How to Paint a Sci-Fi Squad Miniature

Beginner~45 min

Armored troopers are the bread and butter of sci-fi wargaming, and learning to paint them efficiently means you can build an army without losing your mind. This guide covers batch painting a squad of armored soldiers with crisp armor panels, neat details, and consistent squad markings -- all using beginner-friendly techniques.

Supplies Needed

•Black or dark grey spray primer
•Main armor color (any bold, opaque paint)
•Dark grey or black paint for undersuits and joints
•Metallic gunmetal paint for weapons
•Dark wash (black or dark brown)
•A lighter shade of your armor color for edge highlights
•A bright accent color for lenses and squad markings

Step-by-Step Instructions

Batch Prime the Squad

Line up your entire squad and prime them in black or dark grey. Dark primer is essential for armored troopers because it shades the joints and undersuits automatically. Make sure every model gets even coverage from all angles.

Tip: Number your models mentally or with a small mark on the base so you can keep track during batch painting. It's easy to accidentally skip a model.

Basecoat All Armor Panels

Apply your chosen armor color to all the large, flat armor plates on every model -- chest plates, pauldrons, thigh guards, and helmets. Use two thin coats for solid, even coverage. Take your time on these large surfaces because brushstrokes show easily on flat armor. Let each coat dry fully.

Paint the Undersuits and Joints

Apply dark grey or black to all the flexible areas between armor plates -- the joints at elbows, knees, waist, and neck. These areas are usually recessed and textured to suggest a flexible bodysuit. One coat over dark primer is usually enough for solid coverage.

Paint the Weapons

Apply metallic gunmetal paint to all weapon barrels and mechanical components. For weapon casings and stocks, use a matte dark grey or black to contrast with the metallic parts. This two-tone approach makes weapons look more realistic and detailed.

Tip: When batch painting, do all the metallic parts at once across the squad. Metallic paint gets everywhere, so get it all done before moving to clean detail work.

Wash the Recesses

Apply a dark wash into all the recesses between armor plates, into the joints, over the weapon details, and along any panel lines. For a cleaner look, apply the wash only into the gaps and recesses rather than flooding the whole surface. This takes a bit more time but means less cleanup afterward.

Edge Highlight the Armor

Using a fine brush and a lighter version of your armor color, paint thin lines along the sharp edges of every armor plate. Focus on the most prominent edges first -- helmet rims, pauldron edges, and the top edges of chest plates. The side of the brush tip dragged along an edge produces the cleanest lines.

Tip: Don't highlight every single edge on every model -- that way lies madness. Focus on the top-facing edges that catch the most light. Three to four highlighted edges per armor section is plenty.

Paint Lenses and Eyes

Apply a bright accent color -- red, green, or blue -- to all helmet visors and weapon sights. A tiny dot of white in one corner of each lens creates the illusion of a reflective, glowing visor. This small detail makes each trooper look alive and menacing.

Add Squad Markings and Base

Paint a small identifying mark on one pauldron of each model -- a stripe, a number, or a simple geometric shape in your accent color. This ties the squad together visually. Finish by basing all models with your chosen basing scheme and painting the rims black.

Pro Tips

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Pick an armor color that looks good over dark primer -- bold, saturated colors like blue, red, and green cover well in two coats.
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Assembly-line batch painting (doing the same step across all models) is dramatically faster than painting one model at a time.
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Consistent basing across the squad creates visual cohesion even if individual paint jobs vary slightly.
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Keep a "test model" that you paint first to nail down your color scheme before committing to the whole squad.
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Matte varnish on armor and gloss varnish on lenses creates a realistic material contrast.

Related Techniques

Edge Highlighting Two Thin Coats Basing

Paint This With Your Own Paints

Want your squad painted with your exact paints? Generate a personalized guide with color matches from your collection.