Basing for Warhammer The Old World: “Dark Lands” Style

In this step-by-step tutorial I show how to replicate the simple basing scheme I use for my Orcs & Goblins army, using a yellow-ish brown colour scheme.

What you’ll need…

For this simple basing scheme, all you’ll need is some PVE glue, some sand, an old brush, and some tufts (and of course a miniature).

Applying materials

First we apply a layer of PVE glue on the base using an old, cheap brush. Make sure not to get any glue on the model itself, or on the rim of the base. It’s often a good idea to wipe the rim of the base clean with your thumb after applying the glue.

Then, place the model into a container with your basing material. In this case, I use a mixture of regular sand (e.g. from the beach – very fine-grained), and some coarser sand for some variety.

Take the model out of the container and tap off the excess sand.

Now the glue needs to dry for several hours – to be sure, leave it to dry overnight.

The painting phase

Painting is a simple four-step process:

1. Undercoat the model and base (I use white, but any colour should be fine).
2. Apply a base coat of Citadel: Steel Legion Drab (this will probably take 2-3 layers).
3. Apply a wash of Citadel: Agrax Earthshade to the sand.
4. Dry brush the sand using Vallejo: Plague Brown (alternatively you can use Citadel: Balor Brown or Citadel: Zamesi Desert, both of which are very similar but slightly lighter).

Applying tufts

After painting the model (check out the Step-by-Step Tutorial for Painting Night Goblins), apply some small drops of PVE glue on several spots on the base (3-4 will do), wherever you want to place some tufts.

I consider this step optional, as the Gamer’s Grass tufts that I use actually stick really well by themselves, without applying additional glue.

Finally, apply the tufts. I use Gamer’s Grass: Tiny Dry Green which creates a nice contrast with the yellow-ish brown.

In order to add some variety, especially on larger bases, I use tufts from the Gamer’s Grass: Marshland Set, which really fit the theme well.

I hope you found this tutorial useful. Below is a shot of my (in progress) Orcs & Goblins army, showing off this basing scheme. If you are interested in a more “typical” Old World basing scheme, check out my Tutorial for Warhammer The Old World “Box-Art” basing.

Closing Words…

If you have any question, feel free to leave a comment below, or drop me an email at harm@harmsworkshop.com. If you found this very useful and want to show some support, you can do so via my Ko-Fi page.