Best products from r/ImperialAssaultTMG

Here is my list I will put links when I can.

Citadel Shades- also known as washes. I would suggest Nuln Oil as your black wash and Reikland Fleshshade as a brown wash. Example you would black wash the probe droids but I would suggest the brown wash for the wookie.
I find these washes great for new painters because you don’t have to do anything to them. Use them right out of the pot.
http://www.games-workshop.com/en-AU/Citadel-Shade


Also the Citadel base paints that have the metal look to them like lead belcher are excellent for doing highlights on metal surfaces like the blasters or the droids.

For all my normal colors I only use the 1$ acrylic paint from normal craft stores. They work just as well as long as you water them down. You pay more for the special miniature paints and Side by side I did not see the difference in my Minis.

For primer I use white for most things even stuff that will be dark. It is much easier to make something darker. It is harder to lighten up it back up. The washes especially the black wash will darken up the mini as well so it is important for the colors to be brighter than you think they will needed to be.
Some talked about having to do more than one coat and for about half my colors I normally do two coats but the white gives me the freedom to just do one coat if I want it to look lighter. Example I have to paint a mini one time that was wearing jeans. I only applied one coat of blue paint then used the black wash over it. This gave the jeans this faded look and was done much easier than having to do the lighter highlights by hand.

For brushes a size 0 1 and 2 would be a good start. For washing I use a side 3-4 as well since that makes it quicker.

Varnishes there is only one to use Testors Dull coat
http://www.amazon.com/Testor-Corp-1260-Spray-Testors/dp/B0035LOUMU

Ok here are items that are just really nice to have that you may not have thought about

You will need something to put the models on while you are painting them. I use corks and you can get those at a local craft store then you pick your brushes up. You don’t want to be holding on the mini while painting as your figures will pull even some of the dry paint off with enough handling.
Best way to attach them to the corks is poster tack. It is reusable and holds them very secure.
http://www.amazon.com/Elmers-Poster-Reusable-Adhesive-E1531/dp/B000BKQDB4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1420900105&sr=8-3&keywords=poster+tac

For priming I have seen a lot of people use a box to prime the minis and I have done this but I find it sometimes hard to get primer over the bottom of the minis. My solution to that is a yard stick. You are going to get paint all over it so make sure it is not one you ever plan on using as a yard stick again. Use the poster tack to minis to the stick. This allows me to flip the minis over completely to be able to get primer even in the hard to reach spots. I can spray about 12 minis at one time.


Edit wanted to add some examples of my work. These are the first minis I ever painted.
http://s750.photobucket.com/user/mrush007/slideshow/Zombicide%20First%20Batch

First off, let me say thank you to this community. You guys rock! Much of what you see here may have been stolen from this group.

The point of this post is not to show off my painting... I am not a pro. The point of this post is to encourage others to paint their figures. I was always scared to do so, but once I took the plunge, it really became an enjoyable process. These figures don't look perfect, like many of yours... but they add SO much to the game. Painting also became a relaxation thing for me.

I also wanted to share a way that I found to store everything in the original boxes, while protecting the painted figures. I like using the original boxes so that my shelves look more clean.

Here is the foam I used: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZFTEM0U/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I hope you enjoy, and I hope it encourages you to start painting your own figures!

Here's a few quick tips.

Never leave your brushes standing in a water pot. The bristles will bend and fray very quickly (like less than a minute).

Never let the paint get on or around the metal ferrule part of the brush. That's the bit where the bristles join the handle. Paint is hard to get out of there, and when it dries, it can push out, bend or cut the bristles.
Try to keep the paint to only half of the bristle length.

Wash often and thoroughly. Don't let paint dry in the bristles. Keep it wet, or wash out and get more paint. As above, keep the paint volume minimal. You can load the brush up a bit more if it's a more watery paint like a wash or glaze.

Further to above, you can use brush cleaner or conditioner. It helps get the paint off a bit better than water and can help hold the shape for longer. Can also help remove dried up paint.
I've recently started using Masters Brush Cleaner (https://www.amazon.com/General-Pencil-Company-Masters-Preserver/dp/B001TNR7VM). Comes in heaps of sizes, will last for AGES and it's amazing how much extra paint it gets out of the brush.

Try not use detail and high quality brushes for "rough" painting or drybrushing. That sort of motion can damage and bend the thin bristles. Use a specific drybrush or a cheap $2 one for that.

Generally more expensive brushes are better, but there is a limit to that. I jumped over to Winsor & Newton Series 7 brushes and it made a big difference to my painting, however, they still get damaged and they won't last forever either. Obviously, good care will make them last longer but I've been pretty bad at that lately.
For a new painter some of the Army Painter or GW range is a pretty good start. Once you get better and learn to care for the brushes properly, then grab yourself some more expensive stuff.

