20% off RRPAstra Militarum · 25 models · 3 kits
5× Cadian Command Squad Soldiers Miniatures · 10× Kasrkin Miniatures · 10× Attilan Rough Riders Miniatures
How to Paint Astra Militarum
Practical military green, batch-painted for a whole regiment
Prices in $ for the US
Before you commit
How hard to paint
77of 116 easiest
About average
Model size1 out of 5Detail density2 out of 5Technique demanded4 out of 5
Compare all 116 factions →
What it costs to start
$121.55
$0.43 per point
Combat Patrol: Astra Militarum, cheapest shop we track
Compare armies by value →
Painting ratings are our judgement, with the reasoning on the comparison page; prices are live and dated.
Astra Militarum (Cadian) boxes to start with
Compare Astra Militarum boxesThe Astra Militarum (Cadian) boxes we can price in your market, cheapest first.
20% off RRP
20% off RRPAstra Militarum · 19 models · 6 kits
1× Commissar Miniature · 5× Cadian Command Squad Miniatures · 10× Cadian Shock Troops Miniatures · 1× Basilisk Miniature · 1× Field Ordnance Battery Miniature · 1× Rogal Dorn Miniature
Paint sets that cover this scheme
All paint setsOne box of paints instead of 12 pots. Each card says how many of this scheme's colours it holds.
71 paints
Covers 8 of 12 colours in this scheme
50 paints
Covers 7 of 12 colours in this scheme
16 paints
Covers 7 of 12 colours in this scheme
69 paints
Covers 7 of 12 colours in this scheme
10 paints
Covers 5 of 12 colours in this scheme
8 paints
Covers 4 of 12 colours in this scheme
Or cover 83% of this scheme with 2 paint sets, $376.29 together: Vallejo Model Air - Basic Box Set + Signature Series Set 7 - AdeptiCon
Recommended recipe
How the scheme reads on a model
Armour — base to highlight
Tap a colour to change its paint.
- Base coatLuftwaffe GreenVallejo · Model Color 70.823View paint
- ShadeMilitary ShadeArmy Painter · Warpaints Fanatic Wash WP3209PView paint
- LayerRefractive GreenVallejo · Model Color 70.890View paint
- HighlightAfrikakorps Tank CrewVallejo · Panzer AcesView paint
- Edge highlightNacarScale75 · Scale Color RangeView paint
Additional details
- TrimNecron CompoundCitadel (Warhammer Paints) · Dry 99189952048View paint
- WeaponsJohn Blanche Masterclass: Heavy MetalArmy Painter · Warpaints FanaticView paint
- LeatherBeasty BrownVallejo · Game Color 72.043View paint
- SkinBestigor FleshCitadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951243View paint
- LensesMagecast MagentaArmy Painter · Warpaints Fanatic WP3134PView paint
- BasingEnglish UniformVallejo · Model Color 70.921View paint
- Webbing & flakOlive BrownVallejo · Model Color 70.889View paint
1
Base coat
Lay the foundation colour down over primer, slightly darker than the final tone.
Suggested
★ Our pick for base coat
Very Close
John Blanche Masterclass: Tainted Garden
Army Painter · Warpaints Fanatic
$4.25at War Games USA· priced 1 Sep
Very Close
Close
Death Korps Drab
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Base 99189950302
from$4.55· compare 3 shops· priced 5 Jul
2
Shade
Wash the recesses to add depth and separate the details.
Suggested
★ Our pick for shade
Close
Similar
Dark Angels Green
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Contrast 99189960106
from$6.63· compare 4 shops· priced 13 Sep
Approximate
3
Layer
Rebuild the main colour on the raised areas, leaving the shade in the cracks.
Suggested
★ Our pick for layer
Very Close
Very Close
Death Korps Drab
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Base 99189950302
from$4.55· compare 3 shops· priced 5 Jul
Close
CloseDiscontinued
4
Highlight
Pick out the upper edges and surfaces that catch the light.
Suggested
Very CloseDiscontinued
Close
Death Guard Green
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Base 99189950299
from$4.55· compare 4 shops· priced 5 Jul
5
Edge highlight
Sharpen only the sharpest edges for a crisp, finished look.
Suggested
Close
Close
CloseDiscontinued
Details & accent colours
Everything else on the model - metals, skin, leather, lenses, basing and this faction's signature accents.
Metal — trim
Trim and bare plate. Basecoat steel, wash dark, then edge bright silver.
Suggested
Necron Compound
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Dry 99189952048
from$3.87· compare 7 shops· priced 13 Sep
★ Our pick for metal — trim
Very Close
Close
Shining Silver
Army Painter · Warpaints
No shop price tracked yet — the paint’s page has every seller we find.
Metal — weapons
Bolters, blades and casings. Dark gunmetal, washed black, edged with bright steel.
