The big Armies on Parade awards show is in October, and it’s shaping up to be the most incredible so far. Along with the new team category and Youngbloods division – for hobbyists aged 13-15 – that we unveiled earlier this year, we’re opening up the exhibition to more skill levels by doing away with the need for a display board – though there’s a special category for those who want to go all out.
Armies on Parade is still the same community painting event you know and love, but for 2024 we’ve added a few refinements.
First up, the prizes – we’ve been coy about what you can win at Armies on Parade in the past, but this year you get to know in advance. For the big online competition, there’ll be fancy trophies for each of the gold, silver, and bronze winners in each category, and anyone who picks up a trophy will receive a Combat Patrol or Spearhead box* of their choice. We’ll also be handing out Judges Choice awards to distinguished runners-up, which come with a prestigious certificate you can display next to your winning army.
For those entering in your local Warhammer stores, gold, silver, and bronze winners will instead get an awesome medal for their victory, while every entry will earn a pin badge marking you as an Armies on Parade veteran. What’s more, your store manager has special dispensation to award certificates for excellence that doesn’t quite make the top cut.
This time around, there are some new hobby materials to help you on your Armies on Parade journey, nestled comfortably in the ever-useful Citadel Colour website. Download and print the new paint planner and you’ll have no trouble keeping track of the individual miniatures that make up your entry, helping you stick to a schedule and keep steady painting progress going month after month.
If it’s tips and tutorials you’re looking for, our Armies on Parade playlist on Youtube has just the content you need – we’re adding new guides to it all the time, and it’s a great way to learn new techniques whether you’re studying the videos diligently or have them on in the background while you paint.
In fact, this is a great time to check out all of the tutorials over at the Warhammer YouTube channel, and to make sure you can find the tips you need we’re introducing a new Complexity Scale rating system on the thumbnails.
The more pips the video has, the more advanced its techniques, so beginners and veterans alike can hoover up the painting wisdom that’s right for them. Beginner videos deal with minimal colours and basic techniques to get miniatures ready for their first games, while those at the other end with four pips match the specialist skills seen in Citadel Colour Masterclass episodes on Warhammer+ – from glazing and paint mixing to in-depth colour theory.
You can join us for a live YouTube broadcast on the 15th of April as the Hang Out and Paint team share their own progress and check up on how the Warhammer community is getting on. Join in the fun by posting your work with the hashtag #armiesonparade2024, and maybe even look forward to some special projects from the new edition of Warhammer Age of Sigmar.
If you’ve got some ideas in mind for your own Armies on Parade entry, don’t forget that your local Warhammer stores are here to help. Your store managers are a treasure trove of hobby knowledge and have seen dozens of prior entries come and go, so they’re full of valuable advice for newcomers. Even if it’s your first time entering a painting competition, or you’re just getting started with Warhammer, there’s plenty to pick up from fellow hobbyists on the road to Armies on Parade.
Stay tuned to Warhammer Community for more on Armies on Parade 2024 as we make our way through the year, leading up to the big showcase in October. Stores will be taking final submissions and running their own finales in September, so while it may seem like you’ve got plenty of time, it’s worth getting a start soon!
If you want to hit the ground running, Vanguard, Spearhead, and Combat Patrol boxes are a great place to start – and you could win one in our email competition! Terms and conditions apply.
* Or a Vanguard box, if the Spearhead for your chosen faction has yet to be released.
Terms and Conditions for online entries
1) Armies on Parade 2024 has four categories. Entries may be from any one Games Workshop game system:
Individual
Team
Display
Youngbloods (aged 13 to 15; entry requires consent from a parent or guardian)
2) Additional categories may be announced later.
3) There will be first, second, and third place winners in each category, each winning a trophy and a Combat Patrol or similar starter box. The judges will also select up to 10 special mention entries which will receive a certificate. Additional prize details will be announced in April 2024.
4) The judging criteria shall be as follows: cohesiveness of display theme; originality and creativity; conversion skill; and painting finesse.
5) We will only accept competition entries that conform to the following rules:
Painted miniatures must exclusively consist of Citadel and/or Forge World products
Entries can be from any Warhammer game system, or the Middle-earth™ Strategy Battle Game
The display must fit within a board with base dimensions of 2’x2’ (61cm x 61cm) or 22×30 inches (76cm x 56cm).
Conversions and scratch-built entries are allowed as long as they are in scale and set thematically within one of the Warhammer worlds or universes. This does not extend to entries set in the Middle-earth™ setting.
Any miniature customisation must exclusively comprise Citadel/Forge World bits or parts only.
Your entries must have been wholly painted by you (or your team, for the Team category).
Full terms and conditions coming soon.