This is probably your best bet for DIY. It's most likely only gonna fit your core stuff and not much in regards to expansions. Honestly your best bet is probably to buy a Plano 732 and use pluck foam (the plucked bits to cushion your figures if you care about that sort of thing). Your best bet for storing map tiles IMO is [this CD case](AmazonBasics Nylon CD/DVD Wallet (128 Capacity) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DIHVM36/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_JdaJybHXQN7YW). It holds all map tiles from all expansions tiles sized 4 squares wide. All the other larger tiles fit in one of the boxes for expansions (that's where I keep them at least. Between the Plano holding all of my cards and figures except my skirmish cards (which I have in a binder using these sheets) the CD case does a nice job of keeping everything easy to grab for set ups.

I have the broken token organizer and it is really really nice, it also works well to play with because it keeps some things sorted nicely for use during the game itself which is a huge benefit of an organizer. However a problem i'm running into with my Descent collection is nearing completion and when you are playing games that require going in multiple boxes it can get tedious even when you have them in nice organizers, i bought a couple inserts for it as well as made my own foam core ones for the smaller boxes. I've decided to change it up slightly, i'm going to put all minis into an organizer made for scrap booking, i believe all the Minis will fit easily in one, i have all the cards organized into boxes i built dividers in to separate class cards, shop cards, act 1/2 monsters etc etc. Then I keep map tiles currently in a binder in clear archive sleeves

This is the cart i'm going to use for descent, it will be in later this week: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LX6FV6H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Once I get the last 4 Hero and Monster packs for Descent i'm going to get my IA collection built up, i've currently only got Core set + all the wave minis for it plus Jabbas realm expansion so its pretty easy to keep just the two organized

I use https://www.amazon.com/Plano-728001-Angled-Tackle-System/dp/B006PKXVAA/ and a zipup binder. I only play skirmish and the app, so my system is based around that. I have every expansion except General Weiss.

The two compartments on the top corners hold at-st, at-dp, and the Rancor.

The top opens and holds one of the smaller boxes (normally stored in the sides) two smaller boxes, and my supply deck for the app. Also the tank. I keep all tokens and dice in that box so it comes out onto the table easier. The smaller box is a token/dice set for a friend, and the other smaller box is for map tokens (crates, objectives, etc.) My doors are stored in their as well.

The left side compartment contains all the tiles for the app (core box tiles) and any skirmish maps I want to play. The right side contains all the campaign hero cards (and their upgrade cards) in individual bags (so a hero card and their upgrades are together).

The middle is used for the rest of the figures, one for rebels, one for scum, one for imperials.

I have a zipup binder that has card holders. The order I have in there is:
-Deployment cards sorted by faction then by points
-Bots and shapeshifter cards
-Command cards alphabetically
-Rewards alphabetically
-Mission cards by map alphabetically
-Skirmish map sheets alphabetically (in page holders)

The rules are kept in the inside pocket on the binder.

All the other tiles, cards and extra tokens are stored in the core box.

On suggestion by another user in this group.

1 - Soft-sided CD/DVD holder for the map tiles. You can fit all but the two largest in a CD wallet though the long ones overlap the top CD sleeve a bit when placed in the lower pocket.

https://smile.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Nylon-DVD-Wallet-Capacity/dp/B00DIHVM36?_encoding=UTF8&deviceType=desktop&keywords=cd%20wallet&qid=1488128453&redirect=true&ref_=sr_1_4&sr=8-4

2 - bought the foam organizer for the base box, with the map tiles in the DVD holder it frees up more space in the foam organizer.

https://smile.amazon.com/Foam-tray-Imperial-Assault-board/dp/B014KSCYWE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488128529&sr=8-1&keywords=imperial+assault+foam+insert

3 - all cards are in thick sleeves to prevent damage. I use Mayday Games MDG-7075 and MDG-7078. Thinking I will laminate the character cards or use photo-negative sleeves to protect them (still investigating).

4 - 3 ring binder to store all the cards except consumables, condition cards, etc (basically anything that you only need to pull 'some' of at the start of a match).

Something along the lines of this (I bought them in both sizes for IA at my local FLGS, $0.25 / page isn't bad at all). 3 ring binder with velcro closure was $3.00 at GoodWill.

5 - small PLANO organizer for all of the extra figures that I can't fit into the foam organizer...looking at a small case for figures, waiting on funds and to see what the other expansions will require.

6 - random Acrylic organizers bought at the Dollar Store. We use them for storing tokens as the 3 compartment with lid has been perfect so far. Condition tokens, crates, terminals, etc all sorted to a degree into those.

Hope some of that makes sense. I opted for foam for the core set rather than the Broken Token organizer because I intend to paint our collection as soon as it warms up a bit, don't want to use primer indoors and its too cold and wet outside to properly paint.

Have fun!

I got something similar to this at the dollar store. The one on Amazon there is a bit small the ones at the dollar store are large enough to be a perfect fit so that the large cards lay flat and small cards go on edge. I cut some dividers out of cardboard (u shape to stand up on their own) to separate class cards from equipment cards etc. Works perfectly, also great for holding 2 magic the gathering decks and is water proof.

Do you own everything?

