For the last few weeks, hobbyists across the world have been feverishly working on their entries for this year’s Armies on Parade competition. This month, you can submit your painstakingly painted models and carefully crafted boards.
You have until Sunday the 29th of November to get your entry in, so whether you’ve finished already or want to take more time to make it the best it can be, you can. You’ll see the results in our Parade Day Twitch show at 1:45 pm (GMT) on Saturday the 19th of December. We’ll be showing off loads of entries, and awarding gold, silver, and bronze trophies for the major categories, as well as medals for various other categories. Even better, every trophy and medal winner will also be given a Start Collecting! or Combat Patrol boxed set of their choice!
To submit your entry, send us your pictures* in an email to armiesonparade2020@gwplc.com with the subject line “Armies on Parade 2020: <Game System>”. For example, if you’re showing off Space Marines, it would be “Armies on Parade 2020: Warhammer 40,000”. Be sure to include your full name, where in the world you are, and what game system your entry is for in the body of the email – and don’t forget to attach the photos!
If you’re a terms and conditions kinda person, you’ll find them all here for your perusal, and if you have questions, you may well find the answers in our Armies on Parade FAQ.
If you still need inspiration, we have just the thing. We tracked down the creators of three stunning Armies on Parade from years past and asked them about their entries. Here’s what they had to say.
Gareth Cosby: Adeptus Mechanicus
Gareth: The inspiration for this entry started way back in the 1980s when I first saw John Blanche and Jes Goodwin’s art featuring the priests of Mars in the Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader rulebook. These stayed with me over the years, and when the Adeptus Mechanicus hit the shelves, I knew I had to collect them. What better excuse than Armies on Parade?
I started with models that I loved the look of and built what I thought an Adeptus Mechanicus army would look like around that. The idea for the cog board came after building the Void Shield Generator kit. Initially, I thought this might be a little ambitious, but my local Warhammer store manager challenged me to make it so the cogs worked and the army rotated on the stand. I’m not one to turn down a challenge…
This entry was a lot of fun to make and paint, and after more time than I care to mention, the army was completed, the cogs turned, and I managed to win first place at Warhammer Crewe!
If you’re searching for inspiration for your own Armies on Parade projects, have a look at the amazing and fantastical lore, artwork, displays, and armies that can be found within the pages of Games Workshop’s publications.
Louise Sugden: Blood Bowl Goblins
Louise: I love Armies on Parade and definitely consider it the most wonderful time of the hobby year. Doing a Goblin Blood Bowl board was a bit of a bizarre twist on what I would usually enter, as it's not your typical army – but I think it's really important that your board has some kind of story or narrative. Having two very different Goblin teams in various predicaments, as well as commentators, fans, medics, cheerleaders, and hidden squigs all over the board, gave me just that opportunity.
My usual aim for Armies on Parade is to use models I’ve painted during the year and create a board around them. It means I can spend all my time making the board and, if necessary, constructing additional bits to go with it. The best boards are ones which you can look at a hundred times and notice something new on each return.
Working on an Armies on Parade board is a long project, and hobby fatigue is something we all experience. It's nothing to be ashamed of or bogged down by – we work hard, and being creative is taxing! If a day just isn't my day and I can't pick up the paintbrush, I’ll do what motivated me in the first place and imagine the end result.
Self-motivation for me is about pride in doing something constructive, and creating something which wouldn't otherwise exist! Take a break if you need to, but remember how good it'll feel at the end of the day to have that one model done or that bit of scenery looking extra cool.
Chris “Peachy” Peach: Cities of Sigmar
Peachy: With my Armies on Parade board, I really wanted to capture the mortal forces of Azyr. When I built this, Warhammer Age of Sigmar was new, and the concept of having humans, duardin, and aelves standing side by side as an allied force really excited me.
Initially, I was taken with building a collection of different factions that were tied together by a uniform colour scheme. Once I bought all the regiments I wanted, the fun started, with a few head swaps here, some weapon swaps there… Before I knew it, I had a collection I was proud of and which felt like it was ready to march off to the glory of Sigmar!
The biggest piece of advice I can give is to keep it simple and have a plan. I marked out on the unpainted board where my units would be and roughly where the scenery would sit. Then I used the calendar on my phone to give myself little targets. Happily, I came well under my personal deadline, which allowed me to add a little polish to the display here and there.
Thanks, all! Remember that you have until Sunday the 29th of November to submit your finest creation – so get building and painting now!
* Not sure how to take the best snaps? Never fear – we have a guide for that!