Suggested
John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal
Army Painter · Warpaints Fanatic
$4.55at War Games USA· priced 1 Sep
★ Our pick for metal — weapons
Very Close
Close
Close
Adepticon Magnesium
Monument · Monument Pro Signature Series MPA-S42
from$4.50· compare 2 shops· priced 13 Sep
Similar
Leather & pouches
Straps, holsters and bare wood. Mid brown, shaded, then drybrushed a lighter tan.
Suggested
★ Our pick for leather & pouches
Very Close
Flameon Dark Green Brown
Monument · Monument Pro Signature Series MPA-S25
from$4.50· compare 2 shops· priced 13 Sep
CloseDiscontinued
Skin & flesh
Faces and hands. Basecoat, a flesh wash into the recesses, then build the highlights back up.
Suggested
Bestigor Flesh
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951243
from$4.55· compare 5 shops· priced 5 Jul
★ Our pick for skin & flesh
Very Close
Barbarian Flesh
Army Painter · Warpaints
No shop price tracked yet — the paint’s page has every seller we find.
Very Close
Very Close
CloseDiscontinued
Eyes & lenses
Lenses, eyes and energy. A bright spot colour that pops against the armour - dot it on and add a white glint.
Suggested
★ Our pick for eyes & lenses
Close
Genestealer Purple
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951308
from$4.55· compare 6 shops· priced 5 Jul
Similar
Expert Acrylics Primary Cyan
Monument · Monument Expert Acrylics
from$6.30· compare 2 shops· priced 13 Sep
Basing — earth
Groundwork. Earth basecoat, drybrushed bone, finished with your choice of grass, sand or snow.
Suggested
★ Our pick for basing — earth
Very Close
Webbing & flak
Pouches, boots and flak armour - brown-black over the practical green.
Suggested
★ Our pick for webbing & flak
Very CloseDiscontinued
Close
Your paints
Tick off what's already on your shelf — whatever's left is your shopping list.
12 paints in this scheme
Price this recipe
12 paintspostage per seller
- not stocked: Afrikakorps Tank Crew, Nacar, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal
$6.99 US delivery, 3-5 business days
- not stocked: Luftwaffe Green, Refractive Green, Afrikakorps Tank Crew, Nacar, Beasty Brown, English Uniform, Olive Brown
prices shown on Amazon at checkout
- not stocked: Luftwaffe Green, Military Shade, Refractive Green, Afrikakorps Tank Crew, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Magecast Magenta, English Uniform, Olive Brown
$10 US delivery, 4-8 business days, free over $75
- not stocked: Luftwaffe Green, Refractive Green, Afrikakorps Tank Crew, Nacar, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Beasty Brown, Bestigor Flesh, English Uniform, Olive Brown
- not stocked: Luftwaffe Green, Military Shade, Refractive Green, Afrikakorps Tank Crew, Nacar, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Beasty Brown, Bestigor Flesh, Magecast Magenta, English Uniform, Olive Brown
totals excl. delivery · affiliate links
Necron Compound
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Dry 99189952048
from$3.87· compare 7 shops· priced 13 Sep
John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal
Army Painter · Warpaints Fanatic
$4.55at War Games USA· priced 1 Sep
Bestigor Flesh
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951243
from$4.55· compare 5 shops· priced 5 Jul
Compare every Astra Militarum box
Want the codex too? At Loaded Dice (UK):save £23.01 vs RRP(out of stock)
Want more in the box?save $25.50 vs RRP
Every Astra Militarum kit and box, priced
Prices compared across the shops that stock them — boxes ranked by cost per model.
The Astra Militarum are the human armies of the Imperium, and you need a lot of them. The whole approach is built around batch painting: a simple, practical scheme applied quickly across ranks of infantry, with tanks as the occasional centrepiece.
The signature look
The iconic Cadian look is military green armour and fatigues, with metal weapons, brown leather and webbing, and flesh faces. It is a grounded, realistic palette - no bright heraldry, just soldiers.
Batch painting infantry
Speed is everything with guardsmen:
- Undercoat, then basecoat the largest areas (armour/fatigues) across the whole unit at once.
- One all-over wash to shade everything in a single step.
- A quick drybrush or single highlight on the armour, then pick out metal, leather and faces.
Contrast paints shine here - a contrast over the right undercoat shades guardsmen automatically and gets a platoon done in an evening.
Tanks and regiments
Leman Russ tanks and Chimeras give you a canvas for weathering - mud, chipping and stowage. Swap the green for other regiments: Death Korps of Krieg (field grey), Catachan (olive and bare muscle), Tallarn (desert tan), Valhallan (greatcoats).
Tips and common mistakes
- Keep it simple. A guardsman should take minutes, not hours - save detail for tanks and characters.
- One wash to rule them. A single all-over shade is the fastest way to make ranks look finished.
- Weather the tanks. Mud and chips turn a flat green tank into a war machine.
Recipes are generated by perceptual colour matching against our cross-brand paint database. Use them as a strong starting point and test paints in person when precision matters.