I use the Plano tackle box, DVD case, and Card binder storage solution and it works really well.

so another user posted this except for he linked the wrong storage box. Ill link the storage box that would work for it all. If you paint minis then i would suggest possibly felt/foam lining the plano storage boxes. This really is a great way to store the game.
Pie in the sky way to store everything: For map tiles: AmazonBasics Nylon CD/DVD Wallet (128 Capacity) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DIHVM36/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_xF79DSJicfLBu
For command cards/character and imperial decks: BCW PRO 16-POCKET PAGE - TOPLOAD - (20 CT. PACK) FOR X-WING AND ARMADA UPGRADES https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018OM5MGC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_jcKHoZQcRucSk
For agenda cards and mission cards: Ultra Pro 25/9 Pocket Page Protectors https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005HIOVOG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_UjgMybSN3F7RS
Putting them in a binder lets you more easily find a specific card they fit in these sheets even with card sleeves. I bought a nice binder that has slip sleeves in it so that I can store all the rules and skirmish/mission pamphlets along with the sleeved card sheets.The CD case holds any tile 4 spaces wide I keep the larger tiles separate and was able to fit every expansion in the CD case.
For the minis and everything else: Plano Angled Tackle System 732 https://www.amazon.com/Plano-732-Extreme-Tackle-System/dp/B009JG53S0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1490804922&sr=8-2&keywords=plano+732

Find a picture or make your own and print them off in decent quality. Then adhere them to something like this.

https://www.amazon.com/Beadaholique-100-Piece-Stickers-Bottle-Pendants/dp/B00AFRWIRQ

Find the right size for your needs. You can get them at craft stores as well. I just looked up epoxy stickers and didn't check dimensions tbh

We've used these for homemade tokens for other games in the past. It gives you a good bit of durability and if you have a steady hand when making the tokens, they look good enough to use as spares.

>Not as good as others

Do not sell yourself short, they look good. Table ready for sure! I highly recommend hitting the ones you do not want gloss with Frosted Glass matte finish. I was skeptical at first but love the way it looks.

two of these were great for me for organizing everything in the core game + twin shadows + wave 1 ally/villain pack figures all into the core game box. All the figures went in 1 plano box, all tokens and small cards fit in the 2nd plano box. larger cards I divided into labeled baggies that fit them. Most map tiles also fit into ziploc bags which I labeled and divided by map tile number, 0-10, 11-19, 20-29 and 30-39. Only the AT-STs, round/threat dial, and the very largest map tiles are put into the box unorganized (if I hypothetically had larger ziploc bags then I could have all map tiles organized and stored), though they're pretty snug in there surrounded by everything else.


After I got Return to Hoth I added all I could to my first two plano boxes but still had to use a 3rd small plano box to fit additional figures. I keep this box and hoth specific map tiles in the hoth box.

I use this Plano box for all of the figures. I use the side draws for deck boxes separated for hero abilities, imperial agendas, shop items etc. Up top I have the hero cards and all the cards from our current campaign.

I keep all of the tokens and dice in a 3D printed holder I found on etsy.

As for the map tiles I keep those in the gambit and shadow boxes. Go 7 gaming had some nice organizers for that. They also have organizers for all the boxes but it's easier to haul around the Plano case and the two smaller boxes then to try and carry everything.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006PKXVAA/ref=oh_aui_i_sh_in_o0_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use something like these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Connect-Business-Name-Holder-Cards/dp/B0031YFELM/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1465210997&sr=8-10&keywords=business+card+holder

At the moment they're in two cases, one for Group Limited (e.g. brawler, Hunter etc.) and one for generics.

Works great for me and really easy to flip to the ones I want

I found an old CD case that I still had CDs in. I had to clean off the dust and remove the old CDs, but afterwards it works very well.

The largest tiles will not fit, but I got all but maybe 2 from the core set into the binder.


I would say anything with a soft sleeve should work. Maybe something like this? Amazon

Great idea!!

AmazonBasics Nylon CD/DVD Binder (400 Capacity) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DIHVMEA/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_V1ezybBEHN9P8

This is a pdf of the maps without spoilers so the rebels can set it up without spoiling the game:


https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/117642/campaign-tile-guide


I recommend using a CD Case like this to store your map tiles:


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DIHVM36/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This case is really old, found it in a storage box. /u/Hudson187 found something similar:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DIHVMEA/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_V1ezybBEHN9P8
Seems like a lot of options in that category.

This is the most elegant solution I've seen.
https://www.gothsonika.com/shop/imperial-assault-box-organizer


I have the Feldherr foam insert (https://www.amazon.com/Foam-tray-Imperial-Assault-board/dp/B014KSCYWE/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1511244707&sr=8-13&keywords=imperial+assault) and I HATE how the box won't close fully.

I use the AmazonBasics CD Wallet. It holds all of the tiles that are up to 4x4, for all of the expansions, with room to spare. Then I just put the tiles that are longer than 4 spaces in a Ziploc bag, separated by expansion.

I use this binder. It has pockets that can handle all the paperwork, manuals, character sheets, etc.

I use these for the small map pieces They go in the binder.

I use these for larger map pieces. They also go in the binder.

All dice, tokens, and cards go in this box.

I ordered the box inserts for all the boxes from these guys. That covers all the minis except for the largest stuff (AT-STs), which got a case from them instead.