Pages

Wednesday 18 April 2012

Mechrite Red RIP



"The old paints are dead, long live the new paints!" We all saw the '145' new paints [not to be confused with the '456' from Torchwood] and we're all confused but interested in what's possible with these new colours and textures. Personally it doesn't affect me too much, I use mainly Vallejo paints but of course one Foundation paint in particular is essential to my scheme - Mechrite Red.

I had my Mechrite Red epiphany when I first struggled with Red Planet Basing. In fact the very picture I used to illustrate how cool it was [the Rippers below] is pertinent to the situation I now find myself in.


My immediate concern was Mechrite's replacement. I've still all my Dark Angels and my Son's Eldar to base and I need that colour on the base edges or we're stuffed. I checked on the BoLS forum for a conversion chart and I was duly shown the one from this month's White Dwarf [incidentally my mate Liam, he of the scratch built Warhound and Warlord fame has his Dark Eldar featured in the Bolton GW review at the back]. It stated that the 'base' replacement for my Mechrite is Mephiston Red. Well folks here is Mephiston Red:


Having had the opportunity to nip to GW the other weekend I gave Mephiston a shot. I took both kids with me and me and the youngest [6] painted his first ever marine [I'll share pictures eventually] and we used Mephiston on the Bolter and I can tell you Mechrite it isn't. For those out there after a vibrant red your prayers have been answered. This is very reminiscent of my Vermilion Craft Acrylic you can see on the Ripper base above, just a denser colour - more like paint than say margerine. However for my bases it's not going to work.

I read someone comment that trying to buy up the last of your favourite colour was delaying the inevitable but I managed to nip up to my local independent GW stockist* and got one pot before the '145' was released and when I found out the entire old range had gone back to GW central I packed the wife off to get me another pot, the very last in the shop. Now I think I've managed to base all the 'nids with one pot so I don't think I'll have to face my inevitable end to Mechrite Red for a very long time, but there is a glimmer of hope, something I'll have the leisure to find out whether there is in fact a replacement in the '145' [although there may be another manufacturer who has a Mechrite equivalent] - Khorne Red. I look at the pot and I've seen the examples in White Dwarf and by far this looks like a more accurate replication of Mechrite Red. Did GW get confused or were they just so happy they managed to pull off a vibrant red with 'base' properties they'd rather trumpet the 'new' instead of match the 'old'.



Hopefully I'll get chance to pop back to my local GW and they'll have a pot for me to test out so I can be relieved that my Ferron Proxima bases will always match up, fingers crossed.

* I also picked up another Gryphonne Sepia and the last Badab Black. The Badab Black replacement, Nuln Oil, I tested had a very matt finish so I was happy to delay the inevitable just a while longer.


5 comments:

  1. If you want I can check the LGS for any leftover pots. My email is in my blogger profile.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for the offer Tristan but I should be be good with the 2.25 pots I have left. I've just based another 50 miniatures, nids and eldar and I'm pretty sure I'll still have that quarter pot left by the end of it with 30 of the 50 still needing their Mechrite edging.

    That's the gaming community for you, thanks for thinking of me.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I feel your pain! GW changing paints during the middle of a big Blood Angels project is my worst nightmare! I am glad I stocked up beforehand, I only hope I have enough Mechrite Red.

    ReplyDelete
  4. damn. I have not had a chance to check out the new paint yet but I just scraped out the last of my Mechrite red and Golden yellow to finish the imperial fists I wanted to get done. I am not looking forward to finding proper replacements if the chart is not really accurate. humm I may have to make the trip down to GW tommaro.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm hoping Khorne Red will be the proper replacement, but Vallejo do their version of Foundation paints and presumably 'Extra Opaque Heavy Red' is their Mechrite equivalent

    http://www.maelstromgames.co.uk/index.php?act=pro&pre=val_hob_gcl_exo_102_000

    Maybe worth a shot if Khorne Red isn't the same. All the independents and online will still have stock. My local independent even has GW inks and loads in the old hexagonal bottles still!

    ReplyDelete