40k's most iconic designs.

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Ionic Real Heavy Metal vs. Vallejo TMM: who makes the best metallic paint 2026?

Stahly — Sat, 26 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000

I've tested all 60 colours from Ionic's new Real Heavy Metal paint range, and I'm comparing them against Vallejo True Metallic Metal and some of the best metallic paints. Real Heavy Metal uses a different formula from the metallics in the Ionic core range. In fact they have more in common with Vallejo, but there's one crucial difference with the washes that Speedpaint fans are going to love. Who makes the best metallic paint, Ionic or Vallejo?

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I painted this cute chibi EVA-01 ChoiPla model kit, here’s how

Stahly — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 15:00:00 +0000

This one gets a bit obscure: on my last trip to Japan, I picked up an SD (super deformed) version of the iconic Evangelion Unit-01. A model kit from cavico's ChoiPla range, hand-painted by me. I'll walk you through every colour and technique I used. If you've got a soft spot for purple-green colour contrasts and/or 90s anime and mechs, read on.

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Space Marines Captain on Bike and Kaius Koronius review: worth the wait?

Stahly — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Part 2 of our big Space Marines review turns to the character side of this release wave: the long-awaited Captain on bike, finally giving mounted commanders their due, and Kaius Koronius, the Ultramarines' new blademaster stepping in where Uriel Ventris left off. We unbox both kits, walk through every build option, and share the full 4K unboxing video alongside high-res sprue images.

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More bitz, same ideas: 2026 Intercessor Squad, Outriders, Vanguard Veterans, Eradicators & Land Speeder unboxed

Stahly — Sat, 19 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000

We're at the start of a new Warhammer 40k edition, and one thing is as certain as death and taxes: a flood of new Space Marine kits. But how much of what's in the new Intercessor Squad, the multipart Vanguard Veterans and Outriders, and the Eradicators and Land Speeder is actually new? We've unboxed every kit for you, with high-res sprue images, a walkthrough of the assembly instructions, and a full breakdown of every build option.

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